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Who doesn't like cute things? Today I'm looking at an online exclusive, the adorable Muppet Penguins, available direct from the ridiculously named OMGCNFO website for $11.
This is a great package,
not just because it displays the two figures nicely and is both MOC and opener collector friendly, but because of the excellent design and Muppet-humor that's gone into making it. The Penguin duo come packaged in their own exclusive box with the title insignia and various pictures of them all over, then there's a wonderful picture of nine series' worth of Muppet figures and exclusives on the back with an amusing write-up:
Penguins... those ever-present fowl that pop up in just about every Muppet production.
Whether they're waiting tables, playing in the orchestra, or simply being tossed into the air by other, larger Muppets, you can count on the penguins to put in their cameo. And now, the penguins can make a cameo in your Muppet action figure collection, as OMGCNFO.com has teamed with Palisades Toys to bring you this two-pack of the buggers. They'll fit right in with your "Steppin' Out" figures! (Get it, cause they're wearing tuxedos? That's it... last time I let the bear write the jokes...)
The penguins look absolutely fantastic, totally adorable with their flapping arms and huge eyes, I love them! Standing just under 4" tall, the two little guys are wonderfully sculpted with big enthusiastic grins from their big black beaks, beneath their happy googly eyes and above their big white bellies. That's a lot of big for something so small! I love the arms and the orange webbed feet and the little bump-tails... the whole thing is fantastic. The detail is excellent, with only a little area that looks slightly oversprayed or underdone (the white sections on the arms and eyes) but it's barely noticable. Love them!
There was initially some concern
over the scale of these guys, who seem to be slightly bigger than they should be - only a little smaller than Kermit - but they were always that size in the show. It just seems like they should be smaller considering their size alongside other 6" figures which we're used to - for example, they look really odd next to your Marvel Legends, and yet still totally cute!
There's plenty of play to be found in these two guys; the Penguins have balljointed shoulders and peg joints for the neck and legs,
so they can waddle about and flap their wings in an amusing/cute fashion. The movement of the wings actually gives them a lot of expression; put them close to their sides to make them look defensive or angry, have them out flapping to make them look happy, put one out to shake hands or talk to another Muppet, raise them both in the air in a panic, or put one arm up to his head in a wave... it's a surprising amount of poseability that caught me off guard and is a lot of fun! Plus, the toy is plenty durable and will amuse kids and collectors alike.
To my surprise though, there's one joint that's missing that I thought was obvious - a beak joint so you can open and close their mouths!
It doesn't seem like a hard joint to make, seeing as how trickier figures like Sweetums and Animal have a mouth joint, I'm surprised the Penguins don't. It's a minor complaint, but a valid one; also, the neck joints seem a little rigid, but they do move with a bit of pressure to give the little fellas even more posability. And cute!
It's sad, these two guys are alone in the world, they don't have much aside from each other - only round black Palisades bases they don't need. As a two-pack that's only a few dollars more than the regular figures, they don't really need a great deal of accessories, but a fish or two would have been nice. None the less, not a major complaint.
As you can no doubt tell, I am smitten by these little guys, and there's no doubt why - they're adorable and fantastic figures, complementing the Muppets line as the popular extras who weren't always included in the show but had humerous little cameos from time to time.
They're must-owns for any Muppets collectors, plus great for other collectors too. On top of that, girls think they're very cute - between the Muppet Kitchen with all the tiny cute little accessories and utensils and these little guys, you'll have women all over you. Well, probably not, but it'll make your collection all the more appealing to the girlfriend. Much recommended!
Is anything cuter than a clumsy, bumbling penguin? Tell us on our message board, the Loafing Lounge.
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