Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Super Ropes


I love the card art on these Imperial jump ropes but it's kind of funny how once you take your "super pro jump rope" out of the power, you've removed any and all relationship it had to Spider-Woman. It is now just "ordinary jump rope with red handles".
Check out our upcoming book!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Mantique : A new name for terror

mantique

How does one market some of the oddest, unflattering ensembles ever put to thread? By giving them the worst, slightly homoerotic name ever. Feast your eyes ladies and gents on someone looking to get fired.

Seriously, this would be a good time to close up shop here at PS, I've discovered attrocities for six years but truly I will never surpass the Mantique.



The bar has been set.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

A girl and her Gaiking

Marty sent in this fantastic family portrait and as she explains "I was maybe one of the few girls who preferred robots and Star Wars toys". This family portrait from her eleventh is proof of this, pictured are Marty, her mom & dad, cat Tiger and "new baby brother" Gaiking.

I'm at a loss for words to describe how awesome I think this is.  Marty, I wished you had been my neighbour. Not only because you had a Gaiking but mainly because you dug robots and Star Wars toys.

If you've got shots of vintage toy love, send em on down!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Planet of the Apes store display




My pal Corey, a purveyor of amazing treats and the guy who gets a majority of my pay cheque (Seriously check out his Ebay auctions) sent me this photo of a Planet of the Apes store display from 1974.

As a lover of all things POTA, it was a joy to see but the name "Deka" didn't exactly ring any bells when it came to Ape merchandise. So I had to do some digging.


Turns out Deka made Planet of the Apes cups, mugs and bowls like the one pictured below. Honestly, how did anyone have the foresight to save this store display?





I swiped this photo from Ebay, in case somebody wants to buy this swell cup, all you need do is click this link.


More Ape goodness...



Thursday, July 26, 2012

TV Superstars


Looking at this vintage licensing ad stirs some emotion in me. I mean seriously, why were we not treated to "Bigfoot and Wildboy" action figures?

We live in a world where got toys of "The Waltons" but the "Space Sentinels" seemed too risky? Agggghhhh, I'd almost be filled with rage were it not for that delightful image of late actor, Lenny Weinrib as "Magic Mongo".

Oh Lenny, I can't even stay mad at you for being the first Scrappy Doo....

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Parachuting Supermen

Azrak Hamway Superman
click to enlarge


My pal Steve from CollectingSuperman.com sent in this cool retrospective of Azrak Hamway Parachuting Superman figures.

The one on the left is the last version (around '79) while the one in the middle is first. The one on the  right is most definitely an after market knock off, as DC and Marvel don't cotton to the mingling of their characters. Nothing "official" about that.

You may ask yourself, what does superman need of a parachute? I think the bigger question is, when did he get the bright red gloves? Ah, the days of "loosey goosey" licensing....


Azrak Hamway Superman

If you dig the man of steel then you should fly over the Steve's new site Collecting Superman. He's got neat stuff!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Future Funk


Transported into 1975, Doctor Finger and his associate Professor Lovechild have only one mission : Protect the Bar-Kays at all costs!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Ken of the Apes


From down under comes this awesome shot of Ken, clutching an Astro Ape having a Mego Planet of the Apes adventure that includes a Big Jim Gorilla and Frankenstein(!) The joys of imagination and the "Megoverse"....

I miss having that kind of fun.

If you've got shots of vintage toy love, send em on down!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Mall Batman Roundup

Mall Batman

The Dark Knight opensthis weekend and I'm still busy working on my book but I wanted to do something "Bat Themed" for the occasion. What better than to mine the Mall Appearance Archive for shots of the caped crusader in action? This one from a 1980 Columbus car show that Larry sent in is one of my favourites. More Dynamic duos after the jump!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Battlestar Pinball


I think the extra points on this are all due to the fact that this piece has Ralph McQuarrie concept art on it, seriously that is cool.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Seriously, there were Manimal toys


 

I don’t think this would be headline news anywhere else but here. If you recall NBC’s “Manimal”, the TV show that kind of made a laughing stock of the network for a period in the 1980s. The show revolved around a crime fighter who just happened to be able to turn into animals.

