[Smurf1303]

Am currently going through the old mushroom village newsletters (http://www.mushroomvillage.com/smurfs-smurfynews.html) and found this comment from Pete in the one for 28th April 2004

There are pieces that were made specifically for the US market; Football and Baseball Smurfs for example. These are pieces that were designed specifically to appeal to Americans, and would never have been made were it not for the US market. (There are also many Europe-only pieces, coveted by US collectors; 20007 Angry (black) Smurf was deemed too potentially controversial for race-sensitive Americans, and Peyo felt 20096 Sledgehammer was too violent for American children.)

does anyone know anything about sledgehammer not being released in the US/having a postponed release in the US?[/quote]

[Smurfysmurf]

That is the first I have heard about it, Helen..I wouldn't consider him a rare smurf at all so I am a bit suprised to hear that he wasn't released in the US originally. He certainly shows up in a lot of smurf lots on US ebay

[bwalters]

I can only tell you that I picked up mine in a store between 1978 and 1984.