McFarlane Toys
Encyclopedia
McFarlane Toys, a subsidiary of Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc., is a company started by Todd McFarlane
that makes highly detailed models of characters from movies, comics, musicians, video games, and sport figures. Founded in 1994, the company was originally dubbed "Todd Toys," but the name was changed in 1995 following pressure from Mattel
(who feared the new company's name would be confused with that of Barbie's
younger brother).
comic series, has since grown to feature a large number of licenced property lines including The Simpsons
and "Movie Maniacs" (which features numerous famous horror icons such as Freddy Krueger
, Jason Voorhees
, Michael Myers
, The Terminator
, Leatherface
, and The Thing
), as well as other characters and lines like Basketball and Baseball legends, video game character
s (from Soulcalibur, Onimusha and Metal Gear Solid
), and Where the Wild Things Are
characters. The toy line has also made original works of their own, giving a grotesque twist to fairy tale
stories, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
, and historical figures. They have also collaborated with people like Clive Barker
and H.R. Giger
to produce other original figures.
, Overtkill, and Clown, as well as a Spawn Alley Playset, the Spawnmobile and the Violator Monster Rig. They were notably different from the toys common on shelves at the time because of their level of detail in both sculpting and painting. Other toys utilized only a few colors painted in general areas (a singe flesh tone for the face, etc.) and were tacked to cardboard backs. McFarlane's figures had individual items such as spikes, teeth, claws, and buttons painted individually and packaged encased by hard plastic that surrounded both the figure and blister card, making them more suitable collectors items. Each toy came with a regular-sized comic (although with fewer pages than the standard 22), which were individualized to the character.
Release Date: October 2001
SERIES 21: ALTERNATE REALITIES
Release Date: February 2002
SERIES 22: DARK AGES SPAWN: THE VIKING AGE
Release Date: July 2002
This 22nd line of Spawn action figures features the Hellspawn mythos translated into the Viking time frame.
SERIES 23: Mutations
Release Date: May 2003
Series 24: The Classic Comic Covers
Release Date: October 2003
Series 25: The Classic Comic Covers 2
Release Date: February 2004
Series 26: The Art Of Spawn
Release Date: October 2004
Series 27: The Art Of Spawn
Release Date: March 2005
Series 28: Regenerated
Release Date: October 2005
Series 29: Evolutions
Release Date: June 2006
Action Figures From The Armageddon Saga Of The Spawn Comics.
Series 30: The Adventures of Spawn
Release Date: December 2006
Spawn in the tradition of the great Saturday morning cartoons
Series 31: Other Worlds
Release Date: April 2007
This series focuses on a number of different Hellspawn-ed characters from various Spawn-related comic book
titles both old and new.
Series 32: The Adventures of Spawn 2
Release Date: October 2007
The adventure continues! Unlike any other Spawn action figures, The Adventures of Spawn has streamlined Spawn, his allies and adversaries. Featuring clean lines and eye-popping color reminiscent of anime or Saturday morning cartoon
s; it's a whole new look.
Series 33: Age of Pharaohs
Release Date: April 2008
Series 34: Spawn Classics
Action Figures section of McFarlane Toys. These figures were released biannually.
The set features several highly detailed six inch dragon action figures and a slightly larger and more expansive "boxed set" figure. For the first five series, the figures were broken into these clans: Eternal Dragon Clan, Fire Dragon Clan, Komodo Dragon Clan, Sorcerer's Dragon Clan, Water Dragon Clan, and Berserker Clan. Series Six includes new clans: Fossil Dragon Clan, Hunter Dragon Clan, Ice Dragon Clan, Scavenger Dragon Clan, and Warrior Dragon Clan. In addition to these highly detailed dragons, McFarlane released a part of the dragon's history with each dragon set; some had a piece of the story with each dragon, and some had whole chunks of the story in one boxed set. The first series was a general overview of the dragon's history, from their rise in power to their fall due to inner strife. The story expanded from there into describing the quest for the lost king of the dragons, and then back in time for several series to describe the exact rise and fall of the dragons . The most recent set features the hydra, a monstrous dragon
set loose during the ultimate war among the dragons. The next set to be released will describe the rise of mankind to take the place of the dragons.
Series 1: Quest For The Lost King (February 2005)
Series 2: Quest For The Lost King (December 2005)
Series 3: Quest For The Lost King (February 2006)
Series 4: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (September 2006)
Series 5: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (February 2007)
Series 6: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (July 2007)
Series 7: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (October 2007)
Series 8: The Rise Of Man (January 2008)
Instead, McFarlane decided to continue the idea of generating new versions of classic stories and characters, releasing a shocking line subtitled "Twisted Land of Oz" in 2003, which featured vicious or sadistic versions of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
characters created by L. Frank Baum
. Dorothy
was half-naked, bound, and blindfolded by mutant munchkin
s; the Tin Woodman
was more akin to a cyborg zombie; and the Scarecrow
was a straw-filled corpse being devoured by crows. All toys came with a warning that they were not for individuals under age 17, and an alternative version of Dorothy was released in large quantities (such that it was the more common variant) with a black piece of cloth covering her upper chest to prevent people from viewing the leather belt crossing her bosom. Major distributors such as Toys R Us and KB Toys
, which had carried the previous line refused to stock any of the Oz figures.http://spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=184 However, their appeal to collectors was good, and the more-revealing version of Dorothy without the black cloak became the most sought-after of the group.http://www.iconusa4.com/online/Twisted-Oz_Index.htmhttp://www.toyglobe.com/McfarlaneMonsters2.php
In 2004, the third series, subtitled 6 Faces of Madness
, used historical killers and madmen as its theme, generating vividly detailed figurines of the 5th century conqueror Attila the Hun
, American "Wild West" gunslinger Billy the Kid
, the "mad monk" Rasputin
, the British serial killer
Jack the Ripper
, the Hungarian "Blood Queen" Elizabeth Bathory
, and the real-life inspiration for Dracula
, Vlad the Impaler
. It similarly carried the "over 17" warning for its viciously gory depictions of all persons, including Jack the Ripper carrying a bag oozing red and Bathory literally bathing in blood near a candelabrum with the heads of three women impaled on it. They were more akin to semi-poseable statues than action figures, since they lacked all except a few points of articulation and were painted to be displayed precisely as shown on the toy's package. Again, the line enjoyed commercial success despite some retailers not carrying the figures or not distributing particular ones (notably Bathory) in all markets. It challenged the boundaries for horror figures by the company's previous standards and mixed in elements and themes reminiscent of the Clive Barker lines (released beginning in 2001), while generating a uniquely imaginative vision of each character. Alongside the Six Faces of Madness series was released the Clive Barker's Infernal Parade series, similarly semi-posable statues featuring figures in a hellish carnival. The series was accompanied by a comic book setting forth the backstory of the characters depicted, with a chapter of the comic included with each figure. The stories explained how each character committed sins that resulted in their sentence of eternal torture as part of the circus. Each figure came with a stand attached to a wheeled cart; the carts could be linked together to form a moving procession of horrific circus freaks. The characters were (1) Bleb the Sabbaticus Beast Tamer; (2) Bethany Bled, the Prisoner in the Iron Maiden; (3) Dr. Fetter's Family of Freaks; (4) Tom Requiem, King of Showmen, with Clovio; (5) Mary Slaughter the Spike Swallower; and (6) the Golem Elijah.
The fourth series featured Twisted Fairy Tales. The figures were of classic children’s stories, including Peter Pumpkin-Eater, Hansel & Gretel
, Little Miss Muffet
, Humpty Dumpty
, & Red Riding Hood
, and incorporated many of the gory elements that consumers had come to expect from McFarlane, but with a sense of ironic humor. Red was in a leather bikini, hooded cloak, and thigh-high spiked boots while holding up an eviscerated wolf
(whose stomach contents included most of Grandma); Peter had a pumpkin full of human remains, but wore boxer shorts
with a jack-o-lanterns print; and Gretel looked like a gothic model with fishnet stockings and tattoos of candy cane
s and lollipops running up her legs. Due to the sadomasochistic appearance of the female figures and the macabre mutilated bodies in almost every member of the line, it met with some retailers shelving only select figures or selling strictly via their websites rather than displaying all of them in-store.
Series 5 featured McFarlane's Twisted Christmas. Like the previous series, the figures all are twisted variations of Christmas, including a hunchback and obese Santa Claus
who hides a lifeless skull under a gasmask-like headpiece and wears contraptions on his hands similar to the glove of Freddy Krueger
; a near-naked Mrs. Claus
who is dressed in nothing more than a red bikini, black platform boot
s and a Christmas hat; mutant blade-wielding elves; an axe-wielding "Rudy" reindeer who is restrained by fairy lights and belts; a monstrous melting snowman
with six arms made from tree branches; and a massively deformed Jack Frost
who is made from ice, snow and a tree.
s such as A Nightmare on Elm Street
, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, as well as the upcoming (at that time) Species II
. The second series of figures expanded the character base for the line into the realms of cult and action cinema
with the a figure based on the title character
to The Crow
. Series three would further push the boundaries of character selection into fantasy, with Edward Scissorhands
, straight action with Shaft
, and back into cult/sci-fi with Escape from L.A.
. These conventions would continue, with character selections in future series frequently containing a mix of many, or even all of these various film genres, much to the chagrin of a small section of fans and collectors who, incorrectly, saw the line as being meant to be horror specific.
The line began as an annual release, with each of the first few series being released at, or around, October, however as years went on this tradition began to slip, initially as a factor of slipping release dates, and then, the tradition already broken, just as a matter of course.
Although never officially confirmed by McFarlane Toys, the line is now considered defunct, and no new releases carrying the Movie Maniacs brand name
have been created for quite some time.
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in 1997. The number of music figures produced by the company continued to grow in number, diversity, and quality in the following years as they acquired the action figure rights to famous properties such as the Beatles
’ Yellow Submarine, Rob Zombie
, Alice Cooper
, Ozzy Osbourne
, Metallica
, Slash
, Iron Maiden
's mascot Eddie
, Jimi Hendrix
, Freddie Mercury
and Elvis Presley
.
, with both toys and comic books based on their album Psycho Circus
. Release of new KISS products from McFarlane continues to the present day.
icons, The Beatles, featuring figures of Paul McCartney
, John Lennon
, George Harrison
, and Ringo Starr
as they appeared in their 1968 animated movie
"Yellow Submarine." The figures were produced in 1999 to coincide with the film’s 30th anniversary as well as the advertising campaign
marketing its re-release. Each musician comes with a character or object from the film, making each item essentially a two-pack: George with the Yellow Submarine, John with Jeremy the Nowhere Man, Paul with the Glove and Love Base, and Ringo with the Blue Meanie. Additionally, a version of Paul with Old Fred was marketed exclusively through Musicland stores. Since they were based on the simple, basic-shape animation style of the movie, the figures were vastly less detailed than the normal McFarlane fare and had only seven points of articulation. The series ended up to be a best-seller
for the company and a second series was produced the following year featuring the animated band members dressed in their "Sergeant Pepper" costumes. These figures followed the same basic idea as their predecessors, one figure of each band member packed with a supporting character
from the movie: George with the Snapping Turk, John with the Bulldog, Paul with the Sucking Monster, and Ringo with the Apple Bonker. In 2004, the company re-released all the figures from series one in individual clamshell packages and a Musicland exclusive boxed set with all four figures plus the submarine.
Three months later, in December 2004, a line of figures based on the 1965-67 Beatles TV cartoon show was released, with each band member sold along with his instrument and a small base piece that connected with the other three. Again, the toys were true to the look and feel of their cartoon character origins, with little fine detail and few points of articulation, but having smooth, stylistic sculpting. A boxed set of all four figures, plus a cartoon alligator, was released in October 2005. They mark the most recent line of Beatles figures the company has produced, and, to date, the company has not announced intentions to generate any further series. It is interesting to note that, despite three figure series based on cartoon versions of the band, no figures of the real-life band members have been created by McFarlane Toys.
series The Simpsons
. The first toy, produced in 2006, was a motorized statuette entitled "Ironic Punishment" based on the "Treehouse of Horror IV
" episode where Homer
sells his soul to the Devil (Ned Flanders
) in exchange for a donut. Homer is sent to Hell and force-fed donuts as ironic punishment for his gluttony, although he ends up enjoying his fate immensely. The figure features a rotund Homer swallowing stacks of donuts from a large machine run by a blue demon; plastic donuts fall from the machine into Homer's open mouth. The second figure was the "Family Couch Gag", based on the opening sequence
of each episode where the family rushes into the living room
and performs a 3-second sight gag
. The McFarlane release features the entire Simpsons family
plus their pets, which are stackable into a human pyramid
via connectors on their heads and feet. A third boxed set is based on the "Treehouse of Horror VI
" episode where Homer steals a giant metal donut from the Lard Lad (a parody of Big Boy
), and includes figures of Homer, Lard Lad, and a diorama background. Released concurrently with the Lard Lad is another Treehouse of Horror
set based on the thirteenth
such episode, called "The Island of Dr. Hibbert
" (a parody of H. G. Wells
' The Island of Dr Moreau
). It features the family and Comic Book Guy
as animalistic creations of Dr. Hibbert.
On June 23, 2006, McFarlane announced the first line of actual Simpsons action figures, rather than statuettes or boxed sets, which would be released in 2007. All figures will depict specific episodes or events in the show, as opposed to Playmates' figures which merely depicted general characters and environments. According to a company press release, The Simpsons Series 1 will include a boxed Itchy and Scratchy
"Spay Anything" set as well as six figures: Homer and Bart Simpson
as Pie Man
and Cupcake Kid; Krusty the Clown and Homer from an episode when Homer attempted Clown College; Treehouse of Horrors: The Raven (based on the poem
of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe
); the classic scene of Homer strangling Bart; Kamp Krusty
; Treehouse of Horror: Belly of the Boss.
and support for its soldiers serving abroad. The figures did not depict actual people so much as it did their professions, named simply by their job descriptions, such as "Army Ranger" or "Navy Seal." All were of stern-looking males in full military gear, with highly detailed weapons and accessories modeled after the exact materials each soldier would be carrying in real life. Later the same year, the figures were re-released in a series called McFarlane's Military Redeployed, although all the figures were visually different with new sculpting, painting, and packaging. The names of the figures, however, stayed the same, as did their basic articulation, accessories, and posture. A second series was released in November 2005 under the title "2nd Tour of Duty" with six new figures depicting additional professions such as "Army Paratrooper" and "Marine Radioman." These were followed in April 2006 by a third series with "Army Ranger Sniper" and "Navy Seal Boarding Unit," among others. Series 2 was also "Redeployed" in July 2006, with resculpts, repaints, etc., but also with changes to the names and nature of the characters themselves, such as the new "Marine Saw Gunner" and a never-before released 2-pack of a grenade-launcher
gunner and loader.
Series 3 was released in April 2006 alongside the Series 2 "redeployment." Series three notably made its mark by producing 2 different versions of each profession, one depicting a Caucasian soldier and the other depicting an African-American
soldier, except for the Army M60 Machine Gunner, who could be Hispanic or Caucasian. The same concept of having 2 variants of soldiers of different cultures was carried forward again in Series 4, which was released in October 2006.
, football
, basketball
, hockey
and stock car racing
). The company has official licensing rights to the major professional leagues of all of these sports, and began this line - officially known as McFarlane Sports Picks
- in 2001.
