Christmas Carol - THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST!

Figura Obscura - The Ghost of Christmas Past - Four Horsemen Studios 2024

It's amazing that after years of the Four Horsemen's Figura Obscura exclusive figure releases, 2024 brought us not only the first female figure, but the first two. The Bastet figure in May was a very welcome surprise. But to then get a second female in The Ghost of Christmas Past a few months later was icing on the cake. After the Jacob Marley figure in 2023, I figured all the A Christmas Carol spirits would eventually be made, but the speed and execution was still unexpected. I especially enjoy the Four Horsemen's macabre interpretation of the Ghost, taking inspiration from The Weeping Woman and various White Lady folklore. I always felt that the Ghost of Christmas Past was the creepiest of the A Christmas Carol spirits, despite often being represented as simply angelic, so giving her some darker visages and an otherworldly second set of arms is a welcome redesign. I don't like my figures to be overly gory or scary and tend to gravitate toward vampy and creepy - so this figure seems custom-catered to me. 

Gods of Ancient Egypt - BASTET!

Figura Obscura - Gods of Ancient Egypt - Bastet - Four Horsemen 2024

I have been wishing for a good line of action figures featuring Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses since I was a young child. I was obsessed with Egyptian culture, religion, and treasures since I got my first library card at the age of seven. Even at a young age, I could see the toyetic potential in the pantheon of animal-headed gods adorned in colorful beads and gold. ThunderCats touched on it, and a few episodes of G.I.Joe teased me, but I went largely unsatisfied. In the late 90s, I was in college and missed an Egyptian Renaissance in pop culture. Mummies Alive! from Hasbro and Ramses the Golden Pharaoh from Giochi Preziosi were both too scarce and expensive to collect by the time I discovered them. But this new theme, Gods of Ancient Egypt, in the Four Horsemen's exclusive Figura Obscura line is the perfection I've always wanted. I couldn't be more happy. Bastet is easily my most wanted, but my mind is reeling with future potential: Hathor, Isis, Selkhet, Ma'at, etc. I can't wait to see who is next.

Mythic Legions - ILLYTHIA!

Mythic Legions - Illythia's Brood - Illythia (Deluxe) - Four Horsemen 2022

When I think of great toys to post reviews for leading up to Halloween, my mind instantly goes to the Mythic Legions line by Four Horsemen Studios. Sure, there are a lot of knights and vikings in the mix. But the standout figures for me are the creepy characters: mainly the vampires, demons, orcs, and skeletons. It's so rare to get a female figure like this that's not a bikini'd swimsuit model with fangs. And, yes, I'm aware that some of the Mythic Legions ladies have been exactly that. But most of them are well thought-out, strong-looking characters with amazing detail. And Illythia is a prime example. I don't pay attention to the overall mythos of Mythic Legions, but considering this Illythia character has a whole faction named after her (Illythia's Brood), I assume she's a pretty big deal. When I ordered her, I assumed the extra arms implied some spider-like qualities, but in person, it seems more of a demonic aesthetic. Either way, it's great for Halloween week. Let's check out the deluxe Illythia below!

Mythic Legions - XARRIA!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - Lesser Demon Xarria - Four Horsemen 2018

I still have an insane number of unopened Mythic Legions figures from the 2018 Advent of Decay Kickstarter. I realize now that when I buy a ton of figures all at once, I quickly get overwhelmed and end up putting them all in storage. But in the case of these Mythic Legions ladies, I now think it's kind of nice that I review a new one every few months and really give each figure its proper focus. Right from the very beginning this Xarria figure was one of my most anticipated characters from the line. She looks like the Lord of Darkness from Legend and she also reminds me of the cancelled red devil lady from Gothitropolis line (that I'm still pretty sore about). Considering how often we see devil lady imagery on mudflaps, air fresheners, and tattoos, there is a surprising lack of toys with this design. Beyond a handful Purgatoris, I can't think of any. But that doesn't really matter because this Xarria figure is devil-lady perfection. She has the perfect combination of strong, sexy, and sinister. Let's check her out below!

