She is back, reporting the news and making her own fashion headlines! Brenda Starr Reporter® was created by Dale Messick to premiere on June 30, 1940. The tempestuous and flamboyant redhead was always impeccably dressed and coifed as she traveled the globe on exciting assignment after another for her newspaper The Flash. Each adventure was filled with glamour, romance and intrigue as this remarkable heroine was perpetually torn between the demands of her career and the many loves of her personal life.

Brenda showed readers a new type of heroine as she fought, from the very first day on the job at The Flash, for her right to be treated as an equal. Always on the cutting edge of fashion, Brenda has a sleek and sexy style that conveys the allure and independence of a working woman at the top of her career.

Brenda is a 16" vinyl/hard plastic doll with an exceptional wardrobe, painted eyes and rooted hair. Brenda's new body is molded after the Tyler Wentworth® doll by Tonner Doll Company, and the two dolls may share clothing. Each design is limited to 1,000 pieces (except the open edition basic doll, Bathing Beauty Brenda).

Dale Messick  - In June of 2002, Brenda Starr was 61 years old.  As it has been reported, Brenda Starr's creator Dale Messick is a firecracker.  In her own words, "I'm a half-assed celebrity--everyone knows Brenda Starr but nobody knows me."  Dale was born in South Bend, IN, just days before San Francisco's 1906 earthquake.  Dale nurtured her talent to draw through her school years and got a position at a Chicago publishing house designing greeting cards when she was in her early 20s.  In 1933, she moved to New York and in the late 1930's, comic books began to grow in popularity and newspapers realizing the competition decided to create their own comic-based publications.  A friend of Dale's told her about the opportunity and that's how it all started.

Dalia, which was her real name, had to change her name to Dale to even have editors look at her work.  "If I sent in my stuff and they knew I was a woman, they wouldn't even look at it.  So, I wrote up a story and sent it in to them.  They accepted my comic and gave it the center page.  Out of eight unknown cartoonists, I was the only one who survived.  That was my big break.  I went into the Chicago Tribune-New York News syndicate and I was the only woman...I never was really accepted."

Dale's inspiration for Brenda Starr was Rita Hayworth and the character also reflected herself.  Brenda was feisty, dauntless, unabashedly sexy, and had gorgeous red hair which always looked good even after her adventures.  Brenda Starr stayed popular during times such as the Depression, World War II and the good ole days of the 50's when most heroes were men and represented girl power, like Rosie the Riveter.  The comic strip was known as far away as Australia and had a readership of 60 million.  Dale Messick retired in her late 70s but the comic strip continued written by Mary Schmich.  Dale developed new strips after her retirement 'Granny Glamour' and it was published in the 'Oakmont Gardens Magazine'.  A perfectly fitting quote to describe Dalia is from the 'Granny Glamour' strip, "When you quit and just sit, that's it."

Daphne Dimples® joined Brenda Starr® and the staff at the Flash in order to gain fame as a reporter in her own right.  Accepting a position as an apprentice to Brenda, this heiress and the niece of Mr. Livwright is not one to take a second place to anyone, even a “Starr” reporter!   The debut of Daphne Dimples® includes both basic and dressed dolls perfectly reflecting the style and savvy of this gorgeous platinum bombshell!