In the late 80's I was about 9 years old and moved to a new town (from the boonies). This town had a main street I could walk to (alone) with three comic shops (plus ice cream parlors, newstands (with comics), and a Woolworths and a local drugstore that each had decent toy sections). It was amazing. Of course a few years later 90% of the storefronts were vacant - and the street still struggles to this day. But those comic shops kickstarted a lifelong passion for me. I only spent my meager allowance on G.I.Joe comics, but I browsed every item in the store with endless curiosity. I have vivid memories of this redhaired heroine wearing all the primary colors and seemingly holding her own in male-dominated titles. I never learned too much about her, and she didn't stick around very long, but I now know her as Sharon Ventura, the second Ms. Marvel. Sharon was a pro wrestler and love interest to the Thing. She underwent genetic enhancement, got powerhouse abilities, and took on a superhero persona.
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Ms. Marvel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ms. Marvel. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Toy Biz - MS. MARVEL (SHARON VENTURA)!
Monday, September 23, 2024
Marvel Legends - WARBIRD!
Few comic characters can change names and costumes repeatedly and stay dynamic and interesting. But then there is Carol Danvers. Carol first became Ms. Marvel in January 1977. This original costume was my favorite with a very 70's feathered hairdo and bare midriff (sadly unproduced in the Marvel Legends line). But in less than two years she ditched that for a black outfit with a lightning bolt. I wasn't a fan of this look for a long time. Perhaps because it replaced my favorite or perhaps because it was often drawn as a high-waisted thong (which seemed gratuitously objectifying, even amidst the abundant cleavage and navels in comics). But I eventually changed my tune (specifically when her 2014 Legends figure was released). In the May 1998 issue of The Avengers #4, she first adopted the name Warbird in connection to the black costume. This Target Exclusive figure represents the Warbird era well and marks a new level of quality and articulation for female Legends. Let's check her out below!
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Marvel Legends - MS. MARVEL!
I'm not able to go see The Marvels until next weekend, but I'm pretty excited to learn more about Kamala Khan. I have read a lot of previous Ms. Marvel comics starring Kamala and I'm quite a fan. (Although I'm not current with my reading and I gather her origins and powers have changed a bit in the last year). I watched the Ms. Marvel show on Disney+ but wasn't a huge fan. I liked Iman Vallani's performance and I liked the fangirl angle, but I think this was just a case of me being a bit too far off the target demographic audience. The attempts of the show to skew younger just alienated me - which is a shame because I consume a lot of youthful media that I relate to just fine. But something about that show was just too hyper and erratic for my old brain. I'm hoping her presence in an ensemble movie like The Marvels will develop her into more of a Kamala I can relate to (not just a "this is awesome!" character). This figure is a great likeness and the new costume is cool. Let's check out Kamala below!
Sunday, October 2, 2022
Marvel Legends - MS. MARVEL!
I just finished watching the Ms. Marvel series a couple weeks ago. It was a lot of a fun and a really unique take on the character. I didn't read all of the Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel comics (although I feel I read around 30% of them), and to me the fangirl angle in the show seemed like a new twist, but a fun way to introduce a new character figuring out her fledgling powers - especially since her fandom is steeped in the MCU world (which I can only assume most of the viewing audience is a fan of as well). This figure looks pretty great. And although the face bears a great resemblance to actor Iman Vellani, the body proportions conform to a more generic Hasbro buck. In the show, Kamala is a short young woman with realistic curves. This figure looks noticeably elongated in comparison. But most MCU figures seem to have a similar generic body representation, it just happens to be more noticeable with this one. Overall it's a great figure and a great addition to my MCU shelf. Let's check out Ms. Marvel below!
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Marvel Legends - KAMALA KHAN as SPIDER-GIRL!
Marvel Unlimited is a digital comic book subscription service. As a customer incentive, they have been producing an exclusive Marvel Legends figure each year as a bonus for an annual subscription. With the exception of Rescue in 2016, all of these figures have been simple repaints. In general, they don't appeal to me; a gray Captain Marvel, a purple Deadpool, gold Ultron, etc. They are often simple and uninspired changes that I just don't find too tempting. But in 2020, the exclusive figure was a Ms. Marvel figure repainted in a Spider-Man deco. I had no idea what the reference was, but I love both Kamala Khan and Spider-ladies, so I knew I would have to eventually hunt her down on eBay. In the time it took to procure her cheaply, I discovered the reference. In 2019 the cover of Marvel Team-Up #2 featured Kamala and Peter Parker wearing each others' costumes. It has nothing to do with the story inside, but the image was apparently enough to inspire this figure. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Spidey and His Amazing Friends - MS. MARVEL!
When I think of Marvel characters that would be well-suited to a preschool audience, Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel is a top contender. She's fun, colorful, diverse, and her powers are very cartoony. I'll admit her powers aren't my favorite, but I still really enjoy reading her comics and I'm excited about her Disney+ show later this year. This Spidey and His Amazing Friends toyline came out of nowhere, but I'm really enjoying it. The costumes are comic accurate, the toy proportions are unique and fun, and the overall property is just very eye-catching. So far, this Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel figure only comes in the Team Spidey and Friends Figure Collection 7-Pack (which I believe may be exclusive to Target). She tends to have some paint issues around her eye mask, so keep that in mind when selecting one in store. I expect we might see a single-release of her in the future with an extended limb accessory, but there's no word on any product beyond this initial burst of figures. Let's check out Kamala below!
Saturday, March 27, 2021
Marvel Legends 3.75" Retro - CAROL DANVERS!