So it was a lot like that video Yes did for “Owner of a lonely heart” but slightly longer. Each week, our hero would save the day by turning into a snake, panther or eagle. He could turn into other animals but the budget only let you see the aforementioned snake, panther or eagle transformations, which were well done but I digress.

The series got crushed in the ratings and only aired 8 episodes, so merchandise was out of the question, or so I’d thought. I’d heard rumors that a toy company did have the license but only recently came across them in person


More after the jump.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Build your own Star Fleet command!


Anyone who has read this blog knows how many of these kits I ruined with my lack of talent/patience as a kid. I think that bridge got reissued in the early nineties and I still messed it up! These days, I just love them from afar...



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Super 7 goes retro with Alien


I rarely post SDCC news here (mostly because it's about stuff I don't collect) but this announcement from Super 7 is so huge it can't be ignored.

Super 7 has the Alien license which is not really earth shattering in of itself but it's the fact that they're going retro with it that's so exciting, what are they doing you ask?

1) They're doing a series of "Burger King" type glasses that are so freaking full of win that I wish they'd get every 70s sci fi license. I want to start my day with OJ from a "Westworld" glass and guzzle down my fifth "lunch beer" staring at Sean Connery from "Outland".

2) THEY'RE GIVING US THE 3 3/4" ALIEN ACTION FIGURE LINE THAT KENNER STUPIDLY DID NOT RELEASE! A HUGE WRONG IS FINALLY RIGHTED.

>

Here is the Kane figure prototype in it's vintage glory.

Oh and if that wasn't enough, they're doing Boba Fett as a Jumbo Machinder as well.

I am not sure I'll be reporting anything else from SDCC but I'm also not sure I have to either....

Warrior's Battle Jacket


This vintage ad used to perplex me as a kid, mainly, why would they make adult sizes? Granted, I grew up slightly rural but I could not fathom an adult that would wear a warrior's battle jacket, certainly not an adult woman.

I wish I could send comic con footage to my nine year old self sometimes...

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Martin Landau Bot


At one point, this item was my white whale. I never have actually owned one.
It's a pretty rare higher dollar item from AHI, much of their Space:1999 offering could be had with an allowance.







Monday, July 09, 2012

Trek Jammies


I think the world would be a better place if we all spent our evenings lounging in Moonbase Alpha pajamas...

Saturday, July 07, 2012

King Kong VS Alien



John, a frequent contributor of awesome things sent in this fabulous vintage shot of him holding two movie heavyweights, namely a Mego King Kong and a Kenner Alien. Happy times!

Look for more vintage goodness from John in the coming weeks, as well if you have some vintage toy love to share drop me a line.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Synergistics Superheroes


I vaguely remember these target sets from toy shows, the art is classic DC style guide with the exception of that very disgruntled Wonder Woman. However, the sets below are not only a total shock but I now have a new quest in life...



I absolutely LOVE the mingling of Spider-Man with the characters from the Electric Company on merchandise. The teaming up of Spidey with Fargo North doesn't happen often enough for me. They should do a big treasury edition together, it'll sell dozens!

If you have these in your collection, let me know they exist, please?

Thursday, July 05, 2012

The headache that keeps on giving


Behold the Hurdy Gurdy machine for children. Speaking as a father, I can honestly say that other than a megaphone I can't imagine a less neccesary toy for a child to have.

Seriously, I would choose the "beercan helmet", complete with two Pabsts over this thing.

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

The other Mantooth action figure


Oddly, even though i named Brick Mantooth after Randy, I'm not the world's biggest fan of Emergency! The show and the toys do have a ravenous following to this day however.

Monday, July 02, 2012

Ruffled



"you know what this shirt lacks? Some clip on ruffles"-
A sentence that has never been said aloud.


Sunday, July 01, 2012

TV Comix: The Incredible Hulk


I can't believe it's been three years since I last did a "TV Comix" segment on this blog. To make up for it, I have a pretty big deal from 1979 in the form of the Incredble Hulk.  Put on your purple pants and join me after the jump:

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