"These girls are icons, virtually mainstream," insists Dan Harary, PR manager for the Adult Superstars line, designed and manufactured by Plastic Fantasy Inc. "It's a breakthrough moment in the action-toy industry."
But if you're expecting action as in you-know-what, forget it. These dolls are so tame they're practically Toys R Usfriendly. Nikita Denise is in army-fatigue shorts and high-laced boots, holding a giant spear. Houston is in black leather, ready to blast off on an electric guitar. Julie has one leg up on . . . a cat tree house, complete with a kitten cleaning itself.
So what's so great about the action dolls?
"Tits!" says Carlos, a stocky Latino holding Julie Meadows. "See? Look at her curves!"
"Girls got their dolls, how come boys can't have theirs too?" says a man named Lehman, defiantly clutching his figure of Jenna Jameson in patriotic cheerleader attire (Stars-and-Stripes pom-pom outfit, high-top sneakers). "Besides, these figures are high-class -- really accurate. Look, they even got her tattoo!"
That's because the figures aren't sculpted but created with a so-called "xXx-Scan" computer system, which makes a three-dimensional copy of the model, tattoos and all, via laser. "Our paint applications are 150 times more precise than anything else out there in the action-figure world," boasts designer and Plastic Fantasy founder Jerry Macaluso.
Back outside with the line, Larry, a diminutive fellow in a trench coat, has more substantial issues to discuss. "I believe in their cause!" he declares. "That's why I'm here."
Cause?
"Yeah. They're what America stands for! Freedom! Freedom of speech, freedom of thought . . . Listen, it's a lot better to be standing here than going around killing and maiming people. I e-mail these girls all the time, and we discuss issues like this. Julie e-mailed me back, 'I love your passion.' These are not sluts. They're people, intelligent women. I treat them like that and they really appreciate it."
Farther down the line are two women.
"We're the lesbian contingent!" says Katie in a pronounced British accent. "We watch porn 24/7. We love Nikita, of course. But any of them will do!"
Katie has been in Los Angeles six months with her friend Chloe, a Ph.D. candidate from the University of York who is here doing research in "queer theory."
"Actually," she explains, "my thesis is on the subject of film-fan magazines and representations of gender."
So, could this evening count as research?
"Why not?" she giggles.
And how do they like Los Angeles?
"We adore it! A night like this would never happen in London. It's too cold!"
--Mary Beth Crain
