Suicide Squad HARLEY QUINN Dorbz!

Suicide Squad Dorbz Vinyl Collectibles #163 - Harley Quinn - Funko 2016

Dorbz are one of my favorite new collectibles of the past couple years. The size, character selection and price point are perfect. Plus they scratch a nostalgic itch because of their resemblance to the 1980's Little People. I think the only thing that is going to turn me off will be my inability to keep up with a complete bat-lady collection because of the SDCC exclusive Batman Returns Catwoman Dorbz this year. Nothing makes me give up on a line faster than having impossible-to-obtain "must-haves." I still have dozens of awesome female G.I.Joes, but they've been in storage for years since Hasbro started making the newer figures so impossible to obtain. I really hope Dorbz don't go the same route because they've barely started. This Suicide Squad Harley Dorbz also marks the first time I've been disappointed with the execution of one of these figures. I feel like the eyes and mouth are printed about 1/4" too high on the face. It changes the whole demeanor of the figure in my opinion. Let's check her out below!

Transformers Battle Packs - STRONGARM!

Transformers: Robots in Disguise - Strongarm & Mini-Con Sawtooth - Hasbro 2016

Strongarm is one of the few fembots that I know nothing about. I'm usually intrigued enough about new female Transformers that I read up on their history and check out their key episodes or comic issues, but I just kind of blindly accept Strongarm as a cool character. I've never watched a single episode of Robots in Disguise, but I eagerly hunt down all her action figures. And this new one is definitely no exception. This is the first Transformer I've owned in this mid-sized scale (it's somewhere in between Deluxe and Legion Class scales). I really love having multiple scales of the same character so this figure has been high on my priority list for several months. I thought I would never find her in the wild until I stumbled across her in K-Mart (of all places) last week. She's a fun figure and great addition to my collection. I'm hoping we might see a Windblade in this scale in the future. Or maybe the new Rescue Bots Quickshadow character. Fingers crossed for SDCC reveals! Let's check out Strongarm below!

Funko POP Marvel - SHE-HULK!

Marvel POP! #147 - She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) - Funko 2016

In the late 1970s Marvel was running scared about outside creative groups infringing on their property likenesses. In 1978 Filmation created a cartoon called Web-Woman featuring a purple-clad space adventurer with vague spider-like powers. This was nothing like Spider-Man at all, but it scared Marvel into thinking "Oh crap! We better create a female Spider-Man before anyone else does!" And within a few months we had Spider-Woman. The same premise was behind She-Hulk.  At the time, the Bill Bixby Hulk Television show was pretty popular, and The Six Million Dollar Man just hit paydirt with the Bionic Woman spinoff, so Marvel was certain that the Hulk show producers would mimic this and create a lady Hulk that Marvel wouldn't have any rights to. So Stan Lee whipped up the Savage She-Hulk and we've been graced with her amazing green presence ever since. She's arguably the most successful of Marvel's gender-swapped heroes. She's had numerous solo titles and a slew of impressive team affiliations under her belt. But honestly her true measure of greatness is her inclusion into the world of Funko Pop!

3.75" Marvel Legends - CAPTAIN MARVEL (Helmeted)!

Marvel Legends 3.75" Series - Cosmic Marvels Comic 2-Pack - Hasbro 2016

I just learned some interesting things about the existence of Captain Marvel in the Marvel Universe. Back in the 1960s, DC Comics was suing Fawcett Comics over the fact that their character, Captain Marvel (aka Shazam), was too similar to Superman. As a result, Fawcett had to cease their publication of the character. With nothing being produced under the name "Captain Marvel" for a few years, Marvel Comics was able to sweep in and finally trademark the name for themselves. Eventually DC gained control of the Fawcett characters, but by that time, Marvel had its own Captain Marvel, who was trademarked and not going anywhere, so DC began officially referring to their character as "Shazam." In order to keep control of the trademark, Marvel had to publish some issues featuring this character every few years, regardless of market demand or continuity. That is why since the late sixties we've seen so many variations on the character Captain Marvel. Luckily that all led to here though!

