Masters of the Universe - TEELA!

Masters of the Universe Origins - Cartoon Collection - Teela - Mattel 2024

Would you believe this is the 21st Teela action figure released in the last 5 years? And that's not even counting statues, figurines, and novelty figures (but it is counting Goddess repaints). Luckily they keep finding new ways to give her a distinct update with each release. This Cartoon Collection spinoff of the Masters of the Universe Origins line gives us Origins-styled figures (in that updated-vintage construction) but in a deco and sculpt to represent the classic Filmation animated aesthetic. It very similar in spirit to the 2018-19 Masters of the Universe Vintage line from Super7, but with better articulation. This Teela is pretty great. Her armor, hair, and tiara is perfectly styled in that nostalgic cartoon design. The colors are bright and simple, and the rubber armor on her torso moves great without disrupting the waist swivel. The only odd thing is her super detailed face. It looks good by all means, but it looks more like a movie-styled figure than a cartoon. Let's check out Teela below!

Unicorn Academy - ISABEL!

Netflix's Unicorn Academy - Isabel Armstrong & River - Spin Master Toys 2024

Ah. I've finally reached the last post of the five Unicorn Academy action figures. I can only assume that these first five characters are just the initial release. There are at least two blatant omissions from the lineup: Rory Carmichael - the token boy of the Unicorn Riders, and Ravenzella the dark sorceress and primary antagonist of the series. As far as Rory goes, I notice that these female-centric action figure lines tend to treat male characters the same way females get treated in the boy lines - i.e. shortpacked or only included in expensive multipacks. Beast Boy from DC SuperHero Girls and Terence from Disney Fairies come to mind. But in the meantime, these first five figures are great. My favorite of the bunch is Isabel, mostly because her outfit looks the most costumey (the others look like they're wearing slightly outlandish street clothes). But Isabel is the sporty competitive member of the group so it's natural that her costume looks slightly more heroic. Let's check out Isabel and River below!

Unicorn Academy - AVA!

Netflix's Unicorn Academy - Ava Banji & Leaf - Spin Master Toys 2024

I find the character of Ava Banji to be both a joy and also disappointing. She has the most easygoing, likeable personality of the group. While characters like Layla are touted as the brainiacs of the show, it's actually Ava who teaches us the most about this secret magical world and the Academy itself. I also love that she and her unicorn steed, Leaf, have plant-based powers. It's my favorite of all elemental powers. But the disappointment is that my favorite color is green, and I wish she and Leaf were clad head-to-toe in that color. I feel like the overall palette of the Unicorn Academy characters is oddly devoid of green, and literally ever other plant-powered character I've ever heard of at least has some green. But alas, my favorite character and her unicorn are a Springy palette of yellow, pink, purple, and robin's egg blue. I hope these characters get power-ups in future season with new costumes (and toys) I would love to see them in stereotypical colors to match their powers. Let's check out Ava below!

Unicorn Academy - VALENTINA!

Netflix's Unicorn Academy - Valentina Furi & Cinder - Spin Master Toys 2024

One trope I love about young adult storylines, especially the girl-centric ones, is the mean snobby elitist character who is initially framed as an antagonist, but eventually becomes a frenemy, and finally a true friend to the heroes. In Unicorn Academy, the super-popular CGI animated show currently on Netflix, that character is Valentina Furi, the legacy student fashionista queen bee. It makes sense that she is paired with Cinder, the unicorn with the elemental power of fire. Both Valentina and Cinder are adorned with flame patterns and red and orange color schemes. Valentina is my favorite character from the show - probably because she isn't sugary sweet and always has a slightly dubious intent. I'm always a sucker for a villainous lady (even if they soften and become nice way too quickly). Season two debuts this week and hopefully introduces new characters that Spin Master can eventually immortalize in plastic. Fingers crossed. Let's check out Valentina and Cinder below!

Unicorn Academy - LAYLA!

Netflix's Unicorn Academy - Laya Fletcher & Glacier - SpinMaster Toys 2024

One thing I love about Unicorn Academy is that most of the rider-and-unicorn pairings have elemental powers and designs. Layla is the brainy one of the bunch (she's wearing glasses, duh!) and her unicorn, Glacier, has Ice-based powers. So both Layla and Glacier are adorned with pastel colors, lots of icy blue details, and of course snowflakes. I find it amusing that Layla is not an expert equestrian like most of the students. Luckily Glacier is around to keep her balanced and confident. Season two of Unicorn Academy debuts on Netflix this week and Target is promoting that with an endcap dedicated to this new line of action figures and dolls. It's been a while since there has been a female-based action figure line in the big box stores. Between 2016-19 we saw DC SuperHero Girls, Mysticons, WWE Superstars, and Miraculous filling the shelves. But since then there has been almost nothing. I have a strong hunch that Unicorn Academy marks the resurgence of action figures in the pink aisles. Let's check out Layla below!

Unicorn Academy - SOPHIA!

