Rocket USA, the company that produced the popular Simpsons Tin Wind-Up Toys (see 'Simpsons Tin Toys from Rocket USA'), is bringing its metallic magic to Futurama, the latest hit comedy series from Simpsons creator Matt Groening.  With its stunning futuristic design Futurama is a natural for Rocket USA's line of walking tin wind-up figures, and the company unveiled two new Futurama figures at Toy Fair.  The most outrageous of the new duo is the 'Gender Bender' figure, an 8-1/2' tin walking wind-up toughie in a tutu.  This pink-clad princess of the wrestling ring is Futurama's answer to colorful golden age wrestlers like 'Gorgeous George.'  Of course nothing makes a better tin toy than a robot and the obstreperous Bender is clearly one of the audience's favorite characters on Futurama.  This version of Bender in his cross-dressing gladiator mode carries a suggested retail price of $24.95.

 

Obviously fans of Futurama will want to have some means of keeping Gender Bender in check, a task that should fall to the URL Police Robot, an 8' tin walking wind-up super-cop, who comes complete with a glow-in-the-dark nightstick.  This prime example of New York's 'finest' is a robot crime fighter that stands as a testimony to the delights of retro futurism.  The charm of Rocket USA's wind-up tintoys stems from their resemblance to the metallic toys of yesterday, many of which were quite appropriately visions of what their creators thought metallic robots would look like in the 21st Century.  Today vintage tintoys fetch high prices and Rocket USA is obviously hoping that toy collectors are paying attention to what has happened to the market for vintage tin figures.