Barbie Creatable World dc-725

Being unboxed today is doll dc-725 from the Barbie Creatable World line. This line features a new body design and is marketed as something that is slightly more customizable than the standard Barbies as, in addition to different outfits, it comes with two alternate hairstyles. A short default haircut and a long wig. The dolls sell between $30-$40CDN.

The dolls have also received quite a bit of publicity due to being of indeterminate gender, meaning that kids can decide if they want their doll to be a male or female character (or neither). Some people have called this the non-binary Barbie, but based on the height difference between this doll and standard Barbies, it seems more like a pre-pubescent one. Either way, if you’re looking for a Barbie-line doll without the exaggerated chest or Barbie or Ken, this fills that gap.

Happy Holidays!

I can’t believe we’re already at the end of December! I’d had great plans for at least five other posts this year (reviews of two Barbie releases, a modern versus vintage Cabbage Patch doll post, a vintage Star Wars post, and a travel-related tourist dolls of Vietnam and Cambodia post). But I suppose they’ll all have to wait for 2020!

If you’re celebrating Christmas this week, I hope it’s a happy one! 🎄
And if I don’t post again until January, Happy New Year! 🥳

The Fresh Dolls Mia from Positively Perfect

I vaguely remember reading some reviews of the Fresh Dolls line back in 2017.  While I did think about picking one up, since I was on a semi-hiatus when it came to toy collecting at the time, I never got around to it.  Fast forward two years, and while checking out the toy selection at Dollarama (the Canadian discount chain), I noticed three different Fresh Dolls on the shelf.  Remembering my earlier interest, I picked one up.

The Fresh Dolls line are a fashion doll (11.5"/29.5cm) brand within the World of EPI umbrella who previously brought us the Positively Perfect line of 14.5" (37cm) soft-bodied dolls for toddlers. The Fresh Dolls line consists of seven jointed fashion dolls, each of which is differentiated by their unique outfits (a range of formal to casual) skin colour (a range from medium to dark that's described on the official website as "deep mocha, caramel, latte, and even blended") and hair colour/texture (smooth to curly, long to short, and blonde to black).  There has since been a release called The Fresh Squad, which consisted of three male dolls, also fashion doll size.

The particular doll that I picked up ("Mia") has curly hair, medium-dark skin, and wears a patterned jumpsuit and faux-leather jacket.  This doll is one of the basic releases and originally retailed for $10.99USD, but the Dollarama price was $4.00CDN. The deluxe releases originally retailed for $17.99USD.

Let's take a closer look!

Funko POP Constantine DC Super Heroes 255 (Free Comic Book Day Edition)

If you've read my posts for a while, you'll know that I'm an avid collector of all things Hellblazer.  So when Hellblazer main character John Constantine started showing up in both the TV series Legends of Tomorrow and in the DC Animated Universe, I naturally readied myself for a stream of new merchandise.  And while there's certainly been some (as my archives can attest), there hadn't been a Funko figure until just a couple of months ago.

It was much to my irritation that the figure ended up being released as a limited run edition of 20,000 (sold in comic shops on Free Comic Book Day, 4 May, 2019), because while I'm happy with my one Pop of Constantine, with a minor paint job, the design would also be perfect as Pete Wisdom (a Marvel Comics character with a similar style but with black hair and coat).  And while I'd be happy to customize a regular release, the idea of paying extra for a limited run figure just to turn it into something else just isn't something I'm comfortable doing.

But either way, let's take a look at this one!

Barbie Fashionista #121: blue dress & prosthetic leg

As promised in my post about Fashionista #133 (the new release with the wheelchair) weekend before last, today I'm unboxing Barbie Fashionista #121.

Fashionista 121 is distinguished from the rest of the line by her prosthetic left leg.  Unlike 133, who came on a multi-jointed body, this doll has the standard five points of articulation that most of the Fashionistas have by default, however there is some rotational movement to the hip on the left leg that we don't see in the standard bodies (or on the right leg of this doll).  Some dolls in this line are noted by being shorter, taller, or chubbier, but (leg aside) this particular model is on the standard height/size body.

This doll is in a medium skin tone and has long brown hair and green painted eyes.  Her accessories include a sleeveless sweatshirt dress, hoop earrings and white flat shoes.  Her prosthesis is an above-knee one, and seems to be sculpted to resemble one with a microprocessor-type knee. I'm mildly surprised that they went with an above-knee style, since below-knee amputations are so much more common, but either way it's an interesting design.

Let's take a closer look!

Barbie Fashionista 133 & her blue wheelchair

Earlier this year I saw the announcement that the Barbie Fashionista line would be adding three dolls featuring visible disabilities: Two in wheelchairs (both in the same outfit, but one white with her blonde hair down and one black with her shorter hair up) and one with a prosthetic leg (in a medium skin tone and a different outfit). As someone who specifically looks for disability representation in children's/playline toys, I knew I'd be bringing at least a couple of these home. Today I'm opening up #133, one of the wheelchair-using dolls.

This doll is currently retailing for just under $15CDN online and locally. And while that is higher than the average price for most dolls in the Fashionista line (which usually retail for $10-$12CDN), considering the size and detail of the wheelchair and the fact that this doll comes on a much more elaborately articulated body, I was impressed that she isn't being sold at double the price.  Considering the additional cost of Monster High's wheelchair-included doll, and the extra cost of wheelchair accessories for American Girl type dolls, I was pleased to see that this doll will be affordable for a wide range of families.

Now let's take a closer look!

Retro Week: Fraggle Rock Doozer Wind-Up Toys

I noticed the existence of Fraggle Rock Funko Pop figures while watching one of YouTuber Lawn Gnome's Funko review videos.  My first thought was that I should try and pick one (or two, or more) up. But then I remembered that as children, my sister and I had several of the plush Fraggles and the plastic Doozers that were released in the early '80s during the tv series' original run. And because of that I realized that there were probably old Fraggle toys still living in my mother's basement.  And indeed I found some!

In 1983 Tomy released a series of four wind-up Doozer figures, of which I had two.  Each one had slight variations in their hair and features (and helmet colours), and each came with a removable tool belt. Apparently most of the figures that show up on the second hand market are missing those belts. Luckily enough both seem to be complete with their accessories and in complete working condition.  So let's take a closer look!