FREE FLASHBACKS! Episode 1: The Tick's Tumultuous Transformation

GREETINGS, FRAGILE CITIZEN! I am...The Tick, ever vigilant protector of a city probably far from yours, to your obvious dismay. BUT FEAR NOT! It was once the dream of toy company "Bandai" to put a little me in every town to remind the average joe that justice comes in all shapes and sizes. Today, we will walk the halls of that nearly forgotten golden era and perhaps trigger your "gimme hands" of wanting by showing you what was, and what could have been! Let us dive into the warm, comforting waters of toy addiction. Keen!

Our buddy Steve Savino of Toy Hunter (on the History Channel) gave us a look at concept designs for The Tick cartoon inspired action figures. The art comes from a company called Kiscom and is said to be drawn by Ben Edlund (the Tick's creator) himself. Some of these ideas made it to production! Others, sadly, did not. Let's take a look at the concept art...

 And here's some unproduced Tick plush! Check out the amazing Tick Sneakers!!

 So..what did get made? We got some plush, a statue or two, Taco Bell Kid's Meal toys and a line of action figures from Bandai which included Bounding Tick, Hurling Tick (he throws things..he does not throw up), Arthur, American Maid, Die Fledermaus, Dean (a Chairface Chippendale henchman, but oddly, no Chairface!), Dinosaur Neil, El Seed, Exploding Dyna-Mole, Crusading Chameleon, Sewer Urchin, Skippy the Robot Dog, Thrakkorzog, Mucus Tick, Human Bullet and Man Eating Cow. There were also 4 Tick Talkers including "I Dig Dinosaur Neil", "I Love Wheat", "Tourist" and "Natural" Ticks, as well as a large talking Tick figure. Bandai also made some 2 inch figures while Gordy Toy made a bendy figure line which included The Terror, which most people slip into their action figure lineup (as you may with the Charles the Brainchild Taco Bell toy!)

In later years (2010 to be exact), a company called Shocker Toys produced a nearly 7 inch Tick action figure, with Idle Hands taking on a Mucus Tick action figure exclusive and Astro-Zombies with a translucent blue exclusive Tick action figure. Shocker would later go through a name change, becoming GBJR Toys (for the initials of the company's creator) and between the two, they made a handful of Tick variants including a rusty sign 1st run edition, a signed edition (merely a sticker added that Ben Edlund would sign at San Diego Comic-Con), a Tick with Viewmaster and an SDCC (unofficial) exclusive pack with a spoon, viewmaster and spoon T shirt. A Build-A-Arthur figure, alternate heads pack and bonus Tick accessories were due to ship with the Indie Spotlight wave 2 figures, but production never rolled forward past the initial Tick and Dick Tracy figures. Sadly, Shocker and GBJR Toys were embroiled in controversy from day 1 of their Tick figure production, with accusations including not paying comic character creators, artists, sculptors, exclusive partners or the factory producing their figures, taking money for exclusives (like the Barry Hubris action figure) they would never produce and simply not shipping action figures ordered through their website. The head of the company has avoided any prosecution and is currently self-producing a magazine called Poisonous Pinups, which doubles as a modeling agency.

Alternate Heads Pack  

It's also worth noting that N2 Toys did a 4 figure line based on The Tick TV series which included The Tick, Arthur, Captain Liberty and Batmanuel.

A new Tick live action TV series is currently in production at Amazon with a full season on order. Striker Entertainment is licensing, so cross your fingers for new action figures from the show and comic books as a new generation clears their lungs and shouts SPOON!!

Images via Freak Studios, VSNdesigns and Idle Hands. Special thanks to Steve Savino!

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