DC Comics - HAWKGIRL!

DC Multiverse Collector's Edition - Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) - McFarlane 2025

When the Superman (2025) movie hit the theatres last year, it really rekindled an old obsession I had with Hawkgirl. Nearly 20 years ago I was quite in love with this character and had quite a large collection of figures. I was drawn to her palette of primary colors and animal-themed characters always grab my attention. But something about the toys themselves put me off. They were always difficult to display - taking up much more space than the average action figure, and often toppling over due to the weight of her wings (taking down a whole shelf of toys along with them). I eventually made the sad decision to sell them all. But I always regretted it. Her role in the cinematic Superman movie brought on a new surge of classic products, and with that refreshed supply of collectibles occupying my brain, I eventually went to eBay and picked up all those old figures I had parted with ages ago. I'm a more patient collector now so I'll figure out how to display them safely. Let's check out her newest figure from McFarlane below!

Masters of the Universe - SORCERESS!

Masters of the Universe - Collectible Figures #HS1 - Sorceress - Altaya 2022

The Sorceress has always gotten the short end of the stick in the merchandising department. For such an iconic, powerful, and maternal figure that is in almost every episode of He-Man and whose mysterious origins are a major keystone in all of Eternian lore, she simply hasn't ever had a great piece of merchandise produced. There have been some close ones, like the Super7 Club Grayskull figure from 2018, but all her figures have been slightly off. Similar to the Evil-Lyn post from yesterday, this Altaya Sorceress figurine shares a lot of design similarities with the 2015 Pop Culture Shock statue, which I personally feel is the nicest-looking Sorceress product made. Of course that statue was always very expensive, and this newer figurine is much easier to display and (slightly) less expensive. This figurine is a bit of a mystery to me. I believe she was a subscription-exclusive figure unavailable in stores. She fetches about 8x the price of the other characters, but she's worth it. Let's check her out below!

POP Funko - MELANIE DANIELS!

POP! Movies #1788 - Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds - Melanie Daniels - Funko 2025

The Birds had a powerful impact on me as a child. My Dad loved Alfred Hitchcock and we would always tune in to his (often wildly inappropriate for kids) films when they aired on TV. The Birds was always my favorite. But ironically. this was because I loved birds so much. You might think that a bird lover would hate a movie where all the birds are portrayed as violent unpredictable antagonists, but I was fascinated. I also loved the open-ended mystery of the attacks (fun fact: years later they discovered that the real-life incidents that inspired the film were caused by toxic algae). But when I was a kid, I was left wondering if my birds might suddenly attack me, too. The star of the film was Tippi Hedren (mother of Melanie Griffith and grandmother of Dakota Johnson). Her character, Melanie Daniels, was beautiful, smart, and mysterious and really made the movie great. In 2008, I missed out on a Barbie of The Birds. This Funko Pop 17 years later finally let's me add a piece memorabilia to my collection. Let's check her out below!

Five Nights at Freddy's - TOY CHICA!

Five Nights at Freddy's - Toy Chica (Jump Scare Action) - Jazwares 2025

It surprises me that the first Five Nights at Freddy's game was released just eleven years ago. I feel like I've been seeing these character designs and toys for decades. And the genre of innocent-turned-twisted jumpscare games that were seemingly influenced by this franchise is overwhelming. In the beginning, I wasn't a huge fan of that bulky character designs. I was frankly shocked to learn that Chica was female. It wasn't until much later that the female FNAF characters actually looked female. This is one of those tricky scenarios where I try to not limit my appreciation of the female form to only svelte hourglass proportions. But when you have anthropomorphic animatronic characters with bulky genderless bodies and faces (or even decidedly male bodies and faces) the decision to finally include some stereotypical feminine traits is very appreciated. This figure is little odd since essentially naked except for a bib and underwear, but I thought she looked pretty fun. Let's check out Toy Chica below!

Gatchaman - JUN THE SWAN!

