PLAYING WITH POWER: HEROBUILDERS

Published Sunday, September 21, 2008

G.I. Joe and He-Man might have had articulated limbs and scenic window boxes, but neither had what it takes to lead the nation. Ditch the dummies and get a real action figure

To celebrate your favorite statesmen, HeroBuilders has created a line of political action figures. A beefed-up John McCain is poised for presidential action in a pec-hugging white T-shirt. The swimsuit-clad Beach Blanket Obama shows off his washboard abs - but don’t worry, Talking Obama wears a more sophisticated tuxedo. Sarah Palin, with her ever-present updo and glasses, is available in three incarnations: business-suit Palin, naughty-school-girl Palin and superhero Palin, complete with miniskirt, trench coat and holstered .45.

Because every hero needs a villain, Kim Jong Il, Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein are ready to form the axis of evil. You can also collect Vladimir Putin, Jacques Chirac, Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

These action figures stand about 12 inches tall, so whoever doesn’t end up in the White House is just the right size to hang out with Barbie in her Dream House.

For more information, visit www.herobuilders.com.

-Caroline Dohack