ABSTRACT
Since the attack on New York’s World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, big-calved, Popeye-like, Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes such as the firefighter Billy Blazes have become popular. The company began promoting this series in 1998 unaware that popular opinion would heighten the regard for civil servants in a few years. Blazes’ orange-attired work partner Wendy Waters, like Billy, has a backpack, and other accessories such as a bullhorn, ax, fire mask, and helmet. Other figures include Gil Gripper, a scuba diver rescuer, and Sandy Beach, who looks for the drowning and injured aboard his motorized surfboard. Rocky Canyon, a rock climber, helps out hikers and skiers. Cliff Hanger is an air-rescue specialist while Willy Stop is a police officer. Additional characters, whose names give hints to their occupations, include Sam Sparks, Captain Cuffs, Roger Houston, Hal E. Copter, Jake Justice, Aidan Assist, Rip Rockefeller, and Bob Sled. The series imparts a lesson and perhaps career guidance to children who seek stimulation doing positive things. As the label’s motto proclaims, these are “cool guys who are good guys.” Many of these action figures have videos to show their helping procedures and to teach safety measures.
