Arkham Knight Figural Keychain - HARLEY QUINN!

Batman: Arkham Knight - Collector Series Keychains - Elephant Gun LLC 2016

These new figural keychains from Elephant Gun are going to be a fun new obsession of mine.  I knew they were on the horizon but didn't realize how nice they would be until I saw them in person at Hot Topic last week.  The detail in the sculpt and paint apps is pretty impressive. Elephant Gun has historically been known for amazingly geeky car decals.  I you want a superhero family lined up on the rear window of your minvan, Elephant Gun is the place to go. I'm especially excited about the DC Bombshells series of keychains that are already starting to trickle out. I'm not a big enough fan of the Bombshells design to splurge on a statue, but for a 3" tall little figurine I'll gladly accept them into my collection. This Harley is smaller than an Eaglemoss, but larger than Heroclix. It's an interesting size. Last year at Toy Fair NY they showed off some product in the Wonderland Toy Co booth so hopefully I'll find some new goodies on display next month. Hopefully a Catwoman and Poison Ivy in this style at the very least.

Mattel's WWE Diva - NAOMI!

WWE Basic Series 56 - Divas Naomi - Mattel 2015

I keep telling myself (and the entire world though this blog) that I'm going to stop buying these WWE ladies. I know nothing about wrestling, I've never watched the sport, and I'm honestly never going to. But something about seeing a new lady on the shelves just gets me every time. This Naomi figure snagged me because there are so few women of color in this line (plus I never found her first figure in the green outfit from years ago). This figure also has a new packaging design indicative of the new year of products (nevermind the fact that I picked her up before Christmas). Something I have learned about wrestling through these reviews is that there is a heavy emphasis on family dynasties and heritage in the WWE. Naomi's link to a dynastic line is her marriage to Jimmy Uso (aka Jonathan Fatu) who is part of the Anoa'i Family, a renowned Samoan-American wrestling family (who also claims the Rock as a member).  Not to say that she hasn't earned accolades on her own. Let's check out Naomi below!

Character Spotlight in LIVEWIRE!

A Collection of Metropolis' Most Electrifying Shock-Jock: Livewire

I've always considered Livewire the Harley Quinn of Superman's world. They're both formidable villains created by Bruce Timm for the DC Animated Universe.  Since their unassuming beginnings they've both become pretty popular in mainstream comics and video games.  Livewire has also appeared on television in Smallville and very recently in Supergirl. Harley is way more popular obviously, but Livewire has always had my attention. Just to clear up her first appearance dates: She debuted in the comic Superman Adventures #5 (March 1997) and her first television appearance was in Season 2, Episode 5 of Superman: The Animated Series ("Livewire" - September 1997).  Leslie Willis was a shock-jock hosting an outdoor concert in Metropolis during a dangerous storm.  Superman tried to get the concert to disband, but Leslie refused and was struck by lightning. Her hair turned blue, her skin turned white, and she gained crazy electrical power - irrationally blaming Superman for all of it. Revenge-based villains thrill me.

Lego Flashlight HARLEY QUINN Keychain!

DC Super Heroes LEGO Keychain LED Lite - Harley Quinn - Santoki LLC 2015

It's pretty cool how the digital age has affected the toy world. The fact that we can have a perfectly enlarged Lego minifigure is a very cool feat.  We see this pantogprahing technique used in very expensive ways with the jumbo Star Wars, He-Man, and GI Joes, but I think it's best used in fun novelty products like this Lego flashlight keychain. The first Lego keychain I bought was Catwoman who I stumbled across in a museum giftshop not knowing that she existed. This Harley however has been on my radar forever. I think I first caught wind of her over a year ago, but only first saw her last week in my local FYE record shop. I highly doubt they'll ever make a Poison Ivy flashlight, so I think my next (more realistic) wish is for a Harley Quinn or Catwoman Lego clock.  That would make for such an interesting scale display.  (I'm surprised someone hasn't posted any pictures of the Lego Wonder Woman clock/flashlight/minifigure comparison). Let's check out the Lego Harley Flashlight in detail below!

