It might have been mentioned before that one of my collecting goals lately has been rebuilding my long-lost Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection. The one I sold a few years back for mere pennies and nickels and a whole lot of heartbreak. Of course, I've been taking it easy; mostly scoring big at the thrift shop with grab-bags and occasionally purchasing some deals from sites like Nerd Rage Toys. Oh, and eBay.
Unfortunately, eBay isn't quite the place it used to be. Years back, when I was originally trying to live nostalgically by buying back my childhood, I'd find larger lots of loose figures for reasonable prices. These days, well, not so much. That doesn't stop me from wasting hours on scouring the site, though, in a mad, desperate search for the best possible purchases.
And, every now and then, I stumble across an oddity that I have to have. That I can't possibly pass on.
Like this fella here.
Yeah, he may sorta' resemble the vile Warlord from Dimension X that you remember from your youth, but this isn't the Krang that you and I grew up with. This predominantly purple-and-pink piece of plastic is the best kind of bootleg. Supposedly, according to the seller who listed it, this lovely knock-off was originally produced in Mexico. Wherever this brainy beauty hails from, it was clearly a labor of love and not just an attempt to make a quick buck by copying a "classic" TMNT action-figure. Or, actually, that may be exactly what it was. A poorly-made cash grab.
Well, I still love him.
Similar to the original Playmates' toy, this version features a fully-articulated robotic "walker" body. Both the arms and legs can move, although they are limited in range. And the protective, plastic bubble can be removed in order to unleash Krang on his unsuspecting foes, be they turtle or otherwise.
Unlike the real-deal, however, Krang himself doesn't feature any articulation. The toy from '89 featured the ability to rotate his tentacle "arms", which this one does not, though he is still able to wield his Brain-Drain Gun.
Overall, he's not a bad little addition to my burgeoning TMNT collection, but I still need to add an actual, Playmates-produced version of my favorite bad-brain. Someday, I suppose.
It's good to dream big.
That is a rather cool bootleg, I like the nearly neon colors they gave him. Good luck reclaiming your collection! EBay is rarely a place for deals anymore, TMNT prices have doubled in the last 5 years. Sucks.
ReplyDeleteI loathe the fact that my collection is gone; had a couple hundred or so figures, several Foot Soldiers and tons of vehicles and the Sewer Den playset.
DeleteRebuilding it is more of a little pastime now. Something to keep an eye out for when I hit the thrift shops and flea market. It's not quite a goal to complete; I don't really have the disposable income to get -everything- that I'd want.
Hmmm... seems to me I have some extra duplicates of Baxter Stockman, Mondo Gecko, and possibly a couple of others. Anyone you'd love to track down that I can keep an eye out for?
DeleteThat's a cool looking bootleg! I like it and it is very well done.
ReplyDeleteThe plastic they used is a lot cheaper and more fragile than the real-thing, but I just love the way that it looked and the sheer fact that it exists at all. The seller had another, where the robotic body was done in a deep red instead of purple. It was pretty bizarre and very tempting to get, but not for how much he was asking for it.
DeleteHey let me know on what other TMNT you are on the hunt for i can check for you in my area and see what i can find for you. : )
DeleteI love me a good bootleg! When I first clicked over I was like "Oh, hey! Kraaaa--- waitaminute... Is he made out of candy or something?"
ReplyDeleteBrain Candy!
DeleteKids in the Hall!
Hey! We'll drink as much as we want; we're freaks!
What a great bootleg!
ReplyDelete