Monster High

[diosoth]

Alright then...


GR Frankie is about as close to the Bride Of Frankenstein as they could possibly get before Universal's lawyers said something(the monsters, and even their origin novels may be pub domain, but the Universal films are not). The earrings and bracelets look to be made of hex nuts and this time they chromed the neck bolts. There's a thin blue line pattern around the left eye... I think they tried to paint on an electric zap pattern but it looks a bit like veins... HOWEVER... her shoes have this mess of... well, I think they basically took glossy plastic, crushed it up like sand and then glued it on, to make the heels textured and shiny. Problem is, the stuff comes off easily. I almost see people soaking these boots in alcohol just to get this stuff off because, aside from some shiny glitter, it's barely visible and doesn't add much.

I like the cauldron, it's a sort of riveted metal plate pattern with green sludge and a spiky handle. Looks like something you might see in Heretic or Hexen(old PC games). You can get the mask onto her right hand and pose it over the eye with just a bot of work. I am not sure what the tiny blue thing that fit over the hand is... maybe the CGI special will clarify it?

Draculaura is such a deviation from her usual look, if they'd replaced the pink with red it could be a totally new character. If they'd replaced the pink with red they could have sold it under a different line, it's such an odd stretch from the usual MH theme. Definite Castlevania/Darkstalkers thing here. Those wings are on big hinges with a plastic harness across the body to keep them attached.

I can't seem to get the mask lined up well no matter what and being put in the box around an arm may have affected its curvature. I also can't tell if her tights aren't up far enough or if they were just sewn wrong but they affect leg movement.

I have to say this doll is the first one to make me feel unsettled, and it's because of the tiny skeleton accessory. It's essentially a 1:6 scale child skeleton. Its skull is the MH logo and can be taken off but the body itself is rather... not cartoonish. However, the tiny pink bow that plugs into its head could double as an earring which may be why they included 2 of them.


I think they're both great pieces, Draculaura probably being the winner of this batch. I may or may not get Cleo, she's definitely classic Egyptian. Clawdeen tough, I saw it in person and was put off. She's more fit for Brazilian carnival or Mardi Gras than Halloween. Now fi they make an Operetta in the classic Phantom suit I'll be all over that, it seems like one of those thing that should happen.

[markatisu]

reissue Clawdeen? Like the 1st series Clawdeen? I didn't know she was being reissued... I need one of those!

Kohl's you say? I might have to check that out!

No Clawdeen 2.0

[diosoth]

reissue Clawdeen? Like the 1st series Clawdeen? I didn't know she was being reissued... I need one of those!

Kohl's you say? I might have to check that out!

wave 2 Clawdeen was in the reissue case. The only wave 1 reissue so far is Draculaura, though Frankie's been spotted in the current box(found in Greece, seen in US boxes as well but not yet in stores) so she may be next.

- - - Updated - - -

the collection so far...

[Surya]

Picked myself up GR Draculaura, the only one of the line that really grabbed me. Still waiting to see DDG and the CAM lab over here, plus Venus and Robecca.

Also the Bratzillaz are out here in Australia now, I saw them on tv, and picked up three of them at TRU the other day. Quality isn't as good as MH, such as the hair, it's cheap nylon. However, they are really cute. Not a Bratz fan at all, but these are interesting in their own way, and fun to add to my collection alongside MH. Be better if they were cheaper, but eh, I still really like them. Nicer shaped head, and articulated bodies with proper feet, not snap on ones.

[Detective Lubic]

I luv MH and in my eyes they can do no wrong.. but this is the first time I really want to complain..We had 3 Awesome Dead Dot Dolls, Spectra, Lagoona and Operetta. The Dolls are Fantastic, The come with Stands, Make up accessory, Purses, Phones. Then the WalMart exclusive 3 pack comes along and it leaves me Wanting. When I saw the on-line reviews and found out that they dont come with stands(Silver stands are not easy to get from other sources), No Make up accessory, only purses for Abbey and Ghoulia not Draculaura she gets just a phone.. I also feel the dolls seam a little uninspired compared to the first three. This didn't happen with the Dawn of the Dance line. Walmart had the Draculaura Ex. and if you take her out of the box she matches with all the others.. I am not happy with Mattel for cheeping out of the line lately. We all know this line is making money hand over fist and to save a few pennies on stands is just dumb. They should either include stands for all there dolls or dont, There is not Try If they don't want to include stands anymore they should sell them on-line in all colors.. I guess they don't understand it yet, but there are a lot of adult collectors for this line and we like to display our doll lines standing up and together plus we like everything to match..Look how much happier we all are with the matching CAM Pack Torso's... Rant is over and thanks for reading

[wyldman11]

My opinion on stands, is have them come with the signature dolls. And then sell some separately or in packs. I also think the same thing with brushes, well especially with the brushes.

