If there is one word you can say to a hardcore Rainbow Brite fan to rattle their cages, it's this: STORMY.
Stormy is one of the most mysterious and beloved Rainbow Brite characters. Instead of the sugary sweet, infinite optimism of Rainbow and the Color Kids, Stormy has an attitude. She's not afraid to stand up for herself and say what she wants - even if it may anger her friends. But she's also loyal and helpful to the rainbow team when needed. She hates Murky just as much as her friends...which is surprising since her joy in life is making the sky murky :P
But what makes Stormy SO revered is the fact that she's never been made into a doll. At least one prototype doll was made, photographed and advertised in pamphlets, catalogs and box art. But she was never actually produced and even the prototype has eluded fans all these years.
In the early days of the Internet and Rainbow Brite fandom, a rumor circulated that Stormy was sold in Australia, much like Moonglow who was only sold in Germany. But in the years since, that myth has been debunked.
Other prototype dolls from the Rainbow Brite line were kept by their makers and some were eventually sold. I
own one myself and
Galacticatt owns many more. But Stormy has never shown her face and neither has her creator.
And what adds insult to injury is the fact that Hallmark and its licensees have had plenty of opportunities to give us the one doll we desire above all others. The 1996-97 line made up new characters (Ebony, Amber and Cerise) instead of giving us the one we already knew and loved. The 2003-04 line simply tried to remake the old toys with only slight differences. And then there was the worst offender of all...
The 2009-10 line was in a perfect position to give us Stormy. They were focusing on the girls. They were focusing on the girliest colors (pink and purple). And they were focusing on "sky powers" instead of merely colors. WHO HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE SKY THAN STORMY??? They even gave us a blatant clue that she was most likely supposed to be the fourth sky power. We have in this image a rainbow, a sun, a moon and a...
CLOUD! But did we ever get a Stormy doll? Of course not. If they had plans to make her at all, they were waiting to see how the first few dolls sold first. And seeing as that the line was cancelled in less than a year, I'd say they didn't sell well at all. Well if they ever wonder why, they can ask me and I'll tell them...YOU SHOULD'VE GIVEN US STORMY FIRST!
There is one more chance on the horizon. In 2010, Madame Alexander gave us two new Rainbow Brite dolls - a small Rainbow that came with Twink and a large Rainbow. And now in 2011 they have announced a large Tickled Pink for preorder. Could they possibly give us Stormy in the next couple of years?? I personally think we should
email them, requesting this beloved character that we have waited SO long for. And perhaps...just perhaps, this time, they'll listen.
