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SDCC, Monster High Style
It's SDCC time again which means Monster High has a thing and it's a thing and mostly I'm trying to avoid looking directly at the sun that is Webarella because unless I win one in a contest or something, I have next to no hope of owning her and it is making me a very, very sad panda.
I mention this not for sympathy but so that you can understand my mindset when looking at the MH stuff that's appeared online. I feel weird like there should be a more central location of information but SDCC's MH stuff has always been a bit scattershot as it happens because, duh, it's a Con. The Con for a lot of people. Perhaps afterwards we'll get a flood of different angles or something. I don't know.
Until then, let's get on with the show.
Not from SDCC, but we'll begin here anyway. Additions to the Swim Line that will apparently be exclusive to Justice, or at least Frankie will. The other two don't seem to say so.
Rochelle and Holt
I think Rochelle is adorable and I need her in my life now. NOW.
Holt is Holt and I would like two, please. One for me, one for Widget.
Frankie.
Does not say exclusive in this shot either. o_O I am confused. I would pass on her except BLUE HAIR NOW. Need two. Thank you.
And now onto SDCC.
Let's take a minute to discuss the display they've got going on. Look at Jackson talking to Clawd as Spectra floats on. And Frankie and Draculaura just hanging out, chatting as they walk through the halls. This set-up is the single most impressive thing to come out of SDCC, MH-wise.
Which is actually incredibly sad because they're debuting new dolls and new characters. Still, the display. I could stare at it all day. I want to play!
13 Wishes Abbey
General consensus has her as a Walmart exclusive, right? I'm torn on this because she gets points for new hair style although this is not looking its best, but I am at the point where I want to take someone aside and tell them that Abbey is a strong enough character designwise that she can take more than just pink lips. Really, they aren't her best look even.
I want to put this outfit on someone else because it looks lovely but Abbey isn't pulling the look off because they wussed out on her makeup. (Though I think she's got gold eye-make up so they started to try and then fully wimped out on the lips and THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.)
I ♥ Fashion: Clawdeen
Stop taunting me, Wydowna. Stop it now. Anyway, Clawdeen is looking fierce and yes, I know I should feel bad about that but I don't so deal with my word choices. Anyway, this set is looking better than I anticipated and based on the number of people fawning over this, I'll assume I wasn't the only one whose expectations were set to "no."
I ♥ Fashion: Scarah
Now. Need. Are these going to be TRU exclusives, too, or was that simply for Frankie and Abbey?
None of those were exactly news as we'd seen promos for them before. This is also not exactly new but one of the were-twin kitties is included so it's sort of new:
Lagoona's hair looks ridiculous but they're all very cute and I'm going to need this in my life very, very soon. Please do be making the twin pictured and not just have her be a "this is cool, we'll one-shot this for us" thing. Thank you.
And now the actual new stuff.
Jane Boolittle
I hope she's not a Jane. I really, really hope so because um, no? This ain't no plain Jane, guys. I love her, actually. I worry about her monster parentage though because things I've heard though nothing conclusive makes me think this could be a case of the ball being dropped. There's a better pic out there where I believe she has freckles and overall I just think she's lovely.
People are all "LEG BRACE AND CANE" and I'm thinking did anyone who wasn't a fan say something about that because at this point it could be a shoe style choice and a carry a big stick thing and not "disabled doll comin' through" and I would hate for some of these people to be disappointed if it's less a Statement and more a style choice, y'know? Some of the people clamoring for it can just go away because I don't care.
Sweet Screams: Frankie and Draculaura (Target Exclusives, Spring 2014)
"Draculaura eats too many sweets and falls into a sugar coma and envisions weird stuff." Essentially.
So. Remember how I complained about Abbey playing it too safe? I... wish they'd dial back some of their choices for Frankie. I hate that shade of blue that is her "signature" with red. I hate it. And they keep doing it and it offends my eyes and actually gives me headaches sometimes because these two are not complimentary shades. They are, in fact, mortal enemies and the combo is physically painful at times. I think this is a case where even a little has gone too far because otherwise I kinda dig where they were going. It's possible that the colors are off and that it's more pink than red which is less offensive but still. Let Frankie's daring be shared with the rest of the line.
That said, good lord this line is trying really hard to be unusual and bless them for it. The actual products are either going to be so fabulously over the top that you can't help but love them or they'll fall squarely in the "well that soured quickly" camp. Aside from Watzit looking creepy as hell in this shot, I love so much here.
Yesterday's 'reveal' was Catty and I think whichever jackass thought that would be cute should be hit. Repeatedly. Maybe with the nine thousand extra Skull Shores Ghoulias that are still everywhere. Yes. I am proposing violence.
Tomorrow will be Sloe Moe but since we've just a shot of his arm really, I'll wait to comment on anything further.
Frights, Camera, Action: Honey Swamp
If you direct your attention to the right hand corner you'll see the other three characters. I want to see the two on either end of the line-up.
Granted it's only been like, half an hour, but I am sitting here decidedly underwhelmed by this line. I dunno, I think I like MH better when it's busy not playing up the High School Expectations side of things. I don't really give two right royal damns about them putting on a movie or whatever. I just... don't. It's not as interesting to me as the monster aspect of the line and as such I get kind of bored by stuff like this very easily. It also doesn't help that Honey's outfit here is very meh. Cute but not something to write home about.
Clawdia Wolf
Because what this line needs now is yet another werewolf. Even if she is Clawdeen's older sister. The yellow of her hair is hurting my eyes. It is actually physically painful to look at it for too long. I suspect it's a lighting issue, really, but still.
Clawdia is going to fall in the "she's different, I like it" category or head right for uncanny valley with that grin. There's no way to avoid it.
All in all, I wish I were more excited? I think I'm tired of new characters. I haven't seen Twyla in person and GiGi is apparently still harder to find stateside so I haven't seen them in person to gauge whether or not my lack of interest in them is due to them actually being yawn inducing or if it's just they photograph badly. Jinafire isn't nearly as pretty in person as I think she should have been, though Skelita is loverly.
I was all set to be super thrilled by this year's debuts and yet I'm not. Maybe it's the headache I'm nursing for the second day in a row. Maybe it's the realization that I have two weeks to get everything packed. TWO WEEKS.
Someone, come talk dolls with me. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree, I won't hold it against you. (I don't think anyone would think I would, but the headache says to write the disclaimer anyway.)
Or, if that's not your thing, let's look at this article asking If Barbie's Allure is on the Wane?
We'll ignore the fact that apparently there are a billion articles about Barbie's sales not being as hot as some might expect and focus on the duh reasons why before heading over to the WTF moment contained within. Mattel's biggest competition for Barbie at this point is... Mattel. Apparently American Girl is picking up steam despite the fucking price hike at the start of the year (STILL BITTER) which is good for them because it'll possibly give them room to try something less blonde in the future. (Though not next year's GOTY who sounds very, very, VERY blonde.)
Still, AG is for people who want to give their kids the anti-Barbie, so the real competition is in the Monster High brand. To which I again say, "duh." The thing I love about MH is that is so clearly not just for little girls. Yes, it appeals to them, but it also appeals to anyone who is old enough to remember Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School.
Which is why this little gem sticks in my craw something fierce:
...
....
.....!
Okay, what? Have you guys over at Mattel seen the actual dolls? Because I've got three of the four of them now and there is no way in hell these things will skew older than Monster High as a general rule. There's just no way. They actually look younger (comparisons to Moxie Girls are still pretty accurate) and the fashion choices are actual fairy tales. Fairy. Tales. While the book(s) could quite likely skew older, the dolls themselves are pretty much guaranteed to go to younger kids. It's just...
Seriously, guys. Think before you speak.
I mention this not for sympathy but so that you can understand my mindset when looking at the MH stuff that's appeared online. I feel weird like there should be a more central location of information but SDCC's MH stuff has always been a bit scattershot as it happens because, duh, it's a Con. The Con for a lot of people. Perhaps afterwards we'll get a flood of different angles or something. I don't know.
Until then, let's get on with the show.
Not from SDCC, but we'll begin here anyway. Additions to the Swim Line that will apparently be exclusive to Justice, or at least Frankie will. The other two don't seem to say so.
Rochelle and Holt
I think Rochelle is adorable and I need her in my life now. NOW.
Holt is Holt and I would like two, please. One for me, one for Widget.
Frankie.
Does not say exclusive in this shot either. o_O I am confused. I would pass on her except BLUE HAIR NOW. Need two. Thank you.
And now onto SDCC.
Let's take a minute to discuss the display they've got going on. Look at Jackson talking to Clawd as Spectra floats on. And Frankie and Draculaura just hanging out, chatting as they walk through the halls. This set-up is the single most impressive thing to come out of SDCC, MH-wise.
Which is actually incredibly sad because they're debuting new dolls and new characters. Still, the display. I could stare at it all day. I want to play!
13 Wishes Abbey
General consensus has her as a Walmart exclusive, right? I'm torn on this because she gets points for new hair style although this is not looking its best, but I am at the point where I want to take someone aside and tell them that Abbey is a strong enough character designwise that she can take more than just pink lips. Really, they aren't her best look even.
I want to put this outfit on someone else because it looks lovely but Abbey isn't pulling the look off because they wussed out on her makeup. (Though I think she's got gold eye-make up so they started to try and then fully wimped out on the lips and THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.)
I ♥ Fashion: Clawdeen
Stop taunting me, Wydowna. Stop it now. Anyway, Clawdeen is looking fierce and yes, I know I should feel bad about that but I don't so deal with my word choices. Anyway, this set is looking better than I anticipated and based on the number of people fawning over this, I'll assume I wasn't the only one whose expectations were set to "no."
I ♥ Fashion: Scarah
Now. Need. Are these going to be TRU exclusives, too, or was that simply for Frankie and Abbey?
None of those were exactly news as we'd seen promos for them before. This is also not exactly new but one of the were-twin kitties is included so it's sort of new:
Lagoona's hair looks ridiculous but they're all very cute and I'm going to need this in my life very, very soon. Please do be making the twin pictured and not just have her be a "this is cool, we'll one-shot this for us" thing. Thank you.
And now the actual new stuff.
Jane Boolittle
I hope she's not a Jane. I really, really hope so because um, no? This ain't no plain Jane, guys. I love her, actually. I worry about her monster parentage though because things I've heard though nothing conclusive makes me think this could be a case of the ball being dropped. There's a better pic out there where I believe she has freckles and overall I just think she's lovely.
People are all "LEG BRACE AND CANE" and I'm thinking did anyone who wasn't a fan say something about that because at this point it could be a shoe style choice and a carry a big stick thing and not "disabled doll comin' through" and I would hate for some of these people to be disappointed if it's less a Statement and more a style choice, y'know? Some of the people clamoring for it can just go away because I don't care.
Sweet Screams: Frankie and Draculaura (Target Exclusives, Spring 2014)
"Draculaura eats too many sweets and falls into a sugar coma and envisions weird stuff." Essentially.
So. Remember how I complained about Abbey playing it too safe? I... wish they'd dial back some of their choices for Frankie. I hate that shade of blue that is her "signature" with red. I hate it. And they keep doing it and it offends my eyes and actually gives me headaches sometimes because these two are not complimentary shades. They are, in fact, mortal enemies and the combo is physically painful at times. I think this is a case where even a little has gone too far because otherwise I kinda dig where they were going. It's possible that the colors are off and that it's more pink than red which is less offensive but still. Let Frankie's daring be shared with the rest of the line.
That said, good lord this line is trying really hard to be unusual and bless them for it. The actual products are either going to be so fabulously over the top that you can't help but love them or they'll fall squarely in the "well that soured quickly" camp. Aside from Watzit looking creepy as hell in this shot, I love so much here.
Yesterday's 'reveal' was Catty and I think whichever jackass thought that would be cute should be hit. Repeatedly. Maybe with the nine thousand extra Skull Shores Ghoulias that are still everywhere. Yes. I am proposing violence.
Tomorrow will be Sloe Moe but since we've just a shot of his arm really, I'll wait to comment on anything further.
Frights, Camera, Action: Honey Swamp
If you direct your attention to the right hand corner you'll see the other three characters. I want to see the two on either end of the line-up.
Granted it's only been like, half an hour, but I am sitting here decidedly underwhelmed by this line. I dunno, I think I like MH better when it's busy not playing up the High School Expectations side of things. I don't really give two right royal damns about them putting on a movie or whatever. I just... don't. It's not as interesting to me as the monster aspect of the line and as such I get kind of bored by stuff like this very easily. It also doesn't help that Honey's outfit here is very meh. Cute but not something to write home about.
