Masters of the Universe Classics - CRITA!

MOTUC Collector's Choice - Crita - Mattycollector Exclusive - Mattel 2016

Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics has easily been the most epic toy line of my hobby. In eight short years (they really flew by!) I was able to add 41 amazing ladies to my collection. There were just about as many female figures released in the DC Universe Classics line, but they just pale in comparison to these beauties. Mattel and the Four Horsemen made an unprecedented achievement in recreating classic animation characters in modern form - and the character selection went beyond my wildest imagination. Crita was the sole female villain in The New Adventures of He-Man. I don't really remember much about her beyond her appearance. From my hazy memories I believe she looks like a witch, but has no witchy powers. She has a small scepter which extends into a whip. She flirts with Skeletor and fights with Mara. Also, she has two very distinctive costumes in the cartoon. I definitely prefer this iconic witchy look though. She is a beautiful figure and an amazing penultimate lady in the MOTUC line.

DC Multiverse - CARRIE KELLEY ROBIN!

DC Comics Multiverse - New 52 Doomsday Series - DKR Robin - Mattel 2016

When DC Universe Classics ended a few years ago I thought it was the end of an era. I was sad, but I acknowledged the reality that the line had probably run its course. And if I was being honest with myself, I would admit that I was getting really sick of the DCUC female buck. When Mattel first showed the Multiverse line, I was expecting more of the same. But I can honestly say I was very wrong about that. The two female figures in this Doomsday wave (Supergirl and Robin) are fantastic. They didn't skimp on the sculptural details and the unique buck used on Robin speaks volumes for the commitment to variety. The Dark Knight Strikes Again Wonder Woman and Burnside Batgirl figures shown at SDCC look like two of the most interesting Mattel figures I've ever seen. I'm really excited for the future of this line. They are proving that the character selection is practically limitless. My wishlist is suddenly getting really obscure and I'm loving the excited speculation. Let's check out Robin below!

DC Collectibles Darwyn Cooke HARLEY QUINN!

DC Designer Series: Darwyn Cooke - #3 Harley Quinn - DC Collectibles 2016

This new DCC Designer Series is a fantastic tribute to the late Darwyn Cooke. His style is a wonderfully classic blend of Alex Toth and Chester Gould and it was the perfect thing to usher me back into comics in the early 2000s (after the eXtreme 90s had driven me away in disgust). Despite having a distinctly retro style, his 2001 revamp of Catwoman was a surprisingly modern and refreshing change. Although I only ever saw Darwyn Cooke's version of Harley Quinn on a couple random comic covers, I really love this figure and I'm so glad it was included in this line. DC Collectibles' Designer Series has almost limitless potential. The Greg Capullo, Jae Lee, and now Darwyn Cooke series have absolutely thrilled me. And the upcoming Ant Lucia and Lee Bermejo will keep the momentum going. The only one that let me down was the Terry Dodson line (but I'm certain there will be a second Dodson wave eventually). But in the meantime we have many more Darwyn figures on the way. Let's check out Harley below!

DC Collectibles Darwyn Cooke SUPERGIRL!

DC Comics Designer Series: Darwyn Cooke - #2 Supergirl - DC Collectibles 2016

The saddest moment of 2016 for me was the heartbreaking news that Darwyn Cooke had passed away. Moreso than actors and musicians, the passing of comic artists always hits me particularly hard. It might be because I have no acting or musical skills whatsoever, so the art forms I relate to most deeply are drawing, painting, and sculpting (all of which I dabble in). Comic artists in particular always seem immortal to me. The serial nature of comics and the constantly regenerating storylines tease you into thinking the artists behind them will be just as long-lasting and consistent. Plus there's a unique bond that forms between comic artists and their fans. Over time you really feel as if you know them. I've never met Darwyn Cooke, but I hear he was a wonderful man and he will be sorely missed. I have all his older New Frontier figures and I am so happy to have his unique style further represented in my collection with this new artist series. It's bittersweet, but the tribute is fitting and welcome.

Marvel Legends - KATE BISHOP HAWKEYE!

