For the first time in the brand’s 56-year history, Barbie is pulling out a cape and mask and transforming into a modern day superhero.  

In a new brand activation that includes content and consumer products, Mattel has put Barbie in a role that aims to inspire girls to be super themselves. The initiative debuted this week at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair, taking place in Nuremberg, Germany.

“The world of superheroes has largely been tailored to boys where the good guys beat the bad guys,” says Lori Pantel, vice president, global brand marketing, Barbie. “But we know that girls, too, enjoy empowered heroes but seek an outcome where the perceived bad characters transform to good and friendship is the lasting result. We thought it was time they were inspired by a new superhero that is playful, has extraordinary abilities and uses her powers of forgiveness and friendship to defeat her foe–in a way that only Barbie can.”

The new brand line will kick off with a super-powered Barbie doll range and supporting DVD entitled "Princess Power."

The initiative will also include a new line of superhero-themed consumer products including Princess Power early readers, sticker and chapter books from Random House Children’s Books and a role play collection from Just Play.

Additionally, the initiative will also be supported by the new website, BeSuper.com, that encourages girls to engage, create, imagine and share their own “super” stories. A special digital Comic Book Maker for kids will also let girls create their own superhero stories featuring Barbie, and the website will host weekly animated episodes showing Barbie and her friends performing super acts. Finally, a parent section for grown-ups will help moms and dads inspire their child to “be super” every day.