Alfred Variation? (BAT014)

Ironsights

Hello all,
Just wondering if anyone knows why this variation exists? As you can see in the picture, the shoulders on each figure are shaped differently, and the printing also appears to be different - the left being less defined than the right. Both are new condition and are seemingly genuine LEGO parts (the brand name is on the top of the neck on the torsos).



Any thoughts/insight?

Cheers,
James

CCC

Are you sure the square shoulder ones has the lego logo on it? As it looks like a fake. Also the flesh hands (and possibly head) appear to be a slightly different colour to the one on the left.

mrseatle

Pretty interesting find...

Could just be the angle, but the one on the right looks like he's got white dots in the eyes, while the one on the left has flesh colored dots.

BrickDancer

The dotted pixelation on the white shirt for the fig on the right doesn't seem legit. But neither does the messy print lines for the bow tie on the left fig (plus the flesh eye dot mentioned). Here's a snap of my own Alfred for comparison.

Huw

Manufactured in different factories, I suspect. The plastic doesn't have the dull sheen typical of Chinese ABS though.

luckie_reubs

Wow; I hadn't seen this before (I didn't collect the Batman I lego sets). I'm right in assuming that there are have been no Alfred minifigs since the Batman line was re-launched, right?

EddieDoesntMind

luckie_reubs said:

Wow; I hadn't seen this before (I didn't collect the Batman I lego sets). I'm right in assuming that there are have been no Alfred minifigs since the Batman line was re-launched, right?

Yep. Right now Alfred and Killer Croc are the only two characters from the old theme to not get new figures.

madforLEGO

Did these come from sets? Or did you purchase them outside of box?

lego613master

I've seen this a number of times in my sets, from printed parts. My theory is that some print machines apply more ink than other, resulting in thicker lines. Among the several dozen duplicate Minifigs I have, I've noticed this three or four times.

vynsane

I've seen the rounded shoulders on minifigure torsos from the LEGO Store Build-A-Mini station in the past.

Ironsights

@CCC - Yes, took some more pictures below!
@mrseatle - They both have their white dots, if you look closely the one on the left is misprinted and they are poking out above the black of the eyes!
@madforLEGO - They were purchased outside the box (BL'd most of the sets by parts, never got any when they were on the shelves!): the torso on the left by itself and the figure on the the right was from a trusted seller. The head on the left came in a separate lot I won on ebay. So they're from all over the place!

Same neck and brackets on the torso...



However the arms on the square shoulder torso lack the LEGO logo, interestingly...



Nevertheless, I'm suspecting it is a factory issue as some of you have said because some older figures from the same line also have the variation.
Take the black suit Batman...


For me, what settles it is these two keychain figures of the old Dark Knight Batman... they were converted to be used as figures, so surely it would be impossible to fake these??


And the printing on any duplicates I own from this line are all a bit different anyway, just this seemed a lot more noticeable!

CCC

Yeah, I have taken a look back at some older figures and have found some with sharper / squarer shoulders. All with the logo on the neck, but some to the left, some to the right - I thought this may be random if they are picked up and printed but all torsos that I have that are the same have it the same way around. To complicate it further, some have the LEGO logo on the arms and some do not.

Although my oldest ones - classic space - have rounded shoulders.