LooseCollector - DARNA!

Darna - 1:12 Scale Action Figure - Executive Replicas LooseCollector 2020

When this figure first showed up in my social media feeds back in 2020 I was immediately covetous. I had seen imagery of this character seemingly all my life, but didn't know her name or anything about her. I went on a googling spiral and became obsessed with getting this toy. Unfortunately I was seeing pics of collectors actively receiving their preorders and she had been sold out for months. But after a few years she popped up on the LooseCollector again in very limited quantities and I finally snagged her. Darna is the most famous of the Pinoy comic superheroes. She was created in 1950 by Mars Ravelo with inspiration from Superman comics brought to the Philippines by American solders during WWII. She is a kind of mashup of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Shazam. She has since transcended the comic world and has appeared in fourteen films between 1951 and 1994, four television serials, and several animated TV shows. Truly an iconic character. Let's check out Darna below!

LooseCollector - VAMPIRELLA!

Vampirella -  1:12 Scale Action Figure - Executive Replicas LooseCollector 2023

I'm loving the character selection that LooseCollector has been producing. There are a lot of female comic and animation characters that are hypersexualized and not lumped into any large licensing group. Big toy companies won't bother with these ladies. Rather, they secure license deals that include hundreds of characters (not just one or two) and they have to stay pretty tame in order to market to big box stores and conservative audiences. This has left a whole genre of characters virtually unmerchandised for the collecting community. Vampirella is a prime example. Originally designed by Eisner-Award-Winning Trina Robbins in 1969, Vampirella has been oozing sexuality and dark vengeance for over five decades. But you would never see this costume in the Walmart toy aisles. But thankfully LooseCollector is on the case and is giving us great figures that blend in nicely with our 1:12 figures collections. (And I'll wish for it again, give us an Aeon Flux please!). Let's check out Vampirella below!

LooseCollector - RED SONJA!

Red Sonja: She-Devil With a Sword - Executive Replicas LooseCollector 2023

Red Sonja is a classic character that has remained essentially unchanged since her debut in 1973. Since then she has been a regular staple in comics (with her license being bought and sold between different publishers). But she's also appeared in television, film, novels, and games. (She desperately needs an animated appearance to round out her media presence). Despite her popularity, she has been very infrequently merchandised. This figure from LooseCollector is the first true action figure that I'm aware of, and she's pretty spectacular. The design leans toward her modern appearances in Dynamite Comics. But thankfully, her costume has been consistent since the early 70s (after a brief period where she wore a chainmail shirt and red pants). LooseCollector is an impressive manufacturer of toys and statues in the Philippines (seemingly specializing in bikini-clad warriors). So far all my purchases have been amazing. Fingers crossed for an Aeon Flux! Let's check out Red Sonja below!

LooseCollector - TAARNA and AVIS!

Heavy Metal - Taarna (with Avis) - Executive Replicas  LooseCollector 2022

Taarna is the character from the self-titled final segment in the 1981 animated anthology film, Heavy Metal. I always thought this was an animated story based on an established character in Heavy Metal Magazine, but today I discovered that she was introduced  both on screen and in print simultaneously in Aug-Sept 1981. Additionally, I learned she was actually based on the Arzach (Arzak) comics by Moebius that featured a lone (male) character soaring on a pterosaur-like creature over a desolate fantasy landscape. The same comic inspired Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and I can totally see the the similarities. I grew up seeing the classic image of Taarna riding Avis through the clouds with her sword held high (the same image on the back of the packaging below). It was on posters and t-shirts frequently and is very nostalgic to me. But I didn't see the movie until the early nineties when it started airing on MTV and Sci-Fi. It was cool the finally see this famous image in motion. (Sexy erotic 18+ motion).

LooseCollector - LADY DEATH!

Legacy Series Lady Death (Coffin Comics) - Exec Replicas  LooseCollector 2020

The 1990's was an interesting decade in comics. The popularity of Indie comics skyrocketed, everything got an extreme makeover, and overpriced cover gimmicks drained our wallets. An interesting subgenre of the creator-owned comic movement also emerged: Bad Girl Comics. Sure, there had been examples of Bad Girl Comics for decades (Vampirella is a prime example), but in the 90's it exploded and was given a name. The formula was pretty simple: minimal clothing, dark powers or large weapons (or both!), and dubious morals. There were hundreds of these characters in a blur of big hair and thongs. I wasn't a huge fan I must admit. But I have found it interesting to see which select few have stood the test of time. And I think that Lady Death wins that category hands-down. Most action figures of Bad Girl characters were pretty horrendous with awkward proportions and often frightening paint, but Lady Death always stood out for having terrific toys. First from Moore Collectibles and later from Art Asylum.