13 November 2006

That's Not Flying! That's Falling with Style

From Chris Dulabone of the Tales of the Cowardly Lion and Friends comes word Superfly Monkey, a new flying monkey toy. Well, it's more of monkey slingshot, with the little creatures' front limbs yanking out like Stretch Armstrong's to launch them into the air. In the words of the Wicked Witch of the West, it won't be so much fun after someone loses an eye.

Eric Gjovaag turned up another version of the same toy. This one screams as it flies! Just the sort of thing an irrepressible uncle-type like myself might choose for a stocking stuffer.

In the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum wrote of the "Winged Monkeys." The 1939 MGM movie's screenplay changed that to "Flying Monkeys," producing the phrase that's more famous these days. These toy monkeys may or may not fly (they more plummet), but they definitely don't have wings. Instead, they wear little hoods, capes, and masks, available in a variety of colors.

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