Quantum Mechanix Presents 1:6th Scale Captain Mal Reynolds

Any Firefly / Serenity / Castle fans reading? Next year, Quantum Mechanix is producing a sixth scale Captain Malcolm Reynolds action figure. Yes, sculptor Trevor Grove has produced a  prototype  that resembles actor Nathan Fillion. A foot tall prototype with 38 points of articulation. Molded hair, unfortunately. Wearing Mal's iconic long brown coat, brown shirt, and tan "tight" pants. (Alas, not with a Hot Toys butt, but the face looks accurate.) Even more exciting, the Malcolm Reynolds figure is the FIRST in a line of Firefly figures. For only $179.95 - before postage.

Am I pre-ordering him? Um ... no. If I were working, would I? YES! 

I enjoyed Firefly, and I like what I have read about Nathan Fillion. Not stalker-like, but I'm-glad-this-person-exists-in-my-timeline like. Usually, I buy a doll or figure because I like something about that figure; this time, part of the purchase joy will be for this actor in this role.

Where can you find this figure? Vantage Collectibles and Entertainment Earth are two places I've seen the figure listed. Entertainment Earth expects to have him March 2015 - and they are offering FREE shipping.

Joss Whedon's Firefly disc 1 showing Nathan Fillion as Captain Mal Reynolds

Then again, I should wait to see the actual figure - should I become able to afford him. Anyone else considering him?

They're Here! Christmas Sweaters from Brini!

They're Here! They're Here! Christmas Sweaters from Brini! 

You may remember that I won the "His and Hers Christmas Sweaters" giveaway distributed by doll enthusiast, storyteller, and blogger Brini. See the treats below! 

The lovely, festive gift wrap. Bright and cheering. 

Peep through to the tissue paper layer.

Ah! The sweaters themselves. Cheers!

 Who will model the sweaters? They'll be seen in an upcoming post. I think you'll be surprised.

Michelle Decorates a [Christmas] Tree

Usually, I don't do the decorative stuff. I am not pretty, and I don't make things pretty.

Now you don't have to contradict me. I yam as I yam to borrow from Popeye. I'm here by default. Yes, de fault of T.J. who's off on a snit. De fault of Naomi who is grieving the death of Joe Cocker. Somebody needed to decorate this Christmas tree. I agreed to do it. Yes, de fault of me volunteering.

Last year, Kenya decorated the white Christmas tree. She didn't like the size of the bells, but they were what she had. My turn. I'm not doing bells. Okay, I have a white Christmas tree - think theme. Okay ... snow and ice. Cold. Glittery. Sharp. Could use some brightening up, hey? Silver and gold? I considered creating silver foil balls or brown paper bag gingerbread men. Maybe even spray-painting a paper chain of gingerbread men gold. But hey, I don't do pretty so I found an easy alternative.

Flavor. What has a sharp, icy flavor? Mint. And the specific mint of the season? Peppermints.

Course I didn't have many in-scale candy canes. You know by now, I was not going to make any. But I found some peppermint discs and propped them in the tree. Voila. Mission accomplished.

The fashionistas among you might want to know what I'm wearing. Well my "tunic" is a Barbie Fashion Fever dress over Get Set Club black knit flare slacks. Sigh. I thought its icy blue color with the delicate silver trim matched the tree. Oh and, heck, I confess. I wanted to wear something pretty in case [No]Angelus appeared. It would be nice to be pretty just once. But there's no magic potion to beautify this face.

D'oh. I digressed. Merry Christmas!

Kenya's New [Hair] Do

Remember I bought a Beverly Hills Kenya doll by Kenya World? Well, here's Kenya now with her new hair style. Yes, she decided on a cut.

Back view first

Side view

Full-face shorter glory

Kenya: You might wonder why I chose to have my hair cut.  Now when so many women are donning extensions. I don't want people to wonder about my hair - is it hers by birth or hers by credit card? Cut this length, you can notice my face. My head and neck are warm in the winter. I feel more professional. I LOVE my new 'do.


What do you think?

Smartees Alert - Handle With Extreme Care

Do you have any of the Smartees fashion dolls? These are the Barbie alternatives produced between 1999-2001 whose focus was careers outside the fashion and modeling industries. Amanda the Architect, Destiny the Doctor, Emily the Entrepreneur ... yes, those dolls. If you do have them, I suggest that you handle your Smartees dolls with extreme care because they are more frail than they seem. Several of mine have had the legs break at the right hip connection.

