That Storm Barbie glimpse offered by Marvel at Essence Fest turns out to be the real deal.
The first ‘official’ images of the X-Men Barbie’s have finally hit the web with some surprising announcements correcting some previously found information which also includes a new addition to the line.
Instagramer papusilemele posted three photos to her account noting that these dolls will be a GameStop exclusive.
Scrolling through the photos, the previously known Jean Grey doll is in fact a Dark Phoenix release, the Storm which we saw at Essence Fest and the surprise inclusion of our favorite blue skinned shape-shifter Mystique.
By all accounts, it seems they will be available via GameStop from July 18th for pre-order with a retail price of US$54.99 (which translates to around $79AUD)
Will you be ordering these? Sound off in the comments!
Taking inspiration from the up-coming live action Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot, Mattel are releasing three Black Label Barbie dolls based off three of the characters within the film. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta and Robin Wright as Antiope. The first of the three to be released is Gadot’s Wonder Woman, seen first here in Australia.
While Mattel are still yet to officially reveal any images of the trio, this 2017 black label release has already begun to hit selected stores in Australia.
Thepophub.com has got your first in-hand look at this new doll but note, as I am not a de-boxer, this review will only take in-to account what can be seen without removing the doll from her plastic/cardboard prison!
Releasing as part of Barbie Loves Pop Culture series, this new doll features many similarites to that of the Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Wonder Woman barbie released last year (that was never released in Australia) with the articulated body, the dark rooted hair and Gal Gadot/Wonder Woman facial screening.
The box art is bright and colorful featuring the movies Wonder Woman logo with the outside of the plastic sheet surrounded by a printed gold lasso. The back of the box showcases a promotional photo of Gadot as Wonder Woman with a short bio of the character.
The doll features shoulder, elbow and wrist articulation along with articulation in the knees – the feet remains unknown as I did not take of the boots. One hand is molded in a clasping pose to hold her sword while the other is in a fist, so as to hold her shield. The shield itself is held by the doll via two straps that link over Wonder Woman’s arm.
Wonder Woman’s outfit remains screen accurate with the bodice made out of light plastic in the red and blue signature look with a faux leather pteruges skirt with gold imprinted details. The bodice and skirt are somewhat flimsy to the touch and I cannot confirm how these are attached to the body. The faux fur and fabric cape is quite lush and ample in size and while the official description does state there is in-fact a hood, the final product has no such addition to the cloak. This cloak is held closed by a single button and elastic loop combo with the elastic loop feeling strong and capable of holding with some decent play.
Other accessories include a gold plastic armband, silver plastic bracelets and gold plastic boots with red imprinted details and black elastic. There’is also a brown faux-leather scabbard with gold plastic hardware, gold cord lasso which appears to be non-removable, gold plastic sword with silver imprinted blade, gunmetal silver plastic shield with gold imprinted details and black elastic bands, and a clear plastic doll stand with black plastic base that is not branded in any form.
The hair is styled in loose ringlets and is held with some form of setting gel leaving parts of the hair feeling dry and ‘crunchy’.
The facial screening and mold remains stunning just as it was with last years release.
This black label release comes with a certificate of authenticity and remains an non-numbered limited edition release.
Currently available in selected stores in Australia (David Jones and GoFigureCollectables.com.au as of writing this) Wonder Woman Black Label Movie doll is scheduled for a USA release in mid April – though Mattel’s site is stating May 2017.
Also, check out the first look at the Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta black label Barbie below!
‘Zomby Gaga’ is the newest member of the Monster High Clan. Image (c) Mattel 2016
Mother Monster AKA Lady Gaga has joined forces with Mattel’s Monster High brand to create the newest member of the Monster High gang known as ‘Zomby Gaga’.
In a collaboration between Gaga, her sister Natali Germanotta and Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Zomby Gaga is the first ‘celebrity’ to join the fashion doll line and dons a tailored black suit with long flowing pink ponytail and ball of bubblegum as worn by the singer in her “born this way” video clip. An alternate outfit consisting of mesh tights and a sleeveless shirt is also included.
Speaking to InStyle Magazine, Germanotta says “For Gaga, the doll is all about inspiring “kindness, bravery, and acceptance.” Monster High has also donated to the Born This Way Organization to help support the foundations mission and is encouraging fans to pledge to spread kindness here.
