Fighting the Frozen - BATGIRL (and PLATINUM)!

DC Direct Page Punchers - Batman: Fighting the Frozen - Batgirl - McFarlane 2023

For the last year, the platinum chase version of this figure has been the bane of my existence. The standard edition was a scarce enough - I saw the other three figures in abundance, with Batgirl only showing up in the mix six months later and still seemingly only a single figure per Walmart. The chase version seemed like a pipe dream. She was selling for around $300 on eBay. But I honestly didn't even love the figure enough to pay more than retail (yet I thought the purple recolor was more desirable). I didn't know the context, and caveman-type variants don't really appeal to me. A couple weeks ago I noticed full cases of single characters were being restocked at Walmart (over a year since their original release). I saw a store with six Robins, then a store with six Mr. Freezes. Eventually I found a Batgirl store and finally found my Platinum edition at MSRP. I've since learned that these Page Punchers figures are an original creation from a McFarlane-commissioned comic (variant cover included with each figure).

ThunderCats Ultimates - CHILLA!

ThunderCats Ultimates - Series 9 - Chilla (the Icy Lunatak) - Super7 2024

ThunderCats is one of my childhood properties that I have a fierce love for. But as an adult, I can acknowledge that my obsession was purely based on general concept, toys, and character design. Because my knowledge of the characters who were not merchandised and even my memories of the actual cartoon are scant or non-existent. Until fans started begging Mattel for an action figure of Chilla back in 2016, I honestly never heard of her and would have wagered that there weren't any cool female villains in the series. I do have vague memories of the Lunataks, but thinking they were a bit silly. In concept they are a formidable collective of ancient evil warriors from each of Plun-Darr's moons. But in actuality, they are a bit like a bumbling group of misfits. With the sole exception of Chilla. On her own merits, she is very cool (pun intended). She had the most traditionally human body of the Lunataks and her abilities are reflected in her icy appearance (I love a monochromatic design and elemental powers).

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!

Princess of Power Masterverse - FROSTA!

MOTU Princess of Power - Masterverse Wave 7 - Frosta - Mattel 2023

The Masterverse line from Mattel continues to surprise me. One of the earliest obscure character leaks last year was Frosta. This figure was shown on secret product lists and was even accompanied by a super low-res photo. This was before Catra was mentioned and before She-Ra was anything more than a teaser about the "possibilities" of the Masterverse line. So seeing Frosta so early was both confusing and exciting. "Confusing" because she didn't seem like an obvious choice for the first Princess of Power release. But "exciting" for exactly the same reason... this line wouldn't be shying away from 2nd-tier characters. Of course, by the time she rolled out to stores, she would be the third POP character which makes a lot more sense. Frosta really stood out in the original she-Ra cartoon for her stark blue coloring and her memorable elemental powers. She was also known for aggressively hitting on He-Man, to much comic effect. It's hard to rank my favorite POP characters, but she's definitely up there for me.

League of Legends - ASHE!

League of Legends - Champion Collection - Ashe - SpinMaster Toys 2022

I love a good surprise figure. I hadn't seen any information on new League of Legends products in almost a year. In fact, I believe I've only ever seen three figures in this 6" Champion Collection so far (and they have been busy shelfwarming all the Targets in my area since last Fall). The figures looked cool, but without momentum and character variety, a line won't last long in the competitive action figure market, and I assumed the line was done. But Spin Master toys is notorious for releasing toys with no advanced warning. So a couple weeks ago a connection on Instagram casually mentioned this Ashe the Frost Archer figure. She was hidden in a multi-product Amazon listing with those first three figures from last year. An old listing, but now with a new fourth product offering. I had her in hand a few days later and I'm kind of obsessed. I don't know anything about League of Legends or Ashe herself, but I love a well-designed fantasy figure, and Ashe definitely fits the bill. Let's check her out below!

Endless Winter - WONDER WOMAN!

DC Multiverse - JL Endless Winter - Wonder Woman - McFarlane Toys 2022

It seems like the barrage of Wonder Woman variations from McFarlane Toys won't be slowing down anytime soon. Despite Todd's apparent aversion to female action figures, he sure does seem to pump out a lot of Dianas. So far there have been six unique Wonder Woman figures plus at least three variants in just two years. This most recent figure is from the 2020 crossover storyline Justice League: Endless Winter wherein the Frost King attempts to throw Earth into a.. well.. endless winter. Of all thematic storylines I come across in comics or TV, I'm always especially drawn to the wintry ones. I think whites and blues are visually dynamic and I love bulky clothing and furs. It makes everyone look a little more viking-like and more interesting. I'm glad she has her traditional color scheme in muted tones and a fur cloak. It is quite possibly my favorite non-traditional Wonder Woman outfit so far. Maybe they'll make a mermaid one next! Let's check out Endless Winter Wonder Woman below!

