Disclaimer: The links are sponsored and also, some guy farted in here.

Welcome Back Kotter Guitar by Fleetwood Toys (sponsored link) 

Did the Sweathogs ever show any musical prowess? I watched the show a lot as a kid and only remember John Travolta’s singing. 

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

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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!

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

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The Mighty Hercules, Sweathogs, Rack Toys, Fleetwood, Book and Record, Japan, Spider-Man, AHI, Socker Boppers, Inflatables, Big Jim, Kid Acero, Cipsa, Big Jim PACK, Dr Steel, Jack Kirby,  Hal Needham, Gabriel Toys, Stunt man, 1970s toys, action figures, PlaidStallions, 5 Awesome Things on eBay, 5 Awesome eBay,

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

https://youtu.be/hZ-vxKwFrFU

Tonight’s Toy-Ventures is about a childhood toy woe and a deep appreciation for the “Man Vs Nature” action figure genre. It’s the Mattel Big Jim Devil River Trip!
#BigJim #Toyventures #Mattel

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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Mattel, Big Jim, Toy-Ventures, GI Joe Adventure Team, GI Joe, Hasbro, Fisher Price Adventure People, Abominable Snowman, Big Jim Pack, Big Jim Devil River Trip, Cipsa, Congost, Canadian Toys, Swamp Patrol, Action Figures, Eaton’s, Devil of the Deep, Pygmy Gorilla, White Tiger, Sharks, Alligators, Imperial Toys,

The post Toy-Ventures: Big Jim’s Devil River Trip appeared first on PS.

Toy-Ventures returns and celebrates the end of a 25-year quest for some of the rarest Mattel Big Jim P.A.C.K items.

It’s a story with a few twists and turns!

#toyventures #bigjim #toycollection

Thanks to
treehousecollectibles.ca
https://www.instagram.com/crossroads_collectibles_canada/

Mego Meet 2024 is August 16-17 in conjunction with Zolo-Con! https://www.facebook.com/events/236781772848368

Check out the original Big Jim P.A.C.K commercials here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gFTTxRN3Kc&t=5s

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

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Mattel Big Jim

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

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! 5 Awesome

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:

www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

Join the fun at Mego Knock Off Headquarters, 1800 members and climbing:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Megoknockoff

Topics Discussed PlaidStallions, Toy-Ventures, Brick Mantooth, Big Jim, Mattel, 1975, 1976, Big Jim Pack, Dr Steel, Torpedo Fist, the Whip, Warpath, Jack Kirby, John Busceuma, Marvel Comics, GI Joe, Lazervette, Howler, Big Jim All Stars, Big Jim Olympics, Big Josh, Chief Tanuka, Plaid Stallions, Toy-Ventures Magazine, Mego Meet, SDCC, Galoob, BlackStarr, Treehouse Collectibles,

Toy-Ventures: Big Jim P.A.C.K grail finds!

The post Toy-Ventures: Big Jim P.A.C.K grail finds! appeared first on PS.

Big Jim Pack Ski Patrol

Super fun pick up this week, a Big Jim Double Trouble ski Patrol set in Canadian packaging. As much as I loved the P.A.C.K as a kid, I don’t remember seeing these sets. I’d like to think I’d remember that striking Marvel artwork. Canadian P.A.C.K stuff does not really pop up much so this was pretty amazing for me.

Big Jim Ski Patrol

There it is, the big difference between the US and Canadian cards for this outfit. I know it’s hardly mind-blowing but toy collecting doesn’t always make sense, it’s fine.

Big Jim Pack Ski Patrol

#toyventures #mego #buckrogers

Lincoln Monsters Return from the Crypt in our latest Collaboration with Absolutely Retro and White Elephant Toyz.

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 11 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!

5 Awesome

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:
www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

Join the fun at Mego Knock Off Headquarters, 1800 members and climbing:
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Big Jim, Mattel, Big Jim PACK, 1970s toys, Plaidstallions, Toy-ventures,

The post Big Jim Pack Ski Patrol Outfit appeared first on PS.

