The first page showcases a Gene Simmons KISS beachball. This is something I have never seen before and well I can’t seem to find any evidence of it on the interwebs.

I am getting a real Marvel Comics vibe off that art but I’m no expert, I’m sure someone will tell me where it’s from.

AHI KISS Swim Rings

AHI also offered two KISS swim rings featuring some interesting sketches of StarChild, SpaceAce, the Cat and the Demon. 

I’m going to go out on a limb and say these probably never say production, but like a lot of things, it just may have had a minor release somewhere. 

Plaid Stallions Toy-Ventures 12 Pack

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What Superhero do kids want in the pool? You guessed it, Spider-Man because he……. swam that one time? I’m really not sure why Aquaman never factors in here, but AHI was pretty happy with Spider-Man and Hulk. As the note suggests below, kids were eating this up.

Spiderman snorkel set by AHI

Lastly, we’ve got battery-operated Batboats and licensed Bop Bags. The Mr. Spock bop bag differed from the one AHI offered the toy trade, it came in a baggy instead of a box. We covered these in issues 1 and 2 of Toy-Ventures magazine.

Can I just say that I love this Fantastic Four Bop Bag? It was also offered in the 1979 AHI Rack Toy Catalog but again, I’ve never seen one.

Here is the much rarer 50″ tall “Pool Spock Bop Bag” courtesy of Corey LeChat. 

Issue #13 of Toy-Ventures Magazine will feature the never-before-seen plans for the 1983 World’s Greatest Superheroes toy line and a cover featuring artwork specially commissioned for Mego’s catalogue, gloriously coloured by Robyn Adams, founder of the Mego Museum.

The Blood-A-Rama Shock Festival Pack

Toy-Ventures is our magazine; we’re an independent publisher trying to bring back print toy magazines; if you would like to support us, please check out the latest issue: https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

Toy-Ventures Issue 12- Stretch Monster

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We co-produced this amazing action figure with White Elephant Toyz; it’s an 8″ Mego Style Officially Licensed Tura Satana figure with a beautiful box by Joeseph Linsner! Get yours while supplies last.

Knock Offs; Totally Unauthorized Action Figures the book

Knock-Offs Totally Unauthorized Action figures is from the demented mind that brought you “Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings” and features hundreds of hilarious, charming, copyright infringing toys. Get a signed copy in our shop!

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AHI, Rack Toys, Inflatable toys, Pool toys, bop bags, beach balls, 1979, Azrak Hamway International, KISS, Star Trek, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Snorkels, Gene Simmons, swim rings, Batman, Batboat, plaidstallions

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Kenner Megabug Gladiators- Scorpion

Kenner MegaBug Gladiators Scorpion

My friend Scott from the MegoMuseum forums gifted me this toy recently; it’s his original one from childhood. It’s the Scorpion from the Kenner MegaBug Gladiators toy line, which we both share a love for.

Kenner introduced the MegaBug Gladiators in 1979, and while they are well-designed toys, it seems they didn’t market them in any meaningful way, and they just withered on the vine.

That’s a shame because the line was absolutely ahead of its time.  A series of futuristic war machines with an insect theme, the name “Gladiators” suggests a world where this sort of combat is sport. Oh man, I think we just wrote a Full Moon movie!

Kenner Megabug Gladiators- Scorpion

Three vehicles were in the range: Scorpion, MegaSpider and Dragon Fly. There is no world-building included anywhere. Kenner expected kids to build their own backstory, which, combined with little to no marketing, probably hurt this line.

Scorpion has some neat features: his claws are spring-loaded and can hold army men, his tail is posable for different attacks, and his legs crawl if you push it forward.

Kenner Megabug Gladiators

I’ve spoken to several former Kenner people over the years at Toy-Ventures, but none have much insight into this line, let alone remember it. That’s a nut I hope to crack in the coming months as I find this toy line an excellent companion piece to Micronauts and Shogun Warriors. 

Kenner Megabug Gladiators

Also, these things are really photogenic, I will be revisiting this topic this year.

#kenner #plaidstallions #megabuggladiators 

The Lincoln Monsters are here!

