Jurassic Park - DR. ELLIE SATTLER!

Jurassic Park - Amber Collection 6" Series - Dr. Ellie Sattler - Mattel 2021

I'm probably alone in this, but my favorite scene from Jurassic Park is when Doctor Ellie Sattler (played by the amazing Laura Dern) is driving into the park for the first time and is distracted by the prehistoric foliage.  The way she reaches out of the moving jeep and grabs a low hanging leaf just reminds me of something I would have done in that scenario. She gets sucked into something that interests her and shuts out the world. It's also one of those classic moments where the female character is discovering something very important and no one is listening. Oh Hollywood. When Hasbro announced the 6" Amber Collection, I immediately started getting excited for Dr. Sattler. I knew she was a shoe-in for inclusion in the line and it was just a matter of time. While none of the actor licenses in this line are particularly great, I still think this is a very fun toy of a very iconic character. I wonder how her Holdo figure scales with this for a potential face-swap. Let's check out Dr. Ellie Sattler below!

Marvel Legends - NEBULA (HEIST)!

Marvel Legends What If...? (The Watcher Series) - Heist Nebula - Hasbro 2021

If you haven't watched What If...? on Disney+ yet, I highly suggest you do. I was a fan of the comics when I was a kid, both the first run from 1977-84 and series two from 1988-98. I always thought it was amazing how many of the "preposterous" storylines were eventually became canon years later. (My favorite being "What if Jane Foster had found the Hammer of Thor?" from issue #10 (1978).. which we saw come to fruition in a spectacular way 34 years later). Like the comics, each episode of What If...? features a standalone story focusing on how events would unfold if a key event would have happened differently. This Nebula figure is from the second episode "What if... T'Challa became a Starlord?" I'll be honest, after seeing the episode, I'm surprised she warranted an action figure. She wasn't a focal character, and T'Challa got a figure.. so two figures from a single 30 minute episode seems odd, but I'm not complaining, because I love Nebula and this is a fun interpretation of her look. Let's check her out below!

The Eternals - SPRITE!

Marvel Legends - The Eternals (Gilgamesh Wave) - Sprite  - Hasbro 2021

I honestly expected to hate this figure. The first promotional photos for the Eternals movie made Sprite look like a CGI disaster. The face looked distractingly odd. I assumed they were trying to make the actor look a little more elfin and otherworldly, or maybe just setting the CGI expectations for an eternally 11-year-old character (whose actor would unfortunately age significantly between films and require digital editing in the future). But my fears were lifted when I got this great figure and then seeing the film and realizing that she looks completely normal. The film version of Sprite wasn't nearly as mischievous and troublemaking as I was led to believe she would be. But she was still a very interesting character with a lot of nuance and frustration. This Marvel Legends figure is interesting because I think she is the youngest character ever depicted in the line. I would love to compare her to other young-ish characters like Jubilee, but all my toys are currently packed away for a move. Let's check out Sprite below!

The Eternals - THENA!

Marvel Legends - The Eternals - Thena (Target Exclusive) - Hasbro 2021

I was always wondering when Angelina Jolie would make an appearance in the MCU. I always pay attention when certain actors take on toyetic movie and TV roles. No actress beats Helena Bonham Carter for the most character toys produced, but I always pay attention to those on the cusp of being heavy hitters. With Tomb Raider and Maleficent toys in abundance, plus animated figures from Kung-Fu Panda and Shark Tale, Angelina has some decent momentum. I think her acting style lends nicely to the regal nature of The Eternals and I was happy to learn when she was cast. What surprised me was how active her role was. As a sort-of embodiment of the mythological Athena, she had the most choreographed, weapon-heavy battle sequences. When I saw this toy with her royal appearance and seemingly ceremonial-looking staff, I wrongly assumed she would be a political character, giving directives or prophecies from afar. Seeing her as one of the strongest and most violent Eternal was a shock.

The Eternals - SERSI!

Marvel Legends - The Eternals (Gilgamesh Wave) - Sersi  - Hasbro 2021

With her role as Sersi in Eternals, Gemma Chan joins the the exclusive list of actors who have played multiple roles in the MCU. Gemma played Minn-Erva in 2019's Captain Marvel which is unique because most of the dual-role actors were not playing two costumed characters. One of my guilty pleasure movies is Crazy Rich Asians and her role as Astrid made me a fan right away, so I'm excited to see her in anything. Sersi is also a unique character because she is one of the few modern female Eternals who has always been female. Makkari, Sprite, and Ajak were all introduced as male in the comics. But Sersi has always been a green-clad female with jet-black hair from the beginning. I think it's fair to say that she is the most interesting Eternal in the movie. She has the most backstory, the most character development, and the best overall story arc. I don't know what the future holds for her in the MCU, or any of the Eternals for that matter, but I'm eagerly awaiting more Sersi. Let's check her out below!

The Eternals - MAKKARI!

Marvel Legends - The Eternals (Gilgamesh Wave) - Makkari  - Hasbro 2021

I'm learning so much about the Eternals this week. As a property that I've always been aware of, but never paid much attention to, I suddenly find myself full of regret for overlooking these characters. When looking over the Marvel Legends figures released for the movie, Makkari pops out as an instant favorite of mine. Her face sculpt is partly adorable and partly mischievous. And her red color palette really striking when lined up with the others. In reading about the character, I gather that she has only very recently been portrayed as female in the comics (mainly laying the groundwork for the movie I presume). Ajak, Sprite, and Makkari were all had gender swaps. Most of the Eternals seem to have names that are slight variations of well known gods. Makkari is a speedster, and eludes phonetically to Mercury. I love this nuance, as if the ancient Romans were just pronouncing her name wrong. After seeing the movie, I still maintain that she is one of my favorites. Let's check out Makkari below!

The Eternals - AJAK!

Marvel Legends - The Eternals -  Ajak (Walmart Exclusive) - Hasbro 2021

I'm seeing the Eternals movie in about 16 hours and I'm very excited. Of all MCU movies, or any comic-related movies in general for that matter, this is the one I've known the least about ahead of time. I've always been aware of The Eternals in comics, and I've always been a fan of Jack Kirby, but I've just never read any of the comics. But I find the trailers and toys very intriguing. Plus the gender, race, and age diversity among the main cast is very impressive. In researching the toys, I've learned that several characters, including Ajak, are being portrayed as female for the first time. In fact, it seems a lot of liberties have been taken with this movie, so in that case I'm grateful that it's all new material to me. Despite the various groanings from the fandom, I think this figure is gorgeous. The likeness to Salma Hayek is great and her costume looks like a fantastic combination of stately, maternal, and otherworldly. I can't wait to see how she is portrayed on screen. Let's check out Ajak below!

Age of Apocalypse - SHADOWCAT!

Marvel Legends - Colossus BaF - Kitty Pryde (Age of Apocalypse) - Hasbro 2021

Kitty Pryde is one of those characters who has had a million different looks over the years. She is also one of those characters who plays crucial roles in many of the most iconic X-Men storylines. That means there a ton of different versions of Kitty and not one single iconic look to expect in toy form. I think the most iconic would probably be her Excalibur look (which we should all have in Legends form soon!), but for the most part, every Kitty figure we get will probably just be representing one of her many flash-in-the-pan iterations. I had never seen this Age of Apocalypse Shadowcat design before this figure. I was on an extended hiatus from superhero comics during most of the 90's and never backtracked. This version is very different from other versions we've seen. She appears significantly older, has short light-colored hair, and she has a ferocity that is a stark contrast from her typically gentle nature. Her claws and gritted teeth only add to the distinction and I think she looks great. Let's her out below!