Thursday, September 20, 2018

Missus Miz Goes Elite

She's the missus of The Miz, and she's awesome. Even since her first run, Maryse had something different. For all intents and purposes she could have been just another cookie cutter blonde from an era where, as far as women's wrestling, the company basically threw anything towards the wall just to see what would stick. It may be a bit different now, but Maryse is better than ever. She may no longer be a regular active wrestler, but she found her niche alongside a man who I always found to be an unlikely real-life husband. Considering he found the same perfect role after years of floating around, perhaps they're just that good for each other.

Wrestling relationships aside, we're here to talk about the latest figure of Maryse. It's her first "Elite" figure as part of a series of exclusive female figures available at Walgreens. Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were the first releases and, like those figures, Maryse also has a championship belt included. Instead of one that she held herself, however, included is The Miz's Intercontinental Championship. Seeing as that she's mainly a manager now, this works.

At first glance, all I see is Joi Lansing. I hear you all right now. "Who?" Miss Lansing, in my opinion, was the far superior version of Marilyn Monroe. Unlike Miss Monroe, Lansing is sadly lost to time. You may see her in an old "I Love Lucy" or "Beverly Hillbillies" re-run, but her premature death in 1972 pretty much halted any chance of future generations taking note. Since she debuted, Maryse has always reminded me of the late starlet. Go ahead and Google. I'll wait. Actually, please wait until after you finish this entry as once you see the beauty, you may not return here.

The figure does have a great look, though. The outfit, complete with cap, is pure Maryse. For once an accessory to go on the head actually looks correct if you place it on the figure. The facial scan is perfect, though dating back to her figure debut with Jakks I don't recall her ever having a bad one. Even the hand does her signature "talk to the hand" pose. There's also a ring painted onto Maryse's finger. Her bond of matrimony with The Miz, I would imagine. A nice detail that certainly didn't need included, but there it is.

Thus far, you would probably consider this to be the ultimate version of our favorite French Diva. I wish they had done this series in the more recent rectangular packaging, but it's still a fun retail exclusive set. Of the three, this seems to be the most sought-after down at "the corner of Happy and Healthy." Perhaps it's because it's her first "Elite" figure, the association with The Miz, their new reality show, or just because...it's Maryse.

We're swimming in dangerous waters as "Mattel Month" continues next week. In fact, if you join us, you're gonna need a bigger boat.

No comments: