I was planning on saving this post until after I see Superman (2025) in the theaters in a few weeks. I always like to give my thoughts on the movie if I can be patient enough to wait. But in this case, I failed... but it's also because I'm putting faith in McFarlane Toys giving us a belated cinematic Hawkgirl figure. This 6" line from Spin Master is new for them. They have consistently put out 12" and 3.75" figures for all their big DC movies, but for Superman (2025) we have 12", 6", and 3". The latter two being new scales for the company. These new 6" figures remind me of the older basic figure lines we saw from Mattel with Mera, Mary Marvel, Darla, and Wonder Woman. I'm really curious to see what the future of the DC license will be. There is conflicting information stating that both Spin Master and McFarlane will no longer be working with DC in 2026, but I expect there to be more information shared at SDCC. I really appreciate the Hawkgirl figures they gave us, so I hope they stick around. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Latino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Latino. Show all posts
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Superman (2025) 6" - HAWKGIRL!
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Legends of Tomorrow - HAWKGIRL!
With Hawkgirl set to make her big-screen live-action debut in Superman next month, I thought it would be fun to look back at the first live-action Hawkgirl from the Arrowverse CW show DC's Legends of Tommorrow (2016-2022). This show featured a variety of characters already introduced in Arrow and Flash (and plenty of new characters) in time-travelling adventures led by Rip Hunter the Time Master. Some of the notable characters are White Canary, Firestorm, Vixen, The Atom, Steel, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl. Hawkgirl (played by Ciara Renée) and Vixen (played by Maisie Richardson-Sellers) were my main draw to the show. Personally, the CW shows never appealed to me, but these two characters were very cool and thankfully got the action figure treatment. I always felt the DCC Arrowverse figures looked a little stiff and unappealing in the packaging, but in person they are more dynamic than I was led to believe (but not overly so). Let's check out the Legends of Tomorrow Hawkgirl below!
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Superman (2025) 6" - THE ENGINEER!
I was honestly planning to skip this figure. When I first saw the assortment of Superman toys from various companies last month, I was impressed to see a second female character show up in the different assortments. My first assumption that this was Lois Lane due to the dark hair and simple outfit. It didn't exactly looks like civilian duds, but I thought perhaps she had a protective suit for part of the movie or something. But soon I saw clearer images and learned this character was actually The Engineer from Wildstorm Comic's The Authority (which is slated for a 2026 movie). Those comics were never my favorite. They were super violent and seemingly existed for shock value. But I always enjoyed The Engineer... and loved her earlier toy. But these new figures looked like a very boring version of her. In the comics, the Engineer is a scientist who replaced her blood with nanobots and often appears completely head-to-toe covered in chrome with limbs that form into crazy weapons at will.
Friday, June 6, 2025
Imaginext - HAWKGIRL!
When all the Superman Movie (2025) product started rolling out last month, the last thing I expected was an almost complete heroes set from Imaginext. The only thing that would surprise me more is a follow-up set with Metamorpho, Lex Luthor, Engineer, and Robot-4. Hawkgirl is the character I'm most looking forward to in the movie. I really dig her cinematic costume design and I'm a fan of Isabela Merced. While her character is seemingly omitted from the main McFarlane DC Multiverse movie assortment so far, she's received two scales of Spinmaster action figures and this unexpected Fisher-Price Imaginext figure so far (She will also have an "Ultra Rare" Funko Pop released on July 11th). I would also love to see her in the new Spinmaster 3" scale that seemingly includes every character except Hawkgirl. Imaginext has always been amazingly inclusive with its character selection and they didn't disappoint with this multipack. It's an incredible toyline. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!
Thursday, February 20, 2025
La Borinqueña - LA BORINQUEÑA!
I've been a fan of Boss Fight Studios since I pledged all-in for their first 2014 Kickstarter campaign for their Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S. line. I loved these figures, but I'm typically more drawn to larger scales than their traditional 1:18 product. But luckily they've greatly expanded their variety, I've been eagerly buying almost all of it. The Power Stars, Strawberry Shortcake, Fraggle Rock, Bucky O'Hare, and Saurozoic Warriors make up an extremely diverse portfolio. But I admit I was always hoping they would do a traditional Marvel-Legends-esque series. And I finally got that with this amazing female-centric La Borinqueña comic line (for some reason I never picked up the Lucha Libre ladies). But these figures are beautiful and very fun. I've been a casual fan of the comics for years, but these figures bring them to life in a whole new way for me. It also prompted me to order the comics I'm missing to learn about the new characters in the line. I hope BFS makes a wave two. Let's check out Marisol aka La Borinqueña below!
