Looking At... Cancelled Invader Zim Toys (Palisades / Diamond Select)

 

During my long, arduous hours scrubbing the web for the strangest, most deviant depths of irrelevant and uninteresting media, I've been able to find a few more unproduced Zim odds and ends - bit surprisingly, really. This essentially an update-slash-followup to my previous Unreleased Zim post, so be sure to read both for the fullest scope of Zim landfill fodder.

First up to bat, I came across concept art for the unproduced Professor Membrane set by Palisades toys. Membrane was always the most obvious omission from Palisades' celebrated Zim lineup; though, he did appear via video call on a floating screen accessory, which is pretty in-character. 

Next are two unproduced display sets of the Skool Cafeteria and Membrane's kitchen, which were both ideas for the Gaz figure. As with all Series Two figures, Gaz ended up coming with a section of Zim's house, rather than the mini-playsets featured in Series One.

Last, in the Palisades corner, we have an assortment of unproduced accessories. 

Dig the Krazy Taco. Now, for the main event - more photos of the cancelled 2021 Zim toy line! Back when I made my first cancelled Zim post, I stated that the Diamond Select line had clearly been cancelled; which some, in all their wisdom, deemed "BS", despite obviously being... true. Couple more years down the line, and yeah. Pretty certain it was cancelled.

It's a real shame, because the line would've been amazing for die-hard fans like me, definitely rivalling the Palisades line with it's breadth of accessories and displays - not to mention, availability. Designer David Forrest shared the following photos across various social medias, featuring concept art and production images both the Zim/GIR and Human Zim/Dib sets. Pretty amazing to see actual pieces of reference art, and even original backing illustrations for the ultimately unreleased line. 

Essentially coming straight from the source, these photos are probably the best look we'll ever get at the DS Zim line. Wicked stuff. Funny how poor ol' Krazy Taco Hat lost its chance both times. You're in our prayers.

Thankfully for us True Zimmers, Zim pops up more than usual these days in Nicktoons merch; there's been a good handful of dinky little figures available at stores like Five Below lately, and most are actually pretty good. Here's hoping the nasty little Invader gets another full toy line someday... but, until then, mystery blind-bags and Culturefly PVCs will have to suffice.