TOY REVIEW ARCHIVE    LIVING WITH LATE FEES    FEATURES    LINKS    BIO    MISSION    EMAIL    MAIN PAGE >


Simpsons Bongos

Two Simpsons reviews in the same week - that's pretty odd!  But I managed to find the new Bongo figures this last weekend while attending the San Diego Comic Con - and no, it wasn't from the show.  I found them at a Kaybee just minutes from the convention center!

These figures are based on the popular Simpsons Bongo comics.  All three are superhero versions of our favorite characters.  Homer has become the Ingestible Bulk, Apu is Captain Kwik, and Edna is Vampiredna.  The three pack of figures is an exclusive to Kaybee stores, selling for $20, and there are currently no plans for future series.

Are they WOS?  That depends on your definition.  They don't have chips, and the package doesn't say WOS.  Clearly they aren't part of the actual show.  But the style and scale match WOS, so it's going to be a personal decision on just where these fit in.



Packaging - **1/2
After the cool packaging on the new mini's and Faces of Springfield, this was a bit of a let down.  The character pictures are good, but the three figures on a single card means more damage on the shelf, and overall it just isn't quite as exciting. 

Sculpting - ***1/2
All three figures are very true to the source material, and there's a nice touch on Edna.  Her hands have small holes in them so the pegs on her wings can fit inside, giving the wings much more support and strength.

The only fault here lies in Apu's size.  He appears to be shrunk down a bit from previous versions, and is smaller in comparison to Homer and the others.  It's not a terrible problem, but you can see it's noticeable in the group shot at the bottom of the review.

Paint - ***
All the paint ops are clean and neat.  I had no trouble on mine with over spray or inconsistencies, but try to be picky selecting yours.

One minor problem is the color of Apu's chest.  You can see in the photo that the bare chest isn't quite the same color as the head.  This detracts from his overall appearance slightly, although of the three he's my favorite.

Articulation - **1/2
Neck, shoulders, waist, adding to the things they have in common with WOS.

Accessories - Bupkis
No accessories?  Yep, nada.  I'm sure coming up with some may have been a tough job, but not having any is something WOS fans won't be accustomed to.

Value - **
With no accessories and a $20 price tag, these take a pretty serious value hit.  For three WOS figures, with voice chip and accessories, you'd pay only $15-$18 depending on the retailer.

The exclusivity (meaning smaller run) on these figures is causing some of that markup, but in all honesty, without any accessories these shouldn't have been more than $15, even at an expensive store like Kaybee.

Overall - **1/2
Here's a sticky wicket for the buyer - pick these up or not?  On the plus side, the scale fits right in with WOS, they look good, and if you're a fan of the comic you'll love them.

On the minus side, it looks like these are the only three they'll do, making them look a little odd all by themselves on the shelf, they are expensive, and there's no voice chips of course.

If you're a fan of the comic, you can add a half star to this score.  I scored it as the average Simpsons fan, rather than someone familiar with the source material.  I thought that was more appropriate to the general audience, although I'm a big fan of the comics.

I'm glad I picked them up, and I'd recommend picking up a set if you're on the fence.  You can always get rid of it later, or return it in 30 days, but I suspect these will blow in and out of Kaybee.

Where to Buy - 
Kaybee is the exclusive retailer, and they just started hitting California stores late last week, so BE PATIENT!  Kbkids.com doesn't have them yet.


Figure from the collection of Michael Crawford.

This page copyright 2003, Michael Crawford. All rights reserved. Hosted by 1 Hour Hosting.com