Mirrorverse - BELLE!

Disney Mirrorverse - Series 01 - Beauty & the Beast Belle – McFarlane Toys 2021

Disney Mirrorverse is an upcoming game that puts a wide variety of characters from under Disney's wide umbrella. On the surface it reminds me a bit of Kingdom Hearts. I don't know much about the game itself. Even the platforms it will be released on is confusing. But there are gameplay trailers and it seems like a cool battle game between stylized Disney characters. Most of the details I'm aware of come from this amazing new toy line from McFarlane Toys. When looking at the lineup of Disney Princesses in the game, Belle stood out as the coolest design. With her heavy winter cloak and staff with the enchanted rose, they found a great way to take a non-combative character and make her look like a formidable Mirrorverse Guardian. The other Princesses look cool, but not necessarily battle-ready. The Belle figure has a lot of articulation restrictions, and her scale is smaller than I expected at around 5", but the sculpt is so great that it's easy to forgive. Plus she's relatively inexpensive. Let's check out Belle below!

DC Club Infinite Earths - ICE!

DC Universe Signature Collection - Ice - Mattycollector Exclusive - Mattel 2014

I think I avoided reviewing this figure for so long because I was so disappointed at the end of the DC Universe Classic line. This final wave was technically part of the subscription-only Signature Series as they were trying to squeeze out a final few fan-demanded characters. I've had Ice sitting unopened on the shelf under my coffee table for six years. I would pull her out like I was going to finally open and photograph her, only to sigh and tuck her away again.. like a time capsule of a time when I had awesome subscription toys coming every month. But I finally followed through a few weeks ago and now I'm excited to set up a Fire and Ice shelf. While this figure has a number of flaws, I still find her utterly charming. Her face, hair, and neck seem oddly contorted and her ab crunch joint is very distracting, but her arms look good (not the spindly appendages most DCUC females got), her colors are vivid, and it's just a really fun toy overall. Unfortunately, I think the days of C-listers is over. Let's check out Ice below!

Sentai Hero Series - LADIES OF MAGIRANGER!

Sentai Hero Series - Magi Pink, Magi Blue, and Magi Mother - Bandai 2005

Power Rangers Mystic Force was the 2006 iteration of the Power Rangers franchise and marked my first real fascination with the brand. Every season of Power Rangers had a theme - most of which honestly didn't interest me in the least: ninjas, space, etc. But the Mystic Force season featured a mythology theme and I loved it. The main females were the Pink Mystic Ranger (Fairy) and Blue Mystic Ranger (Mermaid). Even their Zord forms looked like vaguely feminine humanoids. I picked up several of the Bandai USA toys, but my favorite products were the Japanese Sentai Hero Series vinyl figures (released with the 2005 Magiranger series). They beat out the rest because this line included the White Mystic Ranger (Snow) that I don't believe was ever included in the American toylines. The Sentai Hero Series is a really fin and inexpensive line to collect. While not especially well articulated, they have decent, consistent sculpts and great character selection. Let's check out the Mystic Rangers below!

Fortnite Legendary Series - VALKYRIE!

Fortnite - Legendary Series (6" Action Figures) - Valkyrie - Jazwares 2019

I'm very excited for this first female character in the 6" Fortnite Legendary Series from Jazwares. We've seen a lot of high-quality product from Jazwares over the years, but this is the first time we've seen a Marvel-Legends-type line from them (if you exclude that Hanna-Barbera Space Ghost from 2012). Fortnite shows a ton of potential and will hopefully earn Jazwares all kinds of new licenses in the coming years. I'm generally just excited to see a new big player in the action figure aisles. I don't know much at all about Fortnite except that I find the toys very exciting and quirky. That's why I'm so intrigued by this Valkyrie figure. She's quite possibly the least quirky character I've seen in the line, but she's absolutely gorgeous. I'll probably end up displaying her with my Magic the Gathering or other sci-fi fantasy figures. The pajama party aesthetic of the property is absent in this one. Also, in researching Valkyrie I kept seeing images of a fire variant. I certainly hope we see that in plastic. Let's check out Valkyrie below!

Two Years of DC Heroines from IMAGINEXT!

