Collectors wax poetic about Barbie nostalgia and the upcoming feature film

BY CRYSTAL SCHELLE Special to The News-Post

hen Barbara “Barbie” Millicent Roberts waltzed into the toy aisle in 1959, she not only became a fashion icon but empowered girls to be anything they wanted to be.

In her debut year, Barbie was the quintessential “it” girl. Barbie had a blonde ponytail, cat-eye makeup, pouty red lips and was dressed in hoop earrings, a black-and-white striped bathing suit, and black, strappy high-heeled sandals. She was the brainchild of Ruth Handler, who cofounded Mattel with her husband Elliott.

Over the years, Barbie has traded in her bathing suit to be a teacher, nurse, veterinarian, pilot, astronaut, rock star, aerobics teacher and more, while still slipping into an occasional ballgown. She has been introduced in a Black and Latina Barbie to allow more girls to see themselves in Barbies. And she still hangs out with her boyfriend Ken, her bestie Midge, and her younger sisters Skipper, Stacie and Chelsea.

This weekend marks the opening of “Barbie” (PG-13), the movie starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. As the pink-colored excitement ramps up for the opening, we asked local Barbie lovers about their collections and why this doll continues to be an icon.

Carol Williamson, 45, of New Market, received her first Barbie when she was around 4 or 5 years old. By the time she was 11, she had grown out of playing with her dolls, but she didn’t want to get rid of them.

“So then I started collecting them,” she said. “They’re all kept in their boxes. For every holiday, my mom and my grandma would always give me Barbies, even when I went to college, as a kind of a fun thing to do.”

Today her large collection mostly lives in her basement, although she tends to bring out a special few for display in her home office seasonally, like her Christmas Barbies that come out each year.

Williamson even brought out all of her bridal shower Barbies for display for her cousin’s bridal shower. She only displays a small portion of her collection at a time so as not to get overwhelmed.

Her collection is made up of strictly Barbie dolls. Her favorite Barbie is the Rose Barbie collection because it combines two things she loves, Barbies and roses.

Although Barbie will forever be a young woman, Williamson said she’s happy about how, as she has grown up, so has Barbie.

“I love the fact that she’s stayed relevant and can continue to keep up with the times and has always been classically beautiful,” she said.

Frederick residents Katie Romero, 36, and her daughter Jasmine, 8, have shared a love of Barbie, too.

“Ever since I was a child, all I ever asked for was Barbie,” Katie Romero said.

Today she estimates she has more than 200 dolls, including the 1992 collector Christmas Barbie — with all of their accessories. They also have two Dream Houses, one a newer version and one from the 1960s.

Romero said although she collects them, she doesn’t hide them away or keep them from her daughter.

“I let my daughter play with them because to me, they should be played with,” she said, noting that she does supervise Jasmine when she’s playing with some from the 1960s.

She encourages Jasmine to play with the dolls because she believes Barbie is a role model.

“The possibilities are endless. She could be anything. You could do anything with her,” Romero said. “She could be a stay-at-home mom or she could be a pilot. She could be a mermaid.”

Jasmine agreed. “She could be a teenager, she could be a mom, a doctor.” She also admitted she just loves the way she looks, especially her makeup. Her favorite is a 1990s Barbie.

What Romero loves most is being able to share Barbie with her daughter.

“It’s nice to bond with her over that. We watched the movies together. We have looked at the vintage ones online together,” she said.

And Barbie is something Romero wants her daughter to continue to play with.

“I think Barbie gives them the ability to imagine their life in any way — whether it’s fantasy or they’re pretending to be a mom who’s taking care of her kids and working a job,” she said. “They get to basically be anything or try anything.”

As a young Indian girl, Samala Khan, 45, of Urbana, wasn’t bothered that Barbie didn’t look like her. She loved her anyway. Although, she admits, the first Barbie she received when she was 4 or 5 is a little worse for wear today, thanks to a shorter hairstyle from Khan.

Over the years, Khan said Barbie “was always a gift that I got” beginning in the ‘80s. For her 7th birthday, Khan received the Dream House.

“It was a big deal,” she said.