Funko POP Marvel - CAPTAIN MARVEL!

Marvel POP! #148 - Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) - Funko 2016

Carol Danvers is right up there with Jean Grey and Hank Pym as one of those Marvel characters who seems to have an identity crisis every few years and get a revamped name and costume. She started out in the comics as a non-powered Air Force Officer for nine years before gaining powers and becoming Ms. Marvel. The Ms. Marvel comic series from 1977 was the first title to usher in a new era for female superheroes. Before this, the only significant female-led title was Wonder Woman and a short-lived Supergirl series. But after 1977, we suddenly saw solo titles for Spider-Woman, Dazzler, She-Hulk, and Supergirl among others. After the series ended, she gained cosmic powers and became Binary (in the early 1980s). Then her powers reverted and she became Warbird, only to eventually adopt the Ms. Marvel name once again. But most recently she took on the mantle of her predecessor, Captain Marvel and she's been kicking butt ever since. Her movie is going to rock! It's about time she got a Pop!

DC SuperHero Girls - Playset Exclusive BATGIRL!

DC Super Hero Girls - Super Hero High School Playset Batgirl - Mattel 2016

One of the things I'm most looking forward to at SDCC is news about future action figures in the DC Super Hero Girls line. Hopefully Mattel includes them in their display. There was so much hype over the unveiling of these toys, that after the first week on the shelves I was in a slump and eagerly wanting more. There are lots of additional characters and variants that are just dying for inclusion. This variant of Batgirl (that is exclusive to the Super Hero High School playset) was shown at Toy Fair, but the photos from the showroom floor didn't show much detail. I was expecting a repaint with a different hairpiece and a helmet accessory, but in reality she is a complete retooling of the original figure. The only parts used from the original figure seem to be the belt/pelvis piece, her face, and her hands. Hopefully this bodes well for future figures. The Bat-specific details sculpted into her knees and boots probably means we'll get at least another Batgirl release. Let's check out this exclusive figure below!

Funko POP Marvel Heroes SPIDER-GWEN(S)!

Marvel POP! - Spider-Gwen (and Two Variants) - Funko 2016

Funko is just killing it lately. In the past month the presence of Funko products in my personal collection has practically doubled. Not only have they been producing all my favorite characters in rapid succession, but they've been surprising us with last-minute exclusives. Just when I thought I was done hunting down all the Suicide Squad Harleys, I was on the prowl for all the Spider-Gwens. Luckily it didn't take me long at all. I need to save some energy to hunt down the Golden Girls, Dark Crystal and Labyrinth POPs in the next few months. Not to mention all the SDCC exclusives that I have no clue how I will get (if anyone is going to SDCC and planning on standing in line for exclusives - and would love to do me a favor - please drop me a line ;)). Spider-Gwen has only been around for two short years but has already had a decent amount of merchandise. And in the next year we're getting a ton more from Monogram, Kotobukiya, etc. It's going to be an exciting year. Let's check out the three newest Gwens below!

The Tick - CAPTAIN LIBERTY!

The Tick (Live Action Series) Action Figures - Captain Liberty - N2 Toys 2001

Happy Independence Day! I always try to find a patriotic figure to review on this day and this Captain Liberty is one I've been dying to get to for years. I never watched the live-action Tick television series (nor the animated one), but I've always thought this figure was gorgeous. I know fans of the show weren't too pleased with the actor likenesses in this series, but since I don't have any personal fanboy criteria to demand, I can honestly say that this sculpt is wonderful in its own right. I agree it looks nothing like actress Liz Vassey, but the statuesque patriotic figure looks great anyway (in my humble opinion). I like this sculpt so much that I've been googling for days trying to figure out who the artist was behind it. No luck on that front though. N2Toys is best known for their Matrix and Babylon5 action figures, but they had several other interesting product lines for the brief years they were in existence (1999-2001?) before reforming into Mirage Toys (Alias and South Park). Let's check out Captain Liberty out below!