Mattel introduced “Tony The Tattooed Man” in 1992. The heavily tattooed male figure was intended to appeal to a teen audience during an era when tattoos were becoming mainstream. It was meant to expand Mattel’s male character line beyond family-friendly figures like Ken or action heroes. However, the toy was discontinued due to parental backlash as Mattel’s core market was young kids, while major toy retailers didn’t want to sell a toy that attracted controversy.
