Disclaimer: These links are sponsored, but the opinions are my own.

Archie Bunker Patches (sponsored link) —

I grew up in a post-All in the Family world. I was way too young for the show when it first launched (fun fact: I once thought this was the Archie from the comics all grown up), but I swear Mad Magazine never stopped with parodies and the reruns? Oi vey. These patches from ’72 are a prime example of how this show dominated when it first appeared. 

When I started collecting toys in the 1980s, I visited the backrooms of many dusty variety stores where the Archie Bunker card game was always present, right next to the Bionic Man game.

Star Blazers Desslock action figure (sponsored link) –

I’ve opined about these Nomura Star Blazers action figures at great length here and while the seller has the two main characters, getting a Desslock (Dessler) figure is really super duper difficult. I know it took me years to track him, Mark Venture and Captain Avatar down.

The Stretch Armstrong Prototype  (sponsored link)

For the person who has everything, the original Stretch Armstong prototype. Now you might be tempted to take a big old bite out of a stretch like I was when I was 7, but the 50-year-old corn syrup will definitely kill you.

Battle of the Planets Bootleg figures (sponsored link) —

Man, this one would disappoint me as a kid, desperate for ANYTHING Battle of the Planets at the time. 

McDonalds Mayor McCheese Animation Cel (sponsored link) —

I honestly do not remember seeing animated McDonaldland characters before but I love this very early 70s take.

THE LINCOLN MONSTERS KICK STARTER IS LIVE

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Toy-Ventures Weekly- The Source for Mego Museum and Plaid Stallions news. Regular columns, CustoMego and more!

The Toy-Ventures Weekly 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!

Issue #13 of Toy-Ventures 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 catalog, gloriously coloured by Robyn Adams, founder of the Mego Museum.
https://www.toyventuresmag.com

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 Issue 12- Stretch MonsterClick Here for past installments of 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week

The post 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week appeared first on PS.

Disclaimer: These links are sponsored, gotta earn dem nickels!

Big Jim Dr. Bushido (sponsored link) —

Big Jim’s European Adventures in the 1980s felt a lot like it was mimicking 80s Italian cinema with its spy and science fiction mashups. Take Jim’s futuristic enemy, Dr. Bushido, who has this new wave “Ming the Merciless” thing going on, combined with a freaking glow-in-the-dark samurai sword! He looks like an extra from the unfilmed “Yor: The Hunter from the Future” sequel. Now, all we need is a soundtrack from Goblin!

Glasslite Blue Thunder Frank Action Figure (sponsored link)

Glasslite of Brazil is one of my favourite foreign toy makers, and I’m sure I only appreciate a 10th of their output.  These Blue Thunder action figures are something different from the Multi-Toys versions in the US. This Frank Chaney doesn’t resemble James Farentino, but the card art certainly bears a resemblance to Roy Scheider!

A sealed can of Mattel Slime (sponsored link) —

Wow, a true 1970s legend is sealed in there or is it? If you purchase this item, not only do you get a classic toy, but also a thought experiment in quantum mechanics. Is there still slime in there, or is it something else? This is Schroedinger’s Slime.

Gatchaman Japanese Pop-Up Book (sponsored link)

How did this excellent book escape my gaze? As some may know, I met my wife because of this cartoon, and hey, that really worked out, so I truly love the merchandise. I’m always a fan of stuff that features a lot of Zoltar and also the insides are gorgeous!

I mean, will you drink this in? It’s wonderful!

Micronauts BioTron Ben Cooper Halloween Costume (sponsored link)

I’m currently working on a Toy-Ventures episode about the amazing Micronauts merchandise not made by Mego. These Ben Cooper costumes are part of that discussion and SO up my alley. You’d think I’d own this, but no, I’ve never had that moment. 

BONUS ITEM!

Rarer AHI Mr Spock Bop Bag sold at Pool Stores (sponsored link) —

So AHI (Azrak-Hamway Inc) was famous for Rack Toys like the Mr. Spock Bop Bag (which is my doorstop here at the office) they also had a thriving pool toys business. This version of the Bop bag has a different design and is sold in a large baggie.

Hal Needham Stuntman Playset by Gabriel Toys (sponsored link)

This is a truly innovative toy concept from the mid-1970s, a doll based on the legendary stuntman Hal Needham. This allowed kids to do real stunt work. Obviously, this set saw some play, as Hal’s head came off, which is probably not something that happened to the real guy.

The Mighty Hercules Book and Record set from Japan (Sponsored Link) 

As a Canadian kid, I thrilled to the Adventures of the Mighty Hercules and his idiot sidekick, Newton, his idiot sidekick, Newton.  (if you get that joke you are cool) I am blown away that this show had any popularity in Japan but now this is all I can think of.

