Marvel Legends - SPIDER-WOMAN (JULIA!)

Spider-Man Legends - Molten Man BaF Wave - Spider-Woman - Hasbro 2019

This Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman figure is one of my most-wished-for Marvel Legends. I've honestly never even read a Julia story that I enjoyed. Her real prominence was in the 1990s, and I always find that decade to be defined by dubious storytelling and art (at least where superheroes were concerned). But to me she will always be a super iconic Marvel heroine. Her costume is so cool that it even inspired Spider-Man's black suit. Marvel Legends has given us an insane amount of Spiders in the last five years, and Julia was glaringly absent (especially considering she's the second most noteworthy Spider-Lady). But the wait was worth it because this figure is perfection. She's a perfect blend of classic and modern (well, her hair is modern... thankfully). Now I need to re-assess my Spider-Man Legends wishlist... Mania, Agony, Lady Spider, Mattie Franklin, etc. I would love them all. But all the super important ones are now in my collection and i'm extremely happy about that. Let's check out Julia Carpenter below!

Marvel Legends - RESCUE!

Marvel Legends - Avengers Endgame (Hulk Build-a-Figure) - Rescue - Hasbro 2019

This Rescue Marvel Legends figure is a long time coming. Back in 2013, there was a third wave of Legends figures tied to the film Iron Man 3. It's pretty rare for a third wave of movie figures, so I wasn't totally surprised when the wave never hit the shelves. But the Pepper Potts Rescue figure that was supposed to be included was a major loss. But in 2016 we were given a fun bonus in a limited release of the figure as a Marvel Unlimited subscription exclusive. Unfortunately she didn't come with her alternate unmasked head (from the 2013 solicit), and the subscription to get her cost $100. So actually purchasing her proved difficult for the majority of collectors. But then earlier this year, Rescue finally made her MCU debut and I knew we'd be getting some awesome merchandise. It's also pretty impressive to get a Marvel Legends figure that has 100% new tooling. I've become so accustomed to seeing the same bucks over and over again that this was a welcome surprise. Let's check out Rescue below!

Beast Morphers - 12" YELLOW RANGER!

Power Rangers Beast Morphers - 12" Action Figure - Yellow Ranger - Hasbro 2019

I was nervous when word hit that Hasbro had usurped the Power Rangers license from Bandai. I don't doubt Hasbro's ability to create quality product, but I had become accustomed to the various figure lines Bandai would roll out with each new Power Rangers team. And we had only just started getting 12" figures with Dino Charge so I was afraid the torch wouldn't be carried. But sure enough, Hasbro knows the marketability of this scale with the success of their Marvel Titan Hero Series and we saw 12" Ranger and villain figures right away. My big hope now is that they show a little more commitment to the female characters than Bandai did. There aren't many marketable characters in Beast Morphers, so it will be an interesting test to see if they produce the second female, Cybervillain Roxy. So far she seems like the only one missing. Despite my feelings about the designs of the Beast Morphers Rangers (I think they look boring), I am really happy to have this 12" Yellow Ranger. I think it's a good sign of things to come.

Savage World - CHUN-LI (and VARIANT)!

Savage World - Street Fighter - Chun-Li (and Chase Variant) - Funko 2019

I'm on board for any Savage World figure Funko is willing to create. This surprises me because the "He-Man" style action figures aren't even that nostalgic for me. I never had any of the three vintage females originally produced in this barbarian style. In fact, I didn't even realized the Teela and Evil-Lyn figures existed until I was an adult. They were scarce in stores and none of my friends had them. (Sorceress, however, was actually a shelfwarmer in this random feed store my family frequented). But something about this line still has me really excited.  I think Savage World is a natural pairing with Super7's MOTU Vintage line and those figures (specifically She-Ra) won me over big time. Now I'm thrilled to see various other iconic properties get the vintage treatment. I have a wishlist a mile long, but I'm waiting for Funko to solve their QC issues and release their backlog (Cheetara!). But these Street Fighter figures don't seem to have any breakage issues, so we might be luck. Let's check out Chun-Li below!

