World of Springfield

The World of Springfield is a series of Simpsons action figures which ran between December 1999 to December 2004 and was released by Playmates Toys.

The toy action figure series was called World of Springfield, because the goal of the line was to build a miniature Springfield through a series of interactive action figures and play sets. It eventually encompassed over 200 different figures/characters from the series, 40 interactive play sets (toy re-creations of Simpson's interior settings and town location settings within Springfield), and 3 non-interactive diorama town settings.

Background
The success of all "mass-market" action figure lines based on TV or movie characters are timed to the initial release of the project - as part of its promotional and marketing messages - taking advantage of the promotions, P.R. and advertising awareness and the figures themselves also as advertising and promotional vehicles. Most movie/TV tie-in action figures are successful for the brief period of the theatrical release, the video/DVD release and the possibility of a successful sequel but rarely for any longer period and typically, the release pattern for the action figure is no more than a few dozen figures, and some play sets to serve as background dioramas for the figures - with sales dropping off a few months after the last film is released. The Kenner/Hasbro Star Wars movie line is of course, the gold standard with figures in the same scale and in the marketplace since 1978. The closest TV equivalent might be the Star Trek line though non-contiguous and not technically from one TV series (coincidentally also from Playmates Toys).

While the Simpsons merchandising and licensing had continued unabated since the first season of the TV series in 1989, the characters represented as action figures only had a brief Mattel run in 1990 with only 7 figures and 1 Simpsons Living Room representation play set.

Why was the line successful?
Of course, it starts with the mass market appeal of The Simpsons - encompassing everyone from young kids who loved the slapstick aspects to adults of all ages who appreciated that the jokes and situations that worked on multi-levels of our intellect (from the kid in us to the Mensa in us). Like any classic TV series, fans remember and quote the lines - and Playmates Toys managed to capture that appeal with its interactive play sets. Each figure came with its own "coded" chip on the base of that characters foot (generally foot but not always) that when contacted with the "trigger" tab on each play set would (complete the circuit) so by then pressing the button closest to that figure, you would hear a playback of 1-5 phrases for the character.

What made it unique was that the playback was from the actual show and the actual voice actor - so placing the Homer Simpson figure on an appropriate play set would trigger the playback of a quote clip as performed by Dan Castellaneta as he performed them on the original episode.

Of additional value was that each play set held quotes and voice clip performances for a variety of characters so that placing the Marge Simpson figure or the Bart figure would trigger different quotes and voice clips. One limitation was that not every character worked with every play set - some for story logic reasons (character might not appear at that setting), release logistics (figures released after a play set was available much earlier) or presumably for cost reasons (as each voice clip had to be approved and licensed).

A real-world situation also cannot be over-looked - that these were released during the era of the internet/dot.com boom and general health of the U.S. economy. While the figures were priced at the lower end of action figure retail pricing (from $5.99 USE to eventually $7.99 USE each), the play sets generally ranged from $20 USE to $25 USE at the end of 2004 but there were special releases that ranged into the $60 USE range. Even at minimal retail, 200+ figures and 40 play sets meant a financial commitment. In addition, there were a dozen exclusives and mail-in figures that required extra work to obtain the figures - often via an online auction. It was however, during these early years of the series coinciding with the healthy economy that added extra impetus and momentum that carried the line a few extra years.

Fan Interaction
The World of Springfield line set a new standard of company/fan interaction in its relationship between Playmates Toys and the collectors, specifically based at the Simpsons Collector Sector (CS) website and forums. Starting in mid-2001, with contacts from board moderator Michael Crawford, Playmates executives (first Jeff Trojan and later Pat Linden) reached out to the collectors in a mutually beneficial relationship-- fans got input into the line; the company got free market research. Playmates Toys answered a monthly Q&A from collectors, and regularly gave exclusive details about upcoming products to the CS website directly. Collectors had opportunities to affect the line's future on a few occasions.

The first incident occurred in summer 2001 after a controversy surrounding the release of a Toy Fare mail-away figure, Pin Pal Burns. Fans complained about the unfair way Toy Fare handled these offers and Playmates responded, first by having Toy Fare make later offers available online and later by ending Won offers from Toy Fare entirely. Conversely, fan enthusiasm helped revive products that had been cancelled at one point, including the deluxe Main Street play set and the Moe's Tavern play set.

Collectors were also asked often to give suggestions on what figures and play sets they wanted to see; polls were generated. The results of these polls had an impact on future lineups, with collectors getting many of the figures they had requested.

This interaction hit a peak in 2003 when the Simpsons Collector Sector hosted a panel discussion at the San Diego Comic Con that July. A representative from Playmates Toys was the featured guest and engaged in Q&A with attendees and handed out free figures to all as well.