The Blood-A-Rama Shock Festival Pack

Toy-Ventures is our magazine; we’re an independent publisher trying to bring back print toy magazines; if you would like to support us, please check out the latest issue: https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

Toy-Ventures Issue 12- Stretch Monster

Click Here for past installments of 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week

Join our weekly newsletter.

The Super Collector Newsletter combines all the news from Mego Museum and Plaid Stallions and a lot of other fun stuff across the Interwebs. It’s got customs, new action figures, vintage finds and a lot of pop culture. Sign Up Here!

We co-produced this amazing action figure with White Elephant Toyz; it’s an 8″ Mego Style Officially Licensed Tura Satana figure with a beautiful box by Joeseph Linsner! Get yours while supplies last.

Knock Offs; Totally Unauthorized Action Figures the book

Knock-Offs Totally Unauthorized Action figures is from the demented mind that brought you “Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings” and features hundreds of hilarious, charming, copyright infringing toys. Get a signed copy in our shop!

Facebook Groups we enjoy

The official FB group for PlaidStallions, come for the conversation, stay for the chill vibe. Remember, you keep the glass

. 

Kenner, MegaBug Gladiators, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, 1979, DragonFly, Mega Spider, Scorpion

The post Kenner MegaBug Gladiators Scorpion appeared first on PS.

Toy-Ventures this week is all about Christmas past with this look at a 1979 Childworld Flyer. Child World was a legendary Toy Store chain, and this flyer is packed with iconic toys like Micronauts, Kenner Star Wars, Suckerman, Mego Superheroes, Tonka Trucks and Big Wheels! What would you choose from this list? Let me know in the comments below.

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Our long running Pod Cast, Pod Stallions is now available on Spotify.

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Do you miss toy collector magazines?

That’s why we created Toy-Ventures magazine, an old-school print publication dedicated to vintage toys from the 1960s to the 1990s. Each issue is packed with never before seen images and information written by some of the top collectors. We’ve got 7 issues and climbing; please check our page here or visit our store.

Our latest book is “Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures” a love letter to cheeky copyright-infringing toys. You can get this new book via the PlaidStallions Shop, On Amazon (Affiliate Link) or eBay (eBay Link)

FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM PLAIDSTALLIONS

Pod Stallions is based on our podcast and is one of the most fun groups on Facebook. Toys, Comics, Movies, TV, it’s all up for grabs and remember folks, you keep the glass! If you like our show, then you have found your tribe.

Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s Dime store knock-offs and bootleg action figures, we talk vintage toys and not others. We know the difference between Astro Apes and Action Apeman.  It’s a fun group where we talk about Lincoln International, AHI, Mighty Gary, Tomland, Bogi, Demo Man, Mortoys, and other generic greats.

Child World 1979 Catalog

The post Toy-Ventures: 1979 Child World Catalog – Mego Superheroes Kenner Star Wars appeared first on PS.

Following the blitz of Star Wars, a lot of previously unknown companies began cashing in on what the toy industry called the “Sci-Fi craze” of the late 70s. These toys were often lower-priced generic toys that likely offered better margins for the toy retailer.

Kingsford’s line of Star Force toys is one of those lines that many of us likely had but had no idea what it was from, the line looked like an unlikely union of Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica, which was a pretty sharp look in 1979,

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Star Force Fighter 1- Could be an X Wing, Could be Star Bird, I’m not really sure.

Is it just me or is Space Hawk just Star Fighter 1 in black? Why does that sticker make me like it better?

I’ve seen the Gor helmet in a ton of catalogs, Mattel even sold this in Europe as a Big Jim item!

Space Helmets, the one arena Kenner underserved us.

I want that Gor robot radio more than I should

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM PLAIDSTALLIONS

Pod Stallions is one of the most fun groups on Facebook.

Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s dimestore goodness, we talk vintage toys, not others!

The post 1979 Kingsford Star Force Catalog appeared first on PS.

The robotic ZEM21 was built on a retooled Ideal JJ Armes body. Knight of Darkness, was a Captain Action made “Darthier” with a new head, original boots and a pistol from the Flash Gordon set. Zeroid was exactly that, a Zeroid from the 1966 line of robot toys.

