Bleeding Edge Goths, often shortened to BeGoths, were an alternative fashion doll made for the adult collector market by company Varner Concepts. The line was discontinued - as far as I can tell - in 2009 and the remaining dolls can be bought on the Varner Concepts website. I was never really 'old' enough for these dolls during their heyday, and really only got into them a couple of years ago, by sheer accident more than anything. Well, okay, so I'd seen pictures and quite liked them, but not enough to go out and buy.
Okay, so first all I should preface this by saving it is not going to be the most typical of reviews. If you are looking for something that describes the articulation and other such things in detail, I suggest going and looking at the very brilliant guest review on the awesome blog that is Toy Box Philosopher. This is more going to be a review on my experience with the dolls, and finding them in a market that doesn't really have them for proper sale anymore. So, let's start with my first.
Malice. All the way from series 1, Malice was a sheer accidental find at Collectormania Glasgow - one of the biggest conventions in the Glasgow area. Though MCM Scotland can probably boast bigger numbers after this year, but I digress. I only really spotted her in the passing, thinking off-hand that she had a vague likeness to Wednesday Addams - one of my all time favourite characters - and that she would make a good 'stand in' until such times as I could get an actual Wednesday. (Which I did, well, a beautifully made custom one for Christmas a year or two ago from a very good friend). I did kind of recognise the doll as being similar to ones I'd once seen in Osiris, so when I came home from the convention, I took to Google, and found myself becoming very interested. Malice was apparently a gothic spin on Alice in Wonderland which is one of my favourite stories, btw. And there were more out there? Yeah, I was interested.
And that interest led to me picking up another one, only a couple of weeks later.
Gloria Phobia, from the last line produced. Gloria is stunning, and she is one of those dolls that I can't look at without smiling. Everything about her is just beautiful to me, from her really simple design, the clever tattoo, even the very subtle piercings. Gloria embodies the type of sophisticated lady I think there's a part of me that thinks would be cool to be.
Olivia came next, and this is the only one I've actually bought twice, and been lucky enough to be able to do so. See, I had family come to visit and one of my little cousins fell in love with Olivia. Considering that she's adorable, it's not hard to do. I am not a (very) selfish person, I couldn't bare to see my little cousin have to be parted from the doll she'd not let go of since she first laid eyes on her. One quick nosy on Amazon later, little cousin went away with Olivia, and I had this new one on route to me. And yes, the new one was originally for the little cousin, but she was going home before it would arrive, so we went with her taking the one in hand away with her. She was very happy. And plans to look for more online, since her Mum also thought the dolls were beautiful. (I've managed to pick up another one for her; but I'm not going to say who it is.)
Abcynthia Chaser. My first eBay win in a really long time, and just another one of those ones I find stunning. Well, actually, all the ones in my collection are the ones I find most visually pleasing from this line. I've got to hunt these down, I might as well spend my time hunting down the ones I like the look of. In my doll-canons (we all have them) Abcynthia is a very wise young lady, and often counsels the others on their problems. She's trust-worthy, and a steady person to turn to. She also likes spiders.
Angelina Blasphemina. Another eBay win, I actually managed to get her still new in box for a ridiculously low price. However, I do not have the space to keep boxes, I really don't. That and the plastic of the box had yellowed quite a lot, so it wasn't very nice to look at. One of her original black elastic bands broke on me not so long ago - well, more finally gave out, it came out of the box sort of crumbly - which is why it's always handy to keep a pack of the clear ones around. She strikes me as a very tech-loving girl, and I love her bar-code tattoo, though realistically I can't say I'd ever want one under my eye. Youch.
Red Riding Storm. From what I can tell, Storm is the only recurring character in the BeGoths line, and seems to be some sort of figurehead for the line. Red is the only variation of Storm that I own, and I think she's probably the only one I'm ever likely to own. Even though her nose ring is misplaced, there's something sweet in her face that makes me glad to have her. She was another one who came new in box but with very yellowed plastic. I'd like to know what made the plastic so yellow. Next to Gloria, her outfit is probably the second simplest - excluding tights. I've seen versions whose hair is far more red than my Red is, so I think there is some different dye jobs out there. I'd like to try to find pictures of all of them.
