Colouring Book Theatre: The Six Million Dollar Man

June 29, 2008 By Mantooth In Uncategorized 6 Comments

My Pal Sharry sent me this one based on the classic 70’s TV series.

The book is by Rand McNally. the people best known for Road Atlases and the like. You’d think they’d have come up with a kid’s division name but this is back when the company expanded into children’s products.

The art in the book makes me wonder if they didn’t pull a Cartographer off his job of drawing Deleware and asked him to work on this for a few days.

While technically sound, the art (which is mostly copied from stills) has a lifeless and static feel to it. Giving the book a kind of malaise….

It opens with Steve’s famous crash, I don’t know if this is an accurate depiction of how Steve’s ship looked, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the pilot movie.

Despite plummetting to his death, Steve Austin is cool as a cucumber. Actually he looks kind of pleased.
The famous operating scene, what a delight this page would be to colour….

Rudy checks in on Steve, who is enjoying a drink from his chamber pot. Jeez, you’d think they’d draw Steve fighting robots or something….

Yawn, I can lift a lot…..

“How much can I save on my long distance?” A thrilling look into the day to day life of Oscar Goldman, frankly, I’d settle for a colouring book featuring Oscar Madison right now….

Finally some action, Steve is captured by Gavin McCloud!
BURP!I’m sure nothing else happens.Some Links of Interest:

Previous Colouring Book Theatre Entries Plus The 1976 Bionic Man Catalog.

Tags: 1975, Bionic, colouring books, six million dollar man

About The Author

Mantooth

AKA Brian Heiler author of "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" and co-editor of "Toy-Ventures Magazine". Co-Host of the "Pod Stallions" podcast. Host of the Brick Mantooth Youtube channel, painter, designer, writer, mental health advocate, toy collector, Mego, and Mego Knock-Off enthusiast. I have large feet, ADHD and I live in Canada. Talk toys, not others.

6 Comments

rob! on June 29, 2008

i love the turtleneck steve is rocking on the cover there.

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Dancin' Homer on June 29, 2008

I’m thinking that it would be impossible to remake this show today with the same title, b/c today $6 mil probably gets Steve one bionic foot, max.

Great job with the comments on those action-packed pages. I’m sure the artist went on to a fulfilling career illustrating grade-school textbooks.

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rob! on June 30, 2008

i’d love to see them remake this, with the exact same name of course, and a one-liner about how the Bush Administration never could accurately project what things cost.

“$6 Million? More like 3.2 Billion Dollar Man!”

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JFStan on June 30, 2008

In the picture where Steve is lifting the weight: “Why isn’t my bionic arming tearing itself from my human skeleton as I do this?”

I love this show, but the implausible physics just get to me these days. 🙂

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Ian Sokoliwski on June 30, 2008

That cover.

It looks like Steve is pressing the button that spins the wall around, revealing his bar, disco ball, and waterbed.

Go-go Gadget Orgy-Room!!

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jack1972 on February 20, 2013

I found that exact coloring book in mint condition uncolored or damaged. Is it worth anything?

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