Fans continued to have a voice through the end of the line, although larger issues-- voice contracts, censor disagreements-- sometimes prevented collectors from getting everything they wanted from the line. This model of interaction has been followed by many other toy companies since.

End and Revival
The line ended in mid-2004 due to a number of factors, most importantly slow sales. There were a number of factors, in turn, that contributed to the declining sales, including "collectors fatigue", the release pattern of figures, the sheer size of the line was difficult for newcomers, the slowing economy, the changing toy retail situation, and even Playmates Toys relationship with 20th Century Fox.

For a complete detailed history of the Won line, check out Michael Crawford's 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World of Springfield!' and the archives at the Simpsons Collector Sector for an even more in-depth history.

However, shortly after the end of Won, McFarlane Toys, known for their sports line of action figures, decided to revive Simpsons collecting and start a new line of figures. The first set to be released was the "Ironic Punishment" set, from the episode, Treehouse of Horror IV. It features Homer being "tortured" by one of the devils minions, by forcing all the donuts in the world down his throat. It was soon followed by a "Family Couch Gag" set, from the beginning of each episode. So far, the new line has been accepted very well by Simpsons collectors and plans for an official line of figures will be coming soon.

Series 1
Release date: January 2000
 * Homer Simpson
 * Bart Simpson
 * Lisa Simpson
 * Abraham Simpson II
 * Charles Montgomery Burns
 * Krusty the Clown

Series 1 play sets
Release date: February 2000
 * Living Room w/ Marge & Maggie Simpson
 * Springfield Nuclear Power Plant w/ Radioactive Homer

Series 2
Release date: August 2000
 * Pin Pal Homer
 * Barney Gumble
 * Ned Flanders
 * Waylon Smithers, Jr.
 * Clancy Wiggum
 * Sunday Best Bart

Series 2 play sets
Release date: August 2000
 * Kwik-E-Mart w/ Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
 * Springfield Elementary School w/ Seymour Skinner

Series 3
Release date: January 2001
 * Sunday Best Homer
 * Nelson Muntz
 * Moe Szyslak
 * Kamp Krusty Bart
 * Milhouse Van Houten
 * Otto Mann

Series 3 play sets
Release date: January 2001
 * Springfield Town Hall w/ Mayor Joe Quimby
 * Krustylu Studios w/ Sideshow Bob

Series 4
Release date: April 2001
 * Lenny Leonard
 * Ralph Wiggum
 * Patty Bouvier
 * Groundskeeper Willie
 * Casual Homer
 * Itchy and Scratchy

Series 4 play sets
Release date: April 2001
 * The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop w/ Comic Book Guy
 * Barney's Bowlarama w/ Pin Pal Apu

Series 5
Release date: July 2001 (Note: This is the only line of WoS to not release a playset.)
 * Kent Brockman
 * Horatio McCalister
 * Bartman
 * Martin Prince
 * Sideshow Mel
 * Bumblebee Man

Series 6
Release date: September 2001
 * Dr. Julius Hibbert
 * Snake Jailbird
 * Bleeding Gums Murphy
 * Carl Carlson
 * Mascot Homer
 * Professor Frink

Series 6 play sets
Release date: September 2001
 * First Church of Springfield w/ Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, Jr.
 * Noise Land Video Arcade w/ Jimbo Jones

Series 7
Release date: December 2001
 * Dolph Starbeam
 * Cletus Spuckler
 * Edna Krabappel
 * Officer Lou
 * Hans Moleman
 * Officer Marge

Series 7 play sets
Release date: December 2001
 * Simpsons Kitchen w/ Muumuu Homer
 * Krusty Burger w/ Squeaky Voiced Teen

Series 8
Release date: March 2002
 * Kearney Zzyzwicz
 * Sherri and Terri
 * Ragin' Willie
 * Üter Zörker
 * Superintendent Gary Chalmers
 * Daredevil Bart

Series 8 play sets
Release date: March 2002
 * Springfield Department of Motor Vehicles w/ Selma Bouvier
 * Springfield Elementary School Cafeteria w/ Doris Freedman

Series 9
Release date: June 2002
 * Rod and Todd Flanders
 * Busted Krusty
 * Sunday Best Grampa
 * Prison Sideshow Bob
 * Disco Stu
 * Sunday Best Lisa

Series 9 play sets
Release date: June 2002
 * Springfield Police Station w/ Officer Eddie
 * Springfield Retirement Castle w/ Jasper Beardly

Series 10
Release date: October 2002
 * Stonecutter Homer
 * Wendell Borton
 * Sunday Best Marge and Maggie
 * Scout Leader Flanders
 * Dr. Marvin Monroe
 * Resort Smithers

Series 10 playsets
Release date: October 2002
 * Burns Manor w/ PJ Mr. Burns
 * Springfield General Hospital w/ Dr. Nick Riviera

Series 11
Release date: December 2002
 * Larry Burns
 * Plow King Barney
 * Blue-Haired Lawyer
 * Kirk Van Houten
 * Gil Gunderson
 * Rainier Wolfcastle

Series 11 play set
Release date: December 2002
 * Springfield County Court House w/ Judge Roy Snyder (Note: From Series 11 to Series 16, only one play set was released, unlike the first ten series.)