Marvel Legends - Toys R Us Exclusive Avengers 3-Pack - Hasbro 2016

When I first saw this Toys R Us exclusive 3-Pack solicited earlier this year, I was immediately reminded of the amazing Young Avengers comic series from 2005. Obviously Kate Bishop owes her origins to the Young Avengers, but at first glance I thought The Sam Wilson Captain America was Eli Bradley as a grown up Patriot and I thought Vision was an alternate version of the Young Avengers' Vision. I hadn't been aware that Falcon ever became Captain America and I haven't been reading the new Vision series, so I had no clue who her companions were. It was a little deflating to realize my mistake, but I'm still super happy that we got a Kate Hawkeye. Now all we need is a Stature and Speed (and of course updated figures of all the rest). If you haven't read the first run of Young Avengers yet, I highly highly suggest you do. It's truly one of the most enjoyable comics I've ever read. I just started re-reading it all last night. Let's check out Kate Bishop as Hawkeye below!

DC Super Heroes - POISON IVY IMPOPSTER!

POP! Heroes #128 - DC Comics Super Heroes Poison Ivy as Batgirl - Funko 2016

Funko has been driving me insane recently with all their awesome releases. In the past few months I have bought about 25 Funko items, and there is so much more on the horizon that I will definitely be getting. These Impopsters are a very cool way to re-use molds without making me feel like I'm getting ripped off. I always thought the LootCrate Exc Joker as Batman Pop was really cool, but I never imagined they would create a whole series from it. This Poison Ivy as Batgirl Pop will be joined by a Harley Quinn as Batgirl in the next few weeks. It's funny that this mold was left unused for so long, but then in the past 12 months it's been released 4 more times (with these two Impopsters and the GameStop Black Friday exclusives). I think maybe the announcement of the new Burnside Batgirl figure coming out next month might be the reason behind these last-minute re-uses of a soon-to-be-outdated mold. Whatever the reason, this is an awesome addition to my Batgirl Pop collection. Let's check her out below!

Marvel Legends - ENCHANTRESS!

Marvel Legends - The Raft SDCC Exclusive Box Set - Hasbro 2016

This figure is a very bittersweet one for me. I have had a longstanding obsession with Enchantress. The first time I encountered her was in the New Mutants Special #1 from 1985. This story was part of the Asgardian Wars storyline and featured all the young mutants getting scattered and stranded on Asgard with Enchantress being their main adversary on these adventures. I don't think I've read a single comic issue more times in all my life. So with all that longstanding adoration of Amora, I was really excited to see her in Legends form. It wasn't the first time that I splurged for an expensive SDCC exclusive while only intending to keep one figure. I'm ususally happy to do it because I can sell the others without much hassle. But this year, a mere two days after I got my Raft set in the mail, Hasbro announced that she will be a part of the Doctor Strange wave due out in September. I'm trying to balance the feelings of betrayal versus my joy over this figure. It's quite the existential crisis for me. Sigh.

A Collection of Small HARLEY QUINN Figurines!

An Assortment of Harley PVCs - Schleich, Walgreens, & Deluxe Mini Figz - 2015-16

Oh Harley what am I going to do with you? You are popping up absolutely everywhere I look and I can barely keep up. I've been stockpiling little Harley Quinn figurines for years and lately I've decided to start combining some smaller reviews together. They are usually so small and inexpensive that they are hard to resist buying. But at the same time they often seem too insignificant to warrant a full post individually. Of course I always realize this after I excitedly photograph them as if they were the greatest find ever. So forgive the choppy nature of these photo sets, I truly intended them to be separate. Today's group will include the 2015 Schleich SDCC exclusive figurine (recently repackaged singly at Target), the 2015 Walgreen's figurine, and the recent Deluxe Mini-Figz blind bag figure. None of these items are particularly wonderful collectibles, but they are all fun little items that are near impossible to avoid picking up when you find them in a store. Let's check them out below!

Halo - LINDA-058!

Halo - Alpha Crawler Build-a-Figure Series - Linda-058 - Mattel 2016

There's something I find irresistible about an established company starting up a brand new property with unique body styles and accessories. When we think of Mattel products, it's easy to imagine what one of their DC figures might look like. Same with WWE, Barbie, and MOTUC. It's been that way for years. So when Mattel got the Halo license from McFarlane Toys, I was intrigued to see what their new action figures might look like. The result is a totally unique body style composed of a rigid plastic unlike anything else in the Mattel portfolio. They are made in a noticeably larger scale than their McFarlane predecessors and they further differentiate themselves by having removable armor - not just a piece or two, but almost everything except for the helmet. I'm really curious to see what future characters they include in the lineup. This Linda-058 was a surprise to me when I found her at TRU a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to more surprises too. Let's check out Linda-058 below!

