Princess What's-Her-Name

Princess What's-Her-Name is her name, and Earthworm Jim is her (video) game!

What's buzzin', cousin?

In 1995 Playmates Toys released a line of action figures based on the Earthworm Jim video game series and subsequent animated television show.

Confession: I have never played the Earthworm Jim video game nor have I ever, to my failing memory, seen the television show.

But I did own an Earthworm Jim action figure back then. He was pretty cool. Unfortunately he has been lost to time (I'm usually pretty good at remembering if I gave away or otherwise intentionally got rid of a toy, so his lack of existence in my collection is a mystery to me.)

A figure I did not own is this Princess What's-Her-Name. This one was just gifted to me by Jboy of Clawful Punch. Thanks Jboy!
 

Distress? No, dis leotard.

Princess What's-Her-Name started out in the Earthworm Jim video game as a one-joke parody of all the distressed damsels of video game fame. Her character was later fleshed out for her cartoon appearance.

I just love the design of this figure. I honestly don't think I appreciated this stuff as much when it was originally released, (if I did, I'd surely own the whole EWJ line!) but the older I get the more I love Playmates Toys' figure designs from the late eighties and nineties. They all had an undeniably 'toy' quality, but also a cartoony cuteness that made them seem to have popped right off the drawing board and in to life! Everyone from Raphael to Dick Tracy to Princess What's-Her-Name and even Geordi LaForge all meld together into a sort of end of century uber-toyline, with their squatty poses and cartoonish likenesses and kind-of-similar scale.

As someone who grew up combining all their toys into team-up adventures, I can really appreciate the inherent sameness in Playmates designs of the time.

And speaking of team-ups, I really wanted Princess What's-Her-Name to meet up with my TMNT Killer Bee:

He's so FLUFFY!

Playmates Toys' action figures of today have their good points, but there's definitely a level of je ne sais quoi that the old school figures had that is simply missing from the toys of today.

Killer Bee makes a good minion for Princess What's-Her-Name. Even though they come from different properties, they look like they were always meant to be together.

OW! You're sitting on my hair! Oh wait, no...I'm sitting on my hair. Carry on.

I had hoped he would make a good ride for her too, but Princess What's-Her-Name's hair is pretty bulky, so she doesn't sit on him all that well.

I suppose I'll be on the lookout for an Earthworm Jim now. Princess What's-Her-Name need someone to rescue!

On the first day of December, the Flea Market gave to me...

Oh, California. Gas prices are insane. Living costs are through the roof. Want to own a home? Sure thing, Dr. Rich Moneybags, Esquire, with your double income and life savings you qualify for a loan on this nice little studio apartment. 500 square feet of pure luxury!

But the weather. Ahhh the weather. Perfect Flea Market weather year round. So here I am on December 1st, sweating in a t-shirt in the 70 degree sunshine, digging through other peoples' junk and buying nostalgia for a quarter.

Life, it's full of trade-offs.

Anyways, here's what I scored today - some or all of it may or may not be looked at in detail in the future, because it's my blog and I'll do what I please. But all of it is fun and deserves to be mentioned here, because it's quite the eclectic pile of loot.

Starting in the back we have a little Tomy wind-up toddler on a wagon. I remember these from when I was a kid, it's late seventies or early eighties. I'll have to look into it further.

Then there's Megavolt, a Darkwing Duck villain. He's supposed to have 'sparking' action - on his back is a wheel like a lighter with an internal flint. It's jammed, but I might be able to clean it up and make it work. Regardless, I do have a Darkwing Duck action figure already, so it's nice to have a villain for him to battle.

Next is a Funko 'Where the Wild Things Are' monster. Yay, another Funko! See, I told you I'd end up with more Funko! I'm sure this monster has a name, but that will require more research.

Next to him is 'Killer Bee', a TMNT original series ride-on figure/vehicle. He's missing all his accessories, and the headpiece to his electric chair, but is otherwise in excellent condition and is the first of these larger TMNT mutant rides that I have owned (of which I think there were two - this guy and a mosquito.) He's very cool, and will definitely get his own post soon.

In the middle is a Mega Bloks Wolverine and Captain America. These are Duplo sized and fit with those types of toddler sized blocks. I got these for my intern.

Next to those guys is a Skeleton Warrior, another first for my collection. He has one accessory, a knife and scabbard on his left leg. Otherwise he's in great shape minus all the other accessories he would have come with. I will have to look up his name too.

Lastly, in the front row is a Super Hero Squad Spider-Man and a little green plastic Aquaman from the eighties. I know I have seen him online before but I will have to do some research again to figure out his provenance.

Well, there you have it. A ridiculous pile of random ridiculousness, all costing less than one single new action figure. That's how I spent my December 1st. You can keep your white Christmas, but I am jealous of your reasonable cost of living!