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In recent years, the toy market has been inundated with action figures, both typical (superheroes) and not-so-typical (historical figures). Sadly, though, many of the action figures are still rather humdrum. To help you steer clear of boring desk decorations, we’ve dug through the plethora of action figures to bring you the best of the bizarre and offbeat.
Bossman & Deluxe Jesus
1. BossMan: This 3-faced super hero / super villain comes with a Wisdom Amplifier, Magical Management Stogie, Wireless Worker Leash, Truth Mystifier, and Early Retirment Plan. BossMan is also either the most appropriate action figure for work or the most inappropriate—You decide!
2. Deluxe Jesus: You may have seen Jesus action figures before, but I bet you haven’t seen the miracle-working action figure! The Deluxe Jesus kit includes a Jesus with “glow-in-the-dark miracle hands,” as well as 5 loaves of bread, 2 fish, and a jug for turning water into wine. (Sadly, the company does not guarantee miracles.)
Devo, Fuzz & Houdini
3. Devo: Feeling nostalgic for the days of Devo? Now you can bring the party home with a Devo action figures complete with 5 interchangeable heads, a whip, and, of course, an energy dome.
4. Fuzz: Fuzz is the hipster action figure. He stands apart from the crowd of other action figures because (1) no one has ever heard of him before and (2) he has three interchangeable heads.
5. Houdini: The master of escapes comes with a chair, a cloth straight jacket, real rope, and working shackles, so you can reenact your favorite escapes over and over again.
Marie Antoinette
6. Marie Antoinette: Marie isn’t just another pretty face. This doll has head-ejection action and a removable dress!
SuperMom & Vincent Van Gogh
7. SuperMom: This mom juggles it all… groceries, cell phone, children, work, and even her own second head!
8. Vincent Van Gogh: Impress friends and coworkers with your own personal Van Gogh and a collection of mini masterpieces. Plus, who can resist the second, bandage-wrapped (and presumably one-eared) head?
More action figures: Crazy Cat Lady, Cold War Unicorns, your friendly neighborhood barista, The Brady Bunch, Bo Jackson, Sgt. Slaughter, the World’s Tallest Man, Jeffrey Lebowski & Walter Sobchak, and Nancy Pearl, Librarian (with amazing push-button shushing action!) Also, Jason made me include this picture (==>) of his William “The Refrigerator” Perry special edition G.I. Joe.
Let’s hear all about your bizarre action figures, whether you own one, want one, or have a great idea for a new one.
And don’t forget it’s Quiz Week!! To celebrate, take The Action Figure Quiz.
Comments (22)
Comment
where do i get the devo action figure? i MUST have this.
posted by kp on 10-29-2007 at 10:18 am
At the state fair this year, some bible themed toy company was giving away free “BibleMan” action figures. How could I resist. I think there’s a video series that goes along with the action figures, but as a very sceptical non-religious cross between a hippie and a jew…. I found it absolutely hilarious. Especially the accessories like the Sword of Righteousness that you can use to fight the Villains of Temptation.
cracks me up. can’t help it. I know I’m going straight to hell and I’m ok with that. :D
posted by Jenny on 10-29-2007 at 10:28 am
kp: If you click the link for the Devo action figure, you’ll go to a site where you can purchase it. Evidently there’s only “1 day left,” so you may want to hurry.
posted by Andréa on 10-29-2007 at 11:10 am
Jenny – do you realize who Bibleman is? If you ever watched Charles in Charge, his wacky sidekick (Buddy) was a guy played by Willie Aames. Willie Aames created Bibleman…
On a totally unrelated note, we found a Kiss action figure set at a garage sale and have spent hours (okay, minutes) playing with them…
posted by Scott from Cincy on 10-29-2007 at 11:14 am
Isn’t Bibleman a creation of Willie Aames (Buddy from ‘Charles in Charge’)? If he wasn’t the founder, I know Aames wore the costume at one point…
posted by Jason on 10-29-2007 at 11:17 am
Scott from Cincy beat me to it. Good call.
posted by Jason on 10-29-2007 at 11:18 am
I have the composer action figures, Beethoven,Mozart, Bach and WAgner. I got them for Christmas from my sister.