Taylor the Teacher was the first doll whose right leg snapped off. She fell from my hand to a table. Okay, I suppose I should have been careful. The fall distance did not seem far to me. I have dropped click bend kneed Barbies from greater distances than that. Oh yes, I winced. Then Caitlin the Cook's right leg cracked when I tried to cross her leg. Oh no, I wailed. Then Amanda the Architect's right leg snapped when I was taking off her black stockings. Oh sh-t, I said. Three breaks at the same place - what are my Smartees trying to tell me?

Sigh. You can see the break in this photograph.

Smartees leg-hip break

Okay, these fashion dolls are from 13-15 years old. While the material is decent enough for a "small name brand" doll, it was not intended to last for centuries. So I and others interested in "playing with" these dolls should be careful and gentle with them. Or be prepared to find them replacement bodies.

I would rather not swap articulated bodies for the Smartees dolls because their original bodies are good quality. No leaky plastics, no sticky residue. The waist twist. The knees bend. The arms bend at the elbows - although they have no articulation at the wrist ("paddle arms"). I prefer to save my articulated bodies for dolls with limited posing ability.

Smartees Amanda and "paddle arms"

So handle your Smartees with care, but if they should break as mine have done, please remember their age. They aren't antiques or "vintage," but they are mature in doll years.

New Pinterest Board: I am NOT B@rbie

Collector Confession: when I see Fashion Royalty dolls labelled as "Barbies," I correct the error in my mind, but I would love to have a magic eraser to remove the error and a magic pen to enter the correct name. It's not a value matter - Integrity Toys' Fashion Royalty dolls have their good points. Mattel dolls have their good points. But ... they are NOT the same. Think Kleenex brand versus the generic word, tissue. Barbie is NOT the generic word for all playscale or all plastic fashion dolls. Other manufacturers deserve credit for the products they create. 

A doll enthusiast buddy, Playscale Poser, suggested I  upload photos of non-Barbie dolls I have to help others identify those dolls.

So I have decided to do my part in seeing that dolls and action figures are properly identified. 

Drumroll ... I unleash a NEW Pinterest board, I am NOT B@rbie . There, I'll post photos of other dolls and action figures. I only have about 14 pins up, but I plan on adding more. Suggestions always welcome.

Do you recognize me?

Playscale Booty Babe Dolls? Links to Adult Content

Warning: links show voluptuous female statues. Do not click if such images would offend you.


Booty Babe is a series of full-figured female resin statues created by Spencer Davis in 1998. The artist added clay to an unspecified 1/6 scale fashion doll, and some time later, voilà, Booty Babe was born. (You can read this interview about the artist and his work.) I first saw Booty Babe on doll enthusiast Roxanne's blog: the rounded Booty Babe offers an interesting contrast to the more familiar slim fashion dolls and action figures.

Recently, Mr. Davis launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of additional 1/6 scale Booty Babe dolls/statues. That campaign netted $29, 231 dollars - surpassing the goal of $15,000 - this January. Successful campaign, yes? However, I think that these art doll/statues will remain more statue than doll in spite of the scale and the rooted hair. The line breaks for articulation would probably "disrupt" the vision.

Would I buy this doll if she were produced as an articulated doll with joints at her neck, shoulders, hips, elbows, and knees? For body diversity? To have a new face? Maybe. However, her eyes are shut. Closed eyes to me means sleeping, dead, or tuning me out. My dolls can *sleep* when I am not around - wink. I don't have any uses for a dead doll. No zombie stories pending. Tuning me out - well, that seems rude. But that's me.

Here are two other opinions. A male guest reviewer discusses his enthusiasm about Booty Babe. Another reviewer has a different stance.

You might wonder if there are any buxom fashion dolls in East Philly. Yes, there are. And they make standard Barbie look small. Here are three of them: Eegee Dolly Parton, Blue Box Perfect Body action figure, and PhillyCollector regular, Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission Mai. 

Additional Reading?

Spencer Davis/Booty Babe Facebook page

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/164381455119453274/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/189291990563839238/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/189291990563839540/

December Themes and Catching Up on Past Themes

CATCH UP! 

