UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

M.U.S.C.L.E. Figure #138 (Personalman)
By Professor Terry

This week may end up being my favorite MMMM Post to write ever, it certainly is so far.

For those that have been following, I have been chasing a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure #138 in Purple.

Here is the story from the beginning:
My 3 year daughter has been introduced to M.U.S.C.L.E. by me as I feel she is old enough to not swallow them and possibly enjoy them. This is despite all the M.U.S.C.L.E. packaging stating “for ages over 4”

I was curious as to what figures she would be drawn to having never seen a child looking at the figures for the very first time, it’s actually an amazing experience for a seasoned collector like me. I find it hard to put into words what it felt like to watch her explore the collection.

I started with the first box of 4 compartments that I keep figures in. This box houses my Purple, Dark Blue, Red and Salmon figures. I just opened it and let her look inside.

The first figures she noticed were the ones that didn’t look like characters/people. So out came “The Hand” “The Arch” “The Spinning one” and “The Pyramid” We all know which figures they are. Amazing though that these were the first figures a new collector/child is drawn to. It explains why these figures are popular I guess, so maybe not amazing after all. She still grabs those ones and tries to stand them all up and enjoys them.

Over time she has been drawn to some other figures like “The Baby” which is any 4 of the smallest ones, “The Hello” which is Sunshine #3, “Cubeman” (Yes she even got his name right!) and “Roly Poly” which is #185

However, she has become really attached to “The Robot” – Figure #138 Personalman. Not any other figure which could be interpreted as a robot. To her, there is only 1 robot and every single day she wants to spend some time playing with “The Robot”, eat dinner with him and various other activities.

When she first discovered him, she grabbed the Red, Salmon & Dark Blue figures out of the box and then asked me where the Purple one was. I had to reply I didn’t have it. She then asked me to go to the shops and find it. I had to explain you don’t buy these at the shops and that I would start looking for her.

Evert day I would come home from work and she’d ask if I’d found the purple robot yet. I’m so glad she didn’t ask me about the Purple “Hand” as I don’t have that either and don’t want to pay a fortune for one….When I was lucky enough to find a purple #138 on Ebay, I asked people I know not to bid in the hopes that I would win this figure for her.

To be honest I would have paid upwards of $200 because it was for her and that’s more important to me, thankfully the auction ended at $18.50 so thank you very much to those that may have held back on bidding. I mean it….thank you!

When the package did arrive, it was when she’d just come back from the hospital as she’d been sick for a week. I told here there is a little surprise for her and she answered “Is it a purple robot?” I’m so relieved it actually was because she probably would have been disappointed had it been anything else 😊

As you can see from the pictures she was very pleased to receive her Purple Robot!

And now the collection is complete (done in my best Darth Vader voice).

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Terry, I agree. This was one of my favorite MMMM’s too! Thanks for sharing this story.)