SDCC Metropolis ReAction - MARIA!

ReAction Retro Figures - Metropolis' Maria (SDCC Exc) - Super7 2019

Smaller toy companies have a leg up on the big guys for one crucial reason: they're almost always geeks like us. That scenario tends to give us great character selection, attention to detail, and amazingly nerdy easter eggs. Hence this truly fantastic SDCC exclusive Maria figure. Maria is the iconic robot from the 1927 film Metropolis, one of the earliest science fiction films ever made. That setup would normally be plenty to excite us collectors (and it did, with the two previous releases of this figure being very popular). But then we add in the super-cool trivia that Maria was the design inspiration behind one of the most popular Sci-Fi robots of all time, Star Wars' very own C3PO (specifically the originally Ralph McQuarrie concept designs), and our collective heads can explode. So in homage to this connection, this Super7 exclusive Maria is deco'd in super shiny gold (complete with a silver leg!) and packaged in classic Kenner style with a retro collectible coin. Maria is totally the droid we've been looking for!

Metropolis ReAction - MARIA!

ReAction Retro Figures - Metropolis' Maria (Standard & DCON Exc) - Super7 2019

I've been obsessed with Maria from Metropolis ever since I found myself in Suncoast Video in the early 2000s and bought a Reel Masters Silent Screamers Maria from Mezco Toys. I hadn't ever heard of this movie or character before, but I quickly learned I was surrounded by genuine fans and heard all about it. I honestly still haven't seen the movie, but I'm sure I'll see it eventually. The plot descriptions I have read paint the robot as a political pawn, used to mimic the likeness of Maria (an activist for the working class) and spark an uprising in Metropolis. The plot truly sounds a little depressing to me, but the design of the robot always caught my eye and I've been wishing for a decent toy for year (that Silent Screamers one was too stylized for me and the Bionica figure is a straight-up reinterpretation). But Super7 came to the rescue with this perfect little ReAction figure. I especially love she same with an easy-to-acquire exclusive variant with a dark paintwash. I love variety. Let's check out Maria below!

Metropolis ReAction - MARIA (NEW VARIANTS)!

ReAction Figures - Metropolis' Maria (Vac Metal Silver & GITD) - Super7 2021

A colorway is any of a range of combinations of colors in which a style or design is available. You hear this term used a lot in the collectible toy world but I only recently looked up the definition. In general, I'm never too obsessed with collecting color variations of a single mold. My first hobby was PEZ dispensers, and many collectors go crazy trying to get every variant stem color. I just never thought it was a worthwhile endeavor. But at the same time, the idea of a spectrum of identical figures has a certain aesthetic appeal. I have definitely fallen into this trap with certain Transformers and G.I.Joes in the past, but my most recently obsession has been this Super7 ReAction Maria figure. Maria is from the 1929 silent film, Metropolis, which is regarded as the original Sci-Fi film. As such an iconic design, she's very under- merchandised. So when Super7 started releasing different colorways, I just couldn't resist. This post highlights the 4th and 5th releases of Maria in Silver and GITD. Let's check them out below!

Bowen Designs BIONICA!

Bionica: The Bride of Metropolis - Bowen Designs 1999
 
Randy Bowen is a name synonymous with high quality products in the world of pop culture collectibles. I think it's safe to say that most toy collectors have been tempted by a Bowen statue. I have several busts in my collection and even more on my wish list. Randy was the first superstar sculptor I ever became aware of.  He may actually be the pioneer of the character statues and busts that fill glass cases in every comic shop today (although that's hard to prove outright.. this man needs a detailed wiki page!).  This figure is a nice surprise. It's actually the only Bowen Designs action figure I'm aware of. Technically she is labeled as a "fully articulated statue," but c'mon, she's plastic and has lot of joints and accessories - plus she comes carded behind a plastic bubble - totally an action figure! Bionica is an original creation by Randy Bowen himself (Bowen Designs employs many different artists, but this is all him) and is an amalgamation of Maria from Metropolis and Bride of Frankenstein.  Let's check her out below!

Super7 ReAction - SCARLETT!

ReAction Action Figures - Glow Patrol (SDCC Exc) - Scarlett - Super7 2022

In 1987, G.I.Joe: The Movie was released and the classic era of G.I.Joe came to a close. New cartoon production ceased, the comics petered out, and the new toys had no real context anymore. (Batman was all the rage). But then in 1989 there was a new faction in the Cobra toyline that snatched my attention back: Python Patrol. These toys seemed classic, but refreshed and exciting. I didn't even watch the cartoons explaining the redecos until this Summer. (The new cartoons resumed in 1989 produced by DiC). The toys are very nostalgic to me since they mark by last childhood fascination with the property. This Summer, Super7 revealed the SDCC Exclusive Glow Patrol faction in their G.I.Joe ReAction line. While these are fantastic original decos on their own merit, my gut reaction was "OMG it looks like a Python Patrol Scarlett!" Python Patrol was all male Cobra characters, so this thought was nonsensical. But it's still what I think every time I see her. Let's check out Glow Patrol Scarlett below!

Super7 ReAction - BARONESS!

ReAction Action Figures - Glow Patrol (SDCC Exc) - Baroness - Super7 2022

I normally despise random redecos of action figures that have nothing to do with the character in question. This stems from my perpetual disappointment in character diversity in the toy aisles in favor of 20 new colors for Batman (or any alpha male character the companies need to promote). Don't get me wrong, I love Batman, but give me a blue version, gray version, and black version and call it a day. Although perhaps if a female action figure ever got this same treatment I might change my tune. For SDCC 2022, Super7 released a new faction in their G.I. Joe ReAction line: Glow Patrol. As far as I can tell, this is completely original (despite tons of historic factions to draw from). But I love it. The green-hued good guys and the blue-hued bad guys look great. And glowing gimmicks are always fun, especially with Super7 who knows how to do GITD right. I look forward to what other variants they can come up with to challenge my long-held "redecos are bad" beliefs. Let's check out Glow Force Baroness below!

NewAge - MASCHINENMENSCH!

Legendary Heroes No. 48 - G.G.I.D. Warrior Machinenmensch - NewAge 2022

2022 was a pretty crazy year for 3rd Party fembots. My count may be off, but I think there were around 16 new figures in twelve short months. I personally purchased ten and had a lot of difficulty choosing which variants to buy. NewAge Toys created this fantastic Arcee mold (named Maschinenmensch) and promptly announced five additional releases using the same general buck. The name Maschinenmensch is German for 'robot' or 'machine man.' I'm familiar with this word because it is often tied to the robot Maria from the 1929 German film Metropolis, which to the best of my knowledge is the first representation of a female robot in popular culture. So giving this name to an Arcee homage seems very appropriate, even if it's a mouthful. The NewAge mold is very impressive and has great proportions. Legs and arms in particular tend to look off at this 1:18 scale, but you could easily convince me that this was a deluxe or masterpiece sculpt. Let's check out Warrior Maschinemensch below!