We've had some pretty epic new arrivals here at the 'Still Museum'. Including my very first DC Superhero Girl doll, my Alice Through the Looking Glass doll and even a water sprite. Hopefully I'll get to all of that in a future post.

I'd also like to do a round of review of all the reroots I've done. Point out some things I've learned, how I've changed my tactics between heads and what my plans are for future reroots.

I'd also like to start my sewing series. Might have to wait until I set up my sewing machine... That may take a few weeks.

Anyway, lots of cool things happening here in the Museum. I can't wait to share it all here.











Some of my fellow collectors have a love/hate relationship with eBay. For me, it has almost always been a blessing.

It has allowed me to get items that I otherwise would have never been able to get. A prime example is the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Green Lantern barbie.

These 3 arrived at the same time.

She was a SDCC exclusive long before I started collecting. If it weren't for eBay, I would never have gotten my hand on her, and not at the half-decent price that I did.

Super glad to have got her.

Check out my Flick Page for more images of my Ava Duvernay doll!

My Ava Duvernay has shipped.

So far I haven't spotted any photos of her on flickr. That will change soon!

Sent her to a service to forward her straight to Bermuda. I should have her in my hands in about a month!

 Lots more updates coming! I get my purchases in waves, because I send them to my sister and she sends them to me in bulk. I got a pretty big bag just recently... ;) Stay tuned!

If you're interested check out the cool interview with Ava about the release and wild success of her doll.
ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos
"Cuz I'm taking it
Step by Step, bit by bit."

We are officially waist deep in the holiday season. I've been playing a bit of a waiting game where dolls are concerned. I have bought my last doll for the year (Still have to make my last doll payment for a hat & dress on Etsy), which means I have entered 2016 Doll mode.

I'm drafting my new contract and completing my Wish List. As I've previously said, it is going to be a compact and inflexible one.


So it’s been a minute since I talked about those highly articulated bodies and I speculated they might be for Mattel's new DC girls line. Well, that turned out to be incorrect. The dolls revealed were much more akin to Mattel's Monster High and Ever After High lines.

At first I was a little disappointed; and if I'm being honest, I still am. Not as disappointed, though, as I would have been had I not spent the last year admiring so many beautiful Monster High dolls on Flickr.

And definitely not as disappointed if the dolls weren't so cute!



The whole DC Superhero Girls line had its coming out at New York Comic Con.


It was all very exciting, and I love what they have to say but we barely get a glance at the dolls in that video!

Thankfully, there were people there to take photos of the dolls on display, so we have IRL images of the DC girls display. These are most likely prototypes of the doll line that will eventually be released to us next year.


 First up, Wonder Woman!


Overall, I'd say I'm a fan of this design. The pants remind me of her that terrible TV costume for that failed Wonder Woman pilot a few years ago...


What an ugly costume!

Lets check the cartoon design this is based on.




It works on the doll because of the teenage vibe. I'm not a fan on the red piping on the sleeves. I always think it looks cheap when they try to achieve that finished look with just thread. Other than that my only complaint is that she has a molded lasso. I would have preferred one that is bendy, that can hold different poses. Something with a wire inside. That way you could get some play ability with it. You could wrap it around a bad guy she's trying to take down. As is, it is only good for posing her with, which is fine for me, but not so much for the kids.

Next up, Supergirl.


Kara's been getting a lot of press lately because of her upcoming TV show. I'm really excited for it. This is the more traditionally blonde version of the character. They do similar thing with Kara's sleeves as they did with Wonder Woman, but it is not as bad here because it matches the blue.


Now, for the cartoon design.




The design has a schoolgirl element to it, with the collar and skirt. I wish the skirt on the doll were pleated. That would really give it more of a schoolgirl vibe. As is, it’s cute!

Next Poison Ivy!

 

One of two villains in the main line-up. I really like her face sculpt. It has a serene quality to it that I associate with Poison Ivy. I picture her with a quiet intensity. Her passions run deep, but she has a poker face. They captured that here.


I'm not totally happy they went the cheap route with her dress.  In the cartoon images, it’s clearly a pale green dress with moss green leggings. On the doll it’s a pale green body suit and a sheer 'dress' overlay. I imagine I'm going to pose her with out the sheer part.

Or make her a dress myself.


I think they were trying to recreate the look of her having plants form her clothes, like the comic...



...But the result is a cheap looking doll. At least it still gives us the sweetheart neckline underneath we usually get from Poison Ivy.

Next in the display was Batgirl.


I'm not crazy about her cartoon design.


They are pulling from a number of influences here and what comes together is pretty good. I wish her hoodie were black. I don't think the bat ears should be purple.

It becomes more of a problem on the doll because instead of it all being 2 colours on her top (purple 7 yellow), there’s like 3 including a pattern. I don't mind Mattel adding detail to the costume for the doll. I think that's a good idea. Why, though, do sleeves and hoodie have to be a different purple from the pattern? Why does the zig-zag stitch around the front the hoodie have to be yellow? It would look so much better if matched.

I notice that the long sleeved girls have shortened sleeves. I wonder how much money that saved them.

All in all, I love her face design. Love that her mask is removable and not painted on. Love her chosen hair colour. Her boots look cool. Above gripes aside, she's a good-looking doll.

Next, Bumblebee.


Despite being the character I am least familiar with in this line up, Bumble Bee has a great design and its is my favourite of the bunch. I honestly have no complaints with her outfit. 


It feels fresh, but appropriately detailed for a tech-girl. 

She's supposed to have long sleeves, but since they are clearly not doing that, I won't complain again.

I'm not that familiar with her comic book design. I'm mostly familiar with her Teen Titans design.

It is a little retro, which is cool, but I like the new design better. It has the bee colours, but with more a focus on structure and shapes, which reflects how a tech-hero might dress herself.

Lastly, there's Harley Quinn.


I'm a fan of this design. It gives me everything I want from Harley, while including elements from her more recent outfits. I have 2 minor gripes. I wish they did reverse red and black shoes and her mallet's arm was black.


Her design includes red and black tights. On the doll her legs are cast in red and black. I won't include this in my gripes, but this seriously cuts into her redressing possibilities. I really wish they hadn't done this, but... *sigh* It is what it is.

Overall, I'm really happy with this line! Its a great debut line. I'm really excited for the future. I hope it takes off. There needs to be more superhero merchandise for girls. I hope the success of this line breeds more superhero dolls and merchandise. 
The night is still young (How dare we sit quietly)
The night is still young (And watch the world pass us by)
The night is still young (How dare we sit quietly)
So are we

"The Night is Still Young" by Nicki Minaj


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I collect dolls. Mostly, Pop Culture dolls. Dolls based on films, shows, famous people, etc. This serves as a collecting blog companion to my main one, The Critical Artist. I post here - when I post at all - on Wednesdays & Sundays.

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