Clawdia Wolf
Because what this line needs now is yet another werewolf. Even if she is Clawdeen's older sister. The yellow of her hair is hurting my eyes. It is actually physically painful to look at it for too long. I suspect it's a lighting issue, really, but still.
Clawdia is going to fall in the "she's different, I like it" category or head right for uncanny valley with that grin. There's no way to avoid it.
All in all, I wish I were more excited? I think I'm tired of new characters. I haven't seen Twyla in person and GiGi is apparently still harder to find stateside so I haven't seen them in person to gauge whether or not my lack of interest in them is due to them actually being yawn inducing or if it's just they photograph badly. Jinafire isn't nearly as pretty in person as I think she should have been, though Skelita is loverly.
I was all set to be super thrilled by this year's debuts and yet I'm not. Maybe it's the headache I'm nursing for the second day in a row. Maybe it's the realization that I have two weeks to get everything packed. TWO WEEKS.
Someone, come talk dolls with me. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree, I won't hold it against you. (I don't think anyone would think I would, but the headache says to write the disclaimer anyway.)
Or, if that's not your thing, let's look at this article asking If Barbie's Allure is on the Wane?
We'll ignore the fact that apparently there are a billion articles about Barbie's sales not being as hot as some might expect and focus on the duh reasons why before heading over to the WTF moment contained within. Mattel's biggest competition for Barbie at this point is... Mattel. Apparently American Girl is picking up steam despite the fucking price hike at the start of the year (STILL BITTER) which is good for them because it'll possibly give them room to try something less blonde in the future. (Though not next year's GOTY who sounds very, very, VERY blonde.)
Still, AG is for people who want to give their kids the anti-Barbie, so the real competition is in the Monster High brand. To which I again say, "duh." The thing I love about MH is that is so clearly not just for little girls. Yes, it appeals to them, but it also appeals to anyone who is old enough to remember Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School.
Which is why this little gem sticks in my craw something fierce:
Mattel is also introducing a new line of dolls, Ever After High, which, Stockton said, the company hopes will reach "a segment of older girls untapped by Monster High."
...
....
.....!
Okay, what? Have you guys over at Mattel seen the actual dolls? Because I've got three of the four of them now and there is no way in hell these things will skew older than Monster High as a general rule. There's just no way. They actually look younger (comparisons to Moxie Girls are still pretty accurate) and the fashion choices are actual fairy tales. Fairy. Tales. While the book(s) could quite likely skew older, the dolls themselves are pretty much guaranteed to go to younger kids. It's just...
Seriously, guys. Think before you speak.
Re:
heheh, I love the Stepford aspect. I wonder what she's supposed to be like and how long it'll take for me to have her as the exceptionally perky character who Cleo wants to push off a cliff and teams up with Toralei to get rid of. Then again, that hair. My eyes, they burn!
I am obviously a horrible person for never having heard (or at least remember having heard) about Honey Island Swamp. Her eyes freak me out. All reptilian and stuffs. She's a gator, man. Gators are not our friends. They show up, unannounced and the next thing you know people actually require "don't feed the gator" signs.
But fluffy hair!
Boolittle reminds me of some actress but I can't figure out who. Much like I can't figure out who Slo Mo reminds me of since it ain't Slo Mo himself. :p Fair enough on her not being out there enough to be Quetzalcoatl's kid (and holy crap that's a hard thing to spell) and that's just basing it off the Q who shows up for Final Fantasy good times. Woo for not being the only person to not immediately think "leg brace and cane"! I worry if she is a Very Special Episode though because those are kind of hit or miss. They're either very hit or very "um... no. Not even close. You don't even get points for trying."
Thank you! That is exactly where I am on the new characters. Operetta is still very new in webisode/movie form (though each time she's shown up lately it has not been flattering so maybe she's hiding for a reason) and Rochelle is still pretty mysterious, book aside. Robecca's even harder to crack and well, actually I'm good on Venus. Skelita and Jin are both still essentially one shots (which would be fine if they hadn't come to MH) and the boys could probably use some characterization while we're at it.
MH for tv! MH for TV!