That phrase will appear a lot this month. I want to complete viable post drafts. Get better photos up. Like this photo of Dragon Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) and Mattel Barbie Princess of the Navajo that was to have been part of my Native American doll and action figure post. I think they look great together.

Dragon Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) and Mattel Barbie Princess of the Navajo

Other topics I want to address this month:

December 17 Chanukah/Hanukkah 

December 21 December Solstice

December24 Christmas Eve

December 25 Christmas

December 26 Kwanzaa

December31 New Year's Eve


Happy December, all!

October Theme: Filipino American Representation in Playscale, Pt.2

Here are some dolls or action figures I have "borrowed" to expand a Filipino American collection. Which ones do you think "work"  for this role?

Asian/Asian American Dolls and action figures

Let's meet them, going from left to right:

Hasbro Special Response Team G. I. Joe - yes, he is an Asian American G.I. Joe.

Mattel Captain Li Shang - per the Disney Mulan story, he is Chinese. Maybe he has
Chinese Filipino background?

Jakks Pacific G.I.R.L. Force Kulture Shock Jaz - I need to find her box, but I don't think she was assigned to a specific Asian group.

Dragon New Generation Mong Kok C.I.D. "Wai" Sir- okay, he is assigned to a specific part of Hong Kong, Mong Kok, so he's Chinese or a Hong Konger.

New Desi Barbie, Kiyaa Celebrating Girlhood

Looking for a new Desi (Indian) fashion doll? Welcome Kiyaa, the newly touted Indian counterpart to Barbie, created by Hima Sailaja Theerdala. The former software engineer and present entrepreneur created Kiyaa to represent Indian looks and values. Kiyaa is a sixteen-year-old, "girl-next-door type." While the doll's height is not explicitly stated, she does look Barbie-sized in the photos I have seen of her online. Kiyaa is presently up for pre-order from the entrepreneur's new design house, Shel Studio, which also offers designer fashions for children. Price? 698 rps ... magic of xe.com translates to $11.21 USD.

Would I add a Kiyaa to my collection? Yes. Once I have thinned my present collection. I am waiting to hear if Shel Studio will ship to the U.S.A. If there were a limited issue of the dolls, I would leave them for their intended audience, Indian children. If they were religious icons, likewise. But mass produced, playscale, fashion dolls? I am in that line.

Anyone reading this post have a Kiyaa doll now or plan on getting her? Do write and share the link to your photos. I LOVE new dolls. 

Competition comes to Mattel's Indian Barbie

Glue-head Barbie Information Requested

Does anyone know if there is a list of glue-headed Barbies online? Are the dolls issued from one or more countries? Does anyone know which dolls started with this problem? Any links - including your own - smile - to blog posts or online articles about this problem.

Why do I want to know?

1. so that I can not buy those dolls

2. because I was asked about it.

Thanking you in advance for any feedback.

P.S. Does anyone have the url of the petition demanding Mattel eliminate the glue-filled heads problem. Thanks again!

October Theme: Filipino American Representation in Playscale, Pt.1

According to Wikipedia, only 1.1% of the United States population is Filipino American. Guess how many Filipino American dolls and action figures I found? Two. (Anyone with additional finds, please share those names and manufacturers. That is playscale dolls and action figures; there are likely available dolls in other scales.) That includes Mattel's 2012 Philippines Barbie. Who is that other doll? Drum roll ... High School Musical Gabriella!  Yes, actress Vanessa Hudgens has Filipino ancestry. 


Mattel

Philippines Barbie 2012

Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical Gabriella) various models. Below is the first, Barbie-sized - 11 1/2" Gabriella; later Gabriella dolls were on shorter, 10" bodies.

Mattel High School Musical Gabriella, full length

Close up of Mattel High School Musical Gabriella

Box showing actress Vanessa Hudgens

Richwell (Mattel fashion dolls sold in the Philippines)

Various Barbies, Kens, Barbie family produced for the overseas Filipino market.


You will remember that I could only find one explicitly Polish doll from Mattel. However, I could tick off Polish foods and some Polish American facts. Aside from recognizing that Pinoy is another adjective for Filipino  - and one that I would not use because it might be considered derogatory - I know little about the Philippines and the Filipino people. An Internet search uncovered a local group, the Filipino-American Association of Philadelphia, Incorporated (FAAPI). But ... this post is about Filipino American representation in playscale. Lacking explicitly labelled Filipino dolls and action figures, where can we find substitutes?



