Woman's Day meets Star Wars

If your mum actually made you this playset in 1980, know that I envy you. Also, please share photos.

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The First issue of PlaidStallion's Toy-Ventures Magazine is coming this July, the premier issue will be a salute to Azrak-Hamway international and features articles about Star Trek, Space:1999, World Famous Super Monsters, KISS and of course parachuting Superheroes. Learn more here:

The Empire Strikes Back Again!

Seeing as it's #1 at the box office again, let's relive when it was #1 in the toy aisle as well. It's hard to believe but prior to the release of Empire, the sales dip of SF toys had many publications asking is it all just a fad? 

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Big Jim PACK Attack

I love everything about this early Big Jim PACK page from the 1975 Wards catalog, note the rough logo, and the description that lists the P.A.C.K members as reformed bad guys. Both of those things would disappear when the toys hit shelves.




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Das Space Kit

As I kid, I begged for the DAS Pronto Space Kit and got it for Christmas in 1980. I wrongly assumed I could create extra characters for my Star Wars adventures. The figures were static, really couldn't stand all that well and did I mention I sucked at painting when I was 9?

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The Incredible Hulk Official Utility Belt

I've long believed that the Remco Incredible Hulk Utility belt is the most ridiculous piece of Hulk merchandising produced, I mean the guy doesn't have gadgets and generally, his pants are held up by a rope or possibly a toaster cord.

It appears, however, that Remco sold a bunch of these because there are two versions, my Corey LeChat sent me these photos recently of the two, distinctly different Hulk Utility belts, more after the jump:

Kenner Return of the Jedi 1983

Christmas of 1983 would be the first one where I didn't get a Star Wars toy in well, five years. After Jedi, I couldn't help feel like it was over, and well, going into the eighth grade was also a huge factor. I still fondly looked at this stuff on the shelves. 

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Gigantic Toy Sale! $2.99

This ad is from 1979 and a lot of the toys on deep discount because they're being cleared out, I vividly remember something like this when I was ten. It was really hard looking at the Big Jim, Six Million Dollar Man, and Pulsar stuff I wanted as a kid for pennies. It haunts me to this day because I just bought some Empire Strikes Back Stuff.

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Sci-Fi Decisions

Faced with this decision as a child, I went for Super Joe and you know what? I still would, especially since I don't have a "Gor: the King of the Terrons" doll. What about you folks?

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Croner Buck Rogers

Courtesy of my friend Will AKA The Toltoys Kid on Instagram, I present what I believe to be one of the rarest 70s toy lines ever. The Croner Buck Rogers action figure series.

 It's so rare that I don't even know how many characters were made but I have seen a Tiger Man and this Buck, so at least two. Twiki is a safe bet too.

And while it's natural to assume this is repackaged Mego figure, it isn't. It's nearly 5.5" tall and only uses the same card art as Mego. Now, Will's site has evidence that the Mego line did make it to Australia as well but it's not know if Croner did that as well.

It's very curious that Australia would have toys so similar (even if this figure appears to have limited to no articulation) but it also happened in the United Kingdom.

I'm thrilled to finally see something that I've been curious about for so long, that's what makes toy collecting so interesting.

Thanks again to Toltoys Kid on Instagram for sharing. 

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Origins of Remco Dracula!

My friend Matt strikes again! This time he's uncovered another toy mystery, just exactly who was the source material for the Dracula on this Remco Makeup box? The answer might blow your mind. More after the jump.

Dr. Zaius Bank

This weekend, the missus and I did some exploring, hitting antique malls, visiting new towns/fairs and indulging in local cuisine (in this case a $10 grilled cheese sandwich). Normally one of us scores while the other doesn't, by the end of the day, neither of us had purchased anything but brownies. 

At our last stop, this guy was facing me as I entered as if to say "It's a Brian day" and I happily scooped him up. As an apes collector, it's really rare to find anything like this in the wilds of Canada. 

He makes a lovely addition to my Planet of the Apes display case that I installed not long ago.

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The Cheerful Family

The Cheerful family is a rip off of Mattel's "Sunshine Family" by Lincoln International. Not to be outdone by the overall creepiness of the originals, Lincoln somehow made them even more terrifying. I won't sleep tonight.

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The Video Sports Game

"Feh, I give this fad two years tops, nothing will replace Parcheesi" - The president of Parcheesi corp (who I just made up) in 1976

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Superfriends vs the Burger Gang

I vividly remember that day in 1976 when I walked into the Eatons (RIP) toy department and saw the Remco McDonaldland Characters right next to the Mego World's Greatest Superheroes, for a brief, nanosecond there was doubt but my love for Superheroes outweighed my love for fast food. 

Also, they were sold out of Grimace....

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Italian for Stretch Monster

The word "Stretch" I assume doesn't translate well in Italy. Coincidently "Mister Monstro" was also my wrestling name that one, magical summer in Tijuana....

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Supereroi volanit

Rack Toys were and are an international affair as evidenced by this awesome ad from Italy.

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Adventure People Rock!

The Fisher-Price Adventure people were a Christmas staple in my house, so much so that they always trigger happy memories when I see them. I still have my originals so I don't actually have a large collection of them.

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Toy-Ventures- Evil Cowboys by Zodiac Toys

This week we talk about one of my "white whales" in knock-off monster toy collecting, the elusive and vexing "Evil Cowboys" action figures made by Zodiac Toys in the late 1970s. I wish I knew more about these but here is everything i have on the subject.

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Evel Knievel in Australia

This PR photo from an Australian toy magazine just goes to show how popular this toy concept and Evel's celebrity extended well past the United States. Heck, even the Japanese weren't immune!

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