K-9 Police Unit

Since the raging success of the original Stikfas, the line has continued to expand. First came the basic Stikfas molded in green and beige, the classic colors of little plastic army men; then came Stikfas with new jobs, deluxe sets, and even a female Stikfas. Then we got the first small animal partner, the K-9 Police Unit. The K-9 Police Unit is based around the Alpha Male body, like all the Stikfas (like "fish" or "sheep," the word "Stikfas" is both singular and plural) except the Omega Knight. It's a slightly slender body, but obviously useful enough to be almost anyone's. Inside the K-9 Police Unit's sturdy white cardboard box is a Stikfas-logo ziplock bag that contains the Action Figure Kit, several promotional and instructional postcards and a sheet of stickers. The AFK comprises 67 pieces molded on a series of four plastic frames - two for the body, one for gear and one for the dog. Just snap the pieces off like you would any model kit and you're set to start putting your new toy together. Once the basic body is assembled, the figure stands about 3" tall. He's plain black and completely naked. The set includes an extra torso, upper arms and thighs with molded squares into which the accessories plug. All of the Stikfas' articulation is balljointed, and he moves at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, mid-torso, hips, knees, and ankles. Since this is a K-9 Police Unit, we don't just get a human. The set includes an absolutely cool Stikfas dog. About 2 1/2" tall, the German shepherd-lookin' doggie moves at the ears, head, neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, waist, tail and all four ankles. Plenty of motion to make him look realistic. Only undercover cops are crazy enough to face off with the badguys without any sort of equipment, so the K-9 Police Unit comes with a fine selection of extra pieces, all molded from blue plastic. For the cop, there are two pockets to help sell the idea that he's got a uniform on, and three different hats: a brimmed policeman's cap, a British bobby's helmet and a baseball cap that can work for all sorts of characters. There are two collars for the dog (one spiked and one to which a barrel can be attached, St. Bernard-style) and a belt to which saddle bags can be attached. And that's just the stuff they wear! Neither half of the K-9 Police Unit is left out when it comes to accessories. The dog has a chewy bone, a water dish, a leash and a 1 3/8" tall fire hydrant. Accessories for the cop include a nightstick, two guns (a revolver and a pistol), two sizes of flashlight, a magnifying glass and two types of badges - a star and a shield. In a really clever move, the set includes an extra pair of hands, molded from the blue plastic, that are connected by a pair of handcuffs. You can snap these hands into any other Stikfas, so your cop has a prisoner. The set is finished off with a big bundle of dynamite for the K-9 to sniff out. The set includes a sheet of stickers to customize your officers. Covering everything from facial expressions to... dog facial expressions, the decals help you make your Stikfas your own. Of course, even without stickers you can still get a fine variety; move the pockets around, change the hats and you've got a new character. The big idea of Stikfas is the interchangeability - all the pieces can be swapped with any other set. Why just build a cop and his dog when you could build your own Anubis? The only limit to what you can do with a Stikfas is what you think you can do with a Stikfas. The only real drawback to this set (as with all the Stikfas) is its price. The $10 pricetag is just too much. Also, as I buy more Stikfas sets, I get more annoyed by the extra pieces: we always get enough pieces to almost build a second figure from the set, but not enough. So I've got a ton of decapitated torsos lying around. Hasbro, if you want to really make these sets fly off the shleves, throw in another set of feet, shins, forearms, hands and a head to give us two figures for the same price. What profession would you like to see honored with a Stikfas? Tell us on our message board, The Loafing Lounge.

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