As SDCC approaches this week, I find myself remembering back to the late aughts when Mattel was regularly blowing our collective minds with new product. Both DC Universe Classics and Masters of the Universe Classics began in 2008 and revolutionized the toy industry (I know Marvel Legends had started way back in 2002, but I think their female sculpts were pretty terrible until 2013). With all the focus on Mattel's 6-7" scale back then, it's easy to forget that their 3.75" DC Universe Infinite Heroes line also launched in 2008. It only lasted two years, but it gave us an absolute flood of characters. I believe there were 67 individual figures and 17 multipacks. That's roughly 3 new characters each month for two years. I recently dug out my old Starfire and Raven in anticipation of their new Super Powers figures on Entertainment Earth. I find the Infinite Heroes to be a little weird, a little awkward, and sometimes they're downright hideous, but I still adore them. Let's check out Starfire below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Flame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flame. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
DC Universe Infinite Heroes - STARFIRE!
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
New Teen Titans - STARFIRE!
Every time I get an old DC Direct figure into my photo tent I am blown away by the sculpt and attention to detail. I was very excitedly buying lots of toys back then. I loved all the Silver Age and Legion of Super-Heroes figures in particular. But in general, I was really taking this early-aughts toy renaissance for granted. I should have been buying ever single toy put out there. I think Starfire is a tricky character to get right. Especially when trying to replicate the early-80s George Pérez design. Honestly I've only seen it done right twice in toy form: the 2018 Funko mini figure, and this DC Direct figure from 2000. I desperately tried to find who sculpted this, but the information seems lost to time. My best guess is Tim Bruckner. But it could easily be Sam Greenwell as well. Both were very active with DC Direct at the time, but the sculptor names being featured on the packaging was inconsistent in those early years. Whoever the artist is knocked it out of the park though. Let's check out Starfire below!
Monday, June 29, 2026
DC Universe Classics - STARFIRE!
This figure stirs up a lot of old feelings for me. I remember the campaign for the first DC Universe Classics in the Mattycollector Exclusives program. The pictures online (and maybe in ToyFare?) looked great. But the reality of the figures were very different when they arrived. I felt a little ripped off. When the final product had such drastic differences from the preorder prototype images, the whole subscription process seemed unreliable and scammy. All these years later, I can appreciate her for what she is; scrawny limbs, limp hair, and anatomically bizarre cleavage and all. (Seriously though, she has more modest costume options that should have been used if they had to use this cloth-sculpted torso). In photos it doesn't look that bad, but in person there are a lot of sculptural details that just look off. The perfection of the Four Horsemen prototype compared to the sloppy Mattel tooling felt insulting to collectors who purchased these on good faith. 27 years later and I'm almost over it. Let's check out Starfire below!
Sunday, June 28, 2026
The New Teen Titans - STARFIRE!
The new Entertainment Earth DC Super Powers line from McFarlane Toys has me very excited. The main retail waves of these figures were pretty cool, but they were a total boys club (aside from 4 repaints of a Wonder Woman mold). But since the EE-exclusive waves were announced, we've already seen pre-orders for Supergirl, Power Girl, Starfire, and Raven. Anticipation for the latter two has put me on a bit of a Teen Titans kick. I've recently been photographing a lot of older figures that I never got around to posting about prior, and I'm really obsessed with the classic look of the characters. The 2018 Legion of Collectors Teen Titans subscription box from Funko contained 2 of 4 potential 3.75" classic Perez-era Titans figures. These are in the same style as the Batman '66 figures (Batgirl and Catwoman) from the year prior. For years these fetched about fifty bucks each on eBay, but now they can be found for less than retail. It's just a shame they didn't make the other characters. Let's check out Starfire below!
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
DC x Sonic - BLAZE as STARFIRE!
I am having a great sense of vindication about owning these figures. Back in November, I posted an image on social media featuring the lineups of the next few waves of DC x Sonic figures. The post was several blurry graphs of character renderings, but no actual figures. I knew this leak was authentic (and it was proven to me when I was officially asked to remove it). But the collector community (outside of my amazing network) jumped all over me in the few short hours the post was up. The majority consensus was that it was fake and I was lying. Comments like "Blaze and Starfire don't even make sense. And it's blurry. Fake" flooded my feed. I made sure to screenshot them for posterity (read:grudge holding) before removing the post. About five weeks after the post, the next series of DC x Sonic comics was announced with promo images of the exact characters I leaked. Flash forward six months and I have the first few figures in hand. It's a smug sense of satisfaction that I'm loving. Let's check out Blaze below!