BTW, you can purchase most of the above action figures at Archie McPhee (www.archiemcphee.com)
posted by Myra on 10-29-2007 at 11:28 am
I know it’s not really an action figure but I’ve got ‘The Avenging Unicorn’ which comes with three figures to impale (a New Age bookstore owner, a creepy mime, and an arrogant businessman), and four horns to use for impaling purposes, each with their own special powers (a pearlescent one, a spiral one, a glowing one, and a chrome one)… The chrome one has special electromagnetism and speed reading powers. It also comes with the ‘Unicorn Code’ and, of course, a majestic white unicorn.
posted by Kat on 10-29-2007 at 12:01 pm
My favorite action figure is the Michel Foucault from this site:
theory.org.uk/action.htm
posted by Anne on 10-29-2007 at 2:33 pm
Once I found a “dashboard Jesus” mounted on a spring. I put him on the coffee grinder at work where he’d vibrate at the push of a button. Holy Coffee Buzz!!!
posted by bettycat on 10-29-2007 at 3:00 pm
I have a “Gorby” somewhere in the attic. A Gorbachev talking doll. Why? I was young, everyone was doing it.
posted by DW on 10-29-2007 at 3:32 pm
A professor of mine has an Oscar Wilde action figure in her office. Mint condition too, as it has not left its box. This, I can only assume, is because of its extreme monetary value. Surely.
posted by Tanya on 10-29-2007 at 4:23 pm
I had a second hand G.I.Joe that had a footlocker full of accessories. A cowboy figure, I don’t remember him having a name, with accessories (i/e campfire stuff). An Evel Kneivel with a working rocket-car. You turned a crank to get a wheel spinning then shot it across the floor.
posted by Tdave on 10-30-2007 at 12:56 am
I want to BE the juggling mom action figure. I’m not sure I’d be as adept as she appears to be from this picture. Good job, Andréa!
posted by Therese on 10-30-2007 at 11:18 am
I used to have a set of “Young Frankenstein” action figures. They were even gray, since the movie was black & white. I think they got lost in a move tho. Darn! Oh well, I still have my Charlie Brown “Great Pumpkin” collection.
posted by KS on 5-8-2009 at 11:40 am
McFarlane Toys made a Bob & Doug MacKenzie action figure set a few years ago complete with Great White north Backdrop, Coleman stove, and coller full of stubbys. They talked as well.
I have to say though, “The Jesus” action figure is hard to top. Not JC of course, but Mr. Quintana from the Big Lebowski.
posted by Bert on 5-8-2009 at 11:43 am
My husband has Albert Einstein and Leonardo Da Vinci (which is very similar in design and accessories to the Van Gogh figure). He and his coworkers take them (and some other assorted action figures, like a bobblehead nutcracker and The Flame) on their business trips and take photos of them all over, a la the Travelocity Gnome.
I want that Marie Antoinette!!! Does anybody else remember the post about the beheaded dolls? Those were awesome too!
reCaptcha: They’re accursed
posted by Lydia on 5-8-2009 at 12:31 pm
L-O effin’ L on those “glow in the dark miracle Jesus hand”… Man I’m in my office crackin’ up on that one… I know my coworkers wonder…
I have a action figure called dreidel man… No really.
And my She-Ra from when I was a little girl..
posted by Chrystani on 5-8-2009 at 12:36 pm
Several years ago I got the “Uncle Duke Action Figure” that came with the latest Doonsbury paperback. It came with an assortment of weapons and alcohol bottles.
posted by Christopher on 5-8-2009 at 3:10 pm
My boss has a Nancy Pearl, librarian (we obviously work in a library) some weeks my coworkers dressed old Nancy up in theme outfits, like Superman or for Halloween or Christmas. They got pretty creative, too! One of them even had the photos on a website somewhere I think.
posted by kristi on 5-8-2009 at 4:41 pm
Ironically enough, I *HAVE* the Crazy Cat Lady action figure in my office! Two of my associates found it in a store in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and bought it for me. It refers to an inside joke we have about feral cats around our work.
What’s even more interesting is that they bought it in a voo-doo palm readers little shop!
posted by Adam on 5-8-2009 at 7:36 pm
PS: I also used to have a nice little bobblehead collection; Mr. T, Jesus and Hitler!
posted by Adam on 5-8-2009 at 7:38 pm