Leda Swanson. Oh Leda. Another eBay find (actually only Malice, Gloria, and Olivia weren't eBay finds) Leda was in need of some serious TLC when she came to me. As you can see, I haven't managed to do much - her arms are still horribly stained, and the ribbons in her hair are in need of ... well, probably replacing if I'm honest about it. I did manage to clean up her dress, which I am proud of, and she doesn't smell as musty anymore. I'm happy I found her, and it was an interesting little research trip into what to use to clean dolls, but it did teach me to be a little more critical of photos in auctions.
Lolita Sun. Apparently she was an exclusive of some kind? I don't really know much about that; my knowledge of the company and the line is actually pretty thin on the ground and trying to find informative sites can be a bit of a struggle; but I managed to find her for a ridiculously good price compared to what I see her frequently go for. I really like the bright pink of her hair, and the carefully painted left eye. Though, from a distance, it does look like she's horribly bloodshot and probably needs to see a doctor. Also I'm not so sure about naming a doll 'Lolita'. I mean, the novel is a bit... skeevy, for want of a better word. (And yes, I know it's a fashion style too. I have some fondness for the main style, and the variations thereof, I just... skeevy novel.)
Hypnotica Gaze; or the only one who owns a pair of trousers! Seriously. I know the idea was to show the alternative fashions, but considering that I spent most of my teenage years in (and ... still frequently do go to) alternative fashion shops, I can say there were a lot of trousers on offer. And they sat a lot better on a person that Hypnotica's do on her. Seriously, the belt does nothing. I do like her though; her face paint inspired her doll-canon, which is a girl who thinks herself in a constant state of ennui, totally bored by the world and all around her. The reality is she's a little pretentious, but she's a good person when she stops with the airs.
And that brings us to the last one in my collection, and my latest find. Divinity. Yes, I know I've probably got her veil on incorrectly. No, I don't particularly care, but I would like to know how it is meant to sit. Divinity was one of my two grail dolls for this line, the other being Annabelle Lee who I know I've got next to no chance of getting. There's something about Divinity that reminds me strongly of stories about fairies, though I'm not quite sure why. The wedding dress and veil could be a reference to Great Expectations, but that could be me reading too much into it.
So, there's my dolls and some rambles. Now what? Well, overall despite their very limited colour palatte, I think the BeGoth line was actually quite a cool line. It's a pity it stopped when it did, especially considering that the next year, Mattel's Monster High line first made it's appearance, making the idea of the 'freaky' cool. BeGoths could be said to be a safer step into the world of the dark, alternative dolls, especially when compared to the still going Living Dead Dolls which can range from tame to downright gory in some cases. (I am not sure on my feelings of Living Dead Dolls; but I do think some go a little too far with the horror aspect.)
Body wise, they're a lot like the classic Barbies, with the large chest to small waist style of shape. They may fit some old Barbie clothes, but since I'm not really big on re-dressing, I don't think it's something I'll ever really find out. When it comes down to it, I don't really have any big, Earth-shattering opinon on them. For what they did, I think they did well. Do I think they could have done more? Yeah, of course I do. It would have been cool to see Goths of different ethnic backgrounds, or some male Goths, or even different body types, though I know the latter is something that we're still trying to get even with the Queen B, so...
But for what it's worth, I like what I have. And that's enough for me.
Okay, so first all I should preface this by saving it is not going to be the most typical of reviews. If you are looking for something that describes the articulation and other such things in detail, I suggest going and looking at the very brilliant guest review on the awesome blog that is Toy Box Philosopher. This is more going to be a review on my experience with the dolls, and finding them in a market that doesn't really have them for proper sale anymore. So, let's start with my first.
Malice. All the way from series 1, Malice was a sheer accidental find at Collectormania Glasgow - one of the biggest conventions in the Glasgow area. Though MCM Scotland can probably boast bigger numbers after this year, but I digress. I only really spotted her in the passing, thinking off-hand that she had a vague likeness to Wednesday Addams - one of my all time favourite characters - and that she would make a good 'stand in' until such times as I could get an actual Wednesday. (Which I did, well, a beautifully made custom one for Christmas a year or two ago from a very good friend). I did kind of recognise the doll as being similar to ones I'd once seen in Osiris, so when I came home from the convention, I took to Google, and found myself becoming very interested. Malice was apparently a gothic spin on Alice in Wonderland which is one of my favourite stories, btw. And there were more out there? Yeah, I was interested.
And that interest led to me picking up another one, only a couple of weeks later.
