Heroines and Villainesses: A

This is a very cursory list of good girls and bad girls, some that fall in between, and others who got immortalized in plastic for whatever reason. The photos I've included are from figures in my personal collection; the photos are mine. When I can, the list will be expanded; this is just the basic first go of the As.

Heroines and Villainesses:

An Incomplete List, Including Other Characters with Action Figures

Abominatrix (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Buzz Dixon, Tom Artis, and Steve Gerber

• First appearance: Sensational She-Hulk #21, November 1990

• Super powers: yes, meta-human due to genetic research (accidental)

• Alter ego: Florence Sharples

• Action figure: no

Ace (Dr. Who tv series)

• Created by:
• Portrayed by: Sophie Aldred

• First appearance: 1987

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: none, real name Dorothy Gale McShane

• Action figure: yes, by Dapol (1988), and Character Options (2012)

Morticia Addams (The Addams Family)

• Created by: Charles Addams

• First appearance: The New Yorker, 1938

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, based on the 1992 animated series, by Playmates (1992)

Adon (Turok 2: Seeds of Evil video game)

• Created by:

• First appearance: 1998

• Super powers: ?, not human

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, by Playmates (1998)

Agent 99 (Get Smart tv series)

• Created by: Mel Brooks and Buck Henry

• Portrayed by: Barbara Feldon

• First appearance: Get Smart, 1965

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: not known

• Action figure: yes, by Exclusive Premiere (1998)

Agent Telepathy (Bronze Bombers)

• Created by: Olmec

• First appearance: 1988

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego:

• Action figure: yes, part of an all-Black G.I. Joe-style line by Olmec (1988)

Airachnid (Transformers)
• Created by:
• First appearance:

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, Transformers Prime (2012), and Beast Hunters (2013) by Hasbro 

Airazor (Transformers)

• Created by: Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio

• First appearance: 1997 (?)

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, several, from Hasbro

Alexis (High Impact Entertainment)

• Created by: Ricky Carralero

• First appearance: Double Impact (?)

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by Skybolt Toys (1998)

Ali (Princess Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic animated series)

• Created by: Saban (Japan)

• Voiced by:

• First appearance: 1995

• Super powers: yes

• Alter ego: no

• Action figure: yes, by Mattel (1995)

Alice (Resident Evil film franchise, based on the video game of the same name)
• Created by Paul W. S. Anderson
• Portrayed by Milla Jovovich

• First appearance: Resident Evil, 2002 (her character is not in the video games)
• Super powers: yes, she is/was a meta-human due to her exposure to the T-virus (a serum to block the virus took the powers away)

• Action figure: yes (sort of); Hot Toys has a 1:6 scale figure with more than 30 points of articulation and a striking resemblance to Jovovich… for a mere $165. It looks amazing, but there will not be one appearing in my collection.

Alkhema (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Roy and Dann Thomas, David Ross, and Tim Dzon

• First appearance: Avengers West Coast #90, January 1993

• Super powers: no, she’s a robot

• Alter ego: none, aka: War Toy

• Action figure: no

Princess Alura (Voltron animated series)

• Created by:

• First appearance:

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by Mattel (1984) and Trendmasters (1999)

Allura (Avatar Press)

• Created by:

• First appearance: Threshhold #1, 1998

• Super powers: yes, cyberangel

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes; by Rendition Figures (1998)

Amy A. Allen (The A-Team tv series)

• Created by: Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell

• Portrayed by: Melinda Culea

• First appearance: pilot episode (1983), first and half of season 2 only

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, The A-Team by Galoob (1984)

Amandla (Butterfly Woman)

• Created by: Yla Eason

• First appearance:

• Super powers: yes

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, the Butterfly Woman series (3 figures) by Olmec (1986)

Amy the Gorilla (Congo motion picture)

• Created by: Michael Crichton (wrote the novel)

• First appearance: 1995

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, by Kenner (1995)

Major Anya Amasova (James Bond film)

• Created by: Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum (the movie is not based on the novel of the same name)