Zomby Gaga is making her way to Australian shores as a BIG W online exclusive, with pre-orders opening on Tuesday October 18th via their official site. Please note that any pre-order links are not expected to go live until the day of pre-orders.
With the insanely massive San Diego Comic Con fast approaching, Mattel have been quick to reveal all of their con exclusives ranging from a Ghostbusters themed Frankie Stein Monster High doll to a deluxe Wonder Woman action doll but it’s been their reveal of an 11″ She-Ra action doll that seems to be garnering the most attention.
Relive the glamorous, commanding adventures of She-Ra®, Princess of Power with this 11” highly detailed action figure. The Most Powerful Woman in the Universe features 24 points of articulation, rooted hair, 3 iconic fashions, 2 swords, signature shield, 6 interchangeable hands, a logoed stand, a 12-page mini comic: “The Story of She-Ra”, and a beautiful keepsake box with vivid imagery from the enchanting world of Eternia! Wage epic battle with She-Ra against The Evil Horde for the honor of Grayskull!
Wonder Woman and Super Girl from Mattel’s DC Super Hero Girls Line
The eagerly awaited DC Super Hero Girls line of action figures and poseable dolls have made a surprise and sudden appearance on shelves in selected Target stores across Victoria and Sydney today catching many fans off guard as we waited to receive any news of their release. Word floating around was that we could have been waiting until as late as June this year before seeing this new line hit our stores and with the PR company dealing with press for this release for the Mattel created line not able to provide me any exact information regarding store exclusivity or in-store dates, it was a wait and see game that seems to have finally ended.
This morning, posts started popping up on Facebook showcasing Target stores across Melbourne and Sydney beginning to stock their shelves with Wonder Woman, Bumblebee and other characters from the line in their 6″ and 12″ forms.
A Vic based Target store’s display – so pretty!
Target have confirmed to me that the 6″ action figures and 12″ dolls will be available at select Target stores from today with a $19 price tag for the action figures and a not too shabby $32 tag for the dolls and suggested for customers to check and see when their local store is currently stocking the line. The release has been staggered through Target stores with some already almost sold out and some not yet out for sale to which Target Australia has put down to “unusual shipping delays” to their stores.
Retailer BigW have confirmed they will also be stocking the action figures and dolls in a few weeks time with a similar price point.
The DC Super Hero Girl line has been a massive hit in America where it was first launched in early March this year with stores stocking the line selling out faster than they could replenish the shelves and online, leaving many customers slightly frustrated about not being able to either get their hands on the whole set or buy their child their favorite hero. While the line was generally aimed at the 5-15 year old girl market with their ‘positive influence’ selling point, the 6″ and 12″ figures have been a hit with adult collectors scrambling to collect the set as well.
There is also a budget line of 12″ figures (Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl) coming soon to Target US stores that feature painted uniforms, rooted hair and less articulation than the original released figures.
Budget line “power action” Wonder Woman, Super Girl and Bat Girl!
Recently, Mattel announced a brand new play set to go along with the 6″ action figures which includes a flying mechanism, grappling hook and zip line along with themed accessories which expand the play opportunities for the iconic school setting. Currently available for pre order through Amazon US, the play set has an October 2016 release date.
Does your local Target have this line? Have you bought any yet? Sound off in the comments above!
Wonder Woman and Supergirl DC Super Heroes by Mattel
Fashion dolls and action figures that come with positive messages have become a major selling point of late and rightfully so! Companies like IAmElemental and Mattel’s Barbie have recently been introducing female empowered figures and dolls that are all about ‘being the best you’ to the very lucrative 6 to 16 year old female market and now, DC heroines including Wonder Woman and Batgirl are joining those ranks via a new line of fantastic fashion action figure dolls from Mattel.
Among the bevy of empowered and positive female figures hitting stores is the DC Super Hero Girls that will see 6 well-known DC heroines and villains from Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Harlequin and Bumblebee released as collectible action figure dolls with several points of articulation, fabric uniforms and rooted hair. They are somewhat shapely like Barbie but stand half an inch taller than the blonde bombshell.
The plan to diversify just what toys are offered to girls in toy stores is a big bold move that seems to sit well with both the kids wanting the items and the adults buying them . Mattel’s announcement of new curvier Barbie saw adult collectors snap up the shapelier dolls in the droves and with DC’s legion of fans behind them, Mattel could be sitting pretty knowing a second audience with accessible cash is eagerly awaiting these figures.
