Submitted for the Approval of the Toy Collecting Society I Call this Story: The Tale of the Crazy-Faced Avatar Aang

Gather round ye’ campfire, Lurkers, for a tale of Toy Madness. Okay, it’s not full madness, but I think it’s fun.

Back in 2019 when Diamond Select Toys revealed its lineup of Avatar: The Last Airbender figures, I wasn’t sure if it was a line I was going to collect. Especially not for the BigBadToyStore price tag of $24.99 per figure or worse, no choice but to buy entire waves all together. I just wasn’t ready for that commitment. But alas, when I was at my local Walgreens buying whatever-the-hell, I saw Aang, Zuko, and Avatar State Aang all hanging out together on the shelf for only $16.99 a piece. After seeing the seven inch action figures together in person, I realized I really liked them and decided I wanted to collect this toy line.

*If you find Katara in the wild, please help a sister out. I haven’t seen her yet.*

I have a distinct feeling that Katara hasn’t been released yet, and that’s only because I think these figures are being mysteriously released two at a time. It sure would be a sad tale if I couldn’t find Katara simply because she’s a female action figure, right? We’re past those days in the land of toys, right?

Moving on.

Wave Two was announced online, and fans were treated to Azula and Aang looking like…this. I mean, literally maniacal. He looks off his rocker crazy, and I was so delighted by the face that I first, made it myself. And second, wrote a Snarkticle about it.

Look at it.

However, a mysterious bait and switch seemed to happen on the toy shelf. Because you see, this is not the Aang that I found alongside Azula when I found her at Walgreens. In fact, on the Wave Two box (and I don’t have this for proof, I threw it away), we had a picture of Azula packaged along this Aang:

This Aang, which I purchased, has wide crazy eyes, a closed mouth, and an air blast effect instead of his wind glider. I tried to do some research on this Aang, since I had never seen him before. According to BigBadToyStore, this Season 1 Aang was a reissue, but to me that seemed crazy. I mean, he wasn’t a Wave One announcement. That went to Season 3 clothed Aang, which is the same mold used in the blue Avatar State Aang, the Walgreens Exclusive. Now, very mysteriously, the Season 1 Aang which was at one point called a Reissue is disappeared from BBTS. There is a listing for Crazy-Faced Aang with Azula, but I didn’t want to pay their $44.99.

Our mystery stops here, over at Entertainment Earth. Crazy-Faced Aang is listed as in-stock for $19.99— I could justify that price even though EE’s shipping is Wallet Violation at times. But for the joke and to see the culmination of this mystery, I paid it. Because truthfully, I don’t think this toy exists. Because Season 1 Air Blasting Closed Lip Aang is what was on the Wave Two back of box alongside Azula, I truthfully think that’s the toy I’m going to get even though Crazy Faced Aang is all over the website. I have a distinct feeling, and I hope I’m wrong because I want this lunatic toy so badly, that someone higher up saw Aang’s face and gave it a big NOPE and recall.

As of this writing, my package has shipped from Entertainment Earth. I can’t wait to see what’s in the box.

Join me for part two, won’t you? And click here to see all of EE’s Diamond Select Toys Avatar preorders.

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