Ron Swanson

Ron Swanson

Parks and Recreation - PhatMojo

Aside from Garfield, is there any better character to express your feelings toward Mondays?  How about work in general?  I like Parks and Rec, but I love Ron Swanson.  Knowing Greg Daniels’ work on King of the Hill, you can tell this character was cut from the same cloth.  Because of this, I felt he was more than worthy to join my plastic hall of fame.

I am glad to have stayed clear of the less-detailed Funko Pop version.  This mini figure hits all the right buttons:  a perfect carnival/fair artist caricature.  Funny how that seems to go with mini figures, Funko in general.  They always put more effort into the little guys.  PhatMojo, who made my excellent Ducktales figures, shows some great care for the properties they represent.

Sadly, PhatMojo couldn’t break away from the mystery box gimmick.  This lame marketing ploy is way past its expiration date.  In true Ron Swanson fashion, I stood defiantly in the entertainment section of Target, opening boxes and tearing open black baggies to be able to purchase the product I wanted:

So, if anyone wants a pile of Leslie Knopes, head to Target in Springfield, MO.  I’ve done all the work for you, but no thanks is required.  Bonus:  these checked out on clearance for $1.79!  Looking past the blind box chicanery, I would call that a steal of a deal.

King of the Hill

 King of the Hill

 The Loyal Subjects and Sunny Days Entertainment

King of the Hill was a great show.  One that stayed consistent with it’s storytelling and characters through it’s run before bowing out at 13 seasons...both Simpsons and South Park could only hold up for about 8 before the cracks began to show.  It was always on the edge of cancellation, playing opening act for the Simpsons at a not-quite prime time slot, or being preempted by NASCAR or Major League Baseball.  I’m glad it endured, and that there are still fans out there now working on toys like these.

There were some KOTH figures produced a long ways back (Toycom...who?) that have since become pretty rare and expensive.  These may never get to give us a full roster of characters, but any Hank Hill is better than nothing.  And these $7 bendable figures wont break the bank either.

Bobby and Hank stand close to a 5-inch line.  They have all the mobility you could expect from bendys.  Since Hanky is more lanky, he’s the more flexible of the two.  Poor, rotund Bobby can really only move his arms.  Still, they look like decent 3D representations of their 2D counterparts, if just a lil too flat in the back.  Sorry, Hank...didn’t mean to bring up your flat butt situation again.

Sporting more articulation, albeit in a more bizarre, exaggerated form, comes the Loyal Subjects’ Hank from their Animation Collector Packs.  Hank is packed out with Bob’s Burgers, American Dad, and (barf) Family Guy characters.  There are Dale and Bobby figures in the line, but they are chase pack-ins...WTF?!

  

Even Hank is packed out less than some, but 1/24?!  1/48?!?!  Are you kidding me?!  Ugh...I guess I should be happy that they went with window boxes and not blind bags?  Shame...Hank is a fun little (about 3 inches) figure.  He comes with a propane tank, Alamo beer can, and collector card, all for about $10.

So, Loyal Subjects may be a dead end.  Perhaps Sunny Days can produce the rest of the cast...box set?  Here’s hoping!