--- title: Here's Why Mattel's New Superhero Dolls Are a Game-Changer description: Dolls unveiled at New York Comic Con depict Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. authors: - name: Susie Poppick url: https://money.com/author/susie-poppick/ at_money_since: 2013 articles: 117 covers: - Business - Banking - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Education - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Personal Finance - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology social: - https://x.com/susiepoppick former_staff: true published: '2015-10-09T19:54:33.000Z' modified: '2024-04-16T07:06:39.000Z' section: Business tags: - Barbie - Comics - marketing - Superhero - Toys word_count: 208 canonical: https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![SuperHero girls action figures](https://img.money.com/2015/10/151008_em_superherogirls.jpg) Mattel has a new strategy to combat [lagging Barbie sales](https://money.com/barbie-frozen-elsa-holidays/): The toymaker has teamed up with DC Comics to create a line of [superhero dolls](http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2015/10/01/the-dc-super-hero-girls-universe-is-live) aimed at elementary-school girls. But the dolls, unveiled at New York Comic Con this week, have appeal beyond their target market; grownup convention attendees expressed [dazzlement](https://instagram.com/p/8n_svsiunE) and [delight](https://instagram.com/p/8n7AdrGmv2/) at the sight of the 12-inch figurines, which depict Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Batgirl, and Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy ([technically](http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Harley_Quinn) [villains](http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Poison_Ivy), not superheros). The new dolls are groundbreaking in two ways. First of all, their bendable joints and [athletic outfits were designed](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-07/mattel-seeking-a-new-superpower-gets-women-to-design-action-figures-for-girls) to showcase the comic book heroes' physical powers rather than their sex appeal. Think more crime-busting, fewer bustiers. That stands in contrast to other iterations of female superhero dolls, like the scantily clad Wonder Woman [Barbie](http://www.thebarbiecollection.com/gallery/wonder-woman-barbie-doll-n0393). But unlike traditional [action figures](http://www.amazon.com/DC-Collectibles-Comics-Batgirl-Action/dp/B00JPIQOQC), the new dolls have fabric clothes and soft hair that can be brushed and styled like Barbie's. In other words, they represent a hybrid toy that can appeal to fashionista doll lovers and feminist comic book fans alike. The dolls will go on sale for $19.99 in spring 2016; at that time Mattel will also sell 6-inch super-heroine action figures (with molded-plastic hair). **Read More: [These Are the 5 Richest Superheroes](https://money.com/richest-superheroes-comic-con/)** ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Business", "item": "https://money.com/business/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Branding", "item": "https://money.com/branding/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Here's Why Mattel's New Superhero Dolls Are a Game-Changer" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/", "name": "Here's Why Mattel's New Superhero Dolls Are a Game-Changer", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2015-10-09T19:54:33.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2024-04-16T07:06:39.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Here's Why Mattel's New Superhero Dolls Are a Game-Changer", "articleSection": "Business", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2015/10/151008_em_superherogirls.jpg", "width": 2100, "height": 1400, "caption": "151008_EM_SuperheroGirls" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susie Poppick", "url": "https://money.com/author/susie-poppick/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/susie-poppick/#author", "image": "https://img.money.com/2014/05/14-05-21_bio_author_poppick.jpg?quality=85&w=190&h=190&crop=1", "email": "susie_poppick@moneymail.com", "sameAs": [ "https://x.com/susiepoppick" ] } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2015-10-09T19:54:33.000Z", "description": "Dolls unveiled at New York Comic Con depict Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.", "abstract": "Dolls unveiled at New York Comic Con depict Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.", "@id": "https://money.com/mattel-dc-superhero-girls-dolls/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2024-04-16T07:06:39.000Z", "wordCount": 208, "keywords": [ "Barbie", "Comics", "marketing", "Superhero", "Toys" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business" ] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Branding", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding" ] } ] } ] } ```