'I Think I Can Manage' is a weekly column by retailer Steven Bates, manager of Bookery Fantasy, a million dollar retail operation in Fairborn, Ohio.  This week, Bates gives us his top gift items this season, in three parts.  In Part 3, he looks at the toy category. 

 

In my previous two columns I foisted my choices for the best comic book, gaming, and DVD products for holiday gifting.  Today I present my final column on the subject, and I'm not just toying with you when I say that.  

 

Toys

I love toys.  Always have, always will.  I was weaned on the original 12' GI Joe, Johnny West, and (slightly smaller) Major Matt Mason action figures, so it takes a lot to impress me.  Though Star Wars and the 1980's GI Joe lines were decent, for me it was like trading in a Rolls Royce for a Honda.  I guess size does matter.

 

Sideshow Toys understands this.  Offering a diverse line of fully-articulated action figures, all at least a foot tall, with highly-detailed removable costumes and scale replicas of authentic gear, these collectibles are just the ticket for anyone who likes their dolls lifelike and accurate in nearly every detail.  Covering everything from Buffy to James Bond and Planet of the Apes to Platoon, Sideshow also produced many historical pieces, including figures from the Revolutionary and American Civil Wars and the Old West.

 

Though James Bond, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and horror flick characters like Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kreuger, and Evil Dead's Ash, have all sold extremely well, one of Sideshow's most popular figures has proven to be the potty-mouthed USMC retired Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket, Space: Above & Beyond, Toy Story).  Two versions of the figure are available, one 'R' rated for language (yes, he talks, in authentic Marine drill instructor language, a sound chip recorded from Ermey himself), the other dressed in camouflage and sporting the 'X-Tra Salty' sound chip.  Trust me-it'll make the hardest core among you blush.  In our town, situated near a military base, we can't keep either version in stock for very long.  Sideshow Toys' R. Lee Ermey is the perfect gift for any active-duty or retired military person, sure to bring back 'fond' memories of boot camp and their own 'beloved' drill sergeant.  Just don't let him near Barbie!

 

McFarlane Toys was created by comic book superstar Todd McFarlane to produce a line of toys based on his Spawn property.  Spawn toys are still a big part of the company's mix, but, like Sideshow, McFarlane has diversified to strike gold in nearly a dozen different demographic groups, from Major League Baseball to NASCAR to NFL and NHL fans, Elvis Presley and The Beatles to KISS and Metallica groupies, and film fanatics hungry for Aliens vs Predators, Clive Barker's nightmaric creations and other Movie Maniacs.  Though the figures are articulated, they can hardly be considered toys in the traditional sense.  Ultra-detailed sculpts and photo-realistic paint jobs make these figures more sculpture than doll, and capture not only the likeness of the subjects, but usually freeze a moment in time that seems typical or telling of the character.

 

Not being a sports collector or a big horror buff, I do not buy many of McFarlane's figures for my own collection.  But every time a new series is released, I marvel at the detail and obvious care given to create these pieces.  One line I will be taking home is the forthcoming Dragons: Quest for the Lost King.  With six ultra-'realistic' dragons, representing the various clans of the great fire-breathing beasts, McFarlane has created a toy (again, more of a sculpture) and a new mythology in one fell swoop.  McFarlane advertises the new line this way:

 

A great cataclysm struck the dragon nation, killing the king, destroying their civilization and causing the disappearance of the sole heir to the dragon throne, hidden  the king's son. The dragons that survived the great disaster fled to many points of the globe.  Humanity rose to power, inventing its own language and writing, and building the Earth's dominant culture. But when a dragon that seems to have the gift of speech is sighted by men, all bets are suddenly off. How will the two species interact? Will there be peace between dragon and man? Or war?

 

Fans of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series, Dungeons & Dragons, Clyde Caldwell's paintings, and movies like Dragonheart and Reign of Fire, will devour these figures.  A word of caution: the release date for these figures is theoretically January 2005; known for numerous shipping delays, don't be surprised if McFarlane gets them to market late.  Just slip an IOU in your loved one's stocking that says 'Sometime in 2005, here be dragons,' and you'll be St. Nicholas and St. George both rolled into one.

 

I hope my holiday shopping pointers have helped ease your burden somewhat this year.  Before I go, I feel compelled to remind everyone that this season is not just about the things you give that can unwrapped or cashed-in or returned.  No matter what your beliefs, take the time to reflect on the gifts you've been given that you take for granted everyday: the spouse who puts up with your idiosyncracies; the children who still draw you pictures for your office wall; the family who taught you how to love deeply and fully; the boss who lets you know you're doing a great job (and the co-workers responsible for your success); and the friends who still call you to get together for lunch every now and then.  Hug those people, give them a kiss, shake their hand.  And have a truly happy holiday.