DC Comics Multiverse - SUPERGIRL!

DC Comics Multiverse - Doomsday Series - Supergirl (TV) - Mattel 2016

I'm really nervous for the second season of Supergirl. I very rarely like superhero TV shows. I started off very excited for Smallville, but it never took. I watched all of Birds of Prey out of some misguided sense of solidarity to all the female heroes in it, but it wasn't easy for me. Then I gave Arrow, Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow all a fighting chance, but I just never got hooked. The only shows I've ever truly liked are Gotham, Agents of SHIELD and Supergirl. If you notice the trend there.. I apparently just don't like any CW shows. So with Supergirl switching from CBS to The CW for season 2, I'm nervous that it's going to have the teen drama feel that makes me tune out almost immediately. But luckily before that potential cord-cutting, I get to immortalize Kara in my collection with this great Multiverse figure. The previous production shots of her looked pretty odd, but in person I found her to be a lot better than I expected. I'm very happy overall. Let's check out Supergirl below!

X-Men Legends - KITTY PRYDE!

X-Men Legends - Juggernaut Series - Kitty Pryde - Hasbro 2016

Kitty Pryde really created a niche role in the X-Men. When she first appeared in 1980, there had never been a young female character in the roster. It seems like a natural balance to all the grim and often violent male characters now, but before her introduction there really wasn't a youthful voice on the team. Since then, there seems to be a "little sister" character more often than not. Kitty, Boom Boom, Jubilee, Pixie, etc have all filled the same role of innocent novice with a wild side. I also find Kitty interesting because she's never had a codename that stuck (mostly because her real name is better).  Ariel, Sprite, Shadowcat, and even Starlord - none of them have the same pizzazz as "Kitty Pryde." Her pet dragon Lockheed makes her pretty unique as well. Lockheed is actually an intelligent dragon-like alien that Kitty met on a Brood-infested world during the Brood Saga storyline. They formed a psychic bond and have been practically inseparable ever since. Let's check out her action figure in detail below!

X-Men Legends - Marvel's PHOENIX!

X-Men Legends - Juggernaut Series - Marvel's Phoenix - Hasbro 2016

My first real love of the X-Men is due to my early obsession with Jean Grey in her green Phoenix costume. In the late 1980s I was really into G.I.Joe comics (and was starting to dabble in Batman) when my brother came home from his friend's house with a stack of X-Men Classic issues. I was aware of the X-Men from their appearances on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends as well as the Pryde of the X-Men cartoon I owned on VHS. I liked them, but still preferred my G.I.Joe. That was until I saw Phoenix on one of those covers and was instantly smitten. I thought she was the coolest thing I had ever seen (A feeling that wouldn't be surpassed until I discovered Polaris.. I have a very obvious and lifelong obsession with all things green). I was probably the only little kid annoyed by the Dark Phoenix Saga because the color of her costume changed. As much as I loved this version of the character, I've found it really hard to find a good plastic representation of this look. And I'm still not 100% pleased - rant below...

X-Men Legends - Marvel's ROGUE!

X-Men Legends - Juggernaut Series - Marvel's Rogue - Hasbro 2016

It is so refreshing to see X-Men characters readily available in the toy aisles again. Sure, we had those super-elusive Jubilee and Puck waves last year. But before that it seems like the last mutant was that horrible TRU shelfwarmer Emma Frost. With all the doom-and-gloom talk about Fox and future of mutants in the Marvel Universe, it's a relief to get such an awesome X-Men series. Plus, this wave is notable for having three unique female characters for the first time ever. Technically the Brood Queen series had three females as well, but I'm talking about humanoids (i.e. not the insectile Brood Queen herself). There have been a handful of examples of three or four females if you include variants. But having Rogue, Kitty, and Jean in one wave is uncharted territory. We first saw this Jim Lee-era Rogue in the 2003 X-Men Legends Box Set and she has been one of the most requested re-dos ever since. I think everyone will be extremely happy with this new version. Let's check her out!

