I'm pretty obsessed with the mini-bust format. In the early 2000s and throughout the 2010s, these were everywhere. Bowen Designs, Gentle Giant, DC Direct, and Diamond Select seemingly had releases every month. Plus several companies came to the game late like Monogram and Eaglemoss and produced some great pieces. But unfortunately, since 2019 almost all production seems to have ceased - with the exception of Diamond Select who was still occasionally releasing Star Wars and Gargoyles busts until just a couple years ago. My favorite character to collect in this format was Catwoman. I believe I have 12 different mini-busts representing a variety of her incarnations over the years (surprisingly there were never Pfeiffer or Golden/Silver Age representations - two glaring omissions). I excitedly bought this Julie Newmar Batman '66 bust when it came out 11 years ago, but was pretty disappointed in the paint quality. The difference between the paint masters and the production version was simple, but impactful. The solicitation photos looked decently like Julie Newmar (not great, but close enough).
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Mini-Bust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mini-Bust. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2026
Batman Classic TV Series - CATWOMAN Bust!
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Transformers Busts - ARCEE!
With all the great G1 Arcee products we've seen in the last two decades, it's amazing to look back and see one of the first official pieces to capture the token Transformers female in all her glory. The Heroes of Cybertron PVC figure was released at least five years earlier, but this DST sculpt celebrated her in a whole new way. It's still shocking to think they they only made 1000 of this mini-bust (and only 600 of Elita One). Back in the early 2000s, mini-busts were all the rage. So many different companies were producing them and every comic specialty store had display cases full of beautiful little statues. I avoided them for as long as I could (purely for budgetary reasons). But just a few months earlier I had purchased my first (Firestar). Arcee and Elita One were my next two purchases. Now I can't even count how many I have. But even through those multitudes, these Transformers busts stand out as perfect collectibles from a time when these characters had almost no representation. Let's check out Arcee below!
Friday, May 30, 2025
Transformers Busts - ELITA ONE!
For roughly seven years, this was the only Elita One piece in my collection (I now have over twenty). As much as I've always embraced her as a key character in Transformers lore, the tragic truth is that she had only appeared in a single G1 episode (that most diehard Transformers bros hated). And my handful of Transformers friends had never even heard of her. So this bust was a dream come true for me. She has a perfect classic sculpt from Mark Wong and I didn't hesitate at all to buy her. She was actually my second ever order from BBTS and also my second ever mini-bust purchase (after the 2007 Firestar Bust that opened the floodgates). The only downside to this purchase was my overinflated expectations. I either heard a rumor of a Chromia or just imagined it, but either way I was a little deflated they only made two fembots. But I'm so glad Diamond Select Toys made the first official classically-inspired female Transformers products. Let's check out Elita One below!
Friday, September 8, 2023
Arthur Adams Busts - RED SONJA!
Red Sonja is an iconic character created in the late 70s in a burst of new Marvel solo titles helmed by female characters. Her first issue was actually dated the same month as Ms. Marvel #1 (January 1977) and followed shortly after by Spider-Woman #1. She was unique for being a lone female voice in the barbarian genre. She had a similar vibe to the various "jungle girl" characters which had been a comic staple for decades, but the swords and armor was a powerful distinction. She was based on the character Red Sonya from the 1934 story The Shadow of the Vulture, but took on a life of her own and exploded in popularity. She has had a consistent role in comics ever since her Marvel debut and even made TV, Film, and game appearances. Unfortunately she's been very sparsely merchandised. This bust based on the drawings of Arthur Adams is one of the first pieces produced. But it's a beauty. It took me forever to track her down at a decent price. Let's check out Red Sonja below!
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Astonishing X-Men - DANGER Bust!
I miss the days when mini-busts were all the rage and every comic shop had a display case full of new product for sale. My first purchase was the DST Firestar in 2007. She was a new release, but I got her for 20 bucks because the comic shop was closing. But that started an avalanche of purchases and I now have over 50. The sheer number of companies that were producing them was impressive too: DC Direct, Bowen, Dynamic Forces, Gentle Giant, Diamond Select, etc. And there was even a cheaper second wave of popularity with Eaglemoss and Monogram about 5 years ago. But in the era of the early 2000s, you could get mini-busts of almost any comic character. This Danger bust from DST is a great example. She is sentient embodiment of the X-Men's Danger room, originally a rage-filled villain, but eventually a teammate. Despite her cool origin and pedigree, she never gained popularity you might expect, but that didn't stop her from getting a pretty great looking mini-bust when she was at her peak.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Arthur Adams Busts - VAMPIRELLA!
