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Blast
from the Past - Ren & Stimpy!
Posted 07/03/01
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Almost 9 years ago,
Mattel released a set of figures for one of the most unique cartoons ever
produced - Ren and Stimpy. When this show was first on the air, and
John Kricfalusi was still in charge, it was the most edgy and unusual show
on television. What made it unique was that it was ostensibly for
children - but was written for a much older audience.
The
toy line reflected the bizarre nature of the show, and while the sculpting
wasn't up to the standards of today, it remains one of my favorite lines for
it's pure weirdness.
There were six main
figures in the line, with two additional Suncoast exclusives produced at the
tail end. The six main figures were paired together, although they
were all sold carded individually.
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My two favorites were from the episode Space
Madness. This was Commander Ren Hoek, and Cadet Stimpy. The
second set was based on the In the Army episode, and included Army Ren Hoek
and Boot Camp Stimpy. The final set were intended to portray the
characters with their normal look, and were called Slap Happy Ren Hoek and
Bump-a-rific Stimpy.
The two Suncoast exclusives were Bathtub Ren,
and Gritty Kitty Stimpy, and were slightly more expensive than the standard
figures. Suncoast also offered a very rare boxed set of all the
figures.
The packaging for this line was extremely
attractive. It had specific graphics for each character and from each
episode that the two corresponding characters were based on. The back
of the package showed the rest of the line, along with some information
about the show. The card fronts were brightly colored and well
designed.
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Each of the eight figures had some sort of
action feature. These features tended to be very much as you'd expect
if you were a regular watcher of the show.
By pushing up on the legs of Commander Hoek,
you caused his head to drop forward, appearing to pass out. Cadet
Stimpy on the other hand loses his head - literally. His head operates
as a firing projectile.
The Army figures also have bizarre
features. By pulling down on the tail of Ren, you cause his eyes to
bulge out, jaw drop and beanie to lift up off his head. Pull up on
Boot Camp Stimpy's head, and you're treated to him coughing up several small
items, such as a sock, furball, etc.
The standard figures are perhaps the most
disturbing. Slap Happy Ren has an action feature that allows him to
bitch slap Stimpy, as he so often did in the show. And to complete
this S&M pair, Bump-a-riffic Stimpy collapsed on himself like an accordion
when hit on top of the head. Hours of violent fun!
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The line never took off, and could be had
pretty easily at most Kaybee stores on clearance. As the line wound
down, Suncoast carried the final two figures as exclusives. Bath Tub
Ren and Gritty Kitty Stimpy were the most disgusting of the set, and the
most expensive, costing around ten bucks each even back then.
Gritty Kitty Stimpy is perched on top of his
litter box, armed with a fly swatter. As you wheel him along the
floor, he spins, and the two flies perched above his head swing
around. And yes, that's a pile of kitty litter on top of his head.
But my single favorite of the entire line is
Bath Tub Ren. Fill the bath tub with water, and press on the red
'motor' on the back. Bubbles will rise from the water, and Ren has
just that perfect look on his face. You know what those bubbles really
are...
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Most of the figures can still be had
relatively easily, however the Space Madness figures and the Suncoast
Exclusives can run $30 or more mint on card. The exclusive pack of
all the figures is far harder to find, and only shows up on a rare
occasion.
Ren and Stimpy lost it's flavor once
Nickelodeon turned it into a true kid's cartoon, but these toys remind me
of those first couple seasons when the battles were raging between the
creators and the network, and we were still getting some truly great
cartoons. By the way, if you're a
big fan of the early Ren and Stimpy shows, or Spumco
and John Kricfalusi in general, you'll be interested in the new show they
are putting together for Fox Kids called the Ripping
Friends. A super hero story, it should prove to be interesting! |
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