• Portrayed by: Barbara Bach

• First appearance: The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977

• Super powers: no, KGB agent

• Alter ego: none, aka: Agent XXX

• Action figure: yes, 007 Limited Edition Collector’s Series by Exclusive Premier (1998)

Amber (Eclipse Comics)

• Created by Mark Evanier (writer) and Will Meugniot (artist)

• First appearance: DNAgents #1, 1993

• Super powers: yes, she is a meta-human due to genetic engineering

• Alter ego: none (Amber is her real name)

• Action figure: no

Amberlash (World of Warcraft video game)

• Created by: Blizzard Entertainment

• First appearance:

• Super powers: yes, demon

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, by DC Unlimited (2009)

American Dream (Marvel Comics, MC2)

• Created by Tom DeFalco (writer) and Brent Anderson (artist)

• First appearance: A-Next #4, 1999

• Super powers: no, though she is an Olympic level athlete and skilled martial artist

• Alter ego: Shannon Carter

• Action figure: yes, Marvel Comics 2, 1^st Appearances series by Toy Biz (1999)

American Maid (The Tick, animated series)

• Created by Ben Edlund

• Voiced by Kay Lenz
• First appearance: The Tick animated series, 1994

• Super powers: no, though she is an Olympic level athlete

• Alter ego: former government alias, Jeanine Smith

• Action figure: yes, The Tick Series 2, “Twist and Chop American Maid” by Bandai (1995)

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (DC Comics)

• Created by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn (writers), and Ernie Colón (artist)

• First appearance: Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 1) #298, April 1983

• Super powers: yes, magic-user

• Alter ego: Amy Winston

• Action figure: no (not yet..?)

Queen Padmé Amidala (Star Wars films)

• Created by: George Lucas

• Portrayed by: Natalie Portman

• First appearance: SW1: The Phantom Menace

• Super power: no

• Alter ego: née Padmé Naberrie

• Action figure: yes, more than one, by Hasbro (1998)

 

Anaconda (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio (not the actor)

• First appearance: Marvel Two-in-One #64, June 1980

• Super powers: yes, meta-human

• Alter ego: Blanche Sitznski

• Action figure: no

Sgt. “Pepper” Anderson (Police Woman tv series)

• Created by: Robert L. Collins

• Portrayed by: Angie Dickinson

• First appearance: 1974

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: Suzanne “Pepper” Anderson

• Action figure: yes, an action doll, by Horsman (1976)

Andromeda (DC Comics)

• Created by Tom and Mary Bierbaum, Keith Giffin and Al Gordon

• First appearance: Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #5, March 1990
• Super powers: yes, she’s a meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter ego: Laurel Gand

• Action figure: no

Andromeda Attumasen (Marvel Comics)

• Created by Peter B. Gillis, Don Perlin, and Kim DeMulder

• First appearance: Defenders #143, March 1985

• Super powers: yes, she’s a meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: no

Angela (Image Comics)

• Created by: Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane

• First appearance: Spawn #9, March 1993

• Super powers: yes, she’s an angel

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, more than one, from McFarlane Toys (first one in 1995)

(Queen) Angella (She-Ra: Princess of Power animated series)

• Created by:

•Voiced by: Erika Scheimer

• First appearance: 1985

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by Mattel (1984)

Anji (Star Trek: Insurrection motion picture)

• Created by: Michael Piller

• Portrayed by: Donna Murphy

• First appearance: 1998

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, an oversized (9”) cloth-clothed figure by Playmates (1998)

Apex (Dragon Flyz animated series)

• Created by: Anthony and John Gentile, and Savin Yeatman-Eiffel

• First appearance:

• Super powers: yes

• Alter ego: none, aka Dragonator Three

• Action figure: yes, from the DragonFlyz series by Galoob (1995)

Jane Apollo
• Created by: Marx Toy Company in response to the US/Soviet space race and the growing interest in space exploration

• First appearance: 1968

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, Astronauts series by the Marx Toy Company

Aquagirl (DC Comics)

• Created by: Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon (Morel), Jack Miller and Ramona Fradon (Selena), Bob Haney and Nick Cardy (Tula)

• First appearance: Morel, Adventure Comics #266, November 1959; Selena, World’s Finest Comics #133, May 1963; Tula, Aquaman Vol. 1 #33, May/June 1967

• Super powers: yes, all three Aquagirls are meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter egos: Lisa Morel, Selena, Tula

• Action figure: yes (unreleased, due December 2012), 3-pack with Future Static and Micron, from the Justice League Unlimited animated series by DC Unlimited (2012) available from MattyCollector.com

Arclight (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Chris Claremont and Michael Golden

• First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #210, October 1986

• Super powers: yes, meta-human

• Alter ego: Philippa Sontag

• Action figure: no

Princess Ardala (Buck Rogers tv series)

• Created by:

• Portrayed by: Pamela Hensley

• First appearance:

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century by Mego (1979), spelled on the packaging as “Ardella”

Dale Arden (King Features Syndicate)

• Created by: Alex Raymond

• First appearance: Flash Gordon comic strip, 1934

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, the first by Mego (1976), a second based on the animated series by Playmates (1996), and a third from Bif Bang Pow! (2008)

 

Warrior Nun Areala (Antarctic Press)

• Created by: Ben Dunn

• First appearance: Ninja High School #38

• Super powers: yes

• Alter ego: Shannon Masters, Sister Shannon

• Action figure: yes, by Antarctic Press (1996)

Argent (DC Comics)

• Created by: Dan Jurgens

• First appearance: Teen Titans (vol. 2) #1, October 1996

• Super powers: yes, meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter ego: Toni Monetti

• Action figure: no

Arisia Rrab, the Green Lantern of Graxos IV (DC Comics)

• Created by: Mike W. Barr, Len Wein, Joe Staton

• First appearance: Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #1, May 1981

• Super powers: yes, meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter ego: none (Arisia is her real name)

• Action figure: yes, from the Blackest Night series 3, Green Lantern Arisia by DC Direct (2010)

Miss Arrowette (DC Comics)

• Created by: Lee Elias

• First appearance: World’s Finest Comics #113, November 1960

• Super powers: none, though an Olympic-quality archer

• Alter ego: Bonnie King

• Action figure: no

Arrowette (DC Comics)

• Created by: Tom Peyer and Craig Rousseau

• First appearance: Impulse #28, August 1997

• Super powers: none, though an Olympic-quality archer

• Alter ego: Suzanne “Cissy” King-Jones, daughter of Miss Arrowette

• Action figure: no

Princess Arta (Galaxie Girl)

• Created by: Woolworth

• First appearance: 1986

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by (or for?) Woolworth (1986)

Artemis of Bana-Mighdall (DC Comics)

• Created by: William Messner-Loebs and Mike Deodato

• First appearance: Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #90, September 1994

• Super powers: yes, she’s a meta-human (though not actually human)

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, from the series Wonder Woman: Amazons and Adversaries by DC Direct (1998)

Asbestos Lady (Marvel Comics)

• Created by:

• First appearance: Human Torch Comics #27, June 1947

• Super powers: no, though she was a gifted scientist

• Alter ego: Victoria Murdock

• Action figure: no

Asp (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary

• First appearance: Captain America #310, October 1985

• Super powers: yes, meta-human

• Alter ego: Cleo Nefertiti

• Action figure: no

Astra (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and Dan Green

• First appearance: X-Men #107, October 1977

• Super powers: yes, meta-human (though not human)

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: no

Astra (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Alan Davis

• First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #366, March 1999

• Super powers: yes, meta-human

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: no

Atalanta (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys tv series)

• Created by: Steve Roberts

• Portrayed by: Corinna (or Cory) Everson

• First appearance: season 1, episode 5 1995

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, from the Hercules Mount Olympus Games series by Playmates (1997)

Athena (Battlestar Galactica tv series, 2004)
• Created by
• Portrayed by: Grace Park
• First appearance:
• Alter ego:
• Action figure: yes, by Diamond select (2009)

Jungle Marine Athena (Quake II video game)

• Created by: Activision

• First appearance: 1998

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: yes, by ReSaurus (1999)

Atom Eve (Image Comics)

• Created by: Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker

• First appearance: Invincible #1, January 2003

• Super powers: yes, meta-human due to genetic experimentation (as a fetus)

• Alter ego: Samantha Eve Wilkins

• Action figure: no

Atra, evil exile (Galaxie Girl)

• Created by: Woolworth

• First appearance: 1986

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by (or for?) Woolworth (1986)

Princess Atta (Disney/Pixar film)

• Created by: Disney/Pixar

• Voiced by: Julia Louie-Dreyfus

• First appearance: A Bug’s Life, 1998

• Super powers: no

• Alter ego: none, becomes Queen

• Action figure: yes, A Bug’s Life by Mattel (1998)

Aurora (Marvel Comics)

• Created by: Chris Claremont, John Byrne

• First appearance: X-Men (vol. 1) #120, April 1979

• Super powers: yes, meta-human

• Alter ego: Jeanne-Marie Beaubier

• Action figure: yes, 2-pack with (twin brother) Northstar, Marvel Comics Collector Edition Alpha Flight by Toy Biz (1999)

Avengelyne (Maximum Press, Image Comics)

• Created by: Rob Leifeld and Cathy Christian

• First appearance: Avengelyne #1, May 1995

• Super powers: yes, she’s an angel

• Alter ego: none

• Action figure: no

Azura, evil space pirate (Galaxie Girl)

• Created by: Woolworth

• First appearance: 1986

• Super powers:

• Alter ego: 

• Action figure: yes, by (or for?) Woolworth (1986)

Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstones

Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstones was a response by Galoob to the popularity of He-Man, aimed at girls. The line received its trademark about the same time as She-Ra (Mattel's girl-oriented He-Man spinoff), but unlike He-Man/She-Ra, Golden Girl didn't have a cartoon to help sell it. 1984/85 is when the toys issued, and the line was a pretty small one. There were only 6 "good guys" and 5 "bad guys" and of those 11 figures, only 2 token males.

I really like the look of these figures; they're edgier than the She-Ra line, a little less girlie. It's really a shame they weren't more successful than they were. Of course, being less successful, that means there's fewer available toys for collectors to find. I'm working on my own collection of them.

Who Was First?
Checking online for trademark and copyright filings, Galoob/Leisure Concepts, Inc. filed for their Golden Girl trademark on November 2, 1984 and it became active July 30, 1985. They received their copyright for Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstones December 4, 1984. It's possible that the two competing lines were in parallel development, or perhaps there was some toy espionage going on (yes, really), but for all practical purposes, She-Ra and Golden Girl were released at the same time. Mattel received its copyright for She-Ra (alternate name, She-Rah) November 20, 1984; their trademark filing date was October 23, 1984, and became active May 21, 1985. TL;DR --

She-Ra Princess of Power (Mattel)

• © received November 20, 1984
• ® active May 21, 1985

Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstones (Galoob/Leisure Concepts, Inc.)

• © received December 4, 1984
• ® active July 30, 1985

So had there been internet in 1985, Mattel could have trolled and posted First! on some message board for toy manufacturers, irritating everyone.

The Line
Galoob had action figures, fashion outfits, horses (with chariots) and a castle playset, plus there was a boardgame (Parker Brothers) and books, in addition to various other licensed products.