An Assortment of Imaginext DC Super Friends Ladies - Fisher-Price 2018-2019

I love Imaginext so much but I get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of figures I've collected over the years. So this post is collecting 23 amazing DC Super Friends ladies I've assembled over the past two years (and there are at least two I couldn't locate amidst my clutter to photograph).  I'm exhausted from editing 214 photos, but giddy about having them all unpackaged now. Way back in early 2012, the release of the Imaginext Catwoman was the push I needed to start this blog - which is funny because I never ended up reviewing that particular figure. But every time there is a new release I feel a nostalgic sense of excitement. The presence of female characters in the line is increasing at a shocking rate, and the two female-centric 6-packs in 2018 is a perfect example of Imaginext's new focus on gender inclusion. It was a very slow trickle for may years, but lately it's been an absolute flood (and I couldn't be happier about it). Let's check out two years of DC Imaginext ladies below!

Justice League International - ICE!

Justice League International - Action Figures Series 01 - Ice - DC Direct 2009

Fire and Ice are two characters I know next to nothing about. I never read any Justice League books when I was young, let alone Justice League International. But when I got into toy collecting in my twenties, the official DC Direct message boards were overflowing with fans begging for action figures of the pair. There was also a fair amount of shipping going on, but as far as I can tell that was all just fanboy fantasy. Once I started reading about the characters, though, I became kind of obsessed. I love the theme of elemental opposites with coinciding temperaments. Ice is Tora Olafsdotter, a naive girl from a magic wielding tribe of Norsemen. There is some confusion with the character Icemaiden who debuted a decade prior. Apparently the JLI writers thought Icemaiden never had a fleshed-out history when they introduced Ice (who they intended to be the same character). But Icemaiden had a very detailed origin previously published which led to Ice being an (unintentionally) original character.

Alpha Flight - SNOWBIRD!

Marvel Legends - Alpha Flight Boxset (Amazon Exc) - Snowbird - Hasbro 2019

I think Snowbird just may be the most memorable member of Alpha Flight for me. Similar to characters like Thor and Valkyrie, Snowbird is actually a deity (the demi-goddess Narya specifically) that is living on Earth under the guise of a mortal. Her presence in the comics was mysterious and creepy. Her black eyes and her cold countenance is a recipe for intrigue. and the fact that she can transform into any animal of the north just adds to her allure. As a kid, animals were my obsession, so any character with animal-based powers was a natural draw - let alone the ability to become almost any animal. Her appeal must have been universal among fans, because she actually has a decent amount of merchandise. But this is the first Legends-scale figure released (and she had been of my wishlist for a long time). I actually just read that John Byrne created her years before he even entered the comic industry, making her technically the original member of the group! Let's check out the long-awaited Snowbird below!

Masters of the Universe Vintage - FROZEN TEELA!

Masters of the Universe Vintage Wave 3 - Frozen Teela - Super7 2019

There's something about translucent plastic action figures that mesmerizes me. I remember having Blackstar toys as a kid and being obsessed with their translucent chests. Same with the Golden Pharaoh from Super Powers and all the Crystar heroes. My only caveat is that I like them to have a color tint, plain clear is not appealing for some reason. I didn't know the reasoning behind this Super 7 translucent blue vintage style Frozen Teela until after I bought it. There was a single episode in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Season 2 (titled "The Ice Age Cometh") where the new villain Icer touches Teela and she freezes. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but it sure translates into a cool variant of this fantastic sculpt. In the episode, when He-Man finds Teela frozen like a statue, he does the logical thing and punches her. In cartoon-trope-land, punching ice is apparently the same as thawing I guess. I've seen it a thousand times and it's always ridiculous. Let's check out Teela below!

Imaginext Collection of DC SUPERHERO LADIES!

Imaginext DC Super Friends - Assorted Heroes - Fisher-Price/Mattel 2017-2018

The DC SuperFriends Imaginext line is one of my favorite collectibles at the moment. For a long time the line was void of any female characters. Then in early 2012 they introduced Catwoman. That figure actually inspired me to create this blog, Because when I found it (in a Target in the middle of a blizzard), I was super excited to share my discovery, but I didn't have any outlet. Coincidentally, the DC message boards had been taken down a few months prior as part of the New52 reboot (that was my go-to nerdy community at the time). So within a month I started She's Fantastic - although I never did review that Catwoman. Over the course of the next few years, we got Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. Then the floodgates opened and I've had trouble keeping up. This review will collect my nine latest figures: Black Canary, Batgirl v3, Harley Quinn v2, Vixen, Hawkgirl, Carrie Kelley Robin, Wonder Woman v4, (Flashpoint) Wonder Woman v5, and Cheetah v2. Let's check them out below!

Character Spotlight on SNOWBIRD!