1.  We could "borrow" dolls from Mattel's Dolls of the World Asia line. Or your choice of Mattel's Kayla/Lea, Goddess, Oriental, or other head mold dolls. Mattel has non-specific "Asian" dolls that might do.

2. Find dolls based on Filipino American celebrities. Other famous Americans with Filipino ancestry include Tia Carrere,  Phoebe Cates, Mark Dacascos, Bruno Mars, Nia Peeples, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rob Schneider, and Hervé Villechaize. I do not know of any playscale dolls or action figures based on those celebrities or any roles that they played. (Although it does seem as though there should be figures of Mark Dacascos and/or Lou Diamond Phillips.)  

(Aside: more relevant to playscale doll and action figure fans Noel Cruz, master doll artist, is Filipino-American. Not that that means a doll and action figure of the artist.)
 
Next, I would offer substitutes. However, I was not able to photograph the dolls and action figures I would offer as potential "stand-ins" today so I am saving that part for tomorrow.


RELATED READINGS

Manika's Filipina Barbie Guide

Amazon review of Mattel's Philippines Barbie

Click these links for additional information about Filipinos in the United States, Vanessa Hudgens,or  Noel Cruz.

Hasbro to Produce Disney Princesses Soon

You may have heard that Hasbro will begin producing the Disney Princess line in 2016. That's right, the Frozen sisters, Elsa and Anna, will no longer be part of Mattel's stable.

CNN take

MediaPost take

Wall Street Journal take 

What I wonder is, will the current molds used by Mattel be transferred over to Hasbro? Or will Hasbro start a new doll line? New bodies, new faces? Anyone have any ideas about that?

Disney's Frozen sisters - and the entire Disney line - bid Mattel adieu

Must-See Barbie 2015 Doll Line

Down side: The Fashionistas have limited articulation

Plus side: Three Black doll characters: Nikki, Grace, and "Christie(?)"
                   Several brown-eyed dolls
                   "New" Barbie face

Photos up at

Fashiondollworld   

Kendoll  

We'll have to get the bodies from another source - if you want more varied and/or natural posing. Enjoy! 

Happy Veterans Day

Thanks to all veterans for their services to the United States of America. 

Some of the Power Team members gather to support 1:1 scale veterans.

Gathering of M&C Toys, Inc. Power Team members

Disney Snow White Rebodied Shows Marx Sindy Wardrobe

A few months ago, I got this Disney Snow White in a trade with Ms. Leo. The Philly Fashion Doll Club members were making over a Disney Snow White doll. I had not found "the right" body then. Mattel Flavas P Bo's complexion almost matched, but the funky vibe did not suit this doll's face. The Mattel Frank Sinatra Barbie body seemed too thin. Mattel High School Musical bodies were too small. Mattel My Scene My Vespa Chelsea body had too long a neck. My more substantial action figure bodies were all used with heads I wanted for those bodies. Not a single spare body. So I set Snow aside to be rebodied in the future.

Then I came across a query in the comments of The Toy Box Philosopher. What about a Liv body for a Disney doll?  


 

Snow: Behold! The Marx Sindy Wardrobe #1232 from 1978.

 D7ana: Snow, can you get in the picture with the wardrobe? Thanks.

 Snow: Sure. Here I go.

 

Snow: Howdy, folks! I'm Snow White.

 

Snow: Okay, let us open this wardrobe.

 

Snow: Aaaiieee! Scared myself.

 

Snow: The wardrobe interior. Yes, it has some yellow age spots.

 

Snow: Shelf space for hats or bags.

 

Snow: Some shoes can fit here.

 

Snow: "Snow-in-a-closet?" Ha ha. No. Three drawers.

 

Snow: Well, I'm done here.

 

Snow: Oh and the back is plastic like the rest of the wardrobe.

D7ana:  Thanks, Snow. You did a good job.

I think the Spin Master Liv body works well with this Disney face. I had ruled it out before because I thought the Liv body was too jeune fille. It has enough weight to balance the larger Disney head. What do you think?

Note:
Pullover by M&C Toys, Kari Mitchell
Skinny jeans by Jakks Pacific, Cheetah Girls
White sneakers by Mattel, Flavas

November Means Native American Heritage, Holidays and Sales!