Gloria Phobia, from the last line produced. Gloria is stunning, and she is one of those dolls that I can't look at without smiling. Everything about her is just beautiful to me, from her really simple design, the clever tattoo, even the very subtle piercings. Gloria embodies the type of sophisticated lady I think there's a part of me that thinks would be cool to be.
Olivia came next, and this is the only one I've actually bought twice, and been lucky enough to be able to do so. See, I had family come to visit and one of my little cousins fell in love with Olivia. Considering that she's adorable, it's not hard to do. I am not a (very) selfish person, I couldn't bare to see my little cousin have to be parted from the doll she'd not let go of since she first laid eyes on her. One quick nosy on Amazon later, little cousin went away with Olivia, and I had this new one on route to me. And yes, the new one was originally for the little cousin, but she was going home before it would arrive, so we went with her taking the one in hand away with her. She was very happy. And plans to look for more online, since her Mum also thought the dolls were beautiful. (I've managed to pick up another one for her; but I'm not going to say who it is.)
Abcynthia Chaser. My first eBay win in a really long time, and just another one of those ones I find stunning. Well, actually, all the ones in my collection are the ones I find most visually pleasing from this line. I've got to hunt these down, I might as well spend my time hunting down the ones I like the look of. In my doll-canons (we all have them) Abcynthia is a very wise young lady, and often counsels the others on their problems. She's trust-worthy, and a steady person to turn to. She also likes spiders.
Angelina Blasphemina. Another eBay win, I actually managed to get her still new in box for a ridiculously low price. However, I do not have the space to keep boxes, I really don't. That and the plastic of the box had yellowed quite a lot, so it wasn't very nice to look at. One of her original black elastic bands broke on me not so long ago - well, more finally gave out, it came out of the box sort of crumbly - which is why it's always handy to keep a pack of the clear ones around. She strikes me as a very tech-loving girl, and I love her bar-code tattoo, though realistically I can't say I'd ever want one under my eye. Youch.
Red Riding Storm. From what I can tell, Storm is the only recurring character in the BeGoths line, and seems to be some sort of figurehead for the line. Red is the only variation of Storm that I own, and I think she's probably the only one I'm ever likely to own. Even though her nose ring is misplaced, there's something sweet in her face that makes me glad to have her. She was another one who came new in box but with very yellowed plastic. I'd like to know what made the plastic so yellow. Next to Gloria, her outfit is probably the second simplest - excluding tights. I've seen versions whose hair is far more red than my Red is, so I think there is some different dye jobs out there. I'd like to try to find pictures of all of them.
Leda Swanson. Oh Leda. Another eBay find (actually only Malice, Gloria, and Olivia weren't eBay finds) Leda was in need of some serious TLC when she came to me. As you can see, I haven't managed to do much - her arms are still horribly stained, and the ribbons in her hair are in need of ... well, probably replacing if I'm honest about it. I did manage to clean up her dress, which I am proud of, and she doesn't smell as musty anymore. I'm happy I found her, and it was an interesting little research trip into what to use to clean dolls, but it did teach me to be a little more critical of photos in auctions.
Lolita Sun. Apparently she was an exclusive of some kind? I don't really know much about that; my knowledge of the company and the line is actually pretty thin on the ground and trying to find informative sites can be a bit of a struggle; but I managed to find her for a ridiculously good price compared to what I see her frequently go for. I really like the bright pink of her hair, and the carefully painted left eye. Though, from a distance, it does look like she's horribly bloodshot and probably needs to see a doctor. Also I'm not so sure about naming a doll 'Lolita'. I mean, the novel is a bit... skeevy, for want of a better word. (And yes, I know it's a fashion style too. I have some fondness for the main style, and the variations thereof, I just... skeevy novel.)
Hypnotica Gaze; or the only one who owns a pair of trousers! Seriously. I know the idea was to show the alternative fashions, but considering that I spent most of my teenage years in (and ... still frequently do go to) alternative fashion shops, I can say there were a lot of trousers on offer. And they sat a lot better on a person that Hypnotica's do on her. Seriously, the belt does nothing. I do like her though; her face paint inspired her doll-canon, which is a girl who thinks herself in a constant state of ennui, totally bored by the world and all around her. The reality is she's a little pretentious, but she's a good person when she stops with the airs.
And that brings us to the last one in my collection, and my latest find. Divinity. Yes, I know I've probably got her veil on incorrectly. No, I don't particularly care, but I would like to know how it is meant to sit. Divinity was one of my two grail dolls for this line, the other being Annabelle Lee who I know I've got next to no chance of getting. There's something about Divinity that reminds me strongly of stories about fairies, though I'm not quite sure why. The wedding dress and veil could be a reference to Great Expectations, but that could be me reading too much into it.
