Tough Pigs News Extra -- Muppet Show Busts by Sideshow Toys

Tough Pigs News Extra

updated August 12, 2002

Must-See Busts

Some of the coolest Muppet products ever will start shipping this fall when Sideshow Toys begins their line of Muppet Show polystone busts.

The four Series 1 busts -- Kermit, Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker and Rowlf -- are due out in October/November, and the prices range from $50 to $60 each. Sideshow has announced a 15% discount, if you pre-order all four at once. That's $187.00, so it's still on the pricey side, but, oooh, they're pretty.

Next up in Series 2, coming out in early 2003: Gonzo, Statler, Waldorf and Sam the Eagle.

Series 3 will be Scooter, Janice, The Swedish Chef and Link Hogthrob.

Series 4 will be Fozzie Bear, Lew Zealand, Beauregard and Zoot.

It hasn't been officially announced yet, but it's expected that the line will finish up in Series 5 with Miss Piggy, Animal, Dr. Teeth and Crazy Harry.

According to a press release on the Sideshow website, "Sideshow/Weta's intention with this line has been to reconnect Muppet-lovers with their favorite characters as they appeared in the very beginning. Working with reference images of the original 1970s puppets, the sculptors have endeavored to recreate in perfect detail, every nuance of the classic Muppet puppets, from wrinkles and ruffs to stitches and seams."

One strange note about the busts: When they were first announced on the Sideshow Toys website, they included this shot of a prototype Miss Piggy bust. It was only up for about a week when it suddenly vanished from the site, and the Piggy bust has been conspicuously missing in action from the Sideshow displays on the toy and comics convention circuit. The Henson licensing department apparently watches the depiction of Miss Piggy very closely -- I've heard that one company, Giftware International, had to cancel a planned line of Miss Piggy merchandise because the prototypes didn't meet Henson's standards. Is the Sideshow Piggy bust in redesign lockdown? Stay tuned...