Gatchaman 1/12 Action Figures - Jun the Swan - Storm Collectibles 2025

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is one of those properties that I discovered relatively late in life but meets all the criteria for a show I would have been obsessed with if I were aware of it in my youth. Although it first aired in Japan in 1972, the first proper English-language broadcast is from 1978 when it was re-christened Battle of the Planets. A later adaptation happened in 1986 under the additional name G-Force: Guardians of Space followed by yet another release in 1996 as Eagle Riders (in Australia). With all that staying-power, I'm surprised that I never knew anything about it until the early 2000s when a resurgence of interest hit the US comic and toy markets. The series features a team a bird-themed space adventurers solving environmentally-themed challenges. The token female is Jun the Swan (also called Princess and Agatha in later interpretations). I've been wanting a great toy of her for twenty years now, and this BBTS-exclusive figure knocked it out of the park. She's beautiful. Let's check out Jun below!

Kamen Rider - CRANE ORPHNOCH!

Kamen Rider 555 - Rider Kaijin Series #05 - Crane Orphnoch - Bandai 2004

Kamen Rider 555 is the 13th installment in the Kamen Rider series from 2003. The villains of this series are the Orphnoch, a mutated evolution of zombie-like human monsters with animal or plant characteristics. Several of these Orphnochs retain their human morality and work to protect humanity. The Wolf, Horse, and Wildcat Orphnochs are the main characters of the series, but Crane is a major recurring "good" character with a seemingly massive fanbase (if the merchandise and subsequent CCG and videogame appearances is any indication). I've always been really drawn to the Kamen Rider monster aesthetic... especially when there is a strong animal theme. I bought this figure blindly back in 2004 and only worked to learn about her later. The Orphnochs have an added appeal of being a monochromatic gray/stone palette which looks awesome in group scenes. There are quite a few females represented, but Crane was always the standout to me. Let's check her out below!

Superman (2025) 6" - HAWKGIRL!

Superman (2025 Movie) - 6" Action Figures - Hawkgirl - Spin Master 2025

I was planning on saving this post until after I see Superman (2025) in the theaters in a few weeks. I always like to give my thoughts on the movie if I can be patient enough to wait. But in this case, I failed... but it's also because I'm putting faith in McFarlane Toys giving us a belated cinematic Hawkgirl figure. This 6" line from Spin Master is new for them. They have consistently put out 12" and 3.75" figures for all their big DC movies, but for Superman (2025) we have 12", 6", and 3". The latter two being new scales for the company. These new 6" figures remind me of the older basic figure lines we saw from Mattel with Mera, Mary Marvel, Darla, and Wonder Woman. I'm really curious to see what the future of the DC license will be. There is conflicting information stating that both Spin Master and McFarlane will no longer be working with DC in 2026, but I expect there to be more information shared at SDCC. I really appreciate the Hawkgirl figures they gave us, so I hope they stick around. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!

Legends of Tomorrow - HAWKGIRL!

DC TV - DC's Legends of Tomorrow - #2 Hawkgirl - DC Collectibles 2017

With Hawkgirl set to make her big-screen live-action debut in Superman next month, I thought it would be fun to look back at the first live-action Hawkgirl from the Arrowverse CW show DC's Legends of Tommorrow (2016-2022). This show featured a variety of characters already introduced in Arrow and Flash (and plenty of new characters) in time-travelling adventures led by Rip Hunter the Time Master. Some of the notable characters are White Canary, Firestorm, Vixen, The Atom, Steel, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl. Hawkgirl (played by Ciara Renée) and Vixen (played by Maisie Richardson-Sellers) were my main draw to the show. Personally, the CW shows never appealed to me, but these two characters were very cool and thankfully got the action figure treatment. I always felt the DCC Arrowverse figures looked a little stiff and unappealing in the packaging, but in person they are more dynamic than I was led to believe (but not overly so). Let's check out the Legends of Tomorrow Hawkgirl below!

Imaginext - HAWKGIRL!