But it wasn’t until Khan was a teenager that she finally saw a Barbie who looked like her. Her mom had found a collection of International Barbies. Dolls of the World featured 91 dolls, and one so happened to look just like her.

“My parents emigrated from India in the ‘70s, and there was an Indian Barbie,” she said.

She still has them in the boxes today, admitting she’s opened them just to look at them. “It’s too hard to resist,” she said with a laugh.

Although Barbie is usually thought of as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed version of the doll, Khan said Barbie “embodied everything about being American.” She loved that Barbie could be anyone she wanted to be.

“It’s not so much that I even identified with her except for the fact that she could be anything,” she said.

In addition to her International dolls, her favorite is the Scarlett O’Hara doll, which features Barbie as the iconic protagonist from “Gone with the Wind.”

But Khan doesn’t keep all of her Barbies. As an optometrist by trade, Khan said she received Eye Doctor Barbie but decided to give it away as a gift to a fellow Barbie collector. She also liked the Date Night Barbie, where her pencil skirt flipped into a skirt for the evening, and she appreciated when Barbie’s body shape was changed.

As a married mom of three sons, Khan said one of her boys has a Barbie he’s attached to, but mostly she’s out- numbered.

“For better or for worse, she’s an icon, and I can’t tell you why she’s stood the test of time, except for the fact that she embodies what it is like to be a woman in modern times,” she said.

Barbie has been a family tradition for Jen Conversano, 43, of Mount Airy. Her mother, 73-year-old Carol Smith of North Potomac, collected Barbies, and they’ve passed that along to 7-year-old Peyton.

Today, Conversano has about 13 Barbies but also had an original motorhome, a Burger King, a hotdog stand, a Corvette, and even a pool that could hold water and a pump that produced bubbles in it.

SEE ‘BARBIE’ THE MOVIE

“Barbie” will premiere in Frederick on July 20 at Warehouse Cinemas, 1301 W. Patrick St., and Regal Westview, 5243 Buckeystown Pike.

At Warehouse Cinemas, enjoy pink decor, specialty cocktails and free upgrades on popcorn when you bring your own Barbie. Dress up as your favorite Barbie for a photo.

Thursday tickets were sold out at the time of printing, but the themed lobby, glitter popcorn and special cocktail will be available Friday through Sunday and while supplies last.

Smith still has her Barbies, including the original Ken. About two years ago, she introduced Peyton to the Barbies, “and she just keeps adding to it,” she said.

Peyton’s Barbies are, of course, more modern, especially compared to the vintage styles of her mom and grandma. The youngest fan of the family has the modern motorhome and the Barbie Dream Home.

All these collectors are looking forward to seeing “Barbie” on the big screen. Romero is planning to take Jasmine and some friends to opening day, wearing matching T-shirts made by a friend. Williamson and her friends with younger kids plan to dress in Barbie-inspired outfits for the movie premiere and enjoy dinner and a little celebration together.

Barbie has endured because of her message.

“Barbies these days show any girl that there aren’t limitations,” Smith said. “They can do and be anyone they wanna be.”

Crystal Schelle is a journalist whose work has been published locally, regionally and nationally. She enjoys trivia, cats and streaming movies.

‘Indigene’: An artist monograph release party and presentation by Rula Jones — July 23. “‘Indigene’ is a project that has allowed me to combine my love and practice of both art and writing into a single format. The book idea was inspired by a great deal of memoir writers and artist book makers that have come before me including Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘A Man Without a Country,’ the journals of artist Anne Truitt, William Blake’s ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience,’ and Jenny Holtzer.” Frederick Book Arts Center will sell copies of the book and will host a reception and brief presentation at 3 p.m. July 23. Refreshments served. Free street parking. Frederick Book Arts Center, 217 W. Patrick St., Frederick. 301-228-9816, corrine.wilson@fredbookartscenter.org

DISTRICT Arts celebrates the High Wheel Bicycle Race — through July 23. Artist April Rimpo’s High Wheel paintings will be on view in the gallery. DISTRICT Arts, 15 N. Market St., Frederick. 301-695-4050, districtarts.com/special-exhibitions.

