General chat thread for Monster High

[nerdygal123]

Is anyone here interested in the shiny Robecca? Someone on Facebook is going to comic con to get dolls, but I can't justify paying so much for two dolls. I would be happy to split with someone!

[Hina Ichigo]

I've got my hands full with other SDCC commitments unfortunately I'm definitely getting the She-Ra doll (already confirmed), tentatively getting the MH Frankie and the DC Katana doll and some Funko pops too I'm going to be very poor in July T_T

[TrueFan]

Just saw the bland new, I mean brand new, Monster High Frankie and Draculaura. Thus ends my Monster High spending, unless I pick up an older model or two that I don't have. I think they are awful.

[Hina Ichigo]

My SDCC Ghostbusters Frankie came in the mail a few days ago, absolutely love her <3

[torythehuman]

Ghostbusters Frankie looks ready to kick some ghostie butt!

[davidd]

"I know something you don't know. I am not left-handed."

Well, actually....

What's wrong with this picture? Two left hands? Yes. Two left hands on the same doll! This is how Monster High Student Disembodied Council Cleo de Nile came out of the package.

In the early years, Monster High figures were incredibly detailed, and their hands were delicately formed and perfectly finished, with perfect fit and no flashing. Over time, however, manufacturing quality and attention to detail declined precipitously. Even prior to the "reboot" the quality was suffering.

Case in point right here: two left hands on the Cleo figure from what was originally a fairly pricey box set of five figures. In addition to the figure having two left hands, you can see in this photo that the finishing on the hands is not particularly good. The fingernails are not defined. The joints are sloppy. The fit into the wrists is unattractive.

It's sad how Mattel let the most exciting toy line they had introduced in years degenerate into bootleg-quality crap.

I bought this set recently on eBay, so it's not like I can contact Mattel about the issue. Not that I'd bother. At this point, while I still adore the early MH line, I have completely lost interest in the later figures and the reboot line.

[Melissa]

I mean honestly though QC on Monster High was always hit and miss. My Scarily Ever After Frankie (2012) has two right hands, although it works a little better for Frankie to have the wrong hands.

[rubyperidot]

Oh, a split would be a great idea! I just don't know anyone who's going, unless someone here is planning to?

I would just wait and one will pop up on ebay. I got Valentine that way.

[*NatTheCat*]

Just saw the bland new, I mean brand new, Monster High Frankie and Draculaura.

XD Mattel, True has a point. I've found very very few I like. And I liked the outfits of the (frustratingly non-jointed) budget dolls, but I just spotted the new wave of those and it's going downhill with the rest of the "new" Monster High. *sighs*

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I mean honestly though QC on Monster High was always hit and miss.

Yup. I've seen a Honey Swamp with part of her wrist joint missing, and my Dawn of the Dance Cleo's face literally washed off with water. Dawn of the Dance seemed the most cheaply made back in the day, but I avoided anything later that looked too cheap. For the most part, Monster High was still pretty good.

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It's sad how Mattel let the most exciting toy line they had introduced in years degenerate into bootleg-quality crap.

I bought this set recently on eBay, so it's not like I can contact Mattel about the issue.

(I would argue that bootlegs are worse, but that's not my point. ) To me, the bigger Monster High packs had an element of cheapness to them (usually most obvious in the outfits), although the last one (Maul Monsteristas) was really neat and ironically not available in the United States.

Mattel does still sell arm parts (they come in pairs from the elbow down) for Monster High on their Mattel/Fisher Price parts website. You can find stuff on eBay, too.

[davidd]

I'm melting!

While I was looking through some of my doll storage boxes today I found this! Melting plastic zip-loc bags! Of course my initial response was panic.

I have heard that Zip-Loc bags can react with certain types of plastics over time, but I had never had this issue before now.

The "melt" had affected three bags, but after separating the globs of plastic, I determined that the reaction had originated with the pink plastic "chains" on Monster High Vandala Doubloons. On closer inspection, Vandala herself appeared undamaged, and the plastic decorations easily separated from her cloth costume leaving no apparent residue. The dolls in the other two bags were undamaged. The melting had originated in Vandala's bag, and affected other bags at the points of contact.

I went through all of my other Monster High storage tubs after this discovery, but did not find any additional melting.

I also noticed that Vandala's joints have become extremely loose. I doubt that she will stand on her own anymore. The legs are extremely loose. The arms are somewhat loose. The head, in comparison, had become extremely tight, as though there may have been a reaction between the head material and the neck peg. I was able to loosen up the head and get it to move again.

This doll has been bagged up for about four years, I would estimate.

A while back I was wondering why I had kept two additional Vandala dolls "mint-in-box." Well, now I know!

Anyway, I can now attest to the truth behind the "plastic bag melt" rumors.

At some point I plan to wrap all my in-storage dolls and figures in tissue paper. Of course, that will probably bring on issues of its own.

[dargosmydaddy]

Oh, yikes! That must have been scary to discover. Glad the damage wasn't worse. I love Vandala's "Who me?" look...