DC Comics - SUPERWOMAN!

DC Multiverse - Crime Syndicate - Superwoman - McFarlane Toys 2022

I've owned this figure for three years with little to no desire to open her. The majority of the female figures in the McFarlane DC Multiverse line have been great. I only consider there to be a few duds; Gotham Knights Batgirl, Punchline, and this Crime Syndicate Superwoman. In many ways I view this figure to be the most egregious because she is a very cool character who seems like and easy translation into toy form. But her uncharacteristic short haircut, bland face, and lack of her signature yellow cape just seemed like a confusing series of choices. I know this is representative of a very specific period in comics, the Infinite Frontier storyline to be exact, and that this is actually a multiverse version of Donna Troy (instead of Diana or Lois like all her previous incarnations) but the figure still seems off. Interestingly, the Donna Troy Wonder Girl figure looks more like an Earth-3 Superwoman than this one. But in its defense, this figure has a very impressive base sculpt. Let's check out Superwoman below!

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith - MON MOTHMA!

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - Republic Senator Mon Mothma - Hasbro 2005

I recently watched Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) again specifically to see the Mon Mothma scenes which I didn't remember. I'm not a big fan of that movie, nor its two predecessors, but Genevieve O'Reilly's performance in Andor (I just finished season 2 last week) was so amazing that I wanted to see how she first played the character 20 years ago in Revenge of the Sith. Unfortunately, that was an effort in futility because I didn't realize all her scenes were cut. The footage and screengrabs I see on the internet are only from DVD bonus footage. And that is a shame because the scene I just watched on YouTube is great. Plus it gives a lot more depth to Padme Amidala. I suppose Hasbro didn't get the message of these scenes ending up on the cutting room floor, because we still got this great action figure representation of her non-appearance. I love that the character of Mon Mothma was such a major player in Andor. She's truly become an obsession of mine. Watch the show if you haven't!

Star Wars: Power of the Force - MON MOTHMA!

Star Wars: The Power of The Force - Mon Mothma w/Baton - Kenner/Hasbro 1998

In the late 90s, the excitement over the upcoming film Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) triggered an absolutely flood of nostalgic Star Wars product. I was pretty unaware of this movement at the time. Oddly enough, I remember my sister obsessively stopping in toy stores hunting for these Power of the Force figures that her boyfriend was collecting (this was several years before the action figure collecting bug bit me). When I revisited all the Star Wars collectibles years later, I was overwhelmed by the numbers of toy released in the late 90s. They were mostly in the same scale as the vintage Kenner figures, but had slightly more dynamic sculpts that gave them a unique aesthetic in the history of Star Wars collectibles. This Mon Mothma figure was the first time she was produced in plastic. As such an iconic character and such a long-awaited release (15 years), I'm surprised this figure isn't more valuable (I picked her up last week for $4). She's pretty great. Let's check her out below!

Star Wars Retro - MON MOTHMA!

Star Wars Retro Collection - Return of the Jedi - Mon Mothma - Hasbro 2023

Star Wars was a big deal in my home growing up. We had picture books, toys, and bedsheets emblazoned with the characters. But interestingly, due to the era, I didn't see A New Hope or Empire Strikes Back until the mid-80s when we finally got a VCR. So my focus was on Return of the Jedi which I saw in the theatre and which had all the spinoff TV movies and cartoons feeding my childhood awe. A unique character from Return of the Jedi was Mon Mothma, the poised and commanding leader of the Rebel Alliance. I found her captivating. Princess Leia and Oola also stood out to me, but something about Mon Mothma's presence really shaped my early respect for powerful women. When Hasbro started releasing the Retro Line a few years ago, this is exactly the type of figure I wanted; unproduced core characters missing from the vintage line. Frankly I'm surprised there haven't been more like this, it's really a missed opportunity. Check out her eBay prices if you want to see the demand. Let's check out Mon Mothma below!

Kamen Rider - CRANE ORPHNOCH!

Kamen Rider 555 - Rider Kaijin Series #05 - Crane Orphnoch - Bandai 2004

Kamen Rider 555 is the 13th installment in the Kamen Rider series from 2003. The villains of this series are the Orphnoch, a mutated evolution of zombie-like human monsters with animal or plant characteristics. Several of these Orphnochs retain their human morality and work to protect humanity. The Wolf, Horse, and Wildcat Orphnochs are the main characters of the series, but Crane is a major recurring "good" character with a seemingly massive fanbase (if the merchandise and subsequent CCG and videogame appearances is any indication). I've always been really drawn to the Kamen Rider monster aesthetic... especially when there is a strong animal theme. I bought this figure blindly back in 2004 and only worked to learn about her later. The Orphnochs have an added appeal of being a monochromatic gray/stone palette which looks awesome in group scenes. There are quite a few females represented, but Crane was always the standout to me. Let's check her out below!

DC Direct Maquette - LOIS LANE!

