DC Comics - THE CHEETAH!

DC Page Punchers - Cheetah (Red Platinum) 1st App - McFarlane Toys 2025

This figure was a surprise to me on several levels. Firstly, I never expected a classic Priscilla Rich version of Cheetah to be made in the DC Mulitverse line. A more modern Barbara Minerva version with her savage feral appearance seems much more like the McFarlane aesthetic. Secondly, I fully expected to hate this figure based on the leaked photos. Even after finding her at GameStop and seeing her first hand, my hopes were dismally low. Her awkward in-package pose makes her head look tiny and her feet look huge. But when I got her in my photo tent, my judgement waned and I kind of fell in love. Sure, I only like her unexpressive face, and her re-used upper thighs (with an obvious Catwoman boot-line) is annoying, but overall I still think she's great. With McFarlane winding down the DC lines, it's surprising to get characters like Cheetah and Jayna (and the upcoming Zatanna, Black Canary, Jessica Cruz, and Ice). It's a pretty impressive roster, and I'm excited for it. Let's check out Cheetah below!

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 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!

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - BLACK CAT!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Black Cat (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Black Cat first appeared in the August 1941 issue of Pocket Comics #1, published by Harvey Comics and created by Al Gabriele. Black Cat was a stunt woman and actress who used her skills to become a costumed heroine and thwart Nazi spies in Hollywood. She proved very popular and got her own title by 1946. I personally have always loved this character because it is one of the earliest examples of the style of pointed domino mask later worn by so many of my favorite comic characters. Of all the nearly-forgotten Golden Age heroines who have entered the public domain in recent years, I think Black Cat has had the most interesting second life. I don't know if this is just my experience, but when I go to conventions and art shows, I see her image everywhere. Painted on clocks, glued onto magnets, dipped in epoxy. There must be something about her simple stylish costume and penchant for acrobatics and motorcycles that appeals to these artists. Either way, I approve. Let's check her out below!

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - BULLETGIRL!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Bulletgirl (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Bulletgirl first appeared (in costume) in the April 1941 issue of Master Comics #13. In an origin that likely inspired Barbara Gordon 26 years later, Susan Kent is the daughter of Police Sergeant Kent - who was always trying to uncover the identity of Bulletman. Susan had been a character in Bulletman comics since his first appearance in August of 1940, but she didn't discover his identity and get her own helmet until 1941. When this Amazing Heroes Series 7 lineup was being teased back in 2021, Bulletgirl was one of the top characters on my wishlist (along with Kitten and Owl-Girl). One of my favorite things about golden age comics was the ever-present sidekicks. Back then it was a 50/50 shot whether the sidekick would be a young boy (a'la Robin and Bucky) or grown young woman. Mary Marvel is the only female sidekick from this era to truly stand the test of time, but I love the genre and I'm so glad this Bulletgirl figure is giving the character some long overdue recognition. Let's check her out below!

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - PHANTOM LADY!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Phantom Lady (BBTS) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Phantom Lady first appeared in the August 1941 issue of Police Comics #1, published by Quality Comics and created by Arthur Peddy. (She was a regular feature for 23 Issues). Her original costume was a yellow and green design that resembles her current DC Comics incarnation today. Over the years, her clothing got skimpier and skimpier and by the time Fox Feature Syndicate gave her a solo title in 1947, she was a notorious example of Good Girl art (and it was also her solo title which changed her color palette to red and blue). She was a focal point of the comic censorship campaign on the 1950's. One of her covers (#17) was famously touted as "a sadist's dream" (in that horribly annoying book that people are still quoting 70 years later). Phantom Lady was a gadget-based vigilante who used "black light" technology to blind her opponents and render her invisible. Of all the female heroes in this Retroverse wave, she easily has had the greatest comics legacy. Let's check out Phantom Lady below!

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - MISS MASQUE!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Miss Masque (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Miss Masque first appeared in the September 1946 issue of Exciting Comics #51 by Pines Publishing and Lin Streeter. Miss Masque was a popular debutante who unwittingly buys a mardi gras costume possessed by the "Spirit of Justice" and becomes the scourge of the criminal underworld. Her design always struck me as a little amusing because it looks like a cross between Carmen San Diego and Ronald McDonald. But it's just the bright colors that make those connotations. In many ways, Miss Masque reminds me of the most quintessential 1940's heroines because she looks like so many of silver screen actresses of the age. The hat and trenchcoat-style dress (not represented on this toy, but she almost always wore it) has instant ties to classic characters like Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. She's had several modern reboots in 2003's Miss Masque, 2009's Masquerade, and 2022's Scarlet Sisters. It's very cool that she's still around nearly 80 years later. Let's check out Miss Masque below!

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - LADY SATAN!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Lady Satan (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Lady Satan first appeared in the December 1941 issue of Dynamic Comics #2, created by George Tuska. This character is a bizarre one. Mostly because for a long time her actions and origins didn't fit her ominous name. She was a masked vigilante roaming the streets of Nazi-occupied France avenging her husband who was killed at the hands of said Nazis. And her main weapon was a chlorine gun (?). The "Satan" name must have caused alarm in the conservative 1940s. The other characters featured in her anthology books were all wholesome like Dynamic Man, Dynamic Boy, Major Victory, K-9 (a police dog), Lucky Coyne, the Green Knight, and other milquetoast characters. Eventually she gained bizarre "shadow world" powers with no explanation. But even still, I think her name is the main gimmick here. But overall, I really dig her simple monochromatic costume. And fun fact: In 2022, she starred in the comic Scarlet Sisters from Dynamite alongside Miss Masque and the Woman in Red.

