Action Figure Review: Egon Spengler & Soar Throat Ghost from Ghostbusters Kenner Classics from Hasbro

 

   See? I told you I wasn't going to wait until may to review the Fright Features Egon Spengler! Egon was the last of the Fright Features figures I found from Hasbro's Ghostbusters Kenner Classics series and I found him while on a short vacation to Gatlinburg, TN in February. You know why I was thrilled to get this guy? Because when I was a kid the tie on my Fright Features Egon broke and I'm excited to have one with an unbroken tie. It turns out, though, that the tie on pretty much every vintage Fright Features Egon figure released broke by 1990. have you ever seen one with an unbroken tie in the last 34 years? Me neither. I also seem to recall having lost the included Soar Throat ghost as a kid. No idea why. Maybe he got mixed in with something else? Let's take a look at Dr. Egon Spengler and see if bustin' still makes him feel good...

The Facts:

Height: 5 1/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel hips and swivel shoulders.

Accessories: Terror Tweezer and Soar Throat ghost companion.

Non-Scalper Price: $15 dollars

The Positives:

* While all of the Fright Features versions of the RGB have different colors, they do have some similar features that keep them a bit uniform: Shoulder pads, kneepads, and long gloves. Egon's white and red outfit does look more like a labcoat, though, especially with the necktie. It definitely adds some more character to the figure, making him seem like he's ready to do some research as well as some ghostbusting. He would have made a nice figure to go along with the unproduced Egon's Lab playset, wouldn't he? (For those interested, Bamm Toy Co. did release a 3D printed version of the set back in 2020.)

* When Egon is scared beyond the capacity for all rational thought his neck extends, his jaw drops, and his tie flips up. That's pretty funny! The action feature works just like the vintage toy and everything feels just like I remember. 

* Hasbro has done a nice job with these remakes and they feel very accurate to the vintage toys. Again, these aren't "reinterpretations" like Masters of the Universe Origins; these are much more like the Star Wars: Retro Collection figures that are intended to mimic the vintage Kenner figures or Playmates' rereleases of the vintage TMNT sculpts. Egon has the standard four points of articulation for this series, as because of the action features in his head there is no neck articulation, but that's true to the vintage figure. 

* His weird weapon is called the Terror Tweezer. It's a mustard yellow device with some sort of particle thrower on one side and a giant clamp or claw on the other. It does remind me of something that Kenner would have released as a roleplay item in the vintage toyline, like the Ghost Grab-a-Meter.

* I love the Soar Throat ghost. He's just a really cool pinkish red that reminds me of the color of the original ectoplasm from the vintage toyline. He's also just a wonderfully bizarre looking specter. Notice that he's Soar Throat, not Sore Throat. He's got little wings, so presumably he can fly and flitter about. But he's still got that long neck, too. Nice pun, vintage Kenner team! 

* His mouth is open and hollow, so he can bit onto the figures, particularly their hands. He can grab ahold of Egon's hand and sink his teeth in to give him a real scare.

* All of the Fright Features figures can capture their companion ghost using their weapons, which was a fun feature that allowed kids to actually "catch" the ghosts in some way. Egon's Terror Tweezer can grab the Soar Throat ghost around the neck, giving the spirit an actual sore throat, no doubt.

The Negatives:

* Like most of the other Fright Features figures, Egon's portrait is broken up buy the action feature. That means that his jaw looks like a separate piece (because it is), giving him the appearance of a weird puppet person or a ventriloquist's dummy. Spooky. 

   Egon Spengler is a pretty cool figure and Hasbro has done a really nice job with this line. Picking these guys up wasn't too expensive, I found them easily, and they make a really nice replacement for fans who don't want to track down the actual vintage figures. The figures themselves are pretty easy to track down, but getting the ghosts, weapons, and finding the figures in decent shape is a bit trickier. I'm really hoping Hasbro continues this line, even if it's jus through Hasbro Pulse. I really want to get the Power Pack Heroes and the Super Fright Features. Egon Spengler is a Great figure and a nice bit of nostalgia at the right price.

   If you're a fan of Egon Spengler then also check out my reviews of the Hasbro Ghostbusters Kenner Classics Egon Spengler and Gulper Ghost and the Minimates "I Love This Town" set which includes Egon Spengler and the Spectral Ghostbusters set which includes Spectral Egon.

For more Ghostbusters Kenner Classics check out the following:
Egon Spengler and Gulper Ghost
Fearsome Flush

Green Ghost

Peter Venkman and Grabber Ghost
Peter Venkman & Gruesome Twosome (Fright Features)
Ray Stantz and Jail Jaw Ghost (Fright Features)

Ray Stantz and Wrapper Ghost

Winston Zeddemore and Chomper Ghost
Winston Zeddemore & Scream Roller Ghost

Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man