Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
I have no idea how this happened, but Mattel is putting out three Star Wars Barbies. Yes, Mattel. Yes, Barbies.
They’re fancy collectors editions that reimagine three iconic A New Hope looks through a high-fashion lens and they cost $100 each, so yes: Collectors items. But honestly, I mostly just enjoy the fact that they exist at all.
Continue reading “There are actual Star Wars Barbies and they are amazing”
Just in time for Halloween, io9 spotted these unique and kind of awesome collector Barbies: The Battlefield-Earth-meets-Poison-Ivy Empress of the Aliens and the ghostly Haunted Beauty. They’re both limited editions and clearly not for kids, though given some of the crazy expensive Star Wars stuff we’ve seen, $100 doesn’t seem all that steep. Or maybe that’s just the 8-year-old Barbie lover in me speaking.
Bree Brouwer blogged about another wacky sci-fi Barbie, Goddess of the Galaxy, who’s got a Lady Gaga/Elizabeth I vibe. Pretty nifty!
There are bound to be tons of announcements out of Toy Fair this week (people seem awfully excited about Hasbro’s new AT-AT.) But what I personally find most interesting is a computer engineer Barbie. On the one hand, I was surprised that Mattel hasn’t gone there already, and that it took a “popular vote” to get her there. (The “girls vote” went to ‘news anchor.’) On the other hand… I’m not surprised at all. Not even that her laptop is pink. But a step is a step, right?
Wait a minute:
“Girls who discover their futures through Barbie will learn that they – just like engineers – are free to explore infinite possibilities, and that their dreams can go as far as their imaginations take them,” said Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can design products that have an important and positive impact on people’s everyday lives, such as inventing a technology to conserve home energy or programming a newborn monitoring device.”
Baby monitors. Not that there’s something wrong with baby monitors, but how does that even make the top ten of exciting things to do with computers? Aim for the stars, girls!
Topless Robot lists off the 12 greatest Barbie dolls for nerds, including multiple Treks. Who better to wear those short skirts?
As we’ve already addressed many times, I’m the furthest thing there is from a collecting expert, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen a legitimate Star Wars Barbie produced. (Somehow I doubt Kenner or Hasbro even allowed Mattel to think about it.) Which is really a pity, considering how many outfits the prequels produced. And yes, there is Sideshow, but there’s just something about Barbie, in all her opiate-of-the-masses glory.
Scrap the Maker? The relaunched Sci-Fi Wire (now in blog form!) has come up with nine reasons for George Lucas to retire already. Cinematical then made a poll out of it, and ‘yes, please’ is winning. Your thoughts? I honestly don’t care all that much as long as he sticks to the prequel/intertrilogy era.
The Barbie Tarot! Pretty impressive – all the suit cards are there, too!
Other pop culture Tarot sets of note: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Discworld, Eighties, Harry Potter and an oldie but goodie, Dave McKean’s Vertigo Tarot.
I am inspired. Actually, somewhere I have a notebook with ideas and the entire Major Arcana for a Star Wars version plotted out…
Wait, did I just get geekier? Damn it…
I swear I have a battered hand-me-down Barbie case (this one, in blue) that looks a lot like the Gilmore Girls complete series case. Honestly I’m not sure if that’s a homage or an insult. GG isn’t The Sopranos or anything, but Barbie?