DEXTER VS. TOYS 'R US - What Age Should Children Meet Serial Killers?
This is a story that has been making the rounds today and one that hits close to home so to speak on the horror front. Apparently an action figure of the Michael C. Hall character from the Showtime cable series DEXTER is being sold at your neighborhood Toys 'R Us. All was good and well until a Columbus Ohio man saw the figure being marketed towards kids and made a stink to local management...
Follow up:
When self proclaimed toy collector Jim Schultz was interviewed about the situation he had this to say, “I thought ‘Oh my god! You’ve got this in Toys “R” Us? Are you kidding me?" Schultz said.“I’ve seen the Toys R Us commercials, I didn’t see a 30-something-year-old guy dancing around with the kids and the giraffe,” Schultz said. There isn’t a serial killer Ken. He doesn’t come with a hack saw and a trash bag to put Barbie’s head in.”

This is obviously a tough topic for us to weigh in on. We have been to Toys 'R Us personally to pick up special FRIDAY THE 13TH items as well as A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET Freddy Krueger gloves and figures. Is it ok for a hockey mask wearing killer to be sold at a children store let alone a child molester? It's a question that parents will need to weigh obviously.
At what age does it become appropriate for kids to purchase these items? Again this has to be up to the parents. This writer was dressing up like Jason Voorhee's at age 9. Little Dave across the street though was wearing a HE-MAN outfit until he was 12. His parents didn't mind him dressing him up as a homo-erotic, half naked monster slayer but wouldn't dare let him walk around with a hooded sweatshirt and a plastic hockey mask on.
It should be left in the hands of the parents but at what age should a toy store allow more adult themed toys? And if toy stores stop selling action figures of this nature are we left to purchase these items solely online? Time will tell and this, we have a feeling, is a debate that will not be settled over night. What are your thoughts?
Source: HorrorBid

19 comments
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I think the answer is simple...if you wouldn't let your child watch the show, why would you let them have the action figure? Dexter is rated M--the show is clearly marked at the beginning of every episode, along with the additional designations (violence, dialog, etcetera). People were making a big deal about the V-chip and the television ratings only a few years ago...has that suddenly gone by the wayside?
If parents and retailers are concerned about children getting this sort of thing, then put it behind a counter or lock it up in a special case; but by no means ban it because of overprotective parents. Dexter is a great show that shouldn't be looked down upon or ignored just because of its dark and sensitive nature.
I grew up normally, never killed anyone, and was much less afraid than other kids. My girlfriend has a 9 year old brother and her parents are very protective and would never let him watch horror movies, not even light comedy horror like Gremlins, and he is afraid of everything, even of sleeping alone in a dark room (ridiculous!).
Parents should stop being over protective in my opinion, and raise their children to live in the real world, old fairy tales used to do that in the past, with characters like the witch that used to cook and eat children, and the stepmother that asked the hunter to bring her stepdaughter heart in a box. Nowadays we are raising effeminate, coward, weak and political correct children, with the likes of sponge Bob and Teletubies, and all the other stupid effeminate political correct cartoons, even the old classics, such as Flintstones and Scooby Doo have been made effeminate and political correct for today's children.
Fuck that!
Hell, but then you'll have some parent complaining about how Tony Stark is a womanizing alcoholic. Are they going to stop carrying Iron Man figures? Or that the Joker is a homicidal maniac. Are they really going to stop carrying Batman figures?
Toys R Us also needs to consider how many of their customers are adult collectors. They could see a serious drop in profits if they were to stop carrying these lines. If collectors can't get a good bulk of their product from Toys R Us, they'll either go to another store or just start ordering online.
Well, there's my two cents.
I haven't been in a Toys R Us in a long time, but why can't they have a section for action figures that are more for collectors who are in their teens or older? And clearly mark the section for people 13 and up?
On a side note, I was going to buy one of those Dexter toys but I they didn't have "The Dark Defender" in stock.
ACTION FIGURES will not melt minds, VIDEOGAMES WILL! I'm sure the guy plays all kinds of "world of warcraft" "modern warfare" etc. Toys will not kill you, if the guy is too damn scared of toys, he should have never let his mom rent "demonoinic toys" for him in his early twenties staying at her house.
Toys R US should NOT have to answer some dumbfucks little plea. Thats where customer service goes TOO far to try and please everyone and they come off no better than the recluse. A business shouldnt have to suck everyones dick. If you dont like it or prefer to see an inanimate action figure, DONT GO INTO A STORE CALLED TOYS R US!
See the point? In todays age with "perfect customer service" everywhere, it FORCES people to think "ok, I'm right no matter what, here comes some attention". It happens in retail, mask, props, every business.
Man that guy has pissed me off this morning, hahah.
















