Background
Earlier this year, and to my surprise, Tonner Doll Company announced that they would be releasing a series of dolls based on the famous character from The Muppets - Miss Piggy. Made in a size similar to Tonner's Character Figure line, it was announced that the 16" tall Piggy would be released in four different outfits.
Those dressed dolls are the Basic Miss Piggy, Miss Piggy Takes Manhattan, My Fair Piggy and First Mate Piggy (which we'll be looking at). If you purchase any of these, you'll also have the option of purchasing special outfits and wig accessories for the doll.
For purposes of our review, we got our hands on the First Mate Piggy. If you were a fan of The Muppets Show, you probably remember the recurring sci-fi spoof - Pigs in Space. Thesegment ususally included the crew of Captain Link Hogthrob, First Mate Miss Piggy and Dr. Julius Strangepork.
The Facts
First Mate Piggy
Series: Miss Piggy Dressed Dolls
Manufacturer: Tonner Doll Company
Material: Rotocast vinyl body and head (removable saran hair wig)
Dimensions: 16” tall
Points of Articulation: 5 (neck, shoulders and hips)
Outfit: Shimmering purple knit dress with appliqued stars, Pigs In Space logo and puffy silver epaulets; Silver tights; Two-part silver gloves; Silver zip-up boots; removable blond wig.
Edition Size: 1,000 pieces
Packaging
The figure is packaged in a rectangular box similar to other Tonner dolls. The light purple lid features "The Miss Piggy Collection" written across the front. Inside, the figure is tied in and packaged similar to other Tonner lines.
Our Opinion
I grew up, like most kids in the 1980's, watching Jim Henson productions like Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Henson created some of the most memorable puppet characters ever. Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and Cookie Monster all came from Henson's productions. But the loudmouth Miss Piggy is always a favorite (or the most hated) of Muppets fans.
Tonner's Missy Piggy head sculpt looks pretty spot-on. The starburst eyes and makeup are all painted in the classic Piggy style. The mouth and nose look a little narrow. In most of the photos I've seen, her mouth goes to the outer edges of her eyes. All of the Miss Piggy figures use the same body and face sculpt.
The Pigs in Space outfit looks amazing. It's a great replication of the outfit used in the old sketches from The Muppet Show. Out of the six outfits available to choose from, this one is by far and away the best...perhaps, because it's the most recognizable.
If there are any negatives, it would be that the figure does not come with a display stand. The legs are sculpted with ball joints in the hips and the rest of the leg in a static position. The right leg is straight, while the left is slightly bent at the knee. That, coupled with the high heels, makes it a little difficult to pose. So, including a stand would have been helpful.
Overall, the First Mate Piggy is one of our favorite Tonner figures of 2009. It's a great line featuring a character that is recognizable to several generations of collectors. And while some of the other dressed up - fancy - versions of Miss Piggy look nice...it's all about the Piiiiiiigs iiiiin Spaaaaaaaace outfit.
You can pick one up at the following:
TonnerDirect.com: $159.99
First Mate Piggy Grades:
Figure Quality: 9/10
Sculpt: 9/10
Paint: 9/10
Accessories/Outfit: 9/10
Packaging: 7/10
Durability: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Overall: 9.4/10
What do you rate this figure?
