Friday, October 10, 2014

Socket Poppers/Con-Nec-Tors "Garza the Mummy" - Ertl/Matchbox (1990)

Vintage Fridays

Behold the mighty Garza the Mummy!  This figure was released in Europe by Matchbox Toys in 1990, as part of their "Con-Nec-Tors" line of action figures.  Matchbox is best known for their toy cars, and the Con-Nec-Tors were actually a spin-off of Matchbox's Con-Nect-Ables line of cars.  The action figures had removable heads and limbs which could be swapped out with the heads and limbs of other figures in the line, to create all kinds of crazy combinations.  The same figures were released a year later in North America by Ertl Toys, under the name "Socket Poppers."  I'll be doing a full post on the Socket Poppers/Con-Nec-Tors sometime after the Countdown to Halloween, where I will be swapping out body parts, but for now I'll be focusing on the individual figures.  Check out the Socket Poppers Mummy after the break!



Garza the Mummy
Even without the swappable body parts, this is a nicely sculpted vintage action figure.  The figure has an exaggerated, slightly cartoony look to him.  I like the individually sculpted bandages, and the the suggestion of his facial features under the bandages on his face.  His hands that protrude from his bandages have a gnarled up, mummified look.  He's wearing an oversized golden amulet like he's Ancient Egypt's answer to Flavor Flav.  The only thing I don't like about the figure is that his golden staff is permanently sculpted into his hand.

House of Mummies
The figure has the classic Kenner style 5 points of articulation at the shoulders, hips, and neck, which is also the points were his limbs can be removed and swapped out.  He's basically in the same scale as classic Kenner Star Wars figures, he's slightly shorter than them, but that can be attributed to his wide legged stance.  I like having a bit of size difference between my figures anyway, as it adds a bit of visual variety.

Fantasy Show!
Here's a picture of the rare European package that I cut open to give you this review.
"Everybody do the Mummy Mambo!"
Alan-Alda-Amun-Ra

BONUS!  MUSIC VIDEO:

Bob McFadden and Dor - The Mummy


The Mummy

Socket Poppers




1 comment:

  1. I just discovered these things this year, and have been going mad trying to get them all! Awesome article too!

    ReplyDelete