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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, like Fireman or Samurai; after that we got our first deluxe Stikfas set, the Knight with Horse.
Stikfas Action Figure Kit (AFK) is a super-articulated 3-inch figure you assemble and configure in numerous ways. With its unique design and solid parts, the Stikfas AFK is both playable and customizable. Armed with interchangeability and poseability, the Stikfas AFK aims to lead the way in a whole new toy revolution... so gear up now and we'll change the way you play forever! Stikfas--it's simply fun!
Before the Knight, all the Stikfas (like "fish" or "sheep," the word "Stikfas" is both singular and plural) were built around the same body - the Alpha Male. The Knight, however, is the first "Omega Male" body. The differences between the Alpha and Omega are slight, mainly some subtleties in the shape of the torso and size of the limbs.
Inside the Omega Male Knight'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 is comprised of 49 pieces molded on a series of four plastic frames - two for the body, one for armor and one for weapons. 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. You can choose what armor in which you'd like him to be clad: there are armaments for his chest, back, forearms, legs, shins and waist. There are two different helmets and even an extra set of hands, molded in the grey plastic of the armor to represent gloves. All of the Stikfas' articulation is balljointed, and he moves at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, mid-torso, hips, knees, and ankles.
No knight would be battle-ready without his weapons, and the Omega Knight is fully stocked: double-handed sword, short sword, mace, lance with two flags, battle axe, large shield and small shield. The frame also includes a short handle that allows the Knight to hold the shields, so be careful not to throw that out. The weapons all have square pegs that plug into the slots on the knight's armor so he can carry his arsenal and still leave his hands free.
The horse is comprised of 32 pieces on three frames - two for the body and one for armor. Assembled, he stands 4 3/8" tall at the tip of the ears, or 23.5 Stikfas hands high at the shoulder. Horse is articulated at the hooves, knees, hips, shoulders, waist, tail, neck (top and bottom) and both ears. You can choose to put him together as the knight's steed - saddle, stirrups, bridle and armor for the neck - or as a "civilian" horse with no armor and his mane showing.
The set includes a sheet of stickers to customize your knight. Covering everything from facial expressions to horseshoes, the decals help you make your Stikfas your own.
Of course, even without stickers you can still get a fine variety; with a dash of creativity, your knight can be made to look different than those he might face.
The big idea of Stikfas is the interchangeability - all the pieces can be swapped with any other set. Why just build a knight and his horse when you could build your own centaur? Or how about re-enacting "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with a donkey-headed man? The only limit to what you can do with a Stikfas is what you think you can do with a Stikfas.
Chess ™ and © Linda Medley
The only real drawback to this set (as with all the Stikfas) is its price. At nearly $20, there's no way you could build an army of knights to sit at your roundtable. Still, the Stikfas keep selling despite their high tags, and new styles keep coming.
What profession would you like to see honored with a Stikfas? Tell us on our message board, The Loafing Lounge.
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