Imaginext DC Super Friends -  Superman & the Justice Gang - Mattel 2025

When all the Superman Movie (2025) product started rolling out last month, the last thing I expected was an almost complete heroes set from Imaginext. The only thing that would surprise me more is a follow-up set with Metamorpho, Lex Luthor, Engineer, and Robot-4. Hawkgirl is the character I'm most looking forward to in the movie. I really dig her cinematic costume design and I'm a fan of Isabela Merced. While her character is seemingly omitted from the main McFarlane DC Multiverse movie assortment so far, she's received two scales of Spinmaster action figures and this unexpected Fisher-Price Imaginext figure so far (She will also have an "Ultra Rare" Funko Pop released on July 11th). I would also love to see her in the new Spinmaster 3" scale that seemingly includes every character except Hawkgirl. Imaginext has always been amazingly inclusive with its character selection and they didn't disappoint with this multipack. It's an incredible toyline. Let's check out Hawkgirl below!

Superman (2025) 12" - HAWKGIRL!

Superman (2025 Movie) - 12" Action Figures - Hawkgirl - Spin Master 2025

I was very excited to get my first piece of merchandise for the upcoming Superman movie in the form of this 12" figure 4-pack. It wasn't certain that we would see any figures of this new cinematic Hawkgirl until a few weeks ago when three products were unveiled in quick succession: This 12" figure, a 6" Spinmaster figure, and an Imaginext. All that plus the two McFarlane non-movie figures hitting the shelves right now have me in an absolute Hawkgirl frenzy. I'm planning to post a handful of older figure reviews in my excitement. I somehow missed the news that Hawkgirl was even in the movie until relatively recently. And learning that Isabela Merced would be playing Kendra was just an added bonus. I've been a fan of Isabela since 2019 when she showed her range in both Dora and Let it Snow in the same year. She then played my favorite spider, Anya Corazon, in Madame Web and I'm currently enjoying her in The Last of Us. I'm so excited to see her in Superman. Let's check out this first figure below!

Gormiti The New Era - WINDEL!

Gormiti The New Era - 12" Gormita Series - Windel (Air) - Giochi Preziosi 2024

Nine years ago, almost to the day, I purchased my first 12" action figure. As an adult toy enthusiast, I always assumed I would stick to the smaller collector-friendly lines. But when I purchased that first figure (a Batman Unlimited Wonder Woman), I was instantly hooked. Flash forward to 2025 and I have over sixty 12" ladies in their own special display. The last few years, however, have been a bit redundant and predictable. Hasbro and Mattel or Spinmaster would push out a few sparse figures for each Marvel or DC theatrical release. And as much as I appreciate them, I can admit it was getting a bit boring. But then this winter I discovered the Gormiti The New Era toy assortment from Giochi Preziosi and I was thrilled to see a ton of interesting 12" figures included. My favorite by a longshot was this 12" light-up Windel, the Gormita of the Air Clan, figure. Her design looks like some otherworldly deity and completely captures my imagination. She's so cool. Let's check out the 12" Windel below!

Gormiti The New Era - WINDEL!

Gormiti The New Era - 6" Gormita Series - Windel (Air Clan) - Giochi Preziosi 2024

My favorite thing about the new Gormiti: The New Era show is the character design for the for the elemental Gormita characters. The token female is Windel, the Gormita of the Air Clan. With her gold armor and wings, she looks like a futuristic angel warrior and immediately drew me toward this toy line. In the past Gormiti (animated) iterations, these Gormita have been very organic/beastly looking characters, with no female characters beyond the first or second season. So this is a stark change, but a cool one. It's only a shame that Giochi Prezio seems to have their product confined to the European continent now. Once upon a time, you could find Gormiti toys on North American toy shelves, but those days seem like a distant memory now as they've only been available in Europe for many years. I bet if these toys showed up in the US, they would sell very well. In the meantime, I'm awaiting news about a potential second wave. These are too fun to be one-and-done. Let's check our Windel below!

