davidd’s A DOLL A DAY 2021

[Lejays17]

I’m not nearly as knowledgeable about the MH releases as neon is, but I do know there was a “budget” version of Gigi - I believe it was the Geek Shriek line. The one where they all wore glasses anyway. I got a few of them for tge outfits when they were on sale, but not her.

You really do spoil all of your dolls - scooter races sound both fun & dangerous.

[Elfy]

There’s going to be a scooter jousting tournament, isn’t there?

[davidd]

There’s going to be a scooter jousting tournament, isn’t there?

It's an Australian National Sport, right up there with footie and cricket shrimps on the barbie, isn't it? We want to see the pastime catch on worldwide!

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March of the Monsters continues... with The Space Alien in the Cupboard.

6 March 2021 - Monster High AstraNova

Monster High AstraNova, still in her little box from within her big box.

[Loona]

Gigi had at least 4 5 releases that I can count: her signature version that davidd has shown us a few days ago, the Freaky Field Trip version who originally came with the amazing constellation dress my Novi Stars Una Verse hybrid is wearing, the New Scaremester version that featured unusual teal lips, and the Geek Shriek version with the glasses-theme Lejays has mentioned. And I just realised there was a basic nameless/not belonging to a line budget version of her too, so I can count 5.

Owner photos… “It’s a trap!” They are great for making you realize you need dolls you never thought about before.  

This couldn't be more true! This is the doom of us all...

It is, indeed, dolly mail: another 1/12 motor scooter for the little figs, so they can race; a German army helmet; a pair of tall black vinyl boots; and a couple of Wild Hearts Crew figures who will appear when the time is right.

I did not know there was another release of Gigi. It is her remarkable hands that I find intriguing. They are different from any other Monster High release. Also, it is my belief that the hands with the long, curved nails are modeled after those of the genie in the 1940 film version of The Thief of Bagdad featuring actor Rex Ingram as a rather malevolent genie.

Ha! I remember watching that movie as a child! We had it on a copied video tape, and we watched it several times, and I also seem to remember liking it, but I cannot remember for the life of me what it was about The movie did seem old and blurry already back then in the 1980s, but I never realised it was *this* old. Wow! And yeah, Gigi's nails are remarkable indeed. Her whole body is. She's clearly from that era of Monster High when the creators were already ready to make more bold choices, resulting in more vibrant skintones and molded-on skin details. I also really like her henna-like neck tattoo and her freckles. She has a lot of unusual things going on in just one doll, but they are neatly thought-through, so the end result isn't too much or overwhelming.

Yet another scooter? Your dolls are clearly spoiled! You make me want to shrink in size and move in with you/them Though I just sounded like I didn't have any dolly mail coming my way to spoil my plastic friends, which is clearly not true Funnily enough, I even have stuff (clothing) coming my way that will beong to a doll I haven't even purchased yet, I just know I will want to.

Oh, it's always great to see owner photos of Astranova (but, yeah, asdiscussed earlier, they are dangerous XD )! I never managed to decide if I like her enough to purchase her or not - I like her skintone, her bug-eyes, and I believe she's on the cute little sister body, but I don't like her helmet. I get it, it's a gimmick, and a rare good one, even (I pretty much like anything that levitates. Those levitating globes are amazing to me <3 ), still, I'd rather have her have regular hair. I figure I'd want to reroot or rewig her (given I could remove her helmet) if I ever got her, and it puts her into the "too much work"-category, which, combined with how ex-pensive she's become, resulted in me passing on her. That said, I think I would pick her up if I came across her for a good price.

[Elfy]

What's the black space spidery looking thing at the bottom of the box?

[davidd]

Gigi had at least 4 5 releases that I can count....



She's clearly from that era of Monster High when the creators were already ready to make more bold choices...

Yet another scooter? Your dolls are clearly spoiled! ...

Oh, it's always great to see owner photos of Astranova (but, yeah, as discussed earlier, they are dangerous XD )! I never managed to decide if I like her enough to purchase her or not ... I figure I'd want to reroot or rewig her (given I could remove her helmet) if I ever got her....

I had no idea there were so many releases of Gigi Grant. I must admit, the last couple or three years of the Monster High run, prior to the reboot, the releases were coming out so quickly that I mostly stopped paying attention. Also, the manufacturing quality of the later releases began to decline.

Yes, many of my dolls and action figures are spoiled. Or perhaps it's a bribe, as I hope to assuage their anger for spending so much time packed away in storage tubs.

Re-rooting AstraNova might be problematic with that super powerful magnet filling up her head! I've never tried to remove her little cap, so I don't know what's under it. I suspect the cap is glued in place, but I don't know that for sure.

What's the black space spidery looking thing at the bottom of the box?

The space spidery looking thing is a radial engine from a biplane.

More specifically, the space spidery looking thing is a black plastic radial engine from a biplane kit, one of the options from a 1970s era toy called the Mattel Spinwelder:

http://bestride.com/news/video-the-matte...-the-1970s

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March of the Monsters continues....

7 March – Dals Tezca and Lipoca

Hey, it's March of the Monsters, not March of the Monster High, so these creepy little creeps, Dal Tezca and Dal Lipoca, have crept in to the lineup!

[Elfy]

I remember Lipoca, but this is the first time I’ve seen Tezca.

[Lejays17]

They’re almost too cute to be referred to as Monsters. Both of their outfits are great.