(such as ToyFare
) for prices and actual notes on the style and identification of rare variants before making a purchase.
playing memorable quotes from that character, and a prop central to that character's story. Series 1 includes Jack, Hurley, Kate, Locke, Charlie, and Shannon.
Additional to the figures, McFarlane released a box set with each wave. Series 1 included the Hatch box set with a special light-up feature and mini-figures of Locke, Jack, Kate, and Hurley. In the Summer of 2007, McFarlane released series 2, which included Sawyer, Sun, Jin, and Mr. Eko
. No box set with this wave.
McFarlane planned to release series 3 in January 2008, which would have included Sayid, Desmond, Claire, and Henry Gale (Benjamin Linus) as well as the box set, Oceanic Flight 815
Crash Site. However, due to lower than expected sales, the line was officially cancelled. Several members of the Spawn messageboard created an Online Petition
to help save the Lost action figure line, which was unsuccessful.
The first of several episodes featuring the Lost action figures have been released by http://www.RavenStake.com. The series, titled "Lost: What Will Happen Next?," features the action figures re-creating famous scenes from the series but being met by unexpected characters.
action figures. Two figures of Jack Bauer
were produced. Both are packaged as boxed sets and re-create scenes taken directly from the series. The first figure was expected to hit store shelves in August 2007, with the second scheduled for holiday season 2007 release. http://www.spawn.com/news/news2.aspx?id=13026
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
that makes highly detailed models of characters from movies, comics, musicians, video games, and sport figures. Founded in 1994, the company was originally dubbed "Todd Toys," but the name was changed in 1995 following pressure from Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
(who feared the new company's name would be confused with that of Barbie's
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
younger brother).
Overview
The line, which originally began with action figures based upon Todd McFarlane's SpawnSpawn (comics)
Spawn is a fictional comic book superhero who appears in a monthly comic book of the same name published by Image Comics. Created by writer/artist Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1...
comic series, has since grown to feature a large number of licenced property lines including The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and "Movie Maniacs" (which features numerous famous horror icons such as Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger
Frederick Charles "Freddy" Krueger is a fictional, horrifying character from the Nightmare on Elm Street series of horror films. He first appears in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street as a disfigured dream stalker who uses a glove armed with razors to kill his victims in their dreams,...
, Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees is a fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films. He first appeared in Friday the 13th , as the son of camp cook-turned-murderer, Mrs. Voorhees, in which he was portrayed by Ari Lehman. Created by Victor Miller, with contributions by Ron Kurz, Sean S...
, Michael Myers
Michael Myers (Halloween)
Michael Myers is a fictional character from the Halloween series of slasher films. He first appears in John Carpenter's Halloween as a young boy who murders his older sister, then fifteen years later returns home to murder more teenagers...
, The Terminator
The Terminator
The Terminator is a 1984 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr., and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, and filmed in Los...
, Leatherface
Leatherface
Leatherface is the main antagonist in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror-film series and its spin-offs. He wears masks made of human skin and engages in murder and cannibalism alongside his inbred family. He is considered by many to be one of the first major slasher film villains alongside Michael...
, and The Thing
The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World , is a 1951 science fiction film based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell . It tells the story of an Air Force crew and scientists at a remote Arctic research outpost who fight a malevolent plant-based alien being...
), as well as other characters and lines like Basketball and Baseball legends, video game character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s (from Soulcalibur, Onimusha and Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
), and Where the Wild Things Are
Where The Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are is a 1963 children's picture book by American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, originally published by Harper & Row. The book has been adapted into other media several times, including an animated short in 1973 , a 1980 opera, and, in 2009, a live-action feature film...
characters. The toy line has also made original works of their own, giving a grotesque twist to fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
stories, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
, and historical figures. They have also collaborated with people like Clive Barker
Clive Barker
Clive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
and H.R. Giger
H. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
to produce other original figures.
Spawn figures
The first line of Spawn toys ever produced was released in 1994 and consisted of six figures, the hero Spawn and his medieval counterpart (aptly named Medieval Spawn) with Tremor and the villains ViolatorViolator (comics)
Violator is a fictional character that appears in the Spawn comic books published by Image Comics. The character first appeared in Spawn #2 and was created by writer-artist Todd McFarlane. He is the main antagonist of the comic issues 1-100 and later became a secondary antagonist in the recent...
, Overtkill, and Clown, as well as a Spawn Alley Playset, the Spawnmobile and the Violator Monster Rig. They were notably different from the toys common on shelves at the time because of their level of detail in both sculpting and painting. Other toys utilized only a few colors painted in general areas (a singe flesh tone for the face, etc.) and were tacked to cardboard backs. McFarlane's figures had individual items such as spikes, teeth, claws, and buttons painted individually and packaged encased by hard plastic that surrounded both the figure and blister card, making them more suitable collectors items. Each toy came with a regular-sized comic (although with fewer pages than the standard 22), which were individualized to the character.
Spawn Series
SERIES 20: SPAWN CLASSIC SERIES 2Release Date: October 2001
- Clown IV
- Domina
- Medieval Spawn III
- Overtkill III
- Spawn VI
- Violator III
SERIES 21: ALTERNATE REALITIES
Release Date: February 2002
- Alien Spawn
- Pirate Spawn
- Raven Spawn
- Spawn VII
- She Spawn
- Wings of Redemption Spawn
SERIES 22: DARK AGES SPAWN: THE VIKING AGE
Release Date: July 2002
This 22nd line of Spawn action figures features the Hellspawn mythos translated into the Viking time frame.
- Berserker The Troll
- Spawn The Bloodaxe
- Bluetooth
- Dark Raider
- Skullsplitter
- Spawn the Bloodaxe and Thunderhoof
- Valkerie
SERIES 23: Mutations
Release Date: May 2003
- Al Simmons
- Kin
- Warrior Lilith
- Malebolgia
- Spawn
Series 24: The Classic Comic Covers
Release Date: October 2003
- Spawn the Dark Ages i.023
- Hellspawn i.001
- Spawn i.039
- Spawn i.043
- Spawn i.064
- Spawn i.088
- Spawn i.109
Series 25: The Classic Comic Covers 2
Release Date: February 2004
- Creech Ci.001
- Spawn Hsi.011
- Spawn Hsi.005
- Redeemer I.117
- Sam And Twitch Sti.022
- Spawn I.095
Series 26: The Art Of Spawn
Release Date: October 2004
- Spawn (Issue 7 Cover ArtCover artCover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
) - Spawn (Issue 8 Cover Art)
- Spawn The Black Knight (Dark Ages Issue 1 Cover Art)
- Curse 2 (The Spawn Bible Art)
- Tiffany 3 (Issue 45 Art)
- Tremor 3 (The Spawn Bible Art)
- Spawn Vs. Cy-GorCy-GorCy-Gor is a fictional character from the comic book Spawn and featured in his own 6 part mini-series Cy-Gor. He is a part-man, part-gorilla meshed together with cybernetics to create a dangerous killing machine...
(Issue 57 Cover Art)
Series 27: The Art Of Spawn
Release Date: March 2005
- Spawn (Issue 85 Cover Art)
- Spawn (Issue 119 Interior Art)
- Spawn (Issue 131 Cover Art)
- Clown 5 (Original Art)
- Vandalizer 2 (Original Art)
- Wanda 2 (Issue 65 Interior Art)
- Spawn Vs. Al Simmons Deluxe Boxed Set (Issue 86 Cover Art)
Series 28: Regenerated
Release Date: October 2005
- Cyber Spawn 2
- Lotus Warrior Angel 2
- Mandarin Spawn 2
- Zombie Spawn 2
- Commando Spawn 2
- Grave Digger 2
- Spawn Vs. Urizen 2 Deluxe Boxed Set
Series 29: Evolutions
Release Date: June 2006
Action Figures From The Armageddon Saga Of The Spawn Comics.
