Author Posts

Colouring Book Theatre: Dune Activity Book

Dune Activity Book (1984), Grosset & Dunlop.          A local half price book chain just added piles of these to their inventory,  meaning they found a stash of unsold Dune merchandise 30 years later.            I’ve already looked at the (wrongheaded) Dune colouring books before but they’re so freaking […]

PlaidStallions 9th Anniversary Contest Results

I’m really sorry that I took so long with this one but you people knocked me out with your good ideas that I wish I could give everyone a prize. (I can’t do that) My decision making skills were so bad I had to recruit judges to help me out and I’ve also expanded the […]

Sears Video Arcade

As a kid, I was pretty brand loyal to Atari, even getting into fisticuffs with an Intellivision fan once, which is pretty embarrassing to admit now. I bought my 2600 with my own money (from menial labour gigs no less) and even though this Sears knock off was a better deal, there was some stigma attached to it […]

1984 LJN Toys Dune Catalog

It’s hard to believe that toy makers thought the next merchandising blitz would come from a David Lynch film but that’s exactly what happened in 1984. Dune got the full treatment with colouring books, bed sheets and of course a selection of action figures produced by LJN. The movie wasn’t particularly kid (or for that […]

Lovable Smoking Traveler’s Pet

I was pleased to track one of these down over the weekend as my dad sold them back in the 70s. I was always fascinated by the concept, especially the notion that the Hanna Barbera characters were chain smokers. As an adult, I’m going to venture a guess that this isn’t an officially licensed product. […]