Super Friends - JAYNA!

DC Retro - Super Friends - Wave 3 - Jayna and Gleek - McFarlane Toys 2025

If there have to be unnecessary add-in characters for a cartoon franchise, I appreciate when they at least fit the aesthetic and make an interesting addition to the roster of established characters. Zan, Jayna, and Gleek first appeared in the 1977 animated The All-New Super Friends Hour, the successor to Super Friends (1973), where they were the replacements for the previous Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog characters (who I personally found pretty awkward alongside the other heroes). But Zan and Jayna has cool costumes, weird powers, and interesting origins. Considering these characters were presumably added for marketing and kid appeal, they surprisingly weren't actually merchandised (aside from an occasional coloring book or lunch box) for over 30 years. This newest figure from the McFarlane Retro line is my favorite yet (at least the Jayna is, Zan looks a little bloated). The "best" figure of her before this was a SDCC exclusive DCUC figure from 2009, but she truly looked frightening.

DC x Sonic - AMY ROSE as WONDER WOMAN!

DC x Sonic - 5" Series - Amy as Wonder Woman - Jakks Pacific 2025

When all the Sonic the Movie and Sonic Prime started coming out years ago, I was a bit unhappy with the new 5" scale. In stores, it's almost hard to notice the shift between 4" figures and 5" figures, but in person it's a stark difference. It's not that I don't like the 5" scale, it's just that I was already invested in a 4" for years and had a small collection of figures in this scale already. Ideally this Amy as Wonder Woman figure would fit right in with with my Blaze and Cream toys, but alas, it appears that only the traditional video game and comic character will get the 4" treatment going forward. This DC x Sonic line is pretty exciting. I think a big part of the aesthetic appeal of the Sonic franchise is the bright colors and (relatively) simple designs. While the Prime and movie figures are fun, they stray from these core design elements. But this DC crossover hits all those classic Sonic notes combined with iconic superhero brands. I can't wait to see the next waves. Let's check out Amy as Wonder Woman below!

DC x Sonic - AMY ROSE as WONDER WOMAN!

DC x Sonic - Mystery Heroes 1 - Amy as Wonder Woman (Chase) - Jakks 2025

I was very excited to see that that secret Chase figure in the first wave of the DC x Sonic the Hedgehog Mystery Heroes blind bags was a classic-color redeco of Amy Rose as Wonder Woman. The main figure is a modern costume with a cape and metallic details, but this chase contrasts nicely with bright flat colors reminiscent of her bronze age comic design. The leaked photos of future waves show that Batman and the Flash will be getting the classic-color Chase treatment as well, but I'm happy that Amy as Wonder Woman was first. Those same leaked graphics show several more female figures potentially coming in 2026 so I am very excited for the future of this line. Not to mention the non-DC figures of unmasked Trip, Whisper the Wolf, Tikal, and Tangle the Lemur (who is already out in Canada). It's a very satisfying time to be a Sonic collector and I'm anxiously awaiting the next press release from Jakks Pacific letting us know what's next. Let's check out the 2.5" Amy as Wonder Woman chase below!

DC x Sonic - AMY ROSE as WONDER WOMAN!

DC x Sonic - Mystery Heroes 1 - Amy as Wonder Woman - Jakks Pacific 2025

Roughly 14 months ago there was a press release announcing a crossover event between DC's Justice League and Sonic the Hedgehog. One Batman Day 2024, an image of Shadow in a Batman suit broke the news. The announcement promised comics, clothing, toys, collectibles, and more. After the merchandizing avalanche of Sonic Prime which was just winding down after a year of steady releases, I had high hopes we would see the same treatment for this new crossover. And so far, it seems to be coming true. The property kicked off with a 5-issue comic series DC x Sonic the Hedgehog (ditching "Justice League" for a more all-inclusive "DC") that ran between April and July 2025 (ending with a "to be continued..." teaser). Then the toys hit in October. I knew a larger 5" series had been available via Target preorder for several months. But the 2.5" Mystery Heroes blindbags were a welcome surprise when I saw them on the shelf. Let's check out the 2.5" Amy as Wonder Woman below!

Superman (1978) - LOIS LANE!

DC Comics - Superman The Movie (1978) - Lois Lane - Spin Master Toys 2025

Two cinematic scenes from my childhood scarred me for years. The first was an episode of Benson where Haley's Comet flew overhead and all the humans were reduced to gravel (or dried beans?). For a lighthearted sitcom this caught me off-guard and terrified me. The second trauma was the earthquake scene from Superman (1978) when Lois Lane's car slipped into a wide fissure and she died while suffocating under the weight of the crushing gravel and dirt. It was horrible. And I swear this played on TV every few months throughout my childhood. Lois wears several very similar outfits throughout the movie, but the 3-piece pantsuit with blue collar is unique to this horrible scene. If you've seen the movie, you know it ends happily (in the most illogical way possible), but I'm still a bit triggered. Spin Master is making some pretty great DC retro cinematic figures. I only hope they're able to sneak out the rumored Helen Slater Supergirl before the licenses shift. Let's check out Lois Lane below!

