Masters of the Universe Classics - MARA!

MOTUC Club Eternia - Mara of Primus - Mattycollector Exclusive - Mattel 2015

The New Adventures of He-Man was an interesting chapter in the He-Man mythos.  Filmation had gone out of business, the 1980s had come to a close, but the He-Man brand still had a lot of potential.  The production company Jetlag picked up the reigns and changed up everything.  He-Man and Skeletor had left Eternia and began quarreling in space and on the far-away planet of Primus.  The series was very interesting to me as a young viewer. The animation was much more dynamic, but conversely the storylines and (new) characters were much less interesting.   The character Mara was the most prominent female in the series.  In the beginning she was a plainclothed assistant to Master Sebrian (think Doc Brown meets Gandalf).  But later on she donned her warrior garb as seen in this figure.  Along with the Galactic Protector She-Ra and the upcoming Crita figure, I'm really excited to have a mini New Adventures collection on my shelf.  Let's check out Mara below!

DC Collectibles Jae Lee WONDER WOMAN!

DC Comics Designer Series: Jae Lee - #2 Wonder Woman - DC Collectibles 2015

I rarely buy Wonder Woman figures. I realized long ago that if I were to dive headfirst into collecting Wonder Woman, my collection would easily double or triple in size and I would have an oppressively patriotic looking house. I have reluctantly relegated myself to living vicariously through other people's amazing collections (ExperienceTheWonder is my favorite).  Wonder Woman is easily the most merchandised female superhero of all time... so little gems like this Jae Lee Designer Series version can be easy to overlook.  However I think that would be a great disservice because this is one of the nicest looking figures of Diana I have ever seen.  It's definitely highly stylized, but it's also very classic at the same time.  This is maybe the 5th or 6th Wonder Woman I've been unable to resist adding to my collection, and she is definitely worthy of that exclusive status.  Hopefully she sells well because I would love to see more Jae Lee styled figures.  Let's check out Wonder Woman below!

DC Collectibles Jae Lee CATWOMAN!

DC Comics Designer Series: Jae Lee - #4 Catwoman - DC Collectibles 2015

I think the thing the sets DC Collectibles apart from all the other action figure companies is their willingness to embrace different styles. Sure, with Mattel we will see comic, animated, and movie styles over the course of the years. But DCC has a long history of breaking down the comic portion of that trifecta into the gritty minutiae of artist-specific storylines. In the past, we've seen different versions of Selina in the styles of Jim Lee, Tim Sale, Adam Hughes, Terry Dodson, and Amanda Conner (among others).  But now this year, DCC has seemingly fully embraced the celebrity factor of their artists and made new figures designed by Bruce Timm, Greg Capullo, and now Jae Lee. I've been a fan of Jae Lee since his Hellshock series used to scare me back in 1994.  I was thrilled when he started dabbling in DC Comics last year, and I'm even more thrilled his efforts have been immortalized in plastic. This is an absolutely stunning action figure. Let's check out Jae Lee's Catwoman below!

DC Mini-Busts - CATWOMAN (and Customization!)

DC Comics Super Heroes Catwoman Mini-Bust - DC Collectibles 2015

I love my Catwoman mini-bust collection. It took me years to succumb to the temptations of statue collecting, but when I finally did, it was Miss Kyle who pushed me over the edge.  This newest Jim Lee designed bust is my sixth (Three Women of DCU busts, DKR, and Halle Berry).  Plus there are Julie Newmar and a BTAS versions due out by the end of the year.  Now all we need is a Michelle Pfeiffer version and I'll be happy.  I've been very excited for this bust since it was first solicited, but I must admit the final product was a pretty big let-down for me.  The Joe Menna sculpt is beautiful, but the face paint was a far cry from the paint master.  What drives me nuts is that the paint apps on a character like Catwoman are so minimal.  It's literally just her face and a zipper.  Luckily I'm patient with a paintbrush so I was able to revamp her until I was happy.  All the customized pics start around halfway down this post.  Let's check out this JimLee designed New 52 Catwoman mini-bust below!

WWE Battle Pack Diva - LANA!

WWE Battle Pack - Series 34 - Lana and Rusev - Mattel 2015

Mattel's WWE series is one of the few lines out there today that seems willing to release female figures in civilian clothes.  Every few years we get an official Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, or Commissioner Gordon figure.  But the Lois Lane, Oracle, and Mary Jane Watson faction are practically nonexistent.  Collectors who want characters like these almost always have to resort to customization.  That's the main reason I get excited when I see figures like Lana in the stores.  I don't even customize like that, but I'm excited for all the fans who do.  I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of fan repaints of this figure in the coming year.  Lana is a Russian-accented WWE manager who was first introduced back in 2013.  She has historically always worked with her fellow Russian, Rusev (her mate in this 2-pack) but recently began managing Dolph Ziggler after a fallout with Rusev earlier this year.  This figure is pretty cool overall, although rubberized clothing always tends to add a lot of awkward bulk.  Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends - INVISIBLE WOMAN!