Kent and his cosmic cruiser are recycled Evel Knievel tooling, mainly the sky cycle.

Zeroid and Star Hawk were also leftovers from the 1966 Zeroids line, what’s weird is how much that figure looks like R2-D2 but actually predates him.

 Get Toy-Ventures Issue 2 now!

This is a display from a place called “Toy Barn” in 1977, showcasing all the cool Ideal STAR TEAM and Shogun Warriors that took Star War’s place that holiday season.

I’d like to add the promotional Marvel comic to the new site but for now, the link can be found here:

Check out the amazing Knight of Darkness Knock Off I recently found.

Electroman and Zogg weren’t part of Star Team but I thought they deserved a knod, these hulking figures used to baffle me when I saw them at toy shows. The two of them are a game ala Laser Tag, just a bit cruder.

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

The post 1978 Ideal Star Team Catalog appeared first on PS.

I recently acquired the 1979 Consumer’s Distributing catalog, a Canadian chain, Consumers was one of those stores where you filled out a slip of paper (I tended to use fake names), it went down one of those cool tubes and then 20 minutes later your purchase rolled up a conveyer belt (or a substitution item, which happened an awful lot). Consumer’s Distributing is special to me, especially around the late 1970s. My grandmother would get these in and like a lot of grandpeople, she would keep them around, for years. Seriously, I found some in her house after she passed.

I never usually win the late 70s catalogs because of Star Wars collectors coveting them and driving up the price but I lucked out and got the 1979 and I will be sharing it through a series of blog posts.

I begin with this…glorious page that I totally burned holes into as a wee lad (click to enlarge)

My main love for this page was Micronauts, which were totally my jam in 1979, although that figure set always confused, why Antron by himself? Without Repto and Membros, this set didn’t make much sense, however, as an adult collector, I would love to find this three-pack in the consumer’s distributing box. If You have it for sale please email me.

 Get Toy-Ventures Issue 2 now!

The true highlight of this page however is the appearance of the Battlestar Galactica Landram, a vehicle that was only sold in Canada and goes now for thousands in the box. I can’t begin to tell you how many of these I found when I was first starting out as a collector, probably a half dozen in the box and I found a few loose ones at yard sales. No, I did not buy all of them or keep them but as you can imagine, I wish I had.

Much more catalog madness all this week!

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM PLAIDSTALLIONS

Pod Stallions is one of the most fun groups on Facebook.

Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s dimestore goodness, we talk vintage toys, not others!

The post Rare Battlestar Galactica toy in CD Catalog (Plus Mego Micronauts) appeared first on PS.

The Muppets were a smash in syndication, who doesn’t think of them when that ITC logo appears?

The Mego 12″ Wonder Woman brought in the bucks for many a year while Sindy was attempting to get some Barbie magic in a different scale..

The concept behind Kenner’s baby wet and care are still available at toy stores to this day.

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The Micronauts by Mego Corporation (released by Grand Toys) were an incredibly strong seller in Canada, the Eaton Center in downtown Toronto had a huge window display of them that year (If anyone had the sense to snap some pictures, please send them to me) The Micronauts coverage in this flier actually dwarfs Star Wars.

Space Lego started to appear around this time, one of the coolest toy lines ever IMO.

Capsela was an electronic building set with a space age flair..

Star Wars was distributed in Canada by Irwin Toys under the name “Kenner Canada” I sent many a proof of purchase to that Toronto address….

Matchbox had been selling the Mobile Action Command line of figures and vehicles for much of the 1970s, small wonder, at $1.99 per set they were a well-priced toy. The Spider-man racing set is one of the few superhero-related items in this flier.

I think it’s impossible to have grown up in the 1970’s suburbia and not know someone who had a Marx Green Machine or Big Wheel. I got to use my neighbour Gordon’s Green Machine once, so at least I can go to my final resting place knowing I hit the spin-out lever..

Classic board games like Sorry and Operation were joined by soon to be classics like Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Mr Mouth

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

The post 1979 Eaton’s Toy Land Catalog appeared first on PS.

For the record, 1941 wasn’t the biggest hit of 1979 (it was 24th), that title went to “Kramer Vs Kramer” but had much more disappointing merchandise.

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