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.