by Matt Stevens

There’s a faded, black-and-white photo hanging on my wall. It’s me at age three (when I was cute, as my older siblings tease), wearing a tiny Batman^™ cape, mask, and t-shirt. Though I have no memory of this adorable getup (I was cute in it!), my earliest remembrances do include (to my mother’s horror) my hopping on the living room furniture — leaping tall buildings and shooting spider webs from my wrists!

No, I don’t dress up that way anymore, save the occasional Halloween, and my current furniture couldn’t withstand the shock of my adult weight. So thank heaven I — and the rest of us superhero fans — have Hollywood blockbusters and perfectly realized Mattel dolls and action figures to indulge our crime-fighting fantasies!

This summer alone, Tinseltown will storm our multiplexes with Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Now these are popcorn movies!

Mattel has long appreciated what a magical, even nostalgic hold these planet-protecting characters and stories have on our imaginations. In the past, they’ve dazzled us with such collectibles as the DC Superheroes dolls: Wonder Woman^™ Barbie^®, Black Canary Barbie^®, Supergirl^™ Barbie^®, and Batgirl^™ Barbie^®.

Now Mattel celebrates the hotly anticipated summer flick Green Lantern with the release of the Carol Ferris Barbie^® Doll. Sculpted to accurately represent the character in the movie, this stunning beauty may be the longtime love interest of a superhero — interstellar space cop Hal Jordan — but she’s no slouch herself. A feisty test pilot in a green flight suit with white tank top, black boots, and helmet, she’s poised and ready for high-flying adventures!

A must-have for your superheroes collection, Carol Ferris Barbie^® will debut at San Diego Comic Con. See you there — and at the movies!

What’s your fave superhero memory, movie, or doll? Post your responses below! 

Matt Stevens is a twice-published author and sold screenwriter who specializes in movies and pop culture. A former producer for E! Entertainment Television, he now writes about film for their website, E! Online, and contributes to numerous new-media outlets. Since his first games-writing gig for Barbie.com, Matt has been tickled pink to work on BarbieGirls.com and MyScene.com before joining the BC blogger team.