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
La Borinqueña - LÚZ LA LUMINOSA
I've been aware of La Borinqueña since 2018 when I ordered a comic and a vinyl figure featuring the titular character emblazoned with the Puerto Rican flag. I can readily admit I'm pretty ignorant of the culture, language, and social issues of Puerto Rico, so this comic was exposing me to a whole new world (and I'm not even referring to the superheroics in the story). I enjoyed the comic quite a bit, but it quickly got buried in my stacks of weekly comics and (nearly) forgotten. I would pick up the occasional one-shot comic at my lcs, but somehow I missed out on the expanded La Borinqueña universe with all the new costumed heroes until a few years ago when this toy line by Boss Fight Studio was unveiled. I now have a shopping cart full of backissues on my browser as I type this, and am intrigued by a hardcover collected edition supposedly hitting stores in two weeks. But in the meantime, I have to judge this character, Lúz La Luminosa, purely on aesthetics. In short, she looks awesome and tough as nails.
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Once Upon a Time... In Space - PSI!
From 1982-1983 there was a 26-episode French animated series titled Il Était Une Fois… l'Espace (Once Upon a Time... Space) that featured the educational adventures of Pierrot, Psi, and their robot, Metro. They traveled to different planets and explored the native inhabitants, flora, fauna, etc. The simple animation and preschool-esque educational format can be a bit misleading. Because this show is funny, smart, and the sexual tension between Pierrot and Psi is palpable - the are a lot of hands on thighs and fireside naps. I'm a big fan. The show was dubbed in lots of languages and aired on lots of networks over the years. I've personally only ever seen episodes on YouTube, but I know it was aired in the US on the History Channel (which only launched in 1995). Psi (who also goes by Mercedes and Psyche) is a young Brazilian woman with psychic powers (usually sensing danger as they approach a new planet). This 1982 figure from Popy has been a grail of mine for years. Let's check her out below!
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Unicorn Academy - SOPHIA!
If you have any tween or adolescent girls in your life, you've undoubtedly heard of Unicorn Academy. Since its Netflix debut in November 2023, the series has become an extremely popular property. I personally didn't watch any episodes until I discovered these action figures at Target last week, but I understand the appeal. The series features a very Harry-Potter-like beginning with the main character, Sophia Mendoza, being unknowingly summoned to a secret magical school. Where the students are sorted into dorms and given a chance to bond with a unicorn. The pull of equestrian life is powerful for this young demographic, and the unicorn aspect adds the perfect amount of fantasy and wonderment. Then there is a Magical Girl aspect where the riders undergo a transformation to match their bonded steeds - ie sparkly outfits and streaks of color in their hair. The individual episodes feature magic, teamwork, fantasy, and adventure. I think Unicorn Academy will be around a while. Let's check out Sophia below!
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
DreamWorks Dragons - ALEX (and FEATHERS)!
DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms is the most recent entry in the long legacy of the How To Train Your Dragon (2010) franchise. It's a CGI-animated television series that ran for eight seasons and 52 episodes (ending recently in December of 2023). The series follows five young Dragon Riders in modern times (the leader of the group, Tom, is a descendant of Hiccup and Astrid) roughly 1300 years after the events of the first movie. Alexandra "Alex" Gonzales is one of the core characters and is the token technology expert and hacker. I have owned this toy for about three years now but just got around to opening her now. I was surprised to read more about the character and learn that she was Hispanic. The blonde pigtails led me to assume she was another Nordic viking like Astrid, but I'm glad the new series branched out into a wide diverse world. As far as I know these toys never really hit mass retail but were readily available online (and still are). Let's check out Alex and Feathers below!
Thursday, March 21, 2024
A.T.O.M. Alpha Teens On Machines - LIONESS!
A.T.O.M. (Alpha Teens On Machines) was a French animated television series that ran for two seasons between 2005 and 2007. It was branded under the banner of Hasbro's former 12" Action Man toyline, but the connection was loose. In fact, it had many more similarities to M.A.S.K. (which Hasbro also owns). The series features five teenagers gifted with prototype weapons and transforming vehicles. The animation style has a unique lineweight where the characters look like they're heavily outlined in black. It's an interesting choice and I kind of like it. The show aired on Toon Disney in the US, but was never as popular here as it was in Europe. I'm fairly certain these toys were only released in the European market, but that is difficult to prove outright. Catalina Leone aka Lioness is the token female of the Alpha Teens, and predictably, her action figure is notoriously the hardest to find of the dozens of toys released. It took me years to get her. Let's check out Lioness below!
Friday, November 5, 2021
The Eternals - AJAK!