[Loona]

Yeah, seconding Lejays... they don't necessarily do a good job of coming across as monstery, I also think they are cute. Grumpy, but cute nonetheless. Don't tell them, they should definitely take credit for trying hard.

The photo surprised me a little bit - given your comment under the photo, I assume you were ex-pecting this, but I thought this month will feature Monster High dolls only - just like February featured exclusively Phicens. Would you not have a full monthload of Monster Highs, or did you just decide to make things more varied?

[Alliecat]

Your creepy little creeps are cute. I also ex-pected you would have a month-load of Monster Highs.
I don't think I've ever seen AstraNova.
Hmmm, my minis want to know if they would fit in the biplane Wow, remember when they made more toys that encouraged kids to actually make things and be creative? I don't recall if I ever saw those either.

[davidd]

I remember Lipoca, but this is the first time I’ve seen Tezca.

I think Tezca appeared once or twice last year, but I'm not certain of that. Dal fans seem to think of Tezca and Lipoca as being some sort of pair or duo. I don't think they were sisters, but I'm not sure about that, either.

They’re almost too cute to be referred to as Monsters.  Both of their outfits are great.

A god of human sacrifice and satan - what's to be afraid of?

The photo surprised me a little bit... I thought this month will feature Monster High dolls only - just like February featured exclusively Phicens. Would you not have a full monthload of Monster Highs, or did you just decide to make things more varied?

Not... have... a full month-load... of... HAAAAA Haaaa haaa haaa haaa haaa haaa haaaaaaa!

Err... I mean... I think I might have a month's worth of Monster High. So, okay, let's make it March of the Monsters High!

I also ex-pected you would have a month-load of Monster Highs.
I don't think I've ever seen AstraNova.
Hmmm, my minis want to know if they would fit in the biplane  Wow, remember when they made more toys that encouraged kids to actually make things and be creative? 

If I recall correctly, the Spinwelder Biplane would probably have been about the right size for minis. Link to a pic I found online

From what I can tell, Astranova was not particularly popular, possibly because she came in a set called a Levitation Station which was originally rather eggspensive, around $50 USD I think. The box was enormous, so not all stores wanted to devote that much shelf space to Monster High, so distribution was somewhat limited.

Okay, popular demand calls for a Month of Monster High; I believe that can be arranged.

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March of the Monsters High continues....

8 March - Monster High Werecat Twins Purrsephony and Meowlody

The first release of the werecat twins was also somewhat challenging to find, having been a Toys R Us exclusive in the U.S. They are nice dolls and deserve a much better portrait than they are receiving here, but... one of those days. They'll be back.

So here ya go, a "two-fer" to make up for the Not Monster High post yesterday. Now we're back on track for a month of Monster High, 'kay?

[Lejays17]

I think the Dals count in the Monster part of Monster March ( I do maintain they’re too cute tho!)

But I do approve of an entire month of Monster High releases (you should be able to just make it - as I fall off the couch laughing at that statement).

The Twins are cool - have you found that their hair-stripes have faded over time? I vaguely recall that being an issue.

[Elfy]

That’s a great shot of the twins and their eressions are very catlike.

[Loona]

Not... have... a full month-load... of... HAAAAA Haaaa haaa haaa haaa haaa haaa haaaaaaa!

Err... I mean... I think I might have a month's worth of Monster High. So, okay, let's make it March of the Monsters High!

Haha, accidental challenge accepted? Sorry, I didn't mean it like that I'm glad you don't seem to mind it too much - and I'll be looking forward to seeing all the monsters - well, MH monsters - you have!

The werecat twins are such a cool pair! They were rare here too - I'm not sure what the reason was here - we never had TRU, so they couldn't have been their exclusive, but I simply don't remember seeing them on store shelves anywhere. First I thought it might be because they came out before I started actively paying attention, but a quick Google search told me they came out after Signature Rochelle who sparked my interest in MH, so surely by this time I already should have looked at store shelves and should have noticed the werecats too? I'm not sure... but yeah, they were rare and selling for inflated prices on the secondary market. I lucked out and found them for normal prices, but I think it had to do with an already dwindling general interest by the time I personally became interested in them. I got them in my "let's remake all the possible cast in monochrome"-era that happened sometime around... 2016? and resulted in me suddenly becoming interested in a number of MH dolls I previously didn't care much about. They were like this too - I did start on one of them, and removed the coloured part of her make-up, but I never finished - and in their case, I am not sure if I want to anymore. As I said, they are cool, but I probably don't like them enough to work on them, to then have them end up in a box, stored away - there are other dolls that I like much more, and can be desaturated relatively easily (Rochelle, for instance). I might finish one of the werecats (at least they don't require rerooting, so it isn't that much work) and see how I feel based on that.

[davidd]

... you should be able to just make it - as I fall off the couch laughing at that statement.

 Yeah, I can probably make it work!

Haha, accidental challenge accepted? Sorry, I didn't mean it like that....

Actually, you were correct, my original plan was to do All Monster High, but that particular day got away from me, it got late, the Dals were close at hand... yeah. That's usually how it works. 

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March of the Monsters continues...

9 March – Monster High Rochelle Goyle – NRFB

Took me a long time, back when I first got in to this stuff, to figure out what NRFB meant. Nerf Ball? I finally had to look it up. NRFB, MIB, MIUOP... 

I was looking through a cardboard box labeled... scrawled, more like... "boxed dolls" and found this. Forgot I had an unopened Rochelle. I might pop her on to eBay at a high price just to see if there are any takers.