Series 12
Release date: April 2003
 * Number One
 * Database
 * Mr. Dewey Largo
 * Don Vittorio DiMaggio
 * Luann Van Houten
 * Mr. Plow Homer

Series 12 play set
Release date: April 2003
 * Bart's Treehouse w/ Military Bart

Series 13
Release date: July 2003
 * Helen Lovejoy
 * Freddy Quimby
 * Tuxedo Krusty
 * Legs
 * Princess Kashmir
 * Stephen Hawking

Series 13 playset
Release date: July 2003
 * Herman's Military Antiques w/ Herman Hermann

Series 14
Release date: October 2003
 * Luigi Risotto
 * Louie
 * Raphael
 * Kilted Willie
 * Miss Elizabeth Hoover
 * Ms. Lucille Botzcowski

Series 14 play set
Release date: October 2003
 * Aztec Theater w/ McBain

Series 15
Release date: January 2004
 * Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon
 * The Nahasapeemapetilon Octuplets (Sandeep, Sashi, Poonam, Uma, Gheet, Nabendu, Anoop and Pria)
 * Handsome Moe
 * Deep Space Homer
 * Brandine Spuckler
 * "Worst Episode Ever" Comic Book Guy

Series 15 play set
Release date: January 2004
 * Springfield Nuclear Power Plant Lunchroom w/ Frank Grimes

Series 16
Release date: June 2004
 * Brain Freeze Bart
 * Agnes Skinner
 * Evil Homer
 * Artie Ziff
 * Doug
 * Benjamin and Gary

Series 16 play set
Release date: September 2004
 * Springfield Town Square w/ Jebediah Springfield

Toy Fare Exclusives

 * Glow in the Dark Radioactive Homer (Release date: October 2000)
 * Pin Pal Mr. Burns (Release date: July 2001)
 * Boxing Homer (Release date: October 2001)
 * Convention Comic Book Guy (Release date: December 2001)
 * Pin Pal Moe (Release date: December 2001)

Toys-R-Us Exclusives

 * Treehouse of Horror 1: Springfield Cemetery w/ Devil Flanders, Fly Bart, Count Burns and King Kong Homer (Release date: September 2000)
 * Treehouse of Horror 2: Alien Spaceship w/ Alien Ship Homer, Kang and Kodos (Release date: September 2001)
 * Treehouse of Horror 3: Ironic Punishment w/ Freddy Krueger Willie, Witch Marge, Hugo Simpson II and Donut Head Homer (Release date: August 2002)
 * Treehouse of Horror 4: The Collector's Lair w/ Stretch Dude, Lucy Lawless, Clobber Girl and The Collector (Release date: September 2003)
 * Barney's Bowlarama w/ Bowling Marge and Jacques (Release date: August 2002)
 * Simpson Rumpus Room w/ Original Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie (Release date: October 2003)
 * Family Christmas w/ Christmas Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie with Santa's Little Helper (Release date: November 2001)
 * Main Street w/ Old Jewish Man and Squeaky Voiced Teen (Release date: September 2002)
 * Mobile Home w/ Colonel Homer and Lurleen Lumpkin (Release date: April 2002)
 * New Year's Eve Springfield Town Square w/ New Year Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie (Release date: November 2002)
 * Be Sharps Centennial w/ Dr. Dolittle Wiggum (Release date: September 2003)

EB Games Exclusives

 * Lunar Base w/ Rainer Wolfcastle as Radioactive Man and Milhouse as Fallout Boy (Release date: September 2001)
 * KBBL Radio Station w/ Bill and Marty (Release date: October 2002)
 * The Next Century w/ Future Burns, Future Smithers and Bobo Smithers (Release date: October 2003)
 * High School Prom w/ High School Homer and High School Marge (Release date: April 2002)
 * Moe's Tavern w/ Duffman (Release date: January 2003)

