Playing Mantis Action Jackson

[KingKickass1983]

I bought a big lot of loose figures from this line a bit ago.

So, they seemed to have come in boxes originally than put onto a blister card with new heads... does anyone know if the blister card versions hold up better then the boxed versions?

Like...did PM fix any of the issues from the first release? The carded ones seem harder to find...

[ScottA]

I had 4 boxed for sale at Mego Meet. Still have them if interested.

[MeerkatMego]

I bought at least six of them when they came out. The clothes and accessories are great for Mego scale figures, but the figures themselves are crap. Almost half have broken from light use. It appeared the rubber bands inside were weak.

[ODBJBG]

I wish they would have made the Quest figures!!

We all do!

[LonnieFisher]

I think only three of the AJ figures got released.

[LonnieFisher]

I wish they would have made the Quest figures!!

[LonnieFisher]

Here is a pic of one wearing a black outfit. And a jeep that I've never seen.

[LonnieFisher]

The carded figures show a fourth figure on the back that I've never seen. It's the "Aerial Mission Specialist" wearing a yellow jumpsuit with parachute. Did this outfit ever get made? I bought a bunch of the other three and don't ever remember even seeing it.

[thunderbolt]

I've got a couple in my fodder bin, and both have had the rubber holding them together snap.

[Action Martin]

That covert ops one was one of the main draws for me.

Had the Playing Mantis AJs had some, or a better, connection to the Mego AJs I would have purchased them. Maybe if they were more in the lines with what Emce is doing.

[The Bat]

The spy outfit accessories are excellent, and were obviously made to cash in on the new Mission: Impossible movie. If you're only going to get one Playing Mantis AJ, get the Covert Operations one.

That is definately THE best one! Right now, My Dave Mc Jack Bauer is wearing that Outfit. But I have other plans for another one.

[ABMAC]

I got a pile of them at Kaybee for $1.99 each when they were just trying to get them off the shelves.

Naked, the figures stand 8.125" tall, if you can get them to stand. They have major joint issues.

The neck has a half-ball at the bottom, but the neck is slightly larger than the ball, and the ball fits so far into the chest socket that there's no room for any kind of movement except for the standard Mego swivel. You could just remove the stock head and replace it with a Mego one, except that the neck is held on with the same rubber bands that hold the legs. I may explore alternate stringing after the original bands erode and break. Yes, they're that type of rubber.

The ankle joints are a full quarter of an inch above the sculpted ankles. Duh? They're also blocked so the feet can move down, but not up. And they're floppy. The knees are very loose, also.

They almost got the hip joints right.

The waist joint is ostensibly a ball. A huge ball, with a huge hole in it. For as much movement as it allows, it's a complete waste of effort. It also keeps the figure from fitting into any 8" Mego clothes.

The shoulder joints might have worked, but they're slots with rubber bands through them, and the slots aren't wide enough. There's no swivel in the upper arm, but it looks like one was meant to be part of the elbow joint. It doesn't work, and only serves to weaken the elbow.

The wrists are slightly misplaced and they're weak. They swivel on some figures, and are glued in place on others. The only way to check is to turn them. Guess what; if they're glued and you turn them, they break without warning.

The hands are hard plastic and they're sculpted into a pose scientifically designed to be unable to hold any 8" accessory. Try to force something in and you'll probably snap the wrist.

The clothing fits 8" Megos fairly well, if a bit loose in the waist. The big rubber boots, necessary because of the misplaced ankle joints, are useless.

Most of the "hard" accessories like guns, knives, etc., that come with the soldier and scuba outfits are made of flexible PVC plastic, while "flexible" accessories like the chain, scuba mask, and swim fins are made of hard plastic. Another "duh?"

The spy outfit accessories are excellent, and were obviously made to cash in on the new Mission: Impossible movie. If you're only going to get one Playing Mantis AJ, get the Covert Operations one.

[HardyGirl]

I was not really that impressed w/ the figures. The first series were kinda ugly and they weren't "Mego" type guys, so I couldn't use the outfits, (except I did squeeze the Secret agent outfit onto one of them). The accessories are cool, esp. the secret agent set. It would have been better to make a few "base" guys, like Mego did, and do the accessory sets separately.

[Type3Toys]

I almost bought 3 of them for $20 on eBay this past weekend but their size was an issue for me.

Wow. I think you should have snagged them, I would have. Again, they are decent figures. Great accessories too.

[Action Martin]

I almost bought 3 of them for $20 on eBay this past weekend but their size was an issue for me.