Toys / Toy Collecting

Barack Obama – The Action Figure

By Hervé St-Louis
Aug 22, 2008 - 7:47

“ I have found the answer. It is the same question that action figure collectors are asking. I have found the one. I have found the Barack Obama action figure.” If you have been immortalized as an action figure, you know that you have definitely made it and that to someone out there, to some scrawny action figure collector, you are the one!

Vendor Jailbreak Toys has released a Barack Obama action figure. The toy producer is best known for the Oddfellows’ line of action figure based on historical figures like Alfred Einstein and Mark Twain. These are short cartoon action figures with big heads. The Barack Obama action figure follows the same pattern of short pout body and big head, but unlike the other toys produced by Jailbreak, it actually has articulations at the elbows, the shoulders, the wrists, and the neck.



Melville, New York-based Jailbreak Toys is short on comments on why it released a Barack Obama action figure, but it definitely supports the presidential candidate. Jailbreak Toys which is not affiliated with the Barack Obama campaign, will donate money to the candidacy organization for every action figure sold. They are short on words with what they will do after the 2008 election.

Now Jailbreak Toys is not the only company to have produced a Barack Obama action figure. Hero Builder, based in Oxford, Connecticut, has been releasing action figures of political figures for years. Their George Bush is well known. They also have a John McCain action figure. However, their Barack Obama action figure lacks the charm of the six-inch Jailbreak Toys’ version. It’s based on a Mego-like twelve inch build that they use for all of their action figures which have to be dressed. Personally, I’ve always maintained that if you have to dress it, it’s not an action figure, it’s a doll.



Jailbreak Toys’ Barack Obama action figure, at least looks like the presidential candidate and is unique and inspired in its design. It comes with a neat packaging modeled in the presidential candidates’ colours. The Barack Obama action figure comes in two versions, a white suit called the Toy Tokyo Summer Suit and the regular black suit version. The black suit version retails for $12.99, the white suit version is $19.99.

Last Updated: May 16, 2012 - 6:56
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Comments

haha

I love this action figure - it is the only "action" you will see out of Obama...standing there looking sharp.

#1 - petunia - 08/22/2008 - 17:21

The only Obama...

Advertising plug removed by editor.

#2 - Dave Schwartz - 08/23/2008 - 21:04

Political criticisms and comments removed by editor.

#3 - Christopher Moshier - 08/24/2008 - 09:38

Please no Democrats vs Republican debate

Please Chris, don't start a Democrat vs Republican debate here. We're a Canadian Website and therefore cannot comment on US politics and elections out of respect to our American cousins.

Just so everybody is clear, I will not let this thread turn into a political forum for the 2008 US elections.

#4 - Hervé St-Louis - 08/24/2008 - 12:28

I see

But "I love this action figure - it is the only "action" you will see out of Obama...standing there looking sharp." is OK?

Talk backs are for talking back so you're limiting it to what you see fit. It's your site, but don't expect people to post comments if your going to delete them just because you don't agree. Must be a Canadian thing.

#5 - Christopher Moshier - 08/24/2008 - 13:26

There are a lot of opinions in the comments that I don't agree with or don't like. I haven't removed them.

But your message was an open invitation for someone with a different political opinion to respond and start a flame war about American politics and the 2008 Presidential Candidacy.

The Bin is not the place for such discussions.

#6 - Hervé St-Louis - 08/24/2008 - 14:40

Makes Sense To Me

Ok. So just so I understand the rules you can start a debate between French and English speaking Canadians as far as the The Wright Awards (bubblegum:bubblegumbubblegumbubblegumicbookbinbubblegum/The_Wrights_Awards001.html) as it fits into your agenda, but an open debate about American Politics would be out of the question in a section where the post is about one of those candidates. Let me also add I never once put in the word �Republican� or �Democrat� into my original post. Frankly, I can�t stand either party, but the article is about Obama so he gets my slam. My opinion. In non-socialist countries we call that freedom of speech.

#7 - Christopher Moshier - 08/24/2008 - 16:01

Chris, you went beyond saying you didn't like the action figure - which would have been a fair comment.

It was but a matter of time until someone else got there and started a debate with you. I don't want that - about American politics. Not here. There are enough Web sites and places to debate that topic.

Personally, I try to never comment on another country's policies and politics on a public forum. That's why I removed that post.

In the Canuck section, as you rightly pointed out, there are several debates and opinions about Canadian politics and cultural matters. I have very defined political positions on Canadian politics, and people who read them and are familiar with Canada can definitely see my biases.

The Bin is Canadian-owned. I'm a player in the Canadian political scene. When I or any other Canadians take a position on copyrights, the Wrights or policies on cultural fundings to the arts at the Bin, we play a legitimate part in our country's political discourse.

But allowing political discourse about another country, even if it's our neighbour is out of the question and a lack of respect toward Americans.

You mention freedom of speech. Well, as the Bin is Canadian, we have our own view of freedom of speech.

Freedom in Canadian political theory and law is not absolute. Your freedom to express yourself ends where and when it encroaches on the freedom of someone else's.

In your original comment, it did. So I removed it.

#8 - Hervé St-Louis - 08/24/2008 - 20:12

Then we disagree

Then we'll agree to disagree even know your wrong all day long and twice on Tuesday. Never say I kiss the bosses *bleep*.

#9 - Christopher Moshier - 08/25/2008 - 15:19

Way to stand up for your right to speak your mind Chris. Personally, I would have loved to see some great open discourse going on with some political debates.

As long as we are able to keep actually doing our work still, why not? It means that we can get some great conversations going. That also means more people will come to read, and write, comments.

#10 - Eli Green - 08/25/2008 - 21:56

Interesting figure but Does not look much like Obama himself.

#11 - Stray Rondo - 10/27/2008 - 12:14