I'm seeing the Eternals movie in about 16 hours and I'm very excited. Of all MCU movies, or any comic-related movies in general for that matter, this is the one I've known the least about ahead of time. I've always been aware of The Eternals in comics, and I've always been a fan of Jack Kirby, but I've just never read any of the comics. But I find the trailers and toys very intriguing. Plus the gender, race, and age diversity among the main cast is very impressive. In researching the toys, I've learned that several characters, including Ajak, are being portrayed as female for the first time. In fact, it seems a lot of liberties have been taken with this movie, so in that case I'm grateful that it's all new material to me. Despite the various groanings from the fandom, I think this figure is gorgeous. The likeness to Salma Hayek is great and her costume looks like a fantastic combination of stately, maternal, and otherworldly. I can't wait to see how she is portrayed on screen. Let's check out Ajak below!
Monday, December 2, 2019
Justice League International - FIRE!
My first exposure to Beatriz da Costa was in the pages of Super Friends when she went by the name Green Fury. I was always drawn to monochromatic characters, even at such a young age. But on the flipside, I was also so young that the idea of fire that wasn't red or orange baffled me. That's honestly why I remember her so well.. because her powers confused me. I didn't even realize she was she same character as Green Flame and Fire until very recently. When she was Green Flame in the Global Guardians, she first started being paired with Icemaiden. And when Icemaiden was re-created as Ice in Justice League International, Green Flame followed suit and shortened her name to Fire. I really don't know much about the pair, except that they seem so iconic - like a female Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. There have been a handful of good action figures of this pair, but I personally think these DC Direct Justice League International versions are the best. Let's check out Fire below!
Monday, September 30, 2019
Mini-Mates SPIDER-GIRL (ANYA CORAZON)!
It's been a long time since I've given a single Mini-Mate its own review. Instead, I stockpile them and review a whole bunch at a time. But over the years, my favorite personal theme in my Mini-Mate collection has been the vast assortment of Spider-Ladies. There have been so many, in fact, that I didn't even realize that my absolute favorite Spider-person, Anya Corazon as Spider-Girl, hadn't been included yet. (She is such a great iteration of the Spider-Girl mantle and I really hope she gets another solo series some day). I love that Diamond Select Toys does such deep-dives into character selection. I actually have faith that we will many more Spiders down the line: Scream, Agony, Mania, Lady Spider, Charlotte Ritter, Spider-Woman in her modern costume, and maybe even a Valerie Spider-Woman from Electric Company. If anything, DST has proven that the sky is the limit. I'm really excited to see what new product they will show in a few days at NYCC. I'll be there with bells on. Let's check out Anya below!
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Marvel's Spider-Man - SPIDER-GIRL!
I still haven't watched any episodes of the new Marvel's Spider-Man cartoon on Disney XD. But given the amount of merchandise attention that Anya Corazon is getting from it, I know I need to start soon. I have a great fondness for all the various Spider-Women that have been introduced over the years - Jessica Drew, Julia Carpenter, Mayday, Spider-Gwen, Ashley Barton, all of them. But above and beyond my favorite has been Anya Corazon (once she donned the Spider-Girl outfit -- her Araña phase wasn't my favorite to be honest). Her comics were witty and fun and I adored them (check out the Spider-Girl: Family Values TPB). Once the Spider-Verse storyline happened and we were suddenly introduced to dozens of cool new Spiders, I was afraid she would be overshadowed. But she's maintained a decent presence and now her role in the Disney XD show is making her a permanent fixture in the Marvel Universe (in my humble opinion). This toy is proving my point. Let's check out her new kid's line figure below!
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Marvel Titan Hero Series - SPIDER-GIRL!
As much as I am smitten with the trademark collector lines that fill the toy aisles, brands like Marvel Legends and DC Multiverse are so heavily researched by toy blogs that we know exactly what is coming out months (sometimes years) in advance. One of my favorite things about toy collecting is being surprised by something unexpected. I have known in my gut that there would eventually be a Spider-Lady of some sort represented in the Marvel Titan Hero series, but I assumed it would be Spider-Woman or Spider-Gwen. Then to my surprise I woke up a couple weeks ago to a DM on Instagram alerting me to this beautiful Anya Corazon Spider-Girl figure. I immediately ordered one on Amazon then on m lunch break I found one at Toys R Us (I'm very impatient!). This is the time of year when new kid-oriented product pops up without notice, so I had literally been googling a week before with no success. This Anya is based off her appearance in the new Disney XD Spider-Man cartoon. Let's check Spider-Girl out below!
