The Muppets Take Hollywood at Jack in the Box

[Louis Kazagger]

Originally posted by Gonzo
These look pretty darn cool, although I do wish they were from a nationwide chain instead of a regional one like Jack in the Box.

I'm impressed--for kid's meal toys they look really nice. And it's an interesting selection of characters--adding the Swedish Chef and Pepe to the Big Five!

Me like.

Off to eBay I go!

Quinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Hey Quinn,

I'm not familiar with Utah at all, so I don't know if either of these is close to Salt Lake City or not, but there are two JITB in Utah, one in St. George, and one in Washington Utah.

.....Nevermind, I just looked on mapquest and they look like they're both a couple hundred miles away from you (just across the state lines of Nevada and Arizona), so it wouldn't make for a wise road trip I'm guessing. Sorry, I couldn't help.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by Louis Kazagger
California 823 Locations (which I guess is why they must seem like they're "literally everywhere" to you, beaker)

Aw, perhaps it is star bucks I was thinking that is everywhere?
Oddly enough there is at least 6 or 7 JB's just in my small immediate area alone...I really did think they were everywhere like Mcdonalds(wendys I know arent around as much)
Anyways, 31 states without JB's? had no idea.

Btw, just for the record...I'll go on record to say if you only get 3, make sure its the chef, gonzo, and piggy...the worst is Pepe I hate to say(hes like almost as tall as Animal!) And Fozzie just looks odd...but contrary to what the review on MC soudned like, these are really good quality(Ive been colelcting happy meal premiums for ages, so I know)

 

[Mayhem Roadie]

Originally posted by beaker
but contrary to what the review on MC soudned like, these are really good quality(Ive been colelcting happy meal premiums for ages, so I know)

Hey now, I thought I did these toys some justice in my article. I'm really impressed with them as well, especially Kermit and the Swedish Chef, but they're all excellent considering they're kids meal toys.

A couple of funny sidenotes:
The heads of Swedish Chef and Miss Piggy come off really easy, and can be switched, looks hilarious too.

Pepe, though a bit off model, can be removed from that clamshell base with a sharp knife and some careful precision, and he will stand on his own afterwards too. Once that's done he fits in quite well with the Palisades stuff.

 

[Chilly Down]

Originally posted by Louis Kazagger
Don't worry about me guys. I found someone willing to help on another forum that I'm a member of (non Muppet), where people actually help each other.....

Louis, if you had asked politely, perhaps someone would have been willing to consider your suggestion. There were more tactful ways to bring this subject up.

The idea of helping other fans out is not a bad one. However, there are some things to consider:

1) If I offered to do it for all the hundreds of fans who want the figures, I'd have to give up all my other responsibilities just to keep up with the orders!

2) If I said I'd only do it for certain people who were close friends in order to keep it manageable, then I'd be accused (quite rightly) of forming a clique and being unfair to others. eBay seems a more democratic method, as everyone gets a chance.

3) In the current economy, the best job I can get is 25 hours a week. It's been ongoing but it could end at any time. I need income wherever I can get it, and selling things on eBay in order to make money is neither an immoral or illegal way to get that additional income. In fact, last time I checked, Muppet fans sold things on eBay all the time. Since when did this become a huge controversy?

Nonetheless, now that this whole subject has been brought up, I'll pose the question to the group at large. What do you think? The last thing I want to be acccused of is "using" my friends. That's not what this is supposed to be about. Are you all cool with the whole eBay idea? Or do I have to pretty much abandon it? If there are 3 or 4 of us who live in states that have JITB, and 10 or 15 people who want the figures, then doing it for free is a manageable idea. But not if there are 2 of us with JITB's and hundreds of people who want them.

Also, as a side note, is it important to keep these things in the bags? I know action figures are only valuable if kept on the original cards, but at least the packaging is attractive. But I'd like to get a better look at these figures (no, I can't even afford to keep any of them for myself right now), and it would look much better to pose them outside of the bag for photos (if eBay is the route I go). Plus, the Piggy I got was in a torn bag and that was the only one they had left. Is that a big deal to other collectors, or are you just going to take them out of the ugly bags anyway?

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by Mayhem Roadie
Hey now, I thought I did these toys some justice in my article. I'm really impressed with them as well, especially Kermit and the Swedish Chef, but they're all excellent considering they're kids meal toys.

Ack, sorry...I was referring to a discussion me and Warrick had, got mixed up there...so yeah, not your article, but me and Warrick were debating about the 'quality'. 22 years of collecting Muppet figures, these are some of the best quality ones Ive seen(non Palisades) So Warrick, just for the record, these are very good quality IMHO

Now even my mom got a kick out of my analness about scale.
Im a bit of a Muppet OCD/perfectionist. I started my Muppet figure collection in I think around 81 with the FP line when I was 3...so I like to keep everything in scale(hence why the Palisades figures, save for the packins, are too big)

Such is why sadly Pepe just doesnt fit in at all. Swedish Chef and Gonzo, & Piggy are perfect. I was surprised they came out with 7, man. I just REALLLLY wished they came out with Beaker...maybe we can plead with em to do a series 2? I just know I like this Piggy and Chef better than Palisade's version, tho Palisades Pepe blows this one away.

Finally, beigng these are only a buck a piece(I filled my whole backpack lol) customs can be done easily. I was thinking of trying to make Pepe more to scale, mouth closed, thake that clam off...but then I realized it would be too hard. though with nice acrylics, one can give Piggy a new color dress, or customize Gonzo's suit.

Again, Im just astonished we have a new line of Muppet Show figures...from Jack in the Box of all places.

 

[Crazy Harry]

Originally posted by beaker
I just know I like this Piggy and Chef better than Palisade's version

I will asume you say this because of your prefence to the scale and not because of sculpting or anything like that.

 

[Louis Kazagger]

Hi Chilly, sorry if you took my frustrations personally. I wasn't really talking about you specifically. I'm just surprised that no one has stepped up to the plate to offer to be a helper on these. I mean, really, what are we all here for? Just to share information and talk? Or are we here to do all that, but to also help one another further our Muppets collections by lending a helping hand now and again when we can? I'd like to think it's the latter.

It's a whole do unto others thing for me. And I really believe in "toy karma" (I know, call me crazy). I mean, wouldn't you want someone to help you out at cost plus shipping if there was a Muppets item you wanted that you didn't have access to, but it was a dime a dozen for them?

If there was no collector's club, wouldn't we all be trying to partner up with buddies, asking them to pick up an extra convention exclusive figure for us at Philly, Chicago, and San Diego? Wouldn't we want a little help, and want to hear something besides "yeah, I have an extra Bunsen and Beaker Stepping Out two pack, but if you want it go buy it from me on ebay"? Thankfully Palisades thinks enough of us to extend the availability of the convention exclusives to us as well through the club.

Also, Palisades has been holding these lotteries for their rarest promotional figures, the action figures given out to their vendors at toy fair and as thank you's, convention after party exclusives, etc... (holiday Kermit, tux Rowlf, black jacket Rizzo). Yet they've been holding some of these back for club members, holding drawings where some lucky members get to buy them. Yes, they do sell them for a nominal fee, which covers production costs, labor involved to process the mailing, etc... but they could sell them for much much more on ebay. And they do have an ebay account. Yet they choose to offer them to the club reasonably because they hate to see us pay exorbitant amounts of money for these exclusive items.

Certainly as a community, we can treat each other with at least as much respect as a company like Palisades treats us with, no?

And no one would expect anyone to take on hundreds of requests to help everyone out. Generally what happens is someone starts a helper thread, and those who can help offer their services for whatever they feel like they can manage, "I'll help out five people", etc... How you choose who to help is up to you. Names out of a hat from a list, people who have helped you in the past, etc... No one would fault you for favoring people you know or who have helped you. Personally I'd feel a lot better knowing that you helped five people you felt close to on this forum, rather than having the almighty dollar win out on ebay.

And no ones saying you can't sell on ebay. I just felt like your brethren on this forum deserved a little better than that. Certainly there are plenty of Muppet fans around the world who aren't members of this forum that would gladly still purchase from you on ebay. So you, and others who have access, could help out folks on this forum and make a tidy profit on the side on ebay at the same time.

I think keeping the figs in their bags is important to some collectors, so your best bet would be to leave them in the bags and let those people receiving the sets decide if they want to open them when they get them. I don't think there would be too much harm done if you borrowed the MCF photo of the set for your auctions:

http://www.muppetcentral.com/collectibles/muppetpics/fastfood_jack_in_the_box.jpg

Anyway, that's my take on the whole subject. Everyone has to decide for themselves what role they want to play in this community. End of sermon.

 

[FellowWLover]

Originally posted by Louis Kazagger
Personally I'd feel a lot better knowing that you helped five people you felt close to on this forum, rather than having the almighty dollar win out on ebay.

Huh?

 

[Louis Kazagger]

Originally posted by FellowWLover
Huh?

I was referring to this part of chilly's post:

"If I said I'd only do it for certain people who were close friends in order to keep it manageable, then I'd be accused (quite rightly) of forming a clique and being unfair to others. eBay seems a more democratic method, as everyone gets a chance."

If you want to be fair, toss names in a hat and draw out winners. Ebay's not democratic. It's autocratic. There the golden rule means that he who has the gold makes the rules...

 

[FellowWLover]

So as long as he helps at least five (possibly) strangers online, you will sleep better at night? Your sense of entitlement is really amazing.