• Golden Girl
• Saphire
• Rubee
• Onyx
• Jade
• Prince Kroma (token male #1)
• Dragon Queen
• Moth Lady
• Vultura
• Wild One
• Ogra (token male #2)
• Olympia (Golden Girl's steed)
• Shadow (Dragon Queen's steed)
• Forest Fantasy Adventure Fashion (one for each female, nine total)
• Festival Spirit Adventure Fashion (one for each female, nine total)
• Evening Enchantment Adventure Fashion (one for each female, nine total)
• Palace of the Gems
• Dream tent (in 4 colors: red, blue, pink and black)

Where to Buy Them
Unfortunately, the best source for these figures is ebay. You might get lucky and find them at a yard sale or at a toy show, but the likeliest place is the online auction house. Why is that unfortunate? Because most sellers realize how scarce the figures are and price them accordingly. And if they're not priced high to begin with, the bidding will quickly end any hopes of finding a bargain. Don't expect to pay much less than $25 for a figure with all her accessories (shield, cape, helmet, weapon, comb) in an auction. I haven't been to a toy show in years, so I don't know how dealers are pricing them, but I would guess their prices are in line with that. (The advantage of a toy show is that you can haggle with a dealer and see the figure up close, so you know exactly what you're buying.)

Other Links & Info
10 Greatest Toylines without Cartoons, article by Rob Bricken (Sept. 16, 2008)
1985 Golden Girl by Galoob, article by Shogi (Feb. 17, 2011)
The Lair on Storm Isle, a collector's website; appears not to have been updated since 2005
Golden Girl at artist Darah Herron's site (also has info about other girl-oriented action figures)  
Ghost of the Doll, a UK site about toys from the '80s and '90s
French language Golden Girl commercial
English language Golden Girl commercial (different)


I'll add photos and more details to this when I can. 

Women in Video Games

I may be the laziest feminist in the world. I bitch and gripe and rail against what I believe to be injustice and inequality, but in the end it's all noise. Today, I put a little money where my mouth is.

No, I didn't pledge my worldly goods to NARAL or Planned Parenthood. I pledged a bit to a Kickstarter project that lately hits close to home. And to my last post, as it happens... Tropes vs. Women in Video Games is a project that will (hopefully) be produced by Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency.

I really love playing fun and innovative video games but I’m regularly disappointed in the limited ways women are represented.  This video project will explore, analyze and deconstruct some of the most common tropes and stereotypes of women in games.  This series will focus on reoccurring patterns within the gaming industry rather than singling out just the worst offenders.  I’m going to need your help to make it happen!

Even if you don't play video games, you can look no further than the action figures inspired by them to see they're aimed at male. Lara Croft, for example; Angelina Jolie plays the character in the movies -- and the fanboys drooled. The action figures tend toward bustiness and short/tight/skimpy clothing. You know, exactly the things not to wear in jungles/caves/tombs. As an example, a reviewer gave a Legends edition of the action figure 4/5, when she can only move her arms at the shoulders and pivot her feet! There's no ACTION in that action figure, and she (yes "she" -- unless the man is named Melissa, the reviewer is female) still gave it high marks because "Lara’s bangin’ bod is sculpted for your viewing pleasure, as is the sultry yet badass attitude visible on her face. She looks delicate, yet fierce." *sigh* I'll admit, the sculpt is pretty good, and true to the way the character is depicted in the games, but it's yet another barely-articulated "action" figure. Tomb Raider/Lara Croft is the perfect example of how video games depict a very skewed version of women. Indiana Jones doesn't go into jungles/caves/tombs dressed in short shorts and skinny tank tops! (Argh!)

ANYway, if you're a gamer and are interested in what Ms Sarkeesian is trying to do, consider backing her project, would you? As of this writing, she's only $1000 away from her goal of $6000.

World of Warcraft Figures

Four years ago, my husband surprised me with a subscription to World of Warcraft (Wrath of the Lich King). He'd been playing, and thought it would be something we could do together. Hello, my name is Wendy, and I'm an altoholic. I've played every class, every race, worked at all the different professions. My first toon is a Night Elf druid (Alliance). She was the first I raised to level 80. I made a friend in a bar (fine, it's an inn) in-game, and he invited me to play on his main server and join his guild on the Horde side. Because I enjoyed the class, I started another druid (Tauren), but I played her a little differently, feral instead of balance. I got her to 85 (after the Cataclysm expansion) before returning to level my first girl to 85. Blizzard Entertainment certainly has.

