The news this week that LooseCollector will be producing action figures from Rob Liefeld's Extreme Universe has me very excited. In the late 80s and early 90s I was a huge fan of Rob Liefeld. His work on Hawk & Dove, X-Factor, New Mutants, and X-Force is some of the most nostalgic comic art of my adolescence. (I still read both his Hawk & Dove runs every few years). When the Image exodus happened in 1992, I was immediately obsessed with Youngblood. The characters were colorful and seemingly pulled inspiration from every trendy comic trope at the time, but with that signature Liefeld flare that embodied the era. The issues were beautiful, but sparse. The release schedule was very slow and the story was forgettable, but the character design and lore of this world still has my attention 30 years later. I have always wanted true action figures. Previous attempts have been almost entirely male-centric. Hopefully the Extreme Universe includes Youngblood or some other costumed heroines.
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Bendies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bendies. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Youngblood Bendems - VOGUE & RIPTIDE!
Thursday, January 19, 2023
BendyFigs - HARLEY QUINN!
With all the popularity of Harley Quinn in the last decade, keeping up with her merchandising can be an unsurmountable task. There are so many versions of her costume now it's hard to keep track. Even this Bendyfig line from The Noble Collection has three very different Harleys in production. One positive side-effect of oversaturation though is that it forced me to pick a favorite look. And that is without a doubt her original jester costume. I didn't watch any of the Batman cartoons in the 90s so I was pretty unaware of her charms until I started reading her first solo comic series from 2000. Needless to say I was hooked. She was quirky, dangerous, unpredictable, and all-around fun. Plus I give her major credit for re-introducing me to Poison Ivy, who was a character I was very lukewarm about from her comic appearances in the 70s and 80s (but is now one of my favorites). This Bendyfig was my first classic Harley product in a long time. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
BendyFigs - BATGIRL!
I find it very interesting that the "Burnside Batgirl" design has seemingly taken over as the evergreen version of Batgirl. It makes sense since it's a very utilitarian costume with clothing components that are believable for a young hero to have acquired. Plus it has all the classic Batgirl trademarks: Bat-cowl, red hair, height yellow bat symbol, and of course bright boots and gloves. What isn't always so standardized (but much appreciated) is the purple-hued color palette. We first saw Batgirl in purple in the 1966 Batman TV show, but then we didn't see Barbara wearing the color until The Batman in 2004 followed by the 2011 Batgirl comic reboot (and that was only a purple cape). But since then, the majority of her costumes have incorporated the color and I'm very happy. I like pretty much all Batgirl's costumes over the years, but I always prefer things on the colorful side. I don't normal buy bendy figures, but I somehow always end up buying these the Noble Collection Bendyfigs. Let's check out Batgirl below.
Monday, August 1, 2022
BendyFigs - LT. UHURA!
I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Nichelle Nichols yesterday at the age of 89. When I think about iconic television women from my youth, she is right up there in the top (despite me never being a real Trekkie). My brothers and I had a weekly tradition of watching Star Trek on PBS every Saturday Night while staying up to for Saturday Night Live. But oftentimes when SNL would come on at 11:30, we would be too engrossed in the dilemmas of the Enterprise crew to turn the dial. Lieutenant Nyota Uhura was the communications officer on the bridge and I found myself fixated on her all the time. She was always calm and competent amid the perpetual chaos of the Enterprise missions, and her overall presence was just magnetic and comforting. I was a kid watching this in syndication in the 80s, so I had no idea of the cultural impact she had on the 1960's viewing audience. It was a huge ordeal to get a female character on the bridge at all, let alone a woman of color. It's was a different time.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
BendyFigs - CATWOMAN!
For the past few years I've been noticing this great new series of bendy figures from Noble Toys at places like Barnes & Noble or the electronics section of Walmart. Ten years ago I would have completely ignored these with a "these aren't even action figures" snub. But then I discovered two great characters who were only available in bendy form (yet could still fit in to my collection nicely with the aide of a figure stand): Inque and Angel Jones. Quickly followed by my discovery of NJCroce and their irresistible bendies of Batman '66 and BTAS. So suddenly I wasn't such a snob. Until recently, I only saw these BendyFigs for movie tie-in product. Their Wonder Woman 84 and Suicide Squad figures in particular always caught my attention. The quality and scale was a noticeable improvement over past bendy lines, but I didn't find the movie licenses tempting until this comic-style Catwoman. It's an iconic look at this point but gets almost no merchandise. Let's check out Catwoman below!