Masters of the Universe - SNAKE TEELA!

Masters of the Universe (SnakeMen) - Snake Teela - ToyFare Exc - Mattel 2003

The 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series really focused on the evil SnakeMen factions on Eternia. They were a favorite among fans of the vintage cartoon and toys, but they were criminally underused. The 2002 series really fleshed out their mythology and even titled the entire second season "Masters of the Universe vs The SnakeMen." The later waves of action figures featured lots of repainted figures, with snake-themed accessories, and green SnakeMen packaging. But this ToyFare Exclusive Snake Teela figure is special. She is the only repainted figure with reptilian skin as seen in the episode Second Skin. In the episode, King Hssss found the ancient Serpent Ring artifact that could transform anyone into SnakeMen. Only a handful of heroes were changed: Man-at-Arms, Mekaneck, King Carnivus, and Teela. But only Teela's transformation got the toy treatment. The great thing about this is the big nod to Teela's association to the vintage Snake Goddess character. Let's check her out!

Masters of the Universe - TEELA!

Masters of the Universe (Modern Series) - Heroic Wave 1 - Teela - Mattel 2003 

The 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series did a lot of great things. It re-introduced the whole He-Man mythos seventeen years after the original series concluded (and more than a decade after the New Adventures ended). It inspired a toyline that had more figures than the vintage line (if you count the NECA Stactions). And, as a toy collector, my favorite thing is that it cemented the bond between Four Horsemen Studios and Masters of the Universe that has literally given us hundreds of amazing toys. The cartoon itself was more modern and serious than the 80's series and still holds up today. I highly enjoy it, but I haven't watched it in years. However, one thing I never cared for was the design of Teela. The long ponytail, blue shoulderpads, and snake staff all seemed like really off choices. Luckily the coloring of the action figure was more in line with the vintage figure and her hair was less cartoony. They took a lukewarm design and made a great figure. Let's check her out below!

Mythic Legions - DORINA ONORIS!

Mythic Legions - Dorina Onoris (She-Ra) - Power-Con Exc - Four Horsemen 2020

Hot on the heels of Thursday's belated Evil-Lyn homage figure, Malynna, comes the newest female release, Dorina Onoris, aka Mythic Legions She-Ra. I was truly expecting the second female in the Power-Con exclusive MOTU homage line to be Teela, but I was surprised by this really terrific rendition of She-Ra first. Of course, I clearly remember saying back in 2017 when I first saw the Mythic Legions Freyja of Deadhall figure (with her valkyrie-esque helmet plumage) that she would be a She-Ra Power-Con repaint someday. It took a few years but I was spot-on. The funny thing is, I now have no idea who I would expect the Four Horsemen to use for Teela or Sorceress (who I just assume would logically be the next two ladies included). I think they'll have to be pretty complex mash-ups of existing characters. Or who knows, maybe we'll even get an original headsculpt. All I know is that this sub-line of Mythic Legions has been a true treat to collectors and something I look forward to each Spring.

Mythic Legions - MALYNNA!

Mythic Legions - Malynna (Evil Lyn) - Power-Con Exc - Four Horsemen 2019

One of my favorite annual traditions is waiting to see which two Masters of the Universe characters will be represented as homage figures in the Four Horsemen Mythic Legions line. For the past several years these have been presented as Power-Con exclusives and they are a brilliant merging of two aesthetics.  While MOTU has always been a swords-and-sorcery property, it was largely colorful and cartoony. Meanwhile the Mythic Legions has been gritty and dark. With Four Horsemen Studios' obvious love for MOTU well established, this homage line is a well-thought-out and perfectly executed treat to collectors. Malynna is the first female in the sub-line representing the dark sorceress Evil-Lyn. She is made using pieces of the Advent of Decay female figures, notable the Vampire army builder, but repainted in her signature bright yellow and blue colors. I've owned her since the day she was released, but just opened her this week and I'm really impressed. Let's check out Malynna below!

