When I think of criminally underused DC characters, Bumblebee always hits pretty high on that list. Karen Beecher first became Bumblebee in the 1977 issue of Teen Titans #45 and is considered the first Black female (costumed) hero in DC Comics (Nubia appeared three years earlier but wasn't considered a traditional costumed hero, and Vixen wasn't introduced until 1981). Bumblebee's powers and overall concept weren't groundbreaking. She was essentially DC's version of Marvel's Wasp (who has been around for 15 years already). But something about her design, personality, and role in the Teen Titans lineup was much more appealing to me. She has been a regular team character in several comic series over the years, but she never hit the spotlight. Her animated presence has had a lot more momentum. Since the first Teen Titans animated series in 2003, she has been regularly included in Titans or various DC Girls media, Bombshells, etc. - with a decent amount of cartoony merch to support it.
But I'm still hoping that we'll see a traditional comic-based Bumblebee action figure someday. Either McFarlane or SpinMaster would be great. (Note: in researching this post I was reminded of her cancelled 2017 Bombshells figure from DC Collectibles. Of course, she was styled like a pinup cheerleader instead of a hero, but it would have technically been her first comic-based figure). This newest Imaginext figure continues the trend of DC using Bumblebee in animated or kid-focused media, but practically ignoring her existence in the comics. I welcome all her merchandise, and this Imaginext is actually one of my favorites of the new DC Girls line, but it makes my desire for a classic figure even stronger. Let's check out Bumblebee below!
Bumblebee comes with an oversized projectile accessory that launches a translucent "Bee Missile" when the trigger is pressed.
The fact that this new DC Girls line only has swivel shoulder articulation means she can barely hold her accessory.
Time for a Group Pic!
Here are all the new Imaginext figures in this as-of-yet un-named big-headed female sub-line.
From Left to Right: Supergirl, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Bumblebee, and Wonder Woman.
From 2015-2018 there was a Teen Titans Go! series of Imaginext figures. They used a very similar design as this new 2024 DC Girls line. Here is Wonder Woman (2024) with Starfire (2017) and Ravager (2018). Note the Titans line had fully-articulated shoulders and slightly larger heads.
And just for reference, here are all five ladies of the 2015-2018 Teen Titans Go! line together:
Raven, Ravager, Starfire, Terra, and Jinx.
Cheers!
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