The Gateway Chewie
Sep 15
The Gateway Chewie
Remember the Tale of Two Chewies? I still have Cute Chewie. He encourages me when I’m writing myself out of whatever mess of story construction I’ve managed to build on any given day, and then he goes off to star in his adorable anime-style TV series, which also features Superdeformed R2-D2 and a bunch of Jawas with sparkly, embiggened eyeballs. (Cute Chewie wants you to know that this series is not related to The Clone Wars — not in ANY WAY. Cute Chewie doesn’t like to use profanity, but he thought The Clone Wars was pretty shitty.)
Anyway, as you may know, Cute Chewie is part of a whole line of Mighty Muggs, courtesy of Hasbro. Marvel characters, Indiana Jones peeps…all have been cute-ified. And I keep thinking I need more of them.
At first, it was just the Princess Leia. I have Princess Leia figs of all different sorts…surely I need that one, too, right? Then I started considering Iron Man. I mean, that primary-colored costume is practically Mighty Mugged already! Adorable! And Ghost Rider! I don’t even like Ghost Rider that much, but who doesn’t want a completely darling version of a flaming skull on their desk?!
And then I started to realize that I was heading down a very dangerous path.
Because, see, I used to be a very “collect them all!” sort of girl. I had that completist’s mindset so common in nerds. And this might have continued to be fun if I had a giant room in my MANSION, dedicated to displaying toys and only toys, the glass cases perfectly lit, the masses of articulated joints dusted every week.
Instead, I ran out of space. Action figures and Kubricks and crappy Toybiz Marvel products vied for shelf room, crowding in on one another. Keeping up with all those Buffy figures became a chore, rather than a joy (did I really need Sexy Red Pants Willow? Or Military Xander? I am sort of proud of Fiesta Giles and Bunny Anya, I suppose). The toys I was so set on accumulating weren’t really special any more. They were just…stuff.
I finally recognized that I had a bit of a problem, pared down my collection, and attempted to acquire only those toys that are So Very Special, I must own them. The toys I purchase must be things I will display lovingly, not just plop in amongst a bunch of other figures.
Cute Chewie fits that bill, but Cute Chewie is igniting that acquisitive desire once again. So I’m trying to tread with care. I don’t really need more Mighty Muggs. In fact, setting more of them next to Cute Chewie might somehow decrease his specialness. There’s something cool about having just the one cute-ified fig.
Although…he might not mind if Princess Leia joined him. I mean…they’re friends and all.
“Will somebody get this COMPLETELY ADORABLE walking carpet out of my way?”
I feel your pain. I went the same way with the Buffy figures – I had to stop buying them altogether, because there were just too many. I’m very selective about my Buffy stuff now.
I have not gotten into Mighty Muggs of any kind, and I hope not to. They’re cool looking, but if I buy one…
Besides, I have way too many toys already.
Hee, Matt.
Elwood, we’re in so much trouble if they ever do Buffy Mighty Muggs.
OMG. I have been fighting against the entire line since I purchased adorable and grumpy Princess Leia while attending ALA and visiting Disneyland. Do I really need any of the Indy villians? But they are oh so adorable! Which reminds me… why didn’t I build my own lightsaber while I was there? Perhaps the adorable Darth Vader will ease the pain.
Mighty Muggs are amongst the toys I fondle every time I go out at lunch with my buddy who collects and does a Target/Wal-mart/TRU sweep on a near-daily basis.
I also fondle:
Those lil’ Galactic Heroes/Superhero Squad figs
The die-cast Star Wars and BSG spaceships
The new DCU Crisis line (love the hand packaging!)
The die-cast Hot Wheels Batmobiles (I am seeking a ’66 Batmobile from this set, and will break my “no toys no more” rule to own it, since it is die-cast and rad)
I’m very occasionally tempted, but have shown remarkable restraint for months now.
I’ve forced myself to only buy toys that my children will be interested in playing with. Mostly, this limits me to superhero squad figures and Justice League Unlimited guys.
I’ve spent he last week trying to talk my oldest (5) into believeing that he needs that JLU Question figure, even though he comes with Wonder Woman and the Flash (since he has, like, eight of each of them already).
Unfortunately, the Mighty Muggs have not really excited them, but at least the youngest (2) loves Ugly Dolls.
I love UglyDolls! I like how you’re trying to talk your son into more toys, hehe.
Matt, I admire your restraint in the face of near-daily Target trips.
You definitely need an adorable Chewie to go with adorable Leia, Amanda.