Paintings by Galina Kolosovskaya — through July 23, Links Bridge Vineyards, 8830 Old Links Bridge Road, Thurmont. Silver Spring artist Galina Kolosovskaya is best known for her paintings of flowers and birds. After graduating in fine arts, she was an active member of the remarkable arts community in Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. She served as artistic director for the Wildlife Foundation, premier environmental organization working for the survival of the Siberian tiger and conservation of Russian flora and fauna. Part of the “Wine and Art” series. 301-602-5733, linksbridgevineyards@gmail.com, linksbridgevineyards.com.

”Contrast & Contours” — through July 28, Just Lookin’ Gallery, 40 Summit Ave., Hagerstown. Known for his masterful pencil work, Michale Gibson’s drawings reflect on universal humanity. Hampton Olfus’ adroitness with ink takes us on a journey, both inward and outward. Gibson is visiting from Canada and D.C. native Olfus resides in southern Maryland. 301-714-2278 or justlookin.com.

”Spectrum: Realism to Abstraction” — through July 29, Gallery 50, 50 W. Main St., Waynesboro, Pa. 12 featured artists. Gallery hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and by appointment. artsalliancegw.org or contact@artsalliancegw.org.

”Frederick In Spires” — through July 30, Gallery 322, 322 N. Market St., Frederick. Gallery 322 celebrates the 275th anniversary of Frederick County. This group show features artists Michael Douglas

Jones, Jan Kaufman, Linda Kirvan, Ann Schaefer, Anne Gibson Snyder, Russell Schofield, Tom Ritchie, and Homer Yost, along with associate artists Roberta Staat, Leo Ramos, Lissa Abrams, Paul Wilson and Karen Winston-Levin. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 240-815-7777 or gallery322.com.

”Infinite Surface” — through July 30, NOMA Gallery, 437 N. Market St., Frederick. Mixed media exhibit by JG Orudjev and Todd Frankenheimer. Artists talk 7 p.m. July 20. Gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 240-367-9770 or nomagalleryfrederick.com.

“The Herbalist: Cyanotypes from Fox Haven Farm” — through July 30, with a reception and artist talk from 5 to 8 p.m. July 22. Jillian Abir MacMaster recently spent a week living at Fox Haven Farm in Jefferson, created cyanotype prints about and using the farm’s herb garden, and led three workshops with demonstrations there. This exhibition will showcase the work created during the artist residency. Part of the Black Cat Studios artist collective and was funded by the Frederick Arts Council. 4 W. Fifth St., Frederick. jillian.macmaster@gmail.com.

“All Fired Up” — through July 30, Eastside Artists’ Gallery, 313 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Steven Gibson (fused glass artist) and Stephen Dill (blacksmith) exhibit their individual art, as well as collaborative pieces that combine glass and steel. View the work from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through July. eastsidearts313@gmail.com, eastsideartistsgallery.com.

Frederick County 275th Anniversary Exhibition — through July 30, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Works in a variety of media created by local and regional artists and inspired by storied from the county’s past. Presented in partnership with the Frederick County Historic Sites Consortium. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 301-698-0656 or delaplaine.org.

“Truth” by Robin Davisson — Aug. 2 to 27. Featured artist Robin Davisson’s lyrical, process-driven work is rooted in eclectic curiosity and the material surprises she discovers working with her finely-developed visual vocabulary. Rooted in relentless curiosity and a love for the visceral qualities of the materials themselves, her work seeks to create knowledge in visual form. Opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 5. DISTRICT Arts, 15 N. Market St., Frederick. districtarts.com/robin-davisson.

“Bedwetter” — Aug. 4 to 27. Work by Phyllis Mayes and Lily Sellers, daughter of gallery member Annie Quinlan. Noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 5, artist talk from 5 to 6 p.m. Aug. 12. NOMA Gallery, 437 N. Market St., Frederick. 240-367-9770, nomagalleryfrederick.com.

Jillian Abir MacMaster recently spent a week living at Fox Haven Farm in Jefferson, created cyanotype prints about and using the farm’s herb garden, and led three workshops with demonstrations there. The exhibition “The Herbalist: Cyanotypes from Fox Haven Farm” showcases the work created during the artist residency. This exhibition is part of the Black Cat Studios artist collective and was funded by the Frederick Arts Council. The show is on view through July 30, with a reception and artist talk from 5 to 8 p.m. July 22 at the gallery, located at 4 W. Fifth St., Frederick.

“10x10” — through Aug. 12. Each piece is 10 inches square and for sale. Gallery hours are 4 to 6 p.m. Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays or by appointment. Gribs Gallery and Studio, 208 Main St., New Windsor. Hours are 4 to 6 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. 443-536-9198.

”HUE: An Ode to Color” — through Aug. 25, Gallery 44, 44 S. Bentz St., Frederick. Multimedia art exhibit that explores color in art in a myriad of ways by seven DMV area artists. Open by appointment only. gallery44south@gmail. com or gallery-44.com.

”Over 70 Show” — through Aug. 27, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Works in a variety of media. A signature of the Delaplaine’s Creative Aging Month, this annual exhibition celebrates local artists over age 70 and showcases a wide range of styles, techniques, and interests. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 301-698-0656 or delaplaine.org.

”Heavy Metal” — through Aug. 27, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Oil paintings by Raymond Burns. Easily mistaken as merely utilitarian and unattractive, Burns hopes to elevate the character and the beauty that exists in the form, color and texture of railroad equipment, engines, cabooses, boxcars, and railroad structures in various states of use and decay. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 301-6980656 or delaplaine.org.

”On Beauty and Revolution” — through Aug. 27, Blanche Ames Gallery, 4880 Elmer Derr Road, Frederick. Featuring the work of Sasa Aakil. For gallery hours, call 301-473-7680.

“The Hot Button” — through August, Hot Button Gallery, 129 E. German St., Shepherdstown, W.Va. Carol Williams exhibits textiles and poster art that reflect her passion for social responsibility through artistic communication. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. The artist will be available for conversation at these times. anothercarolwilliams.com.

Crestwood Gallery Spring Exhibit — through Sept. 8, Crestwood Center, 7211 Bank Court, Frederick. Original artwork including photography, watercolors, oil, acrylic, mixed media and wood carvings by Frederick artists. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 240-215-1460, frederickhealth.org/ crestwoodart.

”Landscapes & Legends of Norway: William Singer & His Contemporaries” — through Sept. 17, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown. This exhibition uses Singer’s work and that of his contemporaries in the museum collection to look at the impact of Norway on the imaginations of various artists. A series of watercolors depicting Norse legends (yes, Loki and Thor) by American artist Frank Morse Rummel are also a highlight of the exhibition. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. 301-739-5727 or wcmfa.org.

”Treasures of State: Maryland’s Art Collection” — through Oct. 22, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown. This collaborative exhibition, co-organized with the Maryland State Archives, features over 90 American and European paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and decorative arts. 301-739-5727 or wcmfa.org.

When I worked as a journalist for this newspaper, I became so very, very tired of hearing that my profession was either dying or dead. I’m experiencing the same fatigue when I hear that refrain about comics.

No, dear readers, comics are alive — and booming. And they will boom more, despite the un-nuanced hottakes-for-clicks that appeal to doom scrollers.

The doom and gloom sayers tend to orbit in proximity to the larger, mass-produced monthlies put out by the Big Two, DC and Marvel, a position that discounts the sheer landslide of small-press and independent operations — like Bad Ink Studios, who I recently interviewed over on The Long Box Substack (thelongbox.substack.com) — that carry entire productions on the shoulders of one or two creatives.

While no longer in the golden age where print was everything and made money hand over fist, comics are still big business and account for a chunk of the creative economy when taken as a whole. A recent Allied Market Research report notes the global comic book market was valued at $15.5 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach $26.9 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate of 5.9%.

Partly, in this digital age, comics are more ubiquitously available than ever, using new technology: “These platforms enable readers to quickly and easily access a wide variety of publications from anywhere in the world, allowing them to read comics whenever and wherever they like.”

In addition, “The comic book business has seen an increase in the prominence and visibility of independent creators. … This creative independence allows for the innovation and experimentation of storytelling, art, and character development.”

The downside is that the diversification of the industry has led to small groups or individual creators all fighting to carve out their share of that market.