Nintendo - BABY DAISY!

World of Nintendo - 2.5" Series Wave 55 - Baby Daisy - Jakks Pacific 2025

I never expected to love last year's Baby Peach figure as much as I did. Overly "cute" toys often turn me off. Especially when it's actually an SD baby-fied character with a pacifier and diaper-looking pants. But when I picked up that Peach, something about her bright colors, surprising articulation (just because it looks like there would be none), and recognizable character traits drew me in. I was surprised that she had been around for 20 years and 13 games. I can only assume Baby Daisy has the same provenance. As the first 2025 female in the World of Nintendo line, I was especially excited to find this new Baby Daisy figure at Gamestop a couple weeks ago. She's adorable and fun. Now I'm on the hunt for the new 4" Birdo (she's showing up on eBay and oos store listings all over the internet). And also hoping for an announcement of a Baby Rosalina to round out the Princess trio. Rosalina's role in the next Mario movie should increase the likelihood of seeing her on the shelves. Let's check out Baby Daisy below!

Transformers - ARCEE!

Transformers AMK (Advanced Model Kit) Mini - Series 2 - Arcee - Yolopark 2025

It's easy to get a little confused by all the Arcee figures that have been coming out over the past few years. Between the official licensed product and various 3rd Party manufacturers, there have been a plethora of little pink robots invading my toy room. I'm not complaining, I'm just amazed (and a little embarrassed that I can't keep them straight). This non-transforming Yolopark model kit is the newest addition and she's pretty great. I first heard of Yolopark this time last year when they released two Transformers One Elita-1 figures before Hasbro mentioned one. They were fun pre-painted snap-together inexpensive model kits. This Arcee from the AMK Mini line is a (predictably) smaller scale with very condensed packaging. Her pieces were already removed from the sprues and contained in a foil pouch within the small box. I'm desperately waiting for one of these lines to make more G1 ladies beyond Arcee and Elita-1, and I have a good feeling Yolopark will be the first. Let's check out Arcee below!

Masters of the Universe - SHADOW WEAVER!

MOTU Origins - Cartoon Collection - Shadow Weaver - Mattel 2025

As 2025 winds down, I won't lie that I have a little disappointment over the She-Ra 40th Anniversary year output. We've had some great releases, and there is still a heavily rumored Glimmer on the way. But I had high hopes for some deep cuts. I wanted Octavia, Peek-a-Blue, Castaspella, and a million others. Perhaps there is a whole lineup of additional POP characters stuck in tariff limbo, but for now I'm trying to be grateful for the one we already have. Shadow Weaver is easily the most iconic villain from the original She-Ra cartoon. She was in 52 episodes and her simple sinister design was hard to forget. I always knew she was a shoe-in for the Cartoon Collection line, but I'm a bit surprised that her head looks the least like her Filmation design than almost all of her previous figures. The shape of the face hole, the overly-pronounced nose sculpt, and the overall hood silhouette just looks off. But the draping cloak and sleeves look incredible. Overall I'm pretty happy with her. Let's check out Shadow Weaver below!

Super Friends - THE CHEETAH!

DC Super Friends - Wave 2 - Cheetah (Legion of Doom) - McFarlane Toys 2025

I think Cheetah is one of the coolest comic villains out there. Granted, I'm obsessed with cat-themed characters and retro vibes, so she has a major unfair advantage in my ranking. Her bright yellow cat suit is both ridiculous and awesome. As later incarnations of the character became more and more feline (fur, fangs, claws, etc), I found her less interesting and always returned my adoration to the original Priscilla Rich design. I thank the Super Powers animation of the late 70s and early 80s for cementing her in the public consciousness. Despite being a regular fixture in comics, it often takes some other significant entertainment media to break a character out of comic book obscurity. That said, she wasn't a major character in the show, but I still think this role is the reason why the retro Priscilla catsuit hasn't been completely overshadowed by the modern werecat versions. Plus the occasional piece of merchandise celebrating her from in the Super Friends cartoon is always a treat. Let's check out Cheetah below!

The Golden Compass - MRS. COULTER!

The Golden Compass - Mrs. Marisa Coulter - Corgi/CardsInc/PopCo 2007

I remember when The Golden Compass film came out back in 2007, it was a very buzzworthy film. Between its intriguing trailers, strong cast (Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, among others), conservative group boycotts, and general appetite for YA fantasy at the time (Harry Potter and Narnia franchises were in full swing), this movie seemed like a slam dunk. But I remember watching it and being unimpressed. There were details I loved, like the cold arctic setting, the armored intelligent polar bears, and the characters' souls being represented by dæmons with the appearance of animals. But something about the movie just didn't capture the magic of the books (the His Dark Materials HBO series from 2019 did a better job). But still, I remember my 2007 anticipation well and when I stumbled across this Mrs. Coulter action figure in a collectible toy shop this Summer, I had to get her. This line is made by Cards, Inc (a subsidiary of Corgi - makers of car replicas and figurines), and distributed by PopCo

DC Universe Classics - CHEETAH (PRISCILLA)!

