McFarlane Toys’ ‘Munitions Pack' Revives an Action Figure Tradition
While also working around a recent controversial move
The very first edition of Power Action! focused on action figure accessories. My micro-obsession with them was recently reignited with the announcement of McFarlane Toys’ Munitions Pack, 15-pack of weapons that can be used for any of the 7-inch-scale figures released by the company, which makes toys for Todd McFarlane’s own Spawn series and other Image properties, DC Comics, film studios, gaming companies, and so on.
On one hand, it seems like a clever workaround for a recent issue: Among others, McFarlane makes 7-inch figures for DC/Warner Bros., which recently mandated that no new toys within their brands can be packaged with realistic gun accessories. That move has spurred heated discussions about firearms in toylines. Even if adults are the primary audience for, say, any of the Batman figures inspired by Frank Miller’s tales, it’s difficult to divorce action figures from kids as consumers, so having realistic weapons in the toy aisle, even if they’re tiny, is on the floor for debate. McFarlane’s DC toys are marked as 12+, with Spin Master manufacturing ones intended for younger kids.
The move caused some DC toys to be paused or altered before hitting stands. One example of the DC mandate being enacted: the upcoming Grifter (once an Image character but acquired by DC through the Wildstorm deal) now has blades, instead of wielding his typical artillery.
But the Munitions Pack also continues a longstanding tradition for accessory-heavy action figure properties. All of us lost a beloved weapon or piece of apparel for our toys during our younger days. These packs offer a chance to either replace them—or in many cases, even upgrade.
To continue our thread from last time, Masters of the Universe line released its first “Weapons Pak” in 1984. Unlike the McFarlane pack, they are identified as specific characters’ accessories that can now be replaced (though offered new colors): He-Man’s sword and axe; Beast Man’s armor and whip; Man-E-Faces’ blaster; Zodac’s pistol and armor; and the Castle Grayskull playset’s rifle, sword, shield, mace, and axe.
A year before MOTU, G.I. Joe started its own series of accessory packs in 1983. The brand’s become one of the most prolific in this arena: There were six "Battle Gear Accessory Packs" released in all, as well as a "Vehicle Gear Accessory Pack" with torpedoes, missiles, and more. The very first pack had had a crossbow, four helmets, four visors, a binocular headset, a comms headset, four different types of backpacks, and an arrow of guns that include an M-GO with a bipod.
But that’s not all. We end this edition with a couple more examples of how this idea has been implemented through the years: