Dungeons and Dragons - SKYLLA!

Dungeons & Dragons: The Lost Wave 4" - Skylla (Evil Wizard) - NECA 2022

In 2002, NECA released a great SDCC exclusive set of four Dungeons & Dragons figures called "The Lost Wave."  I don't know if these figures were actually ever intended to have action figures in the vintage 80's LJN line, but that was the implied theme - a canceled final wave released 38 years late. I had vague memories of seeing the lone female character, Skylla, in PVC form when I was kid, but I never owned her. These new figures look amazing, like the original toy artists were brought out of retirement for a last hurrah. The vintage LJN line wasn't perfect. The sculpts could be awkward, and the scale was all over the place. But they were charming and fun, and NECA has recreated that feeling to perfection. I thought the nostalgic throwback with Super7's Sorceress figure couldn't be beat, but this one is probably the top contender now. It just took me a couple years to finally open her and acknowledge that. Now let's get her in 7" form. Let's check out Skylla the Evil Wizard below!

Dungeons & Dragons - DORIC!

Dungeons & Dragons - Golden Archive Series - Doric (Tiefling Druid) - Hasbro 2023

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was such a surprising movie to me. It managed to satisfy the the diehard fans as well and the unindoctrinated. I personally fall between the two extremes, so I knew enough to notice a ton of Easter eggs, but not so critical of an eye to get annoyed at any inaccuracies. My favorite character was Doric (played by Sophia Lillis who I loved in It (2017)). Doric is a Tiefling Druid with wild change abilities that enable her to take the form a variety of creatures. This is the source of the largest fan gripe about the movie - her ability to transform into an Owlbear. The Owlbears are monstrosities (unnatural creatures) that she should not be able to turn into. But for the sake of cinematic impact, they had her doing this quite often. (Explained away by her theory that Owlbears are mislabeled as monstrosities and actually natural creatures). The toyline for the D&D movie is pretty fun, but the facial likenesses all seem a tad off to me. I still bought several though. Let's check out Doric below!

D&D Mini-Mates - SHEILA & DIANA!

Dungeons & Dragons: The Animated Series - Set 1: Heroes - Diamond Select 2023

As the releases of Diamond Select's Marvel Minimates line has slowed in recent years (due to sheer character exhaustion imo), I'm so happy to see so many other popular licenses now getting the Minimate treatment.  It started with the ThunderCats way back in 2012. But since then it's been a growing roster of classic properties like Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I.Joe, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Transformers. But my favorite of the non-Marvel properties has easily been the Dungeons & Dragons Animated Series set(s). This cartoon was an iconic, but underrated and under-merchandized staple of 80s animation. Due to the 2023 live-action D&D movie, there was a burst of popularity for the vintage show which gave us the first real action figures for these amazing characters. Between the Iron Studios statues, the Hasbro action figures, and these Minimates, I am extremely happy. Now the DST Venger statue opened the door for even more. Let's check out the D&D minimates below!

Dungeons & Dragons - SHEILA!

Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon Classics - Sheila the Thief - Hasbro 2023

Sometimes I just have to marvel about how satisfying it is to be a toy collector right now. Especially if, like me, you are a child of the 80s with an addiction for nostalgia. Beyond the typical He-Man, She-Ra, and ThunderCats that we've been seeing for years, we currently are getting new product from Sectaurs, Silverhawks, Strawberry Shortcake, Bravestarr, M.A.S.K., and Crystar. Plus announcements for upcoming TigerSharks and Rainbow Brite product. Almost every nostalgic property seems to be getting merchandized, and I couldn't be happier. My current obsession is the Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon Classics line. These toys are a bit different because they've never been made before. And the animated source material is overshadowed by the actual D&D game. The cartoon is often scoffed at by hardcore D&D fans as a silly kiddy version of their the real D&D. A lame PR stunt to counter a growing hysteria about the game. But this was my first exposure to the word of D&D, and I adored it.

Dungeons & Dragons - SORCERESS!

Dungeons & Dragons - ReAction Figures Series 1 - Sorceress - Super7 2023

When I bought this figure last week, I has no idea who she was or what her relevancy was. I just thought she looked very cool and classic with her pink gown and two-tone cape. But later that night I took some clues from some Instagram comments and a D&D-fanatic coworker and started researching. Back in 1981 there was a painting used on several Dungeons & Dragons products (a rulebook and a basic box) featuring an unnamed sorceress woman protecting a treasure chest from a large dragon. I was never bit by the D&D bug in my youth (despite several valiant attempts), so this character is unfamiliar to me, but apparently her image is quite iconic for the longtime fans. I love that this seemingly simple figure I picked up on a whim has such a historic place in D&D lore. I love that modern toys give life to such obscure characters: Shield Maiden Sherrilyn, Lancer, and Greenlight come to mind and I adore them all the more for their unlikely existence. Let's check out the original D&D covergirl below!

Dungeons & Dragons - DIANA!

Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon Classics - Diana the Acrobat - Hasbro 2022

There were a lot of iconic cartoons in the 1980s. Anyone growing up at the time was faced with an onslaught of addictive animation, often with the sole intention of selling toys. I can admit that most of these cartoons are unbearable to watch as an adult. But something was always different about Dungeons & Dragons. The pacing and storytelling was more engaging (and less annoying) than other shows at the time - and I'm happy to report that it's still very watchable today (I'm binging it as I type this). The role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons was created nine years earlier in 1974 and was continually plagued by criticism and controversy. Conservative groups claimed the game was a satanic and corrupting influence. A widely publicized suicide by young gamer added to the hysteria - and was even the subject of a fictionalized made-for-TV movie called Mazes and Monsters in 1982 (starring a 20-something Tom Hanks). In summary, the game was popular and successful, but was facing a PR nightmare.