Adventure Girl Headshots Wanted for Flickr Group

Guess who is moderating a Flickr Group? Me! Studio 126 created a Flickr Group focused on Adventure Girl dolls ...  Get Real Girls, Lanard I-Girls, CyGirls,  or Modern G. I. Jane figures and invited me to moderate. These girls/women don't get a lot of coverage, so I accepted. If you have photos with headshots of those dolls/action figures, contact me or him to join the Group. Please note: only headshots are wanted.

Thanks for reading. Hope to see more photos soon.

New Monster High Guy - Swim Class Holt Hyde

There is a new guy in the Monster High Swim Class line. Yes, Holt Hyde joins the Swim Class members. Blue-skinned Holt originally wore a red jacket a la Michael Jackson and black-purple striped boot cut jeans; for the Swim Class, he wears an orange flame-themed tank and long shorts.

So for Monster High fans seeking a new MH male figure, there is a 2nd Holt Hyde. Enjoy!

New So in Style Grace and Trichelle Big and Little Sister Sets

Last time, the So in Style sister sets were of Grace and Courtney playing tennis and of Kara and Kianna skating. This time we have Grace and Courtney having Hair Fun and Trichelle and Janessa adopt a pet. (Not what I would call parallel activities, but to each her own.)

So anything new about them? Aside from the much-desired articulation (yes, yes!)? Well, I think Trichelle looks a few shades darker than she was. And her eyes don't look the same to me ... perhaps because they are centered instead of to the side?

I like the poser bodies although I wish the little sisters were more articulated.

Anyone buying these dolls? I am not sure if I want these sets. (The clothes color seems garish.)

Re-Visiting Ryan Whitaker of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sergeant Ryan Whitaker is a minor character from a 2001 American animated movie called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The movie follows Doctor Aki Ross and her allies as they battle alien invaders in the year 2065. No, I have not seen the movie. Or played the video game. I bought this action figure because he was a new-to-me African American playscale figure.

(Ahem. Yes, he is a keeper because he's cute. Facepalm. Yikes, I am shallow. Still, how often do we – my fellow doll and action figure enthusiasts – find African American characters? Well, he is an African American character or he could pass as such. I do not know what his character was in the movie/video game, Final Fantasy. His good looks just are an extra bonus.)

What can I tell you about Ryan Whitaker, the action figure? First, he is a ToyFare Exclusive by Palisades Toys. So he is a limited edition item. He is 11 3/4" tall - yes, just that little bit shorter than Ken. I had considered replacing his body with that of another action figure. But his articulation makes up for that height loss - he not only bends at his elbows and his knees, but his upper thigh, upper arm, and lower arm can twist. He has a pivotal waist AND he can twist his upper torso. His arms and legs can pose akimbo - out from his body. 

His handsome face has nice details like five-o'clock shadow and slight stubbling of his partially shaved head. (The eyes are a little beady, but that is standard with many action figures. Shrug. Must be hard to get eyes just so in basic factory painting.)  And his head can tilt to either side although tilting down/forward is NOT an option. 

What would I change? Well, he's got multiple color and texture face-body parts. His head is a matte plastic while his arms and legs are another color and type of slightly shiny plastic. His torso is an even shinier material. But the greatest sorrow for me is that he lacks ankles and feet. His boot foot is his body foot. Sigh. When I wrestled one of his boots off, I noticed this problem. Sigh again. Why do action figure manufacturers do that to their figures? I know ... because they are NOT dolls.

Right, she scowls. (She being me.)

Oh, but pictures, you say. Here they go.

Any suggestions for ankle-feet repair welcome. He's still adorable, this Ryan Whitaker action figure. I just wish he had ankles and feet.

(Aside another collector also bought this figure on sale. You can read his post.)

Janay Photos on Pinterest

Debbie Behan Garrett of Black Doll Collecting wrote a post about Integrity Toys' playline Janay doll. Reading that post reminded me that I had found "new" photos of Integrity Toys' playline Janay and friends that I had pinned to my Pinterest Integrity Janay and Friends board. 

(The source for those photos, Armando Sanchez, is the founder of the Dolls of All Colors website. If anyone reading this post knows Armando Sanchez, please let me know. I sent an e-mail query through the Dolls of All Colors site that did not get a response.)

If you are on Pinterest and would like to share links of Janay or other playscale fashion dolls or action figures, let me know.

Who's That Guy? Mystery Man Doll Seen in a Frankford Avenue Window

I was walking down Frankford Avenue when I saw this playscale doll family in a store window. I was in a rush so I did not stop in to check the box. I do not recognize the manufacturer. Does anyone recognize this doll series? The male doll has a different face mold that looks like a cross of the old straight leg Ken dolls and the modern Prince Antonio doll. With very wonky eye screening. As if the person who painted the male face fell asleep for a second then woke up before the doll's head rolled completely past ...

Monster High Dance Class Five - Only at Target

They've got rhythm. Just not all together. Or maybe, not to the same tune. I am talking about Target's Exclusive Monster High Dance Class 5-Pack which includes these dolls performing different dance styles:

Rochelle Goyle, rock
Gil Webber, free style (?)
Lagoona Blue, ballet
Robecca Steam, the Robot
Operetta, swing dance


Here is how the set looks with the five dolls showing in a window box - front and back. The back of the box has the cartoon illustrations of the dolls. I would have preferred one or more photographs of the dolls posed for their dance styles.

Interesting. I understand that the Monster High dolls are "about" individuality, but I would have gathered a group under one dance style like tango for a class. Not that I mean to favor any one dance style. Uniting different dance types in a single box seems odd: if they are in a group, shouldn't they be doing the same dance style? If only for a one shot issue.

Something else I find interesting is that Robecca Steam's solo Dance Class doll does tap dancing, but in this five pack, she does the Robot.