"The Addams Family" Collectible Toys for 2019
Together with their "Frankenstein's Monster" butler LURCH, the hyper-active (singular) hand known as "THING", with their UNCLE FESTER, GRANDMAMA, and Who could forget cousin "ITT" - Are what are collectively known as THE ADDAMS FAMILY we have come to know and love!
Seen above-insert is one of Charles Addams' original cartoons (Image via Wiki).
"The Addams Family" license was out and revealed in force at the recent 2019 New York Toy Fair, with a number of toy brands showcasing their collaboration toys adapted from the upcoming animated feature film, and classic movie versions ... let's take a look at some TOYS, shall we?
MEZCO revealed their "Addams Family" from their "5 Points" line of 3.75-inch tall action figures (their incarnation of the ReAction figures *cough* - no doubt in reference to the "5 points of articulation", IMO), featuring a line-up of "Gomez", "Lurch", "Cousin It", "Uncle Fester", "Grandmama" and "Thing" ... probably leaving "Mortician" or "Wednesday" for Wave 2?
Featuring adaptations of the upcoming 2019 animated feature (Top image via IMDb), which features characters voiced by Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler and Allison Janney. The character designs mirror very closely to Charles Addams' drawings (seen above-insert), and from the 70's Hanna-Barbera cartoon, don't they?
Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (Monsters vs. Aliens) from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman (Scooby; Monster on the Hill), The Addams Family movie will be released on October 18, 2019 (USA).
Thus far incredible looking sculpts similar to the animated figures, they remind me a whole lot of Tim Burton's aesthetics, also reminiscent of "Nightmare Before Xmas"-styled of awesomeness, IMHO ... I cannot wait to see MORE of these! Shown here are display images of the line-up at NYTF, courtesy of toyark.com
Kidrobot has also announced their upcoming capsule collection based on "The Addams Family" animated film, releasing circa Halloween 2019. Expect a vinyl mini-series, keychain series and plush. Images when I have them, thanks.
Meanwhile, FUNKO has gone for the more "Classic" look, and has offered up 6 x Pop!Vinyls - showcasing Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Wednesday, Cousin IT, and Pugsley (& his net croc)! Also announced are the mono-chrome color ways of Gomez and Morticia in a 2-Paxk exclusive to Entertainment Earth, and a exclusive Uncle Fester. Expect a April 2019 release.
My clearest connection to this "family" is via the 1991 and 1993 live action feature films, having only cursory knowledge and recognition via the cartoons in the past, besides. On auto-pilot was the allure of "goth" for the "pop-culture-tourist" in me, plus the macabre and black-humour were a major appeal - at least for the movies!
While I might not wholly understand the personas and and the "dream" of an idyllic Americana suburbia - and for an Asia Chinese person, whose said ideal of Americana is thru films and television media - my interpretation of the Addams Family, is like a "perfect" life behind white picket fences, since muffled silently under a crusty pillow, and everyone placed in a mausoleum on top of the hill surrounded by graves, with whatever lives feeling like a day in limbo ... or maybe its MC Hammer's song that slapped me in my memories :p
Will the "new" collectible toys appeal to the current generation of folks both unfamiliar and familiar with the license? Will the new film adaptation toys be commercially successful?
And while all these are licensed product releases, I have hardly seen an "bootleg" or "appropriated" figures otherwise - which to me is somewhat a "litmus test" of what is "pop-culture-popular", and can be somewhat of a "sign" of what can make money, IMHO ... What do YOU think?
Cheers
Andy TOYSREVIL
P/S: Here is a video for "Vintage Addams Family" toys ... do YOU own any of these? Are you excited for the upcoming new toys, yourself?