A budget or cheaper version of these figures will also be hitting stores along with smaller plastic molded versions of each character.
Hitting Target stores in the US first, word has it that here in Australia, KMart, Target and Big W will be stocking these figures and these could be hitting our shore as soon as March 31st so get your wallets ready!
Depending on the popularity of the line, further releases including Katana, Catwoman and Hawkgirl could be announced. Find out more about the DC Super Hero Girls here.
Do you have plans to collect the line? Want to see another heroine not listed released at a later date? Sound off in the comments above.
Barbie, as we know her, is about to shake things up with her iconic silhouette replaced with three brand new body types never before offered by Mattel.
In a shake-up to the brand, the new ‘fashionistas’ Barbie line features 33 brand new dolls with 4 brand new body shapes including ‘tall’, ‘curvy’, ‘petite’ and original, 30 assorted hair colours, 24 hairstyles, 22 eye colours, 14 face shapes and 7 different skin tones.
“We are excited to literally be changing the face of the brand – these new dolls represent a line that is more reflective of the world girls see around them – the variety in body type, skin tones and style allows girls to find a doll that speaks to them,” Mattel executive Evelyn Mazzocco said in a statement.
Last years ‘fashionistas’ line saw Mattel replace Barbie’s heeled feet with flat feet where 23 new dolls were offered with assorted skin tones and hairstyles.
With the creation of the new body shapes, Mattel has also noted that these new shapely dolls will have dozens of assorted fashion pieces to mix and match though clearly “one size will not fit all” with these new dolls.
The new direction comes after the recently released “made to move” line which featured brand new extensive articulation that saw Barbie literally able to bend over backwards!
The fashionistas line is now currently online for purchase and pre-order for US and Canada residents with a staggered release for the dolls for shop sales worldwide set for March 2016.
What do you think of the new move for Barbie? Sound off in the comments below!
Mattel challenging gender stereotypes with brand new Barbie advert
In a first for toy brand Mattel, a new advert for their new Moschino branded Barbie features a young boy playing with the doll, all smiles and winks with his female buddies. ‘Moschino Barbie is so fierce!’ the boy says to the camera as he holds Barbie’s purse before placing it on her arm.
Check it out below.
Sure, It’s a brave and bold move for Mattel, aiming to bring down the “boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls” stereotypes we’ve been accustomed to for generations and the move in general is a step forward in breaking down those gender stereotypes that we were all brought up with.
While watching the advert for the very first time, I applauded the introduction of a boy into the girl aimed market which acknowledges the fact that yes, there are boys who like to play with dolls too, especially in an time where more and more parents are becoming vocally against toy segregation in shops and more viral videos are popping up showing young boys embracing the Frozen phenomenon, it was great to see Mattel step up – or at least I thought…
Close but not there yet. This Moschino Barbie retailed for $150
See, then it dawned on me, this advert is for a collectible designer Barbie doll that retailed for $150 and not some jewel hair mermaid rocker Barbie that can be found in shops for $20+. The target audience for this advert isn’t children who ask their parents to buy the dolls for them but for adult collectors who bought out the limited edition of 700 within an hour (and are now re-selling on the secondary market for $400-$800!!).
This advert won’t air on television during programs aimed at the 8-14 year old market or be found in catalogs crammed into mail boxes resulting in no little boys going to find this doll and thinking…”If the boy in the ad is playing with one, then I want it!”
It’s a kind of “the thought was there but we’re not going 100% with it” moment from Mattel.
Doing a bit of research it seems other people took notice of this fact which prompted Mattel to release the following statement to BBC News.
“This video parodies iconic Barbie commercials from the 1980’s starring a young [Moschino creative director] Jeremy Scott look alike. The video celebrates how boys and girls alike play with Barbie – it’s all about self-expression, fashion, imagination and storytelling.” Mattel added that the commercial (or fauxmercial as noted by Mattel) was created by them – but with Mr Scott calling the creative shots.
So yes, let us applaud Mattel/Jeremy Scott for breaking toy based stereotypes and finally including a boy into the world of Barbie doll advertising but let’s not be blinded to the fact that this is a marketing campaign about a designer doll played with by children that was directly aimed at an adult market.
