Did you know one of the most successful toy franchises ever for little girls was based on a T&A comic aimed at adult men?



In 1952, a cartoonist named Reinhard Beuthien created a new comic strip character named Lilli for the German newspaper Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a curvy blond secretary who dressed in tight, low-cut clothes (with the occasional wardrobe malfunction). She was portrayed as sexually promiscuous, primarily interested in men for their money, and not always the brightest bulb in the box, although she did have the occasional sassy retort. The adult humor of the strip proved popular, particularly with men (many women found Lilli to be offensive). Today, the strip is often mistaken for being about a prostitute, which says a lot about how it portrayed its lead woman.



A tie-in doll was released in 1955 in both 30 cm and 19 cm sizes. With a high price point and a figure that was far more adult than children’s playthings, the Bild Lilli doll was intended as a toy for grownups. Sold as a gag gift in bars and tobacco shops, adult men were again the primary audience. Many referred to her as a “sex toy”. Yet somehow, she still became popular with children, standing out from the little girl and baby dolls they regularly played with.



An American named Ruth Handler bought a Bild Lilli doll while visiting Europe. She had been trying to market the concept of an adult fashion-oriented doll, similar to the paper dolls her daughter Barbara played with, to the toy company her husband had co-founded. A redesign of the Bild Lilli doll, named after her daughter, soon premiered from Mattel. And Barbie became a huge hit.



Bild Lilli ceased production in 1964 when Mattel bought out the rights to the German doll. She became little more than a fun footnote in her illustrious follow-up’s history (and a rare vintage collectible). To bring things full-circle, Barbie had a comic at Marvel that ran for 63 issues in the early to mid 90s.



There’s been criticism for years about how unrealistic Barbie’s figure is, how it can be a harmful influence on the young girls who play with her. The thing is, the origins of that body lie directly in a comic strip designed to titillate male readers. The favorite toy of generations of girls and collectors? Shaped by the male gaze. When you criticize fashion dolls, you’re criticizing how women were and still are portrayed in comics.



On the flip side, Barbie has inspired girls for 50 years and has had nearly every career under the sun. She became an astronaut in 60s, a surgeon in the 70s, a rock star in the 80s, a UNICEF ambassador, joined every branch of the military, ran for president, and has been several different superheroes. And that’s not bad for a gal whose predecessor was little more than a punchline.