DC Universe Classics - DONNA TROY!

DC Universe Classics - Trigun C-n-C Wave 13, Fig 7 - Donna Troy - Mattel 2010

DC Universe Classics was a very impactful toy line. When the line began in 2008, Marvel Legends was irritating. Most notably, their female bucks were horribly gangly and odd. However DCUC was a bright light that boasted consistent body designs with great articulation and a standardized scale. This would set it apart from both DC Direct and Marvel Legends. The DCUC line was not without its faults. The female characters in particular suffered from spindly short arms and often were sculpted with flat faces. But the overall impact and success of the line was amazing. My absolute favorite among all 30-some female DCUC figures is this Donna Troy as Wonder Girl. Her costume is simple and well-executed, her headsculpt is... intriguing (like she's actually conveying some emotion unlike the typical blank stares), and her arms strangely don't seem too short or too skinny. She is a great looking toy. (Although some runners-up are Big Barda, Dove, and Platinum). Let's check out Donna Troy below!

Mythic Legions - XYLONA!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - The Legendary Xylona - Four Horsemen 2018

Of all the action figures in my collection, I think this Mythic Legions Xylona figure may possibly be the most unique. I go through phases where I love her, and others when she irks me. While her body is a standard female buck (although dressed in a leafy/foliage design) paired with the hoofed legs that we've seen on several creature figures, it's her head and neck that draws all the attention. She is a adorned with a large nondescript cervid head, which is turn is crowned with a massive set of antlers. They're so high that they add 50% to her height (I measured). The proportions are inhuman and are part of the reason I find her unsettling. Normal human proportions tend to place a vertical midpoint at the waist, but the midpoint of Xylona is her chest. When I imagine her at my scale, I think she's terrifying my eyes don't know where to go. That said, she is magnificent, utterly original, and perfect for the fantasy Mythic Legions line. I'm extremely curious to see this mold repurposed too. Let's check out Xylona below!

Mythic Legions - LUCRETIA!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - Lucretia (Illythias Brood) - Four Horsemen 2018

I love vampire lore. It's pretty rare when there is a vampire story on television, on the silver screen, or in books that I don't appreciate on some level. I like everything from the scary and monstrous to the eye-rolling and romantic. And female vampires get even more love from me, but they are predictably much less prevalent. Up until this Mythic Legions Lucretia figure, I don't think I had ever seen a female vampire in the style of Count Orlok (from Nosferatu 1922); a more demonic, inhuman looking design. Females are usually vampy, goth, gorgeous, and ultimately human-looking which I certainly don't mind, but I never realized how awesome a demonic-bat character could look. She's quite possibly the most wicked-looking figure in my collection. And just imagine how epic she could look with white demon/dragon wings! I'm becoming very obsessed with these Mythic Legions figures. I still can't believe it took a quarantine to finally convince me to crack them open. (Sooooo many more to go). Let's check out Lucretia!

Mythic Legions - JJUNO THE CRUSHER!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - Jjuno the Crusher - Four Horsemen 2018

I have a love/hate relationship with female barbarian characters. One one hand, they are strong, dominant women who flip that hunter/gatherer dynamic on its head. But on the other hand I find the designs to be a little boring and repetitive. Metal bra? check. Fuzzy loincloth? Check. Big Axe? Check. Barbarian women and Jungle girls are two popular themes with abundant examples throughout comic and movie genres, but the characters often simply lack distinguishing characteristics. The Four Horsemen did their best to make Jjuno the Crusher stand out. Her blue facepaint and partially shaved scalp are indeed unique, but ironically these details made me not instantly fall in love with the design. It seemed like an odd blend of modern and classic themes which I found off-putting. However, with the help of some add-on wing accessories I made her look like a badass earth Valkyrie and suddenly she's one of my favorites in the line. I need to buy some more wings! Let's check out Jjuno the Crusher below!

