Monster High Is Back

Back in the day, when I first saw a Monster High doll, I was intrigued by the concept:  The teen daughters of classic monsters, all going to school together, with all the drama that goes along with that.  That doll was either Frankie or Draculaura, I'm not sure which, but I remember wondering if they'd do a werewolf and later seeing Clawdeen.   

I was put off by the dolls themselves, though.  (Some of these things I see as flaws were excused by them being monsters, I know.  Please don't yell at me.)  They were skinny.  No, skinny is an understatement - these gals are outright gaunt.  They had huge heads, a flaw that seems to be quite the trend these days in almost any doll line.  Both of those were strikes against them in my book. 

I did, and do, love the furniture and accessories for Monster High.  Most of the original Coffin Bean set in in my dollhouse as we speak.  Nikki Pike sleeps in Spectra's bed.  I picked up the original school playset at a yard sale.  Things like that.  I wanted Draculaura's car until I realized it only seats two.  

One on the things I love about Monster High as a concept is the devotion to the source material.  For example, one of the boys who eventually came along (as we all knew they would) is the son of a Gorgon.  His hair is a mohawk style made of snakes and his pet is named Perseus, both references to the original Greek Myth.  

There are other aspects I've not mentioned.   The entire message of Monster High is "be yourself, be a monster", which spoke volumes to pretty much anyone who felt marginalized.  It's really not a stretch to say this franchise saved lives!  The cartoon featured things like a couple's parents resisting because they were different types of monsters.  One character became an analogy for non-verbal autistics.

As happens with doll lines, the popularity faded.  Some of the current dolls lines still use features innovated (or introduced to the general public) by Monster High. One that many doll lovers of today seem to take for granted is the pop-off hands that make dressing our little plastic people in mesh or tight sleeves so much easier, as well the wrist articulation that goes with them.  

There was a short-lived "reboot", which included dolls now largely disliked by collectors.  They featured unpopular things like only five points of articulation - neck, shoulders, hips - and molded-on clothing.  Which might work out well for me in the long run, but I'll get to that.  Then Monster High went away.  

I was gifted a pair of the reboot dolls, by a friend who combined my love of dolls with my love of Halloween.  I'd recently buried my long-tern feline companion, and I have it on good authority that she's the reason one of the dolls is Cleo DeNile. 

 

Since the "reboot" dolls are so unpopular, they actually have a better chance of  gaining value than many dolls considered collectable - thus my earlier comment about it working out well for me in the long run.  Such are the absurdities of collecting.

But they don't meet residency requirements for Barbieville, although if a guest in my home wanted to play with them, they could certainly visit!  They've joined a handful of other display dolls I am adverse to altering.  Not that I could shrink the 18 inch Pocahontas twins.... 

Now that y'all have had a history lesson, I'll get to my point. 

I can hold my own in a conversation with a MH fan, but I'd never go so far as call myself an expert.  I see all the happiness it brought to people.  I repeat, I love the concept and the accessories, but not so much the dolls themselves.   And I am thrilled to see the return of Monster High. 

They have sturdier (and more varied) bodies than they used to.  The face mold looks more like a high schooler and they have even more features that point to their parentage - Draculaura's hair echoes Bela Lugosi's widow's-peak hairline and she has pointed ears, which goes back to Bram Stoker's novel. Frankie isn't just made from dead people, Frankie has a prosthetic leg and is nonbinary.  (More inclusion, which I honestly thought wasn't possible.)  

They do still have the giant noggins.  But... new playsets!  Clothes that might fit more non-MH dolls! Human skinned body donors?  I know the original "mansters" are beefy enough to be body donors, but now some of the "ghouls" might be, too!  

Touring The Mansion

 Picking up where we left off... 

Maisie:  Don't say anything that's gonna give away where we are.  She still thinks I'm in Arizona.

Dionne:  I got your back.  (Answers the phone)  Stop calling Maisie.  She can't afford to bail you out, financially or emotionally.  Grow the hell up, you lunatic!  (listens for a moment)  Oh, it's never your fault, it is?  Who's to blame this time?  Your lover of the week?  The president?  Godzilla?  Get over yourself.  (disconnects the call)

Maisie:  That bought me a couple of hours while she tells all the cops what a bad daughter she has, at least.  Or how you're brainwashed her innocent little baby.  (heavy sigh)  I wish I knew how she manages to find me.   I never even told her my married name, but she...  

Dionne: I know.  We better hurry, we're gonna be late to meet Boudica at the place.  

****

Boudica:  These last few rooms are basically attics.  They were servant's quarters back in the old days, but over the years we had fewer live-in help and more junk.  Especially considering that both my parents were historians.  

Dionne: You're leaving all this stuff?

Maisie:  Zenobia said they've removed anything of value to them.  We can use all this stuff for our foster children!  

Dionne:  I guess we don't need to worry about the place looking too institutionalized.  

Maisie: No wonder your aunt was so confident we could do this at low cost.  She knew it was coming with furniture and all!  

Dionne: I have to ask.  Why are you giving all of this away?  It must be worth millions and, as you said, it's been in the family forever. 

Boudica:  We're doing it to spite Dad, frankly.  Can't pay expensive defense lawyers if we give away the bulk of the estate, can we?  (notices Dionne's confusion)  Oh, you don't know about our dad, do you?  I thought Rose-Grace would've told you.  

Dionne: I have no idea what you're talking about.  

Boudica:  He's a murderer and one of his victims was Mom.  And no, he didn't do it here.  Anyone who died here did it a century ago and not through violence.

Maisie:  I like this room.  Very light and airy, if you know what I mean.   Way different from the rooms I had when I was a foster kid.

Boudica:  I didn't realize you'd been in the system. 

Maisie: My mother and I left my dad when I was little, and then she got into all kinds of legal trouble.  I spent most of my life going in and out of care, never knowing where or with who I'd end up.  That's why our big thing is stability - this way any Doll County foster kid will know exactly where they are going.

Dionne: There's also a level of supervision that's just not available in individual homes.  Most foster parents mean well, but there's always the abusers.  And sometimes the kids abuse each other.  

Boudica:  We do have one request.  Would you consider calling the place Helena House?  After Mom? 

Note to readers: 

Backdrops inside the mansion are from a book called Find The Cat.