Like any blockbuster franchise, there's been plenty of licensed products, from t-shirts to collectible card games to action figures. My husband's class of choice is mage. On his desk in his office stands Tamuura, Draenei mage; she's gorgeous. Made by DC Unlimited (Series 3, released in 2008), she's more sculpture than action figure, which would be my complaint of all the DCU figures I've seen. They're amazing to look at, the detail is incredible, but the points of articulation and poseability of those figures suffers. However, when you consider the cost of their mini statues, an action figure with very little action is a much less expensive option ($20-ish) than the PVC statues that are basically unarticulated action figures for $70+.

Anyway. I found what appears to be a comprehensive list of all the WoW action figures on wowwiki. Unsurprisingly, there aren't many girls in that roster. And one of the most important figures in the lore, Jaina Proudmoore, has no figure of her own. Not sure who's in charge of what gets made as a figure and what doesn't, but that's just dumb.

I picked up Shandris Feathermoon on ebay, made by ToyCom in 2003. I'm happy with her over all, but there's some sculptural issues that I don't care for, like the very limited (nearly nonexistent) head mobility. She's doesn't have the same level of detail as the DCU figures would have a few years later, and honestly isn't as attractive as Tamuura. (Here's a detailed review of Shandris, complete with an unboxed photo; I agree with pretty much all he has to say.)

While it might be awesome to have the entire collection of figures (55 figs to date), I have nowhere to put them, unless we build an addition onto the house. (Which would be cool... impractical, expensive and unnecessary, but cool.) I can appreciate this guy's collection of the first 6 series from DCU (and the cases he's got it in), but it's just not an option for me. I'll concentrate on the ladies. They are:

• Shandris Feathermoon, Night Elf archer (ToyCom, series 1)
• Valeera Sanguinar, Blood Elf rogue (DCU, series 1, 2007)
• Sister Benedron, Human priest (DCU, series 3, 2008)
• Tamuura, Draenei mage (DCU, series 3, 2008)
• Amberlash, succubus demon (DCU, series 4, 2009)
• Lady Vashj, Naga sea witch - Deluxe figure ((DCU, series 4, 2009)
• Alathena Moonbreeze, Night Elf hunter (DCU, series 5, 2009)
• Sylvanas Windrunner, Forsaken queen (DCU, series 6, 2010)
• Garona Halforcen, Orc rogue (DCU, series 7, 2011)
• Confessor Dhalia, Forsaken priestess (DCU, series 8, 2011)

My issues with the series in general: light on the females (not surprising, really) in general and key females in particular; the series are rather weighted toward a few races, notably Human, Night Elf, Orc and Forsaken. There are currently 12 playable races in the game, and those 4 races I just mentioned make up 29 of the 55 (arguably 57; there's a 2-pack of Murlocs, and a Gnome comes packed with a Kobold, not counting pets/minions) figures. Of the 26 remaining, 8 are not playable races* (there's a Pandaren that will be a playable race, but not til the expansion is released). In short, the other 8 races get shortchanged, big time.

My dream wishlist for WoW female figures includes:

• Lady Jaina Proudmoore (Human)
• Aegwynn (Human)
• Queen Moira Thaurissan (Dark Iron Dwarf)
• Stormcaller Myrla (Dwarf)
  
• Queen Azshara (Naga)
• Margatha Grimtotem (Tauren)
• Aviana (Demi-God)
• Therazane (Earth Elemental)
• Greatmother Geyah (Mag'har Orc)
• Aggra (Mag'har Orc)
• Gwen Armstead (Worgen)
• Myzrael (Titan)
• Eonar (Titan)
• Vile Priestess Hexx (Troll)
• Shoni the Shilent (Gnome)
• Lilian Voss (Forsaken)
• Mylune (Dryad)
• Thisalee Crow (N'Elf)
• Lady Liadrin (B'Elf)
• Sirana Iceshriek (Harpy)
• Ishanah (Draenei)
• Boss Mida (Goblin)
• Queen Angerboda (Vyrkul)
• The Bone Witch (Vyrkul)
• Annhylde the Caller (Val'kyr)
• Ysera (Green dragon)
• Alexstraza (Red dragon)
• Sindragosa (Blue dragon, in her undead dragon form)
• Tyrygosa (Blue dragon)
• Chromie (Gnome - though actually a Bronze dragon)
• Onyxia (Black dragon)
• Subjugator Yalqiz (Shivarra - demon)

