Friday, February 27, 2015

What About This Figure?

I feel conflicted reporting this news, but it is about a playscale figure and it falls in with the Black History theme. The character though is someone I find distasteful so part of me wants to ignore it. Sigh. Drums fingers. Sigh again. Okay, I'll share.

Storm Collectibles has created a 1:6 scale Mike Tyson figure. Alter-Ego Comics and BigBadToyStore have the figure available for pre-order. What is the pre-order cost? $239.99 at both sites. Gulp. Yes, I typed $239.99.

You may remember that Storm Collectibles produced a stunning Dennis Rodman. The Tyson figure looks as well-crafted as the Rodman one. Were I wealthier than I am now, I would consider these figures quasi-art pieces. I wave aside the cost though and ask, why him? Can people really forget what he did

I am amazed that anyone would create a figure of him, that anyone would want a figure of him. Then again, someone might just want a boxer-built action figure. Shrug. I don't get it. Anyone else flummoxed?


Storm Collectibles
Storm Collectibles

Monday, February 23, 2015

Valentine's Day Quiz Key

Here are the answers to the Valentine's Day quiz:

Love Dove 1Love Dove 2
1AlysacAlejandro
2BarbiegBlaine
3BarbiebbKen
4BarbiellRiver
5BillywwTyson
6BuffyeAngel
7CaranCurtis
8CatwomanfBatman
9CharicerDominic
10ChelseawHudson
11ChristiehBrad
12ChristieooSteven
13GabriellavvTroy
14GisellezJustin
15GraceoDarren
16Happy DddLiam
17HattieuHal
18JaiqqSutton
19JanayyJordan
20JanayaaKeith
21JanayttTariq
22JemjjRio
23JennyxJeff
24JerricakkRio
25KelsiemmRyan (HSM)
26KenyassT.J.
27Kiyoni BrownuuTre
28LindseymCraig
29LoveaAdam
30Lupita FernandeztGiovanni
31MadisonrrSutton
32Martha JonesqDoctor Who
33MelindaffMichael
34MiaggMiguel
35MidgebAlan
36MidgedAllan
37Miley StewarthhOliver
38NikkippSteven
39NoleeiBryant
40Poppy ParkerlChip
41Princess LeiavHan Solo
42Roberta PardopDiego
43SharpayxxZeke
44SindyiiPaul
45SkipperccKevin
46SkippernnScott
47TammyjBud
48TaylorkChad
49Tracy TurnbladeeLink Larkin
50Tuesday TaylorsEric

Chinese New Year: Mattel's Festivals of the World Barbie, Part 2

Festivals of the World: Chinese New Year Barbie
 
Chinese New Year Barbie's butterfly earrings

Chinese New Year Barbie's bracelet

Chinese New Year Barbie's dress, back view

Chinese New Year Barbie's dress side









Chinese New Year Barbie's shoes

Chinese New Year Barbie's shoes, side view

Friday, February 20, 2015

Valentine's Day Quiz

[No]Angelus and T.J. send a late but sincere wish that you all had a happy Valentine's Day!



They are sharing a Valentine's quiz of playscale couples for you to match - Love Dove 1 to Love Dove 2. Sure, everyone will likely connect 2. Barbie to bb. Ken, but what about the other 49 couples? [No]Angelus and T.J. will share the key to the correct pairings early next week.








