#sectaurs

Cut some wings out of watercolor paper to show how this broken "sectaurs" toy was originally meant to work!

And I might begrudgingly admit you're right, but for smaller categories, one can at least put together some standards.

And we're going to start with my favorite format, the action figure.

Now, ideally, when one buys an action figure, in the box/on the card you'll find:

An action figure, obviously. That figure should, bare minimum, have at least two moving joints (with size and play-pattern determining the exact amount), should be able to stand unassisted, and should have good joint tolerances and connection tolerances for accessories, and not easily break.

Accessories: At least two. If it's just one it should have some action gimmick or at least glow in the dark. Even a character like the Flash should have some doo-dads to tinker with.

A mini-figure. This is what kicks an otherwise 'meh' release into a must-have, and that's me speaking at every stage of my toy-loving life. Action figures are all about interactivity and story, and having a little critter or sidekick means that you get that in one purchase. No articulation or paint needed.

Lore: A character bio on the box, a mini-comic pack-in, a trading card, something that gives a bit of context and fleshes out the world these little plastic hoojibs are inviting us into.

Now, not every figure is going to meet this ideal, but if everyone was doing it, then I wouldn't have to be here ranting.

Coleco Sectaurs 1984