DC Essentials - SUPERGIRL!

DC Essentials - Action Figure #16 - Supergirl - DC Collectibles 2019

I'm a relative newcomer to Supergirl fandom. When I really started diving deep into my superheroine idolatry, Supergirl was Linda Danvers. She wore a bare-midriff t-shirt, white gloves, combat boots, a hairband, and an almost nonexistent skirt that looked like a glorified belt. I wasn't a fan of the look, it was a weird blend of utilitarian and tarty. But I also felt that her personality was inconsistent. I made several honest attempts, but the character never stuck. The reboot of Supergirl in the New52 was the first time I fell in love with the Maid of Might. Then the TV show version captured me too and I realized I was likely a fan for life. When I first saw this DC Essentials figure in person I thought she looked odd. I thought her head was too narrow and her face looked too stern. But once I took her out of the package and started posing her all my hesitations went out the window. She's truly terrific. This whole line is filling me with joy. DC characters have been in desperate need of this. Let's check out Supergirl below!

DC Essentials - CHEETAH!

DC Essentials - Action Figure #15 - The Cheetah - DC Collectibles 2019

Cheetah is a character that has always intrigued me. I loved the classic Priscilla Rich version, but I'm most fascinated by the felinoid Barbara Ann Minerva version. There are a lot of similar characters in pop culture (like Marvel's Tigra and ThunderCats' Cheetara), but Cheetah just seems more dangerous and feral than the others. The unfortunate thing is that there really hasn't been a great action figure of her before now. And boy did this figure make up for her lackluster merchandising history. I can't get over how gorgeous this figure is. Everything from the subtle color gradients, to the great spot details, to the overall sculpt and articulation is perfection. I wasn't surprised to see Sam Greenwell's name on the sculpting credit, he has a knack for creating stunning female figures. I have a feeling this figure will be the beginning of an avalanche of Cheetah product in advance of the Wonder Woman '84 movie. But honestly this one will be extremely hard to beat. Let's check out the DC Essentials Cheetah below!

DC Universe Classics - MARY MARVEL!

DC Universe Classics - Wave 12 - Mary Marvel (Red Costume) - Mattel 2010

Mattel's DC Universe Classics (and its immediate predecessor DC Super-Heroes) was a game-changing line for DC fans. We finally had a product with the same far-reaching potential as Marvel Legends. And over its four-year run we saw dedication to obscure factions like the Metal Men, Doom Patrol, and New Gods. Not to mention an amazing homage to the vintage Super Powers toyline. The series brought me so much joy. However, it was not without its flaws. Specifically, the female buck was very oddly proportioned. The arms were always awkwardly short and thin. The faces always seemed to get flattened in the production process. The feet often seemed over-sized. And the shoulder, hip, and abdominal joints always looked too exposed. Despite having every single female DCUC figure in my collection, I have keep few on display. I count 37 female figures, but I only keep 8 of them out. But looking at them now with fresh eyes I definitely think several more will be gracing my shelves.. including this Mary Marvel.

Power Rangers - DINO THUNDER YELLOW RANGER!

Power Rangers Legacy Collection S5 - Dino Thunder Yellow Ranger- Bandai 2019

I'm really rather sad that the Power Rangers Legacy collection from Bandai has come to a close so quickly. In three short years, we got 10 pretty awesome female rangers in this 6" scale. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to getting some of the villains as well (which were hinted at during convention presentations). But instead I'm left wondering if the new Lightning Collection from Hasbro will ever contain any female characters and how they might look. I'm sure we will likely see one at SDCC next month, but I don't consider it a good sign that everything shown so far has been a total boys club. Dino Thunder aired in the US in 2004, which was right around the time I started seriously collecting toys as an adult. I remember being a bit disappointed because there was only one female ranger in this iteration, but I did think it was kind of cool that she represented another pterosaur like MMPR Pink (although I remember buying a toy of her back then that came with a yellow raptor.. hmm). Let's check her out below!