- Disciple
- Man Of Miracles
- Ninja Spawn 2
- Spawn 9
- Thamuz
- Zera
Series 30: The Adventures of Spawn
Release Date: December 2006
Spawn in the tradition of the great Saturday morning cartoons
- Spawn X
- The Redeemer
- Omega Spawn
- Overtkill The Destroyer
- Codename: Cy-Gor
- Tiffany The Amazon
Series 31: Other Worlds
Release Date: April 2007
This series focuses on a number of different Hellspawn-ed characters from various Spawn-related comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
titles both old and new.
- Spawn 11
- Spawn The Marauder
- Goddess Llyra
- Lord Covenant
- Necro Cop
- Nightmare Spawn
Series 32: The Adventures of Spawn 2
Release Date: October 2007
The adventure continues! Unlike any other Spawn action figures, The Adventures of Spawn has streamlined Spawn, his allies and adversaries. Featuring clean lines and eye-popping color reminiscent of anime or Saturday morning cartoon
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
s; it's a whole new look.
- Spawn X (blue)
- Agent 8
- Omega Squadron
- Raven Spawn
- Creech
- Commando Spawn
- Tremor
Series 33: Age of Pharaohs
Release Date: April 2008
- Spawn The Immortal
- Warrior Isis
- Jackal King
- Soldier of Ra
- Scarab Assassin
- The Crocodile King
Series 34: Spawn Classics
- Pirate Spawn II
- Poacher II
- Wings of Redemption Spawn II
- Manga Spawn II
McFarlane's Dragons
McFarlane's Dragons are a line of action figures that was launched in 2005 under the "Horror, Fantasy and Sci-FiScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
Action Figures section of McFarlane Toys. These figures were released biannually.
The set features several highly detailed six inch dragon action figures and a slightly larger and more expansive "boxed set" figure. For the first five series, the figures were broken into these clans: Eternal Dragon Clan, Fire Dragon Clan, Komodo Dragon Clan, Sorcerer's Dragon Clan, Water Dragon Clan, and Berserker Clan. Series Six includes new clans: Fossil Dragon Clan, Hunter Dragon Clan, Ice Dragon Clan, Scavenger Dragon Clan, and Warrior Dragon Clan. In addition to these highly detailed dragons, McFarlane released a part of the dragon's history with each dragon set; some had a piece of the story with each dragon, and some had whole chunks of the story in one boxed set. The first series was a general overview of the dragon's history, from their rise in power to their fall due to inner strife. The story expanded from there into describing the quest for the lost king of the dragons, and then back in time for several series to describe the exact rise and fall of the dragons . The most recent set features the hydra, a monstrous dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
set loose during the ultimate war among the dragons. The next set to be released will describe the rise of mankind to take the place of the dragons.
"The Tales of the Dragon Scroll"
The Tales of the Dragon Scroll is the name of the story of the events of the Rise and Fall of the Dragon Kingdom.Series 1: Quest For The Lost King (February 2005)
- Berserker Dragon Clan Vs. Human Attacker Deluxe Boxed Set
- Eternal Dragon Clan 1
- Fire Dragon Clan 1
- Komodo Dragon Clan 1
- Sorcerer's Dragon Clan 1
- Water Dragon Clan 1
Series 2: Quest For The Lost King (December 2005)
- Eternal Dragon Clan 2 Deluxe Boxed Set
- Fire Dragon Clan 2
- Komodo Dragon Clan 2
- Sorcerer's Dragon Clan 2
- Water Dragon Clan 2
- Berserker Clan 2
Series 3: Quest For The Lost King (February 2006)
- Sorcerers Dragon Clan 3 Deluxe Boxed Set
- Eternal Dragon Clan 3
- Fire Dragon Clan 3
- Komodo Dragon Clan 3
- Water Dragon Clan 3
- Berserker Clan 3
Series 4: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (September 2006)
- Komodo Dragon Clan 4 Deluxe Boxed Set
- Eternal Dragon Clan 4
- Fire Dragon Clan 4
- Sorcerer's Dragon Clan 4
- Water Dragon Clan 4
- Berserker Clan 4
Series 5: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (February 2007)
- Fire Dragon Clan 5 Deluxe Boxed Set
- Eternal Dragon Clan 5
- Komodo Dragon Clan 5
- Sorcerer's Dragon Clan 5
- Water Dragon Clan 5
- Berserker Clan 5
Series 6: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (July 2007)
- Fossil Dragon Clan Boxed Set
- Hunter Dragon Clan 1
- Ice Dragon Clan 1
- Scavenger Dragon Clan 1
- Warrior Dragon Clan 1
Series 7: The Fall Of The Dragon Kingdom (October 2007)
- Hydra Dragon Clan Boxed Set
- Fire Dragon Clan 6
- Ice Dragon Clan 2
- Warrior Dragon Clan 2
- Water Dagon Clan 6
Series 8: The Rise Of Man (January 2008)
- Hunter Dragon Clan 2
- Eternal Dragon Clan 6
- Water Dragon Clan 7
- Berserker Dragon Clan 6
Horror figures
Company owner/founder, Todd McFarlane, had been a long-time fan of the horror genre and decided to produce his own perspective on the classic monsters with the "Todd McFarlane's Monsters Playsets" line in 1997. Each figure was released as a playset in a clamshell package that featured the character, a background diorama, and (in 3 out of 4) an additional figure, such as the werewolf’s victim.http://spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=186 A second series came out 2 years later with approximately the same quality of sculpting and articulation in the figures as well as fully detailed bases that had two different levels. http://spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=187 In 2002, the horror toy line re-invented itself, doing away with the playset idea (and reducing the name to simply "McFarlane's Monsters") in favor of creating individual figures with vastly more detail and much more frightening appearances. Among its various sculpts, it featured a decaying mummy with individual muscle sinews and textured wrappings carved in, a half-man/half-bat version of Dracula with wrinkled flesh and covered in chains, and a scantily clad voodoo queen covered in grass and bones. The figures had the high-quality sculpting that McFarlane had been incorporating into its Spawn figures, which had made them so commercially and artistically successful, and would mark the last time it created versions of the prototypic monsters (mummies, vampires, etc.).Instead, McFarlane decided to continue the idea of generating new versions of classic stories and characters, releasing a shocking line subtitled "Twisted Land of Oz" in 2003, which featured vicious or sadistic versions of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
characters created by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
was half-naked, bound, and blindfolded by mutant munchkin
Munchkin
The Munchkins are the natives of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. They first appeared in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which they are described as being somewhat short of stature, and wear only blue...
s; the Tin Woodman
Tin Woodman
The Tin Woodman, sometimes referred to as the Tin Man or the Tin Woodsman , is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum...
was more akin to a cyborg zombie; and the Scarecrow
Scarecrow (Oz)
The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator William Wallace Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old and merely...
was a straw-filled corpse being devoured by crows. All toys came with a warning that they were not for individuals under age 17, and an alternative version of Dorothy was released in large quantities (such that it was the more common variant) with a black piece of cloth covering her upper chest to prevent people from viewing the leather belt crossing her bosom. Major distributors such as Toys R Us and KB Toys
KB Toys
K·B Toys was a chain of mall-based retail toy stores in the United States. It was founded in 1922 by the Kaufman brothers. K·B operated 605 stores in 44 U.S. states, Puerto Rico as well as Guam. It was privately held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
, which had carried the previous line refused to stock any of the Oz figures.http://spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=184 However, their appeal to collectors was good, and the more-revealing version of Dorothy without the black cloak became the most sought-after of the group.http://www.iconusa4.com/online/Twisted-Oz_Index.htmhttp://www.toyglobe.com/McfarlaneMonsters2.php
In 2004, the third series, subtitled 6 Faces of Madness
6 Faces of Madness
McFarlane's Monsters III: 6 Faces of Madness is an action figure series released by McFarlane Toys in June 2004 as part of McFarlane Monsters Series.-Features:...
