1981 Duncan Catalog- Yo-Yo’s- Batmobile

Most people know Duncan from their Yo-Yo products which they still sell to this day but their 1981 catalog shows a company branching out into different things, mostly toy cars and trucks but also licensed items like the Batmobile. Yo-yo’s and trucks are a weird combination..   Ah vans with rainbowy things painted on them, […]

1979 Beno’s Toy Catalog- Kenner Star Wars- Star Bird

I had never heard of this California-based chain of Toy Stores called “Beno’s” before but judging by this glorious catalog, they offered the best-selling toys of 1979 including of course, the Kenner Star Wars line, this beautiful time capsule is a joy to behold. GET Issue 3 of Toy-Ventures here! FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM PLAIDSTALLIONS Pod […]

1979 Italian Mattel Shogun Warriors Catalog

Mattel sold the popular Shogun Warriors brand around the world and in Italy in 1979, it was simply known as “Shogun”. The popular line even had the foresight to introduce cartoon characters popular in Italy at the time.. Goldrake was sold in Italy and in France (where he was called Goldorak) because the show played […]

Ideal S.T.A.R Team Marvel Promo Comic- Knight of Darkness

In 1978, Ideal Toys hobbled together a series of toys using old molds and previously used brands to captilize on the popularity of Star Wars (and its lack of product on the shelves. Yes, lawsuits did happen. In an effort to create a back story kids might enjoy Ideal contacted Marvel comics (Yes, the people […]

197 Children’s Palace Catalog- Mego-Big Jim-Barbie-Sesame Street

Planet of the Apes was a new hot ticket item for 70s wunderkind Mego who also produced the World’s Greatest Superheroes around the same time. Big Jim was Mattel’s answer to G.I. Joe and Dinah-Mite was Mego’s stab at Barbie, who was the original. Child Guidance was one of the bigger players in Sesame Street merchandise, […]

1971 Mattel Sea Devils Catalog

In the 1960s, Mattel had a great deal of success with their “Major Matt Mason” line of toys, but when Neal Armstrong stepped on the moon and discovered nothing, interest in space race toys crashed and burned. Mattel logically thought to spin the concept off to a more earth-bound concept and created “The Sea Devils” […]