Turtles of Grayskull - APRIL O'NEIL!

Masters of the Universe X Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - April - Mattel 2024

This figure is one of the biggest surprises for me in 2024. I had a total turnaround in my appreciation level in the span of a few months. When she was first revealed earlier last year, I was very excited to be getting another female character in the Turtles of Grayskull line, but I was very underwhelmed with the design. I viewed her as an unimaginative mashup that didn't satisfy either the TMNT or MOTU genres. But now that I have her in hand, I don't know what I was thinking, because I think she's incredible. I like her very specific visual references to Sorceress while paired with unmistakably April O'Neil face. Plus the the newly-tooled wings have tons of potential applications. I know Vultak has been shown, but Queen Angella and a 200x Sorceress would be awesome uses as well. I don't know if there will be any more ladies in this line, but I hope the same level of quality and fun goes into the ThunderCats figures. The early pics look great. Let's check out April O'Neil as Sorceress below!

Transformers EarthSpark - NIGHTSHADE!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-05 DX - Nightshade (Deluxe) - Takara Tomy 2024

When buying my TakaraTomy EarthSpark redecos, I couldn't help but add Nightshade to my cart. As far as the Japan/US paint variations go, theirs is very minor. But I prefer the Japanese face deco that more closely resembles the unique Terran visage. Plus the torso deco, feet, and thighs create a sleeker, more hourglass, appearance. Which I think blurs the gender lines better than the Hasbro version (ironic considering how conservatively they were presented in Japan). I love a good scandal. Especially when the same folks upset about a gender-obscured character were the same ones screaming for years that female Transformers couldn't exist because they are a genderless species. So ta-daa, here's your first non binary robot like you wanted. I couldn't care less about Nightshade's gender. I just know I'm drawn to their design, name, and beast mode. Enough so that I jumped at the chance to buy a subtle variant just to get another Nightshade on my shelf. Let's check them out below!

Transformers - FILCH!

Transformers Legacy United - Star Raider Filch (Robots in Disguise) - Hasbro 2024

In 2015, a single appearance-character named Filch was introduced in the Robots in Disguise episode S1:E7 "Collect 'em All!"  Filch is a gigantic robotic magpie who is single-mindedly obsessed with all things shiny to collect for her nest. The situation gets serious when she steals a conductor from an electrical tower and a metal beam supporting a bridge. I will state again that she is big.. roughly three times the size of the Autobots she encounters.. and animalistic, exhibiting almost no human-like traits. She reminds me of a blend of the G1 Insecticons with their all-consuming hunger and Nightbird with her single-episode fame. She is also monosyllabic, only uttering the phrases "Shiny!", "Mine!", and "Not shiny." I think she's amazing. This action figure is a fantastic retooling of the Kingdom Airazor figure. I never expected to see a one-off character like this get the full action figure treatment, but she is glorious. It gives me hope that other blink-and-you-miss-them characters could get toys someday.

Saurozoic Warriors - PAVA PERGIA!

Saurozoic Warriors - Pava Pergia (Ninja Archaeopteryx) - Boss Fight Studio 2024

The late 80s and the majority of the 90s were filled with cartoon properties featuring anthropomorphic characters. Street Sharks, Biker Mice from Mars, Swat Kats, Extreme Dinosaurs, Bucky O'Hare, Barnyard Commandos, Moo Mesa, Battletoads, etc dominated the toy aisles and television sets (and I'm not even mentioning the big marquee properties - TMNT, Thundercats, etc). But a sad thing for me was that this genre rarely featured any (non-human) female characters. And if they did, they almost never got a toy. My favorite of these properties was DinoSaucers (1987) which had several great female characters in the animation. Unfortunately the Galoob toyline was never released (Glasslite in Brazil later purchased the unused Galoob molds and released 5 characters), but none of the ladies were ever in consideration for plastic. This new Saurozoic Warriors line is a sort of love letter to this era, and specifically to DinoSaucers. The characters are all-new, but there is an occasional nod to the past properties.

