Who runs the world?! We all know the answer to that question is “girls” by now, and DC Comics’ new Superhero Girls does well to further illustrate that point.
Wouldn’t it be cool if DC Comics re-imagined their iconic female heroes as a line of high school-aged dolls aimed at promoting girl power? And, wouldn’t it also be cool if those characters looked like Disney Princesses meets Monster High? Well, it’s here! DC Comics, along with Mattel and Target, have launched said line of toys, and they are amazing!
The first wave (I’m assuming, hoping, there will be more characters added!) includes six different characters. There is a twelve-inch version and a six-inch version of each doll. The line also includes books, cartoons, and a Wonder Woman shield! How cool is that? If WW’s shield is as cool as it looks in the trailer for BvS: Dawn of Justice, everybody and their brother is going to want one!
The focus of this article is the 12-inch dolls. I think they are so well made. Beautifully crafted with beautifully painted faces. Many points of articulation. Cute accessories, like belts and bracelets. The packaging is beautiful. I don’t recognize the cartoon art versions as a known comic artist, so I’m assuming a Mattel artist did the designs, which are stellar.
The line-up is colorful and diverse. I think DC is so smart to acknowledge its female audience and provide something aimed toward them (and boys like me that like to play with them too). I think the choices they made for the dolls were very smart for varied reasons. With the past heat DC has taken for its portrayal of females . . . this is a move in the right direction.
Speaking of the line-up, let’s break it down.
Wonder Woman: Poised as leader of the pack (as she should be!), Diana is beautiful. She has black hair with blue chunky highlights. Cute blue satin pants with a stripe of stars down the side. The tiara is right and the boots are red with a white stripe. A very good design, indeed.
Harley Quinn: It’s a no-brainer to include the wildly popular Bat Villain and would be even cooler if they added The Joker. Harley is proving to be appealing in any incarnation and becoming more of an anti-hero like Deadpool than a Joker caliber criminal.
Bumble Bee: Thank God they included an African American girl in the line. She’s super cute. I was a little surprised that they would choose an inactive old Teen Titan. Surely, there are more current African American characters? Perhaps “Vixen” sends the wrong message to the age demographic.
Poison Ivy: I guess it’s not that odd that a villain is part of the Superhero Girls line. After all, Poison Ivy’s always been more of an outsider than a crook. She’s also good for an environmental awareness angle.
Supergirl: The Girl from Krypton adjusts to life on Earth and high school. That has all kinds of appeal and relate-ability to it. And, she fills the blonde quota. (Oh yes, there must be a blonde!)
Batgirl: Batgirl’s also appealing in any incarnation. This design is very cute and seems to blend the classic with the Batgirl of Burnside elements I love it.
The line has so much potential. My dream list (based on characters that have appeared on the cartoon) includes Cheetah, Catwoman, Starfire, Ms. Martian, HawkGirl, Katana, and Star Saphire. I would also love it if they would do the boys who have appeared, like Beast Boy, Flash, and Green Lantern.
The first wave is amazing. This line has so much potential. I hope it totally blows up.
When I scored my dolls at Target (Did I mention they are Target exclusive?), the cashier said she just sold 5 of them and that she had bought one for her daughter and the other cashier bought one for his daughter. I love to hear that! Pretty inspirational that parents would see these as role models for their daughters.
I think DC has a hit on their hands. These dolls are truly, truly, truly outrageous. I’d run out to Target and get them while they’re hot if I were you!!!
That’s it for this week at Wonder Woman Wednesday. As always, visit, Like, and share I Am Wonder Fan on Facebook.
