Who would ever have thought that religious groups wouldn’t warm to the idea of an S&M looking Barbie? Some people are surprisingly uptight. Mattel has just come out with a new Barbie based on the Black Canary superhero. And apparently the Black Canary is a big, big skank.

BARBIE’S new S&M look has whipped up a storm – with protesters dubbing it “filth”.

The doll’s image is transformed with kinky fishnets, motorcycle jacket, black gloves and boots.

Makers Mattel say Black Canary Barbie, out in September, is based on a DC comic superhero of the same name.

But religious group Christian Voice said: “Barbie has always been on the tarty side and this is taking it too far.

A children’s doll in sexually suggestive clothing is irresponsible – it’s filth.”

[From the Sun]

Okay I have to admit that while I found this story mildly amusing in general, the real reason I love it is the line “Barbie has always been on the tarty side.” So true. I don’t know about the rest of you, but my Barbies were major sluts. My mom made the mistake of letting me watch Days of Our Lives with her from a very early age, and as a result I had a really dramatic – and skanky – view of adult relationships. Thus by the age of seven my Barbies were getting it on in the kitchen, nearly breaking the ill-fitting hot pink 1980’s trash compactor.

You can dress that girl as an astronaut or one of those fancy, high end Bob Mackie Barbie dresses. I don’t care. The woman has the soul of a skank, Mattel is just smart enough to stop fighting it.

Note by Celebitchy: Here’s another picture of the cartoon Black Canary, thanks to Inventor Spot, who also points us to the Catwoman Barbie, which doesn’t look all that different from this one. And here’s a link to photos of all the Barbies in the DC Superheros line out this year. They retail for $35.

Christo Komarnitski, Bulgaria, caglecartoons.com

The little girl’s toy (maker) is suing the big boy’s toy.

Toy maker Mattel went to court today to declare that the name of its clean-cut Barbie dolls does not belong on a model’s pornographic website.

In a lawsuit filed in US District Court in Manhattan, Mattel said the website for an adult entertainer named China Barbie has tried to benefit from Mattel’s success with the 48-year-old line of dolls, which includes Barbie’s sister, Skipper, her best friend, Midge, and Skipper’s boyfriend, Kevin.

China Barbie’s site says she’s a 34D-22-33 (all natural!) “cordial young lady” who sat behind the desks of some of the world’s leading investment banking firms and advertising agencies in New York before getting into porn. It says her filmography includes Me Luv You Long Time, Ethnic Cheerleaders 8 and Passport to Paradise.

Sydney Morning Herald

I think the Barbie doll has videos with the same names. Probably not the cheerleader one.

Barbie has been taken off the shelves this week following the lead paint issue with toys made in China (although I’m unsure if she was on the list of recalls), and has for years been getting her butt kicked by the tougher Bratz Dolls. Feminists don’t like Barbie because of her unrealistic proportions. I never liked Barbie, much preferring to just drive around her Ferrari. My boy cousins played with Barbie, although taking off her clothes might not be tachnically called ‘playing’. Now, they’d probably be bigger fans of China Barbie, and I prefer a bigger Ferrari. Poor Barbie could probably never drive the Ferrari anyway, in part because of her deformed feet, and because she was just a doll.

Note by Celebitchy: In December, 2003 an artist who used Barbie dolls in his work successfully defended himself against a five year lawsuit from Mattel. The lawsuit was dismissed and Mattel was ordered to pay the artist’s $2 million in legal fees. One of the artist Tom Forsythe’s works from a series called Food Chain Barbie is below, thanks to Boing Boing.

Mattel also sued over that stupid “Barbie Girl” song that is now unfortunately stuck in my head. The suit was dismissed and went all the way to the Supreme Court on appeal in 2003, where the dismissal was upheld. Barbies are part of popular culture and Mattel is only looking like a bully by suing artists and musicians for daring to use her name. It’s fair game for porn stars, too. Suck it Mattel and be grateful for the publicity.

Art by Tom Forsythe