Should’ve included a little Argh!Yle! figure too.

§ May 15th, 2024 § Filed under lex luthor, misfit toys § 20 Comments

I’ve kind of slowed down on buying action figures for myself…I think I’ve got a couple of Popeye figures pending, and maybe if they do another good Swamp Thing figure that’s different enough from what has gone before, I’ll bite. And someday Funko will do Nancy and Sluggo Pops.

But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t place an extra order on the forthcoming Ambush Bug figure in case I decide I have to have one:


I mean, look, he even comes with Cheeks the Toy Wonder:


I do still love those old Ambush Bug stories by the late Keith Giffen, and I don’t know that I need a physical manifestation of those comics, but part of me says that I absolutely do. Just standing there, on top of my desk, looking down upon me as I type entries for this very website.

Speaking of action figures, it was pal Andrew who reminded me that the new redesigns for Brainiac and Luthor were specifically more toyetic than the old versions. Not that there was anything wrong with toys of Pink-Shirt Brainiac and Bandolier Jetpack Luthor, but these new versions probably looked like more threatening bad guys for kids to pit against their superhero figures.

In my time-honored tradition of “borrowing” images from the eBays, I present here the classic mid-1980s figures of Luthor:


…and Brainiac:


Beware Brainiac’s “Power Action Computer Kick!”


Don’t think we ever saw that particular move in New Brainiac’s few comic book appearances (“Stop right there, Brainiac!” “Take THIS, Superman!” [kicks Superman right in his Moons of Krypton]).

Anyway, it’ll be nice having a good Ambush Bug figure around. The only other thing that might tempt me at this point is a set of Atari Force figures (the second team), which is highly unlikely but fun to think about.

20 Responses to “Should’ve included a little Argh!Yle! figure too.”

  • Snark Shark says:

    “Ambush Bug”

    WHAT!!! MUST BUY!!!

  • Tom W says:

    That it comes with the Toy Wonder is a major plus, but I don’t want ripped Ambush Bug, I want slumped, depressed Ambush Bug in unironed clothes. I got into him with the second mini.

  • Oliver says:

    Brainiac’s “Power Action Computer Kick!” is EXACTLY the sort of thing Ambush Bug should’ve ridiculed.

    I think my peak AB moments are when he pretended to be Judge Dredd (“Stop looking at my eagle!”) and a Grant Morrison character (“My head is a CATHEDRAL with WINGS!”).

  • DavidG says:

    Been a long long time since I bought an action figure, but damn that one is tempting me.

    It also makes me realize that we need a Ryan Reynolds Ambush Bug movie. This is the shot in the arm DC needs to really get their cinematic universe going.

  • Johanna says:

    Ah, Atari Force… I’m still sad that reprint collection (from IDW?) never came out.

  • Johanna says:

    Also, I Bluesky’ed (?) you a pic you might like of my Dart action figure.

  • Chris Gumprich says:

    I would absolutely pay money for a Martin Champion figure with pipe accessory. Real Crotchety Action!

  • LouReedRichards says:

    I Haven’t bought a figure in years, but damn, I NEED this!

    It’d be fun to have an extra figure one just to paint with heavy black splotches to mimic Giffen’s Munoz inspired style from the first two mini-series.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    My question is: Was Cheeks the Toy Wonder created by Giffen as an homage to the Mexican TV superhero parody character “El Chapulin Colorado”? If anybody knows, let me know.

  • Rob S. says:

    Oh, man. I’m not a big action figure guy, but this is one I really want!

  • googum says:

    Just ordered Ambush Bug! I haven’t loved a lot of McFarlane’s DC figures–they’re good at monsters and creatures; that’s kinda in their DNA. But like a regular Superman figure seems out of their wheelhouse.

    I did get their Super Powers Superman and Supermobile, and Blue Beetle and Bug, though.

  • Wayne Allen Sallee says:

    I enjoyed Robert Loren Fleming’s writing. I felt him overlooked in general but mostly with THRILLER. I would buy an Amber Butane figure.
    I find those Mini-Mates every few yars, and I have Supergirl and Brainiac Classic, not B5 or self check-out at Walmart Briniac 5. The old white underwear red dots on foreheaf. Also, I think Cosmic Boy designed his outfit partly from the old Brainiac’s pink shirt.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    Has Cosmic Boy ever had a decent outfit? Both his Silver Age and Bronze Age costumes are fairly horrible…

  • Oliver says:

    R.I.P. Don Perlin, Marvel mainstay in the 70s & 80s, who has passed away at the age of 94. I enjoyed his distinctive work with freakish characters — Gargoyle (endearingly grotesque), Ghost Rider and the Werewolf.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    Sad to learn of Don Perlin’s passing. I really enjoyed his artwork on the New Defenders run from the late ’80s at Marvel. He was also Jim Shooter’s right hand man at Valiant. R.I.P.

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  • Mikester says:

    Teknik – Argh!Yle! (and yes, that’s how his name was spelled) was an intelligent sock who wore a metal mask to cover his features (like Marvel Comics’ Doctor Doom). He was one of Ambush Bug’s enemies. Yes, it was very silly, by design.

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