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
DC x Sonic - STARFIRE!
I love how modern interpretations of Starfire have been so covered up. I know her original barely-there costume is iconic and classic, but I always found it so cringey - especially in a team of teenagers. Ironically, the first time I truly started to love this character was in the New52's Red Hood and the Outlaws when her outfit was even tinier and her actions were portrayed as much more cold and sexual than she had ever been before. Something about the art and older appearance of Koriand'r made her super appealing to me. But since then, DC has really course-corrected and she's mostly been costumed in an almost prudish way. But honestly I love it. This DC x Sonic design is new to me, but I realize it's her primary costume in the most recent (2023-present) Titans series. She still has the iconic orange skin, firey hair, purple outfit, and bright green alien eyes, but the pulled-back hair and more utilitarian uniform really makes this design stand out. It's crazy that Jakks was the first to give us a figure. Let's check out Starfire below!
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Justice League International - FIRE!
I'm glad that McFarlane Toys is taking the opportunities provided by their exclusive Gold Label and Platinum products to include relatively obscure and under-merchandised characters in the DC Multiverse line. The recent Blackfire and upcoming Huntress (and variant) are great examples. Fire is a character with a huge fanbase. She first appeared in the 1979 issue of Super Friends #25 as the Green Fury (who shot green flames out of her nostrils.. no joke). I don't know long it took for her backstory to be fleshed out. But now the commonly-told origin is that Beatriz da Costa was a Brazilian model (and secret government agent) who was accidentally exposed to a mysterious substance called Pyroplasm which gave her the green flame powers (pre-Crisis her powers were mystical in nature). She has been a member of many teams over the years and gone by many names: Green Flame, Green Fury, and her most common, Fire. She is a dynamic character who is long overdue in the toy aisles.
Monday, August 12, 2024
Titans Rebirth - STARFIRE!
For all of Todd McFarlane's crazy talk about female action figures causing young boys to become serial killers, his company sure does produce a lot of female characters (Google that cringey interview from March 2022 if you need a good eye roll). This Starfire figure is the latest in the Rebirth Titans lineup, and a character who was very notably absent from the Beast Boy wave last year. Starfire has gone through a lot of changes in the 44 years since her debut, but her orange skin, flame-colored hair, green eyes, and purple costume have remained consistent despite a ton of stylistic changes. She has an interesting distinction of donning more and more clothes as the years progress, but conversely becoming more sexualized in the story context (at least in the New52 reboot when her libido was making headlines). I always prefer Starfire's modern designs over her original. Her outfits are no longer ridiculously skimpy and her hair looks more flame-like. This figure is a great representation of that. Let's check her out below!
Monday, June 24, 2024
Unicorn Academy - VALENTINA!
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!
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Transformers Timelines - FLAREUP (FIRESTAR)!
Once again, the BotCon 2005 offerings blew my mind. In addition to the large 7-figure Decent Into Evil boxset, there was a two-figure Souvenir set with Ratchet and Flareup. They came in simple unadorned polybags with separate trading cards and instantly cost bank on eBay. Flareup is a rebranding of the G1 character Firestar, one of the original members of Elita's Army introduced in The Search for Alpha Trion (1985). No toys of Firestar ever have her original name. There is, of course, the Marvel mutant Firestar (similarly merchandised by Hasbro) and also the orange cat from the popular Warriors book series, so her aliases are understandable (Flareup and Novastar so far). Firestar was always a standout for me because she embodies several characteristics that are so rarely applied to female characters. Firstly, her orange color palette is almost non-existent in my toy room, and similarly firefighter characters are so rarely female. For both those reasons and more, she is iconic. Let's check out Flareup below!
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Marvel Legends - FRANKIE RAYE NOVA!