So, what is “success” when it comes to a grassroots comic-creation business? The answer looks a lot like the model Bad Ink Studio’s Evan Schultz and Lydia Roberts have stumbled on, as I pointed out during a recent interview. Schultz and Roberts have used a combination of old and new marketing techniques to make that happen, primarily around an astounding amount of TikTok videos to drive viewers to their Kickstarter. Now, when I said this to Schultz and Roberts, the revelation seemed to surprise them. They’d simply adopted a guerilla marketing approach from the punk rock world they’d emerged from. Hey, if it works, it works.

Much like newspapers (or “media,” if you prefer), comic creators are in competition for attention, and winning those eyeballs requires a stellar product, which Bad Ink have in their “Interdimensional” series.

Finding a way to stand out is the hard part. I jokingly — sort of jokingly — put together a list of oversaturated tropes

I’d like to see less of, as the scene is, for numerous reasons, awash in them (ibid. Longbox Substack). This, to me, illustrates why Bad Ink’s “Interdimensional” anthology has done so well. Artist Roberts’ style with Evan’s coloring is so unlike the plurality of what’s currently saturating digital platforms.

The point, if I have one, for those who write and draw comics, is this: Be your own authentic self. Don’t chase fads. Don’t measure your success by what others do in the same space. Don’t imitate. Find your unique voice/style.

RECOMMENDATIONS … I am contractually obligated to Tribute Press to mention I have a couple of pages in the second issue of “The Dirty Basement,” which was released between my last column and this. Be aware, it’s firmly in the #NSFW category of underground comics and, if you read it, you’ll never look at bananas the same way again. Find it at tributepress.co.uk. You’ve been warned.

REMINDERS … In April’s column, “Let’s Get Metal!,” I discussed “The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee,” written by Baltimore-based Rafer Roberts and illustrated by Chicago’s Mike Norton. The book has been released, and you can either order it at your local comic book store or find it at Dark Horse (darkhorse. com).

KNOW ANY STEAMPUNK

RAPPERS? … Actually, yes. I owe a lot to Paul Alborough, aka, Professor Elemental, he of the time-traveling trousers and multidimensional rapper, steampunk emcee, all-around gentleman and beacon of positive universal force. Alborough really encouraged me early on in my comics career, even taking a chance on this nascent, largely unknown artist. I illustrated the professor’s biography, drew his simian butler Geoffrey as the logo for packets of banana humbugs, and was even tapped for a couple of comic pages, among other bits and bobs. Some of those illustrations have made it into “The Art of Professor Elemental,” which details over 200-plus pages some of the artistic collaborators Alborough has drawn into his eccentric orbit over the years, including me. Have a recommendation? I’m all ears. Shoot me a note at cgcumber@gmail. com or via Instagram, Twitter or (god help me) TikTok, where you can find me @ cgcumber.

Laughter and live music combine at Rocky Gap Casino Resort throughout July.

Comedian Bret Ernst will perform at Bonkerz Comedy Club at 8 p.m. July 27. Born and raised in New Jersey, Ernst was one of four comedians featured in “Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days and 30 Nights — Hollywood to the Heartland.” He has appeared on TV shows such as “Comedy Central Presents,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and “Weeds,” and has a recurring role on Netflix’s hit series “Cobra Kai.”

Ernst’s jokes are rooted in storytelling, giving the audience an inside look at the life of a typical North Jersey Italian kid in the ‘80s.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. with advance tickets priced at $25 and day-of tickets priced at $30. Guests must be 21 years or older to attend. Tickets are available to purchase here.

Signatures Bar & Grill will host additional music performances throughout the month:

6 to 10 p.m. July 21: Chuck Cantalamessa, folk singer and guitarist

Noon to 4 p.m. July 22: Dave

Howsare

6 to 10 p.m. July 22: Dustin McCray

6 to 10 p.m. July 28: Josh Covert, acoustic songs

Noon to 4 p.m. July 29: Jason McDonald

6 to 10 p.m. July 29: Jewelein “Jewel” Stevenson, singer-songwriter

For tickets or more information, go to rockygapresort.com.