A LITTLE FUN ACTION FIGURE HISTORY
Toys and action figures in particular, were a large part of the 1980’s phenomenal boom of the licensing and merchandising of movie, comic book, TV, and cartoon characters – With Star Wars, He Man and the Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, Real Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman, Thundercats, and many others filling toy store aisles.
00individual sculpted and sold resin kits and custom action figures to collectors in the mid- ’80s and early ’90s.
In 1996, 00individual made an impressive impact in the action figure industry by designing his Bone Crunching Action/Sound design with “invisible” joints (BCA) and also sculpting series 1 and 2 for Jakks Pacific license of World Wrestling Federation Superstars.action figures.
Around the same time “designer/collector” figures were introduced by Macfarlane toys with initially minimal articulation, but with amazing detail and multi-paint options. This was greeted with enthusiasm by collectors as these were mainly for display, not play, as They were sometimes poorly articulated and broke or “fell apart” easily while handling.
However, the concept of more sculpted detail caught on as more companies got onboard with better articulation, sculpts, and paint. This raised prices from the playable $3.99, $4.99 and $5.99 standard up to $7.99, $9.99, and higher price range, which established them as collector’s items and labeled them for older age groups.
With a new standard of multiple accessories included with each featured figure, there were small parts that could be dangerous for small children. Many of these age group warning labels were purely to provide a safety net for any possible lawsuits.
But, when overseas manufacturer/toy companies, not known for subtle or correct English usage/conveyance, named their companies and created warning labels it led to funny if not hilarious good-natured unintended translation’s. For example; one company wanted to project a superhero adventure moniker like HeMan or Hero Quest and decided on Manly Quest for their company’s name – they changed their company’s name after being told that it was very homo-erotic. “C’mon men, let’s go on a manly quest.”
But the best ever is the image on a label on a produced Japanese toy company’s action figure’s packaging with graphics of blood dripping from spikes and a circular Buzzsaw wildly spinning with blood flying off the blade -and – the time-honored skull and crossbones, usually used as a poison warning. Was this degree of graphic bloodshed necessary on a toy with no metal spikes, buzzsaws, or poison?
But, it is the accompanying text that tells the tale in detail:
DANGER!
A DANGEROUS TOY. THIS TOY IS BEING MADE FOR THE EXTREME PRIORITY THE GOOD LOOKS. THE LITTLE PART THAT SUFFOCATES WHEN THE SHARP PART IS SWALLOWED IS CONTAINED GENEROUSLY. ONLY THE PERSON WHO CAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BY ITSELF IS TO PLAY.
Whew! OK, got the message – a dangerous toy – deadly parts contained generously.
This overkill just may have driven off a few customers with their over the top honesty(?).
On the other hand,
that warning may be appropriate for the header image of an
Artificial Intelligent Authentic TOY SOLDIER
that will be Available Soon!
00 is working on proximity-based interactive autonomous figural A.I. prototypes right now and Will be pitching the concept to toy companies, hopefully at next year’s Toy Fair.
In the meantime, have fun with your traditional non-AI toys before Artificial Intelligence supplants your natural imagination, robs you of your ability to create – and diminishes your already arrested intelligence.
(Oh, yeah, that’s already happening.)
*unfortunately, too late for 2024’s holiday season’s gifts of joy –
but next year the AI will be perfected – and – MORE FUN THAN EVER!
A.I. HO!