Mythic Legions - ARTEMYSS SILVERCHORD!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - Artemyss Silverchord - Four Horsemen 2018

I struggle with a lot of fantasy properties because the aspects I especially like (unicorns, mermaids, fairies, etc) are so often spun off into a separate genre - a genre of sparkles and pastels and rainbows and hearts. Not that I dislike any of that stuff, but it effectively segregates these "softer" elements from the warriors and swords and dragons. And I hate that. (For the Schleich nerds out there, I just want my Bayala and Eldrador in one world with a unified aesthetic). That desire is one of the reasons I fell in love with the Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay line. There were no females in previous Mythic Legions lines, but this wave gave us eighteen glorious ladies! And while most of the characters so far don't fall into the unicorns and mermaids category yet, this Artemyss Silverchord figure reads as a powerful fairy warrior Queen and is easily one of the most dynamic figures in the series. It gives me hope for some kickass unicorns and mermaids down the line. Let's check out Artemyss below!

Mythic Legions - SKELETON SOLDIER!

Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay - Skeleton Soldier Builder - Four Horsemen 2018

It's taken me seventeen months to open my Mythic Legions: Advent of Decay figures from Four Horsemen. I backed the original Kickstarter and got every female figure. But the problem with bulk toy purchases, is that I get absolutely overwhelmed at the prospect of opening and displaying them (let alone photographing/posting about them). That's why I currently have three large cardboard boxes in my basement: one full of dozens of unopened Boss Fight Studios figures, one with I Am Elemental, and one with Mythic Legions. The one good thing about Shelter in Place orders is that I'm forced to spend my excessive toy hunting time appreciating what I already own. This Skeleton Soldier Builder was one of my most anticipated figures from the entire lineup. As a kid I was kind of obsessed with skeletons: The skeleton girls on flying horses from the 1980 Return of the King cartoon gave me some of my first nightmares; I loved the Glo-Bones Pocket Power; and Jason & the Argonauts was always a favorite movie.

Masters of the Universe - SHADOW WEAVER!

Masters of the Universe Classics: Club Grayskull - Shadow Weaver - Super7 2020

Re-do figures are very surprising sometimes. I have been living the last eight years in blissful confidence that I owned a perfect Shadow Weaver figure. The 2012 MOTUC subscription-exclusive Weaver figure is amazing. I literally had no complaints about her. But her exclusive status caused her to remain a figure in high demand for most collectors. So a new figure was a welcome announcement for the final wave of MOTUC. The interesting thing is that the nature of her simple design leads to no real distinction between a Classics and Club Grayskull look, so I wasn't expecting much from this second figure. But in actuality, this new figure is vastly improved from the original: Her articulation is now mostly hidden; Her colors are brighter and more cartoon accurate; And her overall sculpt is improved with better cloth folds, a more dynamic pose, and more detailed hands. It's truly the greatest figure that I didn't know I needed. It's such a shame there won't be more. Let's check out Shadow Weaver below!

MOTUC Filmation Style - SHE-RA!

MOTUC - Club Grayskull (Series 3) - She-Ra - Super7Store Exc - Super7 2019

I have been waiting for this toy for a long long time. When the Masters of the Universe Classics line first began in 2008-2009 and gave us Teela and Adora, I was immediately excited for a She-Ra. But when we finally got her (a speedy 6 months later), I was really disappointed. To me, this figure looked like the (beautiful) Adora sculpt with sloppy play-doh add-ons. It was the first figure in the entire line, male or female, that I thought was lackluster. And for such an iconic character I thought that was unacceptable. I wanted an instant apology figure. Well, it took nine years, but we finally got a true Filmation-style She-Ra and I'm in love with the figure. I actually ordered 4 of her because I was so nervous about QC problems, but they honestly all looked great. I know Super7 has had a variety of technical problems with this line, but in my eyes the figures just keep getting better and better. I'm excited for the Kittrina and Shadow Weaver and any other great figures coming after. Let's check out this long-awaited She-Ra below!

