By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

In theory, I should hate this image. For me, the whole Batman-with-a-gun thing is supremely played out. So much so that I typically roll my eyes when I see it. I also found the brown duster from Batman v Superman to be, like a lot of things in that movie, very stupid.

But for some intangible reason, this shot from Indonesian photographer Riza Nugraha works for me.

Actually, it might not be one reason, but a bunch of them. When combined, the goggles, scarf, duster, gun, and belt give me a Jason Todd/Red Hood vibe. I’m sure the faded, sort of rusty red hue helps in that respect. Somehow, I’m reminded of Assassin’s Creed. Which doesn’t really make sense, as I’ve never played a single one of those games.

I also appreciate the background. Instead of putting the character in the desert, Nugraha put him in some kind of wooded environment. Based on the coloring and the haze, it seems like a fire of some kind has just taken place. Perhaps it’s even post-apocalyptic.

I’ve previously said that in my opinion, the best action figure photography allows you to forget you’re looking at plastic toys. Perhaps I should change it to, “The best action figure photography stimulates your imagination and creativity allowing you to forget you’re looking at plastic toys.”

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