The History of Bondage on Her Hand

 

Plastic ties used to restrain the Barbie Looks Model #2 left a mark on the doll's hand. I don't think it will ever disappear.

Four-inch Wonder Woman by Spin Master

The best thing about this toy is that it's not made in China! I hope Spin Master keeps manufacturing toys not in China.

Biden My Time by Ella Fitzgerald

 

The new player

The license to manufacture toys for DC characters have been transferred to Spin Master. This has made me excited enough (though not that much) to blog about it. I might start collecting this line. The version of this company works well (but not perfectly) with my 4-inch Marvel toys. The old company's version did not.

I'm not wishing the license to manufacture toys of Marvel characters to be transferred from Hasbro. The new company will just reproduce the popular characters which I already have. There is no point in getting a new set. 

I fear that Spin Master will just replicate the same mistakes of their predecessor. One of which is the absence of female characters. There was none in the 1st wave but the 2nd wave might include Batwoman and Wonder Woman. They also just market these toys for boys. They could have included a girl in the 2-in-1 Batmobile package. They decided to just use two boys. I withheld myself from buying the Flash because his built is the same as that of Superman. I was expecting a lighter built on the speedster's body. The lack of variety in the body size is a problem.

We cannot expect Spin Master to be a game-changer. They're just a new player in the same old game.

Remainders Assembled

I made another figure based on one of the remaining MCU characters. This time it's Nebula from the Guardians of the Galaxy. Although I'm not really a fan of the GoTG series, I like Nebula. I like how she has transformed from a villain to a not villain after resolving some daddy issues. 

The three females above are customs (OOAK in the doll lingo). I used different techniques in each. Captain Marvel was just a repaint. I made Okoye by gluing different cut plastic pieces. The details on Nebula was done using clay.

The Rocket Raccoon I have is too cute. He came from a GoTG My Busy Book. I'm thinking of making a less cute custom but I don't like him that much. Another character that remained after the Thanos snap is Valkyrie. I have the same feelings for her as Rocket so I might make her or not. Maybe the upcoming Endgame movie will help me decide.

Carroll and the RoadBots

Finally, I had a chance to take (and edit) pictures of my Transformers-type toys. The Alteration Man will retain her name, Carroll. The other two will now be named Master Grey and Lancerbot.

It's been a while since I played with these toys, I forgot how to transform them. I had to search for YouTube videos. I also posting the transformation guide for the three toys. In case I loss the hard copies, I can find a backup in my blog.


Land Cruiser

Lancer Evolution VIII

RC 1100

Alteration Man Carroll

I had Transformer toys as a kid. I guess that is why I don't feel like collecting toys related to that toy line. This is my 3rd Transformer-type (by "type" I mean it doesn't belong to the official line) toy, however. I only bought it because it works with my 1:18 scale dolls. 

Google showed me that this is a copy of the Transformers Movie Deluxe Arcee toy from 2007. She's an Autobot. Good to know but I don't really care about the original character. For now, she's (yes, the Alteration Man is a she) Okoye's ride. I like the orange-purple combo going on, don't you?

A photo shoot with my other Transformer-type toys should be upcoming.

Custom 3.75-inch Okoye

There was no 3.75-inch toy released for the movie Black Panther. It was expected. I have low expectations of the 3.75 Marvel toy line these days. 

I have planned on making an Okoye figure after watching movie. It was only recently that I was able to get the base doll. 

It doesn't look like Danai Gurira, the actress who played Okoye, and the paint is sloppy but I like how it turned out so far. "So far" means I can still change it in the future. For now, I'm enjoying it.

The doll has good articulation. It easy to recreate scenes from the movies or make a totally new adventure for Okoye.

Not A Star Wars Story

I wouldn't say I'm a Star Wars fan, but I do appreciate it more these days. Yes, I've seen all the films but not all in the theater and no fan-level effort was exerted to do so. Now, I have a collection of Star Wars toys but I only bought them because they were being sold for half or a third of the original price. 

I'm still on the fence about buying other Star Wars toys, specifically the vehicles, because it's going to take a lot of space, yet I recently bought a Star Wars t-shirt.

I think the trolls have a role to play in my renewed appreciation of the franchise. When the new films became more inclusive and the cast more diverse, the trolls started to attack the movie and the actors. The trolls wanted to discredit the film but they also called attention to the films. I don't easily buy into what other people (or the trolls) are saying. I usually try to consider both sides. So, I also listened to those who praised the films, and I find them more convincing, especially those who pointed how it challenges the masculine narrative.

I'm actually looking forward to the ninth episode. I want to know how they're going to continue to challenge toxic masculinity and be more inclusive. I don't know why I don't expect the next Avengers movie to do something similar. 

3.75-inch (4, really) Captain Marvel

I decided not to watch the Captain Marvel movie because there was no 1:18 scale toy released related to that movie. I didn't want to like her a lot and then not have a toy in the size I collect. I'm familiar with the character from the cartoons so her appearance in the next Avengers movie won't be confusing for me.

