LEGO DC Super Hero Girls – Batgirl’s Secret Bunker set

Batgirl gets her second set in the second wave of LEGO DC Super Hero Girls sets – with Batgirl’s Secret Bunker.

Continue reading LEGO DC Super Hero Girls – Batgirl’s Secret Bunker set

LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Batgirl’s Batjet (41230)

As far as I’m concerned, this Batgirl’s Batjet LEGO set justifies the entire existence of the DC Super Hero Girls brand. Continue reading LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Batgirl’s Batjet (41230)

Review: It’s not just ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’. It’s Batgirl’s as well.

There are many reasons to love The LEGO Batman Movie. It’s funny, it continues the irreverent approach of The LEGO Movie, Will Arnett’s performance as the caped crusader is as terrific as in that movie (all Donald Trump’s tweets should be read in this voice), and it’s a Batman film that we can actually take our children to see.

But another reason I love it, is that it features Batgirl. Continue reading Review: It’s not just ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’. It’s Batgirl’s as well.

LEGO Female Superheroes have finally broken the plastic ceiling

With the arrival of DC Super Hero Girls LEGO, alongside increasing numbers of LEGO Female Superheroes minifigures in the regular Marvel and DC Superheroes line, 2017 is the year that female LEGO superheroes finally shatter the plastic brick ceiling. Continue reading LEGO Female Superheroes have finally broken the plastic ceiling

DC Super Hero Girls UK: Supergirl and Batgirl Action Figures

Ever since the line was announced last year, I have been waiting for the DC Super Hero Girls UK toys to be released. Well, we finally got our hands on a couple – these Batgirl and Supergirl action figures from Mattel.

The line is a DC superhero sub brand, that reimagines female DC characters as teenagers at an exclusive superhero school. This line offers a great way to bring girls into the stereotypically boys world of superheroes.

DC Super Hero Girls animated series, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Supergirl, Katana, Bumblebee, Cheetah, Hawkgirl, Catwoman, DC Super Hero Girls UK

One of the things I like about DC Super Hero Girls is the focus on them being a group of friends. Disney Princesses, while promoted as a collective, are essentially out for themselves as they’re individual characters in their own separate stories. No sisterhood there.

Added to that, superheroes are also often fighting – even with each other. But here, instead of Batman v Superman, here we have Batgirl with Supergirl.

DC Super Hero Girls hit the UK

These DC Super Hero Girls UK action figures are from the 15cm range. There are also 30cm action dolls, as well as assorted accessories (such as Batgirl’s utility belt) and other merchandise (like stationary, eg. we were also set a notepad).

As befits the high school makeover, the looks of these classic characters have been made more teen like. Tech expert Batgirl wears a geek chic hoody and chunky boots, whereas cheerleader-like Supergirl has what looks like Chuck Taylor All-Stars and a very short skirt.

Despite Supergirl’s skirt length, these toys for the most part avoid the sexualisation that is associated with so many female toy figures. To my mind, the figures look more athletic than anything, though they still have big eyes and pursed lips often seen in dolls.

The toys are pretty well articulated. One of the bold claims made on the packaging is how these figures can stand up by themselves. Well, this is just about true, though the choice of stable poses is more limited than I’d like.

They don’t really come with accessories as such. Batgirl has a backpack (Bat-Pack?) while Supergirl has a detachable cape – which is molded plastic instead of vinyl or fabric which would have been preferable. Same goes for Supergirl’s skirt, which prevents her from sitting down properly.

DC Super Hero Girls UK, DC Super Hero Girls Batgirl
If you want to give Batgirl an extra accessory, in a sneaky hack LEGO Batarangs fit perfectly into her hand.

Action Figures for girls (and boys)

The absolute best thing about these toys is frankly this – they are female superhero figures that will hopefully be highly visible and readily available in shops.

Try as I do to introduce alternative toys and brands to my daughter, it’s a lot harder when all she sees on the high street – and possessed by her female peers – are Disney Princesses and the like.

While this line may be cordoned off in their own same sex bubble universe, that doesn’t stop them sitting in the toy box alongside any other superhero figures.

DC Super Hero Girls Action Figures compared with Batman Unlimited, DC Super Hero Girls UK, Mattel UK
These DC Super Hero Girls action figures complement my daughter’s Batman Unlimited toys pretty well.

While these DC Super Hero Girls action figures are clearly intended for the girls market I hope this will lead to further blending of the pink & blue aisle too. They could quite easily sit in either. There is nothing to prevent boys playing with these toys as well. I hope parents of superhero loving boys encourage this.

For my daughter, these toys have enabled her to add these characters to her imaginative play (they are best friends) and have finally demonstrated that like daddy always tells her, superheroes are for girls just as much as boys.

DC Super Hero Girls Action Figures - Supergirl and Batgirl playing, DC Super Hero Girls UK

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These DC Super Hero Girls UK Action Figures have a UK RRP of £9.99.

Disclosure: We were provided with these toys free of charge for the purposes of this review.