Imaginext - SUPERGIRL!

Imaginext - DC Super Friends - Batgirl Hero Hideout - Fisher-Price/Mattel 2024

I'm excited that Supergirl has become such a household name in the last 10 years. Between her solo live-action Supergirl TV show (on CBS then CW) and her role in DC Super Hero Girls franchise, she suddenly became a staple character in DC merchandising after decades of neglect. Sure, she had toys on the shelf before this, but her first true action figure was only made in 1998 (exactly 40 years after she was introduced). So despite her presence in the comics and supporting roles in cartoons, the general public didn't know anything about her. But all that has changed now. And once her solo film comes out in a few years, her high position in pop culture will be even more solidified (assuming it's good). This Supergirl figure from the new girl-centric DC Super Friends Imaginext line is one of my favorites of the first wave. She is sporting a super classic costume and a mischievous smirk. This character is not often portrayed as funny or wise-cracking, but this makes me think she should be. Let's check her out below!

Imaginext - BATGIRL!

Imaginext - DC Super Friends - Batgirl Hero Hideout - Fisher-Price/Mattel 2024

The new girl-centric line of DC Super Friends Imaginext toys has started off with a bang. In the first wave of releases we've already seen seven key characters represented in a fresh new style, a colorful palette, and supported by a series of animated shorts from DC Kids on YouTube. The style of these figures is reminiscent of the Teen Titans Go Imaginext line that was released 7-10 years ago featuring larger, more animated heads and slimmer limbs. I think I will always prefer the traditional Imaginext proportions, but this new series has grown on me fast. Batgirl seems to be the primary protagonist of this group. She seemingly owns the heroes' base of operations (the "Batgirl Hero Hideout") and she seems to be the focal point of most of the animated shorts. And that's impressive considering she is joined by heavy-hitters like Wonder Woman and Supergirl. (It's honestly most likely because she has the most impressive and notable villains of all the heroes). Let's check out Batgirl below!

Imaginext - CATWOMAN!

Imaginext - DC Super Friends - Catwoman Playhouse - Fisher-Price/Mattel 2024

When I first saw images of this new girl-centric Imaginext DC Super Friends line popping up this past Spring, I didn't think I would make the effort to collect them. The larger cartoonish heads and the limited articulation are a bit of a buzzkill after years of collecting the main Imaginext line. But when I saw pics of this reimagined Catwoman design, it really grabbed my attention. Having Catwoman be portrayed as African American isn't a new concept. Three of her (relatively few) live-action incarnations have been played by women of color, and numerous Elseworlds comics and animated series appearances have portrayed her as different ethnicities. But something about this simple little figure with her glittery outfit and hot pink details struck me as wholly original and really fun. Once I bought her, of course, I have to splurge and get all the rest - and now I'm committed for the long haul. I only hope they push out new characters instead of endless redecos like Fisher-Price is notorious for. Let's check out Catwoman below!

Imaginext - WONDER WOMAN!

Imaginext - DC Super Friends - Wonder Woman - Fisher-Price/Mattel 2024

About five years ago I swore I would never buy another Wonder Woman Imaginext figure. After all the product related to her solo movies and Justice League, my Imaginext shelf was being overrun with Dianas (plus a lot of them were extremely similar). So flash forward to 2024 and I find myself breaking my word and buying two Wonder Women in a single month. The new girls' line with the new design style was an understandable purchase. But this figure in this post caught me by surprise. She is the exact same mold as her 2012 figure (the second female in this line, after Catwoman). And her accessories are all repurposed. So why did I buy this figure? (In a multipack of figure and vehicles I had no interest in?) Simple. Because of the yellow. I'm a sucker for bright primary colors on my heroes. And this is the first Imaginext Wonder Woman that isn't painted in metallics. She just looks so classic to me and is easily my favorite Diana in the line. Let's check out this great redeco'd Wonder Woman below!

Super Mario Bros - DAISY!

