The toy companies have got me almost figured out.

They keep hitting me right in the nostalgia. Look at these new Simpsons toys. There’s a Homer in the line. And a Moe. But the others are Poochie and the theme park robots from Itchy and Scratchy land that run amok a la West World. One-off characters from episodes that are circa “The Good Old Days” for anyone in their forties.

They know what I remember fondly. They know which features to include to bring that memory to life. The only thing they’ve got wrong is how much I’m willing to pay.

Robot Itchy and Scratchy are awesome and deserve a place on my office bookshelf. But $55? Each? I mean, it comes with the little baby hatchet that marches in the parade and a BORT license plate, but $55?

And that’s nothing compared to some others I’ve seen. There’s a new Galactus coming out that’s 3 feet tall for $400. I don’t know that I could ever make enough money where that seemed fine.

I really wish they were right about me. But for now I’ll stick with the LEGO mini-fig version. They were only $5 each.  And that’s the sweet spot where my nostalgia and my money intersect.

 

The Simpsons Ultimates Robot Itchy 7-Inch Action FigureThe Simpsons Ultimates Robot Scratchy 7-Inch Action Figure

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