Let’s just wait and see if this is only a first move by Mattel into breaking down those boys toys vs girls toys barriers.
Oh, and by the way, the video is hosted on Moschino’s YouTube page, not Barbie’s.
Warner Brothers have just revealed the first of their big guns they plan on bringing to this years San Diego Comic Con in the form of merchandise for the up-coming Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice movie. First there was the Lego Batmobile, then a diecast Hot wheels Batmobile with rubber tyres and now, we’re being treated to some pretty awesome looking figures.
Superman Vs Batman 2 Pack
Wonder Woman in 12″ form.
A 6″ Superman and Batman double pack that feature both figures with likeness of Henry Cavil (Superman) and Batman (Ben Afleck), fabric capes and matching bases that when joined, form the movies logo will be available to SDCC goers with a retail price of $30 plus a Wonder Woman Barbie that sadly won’t be available for purchase (but will be on show) until next year with the movie’s release. The Wonder Woman doll features a brand new face sculpt, rooted hair, jointed body and outfit that resembles the one that will be featured in the upcoming Dawn of Justice movie.
In an era when girls toys were pink and feminine and boys toys were guns and trucks, this classic line of action figures tried to break the mold and aim for both target markets.
Easily one of the best and well made action figure lines of the 1980’s to hit the toy stores without the aid of an in-production cartoon series to boost sales, Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstones by Galoob was, in reality, a step up in quality to that of Mattel’s She-Ra line – yet failed miserably in comparison of sales.
With both lines aimed at the young female market, Golden Girl and She-ra were created to counteract the dominance of the girly Barbie line and offer girls a chance to play with their brothers when He-Man and Greyskull Castle were brought out to play. Both featured strong, blonde, caped women in charge, a bevvy of sidekicks and a desire to kick some evil guy butt.
But…when comparing the two lines, especially in this day and age, Golden Girl easily beats out the Princess of Power.
Golden Girl tells the tale of ‘Golden Girl’ and her gemstone guardians, whose main aim was to protect the citizens of Argonia from the evil Dragon Queen.
Each Golden Girl figure came displayed in a windowed box with stunning artwork, a reversible cape, an awesome and heavy die-cast metal shield, a weapon with belt, headdress piece and of course, a comb so you can re-set Golden Girls do’ after a nasty battle in the sandpit.
In all, there were 11 figures released in the line – Golden Girl and her cohort of do-gooders including Jade, Onyx, Rubee, Saphire, and Prince Korma while Dragon Queen brought along Moth Lady, Ogra, Vultura and Wild One.
Even a Golden Girl board game existed!
Golden Girl, guardian on the gemstones.
The figures themselves were taller than She-Ra, more body proportionate, had bendable legs and actually seemed more in-place, aesthetically, with he-man than his sister ever did. The paint aps on each figure were impressive for the market, especially that of Dragon Queen and Vultura who both featured an impressively evil face-up and made the line feel a bit more edgier. Even with the addition of a castle playset, two horses, a chariot, coloring books, board game and three series of fashions, Galoob and Golden Girl lost in the battle of female heroines and the line was sadly pulled from shelves only after a year.
What seemed to be one of Galoob and Golden Girls biggest problems was it’s lack of direction in target market when in the 80’s boys played with He-man and girls played with Barbies and there was no grey area. While it was clear She-Ra – with all her pinkness and femininity was aimed at girls, Golden Girl’s look was (as noted above) edgier and somewhat more masculine and it alienated the female market while the figures rooted hair and toy combs was passed on by the boys (you’ll remember while He-Man characters Teela and Evil-Lyn was given figures, both featured basic screenings and molded hair)
Check out the original Golden Girl announcement advert here
Before the line’s cancellation, there was talk of a second series of figures which included some amazing designs and playset concepts including Dymonda, Spidra, Turquoise, Dragon Queen’s Throne, and Centura.
The figures, which were sold for a few bucks back in the 80’s, can today, fetch well over $50 for a carded figure, more for the horse and chariot and even more for a boxed play set. For a line that was some-what confusing as to which gender it was aimed at and that lasted only a year (1984-85), it has now found itself a market with adult collectors who appreciate the grittier design of these vintage action figures.
ThePopHub.com 
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