Palz Pals

[SignatureChoice]

G'day,

 

I just finished up my introductory post and on reflection, I've realised how much Palisades Palz were important, formative even, to me as a youth. I was also exploring the site, and found this here forum.

 

I realise many might not want to dredge up the past now Palisades has passed, but I also hope some of you folks could dig getting a bit nostalgic about the true cousin to the Minimate, the Palisades Pal. 

 

I also realise I should stay on topic, since I'm creating a topic, but if I may be so bold my topic at large is simply Palz themselves. But, in the interests of fostering conversation, I will include some observations and thoughts I've had over the years as 'prompts', if not just signposts for our walk down memory lane:

 

Why the flip was Comrade Artzen, Mr Alex Krycek himself, packed 1:64 to a case? Alongside the smoking man he's one of the series few truly recurring villains, and has a slightly more exciting (read:playable) M.O within the show. As opposed to smoking and stubbing out cigarettes menacingly. Also, Krycek had soooo many different looks, from FBI suit to undercut-leather jacket mercenary to his old man disguise. I can understand a variant being packed so as to become a rarity, but it's a great tragedy the only Krycek we saw was a 1:64 packed 'Comrade Artzen' variant. Is it still called a variant if it's the only figure we ever got? 

 

The issue of making unique characters chase figures recurs with the 1:64 Marita Covarrubias. I missed out on Deep Throat, that's on me. He wasn't blind packed anyway. I was lucky enough to get a 1:16 X figure, so I had someone to leak information to Mulder anyway. I'm grateful to have him, but I dread to think of those X-Files fans who got onboard X-Files Palz series 1 and were big fans of the informant characters. It's the same deal as Krycek, anyone wanting to complete a set of Mulder's first 3 whistleblowing friends would have had (and now most definitely) has their work cut out for them, and once again, it's not like the chase figure needed to be the only example. Marita had even more looks than Krycek throughout the show, some of them were even plot-pivotal. Unlike Highlander, there needn't have only been one.

 

Those two talking points became grievances quite quickly, and that's not what I intended, not at all. To be honest, I've never had anywhere to voice those long percolating thoughts. Onto a taste of the positives, without which I wouldn't be typing this labor of love. To name but two of my loves in this sadly defunct line:

 

- Accessories designed with block figures in mind

From the black oil spill pool with space for two Palz feet moulded into it to the Autopsy chest piece included as an accessory with aliens, Palisades really knew how to work with their medium in interesting, elegantly simple way. The whole 'two outfits per figure' angle on the Buffy line was an inspired early design choice, and as Palz licences became more diversified they never forgot the modular nature of their figures. They even released one of the earliest Build-A-Figures in Buffy Palz Wave 2...quite the logical move when your figures are already designed with disassembly in mind, and Palisades was certainly no stranger to smart moves

 

- Accessories at large

To an X-Files fan, the little white and red paper X-File included with each figure really showed the company cared, or at least cared enough to you know, read up on the episode the figure represented might belong to. That one slip of paper made each and every figure a little thrill in itself, and having one somewhat uniform accessory throughout the line really helped it have a cohesive feel. Little touches like these can be seen throughout the Palz releases; from the tiny wrapping tape to stick John McClane's pistol to his back to the trading cards included with the Buffy Palz to the early example of a Build A Figure in Buffy Wave 2's 'The Judge'. also including his own props across the wave, and speaking of characters played by actor Brian Thompson oh how I wish Palisades had made it far enough to make Alien Bounty Hunter Palz

 

Even if they packed them 1:64.

 

Anyway, I'm hoping Palz is acceptable as both the singular form and the plural, and that I can find other Palz Pals out there

[buttheadsmate]

You have hit the nail on the head with that post. Bravo.

I really got into X-Files Palz , I still hate their 'hands' but apart from that they sometimes get elevated to 'my most-loved' .  The most loved of my most-loved are a set of 4, Series 2 , Autopsy Scullys , each one is a different colour . They are sublime . 

[SignatureChoice]

On 11/24/2020 at 8:12 PM, buttheadsmate said:

You have hit the nail on the head with that post. Bravo.

I really got into X-Files Palz , I still hate their 'hands' but apart from that they sometimes get elevated to 'my most-loved' .  The most loved of my most-loved are a set of 4, Series 2 , Autopsy Scullys , each one is a different colour . They are sublime . 

Oh wow, wow indeed! Such an iconic look for both her and the show represented  are the figures moulded wholly in different colours or you've different outfits under her lab coat? Either way, that's incredible  

 

The hands are indeed one of the shortcomings of the Palz design (in fact, as I wasn't quite aware of Tooms when I first got him as a Pal, and as I was quite young, I mistook the stretched out hands on his stretched out arms for like, crustacean style claws or something he must have used on the show lol how wrong I was. what an accessory though & what an ep, Squeeze especially with Tooms as a suburb sequel/conclusion. Prime pick for those double feature VHS tapes x-files was first sold on but I digress) and it's a real shame, considering how much Palisades spoiled us in terms of accessories, that some can be difficult to get into anyone's hands. My professor Farnsworth I-Man (I-Men, now that's a ways back) has to wield the alien stiletto these days lol good news everyone

 

On the hands/claws note though, on the aliens, especially the S2 attack alien, they bring out the otherworldly in such an elegant lil way without going the full 'moulded hands' route. Once again though, it can be difficult if you want them holding anything lol I myself like to dangle the lil baby pod/alien fetus from the Erlenmeyer Flask from the aliens claws, like he's on dad duty.

 

EDIT: I'm sorry if this was terribly prying BHM, I was quite the newbie indeed when I wrote this mate

 

But, to return to your Dr. Dana Scully quartet, does that mean you have four gurneys also ? if you've any of the aliens from the line I do hope you've got one strapped up. A bit of a confession, but I recently ordered an S2 Buffy Cordelia from the US as lil gift for myself (hoping it gets here before Xmas) and I mainly bought her just to have one of those gurneys to call my own...and to strap my autopsied up S1 grey alien to of course lol hoping to hear more about your rainbow of Autopsy Scully's mate

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by SignatureChoice

[SignatureChoice]

On 11/24/2020 at 8:12 PM, buttheadsmate said:

You have hit the nail on the head with that post. Bravo.

I really got into X-Files Palz , I still hate their 'hands' but apart from that they sometimes get elevated to 'my most-loved' .  The most loved of my most-loved are a set of 4, Series 2 , Autopsy Scullys , each one is a different colour . They are sublime . 

this emboldened me so much to participate further on the forum, so just thought I'd slip in a little thank you this holiday season what with die hard Palz and such

 

or maybe just any excuse hehe you're an absolute legend my friend :')