I just started buying some of the MOTUC characters I had been looking at, when I got Carnivus I also picked up the DCU six inch stands for similar purposes. So many figures and dolls any more are just a pain in the rear end to stand and to keep standing. This is one reason I keep so much in packaging.

[kylun flac]

very cool toy line. i feel that its going strong.

[diosoth]

I consider the stands necessary. If they want to save money, drop the brushes. We already have piles of them and it's not like people can't buy a $1 comb if they absolutely need it. Those who have a collection of MH dolls have a bag of brushes that take up room. They could also ditch printed diaries and move all that text info online, it'd probably save money to not print them.

One thing I'll give MH is that it's not overpriced. I've pretty much stopped going to the action figure aisle solely because $15 for a 6" figure is laughable. And since all I will find are 50 Bumblebees, Arctic Destro and other overpacked variants, I see no point. I'm not the one who chose to overprice action figures to the point of making them undesirable. I know MH has variants, but there's been like 60 different versions of Snake Eyes made in 30 years and about 40 of them have been in the past 5 alone. Snake Eyes isn't even that great of a character to start with. I just think $10 for a GI Joe is incredibly overpriced, they're not even good enough toys to warrant such a price.

[Stratos*Major]

diosoth + MH + GI Joe =

I consider the stands necessary. If they want to save money, drop the brushes. We already have piles of them and it's not like people can't buy a $1 comb if they absolutely need it. Those who have a collection of MH dolls have a bag of brushes that take up room. They could also ditch printed diaries and move all that text info online, it'd probably save money to not print them.

One thing I'll give MH is that it's not overpriced. I've pretty much stopped going to the action figure aisle solely because $15 for a 6" figure is laughable. And since all I will find are 50 Bumblebees, Arctic Destro and other overpacked variants, I see no point. I'm not the one who chose to overprice action figures to the point of making them undesirable. I know MH has variants, but there's been like 60 different versions of Snake Eyes made in 30 years and about 40 of them have been in the past 5 alone. Snake Eyes isn't even that great of a character to start with. I just think $10 for a GI Joe is incredibly overpriced, they're not even good enough toys to warrant such a price.

[diosoth]

diosoth + MH + GI Joe =

And why is that? GI Joe has run it's course, stores barely touch it anymore, and the price keeps going up. MH is a top selling toy brand while GI Joe is barely on life support these days. And it's not just GI Joe, action figures in general are suffering because prices keep going up. They might do well enough now but give it a few more $ in price increases and they will begin to die off.

MH is selling well not only because of the phenomenon of it but also because the toys actually seem to justify the asking price.

[Stratos*Major]

And why is that? GI Joe has run it's course, stores barely touch it anymore, and the price keeps going up. MH is a top selling toy brand while GI Joe is barely on life support these days. And it's not just GI Joe, action figures in general are suffering because prices keep going up. They might do well enough now but give it a few more $ in price increases and they will begin to die off.

MH is selling well not only because of the phenomenon of it but also because the toys actually seem to justify the asking price.

Because you always use GI Joe as a contrast to MH...just funny. No attacking.

[diosoth]

I used to avidly collect GI Joe(I had nearly 100 25th Joe figures at one point)... now I just see it as a line that's run its course, had become more expensive than it should be, and is all but hard to find in stores because retailers won't touch it unless the movie is coming out(which seems true for many lines now). I think MH is a fair contrast as it's a top selling brand. I basically only kept one Joe figure and it was a custom figure, one that Hasbro will never make.

Though a more fair comparison might be 1:6 action figures to MH... $20 average for a signature doll, compared to $150-$250 average for an equivalent "action figure"(which frankly, 1:6 stuff is dolls, I don't care what the marketing says). You can see why I think the action figure market is dying, prices are going way too high, availability is slim(I can't find MH in stores because it sells well... I can't find many action figure lines in stores because the stores didn't stock them to begin with). I basically didn't touch Thundercats because of the prices and the $17 apiece TMNT classics prices scare me. I still say Mattel's Retro Action line was a joke at $20 each and I think many people agree, because whenever I saw them at TRU they weren't selling.