Spider-Man Super Klobbers by AHI (sponsored link)

I’m not surprised that AHI chose to rip off Socker Boppers; they sold a lot of inflatable toys and well, they had the Spider-Man license. What’s surprising is how rare these are, I guess they did not take off.

Big Jim Cipsa Kid Acero Lobomovil (sponsored link) 

This vehicle was known as “The Beast” in the USA and was the first vehicle available for the P.A.C.K toys, mainly because it’s a repainted Camper. In Mexico, they didn’t have the same characters so they drew over the (GLORIOUS!) Jack Kirby’s art and turned them into bad Guy Garfio and Good guy Hombe Bionico. I love this so much but this freaking thing is such a space killer. Ugh, this is going to bug me….

Oh God, I just realized Hombre Invisible was added! Agggghhhh I have no money!

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

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

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5 Awesome Things on eBay this week- G-Force Pops Up, Micronauts, Spock Bops, Micronauts, Blue Thunder & a Slime dilemma.

Glasslite, Blue Thunder, Frank Chaney, Mattel, Big Jim, Dr Bushido, Gatchaman, Battle of the Planets, Pop-Up Books, Slime, Mattel Slime, Mego, Micronauts, Ben Cooper, Biotron, Baron Karza, AHI, Azrak Hamway, Mister Spock, Star Trek, Bop Bags, five awesome things on eBay this week, 5 Awesome eBay, Plaidstallions,

The post 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week appeared first on PS.

Disclaimer: These links are sponsored and lizards in disguise.

Amazing Bullmark Mecha Godzilla store display (sponsored link) ––

I’ve never seen these toys before but I wish I had seen them as a kid. That’s probably my favourite Godzilla movie of all time, and well, I like clear toys.

MASH Latrine Playset by Zee Toys (Sponsored Link) ––

So yeah, they made the toilets from MASH as a toy, a playset of sorts. You can set up the army man and well, make fart sounds all afternoon. When you factor in that this was aimed at boys in the third grade, you realize the people at Zee Toys may not have been stupid.

As a former 8-year-old boy, this would have been at least a fun afternoon.

Planet of the Apes Urko Belt Buckle (sponsored link) —

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but I’m awfully fond of this whole Planet of the Apes nonsense the kids are into. I really like the oddball items, probably because I’ve forbidden myself to buy them.  Although I’d look pretty bad ass in this.

Vintage Cocktail swords (sponsored link) —

These things were like currency when I was kid, my parents weren’t drinkers so getting these was rare. As a kid, they were the perfect scale for Mego figures and hey, who didn’t want swords for your action figures?

Battle of the Planets Target Set (Sponsored Link) 

While I’ve seen the box for this thing before, I never realized how cool the toy is. The box is that same Sandy Frank licensing shot we’ve seen before but the target set itself is of Zoltar!

Zoltar, that amazing gender bending Glam rock villain didn’t get onto a lot of merchandise and we must celebrate it.

Just look at this thing! Glorious!

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

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

. 

Popy, Bullmark, Mecha Godzilla, Godzilla toys, Japan, MASH, Zee Toys, Plaidstallions, 5 Awesome eBay, 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week, Planet of the Apes, Belt Buckles, General Urko, Battle of the Planets, Zoltar, G Force, Gatchman, cocktail swords, 70s barware,

The post 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week appeared first on PS.

Super Fly- 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week

Super Fly promo balloon (eBay Link) –

A lot of 70s so called “Blaxploitation” movies were built on their soundtracks, which would be released prior to the movie. Those fantastic records would draw more attention to the film and well, Curtix Mayfield’s Superfly was a massive album.

Space:1999 Illco Radio (eBay Link) —

I had one of these when I first started collecting toys, it always reminded me of Winslow Leach’s chest unit in Phantom of the Paradise. Illco also made this in “Starsky and Hutch” which is super dorky.

Battle of the Planets Princess doll from France (eBay Link) —

I must admit that if I found a display of Battle of the Planets figures in 1978 that only contained Princess, I’d have bought it. My love for Battle of the Planets supersedes the cooties of girl dolls, I know I would have done it.

Early 70s Big Bird Patch (eBay Link) —

I super love the deranged early version of Big Bird merchandise; it’s creepy but not threatening.

Gemini Man Power Record (eBay Link) —

I totally missed this show when it first aired but this record, which hung at “Dragon Lady Comics” for a good decade, was a reminder. It’s about a guy who can be invisible for an hour a day. Mystery Science Theatre 3000 was where I first got to see it.

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!

Toy-Ventures Magazine Issue 10 is here!

