Darker Shade of Black - Mattel's First Malibu Christie

Mattel has had its share of "regrettable" moments in doll history. By "regrettable," I mean moments when the toy buying and critiquing market responds with anger or outrage. The bottom line is selling product so that the company continues. So few companies actively seek to alienate their clients. Here are some examples we can look at:

Ken - absent penis which lack provides constant negative commentary.

"Colored" Francie - OMG! Barbie has COLORED relatives!

Growing Up Skipper - budding breasts are EVIL!

Kissing Barbie - we won't investigate what she is selling, tsk.

Earring Magic Ken - lavender vest + earrings on a male doll - not for my kids!

"Oreo" Barbie - Oreo is not JUST a cookie, Tom.

Pregnant Midge - nobody's fooled by that silver ring on her left hand, get out the stones! Add pregnant married women to the EVIL list.

BUT I have to give Mattel a hand for an act of quiet significance. Back in 1973, somebody actually paid attention to details. Somebody looked at the Mattel doll line and then looked at the world. So when the Malibu Sun Set dolls were created with suntan (light brown) complexions, Christie also got a darker complexion. Oh. Pause to allow the significance of this event to penetrate. Someone at Mattel recognized that brown Christie could become a darker shade of brown after spending a lot of time in the sun. See the original Christie and the first Malibu Christie here:

Christie: Shades of Black

Is that paying attention? Thanks mysterious somebody or some bodies at Mattel for taking the time to get that detail right and to see that Christie dolls went out suntanned, as did Barbie, Ken, Skipper, and Francie. I don't know if anyone else noticed that "getting it right" moment so if they didn't, then 36 years later, I write, THANKS!

Childhood Finds: Malibu Christie and Hasbro Guy

I found this single doll carrying case that houses two of my childhood dolls: Malibu Christie and a Hasbro action figure. Christie was one of my favorite dolls so while she has slight dust from being in that doll case for so many years, she is in pretty good condition. Likewise the Hasbro guy ... whom I bought in a baggie. His name is Captain Don America - at least, that is what I called him. (I don't recall his "real name.") As I took the photo, I thought

1. dust gets into doll cases

2. my Captain America was in the closet

I'm not saying that my Hasbro guy is gay. He's been Christie's companion for years. No, what struck me is that I had him in the closet area, along with Christie's clothes and accessories. OMG, it hit me, I have Kenified an action figure. I had relegated him to "accessory status."

I better duck the Joe fans.

Don's placement wasn't intentionally cruel or deliberate. It is a single doll case. It is Christie's case. There isn't enough room for Christie and Don to fit in that one doll slot. Don was in the closet so that he could share Christie's space. He was/is her man - after she had dated a brown fuzzhead G.I. Joe* and a Black fuzzhead G.I. Joe**.

I suppose I feel embarrassed that my action figures were demoted on entering my then largely doll world. They were drafted into "girl play." All their glory and ranking swept aside to allow them to support a child's storytelling. Rather like I did my dolls so maybe I was not so very bad to them after all.

For anyone curious, when last "played with" Christie was Chief of Police and Mayor of the Doll Kingdom. But Don became Chief of Police when Christie decided that she needed more time for her art. According to the side of the Malibu Christie box, Christie was Barbie's artistic friend.

Asides:

*the brown-haired Joe succumbed to drink.

**the Black Joe fell apart due to drug abuse. Translated: hard play involving Joe "blowing his mind" led to a breakdown of his strung body.

Hope no one is setting up a rescue mission for my action figures. I'm sure that they are happy here. Doesn't Don look happy?