Netflix's Unicorn Academy - Sophia & Light Magic Wildstar - SpinMaster 2024

If you have any tween or adolescent girls in your life, you've undoubtedly heard of Unicorn Academy. Since its Netflix debut in November 2023, the series has become an extremely popular property. I personally didn't watch any episodes until I discovered these action figures at Target last week, but I understand the appeal. The series features a very Harry-Potter-like beginning with the main character, Sophia Mendoza, being unknowingly summoned to a secret magical school. Where the students are sorted into dorms and given a chance to bond with a unicorn. The pull of equestrian life is powerful for this young demographic, and the unicorn aspect adds the perfect amount of fantasy and wonderment. Then there is a Magical Girl aspect where the riders undergo a transformation to match their bonded steeds - ie sparkly outfits and streaks of color in their hair. The individual episodes feature magic, teamwork, fantasy, and adventure. I think Unicorn Academy will be around a while. Let's check out Sophia below!

Jurassic World Dominion - MAISIE LOCKWOOD!

Jurassic World Dominion - Maisie and Velociraptor 'Beta' - Mattel 2022

Maisie Lockwood is a very interesting character. We first met her as Sir Benjamin Lockwood's granddaughter in 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Lockwood was an old associate of John Hammond and we eventually learn that Maisie is in fact a clone of his daughter who had passed away. With the scientific advancements made by the Jurassic World scientists over the years, it shouldn't have been so much of a surprise that someone had attempted to clone a human, but it sure was. By the time Jurassic World: Dominion came out in 2022, she had been taken in by Claire and Owen as their adoptive daughter and hidden away from the same poachers that hunt down all the dinosaurs for their genetic material. She is a surprise focal point of the movie. This figure is especially great for the representation of a teenager - particularly in comparison to her previous figure when she was an adolescent. The subtlety of scale is impressive. Let's check out Maisie Lockwood below!

Jurassic World Dominion - DR. ELLIE SATTLER!

Jurassic World Dominion - Epic Battle Pack - Dr. Ellie Sattler - Mattel 2022

Ellie Sattler was always the most memorable character from Jurassic Park for me. I loved one of the earliest scenes where they are in a jeep entering Jurassic Park and she is so taken aback by the prehistoric leaf she has found that she is not even noticing the dinosaurs. I can totally relate to this level of obsession and distraction. I also loved her acrobatic sprint to turn the power back on and her search for berries in the Triceratops poop. I just thought she was so cool. And I give all credit to Laura Dern, because I had read the book when it came out a few years before and the character barely registered with me. I was very happy to see the original trifecta of Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm resuming their roles almost 30 years later in 2022's Jurassic World Dominion. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I'm glad so many of the characters got action figures. Ellie was definitely the hardest to get since she's exclusive to a large pricey boxset, but she's worth it. Let's check her out below!

Super7 ReAction - TIGER FORCE SCARLETT!

ReAction Action Figures - G.I.Joe Wave 6 - Tiger Force Scarlett - Super7 2023

Once again the Super7 ReAction line gives me vindication. I was a big fan of G.I.Joe in the eighties. Almost every kid was a fan, but for those of us that were obsessive and stuck with it as we grew up, we were rewarded with thematic factions like Python Patrol, Iron Grenadiers, Night Force, and Tiger Force. These were great because they almost always featured the classic characters in cool redecos. The problem for me was that they were always devoid of females. With the sole exception of Ninja Force Scarlett, the new factions were a total boys club. When the line rebooted in the early 2000s, Hasbro gave us a very cool Night Force Lady Jaye and a Tiger Force Jinx, but the initial exclusion still stung. This Tiger Force Scarlett feels like a figure we should have gotten back in '88 (albeit in 5poa), right down to the awkward stripes like Lifeline and Frostbite had. I hope they eventually make a ReAction Jinx so we can get her green Tiger Force repaint to pair with Scarlett. Here's hoping. Let's check out Scarlett!

Super7 ReAction - RAVEN!

ReAction Action Figures - G.I.Joe Wave 5 - Raven (Cobra Pilot) - Super7 2023

In November of 1986, there was a standalone episode in Season 2 of G.I.Joe called In the Presence of Mine Enemies. Based on the novel of the same name, the episode features Slipstream in a dogfight with a Cobra pilot over an unspecified region of Africa. Both planes go down and the two pilots find themselves on an abandoned Cobra base. The Cobra pilot is a woman named Raven who is steadfast in her belief that Cobra will come and save her. When her forces arrive, they predictably attack the two pilots indiscriminately. She is initially stubborn and obstinate, but eventually realizes that her allegiances to Cobra are not reciprocated. Raven and Slipstream must rely on each other for their mutual survival. I've always enjoyed this episode because it is so similar to my favorite, Memories of Mara, featuring Shipwreck and female Cobra soldier (a precursor of the Hydro-Vipers). Raven is one of those unexpected one-off characters that always keeps me excited for the ReAction line. Let's check her out below!

Dark Knight Rises - CATWOMAN!

