Comic Vine News

The Secret Lives of Action Figures

Last updated by No_Name on Dec 9, 2010 04:00 AM

Have you ever wondered whether your toys come to life?

When I was a little kid, I always thought that as soon as I stepped out of my bedroom and closed the door behind me, my toys would jump up and take the opportunity to come to life. I bet many of you probably thought the same thing even before Pixar made Toy Story. It's not out of the ordinary for kids to think it possible that their toys have secret lives; in fact, it's a rather common idea that has been around for a very long time.

In the Russian ballet 'The Nutcracker,' by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, toys come to life and bring Clara into their magical world. I guess I kind of always thought that would be cool; which is why when I stumbled across photographer Marcos Minuchin's ' The Secret Life of Toys,' I thought it was brilliant. Minuchin is in the business of documenting the secret lives of superhero toys, and he does an exceptional job. Have you ever wondered what a Superman action figure does when you're in school? Or a Clone Trooper action figure does during an Economic Recession? Below are some of Minuchin's awesome pictures which are also available for purchase at ETSY and might make a pretty cool Christmas gift for your favorite geek.
== TEASER ==
While they are all adorable, my personal favorite has to be the image of the Joker holding a camera. The photograph reminded me of the cover of one of the most famous Joker stories in comics. Which one is yours?

63 Comments

Om1kron

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Edited By Om1kron

The joker figure that looks like heath ledger, is that some sort of custom, I've never seen an action figure from dc or marvel with great detail like that. wonder if it's a bust statue that retails for hundreds of dollars, that would make more sense.

I posted up my toy collection that I used to keep at my work desk in another one of these topics.

I really miss all of them, they were so fun to play with during downtime at work. Obviously management is quick to tell you "don't blog on our time" but they never say "don't play transformers at work, it's unprofessional." lol

13 years ago

DanialCarroll

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Edited By DanialCarroll

haha Awesome. My favourite is probably Aquaman :)

13 years ago

deactivated-649a95712285a

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Edited By deactivated-649a95712285a

Haha Aquaman is eating the Finding Nemo squid

13 years ago

thechessclub

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Edited By thechessclub

It's all fine until you get back and your room smells like fuel and the Speeder Bike is still warm...

13 years ago

weaponxx

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Edited By weaponxx

Just a few of my MANY figures. I took this a couple of years ago. I wish I could find my other pics! This was in my college dorm room btw :P. Yep. Nerd!

13 years ago

FadeToBlackBolt

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Edited By FadeToBlackBolt

It is for this reason that I keep my figures imprisoned muahaha

13 years ago

InnerVenom123

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Edited By InnerVenom123

@FadeToBlackBolt said:

"It is for this reason that I keep my figures imprisoned muahaha

"

Ever seen "Small Soldiers"? They can get out easily. :p

13 years ago

sora_thekey

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Edited By sora_thekey

When I was younger I would spy into my own room to see if my toys would come to life...

These pictures are amazing... Sort of dreading that Aquaman is going to eat a Finding Nemo character. This also reminds me of a user of Deviant Art who does the same with a Wall-E figure:

13 years ago

FadeToBlackBolt

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Edited By FadeToBlackBolt

@InnerVenom123 said:

" @FadeToBlackBolt said:
"It is for this reason that I keep my figures imprisoned muahaha

"
Ever seen "Small Soldiers"? They can get out easily. :p "

They had batteries :P

13 years ago

GT-Man

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Edited By GT-Man

WHO WANTS TO PLAY TRANSFORMERS!!!? :D

13 years ago

Gambit1024

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Edited By Gambit1024

@weaponx said:

" Just a few of my MANY figures. I took this a couple of years ago. I wish I could find my other pics! This was in my college dorm room btw :P. Yep. Nerd! "

Marvel Legends were the best weren't they? :D

13 years ago

MysterioMaximus

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Edited By MysterioMaximus

I made this YEARS ago in answer to the Batman prep time debates.

13 years ago

weaponxx

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Edited By weaponxx

@MysterioMaximus: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA LOL,

One of the greatest things I have ever seen in my entire life. (Is that sad?)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

13 years ago

FadeToBlackBolt

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Edited By FadeToBlackBolt

@MysterioMaximus: THAT WAS PHENOMENAL. WIN X10000000000.

13 years ago

weaponxx

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Edited By weaponxx

@Gambit1024: You know they were the best!!!! Man, I spent sooooo much money on figures!

13 years ago

sora_thekey

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Edited By sora_thekey

@MysterioMaximus: Where's a LIKE button when you need one! :)

13 years ago

Gambit1024

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Edited By Gambit1024

@weaponx: Tell me about it. The Galactus build-a-figure was something I was dying to get when it first came out. I had to go all the way too a specialized toy store to get the last two figures to finish him: Prof. X and Dr. Strange. It was amazing to see a little boy so eager to buy an action figure of a crippled bald guy for $25, lmao

13 years ago

DanialCarroll

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Edited By DanialCarroll

@MysterioMaximus: That is AWESOME!! :)

13 years ago

The Mighty Monarch

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Edited By The Mighty Monarch

Good god, if my action figures came to life while I was away?
All I've got is Joker, Hush, and Nekron. The thought terrifies me.

