User:Freakingarse
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[edit] History of Stretch Figures
Stretch Armstrong was and is one of the most rememberable and loved toys to be produced in the past 4 decades. The original Stretch Armstrong was produced in 1976 by Kenner. He was a 14" latex action figure filled with corn-syrup, giving him the ability to return to his normal size and shape after being stretched and stretched. Along with Stretch Armstrong there were a few other stretch figures produced by Kenner between the years of 1976 & 1979. These would include:
- Stretch Monster - The green, scaly lizard like enemy of Stretch Armstrong.
- Stretch X-Ray - An evil looking stretch, with see-thru skin revealing his brain, and inner-organs.
- Stretch Ollie & Olivia Octopus - A blue and pink octopi couple produced by Kenner in 1978, targeting the younger group of children.
- Stretch Serpent - The last stretch produced by Kenner in 1978. Stretch Serpent was very unpopular, and didn't last very long.
Kenner wasn't the only toy company to make these popular stretch figures. in 1977 Mego produced a line of 8 familiar stretchy characters. These would include:
- Mego Elastic Batman
- Mego Elastic Plastic-man
- Mego Elastic Superman
- Mego Elastic Hulk
- Mego Elastic Spiderman
- Mego Elastic Donald Duck
- Mego Elastic Casper the Ghost
- Mego Elastic Mickey Mouse
However the Mego Elastic 8 Stretch Line was short-lived due to a lawsuit from Kenner for basically stealing their brilliant idea. It would be another 10 years until the next line of stretch figures would be produced. In 1987, LJN Produced a line of very popular stretch wrestlers. Unlike the original stretch figures, these stretch wrestlers were filled with a powder, instead of corn-syrup. This line of very popular wrestlers would include:
- Paul "Mr. Wonderful Orndorff"
- Rowdy Rody Piper
- Ricky The Dragon Steamboat
- Junkyard Dog
- King Kong Bundy
- George "The Animal" Steele
- Hulk Hogan
Then in the 1990's Cap Toys, Just Toys and SULC Toys Produced a few new stretch figures, including Cap Toys "new and improved" Stretch Armstrong! Along with the new Stretch Armstrong, Cap Toys also produced these figures:
- Fetch Armstrong - Stretch Armstrong's little brown Canine side-kick
- Vac-Man - Stretch Armstrong's big, red, arch Enemy. A very unique figure in which you pump out the air using the vac-pump, and he is able to remain in any position until press the release button on the side of his head.
- Ninja Stretch Armstrong - A derivative of the Cap Toys Stretch Armstrong, with black skin, and ninja clothes. He also comes with a ninja mask, Nun-chucks, and battle swords.
Just toys came out with its own line of stretch figures which consisted of:
- Stretch Genie - a Stretchable Disney Character from the movie "Aladdin"
- Drastic Elastic Commando Xpando
- Drastic Elastic Xtendinator - The Arch enemy of Commando Xpando.
In 1995, SULC Toys, a toy company in Argentina, produced a Fred Flintstone Stretch, and a Barney Rubble Stretch. Recently in the 2000's a few more stretches more produced. Toy-Biz produced a Stretch Mr. Fantastic, and a Stretch n' Roar Hulk, who would roar when his arms were stretched. Character Co. produced a Stretch Homer Simpson, and a Stretch Scooby-Doo.