Mail-Aways

 * Be Sharps Homer (Release date: Late 2002)
 * Be Sharps Apu (Release date: Early 2003)
 * Be Sharps Skinner (Release date: May 2003)
 * Be Sharps Barney (Release date: Late 2003)
 * Stonecutter Moe (Release date: Late 2003)
 * Stonecutter Lenny (Release date: Early 2004)
 * Llewellyn Sinclair (Voiced by Jon Lovitz) (Release date: October 2002)
 * Cooder (Voiced by Jim Varney) (Release date: October 2002)

Celebrity Series 1
Release date: February 2002
 * Troy McClure (Voiced by Phil Hartman)
 * Herbert Powell (Voiced by Danny DeVito)
 * Fat Tony (Voiced by Joe Mantegna)

Celebrity Series 2
Release date: June 2002
 * Lionel Hutz (Voiced by Phil Hartman)
 * Brad Goodman (Voiced by Albert Brooks)

Celebrity Series 3
Release date: October 2002
 * Hank Scorpio (Voiced by Albert Brooks)

Dioramas
Release date: July 2003
 * Simpsons House Diorama w/ Homer, Marge and Maggie
 * Kwik-E-Mart Diorama w/ Abe and Apu
 * Krustylu Studios Diorama w/ Krusty and Milhouse

Re-Releases
Release date: April 2003
 * Moe Szyslak
 * Charles Montgomery Burns

Vehicles
Technically not part of World of Springfield (although there is a debate among the fans), these vehicles were made by Playmates Toys in June 2001 and August 2002, and are sometimes considered part of the line by fans. The vehicles weren't actually able to hold any figures from the line, but they could, however, speak by moving the small characters to the right or the left or by pressing the car's hood (this would create a conversation between the characters rather than just one character talking). Upon doing so, each character would have special lines taken from episodes from the series, much like the figures.
 * Family Car w/ Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie (Release date: June 2001)
 * School Bus w/ Martin, Milhouse, Ralph, Bart and Otto (Release date: August 2002)

Kay Bee Toys Exclusive
Again, technically not considered part of the World of Springfield line (although there is debate about that among collectors), Playmates Toys released in August of 2002 a series of figures exclusive to Kay Bee Toys based on the "When Bongos Collide" story line from Bongo Comics. It featured Simpsons characters transformed into superheroes. The initial three-pack of figures included Homer Simpson as the Ingestible Bulk, Apu as Captain Kwik, and Edna Krabappel as Vampiredna. Two more three-packs were planned (featuring Marge as the Entangler, Lisa as the Jazzler, Maggie as BrainBaby, Grampa as Oldblood member Coda, Skinner as The Stickler and Willie as the Plaid Piper), but the line was cancelled as soon as it hit retail.

Cancelled Figures and Play sets
As in most toy lines, items are planned for release that for a number of reasons (cost issues, low retailer interest) never end up being produced and/or released. Many items were cancelled from the World of Springfield line, a complete list is available in the Simpsons Collector Sector's Release Guide.

Figures

 * Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky (Was to be included in the Series 2 line of Celebrity Figures, but for reasons unknown, he was cancelled)
 * Lyle Lanley (Originally part of the Series 3 line of Celebrity Figures, but was replaced by Cooder)
 * Malloy (Originally part of Series 12, but was replaced by Number One)
 * Stonecutter Wiggum (Was cancelled when the World of Springfield line ended. Was going to be part of the Mail Away figures)

Play sets

 * Flanders Rumpus Room w/ Maude Flanders (Was originally going to be the playset for the Wave 18 line, but was cancelled when the World of Springfield line ended)
 * Springfield Elementary School Playground w/ Janey Powell (Was going to be the playset for the Wave 17 line, but was cancelled for unknown reasons)
 * Stonecutters Lodge w/ Stonecutter Carl (Was going to be a Toys-R-Us exclusive, but was cancelled due to slow sales of the Be Sharps Centennial and the end of World of Springfield)
 * 300th Episode Special: Bart's Loft w/ Skateboarding Homer, Pajama Bart, "Indian Burn" Lisa, and Casual Skinner (Was cancelled due to unknown reasons)300'th Episode Loft.jpg
 * Oval Office w/ President Lisa, Old Homer, Old Marge, Grownup Bart, and Maggie Jr (Was planned as a Toys-R-Us exclusive, but was cancelled due to slow sales in previous exclusives)

Waves

 * Wave 17: Ninja Bart, Richard and Lewis Clark, Arnie Pye, Bigfoot Homer, Flying Hellfish Grampa and Cecil Terwilliger (Voiced by David Hyde Pierce)
 * Wave 18: Lindsey Naegle, Tuxedo Kang, Tuxedo Kodos, Uncle Moe, Sanjay and Akira (Voiced by George Takei)