13 years ago

Bruce Vain

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Edited By Bruce Vain

@MysterioMaximus:
Ha Ha Ha Ha - Same way Batman beat Hulk.
A swift kick in the nuts. :D

Nice job.

13 years ago

OhhIzzy

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Edited By OhhIzzy

hahaha this is great =D

13 years ago

crusader8463

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Edited By crusader8463

@Bruce Vain said:

" @MysterioMaximus: Ha Ha Ha Ha - Same way Batman beat Hulk. A swift kick in the nuts. :D Nice job. "

That would just make hulk madder...

13 years ago

weaponxx

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Edited By weaponxx

@Gambit1024: haha, that sounds like an awesome memory! I was quite desperate myself. I couldn't wait to have a Galactus figure!!! Who wouldn't want one. I literally have hundreds of figures, and though I am in a university, I got them out and battled. It was practically everyone against Galactus, and of course I had him win ;). I had been wanting to do that for so long, so I had to get it!

13 years ago

comicbikerscott

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Edited By comicbikerscott

action figures dont come to life but it makes a good nut cracker tale

13 years ago

cbishop

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Edited By cbishop

I'm still waiting for my Aunt Jemima bottle to talk to me at breakfast.

13 years ago

Theworldbreaker

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Edited By Theworldbreaker

Looks like my Galactus and unicron got into shit agian...

13 years ago

difficlus

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Edited By difficlus

@Theworldbreaker said:

"
Looks like my Galactus and unicron got into shit agian...

"

lmao!!

13 years ago

robokungfu

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Edited By robokungfu

I gotta say Aquaman preparing some sushi is my favorite. That poor, adorable octopus.

13 years ago

CurbsideProphet

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Edited By CurbsideProphet

@MysterioMaximus said:

"

I made this YEARS ago in answer to the Batman prep time debates. "

haha

13 years ago

Pizawle

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Edited By Pizawle

@MysterioMaximus: Awesome.

I have no figures sadly. Limited funds that I'd rather spend on other things.

Cool pics, though.

13 years ago

fenixREVOLUTION

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Edited By fenixREVOLUTION

@MysterioMaximus: Thank you good sir, that has officially made my night.

13 years ago

Darkmount1

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Edited By Darkmount1

Oh, if only you guys could see my collection....it is uncanny. I have 191+ GI Joe figures, 12 GI Joe vehicles, 312+Transformers figures, a very high amount (as yet to be determined) of DCIH and Marvel Universe figures, a ton of Godzilla merchandize, and so much more. I plan on using most of these guys in a dio-story series I have in development. Probably the biggest figure in my collection is my Transformers: Cybertron Supreme Class Starscream.

13 years ago

Emperor Gonzo Noir

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Edited By Emperor Gonzo Noir

@MysterioMaximus said:

"

I made this YEARS ago in answer to the Batman prep time debates. "

LOL! Reminds me of Twisted Toyfare Theatre

13 years ago

sally_pop

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Edited By sally_pop

@MysterioMaximus I always liked robot chicken but this was far superior! ;)

13 years ago

LiquidSwords

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Edited By LiquidSwords

They would be pissed because they've been like that after the last jolt here in LA

13 years ago

Eyz

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Edited By Eyz

@MysterioMaximus: Awesome! XD

13 years ago

greenenvy

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Edited By greenenvy

Don't forget Chucky ha ha. The stuff of legends was book about a band of heroic toys coming to life to save there owner that was kidnapped by the bogeyman. Has any body have that comic book if so I would like to hear if it was good or recommend it.

13 years ago

Final Arrow

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Edited By Final Arrow

@sora_thekey said:

" When I was younger I would spy into my own room to see if my toys would come to life...

These pictures are amazing... Sort of dreading that Aquaman is going to eat a Finding Nemo character. This also reminds me of a user of Deviant Art who does the same with a Wall-E figure:
"

KILL IT WITH FIRE

13 years ago

Magian

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Edited By Magian

@MysterioMaximus: LMAO Good one.

13 years ago

Mr. Kamikaze

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Edited By Mr. Kamikaze

Aquaman looks like a psychotic creep. Poor squid.

13 years ago

CaptainGenisVell

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Edited By CaptainGenisVell

@Om1kron:
I think it's the Hot Toys Dark Knights Joker.
I have the Iron Man mkIII.
They are excellent figures and have done plenty of movie figures.

13 years ago

spider-man 2996

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Edited By spider-man 2996

Cool pictures the Aquaman one is very funny

13 years ago

Band Lone

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Edited By Band Lone

Well there is this thing I heard from a old friend of mine..

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

Don't read it if you are paranoid.