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - FANTOMAH!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Fantomah (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle first appeared in the February 1940 issue of Jungle Comics #2, published by Fiction House and created by comics legend Fletcher Hanks. She starred in a 7-page solo story and continued to be a regular feature in the next 50 issues until March of 1944. Fantomah appears as a beautiful blonde woman who transforms into a frightening blue skeleton to enact gruesome revenge scenarios on anyone bringing harm to her jungle home. Most comic heroines of the time were built on a solid foundation of beauty. Every other character was a model or a pageant queen in her backstory. And even in their masked crimefighting eras, beauty was always an essential trait. I believe Fantomah was the first female character to embrace being frightful. Even in modern comics, very few characters ever exhibit unattractive appearances. She has been rebooted in modern comics a few times and the skeleton effect is still jarring, even in these desensitized times. This figure is a standout in the series.

Amazing Heroes Retroverse - MISS FURY!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Miss Fury (BBTS Exc) - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Miss Fury first appeared (as Black Fury) in the April 1941 in a Bell Syndicate Sunday newspaper comic strip created by Tarpe Mills. She got her own comic title in Winter 1942 (which initially consisted of reformatted black & white newspaper strips, but was eventually full color new material). Miss Fury is a wealthy socialite who is bequeathed a special panther suit from a mysterious uncle that gives her enhanced speed and strength. Although she has several recurring enemies, what I always found more evident was her recurring mission to avenge abused women. There is a lot of domestic slapping and women with black eyes even in the earliest newspaper strips. Her motivations still hold weight today, which is more than you can say for a lot of Golden Age comics. Plus, I'm a sucker for feline-themed vigilantes. Let's not forget that Catwoman didn't put on a cowl until 1946, and even Kitten didn't appear until December of 1941 - Making Miss Fury quite possibly the first feline femme fatale. Let's check her out below!

Amazing Heroes - QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE!

Amazing Heroes Series 7 - Queen of the Jungle - Fresh Monkey Fiction 2022

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle first appeared in the September 1938 issue of Jumbo Comics #1, published by Fiction House and created by Will Eisner. There was a seemingly endless number of nearly identical "jungle women" in the Golden Age of comics, but Sheena somehow has stood the test of time and is notable for being the first female comic character with her own title (debuting in March of 1942, three months before Wonder Woman's solo title). Like most Jungle heroines, Sheena has heightened agility and can communicate with animals. Since her debut she has had multiple comics series, two television shows, and a feature film. She always stood out to me personally because she is often shown riding a zebra, which is a visual I love (and I plan of seeking out an in-scale zebra for this figure). I assume the official name of Sheena is copyrighted in her past multimedia licensing, so this figure is officially going by her lordly title, Queen of the Jungle. Surprisingly, I think this is her first action figure ever.

DC Direct Maquette - LOIS LANE!

DC Classic Animation Maquettes - Fleischer (1941) Lois Lane - DC Direct 2004

I am very selective with my statue purchases. For reasons of limited display space and high price points, I simply can't purchase all the statues that catch my eye. This Lois Lane from the DC Direct Classic Animation Maquettes line was my forth statue purchase ever (not counting mini-busts). And interestingly, the BTAS Catwoman and Harley Quinn from the same line were my first and second purchases. I just love a classically-posed character in an iconic design. Lois Lane has had a lot of different looks over the years, but this 1940's brown skirtsuit will always be my favorite. I remember getting this maquette years after her release for a very discounted price of 20 bucks because of a few easy-to-fix scuffs. She's been a focal point of my collection ever since. Which is unique because I rarely buy non-costumed characters. But my love for classic animation gave her a pass. And there is almost no animation quite as "classic" as the 1941 Superman theatrical shorts from Fleischer Studios. Let's check out Lois below!

Mezco 5 Points - LOIS LANE!

Mezco 5 Points - Superman Animated (1941) Box Set - Lois Lane - Mezco 2024

If you have never watched the Fleischer Studios Superman series from 1941-1942, I highly suggest you do. Although people generally refer to this as a television series, they were actually a series of nine 10-minute theatrical shorts (Household televisions wouldn't become common until the mid 50s). There is a stark art deco style similar to Edward Hopper and other realists on the 1940s. The influence of this series can be seen in the works of later animation powerhouses like Hayao Miyazaki and Bruce Timm. And even in the past twelve months we've see three representations of the Fleischer Superman design in the toy aisles. The first of which was this Mezco 5 Points "The Mechanical Monsters" box set which thankfully included Lois Lane. Lois has had a ton of designs over the years. She is a plainclothed character, so no single look was necessarily iconic. But to me, this brown, green, and yellow skirtsuit will always be the best. But I'm always partial to retro aesthetic. Let's check out Lois below!