The trolls actually changed my mind and made me go watch it. While women empowerment, diversity and inclusion are expected in new stories, this one surprised me (in a good way) because it reflected another social justice issue, the refugee crisis. If that's too heavy for you, don't worry. You won't notice it. I didn't. I needed someone woke to point it out.

Needless to say, I like her a lot so I decided to make myself a toy to represent her in my collection. She fits right in. I like how she turned out so I'm planning to make more underrepresented but important characters in the future.

Barbie Fashionista 81 (Wear your Heart) Petite

After over a decade of captivity by the Mattelorists, Kira, the first token Asian friend of Barbie, was released back to Playline City. People rejoiced.

She made a number of public appearances after her release:
- Barbie Pink Passport Beach Set 
- I Can be Scientist
- Fashionista 81 (Wear Your Heart) Petite
- Fashionista 62 (Sweet for Silver) Petite

I was only able to catch one of her appearances. I was happy to see her again but I felt something about her changed.

I spent some time to get to know her to find out what. I compared her to my memories because someone you love leaves memories too vivid to erase, even if memories are highly unreliable at times.

There is one thing I'm sure of. After her experience with the Mattelorist, she now views the world differently.

Barbie Dreamtopia Rainbow Cove Mermaid Doll

This just takes me somewhere different, away from the hard realities. That's privilege.



While this doll could use a makeover, there is no urgency. The possibilities always wait. For now, I'll enjoy it as it is.

Barbie Dreamtopia Sparkle Mountain Fairy Doll

I have more than enough dolls with the Goddess sculpt. I have more than enough dolls with hot pink hair. I have a lot of dolls I want to repaint and I don't have the time. The only thing going for this doll is the price and the possibilities.

Like everything is normal

Just like on the verge of getting old, you try doing things you used to do when you were younger. This time, it's not about getting old. It's your world changing into something more challenging, a world that may have changed your privileges without you knowing it, because who checks their privileges anyways? You pick a dress to relive your golden dream and put on a smile like everything is normal. For now, everyone is fooled, including you.

I'm putting together a team...

...of people with special abilities.

Fake Smile

I'm Dreaming of a Colored Christmas

I'm thankful that Mattel has made the following changes on the Barbie Fashionista line this year:

1. Less pink in everything from fashion to accessories.
2. More unnatural hair colors
3. New face molds

What I'm not thankful for is the absence of some dolls, especially dolls of color, not only in the playline Fashionista line, but also in the collector dolls. Here are just some of the dolls that didn't make it to the Philippine toy shelves.

I would have paid full retail price for those, but since I was frustrated, I decided to wait until discounts were offered on all Mattel doll I'd buy. It really makes me smile, a smile that goes deep inside, whenever I see the white dolls not being sold even if they are already discounted, especially the blonde ones.

I feel like a broken record complaining about this over and over but I will not be silenced. I might get tired and rest for a while but I will keep talking about the things that matters to me. The least I could do about the situation is to speak up. Yes, I could buy them online but what about an ordinary person who wants to give a doll to a kid and at the same time send a message that beauty comes in different colors? Collectors can handle the hassle of buying online (yes, locally it is a hassle) because it's their passion but you can't expect that from a casual buyer.

What we see in toys, is usually what we are familiar with in ordinary our lives. When some dolls are restricted from entering the Philippines, it reminds me of immigrants or refugees being restricted entry in some foreign white country. Also, the absence of these dolls in the local toy shelves reflects the Filipino notion of beauty being connected to skin color, something a lot of local parents have no shame in passing on to their kids. The best selling beauty products are still related to skin whitening.

I've been collecting dolls for about 10 years now and I've heard about the problem on the lack of ethnic diversity in dolls from the time I started collecting.  I thought this has been addressed when they released the 1st wave of the Barbie Basics line but it was short-lived. While foreign markets are satisfied with the changes, I can't say the same for the local front. I'm dreaming of doll shelves with ethnic diversity unlike the ones I used to know.

From the stockpile

It has been years since I got her. I have dressed her in numerous outfits. I have taken a lot of photos of her. The thrift shop where I got her from has closed down. I have acquired new and more expensive dolls that didn't quite give me joy as she did. She remains a favorite. 

A Road Bot and the Avengers

Chinitos

My 1st (left) and 2nd (right) World Peacekeepers dolls

I thought they share the same face mold with different hairstyle. I was even planning to make them as identical twins, hence the matching clothes. Apparently, each one is unique. I haven't seen these two together in the same store for me to compare, until yesterday.



This is probably the last (for now) World Peacekeepers doll I'll be buying, unless they have it on huge discount, (which I expect sometime next year). Redressing them is less fun as not a lot of Ken shoes fit them.



I still like the 1st one better. The second one (above) has a dated hairstyle. It's so last decade ago. The 1st one has a more timeless hairstyle although it's a bit dorky. I also like the sensual stare and pout on the first one. I just bought the second one simply because I just don't have enough chinito male dolls.