Does anyone else remember being a kid and never being able to find The Blank action figure? I remember my parents searching high and dry for it because that was the only one I didn't have. Then I found out years later that the figurine was never put on the market because it had Madonna under the mask, and it gave away the surprise ending.
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Count me as another who had collected every single one of the action figures except The Blank.... the one I wanted MOST! Thanks for the info. I never would've guessed that was why I couldn't find it.
shareI had a handful and my brother did too. My neighbor was DYING to get the Blank! I had no idea that you could take her face off of it!
shareYes! I totally remember that! The figure was even pictured on the back of the packages that the other ones came in. I dragged my parents everywhere looking for that.
shareThe Blank was released but only in Canada.
When my father and I searched high and low, day and night for the figure...We had no idea we were wasting our time. As I grew up and discovered the internet, I was able to purchase a loose The Blank figure off of Ebay.
It's honestly one of my most cherished possessions.
This brings back some old memories I must say. My Mom even called the toy manufacturer (Playmates?) and asked about the missing "The Blank" action figure. I also remember a kid from school saying he had "The Blank", he was full of it of course. I had all the other action figures.
Does anyone else remember the controversy over the "Steve the Tramp" action figure that resulted in it being recalled from stores? Some minister who dealt heavily with the homeless started a whole campaign against it because he said the action figure was a negative stereotype. There was some line like "you'll smell him before you see him" on the little bio on the package for the "Steve the Tramp" figure, and people thought it was offensive. I was fortunate enough to buy my "Steve the Tramp" before all of this BS.
I still have 4 Steves in their packaging because I figured they might be worth something one day. I don't think they are but they're fun to look at when I stumble across them.
shareDoes anyone else remember the controversy over the "Steve the Tramp" action figure that resulted in it being recalled from stores? Some minister who dealt heavily with the homeless started a whole campaign against it because he said the action figure was a negative stereotype. There was some line like "you'll smell him before you see him" on the little bio on the package for the "Steve the Tramp" figure, and people thought it was offensive.
I agree- the Blank was real common in Detroit- which is close to Canada, last I checked. Anyway, I wanted those figures real bad, but never got one- not one. Don't recall why, just never happened. But I remember the were so many of the Blank it was ridiculous and it was some others I couldn't find.
I think I got close to buying one but it just struck me as too silly once I reached the cash register. I also think this time was about the height of TMNT and those were much cooler to collect- as opposed to GI Joes which were my favorite. For me, the bigger the figure the dumber it was and less collectable. So, Joes were pretty much it for me- and Ninja Turtles were the exception to my rule.
Detroit, what?
shareIt's true. If anyone has access to the TIME magazine archives, look up the article "Steve's No Role Model" from December 1990.
I didn't get to see until recently what the Blank looked like without the mask. Interesting. I wonder if Madonna knows that this toy based on his is such a rare collectable.
I had all the Dick Tracy figures (and vehicles) except for The Blank. Like a poster above me, my mom called Playmates asking why the figure was so hard to find. She told me, simply, "They don't make it."
Mystery solved, twenty years later. Man, I SO wanted that figure too.
"I'll keel you!" - Wilford Brimley
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LOL, yeah the Blank was impossible. i remember i had all the action figures and my parents looked high and low in just about every single toy store and no luck. my grandma made me a small yellow coat for the Dick Tracy figure because i remember he didn't come with a coat. those were pretty cool figures.
shareI saw this thread and went on ebay. THe Blank is going for almost $2,000 mint in the package. unbelievable.
shareWhoa! I remember my mom got my cousin one for his birthday way back then (Southeast Wisconsin). Naturally, he opened it and sold his Tracy figures to buy Batman Returns ones a couple years later. :(
shareI lived in WA when the movie came out. I was totally obsessed with the movie and toys too, and being that we're pretty damn close to Canada we usually get shared toys and games (sometimes even the Canadian versions) with French/English, we did get The Blank but it was definitely a rarity. I only knew one friend who had it and I tried my damnedest to wheel and deal it out of him but he wouldn't give it up.
I don't remember what happened to those toys. They must have gotten tossed in a move or something.