NECA Has Made Batman 1989’s Wonderful Grapnel Launcher Into A Toy!

I’m Batman. Or at least I’ll try to be with NECA’s new Batman 1989 grapnel launcher replica! This iconic gadget often appeared in the Caped Crusader’s first major Hollywood feature film from Tim Burton.
NECA captured the look right down to the metallic spool, collapsible handle, and the shiny brass spear. It even fires the spear and retracts it with a battery-powered motor (LR1 batteries not included). It may not help you escape the Joker’s goons, but it will look sweet on your shelf next to NECA’s folding batarang.

The original speargun, or “grapnel,” was designed by John Evans. It was a somewhat functional prop, too.

There are versions of the speargun out there that have some functionality. A few have the rotating cylinder in the middle or real cables wound around the spool at the hilt. Those will run you around $500-$1,000.
NECA is in the right spot. Under $100, looks good, has some functionality, is the right size, and has all the cosmetic details. Sure, premium replicas are nice, but sometimes you want something that looks accurate but isn’t breaking the banks. We’re not all Bruce Wayne, ya know?
The NECA version does not break apart into two pieces, but it will fire and retract the grappling hook, similar to what we saw on the Animated Series’s grapnel. Unfortunately, the details are vague, and the item has not appeared on NECA’s website yet.
The article we sourced mentions this item will be appearing in big box stores “now.” I’ve not seen the SKU show up at Target or Walmart yet, but we’ll keep looking. The price point is also a mystery. My best guess would be $49-$59.
What are your thoughts on NECA’s current line of Batman replicas? What other props from the first four Batman films would you like to see NECA produce? I personally always like the Batman Forever batarang and the batglaive. Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Figures.com]