Marvel Legends 2-Packs: Wave 2 - Invisible Woman & Human Torch - Hasbro 2008

I swear it's pure coincidence that I'm reviewing all these Sue Storm figures on the same week that the long-awaited Fantastic Four reboot film was released. I've been a huge fan of the Fantastic Four for a long long time, but I've also decided long ago that my love of Marvel's First Family is best rooted in the comic world. Whenever there would be a new cartoon or movie featuring the Fantastic Four, I would always be hopped up on expectations, only to plummet down every time. By the time the 2005 film rolled around I was already a Doubting Thomas. But conversely, all the disappointing media made my appreciation for the comics and the characters really expand. This figure of Sue Storm was released in 2008, shortly after the Rise of the Silver Surfer movie came out (I still haven't seen it). The Invisible Woman is one of the most merchandised females in the Marvel Universe (Storm is the other top contender), but unfortunately she has very few decent action figures. This figure is one of the better ones, but even it has some serious flaws. Someday she'll get a good one like she deserves. Let's check her out below!

Fantastic Four Classics - INVISIBLE WOMAN!

Fantastic Four Classics - Series 02 - Invisible Woman - ToyBiz 2006

For a long time this rare little beauty was the best looking female action figure in Marvel Legends style. Back in 2006, we were so happy to be getting female characters in the line at all that were gladly accepting the awkward overly-jointed spider-like bodies that plagued the Marvel heroines.  Then came this random series of comic-style Fantastic Four figures (riding the wave of popularity from the 2005 film) with an Invisible Woman figure that absolutely blew all the previous Marvel ladies out of the water. The dynamic sculpt and thoughtful articulation are what set her apart from the crowd.  She looked feminine, strong, and awesome.  It was a shame that she wasn't easier to come across on the shelves.  I only remember seeing this line in stores like FAO Schwarz and small Mom & Pop toy shops.  If they got wider distribution, I never saw proof of it.  That definitely explains the extremely high eBay prices for these beauties though.  Let's check out Sue Storm in detail below!

Mezco Mini Mez-Itz Keychain - POISON IVY!

DC Universe Mini Mez-Itz Keychains - Poison Ivy - SDCC Exc - Mezco 2015

I've been waiting for this little green vixen for years.  I've become a big fan of Mezco's Mini Mez-Itz format since I bought my first Catwoman keychain back in 2012.  Unfortunately the release schedule for figures is painfully slow. We first saw Poison Ivy on display at Toy Fair 2013 - supposedly in a "Girls of Gotham" 4-pack to be released in August 2013.  Needless to say that never happened.  The Batgirl and Harley Quinn were eventually released singly (as convention exclusives and blind boxes).  So the only missing lady was little Miss Isley.  Luckily the fine folks at Mezco found a way to get her to us as a 2015 SDCC exclusive (you can easily order her at mezcotoyz.com).  Now my Gotham Girls are finally complete!  I'm really excited about this.  Now we just have to endure the long wait for the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman supposed due early in 2016.  We'll see about that though.  I least this Ivy reassures me that we'll see her eventually.  Let's check out the lovely Poison Ivy mini Mez-Itz in detail below!

Masters of the Universe Classics - PEEKABLUE!

MOTUC Club Eternia - Peekablue - Mattycollector.com Exclusive - Mattel 2015

I feel like I might have made this proclamation before, but I swear when the first Princess of Power figure was included in MOTUC back in 2010 (and I realized the POP ladies had a chance to be revitalized in modern form), the absolute number one wish for me was Peekablue.  I have a (platonic!) love for animal-themed characters, green hair, and pacifists - so she was pretty much perfect for me.  I also thought her name was bizarre and awesome.  I suppose it's in reference to her "omnidirectional" vision and the color of her feathers?  Whatever the intent, she's that perfect mix of girly and bizarre that I loved so much about She-Ra and the Great Rebellion when I was a kid. As the second-to-last vintage Pop figure to be released, they really scared me.  Every annual Matty-meter doomsday scenario had been focused around Peekablue in my head "I need to sub for Peekablue"  "We can't not get her" etc etc.  Well she's finally in my greedy paws and I'm very satisfied indeed.  Let's check her out below!

Batman '66 Yvonne Craig BATGIRL!

Batman Classic TV Series - Batgirl - SDCC Exclusive - Mattel 2015

One of the greatest joys in my childhood was tuning in to the Batman TV show (in randomly-ordered syndication during the mid-1980s) and seeing that animated shot of Batgirl swinging into the shot with a "Bong!" indicating that she would be starring in that episode. She was only featured in the final 26 doomed episodes of that series, but she made a pretty profound impact on me and all Batman fans. The Barbara Gordon Batgirl that we all know and love is generally accepted to have been jointly developed at the same time in the show and the comic. The Bette Kane Bat-Girl had been phased out years prior and the mantle was sorely in need of a resurrection. The comic version has really persevered and I have tons of collectibles to prove that. Unfortunately the purple-clad Yvonne Craig version hasn't had the same presence in the toy aisles. This figure is only the second official item released. At least four others are coming in the near future, but there's a lot of lost time to make up for!  Let's check her out!