Friday, January 8, 2016
Character Spotlight in LIVEWIRE!
I've always considered Livewire the Harley Quinn of Superman's world. They're both formidable villains created by Bruce Timm for the DC Animated Universe. Since their unassuming beginnings they've both become pretty popular in mainstream comics and video games. Livewire has also appeared on television in Smallville and very recently in Supergirl. Harley is way more popular obviously, but Livewire has always had my attention. Just to clear up her first appearance dates: She debuted in the comic Superman Adventures #5 (March 1997) and her first television appearance was in Season 2, Episode 5 of Superman: The Animated Series ("Livewire" - September 1997). Leslie Willis was a shock-jock hosting an outdoor concert in Metropolis during a dangerous storm. Superman tried to get the concert to disband, but Leslie refused and was struck by lightning. Her hair turned blue, her skin turned white, and she gained crazy electrical power - irrationally blaming Superman for all of it. Revenge-based villains thrill me.
Monday, January 4, 2016
The New Batman Adventures - Bendie POISON IVY!
It's such a good feeling as a collector when you feel like you've completed a set. A constant trio of characters I'm always trying to a assemble is Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. When these characters came together in the cartoons and comics, it was just instant magic. Their personalities blend and clash in an entertaining and addictive ways and toys of any single one of them just seem incomplete unless you can get all three. Luckily most toy companies seem to feel this way as well. Lego, Mez-Itz, Funko Pop, Imaginext, and even Polly Pockets have all made the effort to complete the group. Now NJ Croce has joined the fray with this Poison Ivy bendie. I know Catwoman was released at the same time, but she was likely to be produced no matter what. Ivy is almost always the odd woman out, so her inclusion in a toy line is always a reason to cheer. Although bendies are usually not on the radar of collectors, I think these figures should not be overlooked. Let's check out Poison Ivy below!
Sunday, January 3, 2016
The New Batman Adventures - Bendie CATWOMAN!
I'm becoming a huge fan of these NJ Croce Bendie figures recently. The character selection is fantastic, the prices are reasonable, and the sculpts are spot-on. The only problem is that they aren't actually action figures. I've never owned any bendie figures until a few years ago so I don't know what to expect from this medium. My paranoid imagination foresees them crackling, melting, discoloring, or becoming sticky for no discernible reason. But those random anxieties have proven to be baseless. I now have 8 bendies displayed with little Kaiser doll stands and they all seem perfectly fine mingling with the action figures on my Ikea bookshelves. I'm excited to see what future characters they'll show at Toy Fair. I'm thinking that they'll probably delve into the Arkham video games series next, but secretly my biggest wish is for a companion "Good Girls" box with Batwoman, Huntress, Batgirl, etc. (The Mystery of the Batwoman design is sorely absent from all merchandising). Let's check out the Catwoman below!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
The New Batman Adventures - Bendable HARLEY!
Bendies bendies bendies. I'm becoming inundated with these little amorphous beauties. About an hour ago I was showing my collection room to a very excitable five year old and her favorite thing by far was the Batgirl '66 bendie (that I reviewed last month) -- "because it's the sparkliest." I would add that a major factor in her choice was probably its placement at her eye level, but that's just nitpicking. It is a stunning little figure. A few years ago I would have never ever considered including bendable figures in my collection, but the quality and character selection of these recent NJ Croce figures has completely changed my tune. I'm greatly looking forward to adding more of these ladies in the coming years. Animated Poison Ivy and Catwoman are the logical next contenders, but I'd buy pretty much anything honestly. This Harley is a nice placeholder for the upcoming BTAS figure from DCC. I'm dying to compare these two when she finally comes out. Let's check out this bendable Harley below!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
The New Batman Adventures - Bendable BATGIRL!
NJ Croce is having a killer year with their Batman novelties. These bendable figures are the perfect thing to fill the doldrums in the weeks leading up to SDCC. They're bright. colorful, well-made, and inexpensive. I've never been much of a fan of bendies, but in a few short years I've acquired six and I must admit I think they're pretty cool. Batman the Animated Series (and all its subsequent iterations) are getting a lot of love this year. There is an awesome New Adventures Batgirl action figure due out next month from DC Collectibles. And Diamond Select showed a BTAS mini-bust and PVC statue at Toy Fair in February. Up until this point I've actually had very few animated-style Batgirls in my collection (I used to be a "comics-style" purist until a few years ago). But now I welcome them with open arms. I don't want to backtrack too far though because collecting all 2 billion Kenner variants will kill me. I'm fine with this glorious bendie for now. Let's check her out below!
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Batman '66 Bendable BATGIRL!
This little beauty was one of my favorite discoveries at Toy Fair '15. Ever since I stumbled across the NJ Croce booth in 2013 and saw the very cool JLA New Frontier bendable figures, I have made it a point to stop by each year to see what new offerings they have. They have yet to disappoint me. Last year they had a Julie Newmar Catwoman. Then this year they wowed us with a BTAS Harley Quinn and Batgirl, as well as this Batman 1966 Classic TV Series Batgirl. I honestly already have low hopes for 2016 because this year will be a tough one to beat. I supposed a BTAS Poison Ivy or Catwoman is possible (and a Mystery of the Batwoman figure would make me faint). But this Batgirl '66 figure is something special. I believe this is the first official piece of merchandise featuring the Yvonne Craig Batgirl on the market. We have 2 Statues (Tweeterhead & DST), a Bust, and an action figure due out later this year, but I think this is the first. Hopefully this is only the beginning. Let's check out Batgirl below!
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
TOY FAIR 2015 Coverage - OTHER COMPANIES!
Mezco - NECA - NJCroce - Madame Alexander - Monogram - Schleich - I Am Elemental
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Hanna-Barbera's Fish Police - ANGEL JONES!
I only recently discovered that there was a short-lived Fish Police cartoon in the early 90s. By "short-lived" I mean really short. It lasted only three episodes and it's easy to see why. I personally think the animation looks really good, but the pacing is slow, the voices are ill-cast, and the humor goes from childish fish jokes to some pretty serious sexual innuendo. I can't imagine who the intended audience was. I originally stumbled across the Fish Police comics accidentally in the late 80s as I was obsessively tracking down every comic that my favorite artist (Arthur Adams) had ever contributed to. These were the days prior to the internet so finding back issues of indy comics was no easy feat... especially if you were in elementary school. I managed to get my issues for the random Arthur Adams pinups and short stories, but I quickly became a fan of the book as a whole. Steve Moncuse's Fish Police was a weird film noir/gumshoe book set in the undersea Fish City that mixed gritty crime with offbeat humor.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Batman '66 Bendable CATWOMAN!
Woohoo! I now own my second bendable figure. I never thought I would see the day. I think the toy gods knew it would take a Julie Newmar Catwoman to get me to cave again. Bendable toys are an interesting conundrum for action figure collectors. The character selection can sometimes be awesome, but they just don't have the same display potential and longevity of a true action figure. But being the big Julie Newmar fan that I am, I knew this beauty would find it's way onto my shelves. I first discovered this figure at Toy Fair earlier this year when I went out of my way to hunt down the NJCroce booth to see their new products. Their booth is kind of buried in the novelty section (i.e. far from the action figure area that I gravitate toward). Last year I stumbled across their New Frontier style bendies and was impressed with the quality (and distribution - these suckers are everywhere). So anyway, I made the trek down the aisles where all the vendors were throwing balls at me or startling me with noisemakers and was very happy to see Catwoman on a peg. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Batman Beyond's INQUE!
Batman Beyond was very cool series. It had a fun premise, fantastic character design, and an overall tone that was a nice change from its animated predecessors. My only issue with it was a lack of strong female characters. Inque was hands down the greatest part of the show for me. She was a shapeshifting, relentless femme fatale who proved to be more of a threat than most of Terry's other rogues. It's a true shame that we didn't see more toys of these characters back in the day. This Burger King Kids Meal toy is pretty cool. I normally despise bendies, but with Inque's powers, it totally makes sense. She's a good size to blend in with other figures and her sculpt is surprisingly great. This figure also has an awesome, but very annoying, feature of color-changing skin. It's supposed to turn really dark, but it kind of just gets a dark tint. Plus, to expose her normal skintone for this review I had to keep submerging her in ice. This figure is also a keychain and subsequently has a plastic gadget coming off her head. I'll be sure to Xacto that off soon. Let's check out Inque below!
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