So, there's my dolls and some rambles. Now what? Well, overall despite their very limited colour palatte, I think the BeGoth line was actually quite a cool line. It's a pity it stopped when it did, especially considering that the next year, Mattel's Monster High line first made it's appearance, making the idea of the 'freaky' cool. BeGoths could be said to be a safer step into the world of the dark, alternative dolls, especially when compared to the still going Living Dead Dolls which can range from tame to downright gory in some cases. (I am not sure on my feelings of Living Dead Dolls; but I do think some go a little too far with the horror aspect.)
Body wise, they're a lot like the classic Barbies, with the large chest to small waist style of shape. They may fit some old Barbie clothes, but since I'm not really big on re-dressing, I don't think it's something I'll ever really find out. When it comes down to it, I don't really have any big, Earth-shattering opinon on them. For what they did, I think they did well. Do I think they could have done more? Yeah, of course I do. It would have been cool to see Goths of different ethnic backgrounds, or some male Goths, or even different body types, though I know the latter is something that we're still trying to get even with the Queen B, so...
But for what it's worth, I like what I have. And that's enough for me.
Thank you for sharing your collection! I really love to see BEgoth dolls photos, even if I'll probably never get one for myself (I promised myself to not buy anymore dolls that will be just sitting nicely on a shelf), and I really enjoyed this post. The "dolly canon" thing is lovely!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for being the first ever comment on my blog!
DeleteI know the pain of having dolls just 'sitting around'. My BeGoth dolls do pretty much nothing else but sit around and look pretty. Which they do fabulously, it must be admitted.
Dolly canon I cannot take credit for. I don't know exactly where I've heard the phrase before, but I know it's a ~thing~ that most collectors seem to have. Plus, it's just kind of fun to imagine all these personalities for the various members of your collection. ^^
I hope you have a nice day!
Hi! I'm sorry to bother you, specially when you wrote this post months ago. But I've found it by searching for information about Varner concepts, and I was wondering if you know if Varner concepts send these dolls to Europe.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for some of them quite a long time, even I e-mailed them but they never answered me.
Well... Thanks a lot for your attention and I really enjoyed your post ;)
PS: Sorry for my English, Spanish is my native language.
Hey, I know quite a bit about these dolls as they were a huge part of my teenage years until they were discontinued due to money issues. They had a 9th series planned, but couldn't afford to produce them. They also had a series of 7" vinyl figures they would release alongside the fashion dolls, but they were discontinued by series 7.
ReplyDeleteAs for ideas of their personalities, each doll actually had their own profile written up! They included their full name, favorite color, a pet, likes, and dislikes.
As for Lolita Sun, yes, she is an exclusI've. The company had a "Crypt Club", where you could join for a one-time fee of $35, they'd send you a box of really nice goodies, and you could then purchase exclusive versions of their dolls.
Also, I believe Divinity was said to be married to Thor.
Hey, I know quite a bit about these dolls as they were a huge part of my teenage years until they were discontinued due to money issues. They had a 9th series planned, but couldn't afford to produce them. They also had a series of 7" vinyl figures they would release alongside the fashion dolls, but they were discontinued by series 7.
ReplyDeleteAs for ideas of their personalities, each doll actually had their own profile written up! They included their full name, favorite color, a pet, likes, and dislikes.
As for Lolita Sun, yes, she is an exclusI've. The company had a "Crypt Club", where you could join for a one-time fee of $35, they'd send you a box of really nice goodies, and you could then purchase exclusive versions of their dolls.
Also, I believe Divinity was said to be married to Thor.
Oh, that's really interesting. It's a pity they were discontinued, especially considering a year or two later we had Monster High hitting the market and becoming a huge success. I think that would have really helped to increase their consumer base.
DeleteIt's cool to hear that each doll had their own personality written up! That can be really informative and useful. Though, I have to admit, I tend to come up with my own thing for my little doll-verse/doll-canon. I don't know why, exactly, but a lot of doll owners seem to so at least I'm not alone there.
Thank you for the information about Lolita!
Married to Thor? How nice for Divinity! I don't have a Thor around here, so sadly she is without her husband. I don't think I'd ever be able to afford a Hot Toys Thor, either >< Ah well, something will be worked out.