REVIEW: Mattel SDCC13 Monster High WEBERELLA

[JeffSaylor]

Another "Super" Addition to the Popular Doll Line...

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Monster High continues to be one of the best selling doll lines worldwide and has also grown to be a huge draw and highlight at Mattel’s booth at San Diego Comic-Con. Another draw is the popular Comic-Con exclusive dolls, which fetch high prices on the secondary market and drive scalpers and collectors into a frenzy. The fourth comic-con exclusive Monster High doll is non-other than the spider-looking Weberella, the superhero alter ego of the character Wydowna Spider. Wydowna is the Daughter of Arachne, the weaver from Greek mythology that ticked off Athena and after losing in a contest was turned into a spider. She was originally introduced at Comic-Con in 2011 as part of a fan poll for the next new character. This is her first appearance as a doll, though like the previous Comic-Con exclusive Scarah Screams, she will most likely be re-released in some other form at a later date. She is also the second superhero themed doll at comic-con, the first being 2011’s Ghoulia Yelp as Dead Fast.

Wydowna comes packed with an outer box featuring a stunning red on black design with a spider-web print on all sides coupled with silhouette art of Weberella. The doll’s actual box is made to look like comic panels complete with a comic style city background for the doll. When you slide the right side of the packaging out it reveals a hidden outfit “tacked up” with spider-webs. And on the back of the box you see the complete picture with Wydowna dangling a captured Toralei from a lamppost.

The box opens easily on one side, with tabs instead of tape and the insert that the doll is attached to slides out smoothly in one piece. Removing Weberella without ripping the insert is tricky, but not impossible, especially if you want to be able to put her back in. Her head is attached, however, by a series of small tabs that go into her scalp and through the cardboard that have to be cut. Along with the doll itself, the set features a few accessories.

The first is a Monster High staple, the pet, and in this case her pet is a giant fly named Shoo. She also includes a second outfit that features a Comic exclamation printed mini dress with a web belt and matching webbed high heel shoes. Also in the box you will find an adjustable display stand, mini-comic and Wydowna’s Diary.

One of the coolest things about the doll itself from the start is that Wydowna is the first and only character to have multiple arms. In fact while a normal doll features around 11 points of articulation with 3 points in each arm, Wydowna has 23 points due to the fact that she has six arms total and also has a new body type to adjust for the extra appendages. She also features jet-black skin, which is another first for the line (until later this year when Catty Noir is released).

To go along with her spider-themed superhero persona, Weberella features a vibrant costume that carries the motif throughout the entire outfit. She’s wearing a one-piece bodysuit with a web print, a white web-print belt with spider head buckle, spider web earrings, and metal studded spider-web boots with red heels that look like widow hourglasses. She also has a spider web lasso mounted on her belt and even features a widow’s peak on her hairline. I got the biggest kick out of their homage to Spider-Man as well, with one of her hands positioned in the Spidey trademark “Thwip” pose.

Overall Weberella is a fantastic and exciting edition to the Monster High family. While she doesn’t take the place of my favorite Monster High character (Abbey Bominable) she is definitely up there in terms of coolness. While it was originally available at San Diego Comic Con and shortly after on MattyCollector.com, the doll sold out lightning fast both times. Fans who really want her will have to look out for online retailers selling extra dolls or wait for Mattel to spin out her next release.

Review & Photos by Michael Klein

Review Sample Courtesy of Mattel

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