Of Muppets and Men: A Retrospective of Palisade's Legendary Line

Simple, but effective, here's Kermit the way most of us think of him.  The camera, while not really tying into the original show, is still a really nice touch.

Miss Piggy is missing an articulated neck, and her paint is a little off.  All this was corrected by the time First Mate Piggy came out (see below).

Every toy company produces variants, but few do them right.  Note the attention to detail that went into each figure and every accessory.

Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful toys I own.

Ignore Batman and Khan: they're only visiting.

There may be lines I like as much as Palisade's Muppets, but I'm pretty sure there is no toy line I like more.  For a number of reasons, these figures represented the epitome of what modern action figures could be.  Using a variety of different materials and techniques, Palisades put together whimsical creations, worthy of the property they represented.

But nothing this good could last forever: Palisades went under more than three years ago.

Of course, while toy companies can die, the toys themselves are a bit harder to stop. I still see these guys every now and again in stores: a few of the figures I'm going to look are ones I bought a few months ago.  And Ebay of course exists as an option.  While these might not be dirt cheap bargains, the prices are comparable to what new toys cost these days.  And, who knows, you might even find a used lot at a good price.

For the most part, the figures themselves stand between four and six inches tall, though I'm sure some are bigger and some are smaller.  I don't even want to speculate what kind of a scale that would represent, since Muppets, of course, are much smaller than people.  At any rate, they are adorable, capturing the look, texture, and spirit of the characters.

The packaging was generally utilitarian, designed to keep the toys safe until you got them in your hands.  They employed cards, boxes of all sizes, and clam-shells: whatever the figures needed, they used.  But whatever the shape and size, if you turned the pack over, you'd find credits for the designers, sculptors, and other employees who worked to create these figures.

How do you know someone takes pride in their product?  They put their name on it, that's how.

Like most toy lines, these evolved over time.  The earliest figures tended to have at least a few issues.  This isn't to say they were bad - from the start they were fantastic figures - but if you compare the first series to the later ones, you'll notice less consistent paint ops and less inspired articulation.

You'll also notice something else: from the start, these have had some excellent accessories.  Check out the haul you get with Miss Piggy, including a scale wardrobe, a hand mirror, and a plastic base.  The mirror on the dresser tilts, and the drawer really opens.  Kermit came with a TV camera, as well as a coffee mug and a similar base.  I've got a couple of Gonzo figures, one came with Camilla (as well as several other extras); the other came with a spring-loaded cannon.  And, as if that wasn't enough, the cannon has a pair of chock blocks: that's a level of detail and attention I don't expect to see.

The cannon brings up another point I want to make: no matter how nice the figures got, Palisades never stopped thinking about them as toys.  The cannon is designed to shoot Gonzo, and all of the figures are tough enough to stand up to play.  While these were geared towards the older collector, Palisades made these so children could handle them, too.

It really doesn't get much better than this.

Unless, of course, you're willing to spend some money.  For instance, there's the "Rainbow Connection" box set, which contains a banjo playing Kermit, Robin, some singing vegetables, and logs for them to sit on.  That one was actually produced for charity, The Cooper Perry Fund, which received all profits.  It was a gift from my wife's parents, and I can't help but smile every time I see it.

My favorite toy from this series, though, is something a little bigger: the Pigs in Space Swine Trek Playset.  I picked this up at a KB Toys about five years ago for a whopping nine bucks (it came with First Mate Piggy: I bought the other two separately on Ebay), and it's served as the centerpiece of my toy collection ever since.

Where to begin?  The Swine Trek has working doors (just slide the peg on top, and they part), movable knobs, moving chairs, a changeable display, and extra panels.  I assure you, any fan of the Muppets, no matter how old they are, will be able to play with this for hours on end.

I can't wrap this up without mentioning the Mega-Muppets: enlarged versions of the plastic action figures.  I've got a Gonzo and an Animal; both of which are exceptionally cool.  I can't help but wonder if the line had endured if they'd have gotten around to a Mega-Muppet Kermit...

But there's not a lot missing from this line.  Sure, there are some versions Palisades never got to, but you'd be hard pressed to find a major, reoccurring character from The Muppet Show they didn't do at least once.

Of course, they were just about to release a series of similar Sesame Street figures when the company closed.  And I would have loved to see those.

If you're a fan of the Muppets, I also reviewed a set of Disney's Star Tours PVCs a while back.