Once Upon a Zombie Doll Review

Is it me or was I was totally ahead of the trend last year when I created my Twisted Fairy Tales collection for Halloween? Now it seems everyone in the doll industry is jumping onto the Fairytale band wagon! First Mattel’s Scary Tales line for Monster high, followed closely by the Ever After High dolls, and now Once Upon a Zombie.

These dolls have a really compelling backstory, where the Fairytale world has been cursed, and all its inhabitants, including the classic Princesses, have been transformed into shaded living corpses. I’m drawn to the idea of these glamorous characters being stripped of their natural beauty and being forced into these circumstances. It’s in sync with my Twisted Fairy Tales, though mine was focused on the idea that these stories didn’t happen in the way we’ve been told, ‘twisting’ their legends in a gothic retelling.

I loved the design of the Once Upon a Zombie characters, as it seems the designers make a point of making them being prettier in their zombie form. I can see people being drawn to them, in character and design, seeing them so defiant with their bare feat and tattered ball gowns. I particularly love the running mascara their faces are painted with! But they could have gone into more details in so many ways. For example, the Little Mermaid in particular is kinda boring with just her shell bra and starfish hair clip. True, maybe the designers wanted to steer clear of copying Monster High’s Scary Tales line, but fairytales are so rich in detail, the imagery could have been played out waaaay more! It seems more like a great foundation for a spooky Fairy Tale concept.

That aside, my one real bone to pick with this line, I’m afraid, are the physical dolls themselves. I have a real problem with companies that show drawings of their characters, but when manufactured into dolls disappoint in how much they couldn’t resemble the original design, like the Mystixx Vampires line. For example, the character drawing of Sleeping Beauty has flowing straight hair, so why does the actual doll have ugly crimped hair?

Overall, though, I like the line in that it’s a fresh approach. However, unlike the Ever After High line, I won’t be rushing to the store to get my hands on one of these creepy little ladies. Basically great concept, poor execution in the production. However, I can’t help hoping to finish my Twisted Tales collection sometime before the 31st.