Frankie Raye as Nova has been one of my most-wanted Marvel Legends figures for years. I first discovered her when reading the Infinity Gauntlet/War/Crusade series in the 90s (along with the 93 tie-in comics that I obsessively read). Very early on in that story (in Silver Surfer #51 specifically) Nova was featured as a central character and I was very intrigued. I admit that I initially latched on to her as a stand-in for one of my favorite all-time characters, Firestar. I had viewed Frankie as "Firestar in space" before eventually loving her on her own merits. Her origin story is fascinating and I hope we actually get a repaint in her original yellow and red Fantastic Four design. (Perfect for the Vintage Series). But first, of course, we needed her iconic gold deco. I know articulated toys can rarely achieve a true metallic finish, but this pearlized gold is a great compromise. I wish I didn't have to shell out $400 bucks to get her, but nothing could have stopped me once she was announced. She's perfect. Let's check out Nova below!
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Marvel Gallery - FIRESTAR!
Diamond Select Toys has been really impressing me with their Marvel Gallery line. Previous PVC statue lines (mostly from other companies) have typically been too stylized for my tastes. Or sometimes, the sculpts just aren't there for me. But the DST Marvel Gallery (and DC Gallery) statues have the design and sculpt quality of the high-end polystone statues, but at a price point that is far more palatable. I also love the character choices. It seems that all my favorite characters are added to the roster one-by-one. The designs are essentially classic, but there is always a slight redesign. In the case of this Firestar statue, her boots and gloves extend almost all the way up her limbs, which seems like a unique choice for this particular product. But I like it. A few short years ago, I only had one lonely Firestar product in my collection. It was just a simple Toy Biz Medusa repaint, but I was ecstatic. Flash forward a few years and this Marvel Gallery statue is the 13th item on my Firestar shelf. Here's to many more!
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Marvel Legends 3.75" Retro - FIRESTAR!
So today is my birthday and and I think the fates aligned to give me this perfect gift. Firestar was the first superhero I ever became obsessed with. The Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends cartoon was a regular viewing staple in my home in the early eighties, and Angelica Jones commanded my full attention. Her monochromatic costume, her cool mask, and her flame powers were a perfect recipe for awesome. (I realize her powers are technically microwave, not fire, but at that age I was constantly being told that flames were dangerous and bad, so I just saw Firestar as the living embodiment of something forbidden and fascinating). This Marvel Legends Retro series is making up for the gender gap in all the toy lines of my youth. I'm always excited to see what's next and I'm thrilled that they are sticking to late 70s and early 80s design aesthetics. This Firestar wasn't supposed to be released until September, but I'm thrilled she showed up just in time for the perfect birthday post. Let's check her out below!
Monday, March 14, 2022
Marvel Legends - BINARY!
When I was a young comic reader, I don't think there was a character who ever had more dynamic covers than Binary. Of course, I was biased towards elemental-powered-women even then. I first spied her on Uncanny X-men #164, and then later in Starjammers and X-Men Classic. I'll confess that her cosmic storylines were too complex for my young mind, but I was still absolutely captivated by this flaming inferno of a character. Because those stories were over my head, I can also admit that it wasn't until relatively recently that I realized that Binary was actually Carol Danvers. Ms. Marvel was on my radar back then, but to me she was just a silly character with "mom hair" that fought in a swimsuit with a scarf. I didn't warm up to Carol until I was an adult, and I didn't make a connection between the two characters until shortly before the Captain Marvel movie (which incorporated such a lame interpretation of Binary). But I'm over the moon that Hasbro gave us this comic figure. Let's check her out below!
Friday, May 21, 2021
Toy Biz - FRANKIE RAYE NOVA!
Frankie Raye is a step-daughter of Phineas Horton, the scientist creator of the original Human Torch (the android Jim Hammond version from 1939, not Johnny Storm from 1961). Frankie was accidentally exposed to the same chemicals that created the Human Torch's flame powers. Her father decided to give her a skin-tight body suit to contain the fire and then hypnotized her into forgetting about the powers and the containment suit itself. She lived a normal life until she was a young woman dating Johnny Storm. Frisky Johnny discovered the bodysuit and eventually she broke through her mental block. She became an unofficial member of the Fantastic Four before fate intervened and she became a Herald of Galactus named Nova, complete with a Silver-Surfer-esque metallic makeover. Recently I've been thinking how she would make for a great Marvel Legends figure. There are enough flame-based characters out there to justify the hair sculpt and the body is essentially a featureless buck.
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Marvel Busts - FRANKIE RAYE NOVA!