The New Batman Adventures - Bendie POISON IVY!

The New Batman Adventures - Bad Girls Boxset - Poison Ivy - NJCroce 2015

It's such a good feeling as a collector when you feel like you've completed a set.  A constant trio of characters I'm always trying to a assemble is Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy.  When these characters came together in the cartoons and comics, it was just instant magic. Their personalities blend and clash in an entertaining and addictive ways and toys of any single one of them just seem incomplete unless you can get all three. Luckily most toy companies seem to feel this way as well. Lego, Mez-Itz, Funko Pop, Imaginext, and even Polly Pockets have all made the effort to complete the group. Now NJ Croce has joined the fray with this Poison Ivy bendie.  I know Catwoman was released at the same time, but she was likely to be produced no matter what.  Ivy is almost always the odd woman out, so her inclusion in a toy line is always a reason to cheer. Although bendies are usually not on the radar of collectors, I think these figures should not be overlooked. Let's check out Poison Ivy below!

The New Batman Adventures - Bendie CATWOMAN!

The New Batman Adventures - Bad Girls Boxset - Catwoman - NJCroce 2015

I'm becoming a huge fan of these NJ Croce Bendie figures recently. The character selection is fantastic, the prices are reasonable, and the sculpts are spot-on. The only problem is that they aren't actually action figures. I've never owned any bendie figures until a few years ago so I don't know what to expect from this medium. My paranoid imagination foresees them crackling, melting, discoloring, or becoming sticky for no discernible reason. But those random anxieties have proven to be baseless. I now have 8 bendies displayed with little Kaiser doll stands and they all seem perfectly fine mingling with the action figures on my Ikea bookshelves. I'm excited to see what future characters they'll show at Toy Fair. I'm thinking that they'll probably delve into the Arkham video games series next, but secretly my biggest wish is for a companion "Good Girls" box with Batwoman, Huntress, Batgirl, etc. (The Mystery of the Batwoman design is sorely absent from all merchandising).  Let's check out the Catwoman below!

Marvel Mini-Mates - SPIDER-GWEN!

Marvel Mini-Mates - TRU Series 21 (Secret Wars) - Toys R Us Exc - DST 2015

Spider-Gwen is my favorite new character design of the past few years. I remember being on vacation in the Summer of 2014 and seeing her in an advertisement for the Edge of Spider-Verse series without any indication of who she was.  I wouldn't discover her name for another month, and by that time the whole world had taken notice. A year later I sold her first appearance (variant cover) for almost $400 on eBay. Her Marvel Legends figure was unveiled only 8 months after her first appearance. Toy nerds will know that's an almost unheard-of turnaround time. This mini-mate figure though is the first toy on the market. I have been insanely hunting her for about a month now (I'm still scarred over missing out on the Angel & Warpath TRU 2-Pack years ago).  I finally found her on New Year's Eve to my great relief. We have a bunch of great Spider-Lady Mini-mates already, so Gwen is a fantastic addition to the crew. (Now we need a Silk pronto!)  Let's check out Spider-Gwen below!

Batman v Superman - Multiverse WONDER WOMAN!

DC Comics Multiverse - 6" Batman v Superman - Wonder Woman - Mattel 2015

2016 is going to be a great year for Wonder Woman fans. The Upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie (March 25th) introduced up to the first cinematic Wonder Woman ever. And honestly she seems really really well done. Her casting, costume, and demeanor seem perfect. Of course, her presence in the trailers is minimal so there's a lot of conjecture happening here. Immediately after Christmas this year, the Batman v Superman merchandise started trickling in to my Toys R Us stores.  The first wave of products features 12", 6", and 5" Wonder Women. I certainly don't plan on being a completist because I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more figures (hopefully one with a blue hooded cape!) The detail on this figure is pretty great. There are a couple design flaws, but overall she is awesome. I'm surprised I was able to get my hands on her so soon. Maybe her newfound popularity will lead the way to a NECA Lynda Carter figure! Let's check out Dawn of Justice Wonder Woman below!