I never would have guessed that a 3.75" retro Marvel line would thrill me so much in the year 2021. I bought every single female figure in the Marvel Universe line from 2009-17, which ended up being well over 30 figures, but I was always a little unimpressed with the basic proportions and body structure. Then in 2014 Super7 kicked the retro toy trend into high gear with the first ReAction offering (Aliens) in classic Kenner style. I swear almost every property in the world has been given this treatment since, but a glaring absence was Marvel Superheroes. The union of these two action figure genres finally came into existence with this new Marvel Legends Retro series. The style is a bit like vintage Kenner (the logo is on the cardback) and a bit like Mattel Secret Wars. But the solid body construction, colorful illustrative packaging, and classic character selection combine to make a truly spectacular toyline. Carol Danvers in her 1978 "Warbird" costume is the perfect choice for the first female in the line. Let's check her out!
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
GamerVerse Basic Series - MS. MARVEL!
Basic figures have come a long, long way in the last few years. The character selection used to be dismal.. thirty different color Tony Starks clogging the aisles for years still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But along with the constantly raising bar in super hero films, the basic series action figures riding those box office coattails have also experienced massive improvements. These days, they have decent articulation, sculpt, and actually included female characters. I believe this new Avengers GamerVerse line is the first time Marvel has had basic figures not based on a theatrical film. From what I understand, "GamerVerse" is the fictional universe in which all modern Marvel video games take place. The Ms. Marvel design is specifically from the upcoming Marvel's Avengers game due out this Fall, but the GamerVerse umbrella could include characters from any game. And based on the high quality of this figure, I hope there are many more coming. Let's check out Kamala Khan below!
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Marvel Legends - CAPTAIN MARVEL (Movie)!
I'm very excited about the Captain Marvel movie. When I was a kid I was obsessed with the comic Spidey Super Stories. In issue #22 I was first exposed to Carol Danvers as Ms. Marvel and I just thought she was fantastic. As I grew older I realized how dated her costume and hair were, but I still loved her. Her black thonged Warbird outfit made me cringe so I ignored her as a modern character for decades. But then in 2012, she took on the iconic mantle of Captain Marvel and finally fulfilled her destiny. Suddenly her costume lacked both a bare midriff and thong, and predictably she looked better than ever. I always thought it was interesting that the after-thought female version of an established male character has become more popular and long-lasting than the original. There are tons of gender-swapped heroes like this, but none has surpassed her predecessor quite like Carol. I'm so happy that this movie will launch her into the public eye in such a spectacular fashion. Let's check out Captain Marvel below!
Monday, December 4, 2017
Late 2017 Collection of MARVEL MINI-MATES!
Photographing small toys is a bit cumbersome for me. My photo tent is set up for 6 inch figures, so when it comes to the little guys I have to construct a stage of sorts to ensure they're properly lit. So out of laziness I tend to pile up a bunch of tiny figures and photograph them all at once. Mini-mates are a prime example of that. This post will collect all the Mini-mates I've picked up since May (when the Guardians of the Galaxy waves hit). Included will be Spiral, Hela, Gwenpool, Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, Black Cat, Proxima Midnight, Spider-girl (Petra Parker), Medusa, and White Tiger. Diamond Select Toys really haven't been skimping with character selection. It seems like every couple months there is some heavy-hitter heroine on the shelves. Plus I love having yet another reason to stalk all my Walgreens stores. I hope Mini-mates last a long long time and I will keep buying them as long as they keep this level of character diversity up. Let's check out this newest batch of Mini-mate ladies below!
Monday, January 16, 2017
Marvel Legends - MS. MARVEL (KAMALA KHAN)!
Hasbro has been doing a great job at getting new characters on the shelves in record time. I think the fastest has been Spider-Gwen with only 16 months between her first appearance and shelf. Kamala Khan isn't too shabby either at 32 months (Silk at 23 months is another recent notable one). Kamala Khan is the third official Ms. Marvel (I usually exclude Moonstone) and is notable for being the first Muslim character to star in her own book. I love this character. She has a great personality, her costume is a awesome (I love the re-purposing of the lightning bolt and sash), and it doesn't hurt that one of my favorite artists (Takeshi Miyazawa) draws of ton of her issues. I only have one problem with Kamala, but it's a big one... I can't stand her powers. Kamala is a shapeshifting inhuman that can stretch like Mr. Fantastic and Plastic Man. Aesthetically, I just don't like oversized swinging fists, spaghetti arms, and stilt legs. It looks clownish to me. Oh well you can't win them all. Let's check her out below!
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Marvel Legends Infinite Series - MS. MARVEL!
Ms. Marvel is a character that I've always had mixed feeling about. I would definitely enjoy the occasional back issue, but the character never grabbed me the way others did. It wasn't until very recently when Carol Danvers took up the mantle of Captain Marvel that I really began to appreciate the character. Carol Danvers became Ms. Marvel during a very interesting few years at Marvel Comics in the late 1970s. In a brief timeframe, many outstanding female characters were created and given solo series. Spider-Woman, Dazzler, She-Hulk, Red Sonja, and Ms. Marvel seemingly came out of nowhere and added some much needed girl power to the Marvel roster. Similar events were happening at DC, but their new characters just didn't have the staying power of the Marvel ladies. I grew up mainly knowing Carol as the source of Rogue's base powers. In my mind, she didn't have a defined personality or interesting story. Then came her renaissance in the 2000s. Suddenly she became a major player in the Avengers and finally became the staple character she's always had the potential to be.
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