The Infinity Saga comic storyline really scarred me as a young comic reader. It was the first time I got sucked into a big "Event" storyline. I eagerly bought all three series (Gauntlet, War, and Crusade), as well three years of "Crossover" books that Marvel touted as essential reading: Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Quasar, Sleepwalker, Cloak & Dagger, etc, etc. And newsflash, they were not essential. The story got convoluted and boring and I felt like a total sucker for taking the bait and wasting so much of my hard-earned lawnmowing money. However, in retrospect, I love that these comics are what first exposed me to Frankie Raye as Nova. The MCU movies have clouded my memories about the comics, but I know that Silver Surfer and the heralds of Galactus played a significant role. When I first saw Nova, I thought she looked like a futuristic Firestar, but I quickly embraced her as a unique and awesome character. This 2006 Bowen bust is a rare and amazing representation of her. Let's check her out!
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Marvel Legends - FIRESTAR!
Every so often I get an action figure that I have been dreaming of for decades... and it actually meets the extremely high expectations that have built up over those years. As a kid watching Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, I was instantly enamored with Firestar. I even naively expected there to be a Secret Wars figure of her. But alas, forty years later she finally gets the quality figure she deserves. When Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was being developed, the creators liked the idea of a Fire-and-Ice dichotomy. The classic Marvel elementals, Iceman and Human Torch, were the obvious choice. However, the rights to the Human Torch were tied-up in a never-produced television pilot and he was unavailable. (This is the same legal red tape that led to the creation of H.E.R.B.I.E. in lieu of Johnny Storm in the 1978 Fantastic Four show). So the creators took the general design of Mary Jane and paired them with Human Torch's powers to create Firestar. And little nerdy me thanks his lucky stars for that.
Thursday, March 4, 2021
WWE Beast Mode - BECKY LYNCH!
I'm such a sucker for 2.5" action figures. They remind me of all the classic tiny action figures of my youth: M.A.S.K., Dino-Riders, Sky Commanders, Legions of Power, etc. But if you think female characters in traditional-scale lines are rare, these 1:28 scale figures are a verified sausage fest. If it weren't for the recent Star Wars Mission Fleet figures, this Becky Lynch would have been the first female in this scale since the Power Rangers movie three years ago. This new WWE Beast Mode blind box line was a total surprise to me when I found them in Walmart last week. I saw the image of Becky on the box and immediately started googling for cheat codes. Luckily they were easy to find and I came home with a couple. The feature of transforming into Beast Modes is really fun. I don't know enough about wrestling to know if there is some connection between wrestlers and a mythical beast theme, but it sure makes for an inspired toy line. And I'm especially glad Becky's beast is a Phoenix. Let's check her out below!
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Fortnite - BLAZE!
One thing that is really impressing me about Fortnite toys are the inventive color palettes of the figures. It's seems like a silly detail to be obsessed with, but I love outlandish costume designs and I definitely notice when something is breaking new territory. Back in November, I was waxing on about how Singularity's turquoise, dark teal, and maroon blew my mind. And now this Blaze figure mixing bronze, lavender, and yellow. It looks so good, and I'm mostly impressed because I would never have come up with that combination on my own. Kudos to the Fortnite designers. I'm always excited to see what they'll do next. Blaze seems to be a fire-wielding character (who unfortunately comes with a boring gun instead of a flame accessory). She also comes with the giant 17" light-up Choppa Helicopter. I personally never buy toy vehicles unless I have to. In fact, they are usually a major deterrent for me, so that should tell you how impressed I was with Blaze. Let's check her out below!
Sunday, August 25, 2019
DC Multiverse - STARFIRE!
I've really been liking all the modern redesigns of Starfire. I know her New52 look got a lot of flak for being too provocative (and her having a sexually disassociative personality), but I liked it. I thought it was an appropriate adaption of the character, considering she was historically always making awkward sexual advances and basically wearing suspenders as an outfit. She's had two noticeable design changes since then. One was her solo series redesign by Amanda Conner, and the Rebirth design seen with this new DC Multiverse figure. I like that she always has the same consistent color palette with orange skin, reddish hair, and a purple and silver outfit. Starfire is one of those characters that will always be provocative, no matter how much flesh is being bared. So taking that into consideration, I actually much prefer the more covered version that we see here over her signature strappy getups. I'm glad we got a figure of her in this version since I'm sure it was change again soon. Let's check her out below!
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