SilverHawks Ultimates - STEELHEART!

SilverHawks Ultimates - Wave 4 – Steelheart (Toy Version) - Super7 2024

Every so often I get my hands on an action figure that reminds me exactly why I'm in this glorious hobby. To me, there's a seemingly simple recipe of nostalgia and aesthetics that makes for a perfect toy. Yet for some reason, the balance is usually off. But this Steelheart toy color variant figure fills me with so much joy. Right off, the purple chrome finish is beautiful. The vintage toy was more of a dark violet metallic, while this is more medium lavender, but I like the new color better. I thought the face sculpts and paint of the first (animated) release was perfection, but this version has slightly more simplified and stark facepaint, and it's even better. I was nervous about her metallic paint chipping or scratching so I was pretty gentle with posing and swapping her parts, but I had zero issues. She has me excited for potential new figures to add to my Ladies of the 80s collection. Fingers crossed for Octavia from Tigersharks, Nightshade from C.O.P.S., and Shaya from Power Lords. Let's checkout Steelheart below!

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - AIRAZOR!

Transformers Deluxe Class - Rise of the Beasts - Airazor - Takara Tomy 2023

I finally gave up and ordered this figure from a 3rd Party seller. When images of the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts movie products began being leaked online early last year, the very first item I saw was this Deluxe Class Airazor. The early images of this toy made me very excited for the movie and action figures. But ironically, this excitement was ill-founded because Airazor had no robot mode in the movie and this specific toy proved very hard to find. There was a US Hasbro release in a Target-exclusive "Jungle Mission" 3-pack (with Bumblebee and Mirage), but that set was scarce and the pre-listings for the (supposedly) upcoming single-packed Hasbro release were on every major site. Then one-by-one those listings disappeared. I panicked and got the Japanese Takara Tomy version on eBay. I'm really glad I did though because this is easily my favorite Airazor figure. The coloring is bright, her head sculpt is fantastic, and her beast mode is very well designed. Let's check out Airazor below!

MOTU Revolution - SORCERESS TEELA!

Masterverse Wave 11 - MOTU Revolution (Netflix) - Sorceress Teela - Mattel 2023

One of the most satisfying things in Masters of the Universe: Revelation was the long-awaited ascension of Teela to Sorceress of Grayskull. I had personally been wanting to see this since the original series in the 80s when her path was foretold. But if she had become Sorceress back then, I would wager she would have been designed exactly like her mother, Teela-Na or Kuduk Ungol. But thankfully Teela's story didn't unfold until now so she got the benefit of a unique design reflective of her personality and heritage. This design was only presented at the very end of Revelation back in 2021. But (judging from the trailers) we will be seeing a lot more of it in the follow-up series Revolution that debuts in a few weeks. I am also personally excited that Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) is providing Teela's voice. I like her a lot. Sarah Michelle Gellar was great as Teela in Revelation. But I won't lie and say I wasn't constantly pegging that unique SMG voice. Someone more non-specific will be nice. Let's check out Teela below!

Gormiti - JESSICA THE AIR LORD!

Gormiti: Elemental Fusion - Jessica (The Air Lord) - Giochi Preziosi 2008

Gormiti is one of those properties that is a perfect recipe for great action figures. The characters are brightly-colored, creatively-designed, and nature-themed with great elemental factions. The television portion of the franchise essentially reboots every few years with a new assortments of characters, and I always scour the internet to check out the new toys. The main distribution is in Italy with availability across Europe, but here in the US we barely see any. I always wish for more female characters that can get merchandised, but it would also be a double-edged sword because they're really hard to get. As for now, there is only one merchandised female character, Jessica the Air Lord, who got three action figures between 2008-2010. This Elemental Fusion version is a repaint of her first figure with less (no) accessories but with an added voice feature. She was exceptionally hard to get (not because she's valuable, but because overseas shipping is out of control). Let's check out Jessica below!