Recommended music: Aaron Copland and the London Symphony Orchestra – Rodeo: IV. Hoedown
Howdy toy fans! This #WhateverWednesday, we’re checking out the Nacelle Toys C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa Cowlamity Kate!
Across the two seasons of Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, Cowlamity Kate Cudster brought a down-to-earth, civilian viewpoint that often balanced out the Marshall’s idealism. As a female rancher and entrepreneur, she stands out from the usual “damsel in distress” roles found in some Westerns. Kate is a skilled sharpshooter, proving she can handle herself even without a badge.
Cowlamity Kate was one of several animated heroines from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s who moved beyond being side characters and became essential team members. She followed characters like Gadget from Rescue Rangers, April O’Neil from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and, a bit later, Elisa Maza from Gargoyles. Sadly, Hasbro’s brief Moo Mesa toy line left out Kate and all other female characters.
In the 1992 Konami arcade game, Cowlamity Kate is not a playable character, but she still plays an important role in the story. Like Princess Toadstool in the early Mario Bros. games, she is the reason the four heroes—Buffalo Bull, Cowlorado Kid, Dakota Dude, and Moo Montana—set out on their adventure. The villain Masked Bull captures Kate at the start of the game, and the heroes rescue her after defeating the final boss.
Fortunately, the Nacelle Company bought the rights to the series in 2023. They have already released a comic book, the first wave of action figures featuring Kate, and plan to launch a new animated series later this year. The Kate figure comes in bright window packaging, with a great paint job and over 20 points of articulation. She includes an extra head (with an expression similar to the main head), an extra set of hands, her hat, and unique accessories such as a Gatling gun, handcuffs, two types of lassos, two pistols, a mug of sarsaparilla, a shotgun, and a sword. I unfortunately broke the Gatling gun right out of the box, but had no other quality control issues. Overall, it’s a fantastic figure and a fun nod to early 1990s animation.
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