• Native American Heritage Month
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Black Friday
• SALES, SALES, SALES!
  
  
  Above I list possible topics to be covered this month. Something new I'd like to add is a theme word for the month: abundance. And how about manufacturer of the month? Integrity Toys. Think Alysa, Jade, Janay, Candi, Adele, Lukas, and T.J. for feature posts.
  

Happy Halloween - Mattel Flavas P Bo Query

Happy Halloween!

Mattel Flavas P Bo (Street wave) is dressed as a space opera starlet. Notice the improved head-body proportion? She's on a Blue Box Toys (aka Bbi) Joanna Dark body.

Her hair is a little wild - she's mussed it, she's that frazzled. She'd like to know: does anyone recall her being designated the Hispanic Flavas character? By Mattel, on any of Mattel's literature.

She thanks you in advance for any feedback.

Halloween U.K. Style: Playscale Weeping Angel Tutorials

Psst … want a new monster for Halloween 2014? Maybe you are tired of vampires and zombies. What about the Weeping Angels? The Weeping Angels are life-sucking villains who appeared in the revamped Doctor Who. If a Weeping Angel appears, you have to keep your eyes on it because if you break eye contact, it can touch you and then feed on your life-force. Shudder. Not a creature I would like to encounter, but good for scares. Another collector had shared the first tutorial for creating playscale Weeping Angels on her Facebook page earlier this year. This seems a good time to  convert one or more of your disposable Barbie clones into these dangerous creatures.

Tutorial 1 has more photos, but I like how


Tutorial 2 suggests using the "sand" textured paint instead of the "stone" textured paint.


P.S. I will not be making any of these Weeping Angels anytime soon - and no, I'm not afraid that the playscale figures will trigger the creatures. I am terribly busy. That is the story I am sticking to. May you enjoy the tutorials and do keep a mirror opposite whatever creature you create. Just in case.

Polish American Heritage Month in Playscale

October is Polish American Heritage Month. (Among other ethnic groups, but this post is about Polish American dolls.) Time to bring out the Polish and/or Polish-American dolls. Right. Cough. I have a small problem: Mattel only produced ONE Polish Barbie.

Mattel Polish Barbie 1998

Close up of Mattel Polish Barbie 1998

Yes as in o-n-e. One. Amid the many Irish, Italian, French, and British dolls. Then again, if you had asked me about Poland before I wrote this post, I would have been hard pressed to comment about Polish America. I have eaten kielbasa and pierogi. A Polish American teacher told my class that surnames ending in "ski" or "sky" were Polish. I remember being told that there was a Polish resistance movement during World War II. Oh and we have a Polish American Cultural Center in Philadelphia! No, I have never been there, but I know it exists and where it is. More importantly, for this post, though is finding playscale Polish American dolls or action figures. Where can we find them?



1. We could "borrow" dolls from Mattel's Dolls of the World Europe line from neighboring countries like Germany, the Czech Republic, or the Russian Federation.

2. Find celebrity dolls who are Polish American. Ding, ding! A few hits!

Hot Toys
Silken Floss; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)


Mattel
Lord of the Rings Arwen (Liv Tyler)
High School Musical Troy (Zac Efron) - more than 1 version; I like the grin-faced one best


Play Along, Ltd. 
Hairspray Link Larkin (Zac Efron)


Toy Biz
Lord of the Rings Arwen (Liv Tyler)


3. Or we can find dolls or action figures from different backgrounds. Here are some figures I considered. Let me know which ones you think "work."

Mattel Scooby Doo Skipper (as Velma)

I suggest Scooby Doo Skipper (Mattel) for her fair complexion, auburn hair, and blue eyes. 

YNU Group, Inc. Mixis doll Houda

Houda? Yes, her stated ethnic mix is French/Lebanese. How about her profile? 

What about these two action figures? They are Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right). Would you use them in playscale roles for Polish Americans? Let me know in a comment. (As always, thanks for your comments.)

Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)

Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)

Additional subject reading wanted? Try this article by Matt Soniak or this article by Matt Kiebus. My favorite Polish American contributions are Häagen-Dazs frozen treats and sound in film. 

P.S. Bonus link to a Barbie-clone named Joanna produced by Polish company Krawal shown on here and here.

So Mattel's Polish Barbie need not stand alone in your Polish American display.