My personal Stretch Armstrong Story (long read)

[Iron Mego]

I love hearing stories about when we were kids. That was a great story. I had one of the originals in the 70's, but I have to tell you, this one feels much better manufactured and more durable (at least early on). Plus I like the fact the shorts are painted on him as opposed to being actually cloth shorts. Makes allot better sense. And the head is a perfect replica which is what I really liked about the original anyway. That was a great head sculpt and he's back! So from one previous owner to one who always wanted that one, you have a better model today. Congratulations and thanks for sharing that story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Very interesting to hear that you think it's of better quality than the original. Not the norm these days, huh? That's pretty darn cool though.

The head sculpt has always been so wonderful. I wonder if it was modeled after a real person. If it was he was one handsome SOB!!

Now let's see some head shrinks and Mego-ized Stretches!!

[MIB41]

Very interesting to hear that you think it's of better quality than the original. Not the norm these days, huh? That's pretty darn cool though.

The head sculpt has always been so wonderful. I wonder if it was modeled after a real person. If it was he was one handsome SOB!!

Now let's see some head shrinks and Mego-ized Stretches!!

The original had a far more resistant, thicker, gel inside. That Stretch could really get heavy and Lord forbid you store him away during the winter. A brick! You had to leave him out in the sun just to get him into any kind of shape to stretch. Kind of like you and me today! (: But seriously the "skin" wore in places after extended play so it was not remotely as pliable as what this new one seems to be. And I'm not aware of anyone who didn't have breakage at some point due to the skin cracking open. It was definitely a short lived figure that clearly didn't have the technology to endure years of play. That's why it's nearly impossible to find any kind of original specimen that has not been restored with a replacement body because that original just wasn't made to last. From the moment I picked this one up, I could feel an immediate difference and it was a huge improvement.

[Iron Mego]

I know they tended to break, that's what happened to my Stretch Monster, but I wouldn't have figured the skin on these would be more resilient. I guess we'll see how they last in comparison.

Really looking forward to SM now. That kid from 40 years ago probably would have never said that.

[PNGwynne]

Thanks for posting the Monster sofubi--so cool. How tall are they?

My head will explode if they redo Stretch Monster, too--he was my favorite.

[Iron Mego]

I think they're five inches. But I've not seen one in person.

And they are doing Stretch Monster. That's what the guy from Jazwares told Palitoy.

[Iron Mego]

Here's his quote from another thread:

Spoke to Jazwares on Twitter, here is what I got:

1) August will see them US Toys R Us and Target stores
2) Canada will be "later"


3) STRETCH MONSTER IS NEXT

[HardyGirl]

Thanks for sharing that story. I know what it's like to get the things you longed for (and never got) as a kid. I never had a Stretch, but my friend Aaron did. We liked to pull him and then we pretended he reach out and capture bad guys, (like his GIJoes).

[Iron Mego]

So... I have three of these now!! Cannot control myself, although I think this will do for awhile. I've actually purchased five, but returned two to Target because of some (minor) imperfections. That fat boy in the pic above got returned. Didn't like that crimp in his neck.

The stock at the stores I've been to is getting low. I'll be checking to see how quickly they restock stuff. Anybody seen any at TRU yet?

[MIB41]

I love your conviction to have so many. That sounds just like me with my RC Mego and Retro Bat...men. Haven't seen any at TRU stores yet. All the Target stores around me seem to be stocking four at a time of Stretch. Target is definitely a show-me kind of store. They only keep stuff in stock that sells and don't have patience for anything to find an audience. Looks like a good start for our Stretch man.

[Iron Mego]

And the Retro section where he's located is stocked with good stuff. Almost bought a Spyrograph set just because it had the old Kenner logo on it!

[Majere]

Stretch Armstrong was high on my childhood grail list, quite possibly the highest. A grail that sadly was never obtained, and would became a constant, searing, source of disappointment for me for nearly four decades. Let me explain.

I lusted for this toy when it came out, and probably begged my mom for him ad nauseam. Eventually my parents made a deal that if I scored a goal in soccer I could get him. I guess this was motivation for me, since I was more of a stand-around-the-backfield kinda guy. And I was happy to be just that. But a chance to get Stretch? Man, that would have motivated me to try just about anything. Stretch had captured my imagination so intensely it was almost overwhelming.

