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 Julie Newmar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julie Newmar. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2026
Batman Classic TV Series - CATWOMAN Bust!
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Batman Classic TV Series - CATWOMAN!
As much crap as I want to give Todd McFarlane about his gender politics, I can't deny that his toy company has given me a ton of figures that I adore. Just in the last twelve months, I have picked up eighteen female figures from McFarlane toys and I only had negative critiques for two of them. The rest have been truly great.. including Carrie Kelley Robin, Eartha Kitt Catwoman, Batwoman Beyond, and Three Jokers Batgirl among them. This new Julie Newmar Catwoman is just one more example of a figure I have been wishing for since I started my adult collecting hobby. This specific portrayal of Catwoman is what launched a niche villainess to a household name. I have yet to experience a Halloween without seeing at least one Catwoman costume... often from people who have never read her comics or seen her on screen. She has just become a cultural icon, and I credit Julie Newmar with catapulting the character to that level. An action figure of this quality has been a long time coming. Let's check her out below!
Friday, June 10, 2022
Mezco 5 Points - CATWOMAN!
In the next 30 days I'm predicting the announcement of a Julie Newmar Catwoman from McFarlane Toys. And based on the Eartha Kitt figure we already got in that line, I'm expecting this to be the pinnacle Julie Newmar Catwoman toy. In the meantime, I would say that high honor belongs to the recent Mezco 5 Points Catwoman from the Batman Classic TV Series box set. This collection has an intimidating price point at $139, but I find it's very much worth the price. Included are seven 1:12 scale figures (six of which have alternate heads), a great Batmobile, and a detailed cardboard diorama of the Batcave (interior) and Wayne Manor (exterior). I picked up the whole set plus an extra Catwoman on eBay to display both heads. This figure easily has the best Julie Newmar likeness so far, although not perfect. But I have a hunch she has a face that's hard to capture. We should see how McFarlane fares soon enough. I'm very excited. Let's check out Catwoman 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!
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Pin-Mates SPIDER-LADIES and BAT-LADIES!
I'm kind of obsessed with these Pin-Mate figures from Bif Bang Pow! Throughout my childhood my home was littered with Fisher-Price Little People. My siblings and I had a ton. We had really old wooden ones and more modern plastic ones. But they were all in the simple peg-style of the time (not like the chubby vinyl things the line has morphed into now). And when we wanted to add more characters to our playsets, we would decorate one-piece wooden clothespins with markers and crayons to add to our ranks. When I first saw these PinMates, I half loved them and half hated them. But after I picked up a few and they continued to roll out cool characters, I'm definitely a fan. I have a handful of Bat-Ladies and Spider-Ladies, and now I want more. I've skipped a few cool movie-based characters (like Gamora, Nebula, Mantis, Hela, and Suicide Squad Harley Quinn) because I dig the retro and comic styles a lot more. But now I want Silk, Anya Corazon, Huntress, Poison Ivy, and a ton of others. Let's check them out below!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
3.75" Batman Classic TV Series - CATWOMAN!
It's hard for me to make a simple declarative statement about who my favorite comic character is. But more often than not my gut reaction will be to respond with "Catwoman." As a kid I think the theme of a cat-person who stole things and talked in purrs was too intriguing to ignore. I didn't hurt that I was one of those kids that was always pretending to be some kind of wild animal. My first exposure to Catwoman was from the old '66 Batman show (in syndication in the 80s). I honestly can't remember if my very first impression came from Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, or Lee Meriwether, but collectively they painted my first memories of her. We have several Julie Newmar products already, but my hopes are high that this line will give us the first Kitt and Meriwether figures. (Plus I have always wanted a green variant like the cover of Batman #197). I've only seen these at TRU and FYE so far, and luckily I've been able to snag both chases in stores. I can't wait for more! Let's check out Catwoman below!
Friday, October 21, 2016
Hallmark Batman '66 - CATWOMAN Ornament!
Hallmark is very sneaky sometimes. I'm not a Hallmark member or a major ornament collector by any means, but every July I still find myself checking the website just to see what new pop culture ornaments are in the lineup. This year has some really awesome ones including He-Man, Jem, DCSHG Supergirl, and BvS Wonder Woman. But the overall winner for me this year is the Julie Newmar Catwoman ornament. Back in 2010 there was a Harley Quinn ornament that was also a limited edition making a surprise debut at a collector event. This Catwoman had the same sneaky release. I went into a Hallmark to look at the new ornaments and this beauty was on a display in the middle of the store (not on the red wall). I had never heard of her before, and I had been paying attention. They only had one left and I snatched her up in a second. The Adam West Batman was released in 2014 and the Cesar Romero Joker in 2015. Now I'm hoping for Yvonne Craig and Eartha Kitt. Let's check out Catwoman below!
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Mini Mez-Itz Batman '66 CATWOMAN!