MOTUC Filmation Style - TEELA!

MOTUC - Club Grayskull (S7 Series 1) - Teela - Super7Store Exc - Super7 2018

Thank goodness for Super7. When Scott left Mattel and MOTUC screeched to a halt I was really sad about the future of my hobby. For eight glorious years Matty was a consistent source of pure joy for me. It was easy to get caught up in collector drama with QC complaints, website malfunctions, and unobtainable exclusives, but in the end I have never been more thrilled with the consistency and breadth of any single toy line. So when Super7 grabbed the baton and announced they would continue the line, I was extremely happy. Plus the first two females announced were some of the most requested figures: a classic animated-style Teela and Hawke with an alternate Delora head. I expected there to be hiccups in the first batch of figures since new factories and new production processes would be introduced (and there are indeed some issues to be found), but overall I am really happy with this Filmation-style Teela figure. Let's check her out in detail below!

Thundercats Classics - WILYKIT!

ThunderCats Classics - WilyKit & WilyKat - SDCC Mattycollector - Mattel 2016

The ThunderCats Classics line was one of the shortest-lived excitements of my adult collecting life. After basking in the glory of Mattel and the Four Horsemen's amazing Masters of the Universe Classics line for eight years, the idea of the same treatment for ThunderCats was an intoxicating notion. It was especially exciting for me when one of the first characters announced was the often-forgotten Pumyra. But before long the whole Mattycollector empire crumbled. MOTU was coming to a close and ThunderCats was DOA. I still have high hopes for Super7 continuing this line because it seemed like such a false start without Cheetara and Tygra. This ThunderKittens set of WilyKit and WilyKat was an SDCC exclusive in 2016. I'm really impressed with these two figures. The sculpt and execution is pretty much perfect. I was so deflated by the line cancellation that I've have had them sitting unopened for a year. But now that I have them out I can't believe I ignored them for so long. Let's check out WilyKit below!

Masters of the Universe Classics - CRITA!

MOTUC Collector's Choice - Crita - Mattycollector Exclusive - Mattel 2016

Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics has easily been the most epic toy line of my hobby. In eight short years (they really flew by!) I was able to add 41 amazing ladies to my collection. There were just about as many female figures released in the DC Universe Classics line, but they just pale in comparison to these beauties. Mattel and the Four Horsemen made an unprecedented achievement in recreating classic animation characters in modern form - and the character selection went beyond my wildest imagination. Crita was the sole female villain in The New Adventures of He-Man. I don't really remember much about her beyond her appearance. From my hazy memories I believe she looks like a witch, but has no witchy powers. She has a small scepter which extends into a whip. She flirts with Skeletor and fights with Mara. Also, she has two very distinctive costumes in the cartoon. I definitely prefer this iconic witchy look though. She is a beautiful figure and an amazing penultimate lady in the MOTUC line.

Masters of the Universe Classics - DESPARA!

MOTUC Collector's Choice - Despara - Mattycollector Exclusive - Mattel 2016

I really enjoy all the He-Man comics that have been coming out over the past few years. The Eternity War series was especially good. But as much as I enjoy them, I'm a purist at heart and I always prefer the original cartoons as far as design and storylines go. However, one thing I always thought was silly in the original She-Ra animation was the design of Force Captain Adora. For someone living as the 'daughter' of her kidnapper Hordak and acting as a leader for a squad of Horde Troopers, she sure did look pretty and nice. The DC Masters of the Universe comics changed this up in a 2012 digital issue and portrayed her as Despara, a ruthless military leader with a frightening mask to tie appearance her to Hordak. I loved this revisionist twist. This figure is the subscription exclusive for the Collector's Choice sub and is one of the last MOTUC females we'll see before production switches to Super7 in 2017. It should be interesting to what the future holds for this line. Let's check out Despara below!