Vampirella is truly an iconic character. Her design is simple, yet unique (and overwhelmingly provocative). As a child I always felt I shouldn't be looking at her, or at least that I must hide her image from my parents. But as an adult, I find comfort that her costume was designed by comic artist Trina Robbins, who among other accolades was the first female artist to illustrate Wonder Woman comics. Knowing that her barely-there costume was designed by a woman somehow allows me to more easily admit that I really like it. My first in-depth exposure to the character was through my obsession with the art of Arthur Adams. I picked up his Creepy Fearbook #1 and Vampirella Summer Nights and I was mesmerized. I was over the moon when Dynamite Comics announced their series of Arthur Adams'-designed busts (featuring Vampirella and Red Sonja). But that kicked off years of frustration with sold out products, variants being more prevalent than standard versions, and secondary market inflation.
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Batman Classic TV Series - CATWOMAN Bust!
The curious case of the missing review. I bought this Eartha Kitt Catwoman Bust when she was released five years ago. I photographed her and have distinct memories of editing the photos. I even found three 'unused' photos still on my camera, proving these memories. But when I created the post for the new McFarlane figure earlier this week, I discovered that I apparently never actually created a review. And a quick glance at eBay let me know that she sells for a ton of money now and therefore turnaround pics are a good thing to have on record (since she would be a significant investment for a collector). It looks like a similar situation happened with the Julie Newmar bust, but Eartha seemed more urgent since the McFarlane figure has me so excited. These Diamond Select busts aren't the greatest thing ever. The likenesses are there, but somehow a little off. But I love collecting mini-busts, especially Catwoman ones, and my collection would be incomplete without these. Let's check her out below!
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Women of the DCU Busts - DONNA TROY!
Sometimes it takes a single collectible or piece of merchandise to make you really appreciate a character. For some reason, Donna Troy as Wonder Girl just never appealed to me. On the surface, she has all the trademarks of a character I would love: a long history, a colorful costume, and a direct familial link to an A-list hero. But it took this 2007 Women of the DC Universe bust to really make me stop and pay attention. This is especially ironic because my single favorite comic issue of my childhood was The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans team-up special. While her character was essentially drowned out by the huge roster in the issue, her image on the cover is a fixed memory for me. Of all the product lines that went away with the dissolving of DC Direct, the Women of the DCU mini bust series is one of biggest losses to me. Dedicating each series to the unique designs of a single artist made for a very cohesive aesthetic. This Wonder Girl was from the first series by Adam Hughes and John G. Mathews.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
NECA Bust - MYSTIQUE!
I only recently discovered that NECA Toys has produced Marvel items in the past. The collectible toy industry is chock full of Marvel products, but it's always been from Toy Biz, Hasbro, or DST - with very few exceptions. But for early Marvel movie properties it makes sense that NECA (National Entertainment Collectibles Association) would have an iron in the fire. Most other companies didn't focus on realistic movie merchandise back then, but it was NECA's specialty. Starting 2003, NECA ran the Marvel Collector's Club which offered unique Marvel statues and busts. An interesting note about this line is that I believe it offered no packaging design. Pictures online seem to indicate they all came in nondescript brown cardboard boxes, and this two-pack of mine continues that tradition. The Mystique and Wolverine set was released in 2004, about a year after the theatrical release of X2: X-Men United. The quality is terrific and I'm surprised I only recently discovered it. Let's check out Mystique below!
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Mini Busts - ELECTRA WOMAN and DYNA GIRL!
In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, sibling duo Sid and Marty Krofft carved out a very interesting niche for themselves in the children's television market. They had a background in puppetry and special effects from Vaudeville and Ringling Bros / Barnum and Bailey Circus. Their television work is notable for its inventive puppets (often creepy and psychedelic), low budget special effects, complex plots, and drug culture innuendo. The Banana Splits, Land of the Lost, H.R. Pufnstuf, and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters are some of their most notable works. Although their influence (and lawsuit) over the McDonaldland characters might have the most resonance with today's audiences (search youtube for videos on the Krofft/McDonalds connection - it's fascinating). In the first season of their 1976 The Krofft Supershow, there were 16 segments featuring the live-action adventures of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (starring a 29 year old Deidre Hall!). It's like a merging of Lynda Carter and Adam West.