MAFEX No. 009 - The Dark Knight Rises - Catwoman - Medicom Toys 2015

The MAFEX line from Medicom has come a long way since its beginnings in 2014. This specific Catwoman figure is the 9th release from 2015. And while this figure is very nice, it pales in comparison to the 2021 Hush Catwoman I recently opened. In fact, there is a version 2.0 of this Dark Knight Rises Catwoman released two years later in 2017 (MAFEX 050), that appears greatly improved. Unfortunately, that 2.0 figure's secondary market price is often in the hundreds of dollars. (But meanwhile you can easily get this MAFEX 009 version for $25 bucks today). I was really happy to finally open and review all my backlogged DKR Catwoman figures. I've had this one for seven years and she looks great finally displayed on my Catwoman shelf. My desire to do a group photo with the new McFarlane DC Multiverse figure made me finally dig all these figures out of the depths of my closets and finally give them the attention they deserve. Let's check out this (long-neglected by me) Mafex DKR Catwoman below!

Dark Knight Rises - CATWOMAN!

S.H.Figuarts - The Dark Knight Rises - Catwoman - Tamashii Nations/Bandai 2018

This figure sent me on a crazy internet-searching frenzy this week. When I was photographing this figure, I had the sudden realization that she looked exactly like Sarah Michelle Gellar. This idea got so implanted in my head that I couldn't unsee it and created the (fictional) idea that Gellar was possibly considered for the role before Hathaway was cast. We see a fair amount of toys that are based on pre-production design, so my theory had merit (in my mind). Alas, I was wrong and the likeness is just a coincidence. But, wow, there is a lot of fancasting out there for Gellar in the role of Catwoman. For a long time, this S.H.Figuarts figure from Bandai was the nicest DKR Catwoman out there. She has great textural details, excellent articulation, and perfect proportions. Plus she was the victim of some bizarre merchandising practices and was heavily clearanced at GameStop for $30. This purchase started my obsession Mafex, S.H.Figuarts, and Figma (which I had always avoided). Let's check out Catwoman below!

Dark Knight Rises - CATWOMAN!

Dark Knight Rises: The Bat 1:12 Collectible Set - Hot Toys/Sideshow 2014

This figure was the Bane of my existence for years (pun intended). As a surprise pack-in figure for the gargantuan deluxe The Bat vehicle from Hot Toys (MSRP $779.99), she was simply unobtainable for me. I had hopes that someone would split up the set and eventually sell her cheap(er) on eBay, and a mere eight years later I finally had her. Beyond the general character appeal and my obsession for collecting variations, I also wanted this figure as a rare example of a 1:12 scale figure from Hot Toys. As a company known for its large high-end 1:6 figures and smaller SD Cosbaby line, a traditional 6" scale figure is an oddity. And while she's not as detailed or articulated as her Mafex and SHFiguarts versions, she is still a fantastic rare figure. Her face and eye details are especially amazing. Although she kind of looks like she's about to cry with that Hot Toys' signature glassy shine and pink-lined eyelids. She probably saw her pricetag. Let's check out this rare Dark Knight Rises Catwoman below!

Dark Knight Rises - CATWOMAN!

DC Multiverse - Catwoman (Dark Knight Rises) Platinum Edition - McFarlane 2024

I had a provocative thought recently. Sometime in the past 12 years that amazing code-switching scene from Dark Knight Rises where a confronted Selina Kyle says "Oops. Nobody told me it was uncrackable" has become as iconic to me as the Michelle Pfeiffer "Meow" explosion. An almost blasphemous statement, I know, but I feel what I feel. The YouTube clip of that scene shows up on my playlist all the time because I've watched it so much. I think I, along with the rest of nerddom, was apprehensive about Princess Mia Thermopolis stepping into the coveted role of the greatest femme fatale of all time (imo). But that scene was when I breathed a sigh of relief and realized Ms. Hathaway could handle that responsibility just fine. This McFarlane figure is pretty great and has prompted me to open photograph a handful of other DKR Selinas I've acquired over the years. I will post them all in quick succession this week so bear with me. Let's check out the McFarlane DC Multiverse DKR Catwoman below!

Iron Factory - WING GUARD!

3rd Party Transformers - IF EX-27G Wing Guard - Seeker Trio - Iron Factory 2023

It's amazing to think that it's been six long years since the last (non-bishoujo) female Iron Factory release. Back in 2015-2018, it was these cool little fembots that first got me into the 3rd Party Transformers market. They were relatively inexpensive, very well made, tiny, and just a little bit cute. (Not so cute to be considered "cutesy" though). I got hooked pretty fast and had hopes that I would see all my favorite characters in this line. Once we got a great Elita One, I thought for sure Chromia and the rest would be coming. But no, the last new lady was 2018's Shrike's Feather (Slipstream) and then fast forward to 2023 when that Slipstream mold was reused in this awesome 3-Pack of female Seekers. I know Slipstream is considered a female Starscream, but seeing an actual properly-colored female Starscream is very cool. (This concept should totally carry over into the mainstream Transformers). I hope to see many more females in this line after the hiatus. Finger crossed! Let's check out the Wing Guard trio below!