Ghostbusters - DANA!

Ghostbusters: Plasma Series Wave 1 - Dana Barrett - Hasbro 2020

Poor Sigourney Weaver. She's a beautiful woman with striking features. But all the advanced toy technology in the world can't seem to get her likeness right. The various Ripley figures from NECA come pretty close, but it's nowhere near the realistic quality that they seem to achieve with other actors. It's such a shame too, because Sigourney has one of the most toy-worthy filmographies out there (Aliens, Avatar, Galaxy Quest, and of course Ghostbusters). In the past eight years we've seen the first three Dana Barrett action figures from three different companies. And while this newest Plasma Series figure from Hasbro is arguably the best, it still isn't quite right.  I'm half tempted to see if it's just a matter of touching up the face paint, because the actual sculpt seems pretty accurate. (Although sculpting wild hair like hers often results in a poodle effect). I don't mean to be a total naysayer, because this figure is a great improvement over previous attempts and I love having her in my collection. Let's check out Dana below!

The Women of GHOSTBUSTERS!

Ghostbusters Select (Movie) Series 2-4: Dana, Janine, and Gozer - DST 2016-17

I always think it's odd how neglected the female characters from Ghostbusters were for the longest time. Considering how iconic Dana Barrett and Gozer the Gozerian were, it's shocking that they didn't have any toys made until 2004. Sure there were a handful of cartoon-based Janine Melnitz figures, but true movie figures just never made it into consideration back then. In 2011, Mattel took a shot and released an oddly unarticulated Dana, but no Gozer. But then in 2016, Diamond Select Toys thankfully took up the reigns and released their line of Ghostbusters Select figures. The sculpts and production aren't perfect, but I am very happy to have all three main characters (Dana, Janine, and Gozer) in the same scale finally. There is also a figure of the Library Ghost, but I never picked her up. I've had these figures since they came out, but I only opened them now in anticipation of a few Halloween-themed reviews I'm planning. I can't believe I was able to resist so long. Let's check them out (finally) below!

Playmobil Ghostbusters - DANA BARRETT!

Ghostbusters Playmobil - Peter Venkman & Dana Barrett (9223) - Playmobil 2017

Playmobil is very nostalgic for me. But the funny thing is that I sometimes forget that I used to be so obsessed with them. At some point in my high school years a discovered a small Mom and Pop boutique in my hometown that had a small Playmobil display in the back. I remember my initial purchase of a glow-in-the-dark ghost, quickly followed by a mer-man, then a multi-kid, then a set with a unicorn. It was a slippery slope and for a few years it was my secret obsession. I gave my collection away to nieces and nephews and honestly forgot all about it. But every few years I pick up a new figure and it all comes racing back. When I saw this Ghostbusters set in Toys R Us back in December I knew without a doubt I had to buy it. I didn't even realize that Playmobil made licensed characters - only to find a retro halloweeny lady in the form of Sigourney Weaver's Dana Barrett. Plus she comes in a set with the two terror dogs (which I love) and Peter Venkman. It's a great set. Let's check her out below!

Aliens ELLEN RIPLEY!

Aliens - Space Marine Lt. Ripley - TRU Exclusive (Kenner Repaint) - NECA 2016

I always struggle with buying detailed movie-based action figures. I love pretty much every pop culture franchise out there, and it seems natural that I would want to include action figures from them in my collection. But from an overall aesthetic, my collection is 90% bright and colorful superheroes. And movie figures are almost always dark and gritty with an attempt to have lifelike details that really contrast from my She-Ra and Harley Quinn shelves. I have really struggled with all the awesome Ellen Ripley toys that have been coming out in recent years for just these reasons. But then NECA announced a Toys R Us exclusive repaint of Lt. Ripley from Aliens in the brighter "Kenner" colors and I knew this would be the one for my collection. The original Kenner action figures from the early nineties looked nothing like the movie characters, but I have a soft spot for that particular phase of the hobby. Thank goodness the fine crew at NECA has an eye for nostalgia as well. Let's check out Lt. Ripley below!

Aliens LT. RIPLEY!

Space Marine Lt. Ellen Ripley - Aliens: Series 1 - Kenner 1992

I've had this figure of Ripley for quite a while and never really gave much thought about reviewing her.  It's not that this isn't a great little figure, but it always seemed a little generic, brightly colored, and too unlike Sigourney Weaver to warrant much attention.  This toy line from Kenner came out six years after the film's release and coincided with the release of Aliens 3 (which didn't get much love from the plastic world... or the film critics).  Anyway, like I said, I never really gave this figure much thought until a reader of this blog pointed out the similarities between this figure and the Karen Ross figure from Kenner's 1995 Congo line that I reviewed last week.  I'm a sucker for interesting little tidbits like that so I immediately began researching shared Kenner moulds.  I've been aware of the Robin Hood / Star Wars parallels for a long time, and I was really excited to think I might have found my own (Thanks to Artistix!).  Interestingly, these figures share almost no identical parts, but I am just as intrigued by the level of minor retooling that I guarantee no one would have cared about.  Let's check out the Ripley figure (and clone) below.

Women of Halloween Part 5 - ZUUL!

The Beautiful Gatekeeper of Gozer as a 2012 SDCC Exclusive From Mattel

When I reviewed the NECA Gozer figure earlier this week, I wrote that a lot of people had fuzzy memories of her role in Ghostbusters.  I wholeheartedly believe that is because a certain Mrs. Sigourney Weaver stole the spotlight with her portrayal of Dana Barrett / Zuul the Gatekeeper of Gozer.  She was so interesting and visually dynamic (and with minimal effort it seems.. seriously, a coppery-gold satin robe and windswept hair?  I could've come up with that) that she earned a permanent spot in most moviegoers memories.  I'm shocked she was never made into an action figure before this.  This figure is interesting.  In giving us the option of having her sitting or standing, I believe Mattel sacrificed a lot of articulation.  It's a shame she isn't more of a true action figure like the rest of the Ghostbusters line.