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!
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Hammer Films - COUNTESS DRACULA!
I love movies. I literally watch at least one movie a day and I find joy in almost all genres. But one of my favorite subgenres is classic (think 1985 and earlier) "horror" movies. I put that in quotes because my favorite ones are really hard to label as horror. I am especially drawn to films that features misunderstood monsters or (duh) vampy women. Countess Dracula is a 1971 historical horror from Hammer Film. The Dracula title is a bit of misnomer, because it's really about Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Bathory and her rumored penchant for bathing in the blood of virgins. It stars horror icon Ingrid Pitt and despite its poor ratings, I find it quite watchable. My bootleg DVD won't play on any of my devices anymore so I was very happy to find it streaming on Amazon Prime tonight. I forgot how much boob kissing there was and how very little blood (which is odd considering the subject). I don't know how obscure the movie is, but I know I was shocked this bust got made. Let's check out Countess Dracula below!
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Dark Knight Rises Mini-Busts - CATWOMAN!
I figure with The Batman movie currently filming and Zoë Kravitz soon to take on the role of Selina Kyle in 2021, the Anne Hathaway Catwoman from Dark Knight Rises will soon be a thing of the past (at least as far as merchandising goes). I still fondly remember my surprise at seeing Hathaway's amazing performance. I'll be the first to admit that my expectations weren't very high. At the time, I had only really been exposed to her acting in more lighthearted fare (despite her having several super impressive roles under her belt already that I just hadn't seen yet). But her interpretation was fun, entertaining, and sexy. I only wish we could have seen more of her. These Batman Universe Busts from Eaglemoss have been pretty amazing. While they haven't all been winners (ahem.. Ivy), the majority have been awesome (Batwoman, Batgirl, Bluebird, and Catwoman especially). I have a feeling the line ended with Issue #35 which is a shame because I was really enjoying them. Let's check out DKR Catwoman below!
Monday, February 24, 2020
DC Mini-Busts - VIXEN!
Eight years ago I wasn't really a fan of Vixen. I appreciated her as a character, but her actual comics and merchandise didn't thrill me. I'm not making this up, and it's perfectly unplanned, but 8 years ago today (Feb 24th, 2012), my blog was only a month old and I posted a Character Spotlight on Vixen without actually owning any of the pieces. Fast forward to 2020 and I love my little Vixen collection. Learning about her publishing origins and her cancelled solo title from the 70s suddenly gave her a lot of street cred in my book. Then I read her Return of the Lion miniseries and picked up her animated movie and now I consider myself a genuine fan. I think Vixen is a perfect character for a collected edition graphic novel. She has an interesting origin and a lot of varied costumes over the years. Plus they could publish that unseen cancelled solo comic for the first time! I'm going to publish a post on the most needed character-based graphic novels - I have many opinions. Let's check out the Vixen Mini-bust below!
Friday, October 18, 2019
Batman Universe Busts - CATWOMAN '66!
Every time I see an image of a 1966 Catwoman I get overwhelmed by nostalgia. Whether it's Julie Newmar, Earth Kitt, or Lee Meriwether, there is something about the costume that sweeps me back to my childhood in the early 80s. I grew up without air conditioning or cable, and during the hot summer months my siblings and I would block out the shades, haul out the electric fans, make tons of juice pops, and settle in for long marathons of Godzilla movies, Star Trek the Animated Series, and the 1966 Batman show (all of which were in constant Summer rotation on our weird local stations). This was my first exposure to Catwoman and I was instantly entranced by her. I've loved almost every iteration of the character since, in both comics and movies, but I think I will always hold this version as the gold standard. It's only a shame that the likeness to the actresses are so consistently off-base. The merchandise doesn't look bad per say, but they certainly don't resemble Julie, Eartha, or Lee. Let's check out Catwoman below!
Friday, October 11, 2019
Batman Universe Busts - BATGIRL!
