One of the things I’m enjoying about Playing Mantis’ line of “Peanuts” action figures is that they’ve produced the same six characters in each of their lines: Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Schroeder, Linus, Lucy, and Sally have all been made in “Good Ol’ Charlie Brown” (based on the newspaper strips), “The Great Pumpkin” (based on the Halloween special), “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (the Christmas special) and “Charlie Brown All-Stars” (a Baseball theme). All six of these characters are deserving of their own figures, and seeing them pop up in each line is a treat.

Now that Playing Mantis has all of them under it’s belt, they can move to the next step. Picking characters a shade more obscure, but not freaky (like the shemale Charlie Brown, Charlotte Braun) is a great way to expand the line. “Pig-Pen” and Frieda won the lottery by being chosen as additions to the “Great Pumpkin” line of figures. This is the only one of the four lines that I’m collecting. So far. I collect “The Great Pumpkin” figures instead of the others because they have the “classic” look and colors (IE Charlie Brown in a yellow shirt instead of red, etc.)

Frieda has been around since the late 1950’s, but never really made it to the A-list of “Peanuts” characters. You’ll see her here and there in the comic strip and the animated specials, but quite frankly, like a lot of pretty girls, she doesn’t have a lot going for her. She has her Naturally Curly Hair, and that’s it. Later on, she acquired a cat, which didn’t do much but sleep in her arms. But she’s a nice addition to the line, despite her vanity.

The Frieda action figure sports her red Naturally Curly Hair—and because it’s the most prominent feature of the character, I’m gonna go ahead and say that I don’t think that Playing Mantis got the likeness down 100%. Some of the characters they’ve done very well, but Frieda, and more specifically her HAIR, just doesn’t look right. Her face and pointy little nose (different from all the other “Peanuts” noses) look good, but her hair is too flat. Too close to her head. The Lucy figure has bigger hair than Frieda does, and that just goes against everything the character stands for. Because…she’s all about her hair. Despite that issue with her likeness, she’s still a good figure.

She’s dressed in her trademark purple dress with a pleated skirt, just different enough from the other “Peanuts” girls that it’s distinctive. She’s got green and white saddle shoes, and has the same limited articulation that the other figures in the line have: movable head, shoulders, elbows, and waist.

Because Frieda is part of the “Great Pumpkin” line, she comes with a “ghost” sheet that covers the figure, and a coonskin cap to top her off. The coonskin cap is seen in the Halloween special, but I always thought it was on Schroeder—who knew that Little Miss Curly Hair would want a cap smooshing it down? She also comes with the pumpkin patch display base that all of the others in this line come with, and a little bag of candy stuffed full from the night’s Trick-or-Treating.

Although she’s not that exciting by herself, she’s an excellent addition to the line, and I’m already looking forward to 2004’s additions to my Peanuts Halloween display: Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Violet will all be coming then, and we’ll have a big party to welcome them.

We really will.

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MORE PEANUTS ACTION FIGURE REVIEWS

Charlie Brown
http://www.epinions.com/content_109784698500

Linus Van Pelt
http://www.epinions.com/content_110064733828

Lucy Van Pelt
http://www.epinions.com/content_110433242756

Schroeder
http://www.epinions.com/content_110467059332

Sally Brown
http://www.epinions.com/content_110546161284

Snoopy & Woodstock
http://www.epinions.com/content_110593281668

Pig-Pen
http://www.epinions.com/content_117924662916

Frieda
http://www.epinions.com/content_117939146372




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 6.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure