Toy OTD: McDonald's, Monsters Inc. Abominable Snowman Happy Meal Figure

I always like to show that it doesn't take elaborate manufacturing techniques or sky-high price points to make a cool, fun-looking toy. At least, that what I hope to prove - I love super-elaborate, boutique-y toys, but I don't want to come off like some kind of snob. Well, most of the time I don't...

Here's another poster child for simplicity in toymaking - there's three points of articulation, and three paint passes at the most. Of course, the figuremakers were lucky enough to start off with a great design that my buddy Ricky Nierva did. The sculptor here did a fine job of preserving the design's appeal, even though the source character's fuzzy and the toy's an all-plastic figure. The colors may not be spot-on-model, but I think the spirit of the law is maintained. It stands well by itself (the sculptor didn't show off and over-pose the toy), and you can pose it a little bit yourself for extra play value.

A lot of fast-food toys try to jam some sort of gimmick into a toy - I'm assuming they don't feel confident that the 'source memory' (or whatever you want to call it) won't inspire a purchase, so a rip-cord motor or slide viewer or something is added that has nothing to do with the film story or the character, and mainly winds up hurting the sculpt because this extra feature has to be accommodated. I understand that some of these items were designed when the script was still in flux - ofttimes, big plot points are dropped, leaving some of the merchandising in the lurch. Still, it's a shame.

The Happy Meal promotion for Monsters, Inc. is of course long gone, but you can still get a snowman (plus seven others from the line) for $15.95 + shipping.