I could probably come up with more, but the game really is quite male-dominated, and notable females are scarce. And even if DCU or some other manufacturer made all those figs (let's call them $20 each for easy math), that list is $600! /faint

Getting Started

The Point of All This

While waiting for the servers to come back up from their weekly maintenance (ye gods, I hate Tuesdays), I started browsing internet shopping sites, scanning for any action figures that needed to be mine. I found two before I thought I better stop; I don't have room to display all the ones I have as it is! So to pass the time non-constructively, I started looking for various sites that dealt with female figs, and found a couple that seem to be currently unmaintained. Action Girl (AKA Sarah Dyer) compiled a kick-ass list (actually several) but the pages haven't been updated since 1999. John Fuller has a smaller list of females and non-white action figures, not updated since 2009. So I thought, if no one else is, maybe I should.

The goal of this blog is to inform and inspire grrl geeks and the boys who love us. I will write the occasional review for a figure, possibly rant at the state of women in comics, but mostly I want to maintain a record of female figures in case the two I mentioned above disappear entirely! Not entirely certain how I'm going to do that in blog format, but I do not want to take on another website at this time. So while I figure out how I'm going to manage this project, here's maybe some proof of my sincerity.

Yes, I unboxed them. Because they're toys, not an investment.
And because I wanted to play with them. :D

My Personal History with Action Figures

I started collecting figures after I ran across an article in Lee's Action Figure News & Toy Review #32 [June 1995] entitled "Deadliest of the Species: Collecting Female Figures." The writer in me cringed -- with only two genders (male/female) that should read "deadlier," but I overlooked it, mostly, and started reading. I was intrigued, and apparently so were a lot of collectors. Female figures are generally short-packed in an assortment, for a couple of main reasons. One: The line is usually built around a male hero and everyone will want to have the main hero in the assortment, so there's several of them in a case. Two: By and large, it's male children who play with action figures, and they don't want the girls. Because we have cooties or something. The end result is fewer females in an assortment, which is frustrating as a collector.

In 1995, my husband and I were young and child-free. We read comic books, went to comic book shops regularly, and that's when I encountered that issue of Lee's and started collecting. I cruised the toy stores, I went to shows, and I collected. In our small apartment, there was no place to put them, so they stayed in boxes. We we had our daughter and moved to a house in the 'burbs, they stayed in boxes, because there was still no where to put them. And while I did still pick up a few here and there after she was born, for the most part, collecting went on hold in 1997. By the end of 2000, she was diagnosed with autism, and that made me reconsider where disposable cash got spent. Only a few figures were purchased after 2000, which turned out OK, since the market was cooling considerably.

We moved again in 2010, and the finished basement finally gave me a chance to unbox my girls. O! happy, geeky day! Days, really, it took quite a while to get them unpacked and arranged on the shelves. And rearranged, and shelves moved, and rearranged again. I saved all the cards they were blistered on, and most of the tchotchkes they came with went into small zip-top bags, labeled with what figure they came from. But before I did that, I spent days photographing them in the packaging -- front and back -- using a photo table and a boom softbox strobe flash. I carefully inventoried them all, even the ones I wasn't able to display. Presently, my collection is at 307 figures. Not so many, really, there are collectors at DASH with way more than I have (but when you're collecting the boys, it's easier, eh?).

I'm far from an expert, and I haven't religiously followed the trends in figures for years, but since I'm not proclaiming to be, it's all good, right? Enjoy the ride!

My server should be back up; I have to go finish getting Loremaster of Outland now...