I am not shy or afraid to admit that a lot of my action figure collecting habits follow properties for which I have ties or affection. However, while Star Wars, He-Man, Marvel, DC, Megaman, and other dominate my shelves, I do collect several other lines on other merits like quality of execution, and things that are downright fun. The Grossery Gang property is most certainly one of the latter, and I LOVE the Powered Up action figure with all my cold black heart. 

I was fortunate enough to discover the line at its inception, despite not having prior knowledge of the collectible mini-figures (which are also tons of fun). So, while I have happily collected the series through the initial wave and through the Bug Strike campaign, I can safely say that these new figures, under the Time Wars arc are by far the best that we have seen so far. The character selection and sheer number of additions make this recent series so strong, and if you are into the line at all, there is something for everyone from a character perspective. I mean, guys, we have a pumpkin, a can of beans, a potato, and friggin’ SHARK and more. This property is so insane, and so insanely awesome, I would have to question your sanity if you are not into it. I have my eye on you.

My Grossery collection is getting pretty large and diverse at this point, but admittedly, it has been a struggle to lock off all of these figures. With the death of (U.S.-based) Toys R Us, Target and Amazon are the only large retailers who actually carry these figures, so I find myself hunting these little guys more fiercely than even my priority likes like Marvel Legends and Star Wars Black Series. So yeah, it can be struggle, so I understand some of the frustration I hear online when it comes to collecting this line, so if I had to pick a downside, it is the distribution for a property that, at its core, is VERY much kid-focused, rather than collector. But here we are.

 

After some focused searching, hitting up a few different Targets (and a Five Below, but more on that in a moment), I was able to assemble all of the figures from this Time Wars assortment that I wanted. That includes all eight of the unique characters, which represents the largest single release of new guys in the line yet. There are also new variations of Putrid Pizza, Gooey Chewie, Dodgy Donut, and Trash Head, but since I do not typically collect the variants in this line (again, more on that in a minute), I skipped most of those. So, this gives me a chance to look at Cyber Slop Pizza (this arc’s villain), Space Jump Pumpkin (also a baddie), Pirate Sharrrk, Bad Beans Shooter, Jock Slop Burger, Potato Punk (my favorite Grossery ever), Spewy Loo (that is, toilet, Moose is an Australian company), and Grotty Graffiti.

CYBER SLOP PIZZA

This figure was technically released earlier this summer, along with most of the variants in this wave, but since I didn’t take a chance to look at him then, I am including him here. At first I thought this was some cyborg variation of the heroic Putrid Pizza, but that is not the case. This latest storyline has the Grosseries jumping all over time, so I  believe CS Pizza is actually from the future.

Like (almost) all of the figures in this series, Cyber Slop comes with a flick and shoot “Grot Launcher” as well as his traditional Grossery Gang mini figure doppelgänger. This is certainly one of the more visually interesting figures in the line, and combination of the spoiled food/organic matter against the robotic cyborg parts is really neat. Sure, the association of him as a villain to the Grosseries isn’t as clear cut as say, Vac Attack and the Clean Team, but I dig this concept and figure.

SPACE JUMP PUMPKIN

I wonder if the cyborg parts are what turn these foodies bad and made for an alliance between Cyber Slop and Space Jump. Anyway, with the evil jack-o-lantern theme of this figure, it races almost to the top of my list of favorites from this series. Several of these figures are pretty high-concept, but all of them a executed so beautifully, it just makes for a lot of fun. The orange, green, and purple colors used here are classic hues of villains throughout modern times, so the motif comes together quite well, and this guy will have a special spot in the display come Halloween season.

PIRATE SHARRRK

Okay, so I love this property with all of my heart. I really do. I think ALL of the figures that have been released thus far are awesome and, at the very least, interesting in their execution. But… there are some in the past, and now some in the Time Wars that seem a bit derivative in terms of adhering to what I would consider to be subject matter for a play on a grocery item. Listen, I have nothing but utter love of a shark pirate wearing an eyepatch, but it almost feels like a stretch to include him in a line alongside bananas, French fries, pizza, and ice cream. Again, not that I am complaining, but maybe the Grossery Store extends to extravagant fish markets, and that is where this dude comes from. In the end though, no explanation is needed because: PIRATE. SHARK.

