Sigh. Just talking about this line makes me tear up a bit. The Muppets line by Palisades Toys is one of my favorite action figure lines of all time, and what was produced under that banner will probably remain some of the best toy offerings ever for years. So I get some tears of joy thinking about what is on my shelf, but, at the same time, I am sad for the things that never got to be made, the fact that Palisades folded, and that we will likely never see a line so in tune with the collector community again. It really was a perfect storm of amazing figures; outreach by the line’s manager, Ken Lilly; and a constant assurance that the wants of the fans were always put first. The last point was made so well that the line kept going probably long past the time when it was actually profitable. But so it goes.
I don’t want this to be an article of lost love, rather, I want to celebrate the amazing figure line that we got and highlight the standouts and the best of the best from such a strong population. I am sure you know how these Top 5s work by now, so here and my thoughts, and be sure to share yours in the comments below.
5. Jim Henson
Yeah, we got a Jim Henson figure. Not only that, we got an AMAZING Jim Henson Muppet figure that was produced to honor the genius that made all of these characters possible. The Jim figure is the centerpiece of my collection. I have all the rest of the figures arranged around him with Kermit and Rowlf close by. One of the amazing highlights of this line was the little foam “stippling” detail that was added to the sculpts, and that met its pinnacle of perfection with Jim. The fact that he came with his signature banjo to play his part in the Country Trio makes it all the better. Palisades was known for their painstaking attention to detail and that ensured that we all got the figure of Jim that we wanted and the figure that the man deserved.
4. Lew Zealand
It is difficult to make an argument for best Muppet when you are trying to argue against the guy with a ruffled collar that throws “boomerang fish” with a lot of sole. So Lew pretty much epitomizes what the Muppet are to me from his mustache to his stark white riding pants. I mean, his look, his shtick, everything is just insane, and he makes for an insanely cool figure. When an action figure line is announced, Lew Zealand is one of those guys that you think would make for an awesome figure, but you never really expect to get one. Well, well, well, that is what the Palisades line was all about. I love this figure so much and he is one of my “fire” figures. By that, I mean if there were ever a fire, he would be one of the figures I would grab and save without a second thought.
3. Dr. Teeth
We got the entire Electric Mayhem band in the Muppets figure line. Let me say that again: we got the entire Electric Mayhem band in the Muppets figure line. Yep, from Sgt. Floyd Pepper all the way to the obscure Lips, the entire band was represented, and we got the stage to boot. Amazing. Dr. Teeth, their leader, lead the charge in the first wave of figures and he remained the best of the bunch. Have you ever really looked at this figure? I mean, aside from the gold tooth and pimp hat, Dr. Teeth has some insane paint applications that just make for a striking little plastic Muppet. He looks good leading that raucous band, and he is at the forefront of my favorite corner of the Muppets display.
2. Fozzie Bear
Rowlf and Fozzie are by far my two most sentimental favorite Muppets. Sure, I dig the guys like Crazy Harry, Marvin Suggs, and the aforementioned Lew Zealand, but Rowl and Fozzie are the first two Muppets I really took to as a pup. I wish I could have both of them on this list, but I chose Fozzie because I still remember the day I got the figure at a Suncoast store so many years ago. I was so happy, and it was that day I knew I would be in this line for the full run. Fozzie was an earlier figure (series two), so he does not have some of the more sharp detailing as some of the figures later in the line, but his expression and pose capture the character so well. You can just hear him say, “Wokka wokka!” every time you look at the figure, so I would say that Palisades accomplished their mission in the plastic creation of this cheeky bear.
1. Sam the Eagle
No, this is not being done because this list is out the week of the Fourth of July. I really do think Sam is the best plastic representation of any Muppet ever. I was lucky enough to get the “shifty-eyed” variant, so that sealed the deal in terms of being a perfect incarnation. You can just feel the tense awkwardness tempered with a proud sense of patriotism flowing through his feathers. The sculpt, the colors, the accessories, everything make for such a satisfying figure that I don’t need anyone to attempt another Sam the Eagle figure ever again. I truly love everything about him and his disapproving sideways glance that he can fire off to any of the less-behaved members of the Muppet troupe.
I am sad I have to leave off figures like Waldorf, Marvin Suggs, Link Hogthrob, Pops, Beauregard, and the massive Sweetums, but this is one of those lines where even the weakest figure is still light years ahead of the best figure most lines can offer. I am sad that we did not get some of the characters, but for the core group, we did really well. The Sesame Street gang was on-tap to join these guys had Palisades been able to carry on, and that thought makes me so sad, but I still get filled with giddy glee every time I look at my amazing Muppets collection. Share your thoughts and memories below!
[polldaddy poll=7213703]
Additional Links
- Discuss this article