A family were in a vacation at the Dominican Republic. They were in their touring areas and all that, but they got curious about the more humble parts. Before their trip back to Puerto Rico they contract a guide and the man took them to the more humble parts. On the path of their escapade they came across a shop that appear to be quite cultural. It had traditional clothing and many other local random items. The lady went in the store and while she was browsing around she came across a doll about 3 feet high. The woman fell in love with the doll and the very detailed dress this one was wearing. It was handmade and there weren’t many others in the store. The price was surprisingly cheap for a handmade piece. The lady took advantage of the cheap price and bought the doll along with other random items.

Back in Puerto Rico the couple were glad to be home. The lady placed the doll at a corner hoping to find a better place to put her in the morning. Night time came and the couple went to sleep early since they were tired from the flight. They wake up the next morning and the woman claimed that she couldn’t sleep that last night. She said she had heard as if there was something moving in the living room, but when she checked there was nothing out of the ordinary. The man thought she was just having nightmares.

That day the woman found a good place to put the doll. It was placed next to the furniture looking over to the front door so that everyone could see her when they come in. Night time came once again and the woman was once again having problem sleeping. But taking her husbands advise she decided to pay it no mind and went to sleep regardless.

Her husband in the other hand he was starting to hear the noises too. He gets up from the bed and goes out the door. But once again everything is fine. Nothing was out of place and the noises had stopped. Shrugging it of he then goes to the bathroom to have a pee. In the bathroom he again starts hearing the noises coming from the living room. He thought it was some sort of rat or some kind of pest that had gotten in. He silently walked towards the door and opened it without making a sound. He grabbed a broom to chase the possible rodent with but before he got to the living room the noises stopped. He walked in the living room and it all appeared to be perfectly fine once again. This was very frustrating. He thought the rodent had heard him coming and went into hiding once again.

The man walked deeper into the living room looking around to see if he could spot some sort of clue of whatever the rat maybe chewing on or what is it that it was scratching on that made all the noises. But nothing. Turning around to go back to the bed the husband notice something odd about the living room. He remembered what his wife had set up on the living room. The idea was that everyone could see the doll when they came in through the door. Then why was the doll near the door? The husband simply walked out of the living room and headed towards the bedroom. He opened the door and pretended to have gone into the room by shutting the door and not actually going in. Just a few seconds after that the noises began once again. This time they were clearer. Broom at hand and the heart pumping at elevated rate the man slowly walked into the living room once again. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he witnessed the doll was running around the house. Dragging it’s plastic feet against the tile which made the annoying sound that was keeping them awake. Conquered by shock r\the man’s was just petrified by what he was seen all he could do was scream out his lungs in fear. The doll then came running towards him and screaming out of the blue he finally was able to react and manage to hit the doll sideways with the broom.

From the commotion the wife came out of her room and couldn’t believe what she saw. Her husband was pale as a ghost and his panicking expression was indescribable. She whispered “Honey, what’s wrong?” Even the words from the wife startled the man’s nerves. Worried the wife got to him and hugged him as she kept repeating “What wrong? Tell me what’s wrong?” Then she looked over to where he was looking and saw the beautiful doll she had bought on her trip to the Caribbean. The doll was standing harmlessly as a decoration once again. Beautiful as ever but with a missing arm and head.

The two got rid of the doll’s body but kept the head and the dress. In their neighborhood they found a few Dominicans. They were drinking nd having a good time as all Latinos do but when the lady showed the head of the doll to one of the more mature residents it was as if all the happiness just escaped his expression.

It was then when the couple were told about the doll. The doll was made in Haiti. It was made with human hair that had been pulled out of the very skull of a human child. He said that his own sister had one and that at night his little sister she kept waking up in the middle of the night screaming: “Rosa se quiere salir!” (Rosa wants to leave) He said Rosa was the name of his sister’s doll.

I mite make a drawing inspired on this at my Deviant art page :)

13 years ago

FoxxFireArt

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Edited By FoxxFireArt

Of the pictures you showed in this article. I like the one of the cop peeing in the Batmobile.

13 years ago

longbowhunter

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Edited By longbowhunter

Toys coming to life? Great now there's something else for me to be afraid of.

13 years ago

miki

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Edited By miki

@MysterioMaximus: great!

13 years ago

Theworldbreaker

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Edited By Theworldbreaker

@Band Lone:
I've heard of that before, i knew someone who said she had a friend who baught a doll like that for her doughter and she said the husband was outside and looked at the window seeing the doll waving its hand and he thought it was just the little girl making it do that. but then one day the doll was laying on its back on the floor and....jumped right up infront of everyone, if that happend to me i would beat the hell out of the doll.

13 years ago

satanmode

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Edited By satanmode

@MysterioMaximus: Hilarious!

13 years ago

Doctor!!!!!

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Edited By Doctor!!!!!

Ha!!!! Just like Toy Story...
DC Comics presents: Toy Story 4.....

13 years ago

Theodore

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Edited By Theodore

@MysterioMaximus: hahahaha that's hilarious.

My favorite is the clone trooper lol. I see veterans like that all the time, I feel bad not giving them any money...

13 years ago

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The Secret Lives of Action Figures

Last updated by No_Name on Dec 9, 2010 04:00 AM