LoveDove1
LoveDove2
1
Alysa
a
Adam
2
Barbie
b
Alan
3
Barbie
c
Alejandro
4
Barbie
d
Allan
5
Billy
e
Angel
6
Buffy
f
Batman
7
Cara
g
Blaine
8
Catwoman
h
Brad
9
Charice
i
Bryant
10
Chelsea
j
Bud
11
Christie
k
Chad
12
Christie
l
Chip
13
Gabriella
m
Craig
14
Giselle
n
Curtis
15
Grace
o
Darren
16
Happy D
p
Diego
17
Hattie
q
Doctor Who
18
Jai
r
Dominic
19
Janay
s
Eric
20
Janay
t
Giovanni
21
Janay
u
Hal
22
Jem
v
Han Solo
23
Jenny
w
Hudson
24
Jerrica
x
Jeff
25
Kelsie
y
Jordan
26
Kenya
z
Justin
27
Kiyoni Brown
aa
Keith
28
Lindsey
bb
Ken
29
Love
cc
Kevin
30
Lupita
dd
Liam
31
Madison
ee
Link Larkin
32
Martha Jones
ff
Michael
33
Melinda
gg
Miguel
34
Mia
hh
Oliver
35
Midge
ii
Paul
36
Midge
jj
Rio
37
Miley Stewart
kk
Rio
38
Nikki
ll
River
39
Nolee
mm
Ryan
40
Poppy Parker
nn
Scott
41
Princess Leia
oo
Steven
42
Roberta
pp
Steven
43
Sharpay
qq
Sutton
44
Sindy
rr
Sutton
45
Skipper
ss
T.J.
46
Skipper
tt
Tariq
47
Tammy
uu
Tre
48
Taylor
vv
Troy
49
Tracy Turnblad
ww
Tyson
50
Tuesday Taylor
xx
Zeke




Anyone recognize all 50 pairs?

Friday, February 13, 2015

Chinese New Year: Mattel's Festivals of the World Barbie

Once, this doll was in the "To Go" pile. Then I noticed her butterfly earrings and thought: oh, no, those are just precious. I cannot sell them. (Me who has not worn jewelry since the 1980s.) Then I noticed the equally pretty butterfly hair ornament and that the doll's face was well-drawn. No oversized, watery eyes like some of the 1990s dolls. Oh, heck, she's staying. And so the "To Go" pile loses a box. Shrug. Better now than later.


Anyway, since she is staying and mirabile dictu, relevant to a theme for this month, I thought I would share a few photos of her here. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to get her butterfly earrings just so. The February theme she represents? Why the Chinese New Year!













She's a little early, yes. But I needed a bit of brightness and luck today.



Thursday, February 12, 2015

Computer Virus - Need to Use Secure Computer

Multiple viruses have attacked my home computer. I will return when I can use it safely.

Below is a peep of my SECOND bag of stuff to go.

Monday, February 9, 2015

A Black List: Mattel's Black Fashion Dolls, First Draft

I want 2015 to be a banner year for PhillyCollector and my collecting life. In addition to getting organized, I want to write posts I considered but never made time to complete. Behold, the first draft of my list of Mattel playscale Black fashion dolls. Yes, I am going there finally.

This list is a "'work in progress." I realize that while I have written heritage month doll and action figure lists, I have NOT done any such lists for Black dolls. At first, I didn't think there was a need for this list because surely Mattel produced enough Black dolls for any interested person to find one or more. I would be counting forever. Was that true?

I started with Black Mattel dolls I owned. Then, I got some online help from a Wikipedia article, but I've added some figures not listed there. Lastly, I separated my list into four categories:
  1. Gate-crasher Colored Francie
  2. Black Barbie, Her Black Family and Friends
  3. Barbie's Black Friends and Other Barbie-scale Black Dolls 
  4. Barbie-scale Black Celebrities

Why these categories? Shrug. The groupings make sense to me. I consider "Colored" Francie as separate and distinct from all other Mattel Black dolls. She is Mattel's first Black fashion doll.* "Colored" is a historically legitimate adjective: yes, it is no longer popular. But that is how the doll was named during her production run. Then we have Black Barbie and her Black family and friends. Response to Black Barbie is almost 180 degree different to that of "Colored" Francie. Then there are Barbie's Black friends - the default Barbie's Black friends. Hmmm ... and we cannot forget Barbie-scale Black celebrities ....

Anyway, here is the list I offer. Please let me know if I have missed any dolls and which. I thank you in advance for joining me in this research. I need to check all dates, too.

 

Gate-crasher Colored Francie

The first Black doll in the Barbie line
 

Black Barbie, Her Black Family and Friends 


Barbie 1980 – Present

Skipper 1987-?

Francie 1997-Present

Kelly/Chelsea ?

Ken 1981-Present
Tommy 1997 - present

Alan Sherwood (Happy Family) 2002-?

Midge Hadley Sherwood (Happy Family) 2002-?

Ryan Sherwood (Happy Family) 2002-?

Nicole "Nikki" Sherwood (Happy Family) 2003-?

Cassandra Sherwood (Happy Family) 2004-?

Grandma Hadley (Happy Family) 2004-?

Grandpa Hadley (Happy Family) 2004-?

Barbie's Black Friends and Other Barbie-scale Black Dolls 


These dolls have no other racial identity.

Christie 1968-?

Brad 1970


Hal Happy (Happy Family) 197?


Hattie Happy (Happy Family) 197?

Hon Happy (Happy Family) 197?

Cara 1976-?

Curtis 1976-?

Carla (Tutti-sized. European release only) 1976

Louis Harris (Mattel Star Spangled Dolls; Jazz Musicians) 1976?

Mellie Harris (Mattel Star Spangled Dolls; Jazz Musicians) 1976?

DeeDee (Barbie and The Rockers band) 1986-1987

Belinda (Barbie and The Sensations band) 1988

Steven 1988-Present

Devon (Dance Club) 1989

Stacie (Jazzie friend) 1989

Shani (Shani) 1991-1994

Asha (Shani) 1991-1994

Nichelle (Shani) 1991-1994

Jamal (Shani) 1992-1994

Janet (Stacie-size) 1994-2006

Nikki (Skipper friend) 1997–2001

Keeya (Kelly/Chelsea size) 1998-?

Deidre (Kelly/Chelsea size) 1998-?

Tamika (Kelly/Chelsea size) 1999-?

Nichelle Williams Watson (Generation Girl) 1999-2001

Shawnee (Mystery Squad) 2001

Madison (My Scene) 2002

Bryant (My Scene) Bi-racial? 2003

Sutton (My Scene) Black British 2003

Jai (My Scene) 2003

Tyson (My Scene) 2003

Kiyoni Brown (Flavas) 2003-2004

Tawny (Flavas) 200?

Tre (Flavas) 2003-2004

Simone (One Modern Circle) 2003

Simone (American Idol) 2005

Desiree (Fashion Fever) 2005

Nikki (Teen Skipper-size and Barbie-size) 2006–present

Chad (High School Musical) 2008

Taylor (High School Musical) 2008

Zeke (High School Musical) 2008

Grace (So in Style) 2009– present)

Kara (So in Style) 2009–?

Trichelle (So in Style) 2009–?

Courtney (So in Style) 2009–?

Kianna (So in Style) 2009–?

Janessa (So in Style) 2009–?

Chandra (So in Style) 2010-?

Zahara (So in Style) 2010-?

Darren (So in Style) 2010-?

Julian (So in Style) 2010-?



Barbie-scale Black Celebrities


Julia (Diahann Carroll's character from the TV show) 1969-1970

MC Hammer (Rapper, Stanley Burrell. MC) 1992

Stacey Dash (Clueless; Dionne Davenport) 1997


Brandy Norwood 1999-?

Kobe Bryant (NBA SuperStars) 1999?


Scottie Pippin (NBA SuperStars) 1999

Beyoncé (Destiny's Child) 2005
Kelly Rowland (Destiny's Child) 2005


Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child) 2005

Diana Ross 2005

Raven-Symoné (That’s So Raven; Raven Baxter) 2005

Kimora Lee Simmons 2008

Zoe Saldana (Star Trek; Lt. Uhura Barbie**) 2009

Halle Berry (Bond Girl; Die Another Day Barbie**) 2010

Jennifer Beals (Ladies of the Eighties; Flashdance Barbie**) 2010

Dinah Jane Hansen (Fifth Harmony) 2014  Ms. Hansen has Polynesian and Tongan descent.

Normani Hamilton (Fifth Harmony) 2014
 

Redressed Asha and Nichelle from Mattel's Shani line
Asha and Nichelle from the Shani line


* An earlier Black playscale fashion doll is Ideal's Grown Up Tammy, 1965.

** These dolls belong under the Black Barbie category, but since the face sculpts and/or face screenings were meant to represent specific actresses, I re-assigned them to the Black Celebrity category.

Thanks for looking. Hope you recognize some of these ... and maybe can add to this list.