Saturday, November 25, 2017
WWE Superstars - CHARLOTTE, NIKKI, and BRIE!
The WWE Superstars line is a very interesting experiment in the action figure aisles. Women have been a rapidly increasing force in the world of WWE. There are female figures in almost every regular Mattel wave, the Total Divas reality show is in its 7th season, and even the popular Netflix show GLOW is highlighting the early rise of female wrestlers in the sport. So Mattel saw this popularity, as well as the success of female-centric toy lines like the DC Super Hero Girls, and created this WWE Superstars line aimed at girls. Similar to DCSHG, this line features 12" dolls as well as 6" action figures. The interesting thing to me is that most stores seem to stock them in the boy aisles, potentially missing their intended target audience. But fear not, they seem to be pretty successful so far and a second action figure series featuring Alexa Bliss, Natalya, and a new version of Charlotte Flair are already on the way. Let's check out the first series (Charlotte Flair, Nikki Bella and Brie Bella) in detail below!
Monday, August 7, 2017
Marvel's Spider-Man - Anya Corazon SPIDER-GIRL!
Anya Corazon is my favorite Spider-character ever. I have re-read the Spider-Girl: Family Values TPB a dozen times and it never gets old to me. There was something about her personality, combined with the great writing and art, that just made me fall in love with the character. I often preach about my observation that Batgirls and Spider-Girls parallel each other; Cassandra Cain and May Parker came out at roughly the same time, same with Burnside Batgirl and Spider-Gwen, but my two favorite parallels were Stephanie Brown and Anya Corazon. It's not too coincidental that Steph will be in the new season of Young Justice, just as Anya is announced to be a character in the upcoming Disney XD show Marvel's Spider-Man. I expect we'll see retail release Hasbro toys from this show eventually, but in the meantime we get these mysterious Chinese figures to tide us over and create nerdy intrigue. I'm super curious to see what else this company makes in the future. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled. Let's check out Anya below!
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Aliens Day - Space Marine VASQUEZ!
As much as I enjoy all aspects of pop culture - especially pop culture nostalgia related to my childhood in the 1980s - I usually shy away from the grittier properties when it comes to my action figure collections. When I look at my toys I want to see bright colors, ridiculous costumes, and upbeat properties. So militant characters with guns and dour faces rarely make the cut. I've made a few exception recently when it comes to the Aliens line by Neca. The main release figures look great, and I really appreciate looking at them in the stores, but the gimmick that pushes me over the edge and gets me to open my wallet are the fun Alien Day repaints in bright classic Kenner colors. Last year we saw Ripley in her purple shirt and yellow boots, and this year we get Vasquez in her blue bandanna and bright red shirt. But where Ripley was sold at TRU, this Vasquez is exclusive to thenecastore.com. She may still be available, but on some screens it says she's sold out. Hopefully everyone got her. Let's check out Vasquez below!
Friday, September 16, 2016
WWE Elite Collection - LITA!
One thing I have been a little disappointed by in the past with Mattel's WWE line is the bulkiness of the "add-on" clothing (ie, not the sculptural elements of the unadorned buck). For a line that consistently strives for realistic body proportions and facial likenesses, clothing that looks like it's composed of the wrestling mats themselves really ruins the aesthetic. I'm not an expert on the WWE line, but I'm pretty sure this Elite Lita figure is the first time a female figure has come with interchangeable clothing options, and it might also be the first time we've seen cloth accessories. I'm glad to see that things are still evolving and improving. Lita is a retired WWE wrestler who was active from 2000-2006. During her tenure she won the WWE Women's Championship four times. She still works for the organization as an analyst but is no longer wrestling. She also fronted the Atlanta-based punk rock band, the Luchagors, which disbanded in 2014. Let's check out this Elite Series Lita in detail below!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
WWE Superstar - AJ LEE!
I'm no WWE expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I feel pretty confident in saying that AJ Lee has been one of the popular female wrestlers of the past decade. She has won many awards and titles over her career (she retired about a year ago in April 2015) but the main way I gauge her popularity is by seeing the sheer number of action figures she's had in the Mattel WWE line. I didn't investigate thoroughly, but with minimal Googling effort I found six different AJs with three unique head sculpts. This is personally only my second version of her, but it was such a vast improvement over my first figure that I had to add her to my collection. The other versions were cute, but didn't capture her likeness well at all. I also am a big fan of skeletons and organs incorporated into design. I have three such pieces of art hanging in my living room right now (and no, they aren't morbid in the least, think Andy Warhol meets Gray's Anatomy). Anyway, I thought her green shirt rocked. Let's check out the latest AJ figure below!
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