FairlandToy 1983: GI Joe KO Dynaman!

  This is an ad for Hong Kong toy maker FairToy International. FairToy International makes various dolls, including one that strongly resembles Barter Toys  Dynaman. Dynaman is one of the more prolific (and fuzziest) GI Joe Knockoffs and ran under different names. He also made history by being the basis for the “Gay Bob” doll […]

1976 Action Figure Explosion!

I got this catalogue just after Christmas, and I wanted to close the year with the single reason I had to have it. This glorious page of plastic joy.  I never saw this page as a kid, but wow, that’s how the inside of my brain looked when I was five.  This page, with it’s […]

1982 GI Joe Playset from the JC Penney Catalog

  One of my favourite things about Department store wishbooks is when they snuck in an exclusive item. Sometimes this was whole figures like the Mego Secret Identity figures; other times, carry cases or even playsets meant to be used with the toys unofficially. That’s the case with the Mobile Command HQ playset from the […]

GI Joe Adventure Team Photo Recon

As mentioned in the latest episode of Toy-Ventures (which has a contest BTW) , I recently picked up this wonder GI Joe Adventure Team piece. I collect GI Joe but am what they call “Content.” I haven’t actively searched eBay in ages, and while I always keep my eyes open, I really didn’t have any […]

GI Joe Memories from 1976 or I love Bulletman

1976 GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog PageOver the weekend, a friend asked me to help him with toy research, which meant going through my catalogue collection.  That sort of activity is always welcome here as I get to thumb through some favourites from childhood. In particular, the 1976 Simpsons-Sears catalogue. In Canada, Sears partnered with […]

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, […]