Watch out, Finnegan Wake is rolling into town!

Well, the Christmas season is in full swing around here, and I'm using that as my excuse for why it's been so long between posts! I'm working around 6 days a week on average right now, and blogging is definitely falling farther down the list of priorities than I'd like it to. Of course, I'm still buying the dolls and even taking photos and filming videos, but editing and getting these posts together takes more time than I have sometimes!

But I have some time today, and I'm back with a pretty exciting thing to review! Remember way back a few months ago when Mattel asked us to vote on who would get made into a doll, and Finnegan Wake won? Well, he finally hits shelves, and I scooped him up immediately! In the US, he's exclusive to the Mattel online store, but thankfully up here in Canada, he's a Toys R Us exclusive, so I was able to buy him in person without worrying about paying shipping or exchange. Interestingly enough, he was $29.99, which is considerably more reasonable than I would have expected based on recent doll prices. I know I rant about prices a lot, but I'm going to do it again, just briefly, I promise!

Remember how the Boo York dolls like Nefera and Catty are $35, and Luna, Elle and Mousecedes are $40 (which I why I still don't own those three...)? Well, the new Great Scarrier Reef dolls are starting to hit shelves up here, and Peri and Pearl (and I believe Kala and Posea as well, though I've only seen Peri and Pearl in person) are going for only $26.99! Yes, that's more than they'll be in the States, but considering the amount of detail they have and the fact that they all have new, incredibly varied and different body molds, that price is kind of amazing. Hopefully things even out a little bit when it comes to pricing, and maybe, just maybe, Scarnival Skelita will go on sale for less than $27...

ANYWAYS. All that to say, I think Finnegan's price is incredibly fair, considering everything about his mold is brand spanking new, and he comes with the wheelchair, which is a pretty substantial accessory. I was really excited about getting my hands on Finnegan for a lot of reasons, so without further ado, let's have a look at him!

I'm pretty impressed with how Mattel managed to fit him into a box that isn't really that different in size from a usual Monster High box. It's a bit thicker, but height and width wise, it's pretty much the same. They really crammed that wheelchair in there! I love how he's positioned on a skateboard ramp inside the box, and I also love the stamp on the back of the box, reminding us that we voted for Finnegan, and he won! It tickles me a little, because I did vote for him, so it's extra fun to have the doll in my hands.

 He comes with everything you see here, plus a journal. He doesn't come with a stand, which I actually appreciate. In his journal, it actually specifies that he was born with a tail that just doesn't work, so he needs the wheelchair to get around. I really liked this detail, because it just takes it one step further than him needing the wheelchair just because he's not in the water. As such, his tail also isn't built for him to stand on like Sirena's or the Great Scarrier Reef dolls. Could you put him on a stand or make him stand up with his fin? Sure you could, but I won't be doing that. A huge part of the reason I'm so excited to have Finnegan is for what he represents in a larger context, and what he'll mean for kids (and grown-ups!) everywhere who use wheelchairs or have other physical challenges.

I think I've mentioned before that I volunteer for a drama program for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities, many of whom use wheelchairs. When I look at Finnegan, I see all the performers from that program, and imagine what a toy like Finnegan would've meant for them as a kid, and I'm glad that he exists now! Next step, more dolls like him that aren't limited to one store or just online, am I right?

So, let's start with that wheelchair! It's pretty narrow, basically exactly as wide as it needs to be and no more than that. I like how small it is in that sense, as that makes it feel a bit more realistic.

However, one thing that makes the chair feel slightly less realistic is the high back and the push handles. This is me being a bit nit picky, admittedly, but I think Finnegan would be much more likely to use a lower profile chair with a lack of push handles. Based on his first webisode appearance, he doesn't want anyone thinking he can't do anything, or assuming he needs help when he doesn't, so the push handles seem to go against that. But really, that is the pickiest of nits, because the chair is still really cool!

Underneath the foot (fin?) rest, there's a flaming skull sticker, which goes nicely with the flaming spokes of the wheels.

 On the back of the chair is Finnegan's bag, a large, orangey-bronze backpack. It opens, and there's quite a lot of space inside it. He doesn't have anything to put in it, but he totally COULD put stuff in it. It comes off the chair, but it's definitely meant to fit on the chair and not on Finnegan's body, so I'm leaving it right where it is.

And finally, on to Finnegan himself! I think he has a strong, handsome face, though (as per usual) I wish it had more of the personality we see in his art. He has a new face mold, which is always fun to see, and it's painted very simply. Instead of hair, he has a hair plastic fin standing straight up on top of his head, kind of like a mohawk. I like how his eyes are a little wall-eyed, and I hope it's intentional. Sure, it may bug some people, but I like that it makes him look a little...fishier.

Everything about his body is totally new! His torso is bigger than the standard MH boys but smaller than Manny, and then obviously, he has a tail! Clothing-wise, he's just wearing a yellow tank with a racing stripe design. I think he'd look awesome with a custom letterman jacket over it as well, since we all know he's going to be a SKRM superstar!

The tail has three joints, at his waist, the "knee" and at the fin. The knee and fin joints actually bend as well as rotate on a ball-style joint, so he's really poseable. Much moreso than Sirena, the only mermaid I currently have to compare. The fin is also really shiny and shimmery, and I think he'd be really fun to play with in the water. Too bad it's winter here, and too cold to go anywhere near water!

He has a few tattoos, including this one of a finish line and a pretty mean looking little skull. He also has a bandage wrapped around one wrist, probably from all those extreme sports!

On his other forearm, he has a black flame tattoo, and on both hands he has painted black fingerless gloves.  

Lastly, in terms of accessories, he comes with these hilarious goggles. They really make him look fishy!

I decided to pull out Gil for some comparisons, since he's our other resident fish-dude, but honestly, there's really no comparison. They're both blue-ish, and roughly the same height if Finnegan is up on his fin, but other than that...

 If I'm being honest here, as handsome as I think Finnegan is, I really prefer Gil's face. There's just more detail in both his mold and his painting, and I think more personality too.

And that's Finnegan, zooming his way down the halls of Monster High!

He's actually surprisingly fun to pose, and pretty dynamic. I also love the combination of his blue skin and tail and the orange of his wheelchair. Very bright and eye-catching!

Speaking of eye-catching...in Finnegan's journal he mentions having a bit of a thing for Gigi, so of course, she had to come and say hello! I think they look pretty cute together, don't you?

Finnegan offered to give Gigi a ride down to the beach...

And Gigi taught Finnegan everything she learned on her trip to the Planetscarium, and they watched the stars together. D'awwww...

 So that's it for Finnegan Wake, Monster High's newest student! I think he's pretty cool in his own right, but also in the grander scheme of what he represents. He's a bad-a** athlete, a cool guy, and he uses a wheelchair, and none of those things is affected by any of the others. I bet a lot of kids out there are going to be as happy to add Finnegan to their collection as I am!

 What do you think of Finnegan? Is he going to come zooming into your collection, or will you let him whizz right by?