Although the mall wasn't empty, there didn't seem like there was a lot of shoppers for the holiday season. It's evidence of the impact online shopping has had on brick-and-mortar stores, and malls, in particular.
Anyway, I was in one store, called Unique Gifts or something, with all kinds of useless crap to buy. I walked buy the toy racks and was pulled in against my will by the hilarious selection of cheap knockoff toys from China & other east Asian countries.
I have a soft spot for knockoffs & bootleg toys, mostly because of the ridiculous "Engrish" and horrible graphic design. I've had many years of experience designing toys, games, & their packaging- so it's amusing how bad some of the products & graphics on the packages can be.
Here are some of my favorites, I had to get photos of the funniest ones:
This was the first one that caught my eye:
"Super Dino Force", Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles combined with Jurassic Park dinosaurs.
This one cracked me up- "Street Fighter: Man Wrestle"
Featuring Super MAN!
Low-budget Justice League: "Super Justice Force".
The only weapon they need is the katana blade.
"Ultimate Fighter Hero" complete with Luchador mask, and ladder, chainsaw, & spiked bat accessories for ultra-violent play!
"Universal Hero"
A ninja Capt. America ripoff with Wolverine Claws
No, this is not a Transformer, it is a "Universal Super Change Robot"!
Finally, an archery set with a knife & Native American stereotype thrown in for good measure.
Yeah, those action figures are easy to make fun of until you consider the price, which is about 1/15 of what reputable brands cost now. Some parents cannot afford any but this kind of toys. When I was a kid I had a lot of knock of toys and enjoyed playing with them as much as I did with the ''real'' ones. Today I buy them for kit bashing into my own characters, becausethey are so inexpensive I can do things I could not with expensive figures.
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