Power Rangers - NINJA STORM BLUE RANGER!

Power Rangers Legacy Collection - Ninja Storm Blue Ranger - Bandai 2016

Bandai's new Power Ranger Legacy Collection is off to a great start. When these were talked about at recent shows and conventions, I wasn't grasping how robust of a line this would be. For starters, the 6-7" scale seems so impressive and new for Power Rangers figures. Also, they aren't messing around with the word "Legacy" - Ninja Storm was the Power Rangers theme in 2003 and this Blue Wind Ranger happens to be one of my favorite Rangers of all time. This first wave consists of Blue, Red, and Yellow Ninja Storm Rangers, and Green and Red MMPRs. I only bought this one figure so my knowledge is incomplete, but I know that by buying the three Ninja Storm figures, you have all the Build-a-Figure pieces to create the Storm Megazord. I have a feeling the two MMPR figures don't let you create a full Dino Megazord, but I'm not certain about that. Bandai has made promises that this line will be consistent and long-lasting. I can't wait to see it all unfold. Let's check out the Blue Wind Ranger below!

Mini Mez-Itz - GOTHAM CITY VILLAINS!

Gotham City Villains Mini Mez-Itz - Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley - Mezco 2016

Back in 2013 there was a"Girls of Gotham" Mini Mez-Itz set shown at Toy Fair. This set marked the first time we would have seen Poison Ivy and Batgirl in this format and I was very excited. But then the street dates came and went with no products on the shelves. Eventually Batgirl and Poison Ivy were released individually at conventions and I assumed we would never see a box set like it. Then I randomly stumbled across this set at Barnes and Noble last week. This lineup actually makes me happier than the original Gotham Girls set because the redecos are significant enough to make my want them all. Catwoman is a purple repaint of the comic version, Poison Ivy is her classic comic deco (i.e. normal fleshtone and no vines), and Harley has a new puckering face and a noticeably brighter red paintjob. I'm not usually a sucker for color variations, but these hit all my buttons. Hopefully this bodes well for lots of future Mini Mez-Itz on the shelves. Let's check out these three ladies below!

Suicide Squad Mez-Itz - HARLEY QUINN & KATANA!

Suicide Squad Mini Mez-Itz 5-Pack - Harley Quinn & Katana - Mezco 2016

Mezco has been making me nervous lately with their dwindling displays of Mini Mez-itz at shows and conventions. I get that their One:12 Collective has become their new flagship line and between them and the tried and true Living Dead Dolls, Mez-Itz are kind of lost in the shuffle. But I love these things so much that I raise my hopes every time. Luckily this Suicide Squad pack and an unexpected Gotham Villains set showed up in the past week to satiate me for a good year or so. I'm hoping they start doing Batman the Animated Series or the rest of the 1990's Batman films. All I know is that I want a lot more Batman characters in this format. This Suicide Squad set is especially interesting to me because these are the first figures I've bought that have had accessories (Harley's baseball bat and Katana's katana). This makes me think the line is evolving which makes me very happy. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Let's check out Harley Quinn and Katana below!

Marvel Legends - SILK (CINDY MOON)!

Spider-Man Legends - Venom Series - Web-Slinging Heroines - Hasbro 2016

Silk is one of the many Spider-Ladies introduced in the Marvel Universe during the past few years. However, she slightly predates the rest of the bunch and her origins lead me to think her character was conceived before the whole Spider-Verse event. Cindy Moon was a student in the same lab where Peter Parker was bitten by that fateful radioactive spider. What wasn't revealed until recently is that Cindy was also bitten. Unlike Peter though, she could not control her powers and was locked in a bunker to protect herself and others from the spider-hunting Inheritors. Her release from the bunker acted as a beacon to those dimension-hopping Inheritors and triggered the Spider-Verse storyline. Although somewhat overshadowed by Spider-Gwen, Silk has had two successful solo series and starring roles in two others. Plus getting a fantastic Marvel Legends figure just two years after her debut speaks volumes. I can't wait to see who else we'll see in future Spider-Man waves. Let's check out Silk below!