DC Classic Animation Maquettes - Fleischer (1941) Lois Lane - DC Direct 2004

I am very selective with my statue purchases. For reasons of limited display space and high price points, I simply can't purchase all the statues that catch my eye. This Lois Lane from the DC Direct Classic Animation Maquettes line was my forth statue purchase ever (not counting mini-busts). And interestingly, the BTAS Catwoman and Harley Quinn from the same line were my first and second purchases. I just love a classically-posed character in an iconic design. Lois Lane has had a lot of different looks over the years, but this 1940's brown skirtsuit will always be my favorite. I remember getting this maquette years after her release for a very discounted price of 20 bucks because of a few easy-to-fix scuffs. She's been a focal point of my collection ever since. Which is unique because I rarely buy non-costumed characters. But my love for classic animation gave her a pass. And there is almost no animation quite as "classic" as the 1941 Superman theatrical shorts from Fleischer Studios. Let's check out Lois below!

DC Direct Silver Age - LOIS LANE!

Classic Silver Age Deluxe Box Set - Superman & Lois Lane - DC Direct 2001

When I first started collecting action figures as an adult in the early 2000s, it coincided with me starting to collect comics again after a 5 year hiatus. I was in a new city with several comic shops (all my hometown ones had closed in the 90s), and those new stores were teeming with action figures from DC Direct. DCD had started just a few years earlier so I had never before seen the merging of toys and comics in one store like that. I bought a lot of these toys over the next few years. But these Silver Age Deluxe Box Sets were just too pricey for me at the time. I favored Batman over Superman and I preferred costumed heroes over civilians, so it took me twenty years to finally pick up this Lois set. Which is a shame because because this figure is gorgeous. Despite being a bit pre-posed and having sculpted-in accessories, the Tim Bruckner sculpt perfectly captures that Silver Age aesthetic. I know most people love her modern purple blazer, but these vintage browns will always be my favorite. Let's check out Lois below!

Mezco 5 Points - LOIS LANE!

Mezco 5 Points - Superman Animated (1941) Box Set - Lois Lane - Mezco 2024

If you have never watched the Fleischer Studios Superman series from 1941-1942, I highly suggest you do. Although people generally refer to this as a television series, they were actually a series of nine 10-minute theatrical shorts (Household televisions wouldn't become common until the mid 50s). There is a stark art deco style similar to Edward Hopper and other realists on the 1940s. The influence of this series can be seen in the works of later animation powerhouses like Hayao Miyazaki and Bruce Timm. And even in the past twelve months we've see three representations of the Fleischer Superman design in the toy aisles. The first of which was this Mezco 5 Points "The Mechanical Monsters" box set which thankfully included Lois Lane. Lois has had a ton of designs over the years. She is a plainclothed character, so no single look was necessarily iconic. But to me, this brown, green, and yellow skirtsuit will always be the best. But I'm always partial to retro aesthetic. Let's check out Lois below!

Superman (2025) 6" - HAWKGIRL!

Superman (2025 Movie) - 6" Action Figures - Hawkgirl - Spin Master 2025

I was planning on saving this post until after I see Superman (2025) in the theaters in a few weeks. I always like to give my thoughts on the movie if I can be patient enough to wait. But in this case, I failed... but it's also because I'm putting faith in McFarlane Toys giving us a belated cinematic Hawkgirl figure. This 6" line from Spin Master is new for them. They have consistently put out 12" and 3.75" figures for all their big DC movies, but for Superman (2025) we have 12", 6", and 3". The latter two being new scales for the company. These new 6" figures remind me of the older basic figure lines we saw from Mattel with Mera, Mary Marvel, Darla, and Wonder Woman. I'm really curious to see what the future of the DC license will be. There is conflicting information stating that both Spin Master and McFarlane will no longer be working with DC in 2026, but I expect there to be more information shared at SDCC. I really appreciate the Hawkgirl figures they gave us, so I hope they stick around. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!

MCU Infinity Saga - RESCUE!

Marvel Infinity Saga Super Hero Series 01 - Rescue - Bloks/Buluke/Blokees 2024

Once again I'm playing catch-up with the toy trends and just beginning to dabble in the blind-box Blokees figures that are all the rage in the toy stores. I've been very aware of the Transformers products, but just learned of the extensive Ultraman lines and these newer Marvel Cinematic Universe waves (plus a series for Spidey and His Amazing Friends). I actually don't love the human faces made for this scale - they look a tad too cartoony for me - but luckily the only two MCU females so far (Wasp and Rescue) are completely masked. I have a major fondness for Pepper Potts in her cinematic blue Rescue armor. Back in 2019 I was bummed that she wasn't in her traditional red comic colors, but the blue has really grown on me. It's doesn't hurt that this armor has sparked a significant amount of toys, whereas the comic version got almost no recognition. Plus I think it made way for Ironheart to adopt red armor (and I can admit I like her even more than Pepper). Let's check out Rescue below!

