davidd's A DOLL A DAY 2026

[davidd]

Yes, one needs to be a member to see. Not being a man, I shall pass.

The name of the group dates back over twenty years, to around 2002 or so. At that time it there was no significant "adult" action figure fandom. "Adults" were not collecting Star Wars figures or setting up scenes with G.I. Joes. A small group of hobbyists set up the forum, and even had trouble in the early years finding hosting sites because of the content: customized action figures. The group eerimented with a variety of security measures over the years because critics and trolls would discover the site and bombard the site with ridicule and hate. It has taken a long time and a lot of effort on the part of the hobbyists to maintain the site and help make the hobby more palatable to the general public.

These days, Instagram in particular is flooded with "adults" taking and posting photos of dolls and action figures. The now nearly dormant Men With Dolls paved the way for all the smug twenty-something guys who think they are doing something cool and edgy and artistic and creative with their f*****g Star Wars action figures.

Anyway, there are women on the forum, too.

Back in the day women had "doll clubs" but there was nothing for guys who were action figure and doll modders (Barbie and clones were about the only option for female figures back then) and modelers. Thus arose the Men With Dolls action figure group.

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19 May - A Doll A Day 2026:

Team Miskatonic 2026 - Zombie Apocalypse Survival Team

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Tag Challenge (created by Flickr member Rooners Toy Photography in 2013 and resurrected by Flickr and OSF forum member BlondeActionMan in 2026):

If a global rise of zombies threatened the very existence of humanity... what team would you assemble to save the day?

Are you up to the challenge? If so, choose a Team Leader, Brawler, Weapons Eert, Brains, Medic, Speed Fighter, and a Mascot.

Optional: guy (or gal) who dies first.

My second installment for the 2026 Zombie Apocalypse Team Challenge is based entirely on characters originally created by Flickr member MiskatonicNick. Over the past few years I have attempted to assemble emulation versions of some of the characters who appeared in Nick's photostories. The Zombie Apocalypse Challenge offers me the opportunity to feature all of my homage characters together for the first time.

The "job titles" as assigned do not necessarily apply to these characters with any accuracy, but who's paying attention to such details?

Back Row left to right:

Mircalla, Countess von Karnstein - As one of the Undead herself, Mircalla the Vampiress cheerfully steps in to the role of Guy (or Gal) Who Dies First. Having already died, she figures she doesn't have much more to lose.

Louis Marques - A member of the Royal Kadath Society, by necessity Louis Marques has become a Weapons Eert while accompanying his colleague Professor Champion on dangerous missions of dubious merit.

Ellie Fields - Another member of the Royal Kadath Society, Ellie Fields qualifies as a Speed Fighter through her mastery of various types of machetes and cane knives. Hacking through jungle undergrowth differs little from hacking through grasping zombie limbs.

Professor Victor Champion - Despite his frequent incessant blustering, Professor Champion, Senior Fellow of the Royal Kadath Society, does know a lot about pretty much everything, making him the natural choice for Brains of the operation.

Shelley - Baghead's caretaker and, by default, Team Co-Leader.

Doctor Diablos - While the team allows Diablos to believe he is both the Brains and the Leader of the Zombie Apocalypse Squad, in actuality his presence is tolerated as something of a mascot -- a sacrificial mascot if the situation necessitates.

Kroger Terreblanche - the "black sheep" of the Royal Kadath Society, heartless, some say soulless, and undeniably fearless vampire hunter Terreblanche is the Brawler of the group. Terreblanche has agreed to an uneasy truce with The Countess Karnstein as they pool their forces against an even greater threat: zombie hordes.

Gavin - A specialist in the Occult Arts, Gavin's studies have familiarized her with a variety of natural and unnatural remedies for maladies both physical and spiritual, leading to her assignment as Medic for the team.

Front row:

Baghead - A mysterious hooded figure, the bumbling but well-meaning Baghead serves in a largely ceremonial capacity as Team Leader, or co-leader with Shelley (the de facto leader), mostly to keep him out of the way.

Thank you to our friend Nick for inspiring us and for allowing us to continue playing in the fantastic world of Toyville that he created and shared.