Articulated Monster Listener Question Post

We're recording the 11th episode of the Aritculated Monster Podcast this weekend. If you've got questions you would like us to answer, about anything, then leave it as a comment on this post. Or e-mail it to articulatedmonster@yahoo.com

"Macho Man" Randy Savage memorial toy purchase

So just like everyone else, apparently, after the Macho Man died I really wanted a toy of him. I hope it's just because the realization of his mortality and passing galvanized an already strong desire to own a momento to his awesomeness and not some morbid "liking toys of dead people" fascination. Irregardless, everyone wanted one, and of course that meant it was damn near impossible to find one at a reasonable price. Fricking Grey Market.

Seriously, I ended up getting this one in a two pack with John Morrison, and you know what? It cost the same as the single card Macho Man (same toy but different paint and with a cloth t-shirt) was going for on e-bay before shipping. Even though I didn't want John Morrison, it turned out to be a good deal because Morrison ended up as custom fodder in an experiment to see if the heads on the WWE Classics and DC Universe Classics are compatible. They are, thanks Mattel.

Anyway, Mattel makes this figure, so it's almost exactly like a DCUC figure, except that for some reason there's a limited range of movement on the shoulder joints. There are just some poses the figure won't do, like say, arms straight out to his sides like an airplaine. Oh man, I just realized, it has the same limited movement as John McCain.

Real Ghostbusters Minimates, Toys R Us Wave 1

After they made minimates of pretty much every Ghostbusters movie character that should get a toy, they began to do minimates based on the spin-off cartoon. The Real Ghostbusters was an amazing cartoon. If you watch it as an adult it still holds up. (Although I recommend the syndicated episodes and first season which feature the great Lorenzo Music as Peter. Also, they were allowed to make some of the characters more snarky.)

If you're wondering, they called it the Real Ghostbusters because the name Ghostbusters was trademarked by Filmation due to an old 1970's live action show they did about wacky exterminators who hunted down Ghosts with their Gorilla. They actually had to get permission from Filmation to call the movie Ghostbusters. That permission did not include the cartoon. (And actually Filmation did their own cartoon version of the original Ghostbusters around the same time Real Ghostbusters came out.)

Egon and RayVoiced by Maurice LaMarche (Brain from Pinky & the Brain) and Frank Welker (Megatron, Baby Kermit, Doctor Claw, Abu, Fred Jones, Soundwave, and any animal you've ever heard in a movie) respectively. Growing up these were my Ghostbusters since I didn't see the first movie until I was much older. I can still hear Egon talk about Tobin's Spirit Guide. Even through all the cast changes, Egon and Ray were the constants.

Oh, hey, dig it, they come with a cartoon style PKE meter. And you can take off their chest pieces to reveal regular jumpsuits underneath for lounging around the Firehouse action.

Janine and Slimer

These minimates depict Janine and Slimer during the times that they've put on proton packs. This usually happened when something happens to the regular Ghostbusters, like they get kidnapped or suffer some sort of supernatural ailment. The best one was the episode with the Sandman. It also tended to happen a lot in the later seasons after the second movie came out and everything became more cartoonishly over the top. As depictions of the Real Ghostbuster versions of these characters they're pretty neat, and you have to love that their proton packs come off, so you can have regular versions of the figures. Janine's glasses are shown in the promotional pictures with her looking over them, which is how she was always depicted on the cartoon, but I can't get her figure to do that, so her glasses just look like sunglasses, which isn't what the character was about. But on the other hand she does come with an extra ghost trap that attaches to her proton pack.

Lord, how many times can I write "proton pack" in one entry?

There's different versions of Slimer and Janine in the 4-pack sold at Direct Market retailers. (Comic book and online toy stores.) Those have Janine in her secretary outfit and Slimer with a big goofy smile. Neither have proton packs.  (There's another one.)

Okay, now onto the cool part of the Toys R US exclusive waves: The ghosts!

Sam Haim and Egyptian Ghost

So how do you choose the most iconic ghosts from a cartoon show where the only evil ghost who recurred was the Boogie Man? I have no idea. Pointless aside!

These are Sam Haim and the Egyptian Ghost, two ghosts from episodes I never saw. They stretch the definition of minimate, since both are essentially sculpted shells that go over a basic minimate frame, but could easily exist without the minimate skeleton. Perhaps in response to this, they've added some details to those basic minimate frames, with a glowing skeleton body for Sam Hain and dude in a mask inside the Egyptian Ghost, betraying the Scooby Doo-like revelation about the Egyptian Ghost.