Do you miss print toy magazines? I sure did; that’s why I created Toy Ventures. A full-colour print magazine that celebrates toys from the 1960s to the 1980s. It features collector guides, interviews and even some satire. We’re on issue 10 now but still have a limited supply of our back issues; please visit our Shop for more information.

Get the Official Tura Satana Action Figure

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.

Mego Knock Off Headquarters is a group created to discuss bootleg toys and customs. Totally chill vibe for fans of Tomland, Lincoln International, Mego and AHI. It’s a super fun group, join Mego-KO-HQ!

Check out the PlaidStallions store for Toy-Ventures magazine, Tura Satana and much more:
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The post 5 Awesome Things on eBay this week appeared first on PS.

EBAY LINK Popy Kamen Rider Stronger Challenge Machine Figure + Kabutoro 1975 Evel Knievel– We covered the Challenge Machines in Toy-Ventures Issue 3, they’re Japanese versions of Evel Knievel but featuring Japanese Superheroes. I want all of these, real, real bad.

EBAY LINK M*A*S*H HEAD QUARTERS-  I love Rack Toys and M*A*S*H didn’t go too many and this “Head quarters” by Ja-Ru is a real treat, it’s got BJ and Col. Potter on the card, so I’m going to say it’s early 1980s.

EBAY LINK VIC’s GIANT FRANKENSTEIN JIGGLER 
Apparently these were sold at Universal Studios theme park and related to the friendly Frankenstein that wandered the park, so is it a souvenir?  I need to know!

EBAY LINK Buck Rogers Shaker Maker Set- Who wants to spend a post-covid rainy day at my house making these? Come on, let’s paint a chubby Tiger Man together!

EBAY LINK Paper Hero Gatchaman- This is the Japanese version of the OurWays Studios Jointed Heroes but with Mark from G-Force, this is incredible.

GET Issue 3 of Toy-Ventures here!

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!

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Toy-Ventures 13 talks about the awesome series of action figures based on the popular television series “Battle of the Planets”. These are the action figures we craved and totally deserved as kids but sadly never got.


I go into my reasons as to why I love Battle of the Planets and showcase my small but well loved collection.


Say “Transmute” and join me, won’t you?




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The post Toy-Ventures 13- Battle of the Planets action figures from France appeared first on PS.

I seriously was trying to swear off Battle of the Planets merchandise after finding this and more importantly this in the previous few months.

However, a well meaning friend of mine forwarded me an auction and it was a) Super Cool and b) TWENTY MINUTES FROM MY FREAKING HOUSE. I’m not made of stone, more after the jump.

While I think I would have freaked out for this toy as a kid, I’m sure I ever had a head this small. I do have a large head but this helmet almost fits my hand.

According to the photo at the time, mine is missing some stickers, I don’t really mind.

Can you all please witness me swearing off Battle of the Planets toys for a little while?

The post Battle of the Planets Helmet appeared first on PS.

Ever since I found this guy sitting at the cash register of Suspect Video on Queen and talked the manager out of it (good thing too because the store sadly burned down not long after) I’ve been wondering what the heck he was. I by and large just assumed a knock off figure sold in dime stores but happily I was wrong. 


Turns out they’re by a company called Jecsan of Spain, more figures and packaging after the jump.

As you can see this guy about 5 inches tall and has some limited articulation. 

 


Thanks to a hot tip from my friend Matt, I now have a carded Princess in the same style, I’m not sure why she comes with Mark’s Boomerang but who cares? I’m always thrilled to have a toy that isn’t Mark.

Looking forward to tracking down more of these!

The post Battle of the Planets by Jecsan appeared first on PS.

Well, my pal Dave over at ToyNerd (go check it out, I’ll wait) succeeded in two things 1) Showing me something I’ve never seen before and 2) Totally making me want a girl’s bicycle!


Follow me after the jump for this awesome Battle of the Planets piece.

Seeing as Princess rode a three wheeled bicycle this may be the most authentic piece of BOTP merchandise we saw on this side of the Pacific.

The sticker on the back is a reproduction but the seat is totally Gatchaman.

‘

Thanks again to Dave 

The post Battle of the Planets Tricycle appeared first on PS.

First of all this thing is like six inches long, incredibly perfect for a kid’s hand.

Even though I have the missile, I have no idea how to make it fire. 

The original owner of this had this as a kid and was obvious a very neat child.

I won’t tell you how long it took to get this shot, please tell me you enjoy it….

I assume this toy originated in Japan but i have no idea who made it.

You of course get tiny plastic interpretations of the individual vehicles and a missile. How did this kid not lose these? I’ve almost lost them twice today.

Everything tucks away in the bottom, thank goodness.

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