BAD BEANS SHOOTER

Now this dude looks like he came right out of the World War II era in his old-timey fatigues, and if you think about it, an MRE’s worth of beans is about the most perfect hybrid you can make for a food soldier in this line. Like the variants from the pervious Bug Strike arc, this guy hits me in all of the feels due to his approximation to the classic Food Fighters line, so was in love with this guy from first sight. If we are bring a fight to the cyber food dudes, a soldier is someone you are going to want, and this guy is a perfect hold-over from war bond era army grub. Speaking of soldiers…

JOCK SLOP BURGER

All right, try to stay with me here, okay? Take a hamburger. Make him Scottish. Then send him to the thirteenth century and give him some full-on Braveheart blue painted face and kilt and you get this magnificent bastard. Yes, hamburger that would give old King Longshanks nothing but heartburn is in this line, and whatever the designers were having when they came up with this combo, I will have some, too. It is as genius as it is crazy and I promise you, Jock Slop will have ZERO issue leading the charge of Grosseries against the cyborgs with his rallying cry of “FREEDOM!”

POTATO PUNK

Sometimes, a new action figure just speaks to you. Like, everything about it is so perfect in every way to you, that it becomes hard to describe. For me, I am not sure if this has even hit so close to home as with Potato Punk here. The Grosseries’s stop in the late 70s is so perfectly embodied in Potato Punk, from his pissed expression, to his red Mohawk, to his leather vest, to his padlock necklace, to his blue jeans, and down to his boots, Moose nailed EVERYTHING about this guy. And I loves him so. I have already picked up an extra to put on my desk, and if I was only allowed to get one figure from this assortment, it would be Potato Punk without exception, and twice on Sunday. He. is. RAD.

After that, the release pattern of these figures takes a bit of an odd turn. We have known since Toy Fair back in February that twelve figures would be included in the Time Wars assortments, and within there, a 1980s wrestler variant of Trash Head, a toilet named Spewy Loo, and a spray paint can by the handle of Grotty Graffiti were all to be included. HOWEVER, when the new figures started to release, these three were missing from the card backs. Initially, I incorrectly thought that meant that these three would be lost to the vegetable crisper of history and were canceled from the line.

That, however, is only partly true. See, these guys did not make it into he standard, at least as far as I know. But… they DID make it out via stripped down or “value” release packaging without their weapon accessories and mini figure Grossery. Also, to my knowledge, these have only been found (at least thus far) at the discount store called Five Below. Now, I got a tip that there were found there, so I was ready to embark on my first trip ever to that store, even though it was a bit of a drive. It turns out I didn’t have to as my wife stopped on a day of errands and BAM, I am now the very happy owner of Spewy Loo and Grotty Graffiti to complete my set. Oh, and she did pick up the new Trash Head for me, even though I am not really into the variants. That is cool though because these guys might turn out to be the unicorns of the line, so I will be happy to have him, too.

SPEWY LOO

As mentioned, Moose Toys is based in Australia, and if you have not picked up on some of the naming conventions used in the line thus far, at least you can tell that some of the words and descriptions are not quite so common in American colloquial speak. “Grotty” and “dodgy”and other descriptors are fun plays to add to some variety of names, but the Loo title here is pretty common in English speaking spots around the world. Spewy Loo is not quite as high concept as some of the others because, well, he is an anthropomorphic toilet filled with, what I assume to be, a lot of green barf. Hey, if he wants to help the Grossery Gang, he is cool by me, but maybe we will see some more traditional foodstuffs like eggs, pickles. muffins, and others in future characters.

GROTTY GRAFFITI

If Potato Punk is holding down the late 1970s, he hands off flawlessly as the Grosseries enter the 80s to Grotty Graffiti. A spray paint can ready to embark on some graffiti art, there are so many on the nose call outs to the birth of hip-hop style in this figure, it makes me giddy. I love the jumpsuit look with the fingerless gloves, and the clock chain call out to Flava Flav really seals the deal. Like so many of the rest, the though behind all of the design cues, and the overall execution of Grotty Graffiti is so impressive, it is pretty impossible to not love him. I just hope everyone who wants this dude will get the chance to own him.

Man, this line is just so perfect, I really hope it continues on as we are really only about 18 months in. I think these Time Wars figures are the best of the line so far, and if you have been collecting since the start, the collection is getting mighty impressive. Like I said, Target and Five Below are the places to go to get these right now, but HOPEFULLY Amazon will come through soon, too. I would really focus on getting the Five Below guys first because I have no idea of Loo, Graffiti, or Trash Head will ever see any other future release.

Get into the Grossery Gang line. Have fun. I love it.