Boogeyman and Energy Terror Dog

Okay, seriously, I must have seen fewer episodes of the Real Ghostbusters than I thought, because the only ghost I remember from this set was the Boogeyman. He was awesome though. The ghostbuster chased him through various closets in a reality warping thing similar to Monsters Inc., or Mario's acting juggernaut Voice of Reason. It's an interesting toy, with his backward jointed goat legs and oversized head that forces the packaging to bulge in way that it really shouldn't. Meanwhile the Terror Dog is simply the same from the movie line but now in a translucent blue plastic.

Lex Luthor

Okay, so here's the thing, I've never really been interested in the Super Powers armor that Lex Luthor wore. Quite frankly I think its ridiculous and if the Public Enemies storyline taught us anything, it's a bad idea. So when I decided to start filling out my DCUC Villains roster with iconic DC villains, I wanted a Lex Luthor without power armor.

That means either Business Man Lex, which was never made, or this guy, Superfriends Lex Luthor from the Gotham 5-pack Wal-Mart exclusive. So given that choice, I went with this one... on e-Bay. I like the overall design, but I've never understood what the cannisters on his bandoliers were for. I feel like if you're arch enemy can shoot pinpoint lasers, having gas cannisters full of nerve gas right under your face is a bad idea.

And why does he have them on his legs. But he's supposed to be a genius, so maybe he knows something I don't.

Maybe they're full of snacks. Because they don't have a grocery store near the Legion of Doom's swamp headquarters.

Custom: Malcolm Mcdowell Green Lantern of Sector 2814

I tried a head swap with a Heroes action figure. I'm not sure about it. Actually after having the Heroes figure in my hand I suddenly realized why the toyline died so quickly... other than people realizing the show sucked during the second season.

Martian Manhunter

Oh hey... why would I buy a DCUC figure of the Martian Manhunter when I hate DCUC figures with capes and his costume is pretty much a cape, suspenders, and shorts? Because he was one of the core figures of the original JLI and I've dedicated myself to buying figures from the core JLI cast.

And that's pretty much it. The character is one of those DC characters that they insist is one of their A-list, who always has to be on the Justice League, but never really got any mainstream love. I mean hell, he was played by the fat middle-aged guy from MASH when they made that live action pilot. Of course the JLI was able to make him interesting, mostly by making him love Oreos and making him the straight man in a house full of comedy characters. Got that? The Martian shapeshifter obsessed with Oreos was the straightman. Good stuff.

J'onn comes with the Validus head and lower torso. I like the Legion, but I don't think I'm ever going to complete this BAF. Mostly because my interest in the other figures in the wave is limited. Also, Validus was never one of my favorite Legion villains.

Flea Market Stuff

I went to a flea market this weekend. It was hot and I sweat a lot, but I picked up some stuff. There was one dude who was selling a Living Dead Doll for $4, but someone snatched it up before I could.

So instead I ended up getting these items.

Einstein Bobblehead

From the McDonalds Happy Meals for Night at the Museum 2. I loved that movie. And the writer's commentary is hilarious since it was written by the two main guys behind Reno 911. Also, Gotta love Einstein.

Jack and Kelly Osborne Smiti minifigures

Sadly, no Ozzy figure to accompany them, but they were insanely cheap, so okay. I like the figure for Jack because he looks like what I think hipster kids look like. Kelly, I dunno, I never watched that show so I never really got into these people as cultural figures. They were kind of figures in the background of my pop-culture. But I kind of hope these are in scale with the 3-inch stuff I have, because throwing emo/hipster-boy Jack into some of the Playmobil stuff seems like a good visual.

Barack Obama Action Figure

Discounting 12 inch figures, how is it that this is the only Barack Obama action figure that's ever been produced? Ah well. I've been looking at this figure for a while now, but never taking the final plunged and buying it. So when I saw it at the flea market I finally picked it up. It's going to require a little cleaning, since it has some sticker tape on it from some scotch tape put in the box, but it shouldn't be too bad. Also, it means I can cross another name off my "Presidential Action Figures" list. Although, to be honest, I've only crossed off one other name.

Interestingly, I also saw some Barnyard Commandos stuff for sale, (listen to the last Articulated Monster Podcast for why that's interesting) but at prices I couldn't justify paying.

I realized while driving home that the items I picked up are all toys of real life people. I love when they make toys of real people. Although I admit I kind of yawn if they're a sports star. But historical figures? Newsmakers? Toys of them are awesome.