MH is thriving not only because of the dolls, but also because the fiction is decent and the prices are reasonable, which is probably THE big factor. Action figures as a whole are more expensive than the doll equivalent, and if MH prices were raised to match action figures they'd be $50 each. I do admit I haven't even been in an action figure aisle in months, and the only figures I've bought at all have been at the local comic store which has old toys at reasonable prices. Beyond that I worked on some 1:6 customs, which were pricey but still cost less than a retail 1:6 would run.

[Patreek]

I'm having trouble with demew...she just looks too much like spectra to me... idk.

[wyldman11]

Picked up Ghoul's Rule Abbey, and finally got a Roller Maze Frankie went ahead and picked up a Ghoulia and switched her with my Dead Tired, she does have a rattle noise in her body. Pics


Ghoul's Rule 2.0 by ~wyldman11 on deviantART


Monster High Gets Frankie by ~wyldman11 on deviantART

[Jim_Abell]

Well, my store finally put out the design lab add-ons and I picked up both this morning. Can't say that I'm all that thrilled with them... Yes, we get a torso, an extra head and a bunch of tattoos but there's no wig, no dress, no shoes and no upper limbs... Personally, I think Mattel really needs to re-evaluate the add-on sets and just charge a bit more and put enough parts for a complete doll in there...

Anyway, my plans to complete the unicorn involve two of the tri-color pastel Liv wig -- one for the head and one to turn into a horse tail for her. Will probably order some of those heelless shoes from an Etsy seller to give her something of a hoof appearance. Still trying to figure out what to do for an outfit...

[markatisu]

Its almost like they design these add-on's to screw you and then once they get enough complaints (like with the CAM) they fix it. Only problem is I do not see anyone wanting or buying the Lab so they might not get that chance.

[diosoth]

Someone over on 4chan /toy/ was making an Adventure Time Marceline using a MH base body, though last I heard his project was on hold for various reasons.

I've thought that maybe it's possible to make a decent Lilith from Darkstalkers using this body. It'd require a rerooted head and custom clothes though, but the high heel feet and thin body would suit her well.

[Jim_Abell]

I've thought that maybe it's possible to make a decent Lilith from Darkstalkers using this body. It'd require a rerooted head and custom clothes though, but the high heel feet and thin body would suit her well.

There is a customizer who offers wings that are perfect for her, PM me if you want the site address.

[Dr Kain]

When did Ghoul's Rule Abbey come out? I've only seen Drac, Frank, and the mummy girl.

[wyldman11]

Based on my just seeing her, my girlfriend said she saw her last week at one of her stores. I would say about 1-2 weeks.

[markatisu]

When did Ghoul's Rule Abbey come out? I've only seen Drac, Frank, and the mummy girl.

Last Friday was when I first saw her, most stores will get 1-2 cases to start and each case has 6 of just her

[Detective Lubic]

Hey Gang,

I just saw the MH Short and it is about the Dead Dot Dolls.. It is funny as usually and the do show Clawdeen,Frankie and Cleo in there Dead Dot Fashions.. So I guess they will be on there way sometime in the future. I just hope they are singles like the first three and not another 3 pack Exclusive.

[Stratos*Major]

I wonder if we are ever going to get The Fly's daughter or son!?

OMG and what about....a MINOTAUR or even a Fawn!

We're getting a Dragon...maybe an alien...

I was thinking a Sphinx or Phoniex would be cool too...

[markatisu]

Hey Gang,

I just saw the MH Short and it is about the Dead Dot Dolls.. It is funny as usually and the do show Clawdeen,Frankie and Cleo in there Dead Dot Fashions.. So I guess they will be on there way sometime in the future. I just hope they are singles like the first three and not another 3 pack Exclusive.

Well id DotD was anything to go by they will be Wave 2 and most of us will never see them

[diosoth]

I wonder if we are ever going to get The Fly's daughter or son!?

OMG and what about....a MINOTAUR or even a Fawn!

We're getting a Dragon...maybe an alien...

I was thinking a Sphinx or Phoniex would be cool too...

The webisodes already have school bully Manny Taur, and it's been mentioned he has a sister.