, used historical killers and madmen as its theme, generating vividly detailed figurines of the 5th century conqueror Attila the Hun
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
, American "Wild West" gunslinger Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
, the "mad monk" Rasputin
Grigori Rasputin
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was a Russian Orthodox Christian and mystic who is perceived as having influenced the latter days of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their only son Alexei...
, the British serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
, the Hungarian "Blood Queen" Elizabeth Bathory
Elizabeth Báthory
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific serial killer in history, the number of murders has been debated...
, and the real-life inspiration for Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, Vlad the Impaler
Vlad III the Impaler
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...
. It similarly carried the "over 17" warning for its viciously gory depictions of all persons, including Jack the Ripper carrying a bag oozing red and Bathory literally bathing in blood near a candelabrum with the heads of three women impaled on it. They were more akin to semi-poseable statues than action figures, since they lacked all except a few points of articulation and were painted to be displayed precisely as shown on the toy's package. Again, the line enjoyed commercial success despite some retailers not carrying the figures or not distributing particular ones (notably Bathory) in all markets. It challenged the boundaries for horror figures by the company's previous standards and mixed in elements and themes reminiscent of the Clive Barker lines (released beginning in 2001), while generating a uniquely imaginative vision of each character. Alongside the Six Faces of Madness series was released the Clive Barker's Infernal Parade series, similarly semi-posable statues featuring figures in a hellish carnival. The series was accompanied by a comic book setting forth the backstory of the characters depicted, with a chapter of the comic included with each figure. The stories explained how each character committed sins that resulted in their sentence of eternal torture as part of the circus. Each figure came with a stand attached to a wheeled cart; the carts could be linked together to form a moving procession of horrific circus freaks. The characters were (1) Bleb the Sabbaticus Beast Tamer; (2) Bethany Bled, the Prisoner in the Iron Maiden; (3) Dr. Fetter's Family of Freaks; (4) Tom Requiem, King of Showmen, with Clovio; (5) Mary Slaughter the Spike Swallower; and (6) the Golem Elijah.
The fourth series featured Twisted Fairy Tales. The figures were of classic children’s stories, including Peter Pumpkin-Eater, Hansel & Gretel
Hansel and Gretel
"Hansel and Gretel" is a well-known fairy tale of German origin, recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister threatened by a cannibalistic hag living deep in the forest in a house constructed of cake and confectionery. The two children...
, Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
"Little Miss Muffet" is a nursery rhyme, one of the most commonly printed in the mid-twentieth century. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 20605.-Lyrics:-Alternative Lyrics:...
, Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty is a character in an English language nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an egg and has appeared or been referred to in a large number of works of literature and popular culture...
, & Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
, and incorporated many of the gory elements that consumers had come to expect from McFarlane, but with a sense of ironic humor. Red was in a leather bikini, hooded cloak, and thigh-high spiked boots while holding up an eviscerated wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
(whose stomach contents included most of Grandma); Peter had a pumpkin full of human remains, but wore boxer shorts
Boxer shorts
Boxer shorts are a type of undergarment worn by men. The term has been used in English since 1944 for all-around-elastic shorts, so named after the shorts worn by boxers, for whom unhindered leg movement is very important.Reasons for a preference for boxers can be attributed to their variety of...
with a jack-o-lanterns print; and Gretel looked like a gothic model with fishnet stockings and tattoos of candy cane
Candy cane
A candy cane is a hard cane-shaped candy stick. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint or cinnamon; however, it is also made in a variety of other flavors and may be decorated with stripes of different colors and thicknesses...
s and lollipops running up her legs. Due to the sadomasochistic appearance of the female figures and the macabre mutilated bodies in almost every member of the line, it met with some retailers shelving only select figures or selling strictly via their websites rather than displaying all of them in-store.
Series 5 featured McFarlane's Twisted Christmas. Like the previous series, the figures all are twisted variations of Christmas, including a hunchback and obese Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
who hides a lifeless skull under a gasmask-like headpiece and wears contraptions on his hands similar to the glove of Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger
Frederick Charles "Freddy" Krueger is a fictional, horrifying character from the Nightmare on Elm Street series of horror films. He first appears in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street as a disfigured dream stalker who uses a glove armed with razors to kill his victims in their dreams,...
; a near-naked Mrs. Claus
Mrs. Claus
Mrs. Claus is the wife of Santa Claus, the Christmas gift-bringer in North American Christmas tradition.While Santa Claus himself emerged from the 1820s from a number of traditions of European folklore, Mrs...
who is dressed in nothing more than a red bikini, black platform boot
Platform boot
Platform boots are boots with thick wedge soles or a combination of thick soles and high heels that are similar in some respects to the platform shoe. They were seen as the cutting edge of fashion in the United Kingdom during the 1970s and during the British invasion...
s and a Christmas hat; mutant blade-wielding elves; an axe-wielding "Rudy" reindeer who is restrained by fairy lights and belts; a monstrous melting snowman
Snowman
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family project in celebration of winter. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen...
with six arms made from tree branches; and a massively deformed Jack Frost
Jack Frost
Jack Frost is a sprite-like character with roots in Viking lore. There, he is known as Jokul Frosti . In Britain and United States, Jack is a variant of Old Man Winter and is held responsible for frosty weather, for nipping the nose and toes in such weather, coloring the foliage in autumn, and...
who is made from ice, snow and a tree.
Movie Maniacs
In 1998 McFarlane introduced the Movie Maniacs line of figures. Series one began as a line of horror and science fiction based figures that had been licensed from influential and financially successful horror filmHorror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s such as A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise)
A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror franchise that consists of nine slasher films, a television show, novels, and comic books. The franchise began with the film series created by Wes Craven. The franchise is based on the fictional character Freddy Krueger, introduced in A Nightmare on...
, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, as well as the upcoming (at that time) Species II
Species II
Species II is a 1998 sequel to the 1995 film Species. It stars Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger, all of whom reprise their roles from the first film. It also features actor James Cromwell as "Senator Judson Ross"...
. The second series of figures expanded the character base for the line into the realms of cult and action cinema
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
with the a figure based on the title character
Title role
The title role in the performing arts is the performance part that gives the title to the piece, as in Aida, Giselle, Michael Collins or Othello. The actor, singer or dancer who performs that part is also said to have the title role....
to The Crow
The Crow (film)
The Crow is a 1994 American action film based on the 1989 comic book of the same name by James O'Barr. The film was written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, and directed by Alex Proyas...
. Series three would further push the boundaries of character selection into fantasy, with Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
, straight action with Shaft
Shaft (2000 film)
Shaft is a 2000 American action-crime film directed by John Singleton, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Pat Hingle, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes, Vanessa L. Williams, and Mekhi Phifer. This film is not a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, but rather a sequel,...
, and back into cult/sci-fi with Escape from L.A.
Escape from L.A.
Escape From L.A. is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. The sequel to the action film Escape from New York, the film follows former war hero Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell...
. These conventions would continue, with character selections in future series frequently containing a mix of many, or even all of these various film genres, much to the chagrin of a small section of fans and collectors who, incorrectly, saw the line as being meant to be horror specific.
The line began as an annual release, with each of the first few series being released at, or around, October, however as years went on this tradition began to slip, initially as a factor of slipping release dates, and then, the tradition already broken, just as a matter of course.
Although never officially confirmed by McFarlane Toys, the line is now considered defunct, and no new releases carrying the Movie Maniacs brand name
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
have been created for quite some time.
6" Series
Series 1:- Eve (Species IISpecies IISpecies II is a 1998 sequel to the 1995 film Species. It stars Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger, all of whom reprise their roles from the first film. It also features actor James Cromwell as "Senator Judson Ross"...