Auldey Transformers - ARCEE!

Transformers - Alpha Elite Action Series 01 Blind Box - Arcee - Auldey 2025

With all the movie and modern television versions of Arcee and Elita-1 action figures filling the toy shelves in recent years, it is really nice to see a series super classic G1 figures. Auldey is Chinese company with origins making knockoff racecar toys and yoyos in the early 90s. Over the years, they have legitimized their business and become well-known for producing toys from popular brands like Pokemon and Super Wings. But this Transformers blind box series is the first thing that got me excited. The sculpts are very representative of the 80's animated look and the figure scales vary drastically depending on the character.. but reflect the actual character scale in the vintage cartoon. (Arcee is on the small side). This was my first Auldey purchase but I have a movie Elita-1 on the way and there is a classic G1 Elita-1 coming in wave 2. I'm very hopeful we might see some more classic ladies. I for some reason keep envisioning a Firestar as a chase figure. Here's hoping! Let's check out Arcee below!

Transformers One - ELITA-1!

Transformers One: Galaxy Version 7 Wave 2 - Elita-1 - Bloks/Buluke/Blokees 2025

The Blokees obsession in the toy market today has seemingly come out of nowhere. Around this time last year I picked up my first Blokees figure (a Rise of the Beasts Arcee) that I was moderately happy with. My second purchase, however, was a Transformers One Elita-1 last year that I was obsessed with. But the current obsession has nothing two do with those two figures, but rather the smaller blindbox designs that have filled up every toy and comic shop overnight. This new Elita-1 is the first female to be included in the blindbox assortments so my firsthand knowledge is a little lacking. I believe there are two scale of blindbox figures. This Elita-1 is in the larger Galaxy Version, and then there is a super tiny and cute Defender Version scale which look like the old Playskool Robot Heroes, but super articulated and slightly SD. I hope they make a female character in that scale soon. The larger scales are not blindboxed and come in larger holographic packaging specific to the character you want.

Legends of Tomorrow - HAWKGIRL!

DC TV - DC's Legends of Tomorrow - #2 Hawkgirl - DC Collectibles 2017

With Hawkgirl set to make her big-screen live-action debut in Superman next month, I thought it would be fun to look back at the first live-action Hawkgirl from the Arrowverse CW show DC's Legends of Tommorrow (2016-2022). This show featured a variety of characters already introduced in Arrow and Flash (and plenty of new characters) in time-travelling adventures led by Rip Hunter the Time Master. Some of the notable characters are White Canary, Firestorm, Vixen, The Atom, Steel, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl. Hawkgirl (played by Ciara Renée) and Vixen (played by Maisie Richardson-Sellers) were my main draw to the show. Personally, the CW shows never appealed to me, but these two characters were very cool and thankfully got the action figure treatment. I always felt the DCC Arrowverse figures looked a little stiff and unappealing in the packaging, but in person they are more dynamic than I was led to believe (but not overly so). Let's check out the Legends of Tomorrow Hawkgirl below!

Superman (2025) 6" - THE ENGINEER!

Superman (2025 Movie) - 6" Action Figures - The Engineer - Spin Master 2025

I was honestly planning to skip this figure. When I first saw the assortment of Superman toys from various companies last month, I was impressed to see a second female character show up in the different assortments. My first assumption that this was Lois Lane due to the dark hair and simple outfit. It didn't exactly looks like civilian duds, but I thought perhaps she had a protective suit for part of the movie or something. But soon I saw clearer images and learned this character was actually The Engineer from Wildstorm Comic's The Authority (which is slated for a 2026 movie). Those comics were never my favorite. They were super violent and seemingly existed for shock value. But I always enjoyed The Engineer... and loved her earlier toy. But these new figures looked like a very boring version of her. In the comics, the Engineer is a scientist who replaced her blood with nanobots and often appears completely head-to-toe covered in chrome with limbs that form into crazy weapons at will. 

Imaginext - HAWKGIRL!

Imaginext DC Super Friends -  Superman & the Justice Gang - Mattel 2025

When all the Superman Movie (2025) product started rolling out last month, the last thing I expected was an almost complete heroes set from Imaginext. The only thing that would surprise me more is a follow-up set with Metamorpho, Lex Luthor, Engineer, and Robot-4. Hawkgirl is the character I'm most looking forward to in the movie. I really dig her cinematic costume design and I'm a fan of Isabela Merced. While her character is seemingly omitted from the main McFarlane DC Multiverse movie assortment so far, she's received two scales of Spinmaster action figures and this unexpected Fisher-Price Imaginext figure so far (She will also have an "Ultra Rare" Funko Pop released on July 11th). I would also love to see her in the new Spinmaster 3" scale that seemingly includes every character except Hawkgirl. Imaginext has always been amazingly inclusive with its character selection and they didn't disappoint with this multipack. It's an incredible toyline. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!