Review of Adventure Kermit - Muppets action figure

Introduction

Last year, Palisades Toys produced a 'traveling' exclusive.  This exclusive (the 'tour' Animal) was a repaint of the basic Animal figure, and was available at every convention Palisades attended.

This year they did one better.  Rather than do a simple repaint, they've produced a brand new sculpt, and one that every fan of both the Muppets AND Indiana Jones is going to want.

It's 'Adventure Kermit'.  Although it's pretty clear Lucas and Spielberg don't have a problem with the figure (on the back of the package it says Kermit likes "Legendary film producers and directors with a sense of humor"), they couldn't go so far as to mention Indy anywhere.  Still, it would be obvious to Helen Keller who this was based on.

He's already been available at last month's Mega Con, and this last weekend's Wizard World in L.A.  He's also currently available through the Palisades Collector's Club for $15 plus shipping, but don't go expecting to see him at any stores - he's a touring exclusive only!

Packaging - ****
Great graphics, collector friendly, and some well done text all add up to the perfect packaging for a show exclusive.

Sculpting - ****
My favorite Kermit was Koozebane Kermit.  On top of that, he was my favorite Muppet exclusive so far (and there's been a lot of exclusives).

That's until this box showed up on my doorstep.  Not only is this Kermit a great looking frog, he's a great looking Indy.  Every detail is done with beautiful care, from the wrinkles in his pants to the zipper on his jacket.  They've captured the feel of Indiana Jones, all in a little green package.

If you're accustomed to their previous Kermits, then you won't be surprised by the accuracy of the head and hand sculpts.  They did two things here that really matter - the hands can hold accessories, and the face has just the right expression for his 'adventurer' persona.

The real beauty here though is in the sculpted outfit.  I couldn't imagine a better job if Michelangelo was reincarnated as a toy sculptor.  Everything has a slightly different texture, making each piece of clothing stand out even from the textured 'skin' of Kermit.

Paint - ***1/2
There's a few very minor issues here, but far fewer than we've seen on some of the more recent waves.  The lines around the eyes are a little sloppy, and the small details on the clothing aren't quite perfect across the board - but they're damn close.

He also looks to be a little lighter, brighter green than the previous versions, but whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'll let you be the judge.

Articulation - ****
Adventure Kermit is the most articulated Kermit to date.  He's got all the joints you could ever want in this style.

There's neck, ball jointed shoulders, cut biceps, pin elbows, cut wrists, pin knees, hips and even waist.  That means he stands great on his own, can pose perfectly with the gun, whip or Golden Gonzo, and even strike a pose with Piggy.

I'm not sure what else useful you could add - maybe a ball jointed neck?  The beauty here is that all this articulation goes perfectly with the sculpt to work well and look great at the same time.

Accessories - ****
Kermie comes with five, which is shocking enough in its own right.  Rarely do exclusives like this come with any, and when they do it's one or two reused accessories.  Here we have five, all brand new to this character.

You might have assumed that the pistol was a reuse from the Lobster Banditos, but I say nay nay!  No one would have faulted them for it, but they went the extra mile, probably to give us a gun in better scale.  Kermit's revolver is slightly smaller than the Banditos, and definitely a different sculpt.

The only issue the gun has is not with itself, but with the holster.  It has one of those soft rubber pegs to close it, and I can never get those things back into the hole.  Otherwise, the holster looks great, but you might want to just leave the pistol in there if you don't plan on displaying it in his hand.

He also comes with a whip, which can either be held in his hand, or placed on a loop on his belt.  Either way looks great!

Then there's his hat, which sets way back on his little green head.  To maintain such a precarious position, they used a magnet, and it's the strongest magnet so far.  There's no way this hat is falling off on its own.

What adventurer would be complete without his bag, or purse as my three year old daughter pointed out.  While it's not designed to open, it is an amazing sculpt, and fits nicely over his shoulder.

Finally, there's the Golden Gonzo, prize of all archeology.  For some reason I'm sure.  It looks great, with a perfect sculpt and paint ops (it's a slight bronze color, giving it an aged looked), it can even rest in his open left hand.

Fun Factor - ****
Kids would have a great time with this figure.  Here's a Muppet that not only looks great, but he can go on adventures!  Kermit can strike out across the desert of the sand box, and trudge through the jungles of the back yard, in search of the lost Gonzo...

He's fairly sturdy, with solid articulation and useful accessories.  What more could a kid want?

Value - ***1/2
Fifteen bucks tends to be the going rate for most show exclusives.  And most of those have few or no accessories, and are simple repaints of other figures.  Here we get one of the coolest figures of the entire line, and even though it's an exclusive, you have six ways to Sunday to pick it up.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!

Overall - ****
Sorry mister reporter man, but move over and give the top spot to Adventurer Kermit. As a huge fan of the Indy films, I knew I'd like this figure, but I had no idea I'd like it this much.  Too bad all exclusives (and variations!) can't be this good.

Palisades continues to impress with both their product and their attitude.  While I know that higher prices will make some of their lines a tough sell this year, I'm really looking forward to Ren and Stimpy, Fairly Odd Parents, and even the Pink Panther, though I'm not a huge fan of the cartoon.  When a toy company can bring in new fans to an old show, that's the mark of genius.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ****
Accessories - ****
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***1/2
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
This figure will be available at any show that Palisades is at in 2004 - San Diego Comic Con, Wizard World Phillie or Chicago, and others.  You can also pick it up if you're a member of the Palisades Collectors Club.  It's $15 from any of these places. Of course, you can search ebay for a deal once those avenues are sold out.

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