A Collection of Alpha Flight's Most Mysterious Inuit Demi-Goddess Snowbird

I discovered Alpha Flight very late in the game. I believe I was in college in the late nineties and I won an eBay auction for the first 50 issues for like ten dollars. I had become a fan of John Byrne through all his Legend titles and realized that he was the man behind Alpha Flight. I loved this series. The characters were interesting and weird, the stories were compelling, and the art was on point. I liked all the characters, but Snowbird always stood out to me. I always leaned towards Sorceress-type characters. Wise, powerful, mysterious, and animal-themed - it's like she was custom-made for me. Snowbird is the daughter of the Inuit Goddess Nelvanna and a mortal man. She is tasked with protecting Canada against the Great Beasts and is mystically bound to Canadian land. She can transform into any native animal, albeit snow-white in color. I always thought she was an odd addition to the team, but she captured my imagination like no other (except maybe Marrina). Let's check out her collection below!

Batman & Robin - ICESTRIKE CYCLE BATGIRL!

Batman & Robin (Movie) - Deluxe Figures - Batgirl w/ IceStrike Cycle - Kenner 1997

Normally the 1990's trend of creating completely random variants of staple characters annoys the crap out of me. I've seen enough neon camouflage Batmen to last a lifetime (not to mention the current Iron Man and Spider-Man lines keeping up the tradition). But every once in a while a variant comes out of left field and actually looks cool (I'm thinking of Ice Armor He-Man and Mandarin Spawn in particular).  While this IceStrike Cycle Batgirl isn't as grand as those two, it certainly is a pretty great variant. The color palette is muted and the armor seems like something that could have appeared in the film.  Plus the entire figure has been redecoed with great little sculptural details. All in all she's a fantastic alternate to the original figure. It would not have been unheard of for Kenner to simply repackage the first figure with her motorcycle and call it a day, but luckily we got this really fun figure out of the deal.  I unfortunately don't have the IceStrike Cycle itself, but the figure is more than enough to keep me happy.

The Girls of DISNEY FAIRIES!

Tinkerbell, Silvermist, Rosetta, and Periwinkle - Jakks Pacific 2013

About a year ago I found myself lamenting that there wasn't a good Tinkerbell figure out there.  It seems like a no-brainer for a company like Figma to produce a collector figure of one of the most iconic Disney characters of all time.  Of course, this made me start researching all existing Tinks.  It was overwhelming how many modern dolls have been released in the in the past few years due to the popular Disney Fairies movie franchise.  Unfortunately for me, 99% of these toys have rooted hair and/or cloth outfits (which regular readers will know I avoid like the plague).   Luckily, however, there is that small 1% out there that has sculpted hair and clothing.   They aren't the super-articulated figures that I hope for someday, but Jakks Pacific does a great job with these little action figure/doll hybrids.  In the meantime, they're a fun addition to my small girly collection (which I keep hidden in a large wooden box with a fancy lock so no one will judge me).  Let's check out these sculpted-hair ladies below!

Winx Club TRIX COLLECTION!

Icy, Darcy, & Stormy - Winx Club: Trix Collection - Jakks Pacific 2013

Man it took me forever to find these three ladies.  I first found Darcy at a Toys R Us Express in early February, and I finally picked up Icy and Stormy at Wal-Mart this past weekend.  Considering they're new figures that retail from $4.95-$7.99, I'm amazed that I haven't seen an online price below $30 per figure yet.  The Trix are three Witches who are the main antagonists for the Winx fairies.  The toys actually have them looking pretty angelic, but in the cartoon they're wicked, power hungry, and petulant (ie: fantastic cartoon villains).  When I first started collecting these 3.75" Winx action figures last year, I thought these three characters would be an amazing addition.  I honestly didn't expect them to come out so soon, but I couldn't be happier with the results.  Jakks Pacific has been doing an amazing job with this line.  Including this set, they've put out 23 different figures in less than a year.  Plus I know of at least 2 more coming out this fall.  Hopefully there will be many more to come.  Let's check them out below!

The Ice Empress of Etheria, FROSTA!

She-Ra's Beautiful and Exotic Friend Makes Her MOTUC Debut from Mattel 2012

Masters of the Universe Classics is just about my favorite toy line of all time.  The figures are consistently great, The bucks are well proportions and articulated, the detail and execution of the figures are loyal to all manner of fans, and the character selection just makes me giddy.  I've mentioned many time before that I don't collect toys with rooted hair or fabric clothing.  I stand by my convictions in this regard, but there are many unfortunate casualties for my stodginess.  The most glaring example of this is the entire vintage POP line.  I never thought I would have a Frosta in my collection.  I've seriously considered taking vintage figure and sculpting my own hair and clothes (but then I discovered ToyBoys Inc and decided they do it better than I ever could).  So far I am thrilled will MOTUC and I can't wait to see what the next few years will bring.  Glimmer is someone I'm especially looking forward to seeing.  But for now I will anxiously await Netossa and Octavia in 2013.