) - Patrick (Species IISpecies IISpecies II is a 1998 sequel to the 1995 film Species. It stars Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger, all of whom reprise their roles from the first film. It also features actor James Cromwell as "Senator Judson Ross"...
) - Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
- Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise)A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror franchise that consists of nine slasher films, a television show, novels, and comic books. The franchise began with the film series created by Wes Craven. The franchise is based on the fictional character Freddy Krueger, introduced in A Nightmare on...
) - Leatherface (The Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
)
Series 2:
- Chucky (Child's Play 2Child's Play 2Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American horror film, the sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia . It was released on November 9, 1990. Veteran actors Gerrit Graham and Emmy and BAFTA-winner Jenny Agutter, star as Andy's foster parents...
) - Eric Draven (The CrowThe Crow (film)The Crow is a 1994 American action film based on the 1989 comic book of the same name by James O'Barr. The film was written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, and directed by Alex Proyas...
) - Ghostface (ScreamScream (film)Scream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
) - Michael Myers (HalloweenHalloween (1978 film)Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror film directed, produced, and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and the first installment in the Halloween franchise. The film is set in the fictional midwestern...
) - Norman Bates (PsychoPsycho (1960 film)Psycho is a 1960 American suspense/psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch...
) - Pumpkinhead (PumpkinheadPumpkinhead (film)Pumpkinhead is a 1988 supernatural horror film. It was the directorial debut of noted special effects artist Stan Winston. While Pumpkinhead received mixed reviews, the film has built up a cult following in the years since its release.-Plot:...
)
Series 3:
- Ash (Army of DarknessArmy of DarknessArmy of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
) - The Thing: Blair Monster (The Thing)
- The Thing: Norris Creature & Spider (The Thing)
- Edward Scissorhands (Edward ScissorhandsEdward ScissorhandsEdward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
) - Brundlefly (The FlyThe Fly (1986 film)The Fly is a 1986 science fiction horror film co-written and directed by David Cronenberg. Produced by 20th Century Fox, and Brooksfilms, the film stars Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis and John Getz. It is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, but retains only the basic premise of a scientist...
) - John Shaft (ShaftShaft (2000 film)Shaft is a 2000 American action-crime film directed by John Singleton, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Pat Hingle, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes, Vanessa L. Williams, and Mekhi Phifer. This film is not a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, but rather a sequel,...
) - Snake Plissken (Escape from L.A.Escape from L.A.Escape From L.A. is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. The sequel to the action film Escape from New York, the film follows former war hero Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell...
)
Series 4:
- Blair Witch (The Blair Witch ProjectThe Blair Witch ProjectThe Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
) - Candyman (Candyman 3: Day of the DeadCandyman 3: Day of the DeadCandyman 3: Day of the Dead is a 1999 straight-to-DVD horror film directed by Turi Meyer. It is the third film in the Candyman series.-Plot:...
) - Evil Ash (Army of DarknessArmy of DarknessArmy of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
) - Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
) - T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
) - T-800 (Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
)
Series 5:
- Lord of Darkness (LegendLegend (film)Legend is a 1985 fantasy film released by Universal Pictures, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry. Though not a very notable success when first released, it received a single Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup, and since its initial release, has developed...
) - Djinn (WishmasterWishmaster (film)Wishmaster is a 1997 American horror film directed by Robert Kurtzman, and is the second film directed by Kurtzman. It was executive produced by Wes Craven—the only film of the Wishmaster series with his name attached....
) - Jason X (Jason XJason XJason X is a 2002 science fiction horror slasher film directed by James Isaac. It is the tenth in the Friday the 13th film series and stars Kane Hodder as the undead mass murderer Jason Voorhees, the film made $16,951,798 worldwide with a budget of $14 million...
) - Sarah Connor (Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
) - T-800 Endoskeleton (TerminatorTerminator (franchise)The Terminator series is a science fiction franchise encompassing a series of films and other media concerning battles between Skynet's artificially intelligent machine network, and John Connor's Resistance forces and the rest of the human race....
) - Tooth Fairy (Darkness FallsDarkness Falls (2003 film)Darkness Falls is a 2003 American horror film written by Joe Harris and John Fasano and directed by Jonathan Liebesman.-Plot:The story of the town Darkness Falls, begins with the legend of a widow, Matilda Dixon, who was adored by all the town's children...
)
Series 6:
- Dog Alien (Alien 3)
- Predator the Hunter (Predator 2Predator 2Predator 2 is a 1990 science fiction action film starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, María Conchita Alonso, Rubén Blades, and Bill Paxton. Written by Jim and John Thomas and directed by Stephen Hopkins, the film is a sequel to 1987's Predator, with Kevin Peter Hall again playing the role of the...
) - Predator (PredatorPredator (film)Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....
) - Warrior Alien (Alien Resurrection)
Series 7:
- RoboCop (RoboCopRoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
) - Colonial Marine Corporal Hicks (AliensAliens (film)Aliens is a 1986 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton...
) - Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
) - Old Monty (The Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
) - Sheriff Hoyt (The Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
) - Erin (The Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
)
12-18" Series
Series 2:- 12" Chucky
Series 3:
- 18" Freddy Krueger
- 18" Michael Myers
Series 4:
- 18" Ash
- 18" Leatherface
Series 5:
- 18" Edward Scissorhands
Series 7:
- 12" Battle-Damaged RoboCop
- 12" Leatherface
Deluxe Figures
Series 1:- Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees (in display case)
Series 2:
- The Crow (in display case)
Series 5:
- Lord of Darkness (in display case)
- Stealth Predator (Collector's Club exclusive)
Series 7:
- Colonial Marine Hicks (Collector's Club exclusive)
Boxed Sets
Series 2:- Bride of ChuckyBride of ChuckyBride of Chucky is a 1998 American comedy horror film directed by Chinese director Ronny Yu. It is the fourth entry in the Child's Play series. The film stars Jennifer Tilly and Brad Dourif...
feat. Chucky and Tiffany
Series 3:
- King Kong Deluxe Boxed Set
- Ash & Pit Witch 2-Pack
Series 4:
- Jaws Deluxe Boxed Set
- Ash & Evil Ash 2-Pack
Series 5:
- Alien & Predator Deluxe Boxed Set
Series 6:
- Alien Queen
Music figures
McFarlane Toys did not solely limit itself to creating figures based on Todd McFarlane's creations. Rather it branched out into other forms of media, capitalizing on the popularity of famous rock musicians with the release of figures based on the rock legends KISSKISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
in 1997. The number of music figures produced by the company continued to grow in number, diversity, and quality in the following years as they acquired the action figure rights to famous properties such as the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
’ Yellow Submarine, Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's mascot Eddie
Eddie the Head
Eddie, also known as Eddie The Head, is the mascot for the British heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is a perennial fixture of the group's artwork, appearing in all of their record covers and in their merchandise, which includes t-shirts, posters and action figures...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
KISS
In 1997, action figures were part of an overall marketing deal between McFarlane Toys and the rock band KISSKISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, with both toys and comic books based on their album Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus is the 18th studio album by American band Kiss. The album features the original four members back together, and in full make-up....
. Release of new KISS products from McFarlane continues to the present day.