DC Universe Classics - Series 13 - Cheetah (Priscilla Rich) - Mattel 2010

I will always have a powerful nostalgic draw to the original Priscilla Rich incarnation of Cheetah. She first appeared in the 6th issue of Wonder Woman way back in 1943 and became Diana's fist costumed adversary until her eventual death in the 1980s (twice). I can't quite remember when I first discovered her, but I know it was in backissue bins and reprints in the 1980s. Of course I know some of my memories are conflated with the Paula Brooks version of The Huntress who I also developed an early obsession with, but Cheetah was clearly the more prominent cat-villain. Her spotted bodysuit with cat ears and tail always makes me very happy. It's cheesy, but oddly relatable. As an animal-obsessed kid this costume is the exact sort of thing I would have come up with for myself. This figure was a 50/50 variant with a Barbera version in the 13th Wave of the groundbreaking DCUC line. The figures definitely had issues, but the character selection was mindblowing. Let's check out Priscilla below!

DC Universe Classics - CHEETAH (BARBARA)!

DC Universe Classics - Series 13 - Cheetah (Barbara Minerva) - Mattel 2010

DC Universe Classic was a very interesting toyline. It was the first modern DC action figure line in mainline retail stores, it was reasonably priced, and it hit some very obscure characters over its four-year run. I was on-board from the start, but I was also highly critical of this line. As a collector who focuses on the female characters, the production quality was left wanting. This is especially a shame because the 2-Up sculpts and paint masters by the Four Horsemen were always beautiful. But the figures we saw in stores had squished faces, scrawny short arms, and most egregiously, a neck peg that often entered the skull in a too-far-forward position giving the character no neck undercut. These problems seemed isolated to the female figures and were a constant source of disappointment for me. But the interesting character selection kept me hooked. The fact that we got two versions of Cheetah (modern and retro) in the same figure slot is a testament to the fan service Mattel was providing.

DC Comics - WONDER WOMAN!

DC Direct Page Punchers - Wonder Woman (1st App) - McFarlane Toys 2025

McFarlane Toys has made a lot of Wonder Woman figures in the last five years. I personally own twelve, and I skipped a lot of variants and retools. Aside from a super classic bronze age design, my most wanted was always a first appearance figure in all her Golden Age glory. Her early stories in Sensation Comics and Wonder Woman are iconic and her costume is still instantly recognizable after 80 years of redesigns. I'm always a little surprised that there aren't more collectibles featuring this look. My historical knowledge of 1940's Wonder Woman is a little scant, but I gather that different artists interpreted her as wearing either a star-spangled skirt or short culottes, but I think I prefer the skirt interpretation for this figure. The only odd thing about this figure is that she is very tall. I feel that Wonder Woman's stature has gradually increased over the years, but I usually don't associate this First Appearance design with towering Amazonian height. She looks awesome, but looks odd in a lineup. Let's check her out below!

Super7 ReAction - UNDERSEA GAL!

Nightmare Before Christmas - ReAction Wave 2 - Undersea Gal - Super7 2022

The Nightmare Before Christmas was a slow-burn of acceptance and adoration for me. It was released when I was in High School and at the time I didn't love musicals or "dark" aesthetics. Yes, it was playful, but goth was a true social strata at the time that I just didn't fit into. The goth kids were eating this movie up. It was actually my high school art teacher who first started my appreciation of the movie. He made us watch the film (on laserdisc!) followed by the "making of" documentary every semester. In late high school I became huge fan of Ray Harryhausen, which in turn made me appreciate all stop-motion film a lot more. But the big plunge was a decade later when I dated an NBX superfan. I would be coerced to watch the movie several times a year, and I would research all the Neca figures and slowly purchase them as gifts for every occasion. Flash forward 20 years and I love it. Any my favorite character is Undersea Gal, the Creature from the Black Lagoon homage who has several cool cameos.

Superthings - NEBULAXIA!

Superthings: Rivals of Kaboom - Evolution - Nebulaxia (GITD) - MagicBox 2023

When I travel to other countries, I love to hunt down toys I've never seen or heard of here in the United States. Last year I was in England for a week and annoyed my travelling companions by stopping by every toy and candy shop we passed. I only found a single solitary "unknown to me" toyline the entire time though. Superthings is a kid-focused franchise featuring toys, merchandise, and a cartoon with a ton of fun vibrantly-colored characters. I believe the toyline was first and spawned the rest of the franchise. Googling now, I can see a handful of cool female characters (my favorite is Sourbette). But when I was there, the only lady I could find was Nebulaxia, a space-y adventurer with a UFO-shaped helmet, a cool space blasters, and a sidekick (Star Explorer) that looks like Saturn with wheels. Plus she glows in the dark, which is my favorite gimmick in all of toydom. I was very happy to find a figure so weird and quirky. Plus she could easily fit in my luggage. Let's check out Nebulaxia below!