World of Nintendo - 4" Series Wave 38 - Princess Daisy - Jakks Pacific 2024

I've been buying Nintendo figures from Jakks Pacific for nine years now and the line somehow still manages to be really exciting for me. In fact, they definitely seem to be playing the long game. Because the first figure I bought was a 4" Princess Peach figure way back in 2015 and I was openly excited about a Rosalina and Daisy in the same scale to complete the Mario Princess trifecta. I was certain these two figures would be unveiled any day. But it took nine years and 13 other female Mario figures along the way to get the next 4" Princess made. I don't mind the wait. Considering the action figure industry is actively giving us figures that have been on my wishlist for 40 years, you just have to suck it up and be patient. (But if it takes another nine years to see Rosalina in this scale I may have a minor meltdown). This Daisy figure is pretty perfect and worth the long wait. There's something so appealing about her un-princessey color palette and her tomboy demeanor. I think she's great. Let's check out Daisy below!

Marvel Legends - WARBIRD!

Marvel Legends - Marvel 85th Anniversary - Warbird (Target Exc) - Hasbro 2024

Few comic characters can change names and costumes repeatedly and stay dynamic and interesting. But then there is Carol Danvers. Carol first became Ms. Marvel in January 1977. This original costume was my favorite with a very 70's feathered hairdo and bare midriff (sadly unproduced in the Marvel Legends line). But in less than two years she ditched that for a black outfit with a lightning bolt. I wasn't a fan of this look for a long time. Perhaps because it replaced my favorite or perhaps because it was often drawn as a high-waisted thong (which seemed gratuitously objectifying, even amidst the abundant cleavage and navels in comics).  But I eventually changed my tune (specifically when her 2014 Legends figure was released). In the May 1998 issue of The Avengers #4, she first adopted the name Warbird in connection to the black costume. This Target Exclusive figure represents the Warbird era well and marks a new level of quality and articulation for female Legends. Let's check her out below!

Fire and Ice - PRINCESS TEEGRA!

Frazetta Girls - Fire and Ice - Teegra (with Shaitan) - ICON Collectibles 2024

Fire and Ice is a 1983 animated fantasy film by Frank Frazetta and Ralph Bakshi. I have a love/hate relationship with this movie. I love Frank Frazetta's design aesthetic. There's a dark storybook tone that stands out from all the other barbarian properties. And I like his almost visceral obsession with anatomy. It's not always sexual, but there is definitely equal-opportunity objectification between the sexes. What I have trouble with is rotoscoped animation. I know almost all cartoons use reference materials for anatomy and motion. But when it's just blatantly traced footage, I find the final product boring. Although I rewatched the movie with an open mind while editing these photos (it's streaming on Amazon) and I quite enjoyed it. Princess Teegra is the main female character in the movie. She gets kidnapped quite a few times and really steals the show. This figure from ICON Collectibles Frazetta Girls line is pretty amazing.  She looks sexy and strong and her panther Shaitan is a great accessory.

Transformers One - ELITA-1!

King Jr - Transformers One - Elita-1 & Cybertronian Cycle - Burger King 2024

I ate Burger King a couple weeks ago for the first time in close to 20 years. The burger was actually great. The fries were not as good as they used to be sadly. I did the same thing with McDonalds a couple years ago and I thought all of it was gross and couldn't believe how much I used to eat it in my youth. But I digress. The whole reason I dabble in fast food as an adult is to fetch the rare female kid's meal action figure. Funny thing though, the highly astute BK employee assured me I was getting Elita-1, but underneath my Whopper was Orion Pax. I ended up ordering the whole set on eBay. When this Elita-1 figure was first shown, I feared she would be the only movie figure of her. There had already been a lot of Transformers One product shown, but all the early product was devoid of females (despite Chromia, Arcee, Elita-1, and Airachnid all being listed on iMDb). But luckily there now seem to be a ton of Elitas coming. Let's check out the BK Elita-1 and her Cybertronian Cycle mode below!

