Welcome to Points of Articulation!

He-ManWelcome to the inaugural post of Points of Articulation. This is arguably the third incarnation of PoA. The first and was in 2001, when I wrote a column under this title for the now defunct IGN.com “Scifi” section. It later became the title for columns on OAFE, the website where I cut my teeth writing toy reviews.

First, an explanation of “Poe Ghostal.” This is not my real name–it’s my online handle, one I’ve been using for more than seven years. It’s meant to be a play on the expression “go postal,” which I first encountered as a cheat code in a now-forgotten computer game. Of course, by changing the spelling around a bit, on gets the delicious references to scribe of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe, whose name often conjures thoughts of “ghosts.” Thus: Poe Ghostal.

(For the record, the creation of the name had nothing to do with “Tad Ghostal,” the “real name” of Space Ghost according to Space Ghost Coast to Coast. I found out about that later.)

Optimus PrimeFor those of you who aren’t diehard action figure collectors, perhaps an explanation of this blog’s title is in order as well. “Articulation” is a toy industry term describing the way something moves. So, for instance, an action figure with joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees would have nine “points of articulation.”

Of course, articulation also has another meaning–a politician can make “points” while “articulating” an argument, while a good speaker is often referred to as “articulate.” Thus, “Points of Articulation.”

Before I go any further, immense thanks and kudos must be given to two people: OB1, the talented web designer who created this site; and Red Kryptonite, my good friend and a brilliant artist who is responsible for the images and logo for the site.

So, what can you expect from PG’s PoA? Unlike other action figure websites, which are usually devoted to providing either toy-related news or reviews, this blog will mostly feature my thoughts on various action figure-related topics. I’m interested in taking a close look at the action figure industry and see what makes it tick. In doing so, I plan to offer interviews with members of the industry, from designers to marketers to journalists.

Now, you may ask, what are my qualifications? (I’ll spare you the obligatory BeetlejuiceBoba Fett gag here.) Aside from being a lifelong collector of action figures, I have extensive training and experience as a writer. I’ve written on toys for the aforementioned IGN.com, and I’m a regular contributor to ToyFare magazine. I peruse many toy sites regularly, and I’ve seen The Exorcist a hundred and sixty-seven times and it keeps getting funnier–wait, I said I wouldn’t do that.

This being December, probably the biggest month for the toy industry and probably my favorite time of year, I’ve decided to celebrate by putting up a post every single day this month. That’s right, you get thirty-one days of Poe Ghostal right off that bat. Will I be driven insane? Quite possibly.

Tune in tomorrow for my exclusive interview with those maverick masters of toymaking, the Four Horsemen!

Next

10 Questions With: The Four Horsemen

4 Comments

  1. Poe

    Thanks TT! Appreciate the comments. Take a look around, stay a while…

  2. Tom-Tom

    Nice set-up, Poe. I like the review on Silver Surfer

  3. Poe

    Thanks for being my first commenter! Your kind words are too much, T’Challa, really.

    But I’ll definitely take this opportunity to thank Sean and Kate one last time. This site is a beauty.

  4. T'Challa

    Poe Ghostal I cannot wait for all your well-written, insightful, and astute commentaries to come about figures.

    You are an experienced writer very knowledgeable about figures. Therefore, I know I can trust your judgment on such matters.

    When I was younger G1 Grimlock used to be my favorite toy too.

    Poe Ghostal, you selected an exceptional meaningful online handle. Edgar Allan Poe is the greatest horror writer of all time. I recommended for everyone to read all his works if you have not.

    Thanks Poe Ghostal, Sean O'Brien, and Kate Racculia and all the folks at Pointsofarticulation.com for this excellent new website that will inform and direct collectors about figures.

    Keep up the superb work and more power to you for all you've done for us collectors.

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