I've fallen in love with Mezco's adorably weird Mini Mez-Itz toys. I now own five and I'm looking forward to getting many more (Girls of Gotham set, I'm talking about you). I'm especially excited about this particular figure because she marks the third Catwoman in the series (and as I'm always fond of saying, "it takes three to make a collection"). I first saw these figures several years ago at Toy Fair and I've been nervous about getting them ever since. I've never known Mezco to show a product and not release it, but for some reason the Mini Mez-Itz can have some crazy delays. I'm constantly getting press release information about their Living Dead Dolls and Breaking Bad toys, but the Mez-Itz kind of fly under the radar until they surprise you in the toy aisles. Also, the supply of Julie Newmar Catwoman products seems to be dwindling down lately, so any new representation of this look are much appreciated. Let's check out this Mini Mez-Itz Classic TV Catwoman below!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Photos from NYCC 2014!
If I was to be perfectly honest, I would have to say that this year's New York ComicCon was the most disappointing toy-wise than it has been in a long long time. There was a lack of vendors. Mattel was absent; Hasbro is continuing the tradition of setting up shop several blocks away (and by appointment only); and DCC showed us nothing new. And on top of that, my favorite small vendor seemed to be a no-show as well. This is a booth that usually has tons of large bins of loose action figures in little baggies. You have to be patient to get close enough because this booth magically turns everyone into kids digging for buried treasure. I always look forward to spending a good hour there, and I was sad that I couldn't find it (although it may have been there for all I know.. I was an unplanned mess this year tbh). Despite my overall disappointment on the toy front, I still enjoyed myself and found a few great gems to share. Let's check them out below!
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!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Funko POP! Batman Classic TV Series CATWOMAN!
I've loving all the Batman '66 merchandise this year! This Funko POP vinyl figure is my fourth Julie Newmar item this year, but hopefully not my last (there are still some Mini Mez-Itz, a Moebius model, and a yet-to-be-revealed DST mini-bust on the horizon). This Funko POP vinyl figure is pretty great. I thought she'd be extremely similar to the Dark Knight Rises figure, but she's actually very unique. There are side-by-side comparison pics below. I normally have a distaste for glitter, but in this case it really works - you just have to be careful in picking a figure with a nice even cover of glitter (some I've seen have a really glittery torso with unglittered legs... and on some I've seen glitter clumping in the necklace area). Funko always amazes me with their speed at getting their products into the marketplace. I'll bet they are the first to get us some Yvonne Craig Batgirl items - I'm guessing a Wacky Wobbler followed by a POP. I also love how their products are carried in such a variety of retail locations. I never have much trouble finding the figures I need. Let's check out Catwoman below!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Batman '66 Julie Newmar CATWOMAN!
It's hard to imagine a time when Catwoman wasn't an everyday name in pop culture. Everyone knows her now. Even my Mom knows her. Girls who have never picked up a comic or watched a geeky movie want to dress like her for Halloween. I have no solid proof that Julie Newmar is the woman who catapulted the character to stardom, but I'd be willing to bet my Catwoman collection she is. Julie was definitely my first exposure to the femme fatale. The 1966 Batman Television series was in heavy syndication all throughout my childhood. So although I'm a child of the eighties, this sixties property is totally nostalgic for me. This figure itself has made me very happy. The original paint masters were unexpectedly stunning, but I honestly don't think anyone expected the finished product to really look like it. And honestly, it doesn't come close. But back at NYCC there was a production figure displayed that just looked disappointingly bland. I was very very let down after seeing that sample. But then I layed my hands on this figure this week and I am suddenly happy again. Let's check her out below!
Monday, September 30, 2013
Classic Batman 1966 CATWOMAN Wacky Wobbler!
Wacky Wobblers have been around for 15 years, but for some reason I was never tempted to get one until now. This is most likely due to character selection, but also a bit to do with the silly nature of bobbleheads in general. I've definitely been breaking all my collecting rules in the past few years though so it's not surprising to me that I caved and picked up this figure. I was excited to pick up my first in a series of 1966 Catwoman collectibles (I passed on the Barbie), bit what really drove me to get here was a listing on BigBadToyStore of 1966 Batgirl Wacky Wobbler. This was listed on their website about 3 weeks before Yvonne Craig announced that she signed a licensing deal to use her likeness. So, at the time I thought the Wobbler would be the only TV Batgirl we would get (Assuming the photoless BBTS listing is legit). So now I'm kind of in love with this Julie Newmar bobble and I'm considering adding more. I'll have to check out how many Marvel ladies are out there. Let's check out Catwoman below!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Classic Batman '66 CATWOMAN Revealed!
I've been waiting for this figure for a long long time. My first exposure to Catwoman was through the campy 1960's Batman television show. I was obsessed with her, and I still am. Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriweather also portrayed the character spectacularly, but Julie stole the show. I feel like there has been merchandise made for almost every version of Catwoman except for this one. I've been the guy in the forums begging for at least a mini-bust of the TV Catwoman for the last ten years. (Speaking of, with all the classic Batman goodies this year, a mini-bust would be really nice). There are a lot of questions about this Mattel figure still to be answered. What will her articulation look like? Will the Masked version be a variant or a snap-on accessory? And what is the likelihood of seeing a green-colored comic variant? I was very excited when ActionFigureInsider revealed this figure earlier this week. I thought for sure I would have seen her at ToyFair, but at least my fears of her being excluded for likeness-rights issues were unfounded. She's beautiful and I can't wait until I can get my hands on her (4th Quarter 2013).
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