Burnside Batgirl was a really fun phase in the evolution of Batgirl. It's amazing that she's already mostly phased out after only 3.5 years. In 2011 when the DC universe rebooted into the New52 and Barbara Gordon re-assumed the mantle of Batgirl, I personally felt the comic was almost unreadable. Part of it could be that the main casuality in this shift was the amazing Stephanie Brown Batgirl (who was written out in the reboot). It would be hard for anyone to take the place of Steph, but even without that competition, the rebooted Batgirl comic was just a lackluster snoozefest. I wanted really really bad to like it, but it had no heart. The feeling must have been mutual because in a few short years (2014), Barbara was revamped into a younger, hipper, more independent Batgirl. She wore a very utilitarian version of the iconic costume and she was relocated to Burnside (essentially Brooklyn to Gotham's Manhattan). It was a breath of fresh air. And this bust is a great homage to her first cover. Let's check her out below!
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Batman Universe Busts - BATWOMAN!
Kate Kane as Batwoman is such a great character. Not only does she have a terrific costume, but her backstory and personality have natural depth and believably (at least once her run in Detective Comics started... the 52 stuff just wasn't fully fleshed out yet). Also, the mantle of Batwoman itself has a great political history. She and Bat-Girl were the original beards of the comic world, so Kate's sexuality is a brilliant reimagining. I think she is going to be a solid fixture in the Gotham scene for many many years to come (and hopefully her costume doesn't change, because it's honestly perfect). It should be really interesting to see how the new Batwoman TV show effects her popularity. At the very least we're likely to see more toys. Look how Supergirl's show has amplified her toy aisle presence in the past few years. (I'm not being facetious... we've seen several action figures and statues as a direct result of the show.. and I have the same hopes for Kate). Let's check out the Batwoman Eaglemoss bust below!
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Batman Universe Busts - GOTHAM CITY SIRENS!
I have a backlog of Eaglemoss products I've been dying to review forever. Last weekend I finally unpackaged a ton of my hoarded busts and figurines and photographed them and now I'm excited to post them all. For sake of brevity I will be lumping certain ones into groups, and the most logical grouping to me is the Gotham City Sirens trio of Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. As much as this trifecta seems timeless, I did some research and discovered that Catwoman and Poison Ivy only ever crossed paths five times in the 27 years leading up to Batman the Animated Series (and I didn't actually read those five stories, but from the descriptions they seem like huge ensemble casts where it's very unlikely that the two even talked). Yeah, Batman books didn't really pass the Bechdel test until fairly recently. But once Harley was introduced, it wasn't long until these friendships formed and they haven't looked back. Let's check out Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn below!
Monday, October 7, 2019
Batman Universe Busts - BLUEBIRD!
It's been a long time since a new Batman character has caught my attention. Something I've always loved about DC Comics is the long historical canons behind almost all of the heroes and villains. But something about Bluebird caught my eye and soon as I saw her suited up in the pages of Batman Eternal back in 2015. No, she didn't have an outlandish cape or some obscure tactile weapon that I crave. She wore utilitarian gear and carried guns. Plus she had a mohawk (I've known one too many folks with mohawks in my life, and they always end up a major disappointment.. so the haircut is now a red flag to me). But despite it all, the tempestuous hacker/engineer Harper Row in her new punky vigilante role quickly became an obsession for me. It was actually a few years until I realized her costume was an obvious homage to Nightwing, and that only made me like her more. This Eaglemoss bust is the first official piece of Bluebird merchandise and it's honestly a terrific debut. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
DC Universe Busts - STAR SAPPHIRE!
I really miss the days of regular DC Direct product. The variety of action figures was unprecedented. You could rely on a unique Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman figure every month. I know the repetition of characters and the inconsistent scales drove fans nuts, but I loved it. Occasionally a favorite character of mine would get that A-list treatment and I would be on cloud nine (2007-08 were spectacular for me). But beyond the action figures, I really was obsessed with the Women of the DC Universe Mini-Bust line. Each series (there were three) had roughly 12 busts all designed by an iconic artist: Series 1 Adam Hughes, Series 2 Terry Dodson, and Series 3 Amanda Conner. At the time I was very selective with what characters I would purchase, but as the years have passed I have backtracked and I'm sure I'll eventually have them all. I've always loved the look of the classic Star Sapphire and this bust is the nicest looking representation of her in my collection. Let's check out the Star Sapphire mini-bust below!
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