MANGA SHE-SPAWN
The Prequel
Before she chooses the dark side, Manga She-Spawn is known in Spawndom as the Goddess. "The Goddess is the ultimate hunter for the Realm of Light. With translucent wings and ribboned spear, this figure is both attractive and articulated. Like Angela in our universe, she scours space and time, looking for evil and destroying it on sight. She has mistaken both Manga Spawn and Manga Ninja Spawn as foes. But since she is as wise as she is beautiful, she will soon recognise that they all share a common foe." (End Cap November 1997) Gosh, how prophetic! For she would become a Spawn in 2004!
If you want to include the Goddess into your collection, there are a total of 4 official figures. Above are the headsculpts (not in chronology), from left: Goddess original 'Blue', Goddess repaint 'Grey', Goddess exclusive 'Green' and Manga She-Spawn.
The similar four figures with their helmets on...a must for Manga She-Spawn.
The Goddess
We start this guide with the predecessors of Manga She-Spawn who begin life in the Spawn Action Figures’ Universe as 'The Goddess'. Incidentally, the Goddess was originally titled as Manga Angela. No idea as to the reason(s) for the demise of this Goddess cum Manga Angela but she obviously strikes a bargain with the underworld to return as a Hellspawn.
The three figures are not presented chronologically, instead it is presented in the following order: Original, Repaint and Exclusive. It just so happens that chronologically the exclusive appeared before the repaint.
November 1997 Series 9 Original: Goddess
Card image is courtesy of Jin 119kg's Collection
Goddess first appeared in November 1997 under Series 9 - the very first series that marks the first Manga line.
She is easily recognisable with her light blue bodysuit and golden armour. An easier way to remember her and her ilks is to look at their unmasked heads as shown in the introduction.
Her wings are translucent.
And it shows off her flaming carrot hair wonderfully.
The breast plate has Chinese inscriptions. On her left, it read 'anqi nvshen' (Angie the Goddess) and on the right is a series of numbers: 8 in Arabic follow by 26 in Chinese and 69 in Arabic again. Toymania.com's article titled '1997 Mid-Ohio Con Report' mentioned thaThe cryptic references are based on the birth year of Kathy Faline from AEB Studios whom this figure was based upon. She is born in 1969 but there is no mention if her DOB is August 26th.
May 1998 Series 9 Repaint: Goddess
Card image is courtesy of Jin 119kg's Collection
Chronologically, this repaint version is the third Goddess but it is placed here to better illustrate the differences between the original and repaint. It appeared together with the rest of Series 9 Repaint edition in May 1998.
This version was repainted with a black/metallic grey bodysuit and purple armour. And the breastplate contained Chinese numbers that make really no sense because it can be read in many variations and combinations. So unless you know that it is related to Kathy's date of birth as mentioned in the original figure, the Chinese numbers are gibberish. But even if the arrangements are correct, ie 69-8-25, it does not gel with the numbers of the original figure, so is it meant to be a correction? Also, her title in Chinese on the left of the breast plate now read as 'tianshi', ie Angel instead of Angie the Goddess.
The wings are now painted gold to provide a greater contrast to the black suit and purple armour. The carrot hair is replaced by black braided hair.
January 1998 Retail Exclusive Display Case: Goddess
Card image courtesy of Jin 119lg's Collection
Chronologically, this is the second Goddess version as it appeared in January 1998 as an exclusive in a display case in tandem with the wave of enthusiasm produced by the movie.
She is vastly different from the original and repaint. Her bodysuit is metallic green and armour copper-washed. The breast armour plate has been shrinked considerably and all those cryptic references have been removed.
The shrinkage of the breast armour plate is to accomodate the fabulous pair of wings.
The wings are lovely but a bit artificial since they seems to be mounted rather than originate from the back. The hair meanwhile has been dyed brown.
June 2004 Reborn Series 2: Manga She-Spawn
The Goddess changes her allegiance and joined the 'Day Watch'. She was released as part of Reborn Series 2 in June 2004.
Easily identifiable as she is dressed almost all in black - black suit and black armour except for the obligatory white M-stripe (and not much of a M for that matter) that is etched on the breast plate. Her face similarly has been 'masked', wonder if the unmasked face is burnt.
And she retained the carrot hair.