Transformers Earthspark - SPITFIRE!

Transformers Earthspark - 1-Step Flip Changer - Spitfire - Hasbro 2024

In Season Two of Transformers: EarthSpark, there is a fun storyline where new Terrans are created from shards of the Emberstone that have been corrupted. The resulting Terrans look just like the existing heroes, but they are actually polar opposites (dubbed the Chaos Terrans). I'm always a fan of this type of storytelling trope. Star Trek's Mirror Mirror was the first example I was exposed to. But even recently there has been Mirrorverse's Fractured characters, and flipped Miraculous characters. This is smart for merchandising too, because a simple repaint can be embraced as a wholly new character. In EarthSpark, the Chaos Terran version of Twitch is named Spitfire and was a surprise character when her first toy was solicited back in May (she didn't appear in the cartoon until June). I especially like her look because minty-green Transformers always remind me of Moonracer, who was my favorite of the original female Autobots from The Search for Alpha Trion. Let's check out Spitfire below!

Transformers Earthspark - TWITCH!

Transformers: EarthSpark - Warrior Class Figures - Terran Twitch - Hasbro 2024

The last few Transformers EarthSpark releases seem to be trickling out at a snail's pace. The unfortunate thing is that the big box stores seem to have largely abandoned the Warrior Class scale figures, skipping right from the smaller Tacticons and 1-Step Changers to the Deluxe figures. This is a shame because the Warrior Class line is probably my favorite of them all. Twitch is a new character created for the EarthSpark cartoon that transforms into a drone. She is notable because she has a figure in almost every line (except the Spin Changer line, but they only made two characters). I am nervous her Tacticon will never be released, but even more nervous for the last two Warrior Class ladies (Hashtag and Spitfire). Considering the scarcity of the Warrior line in general, I was really excited to find her at a B.A.M. (Books-a-Million) bookstore while on vacation this Summer. I guess I'll have to keep checking back for the final few. (Unfortunately, I don't have any nearby). Let's check out Twitch below!

Transformers EarthSpark - NIGHTSHADE!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-05 DX - Nightshade (Deluxe) - Takara Tomy 2024

When buying my TakaraTomy EarthSpark redecos, I couldn't help but add Nightshade to my cart. As far as the Japan/US paint variations go, theirs is very minor. But I prefer the Japanese face deco that more closely resembles the unique Terran visage. Plus the torso deco, feet, and thighs create a sleeker, more hourglass, appearance. Which I think blurs the gender lines better than the Hasbro version (ironic considering how conservatively they were presented in Japan). I love a good scandal. Especially when the same folks upset about a gender-obscured character were the same ones screaming for years that female Transformers couldn't exist because they are a genderless species. So ta-daa, here's your first non binary robot like you wanted. I couldn't care less about Nightshade's gender. I just know I'm drawn to their design, name, and beast mode. Enough so that I jumped at the chance to buy a subtle variant just to get another Nightshade on my shelf. Let's check them out below!

Transformers EarthSpark - ELITA-1!

Transformers: EarthSpark - 1-Step Changers ESS-08 - Elita-1 - Takara Tomy 2024

When I started collecting action figures as an adult, fembots were basically nonexistant. But now there are a ton. Since January 2023, there have been 30 official female Transformers released (and that's not even counting the awesome 3rd Party figures). But along with the collector-friendly deluxe figures, these characters are also now released as gimmicky lower-level figures, too (a luxury that was limited to only the male characters for decades). These figures can look pretty cheap and cheesy (ex: Tacticons and 1-Step Changers). But I'm a completist for most fembots so they still end up in my collection. I recently splurged and bought all the TakaraTomy Japanese releases of the EarthSpark ladies and I was impressed at how a few added paint details can improve their visual appeal. This 1-Step Changer Elita-1 from TakaraTomy has paint on her forearms, shoulders, chest, and forehead (all of which were lazily unpainted in the Hasbro version) and it's a big improvment. Let's check out the updated Elita-1 below!

Transformers - FILCH!

Transformers Legacy United - Star Raider Filch (Robots in Disguise) - Hasbro 2024

In 2015, a single appearance-character named Filch was introduced in the Robots in Disguise episode S1:E7 "Collect 'em All!"  Filch is a gigantic robotic magpie who is single-mindedly obsessed with all things shiny to collect for her nest. The situation gets serious when she steals a conductor from an electrical tower and a metal beam supporting a bridge. I will state again that she is big.. roughly three times the size of the Autobots she encounters.. and animalistic, exhibiting almost no human-like traits. She reminds me of a blend of the G1 Insecticons with their all-consuming hunger and Nightbird with her single-episode fame. She is also monosyllabic, only uttering the phrases "Shiny!", "Mine!", and "Not shiny." I think she's amazing. This action figure is a fantastic retooling of the Kingdom Airazor figure. I never expected to see a one-off character like this get the full action figure treatment, but she is glorious. It gives me hope that other blink-and-you-miss-them characters could get toys someday.

Transformers EarthSpark - ELITA-1!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-14 DX - Elita-1 (Deluxe) - Takara Tomy 2024

I've learned a lot about Transformers over the years, but I can admit the intricacies of the Hasbro/TakaraTomy relationship is a little vague to me. From my experience, when the two companies release the same product, the difference has been solely paint applications. So when I discovered that this EarthSpark Elita-1 actually had noticeably improved tooling, I was surprised. I really liked the 2023 Hasbro Warrior Class Elita-1. She has a great sculpt and scale. But when I discovered this Japanese version with an articulated head, sculpted hands with removable weapons, and added paint details, I was obsessed. As one of my favorite Transformers, I will be endlessly excited about new Elita-1 toys. With her prominent role in the upcoming Transformers One movie, I'm excited that she will be getting five new movie figures (and likely even more). But I'm excited this EarthSpark design got one final hurrah. It's pretty great, even though it will be overshadowed shortly. Let's check out Elita-1 below!

Transformers EarthSpark - HASHTAG!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-13 DX - Terran Hashtag - Takara Tomy 2024

As one door opens, another closes. While not officially confirmed, there are abundant rumors that Transformers: EarthSpark will end after Season 2 - just as we're gearing up for Transformers One and all its merchandise. The cancellation rumors led me to splurge on the import TakaraTomy version of Hashtag. Modern Transformers figures are typically released by both Hasbro and TakaraTomy using the same general molds, but often sporting paint variations. I wasn't planning on getting this TakaraTomy Hashtag because she is a distinct dark blue instead of her on-screen purple deco. But I fear the purple Hasbro version may never be released. The most recent EarthSpark releases have been very scarce at retail, and I wasn't about to let this character pass me by. Hashtag is a bit of a modern character stereotype. She is the tech-savvy cool hacker character, which is a dime a dozen character description these days. But I am really drawn to her design and this figure is a very fun representation of her.

Transformers One - AIRACHNID!

Transformers One -  1-Step Changers Series One - Airachnid - Hasbro 2024

I always love a villain, especially when they are creepy and incorporate visual themes from one of the stereotypical "scary" animals like insects, spiders, bats, and reptiles. This isn't a rare character recipe at all, but I love them all anyway. Airachnid was first introduced as an antagonist in the 2011 Transformers Prime series. She has a lot of similar characteristics to Blackarachnia, but she was witchier and vampier and was a cool triple-changer alternating between robot, spider, and helicopter forms. My favorite thing about her was that while in her robot form, she would often walk on her spider-legs (aka helicopter blades) that protruded from her back Dr. Octopus style. I actually find this type perambulation terrifying at an instinctual level, so of course I am obsessed with it. I'm really interested to see how Airachnid will be portrayed in the upcoming Transformers One film. This toy offers the most clues so far. She has an interesting redesign, but I still have a ton of questions. Let's check out Airachnid below!