Well, it came down to the last game of the season, so I had one final shot at my dream. I’m not sure how long we played back then, maybe 30 minutes total, but let’s just say we were down to a scant few minutes of regulation time. I doubt I went past midfield more than three times up to that point. I knew the time was nigh or I could forget about Stretch! I somehow managed to get up to the front line, not my usual position. Grouped among three or four opposing players, we approached the goal line when the ball miraculously appeared in front of me. With a maniacal slap of my foot and I made contact with the ball. And in it went! Oh HALLELUJAH!! Glory to God, Stretch would be mine! That chiseled face, those elastic limbs! Oh how I would stretch him! What’s that though? What’s that sound? A whistle? Called offside you say? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! And in an instant my elation was changed to deflation. The final whistle blew and that was it. (This is an actual pic from after that very game. You can see the glazed look of shattered dreams.)



G

My dad, not one to coddle us, told me, “You were onside. That was a goal.” If he said it, he meant it. Was the deal back on? I wondered. Yes, it was. My mom asked me again what I wanted, and I told her, “STRETCH ARMSTRONG!”

I’m not sure how much time passed, or whether we went that day or weeks later. What I do know is that I was not the only red-blooded, goal-scorin’, Stretch-lovin’ kid in America. Stretch was Tickle Me Elmo before Elmo was even a thought in Henson’s brain. Which meant Stretch was not to be found, so my mom did what she thought was best and brought home a Stretch Monster. Now, I know back then, and to this day, there are many who prefer ol’ SM over SA, but I was never one of those people! I wanted SA, and SM was NOT a suitable substitute for me. His green grimace became a mocking smirk that would never allow me to love him, as I would have loved SA. I barely played with him, and at some point tossed him into my toy trunk and all but forgot about him. Awhile later I found him down there among the other rejects, his neck had gotten pressed up between the trunk and some boxes, and his thick, red syrup had oozed out and hardened in one last mocking gesture.

I’m not really sure why I never got SA. It seems like he was in production for at least four years, but alas it never happened. This was a toy I thought about quite often through the years. Once eBay came around he became, along with those 8” action figures I’d once owned, a pretty consistent search term for me. Unlike Megos though, ol’ SA didn’t fare so well with the passing of time, and complete figures in decent shape were way out of my price range.

So here we are today, and this release of the original may be more poignant for me than having found most of my Mego grails, or the proliferation of FTCs offerings. This really was the one that got away. Now he’s here, and he’s glorious. I will probably buy one more, and stow him away in the dark for some future day. And yes, I will buy a Stretch Monster when he comes out. I need to apologize to him!

Here are my two. One from Amazon (on the left) and one from Target. The one from Amazon had some ooze around the neck and on the head (it's clear this time), but it cleaned off easily. I don't think he's leaking, it was probably from when he was put together. He's also overstuffed and has a crimp up by the neck. So the one from Target will be my display guy. He's pretty much perfect other than some minor paint rubs.

Great story, man. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to go out and get one myself (even though I grew up in the 80's, and never had a chance to fall in love with the toy the way you did.)

Like you, my family didn't have a lot of money growing up, which I think is a major reason why I collect toys now. When I grew up (if you can call it that) and started making money, I went back and bought all the stuff I couldn't have as a kid, but always wanted. It seems weird I guess to say, but I've always been loyal to that kid, that child that I was. I go back and I buy stuff he wanted, or things I think he would have wanted. So strange, but I think you understand it as well.

(Not to say I didn't have a happy childhood. I did. I had the best, and my mom always made sure we had plenty for birthdays and Christmas. Though we had very little money, I never felt I had to do without. In fact, I think that's why I never let that child part of me go. I couldn't bear to, it was such a happy childhood fore me.)

[Iron Mego]

I totally understand being loyal to that kid you were, as it's a big part of why I collect, too.

I also had a happy childhood, and we were never without the things we needed. But I had friends who had SO MUCH STUFF, and I would covet things, which leads to a lot of bad thoughts, and sometimes some bad acts. I know I had more toys than some kids, and who would have been happy to have as much as I did, so there's always another side to things.

But there are some things from childhood that still sting, and every once in awhile we get the opportunity to soothe those pains. This is one of those times for me.

[Majere]

I totally understand being loyal to that kid you were, as it's a big part of why I collect, too.

I also had a happy childhood, and we were never without the things we needed. But I had friends who had SO MUCH STUFF, and I would covet things, which leads to a lot of bad thoughts, and sometimes some bad acts. I know I had more toys than some kids, and who would have been happy to have as much as I did, so there's always another side to things.

But there are some things from childhood that still sting, and every once in awhile we get the opportunity to soothe those pains. This is one of those times for me.

Absolutely, brother. Amen! And congrats again on getting your Stretch.

[jacoblb]

At my neighborhood Target I saw two Stretch Armstrong boxes on the end cap shelf. I totally got one and am happy with the quality. I seem to recall the skin of the original being darker but maybe that's because my playmates played with theirs in the Arizona sun too much.

[Iron Mego]

It was darker. He was a tanned god!

I'm kinda hoping they do some variants with different hair and trunks colors.