Some people have claimed that Barbie is really about giving girls the image of an empowered woman. There can be little doubt of empowerment when it comes to Black Moses Barbie - she fights for freedom and has all the coolest playsets and accessories.
posted by yeloson on Apr 3, 2011 - 9 comments

Barbie vs Bratz: Mattel sues MGA, claiming the Bratz designs were created by a Mattel employee and smuggled to its rival.
posted by Artw on May 5, 2008 - 40 comments

Bling Bling Barbie.
posted by swift on Oct 6, 2005 - 46 comments

Razanne, the Muslim alternative to this, this, this, or this
(Last link possibly NSFW?)
posted by magullo on Oct 9, 2003 - 21 comments

Sure, Scarlett O'Hara Barbie is lovely, and yeah, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz Barbie is cute, but for my money, it's hard to beat Marge Simpson Barbie, Medusa Barbie, or Dominatrix Barbie. The full collection, located here, clearly owes a debt to Todd Haynes, and the Barbie Liberation Army, but is still worth a chuckle.
posted by jonson on Jun 21, 2003 - 7 comments

Barbie's Hot! Though they claim they have no interest in mass production, I can say right now that I'd buy this Barbie. Woo!
posted by dwivian on Nov 16, 2001 - 24 comments

Ken, of Barbie and Ken has turned 40. To mark the occasion, Mattel is releasing a hot, young, 20 year old secretary, that Ken is having an affair with, and a Porsche 911. (to complete the whole midlife crisis thing you see.)
posted by tiaka on Mar 15, 2001 - 3 comments

Buy your kid a new doll you cheap bastards! - Apparently barbie dolls and other plastic toys made in the 1950's have recently been found to secrete a sticky chemical film that could cause developmental problems in children.
posted by Nyarlathotep on Aug 24, 2000 - 4 comments

This is just sick and wrong. Convention Barbie? Do you really want to support a party with lame merchandising tie-ins like this? Sidenote: does this make Bush pro-Mattel and anti-Matt L?
posted by mathowie on Aug 2, 2000 - 8 comments

Not that we need to give Mattel any more press, but I found gothic Barbie and Ken, Addams gig or no, to be très étrange. (Oh Tish! That's French! You know that drives me to further acts of kitschy assimilation!)
posted by jason on Jul 10, 2000 - 4 comments

Another victim falls to the tyranny of Mattel. What's really strange about this is that, to my knowledge, Barbie is a name. If someone names their kid Barbie, will they too receive a C&D from Mattel? Hmm...

Well, if you want to read the C&D its here.
posted by deckard on May 26, 2000 - 7 comments

Coming to a toy store near you: Cease and Desist Barbie. Very funny stuff Justin, I expect you'll be getting a letter soon.
posted by mathowie on May 23, 2000 - 6 comments