The Beatles
The second musical property that McFarlane released was based on the immensely popular pop-culturePopular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
icons, The Beatles, featuring figures of Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
as they appeared in their 1968 animated movie
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
"Yellow Submarine." The figures were produced in 1999 to coincide with the film’s 30th anniversary as well as the advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
marketing its re-release. Each musician comes with a character or object from the film, making each item essentially a two-pack: George with the Yellow Submarine, John with Jeremy the Nowhere Man, Paul with the Glove and Love Base, and Ringo with the Blue Meanie. Additionally, a version of Paul with Old Fred was marketed exclusively through Musicland stores. Since they were based on the simple, basic-shape animation style of the movie, the figures were vastly less detailed than the normal McFarlane fare and had only seven points of articulation. The series ended up to be a best-seller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
for the company and a second series was produced the following year featuring the animated band members dressed in their "Sergeant Pepper" costumes. These figures followed the same basic idea as their predecessors, one figure of each band member packed with a supporting character
Supporting character
A supporting character is a character of a book, play, video game, movie, television or radio show or other form of storytelling usually used to give added dimension to a main character, by adding a relationship with this character...
from the movie: George with the Snapping Turk, John with the Bulldog, Paul with the Sucking Monster, and Ringo with the Apple Bonker. In 2004, the company re-released all the figures from series one in individual clamshell packages and a Musicland exclusive boxed set with all four figures plus the submarine.
Three months later, in December 2004, a line of figures based on the 1965-67 Beatles TV cartoon show was released, with each band member sold along with his instrument and a small base piece that connected with the other three. Again, the toys were true to the look and feel of their cartoon character origins, with little fine detail and few points of articulation, but having smooth, stylistic sculpting. A boxed set of all four figures, plus a cartoon alligator, was released in October 2005. They mark the most recent line of Beatles figures the company has produced, and, to date, the company has not announced intentions to generate any further series. It is interesting to note that, despite three figure series based on cartoon versions of the band, no figures of the real-life band members have been created by McFarlane Toys.
The Beatles: Yellow Submarine (Series 1, September 1999)
- George w/Yellow Submarine
- John w/ Jeremy the Nowhere Man
- Paul w/ Glove and Love Base
- Ringo w/ Blue Meanie
- Paul with Old Fred (Musicland Exclusive)
The Beatles: Yellow Submarine (Series 2, October 2000)
- George w/ Snapping Turk
- John w/ Bulldog
- Paul w/ Sucking Monster
- Ringo w/ Apple Bonker
The Beatles: Yellow Submarine (Series 1 Re-Release, September 2004)
- George w/Yellow Submarine
- John w/ Jeremy the Nowhere Man
- Paul w/ Glove and Love Base
- Ringo w/ Blue Meanie
- Yellow Submarine Boxed Set (Musicland Exclusive - Four band members plus Yellow Submarine)
The Beatles: Saturday Morning Cartoon Boxed Set (October 2005)
All four band members and instruments plus alligator, speakers, and radioThe Simpsons
In 2005, McFarlane acquired the rights (previously held by rival manufacturer Playmates Toys) to produce figures based on the popular Fox TVFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. The first toy, produced in 2006, was a motorized statuette entitled "Ironic Punishment" based on the "Treehouse of Horror IV
Treehouse of Horror IV
"Treehouse of Horror IV" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fifth season and the fourth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 28, 1993, and features three short stories called "The Devil and Homer...
" episode where Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
sells his soul to the Devil (Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
) in exchange for a donut. Homer is sent to Hell and force-fed donuts as ironic punishment for his gluttony, although he ends up enjoying his fate immensely. The figure features a rotund Homer swallowing stacks of donuts from a large machine run by a blue demon; plastic donuts fall from the machine into Homer's open mouth. The second figure was the "Family Couch Gag", based on the opening sequence
The Simpsons opening sequence
The Simpsons opening sequence is an element that begins almost every episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. Starting with the season 20 episode "Take My Life, Please", the opening sequence was redone to go with the high-definition format of the show, and replaced the...
of each episode where the family rushes into the living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
and performs a 3-second sight gag
Visual gag
In comedy, a visual gag or sight gag is anything which conveys its humor visually, often without words being used at all.There are numerous examples in cinema history of directors who based most of the humour in their films on visual gags, even to the point of using no or minimal dialogue...
. The McFarlane release features the entire Simpsons family
Simpson family
The Simpson family is a family of fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town...
plus their pets, which are stackable into a human pyramid
Human pyramid
A human pyramid is a type of gymnastic formation in which the participants kneel together in a row or other formation, forming a base for another tier of participants who stand or kneel on their shoulders, backs or thighs. A human pyramid is very difficult to make. In case that the participants...
via connectors on their heads and feet. A third boxed set is based on the "Treehouse of Horror VI
Treehouse of Horror VI
"Treehouse of Horror VI" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and the sixth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1995, and contains three self-contained segments...
" episode where Homer steals a giant metal donut from the Lard Lad (a parody of Big Boy
Big Boy (restaurant)
Big Boy is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan.Big Boy was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967...
), and includes figures of Homer, Lard Lad, and a diorama background. Released concurrently with the Lard Lad is another Treehouse of Horror
Treehouse of Horror
"Treehouse of Horror" is the third episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 25, 1990. The episode was inspired by 1950s horror comics, and begins with a disclaimer that it may be too scary for children. It is the first of a...
set based on the thirteenth
Treehouse of Horror XIII
"Treehouse of Horror XIII" is the first episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season, as well as the thirteenth Halloween episode. The episode aired on November 3, 2002, three days after Halloween...
such episode, called "The Island of Dr. Hibbert
Julius Hibbert
Dr. Julius M. Hibbert, usually referred to as Dr. Hibbert, is a recurring character on the animated series The Simpsons. His speaking voice is provided by Harry Shearer and his singing voice was by Thurl Ravenscroft, and he first appeared in the episode "Bart the Daredevil". Dr...
" (a parody of H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
' The Island of Dr Moreau
The Island of Doctor Moreau
The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells. It is told from the point of view of a man named Edward Prendick who is shipwrecked, rescued by a passing boat, and then left at the ship's destination by the crew along with the ship's cargo of exotic animals...
). It features the family and Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The...
as animalistic creations of Dr. Hibbert.
On June 23, 2006, McFarlane announced the first line of actual Simpsons action figures, rather than statuettes or boxed sets, which would be released in 2007. All figures will depict specific episodes or events in the show, as opposed to Playmates' figures which merely depicted general characters and environments. According to a company press release, The Simpsons Series 1 will include a boxed Itchy and Scratchy
The Itchy & Scratchy Show
The Itchy & Scratchy Show is a show within a show in the animated television series The Simpsons. It usually appears as a part of The Krusty the Clown Show, watched regularly by Bart and Lisa Simpson...
"Spay Anything" set as well as six figures: Homer and Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
as Pie Man
Simple Simpson
"Simple Simpson" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. The episode aired on May 2, 2004. The concept is mainly inspired by the 2002 Spider-Man movie, though it contains elements of other superheroes as well...
and Cupcake Kid; Krusty the Clown and Homer from an episode when Homer attempted Clown College; Treehouse of Horrors: The Raven (based on the poem
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness...
of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
); the classic scene of Homer strangling Bart; Kamp Krusty
Kamp Krusty
"Kamp Krusty" is the first episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 24, 1992. During summer vacation, the children of Springfield attend Kamp Krusty, a summer camp named after Krusty the Clown. The camp is extremely...
; Treehouse of Horror: Belly of the Boss.
Simpsons boxed sets (2006)
- Ironic Punishment (April 2006)
- Family Couch Gag (July 2006)
- Lard Lad (November 2006)
- The Island of Dr. Hibbert (November 2006)
Simpsons (Series 1, 2007)
- Simple Simpson - Pie Man (Homer) and Cupcake Kid (Bart)
- Why You - Homer and Bart
- Kamp Krusty
- Treehouse of Horrors XV: Belly of the Boss
- Cape Feare: Spay Anything - Itchy and Scratchy (Boxed Set)
Simpsons Movie (July 2007)
- Movie Mayhem Bart
- Movie Mayhem Homer
- Movie Mayhem Marge
- Movie Mayhem Lisa & Maggie
- "Who's a Good Piggy?" - Homer & Plopper
- Presidential Politics - Itchy & Scratchy
- "What You Lookin' At?" - Bart & Flanders (Boxed Set)
- Doodle Double Dare - Bart, Sherri, & Terri (Boxed Set)
McFarlane's Military
The company gave a modern-day revival to the classic "toy soldier" with the release of McFarlane's Military in 2005, which capitalized on the fervor and media coverage surrounding the American militaryUnited States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
and support for its soldiers serving abroad. The figures did not depict actual people so much as it did their professions, named simply by their job descriptions, such as "Army Ranger" or "Navy Seal." All were of stern-looking males in full military gear, with highly detailed weapons and accessories modeled after the exact materials each soldier would be carrying in real life. Later the same year, the figures were re-released in a series called McFarlane's Military Redeployed, although all the figures were visually different with new sculpting, painting, and packaging. The names of the figures, however, stayed the same, as did their basic articulation, accessories, and posture. A second series was released in November 2005 under the title "2nd Tour of Duty" with six new figures depicting additional professions such as "Army Paratrooper" and "Marine Radioman." These were followed in April 2006 by a third series with "Army Ranger Sniper" and "Navy Seal Boarding Unit," among others. Series 2 was also "Redeployed" in July 2006, with resculpts, repaints, etc., but also with changes to the names and nature of the characters themselves, such as the new "Marine Saw Gunner" and a never-before released 2-pack of a grenade-launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
gunner and loader.
Series 3 was released in April 2006 alongside the Series 2 "redeployment." Series three notably made its mark by producing 2 different versions of each profession, one depicting a Caucasian soldier and the other depicting an African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
soldier, except for the Army M60 Machine Gunner, who could be Hispanic or Caucasian. The same concept of having 2 variants of soldiers of different cultures was carried forward again in Series 4, which was released in October 2006.
Sports figures
McFarlane Toys reflects Todd McFarlane's love of sports in its creations of popular figures from all five major North American sports (baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
). The company has official licensing rights to the major professional leagues of all of these sports, and began this line - officially known as McFarlane Sports Picks
McFarlane Sports Picks
McFarlane's Sports Picks is the name given to the line of sports-related action figures released by McFarlane Toys, a company founded by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. The figures feature lifelike renderings of select stars in the five most popular sports in North America-baseball, football,...
- in 2001.
Rare figure variants
This is an incomplete list of rare or hard-to-find figure variants from many different McFarlane toy lines and series. While McFarlane is known for producing many variations on their figures, particularly when re-releasing them, the rare variants are initially shipped along with the more common variant and are considered more valuable by collectors because of their relatively low quantity in relation to the common variant as well as the other figures in the series. Collectors should always check a legitimate industry trade magazineTrade journal
A trade magazine, also called a professional magazine, is a magazine published with the intention of target marketing to a specific industry or type of trade. The collective term for this area of publishing is the trade press....
(such as ToyFare
ToyFare
ToyFare was a monthly comedy and collecting magazine published by Wizard Entertainment that focused on collectible action figures, busts, statues, and maquettes. It previewed new and upcoming lines and figures each month, as well as providing a price guide for toy lines, new and old...
) for prices and actual notes on the style and identification of rare variants before making a purchase.
Spawn, Conan, McFarlane monsters
- Belit (Conan: Series 1) She wears a VikingVikingThe term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
-style outfit with a twisted metal belt, which either has a black line painted in-between the links or simply shows her skin. In contrast to the Tiffany figure from the Spawn 26 line and the Dorothy figure from "The Twisted Land of Oz," the rare variant of this figure is the one that shows less skin (i.e. the one with the black painted-in belt).
- Dorothy (Twisted Land of Oz): Rare variant has her full body visible, showing her breasts bound with a leather strap. Common variant comes with a black piece of cloth over her upper torso, effectively censoring the toy for mass distributionMass distributionMass distribution is a term used in physics and mechanics and describes the spatial distribution of mass within a solid body. In principle, it is relevant also for gases or liquids, but on earth their mass distribution is almost homogeneous.-Astronomy:...
.
- The Ogre (Spawn 11): Variant has a giant mace in the right hand while common has no weapon
- Tiffany (Spawn 26): The versions of the angel Tiffany from this series differ by the style of underwear that the character is wearing, which is visible by looking at the toy's backside. The more common variant is wearing bikini-style underwear that shows less skin, while the rare variant bears a thong that is more revealing.
- Lotus Angel II (Spawn 28): Variant has no covering over the upper portion of her chest. Common variant has a red and green covering with a small skull on it around her neck that obscures her bust.
- Zombie Spawn II (Spawn 28): Variant has three skulls chained together and attached to right arm, while common has no chain of skulls.
- Grave Digger (Spawn Regenerated): The figure's base has two arms coming out of the grave, whereas the common variant base is just a pile of dirt
Lost
Series 1: All the Lost action figures in series 1 come with limited articulation, a detailed base, a sound chipSound chip
A sound chip is an integrated circuit designed to produce sound . It might be doing this through digital, analog or mixed-mode electronics...
playing memorable quotes from that character, and a prop central to that character's story. Series 1 includes Jack, Hurley, Kate, Locke, Charlie, and Shannon.
Additional to the figures, McFarlane released a box set with each wave. Series 1 included the Hatch box set with a special light-up feature and mini-figures of Locke, Jack, Kate, and Hurley. In the Summer of 2007, McFarlane released series 2, which included Sawyer, Sun, Jin, and Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko Tunde is a fictional character, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the ABC television series Lost. He is introduced in the second season episode "Adrift" as one of the plane-crash survivors from the plane's tail section. Flashbacks reveal that he became the leader of a gang of guerrillas...
. No box set with this wave.
McFarlane planned to release series 3 in January 2008, which would have included Sayid, Desmond, Claire, and Henry Gale (Benjamin Linus) as well as the box set, Oceanic Flight 815
Oceanic Airlines
Oceanic Airlines and less frequently Oceanic Airways are fictional airlines used in several films and television programs.The most famous use of this brand is in the TV show Lost, where Oceanic Airlines is featured branded with a highly-stylized logo depicting an Aboriginal dot painting that...
Crash Site. However, due to lower than expected sales, the line was officially cancelled. Several members of the Spawn messageboard created an Online Petition
Internet petition
An Internet petition is a form of petition posted on a website. Visitors to the website in question can add their email addresses or names, and after enough "signatures" have been collected, the resulting letter may be delivered to the subject of the petition, usually via e-mail.-Pros and cons:The...
to help save the Lost action figure line, which was unsuccessful.
The first of several episodes featuring the Lost action figures have been released by http://www.RavenStake.com. The series, titled "Lost: What Will Happen Next?," features the action figures re-creating famous scenes from the series but being met by unexpected characters.
24
In January 2007, McFarlane Toys announced plans for a line of 2424 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
action figures. Two figures of Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
were produced. Both are packaged as boxed sets and re-create scenes taken directly from the series. The first figure was expected to hit store shelves in August 2007, with the second scheduled for holiday season 2007 release. http://www.spawn.com/news/news2.aspx?id=13026
Series 1
- 5" John-117Master Chief (Halo)Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a fictional character and protagonist of the Halo fictional universe, created by Bungie. Master Chief is a player character in the trilogy of science fiction first-person shooter video games Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 and will appear in the...
- 6" Brute Chieftain
- 5" Jackal Sniper
- 4" Orange Armored Grunt
- 4" Green Armored Grunt
External links
- McFarlane Toys Website
- Stashmatic.com Movie Maniacs collection tracker (with images)
- Four Horsemen Toy Designs' website - former McFarlane Toys employees"
- McFarlane's Dragons original story 1
- McFarlane's Dragons original story 2
- McFarlane's Dragons original story 3
- McFarlane's Dragons original story 4
- McFarlane's Dragons original story 5
- McFarlanePedia McFarlane Encyclopedia