Toy-Ventures this week takes a detour from vintage and talks about this modern oddity. This three-pack of figures keeps popping up on eBay containing current versions of Big Jim, Pulsar and Major Matt Mason on Secret Wars bodies. Three characters I’d welcome back to the toy shelves with open arms, but what exactly is this?

Our latest book “Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures” is available at the PlaidStallions shop, more info here:
www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

 Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures is our latest book and it’s available right now through the PlaidStallions Store, Amazon or on eBay.

Our book Rack Toys, Cheap, Crazed Playthings is now available again! Order through our Affiliate Link

Order Rack Toys 2.0 Here through out Affiliate Link►https://amzn.to/3Bkm9z1

Toy-Ventures Magazine is our newest creation, an old-school print magazine about vintage toys! Professionally laid out and written, each issue is brimming with obscure and rare toys from companies such as Mego, Kenner, Remco, AHI, and much more. Monsters, Superheroes, Adventurers, Knock Offs, Apes, and so much more, it’s in Toy-Ventures.

Toy-Ventures Issue 5 is available now:
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Pod Stallions is one of the most fun groups on Facebook. Toys, Comics, Movies, TV, it’s all up for grabs and remember, you keep the glass!

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

Get Toy-Ventures Issue 3 here with a comprehensive look at the Lincoln Monster line:
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The post Toy-Ventures: The Return of Big Jim? appeared first on PS.

Toy-Ventures takes a look at what we feel is the coolest action figure vehicle of the 1970s, Big Jim’s double-trouble ‘Vette with’s awesome laser canons. Tell us what you think is the 70s most iconic vehicle here or at the Pod Stallions Facebook group.

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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 Toy-Ventures: Big Jim Lazervette appeared first on PS.

This comic originally came rolled up in Big Jim Gold Commander figures, I had this as a kid and I have to say it was one of my favourite memories as a kid. The pre-curser to stuff like Marvel’s run on Shogun Warriors, Micronauts and GI Joe, which I devoured as a kid as well.

Get our new Toy Magazine here, supplies are limited.

“Hang on to your Wolf Tattoos” Does dialogue get any better? The story begins with the origin of the P.A.C.K, the comic glosses over Big Jim’s origin, which is pretty wise. According to his earlier packaging, he was an Olympic skier (nice tie-in Mattel!) who saved a wolf cub while fighting an avalanche, when he came out of that mess he decided to fight crime. Not exactly Batman is it?

Dr Steel, Whip and Warpath have already established characters when this comic got made, so they’re very on model in this piece. “Torpedo” was eventually called “Torpedo Fist” when he hit toy shelves and he looked a little different.

If I were in the P.A.C.K I don’t think I could watch Torpedo use his arm power, it’s kind of gross! Here we learn what P.A.C.K stands for, Professional Agents/Crime Killers, you’re not going to win the acronym award fellas. We also meet Jim’s boss, Prof. Rolf who never got his own action figure…..

The origin of Zorak has to have been done or at least inspired by Marvel Comics, it’s so familiar, the scientist goes rogue, journeys below the earth’s surface and becomes a deformed madman complete with a cool costume and henchmen.

Zorak is terribly off-model here, for some reason he’s adorned in purple tights which some might think is better than what he actually came with……

Now we just veer off into a big toy commercial for the Blitz Rig and the double trouble outfits. From the looks of the comic, the Blitz Rig was supposed to be a revamped Big Jim camper, it turned out to just be a Gift set combining the Howler and the BEAST pick-up truck. The double Trouble outfits were pretty cool, one set had a “surprise” feature, the other set was just outfits.

I always wonder how insane, monstrous madmen build high tech lairs and get henchmen. Do they have job fairs? I guess you shouldn’t try to dissect a comic shoved into an action figure box. I love the little “montage” of the P.A.C.K getting ready, this should be backed up by some music by “Survivor”.

Note the sequence where Big Jim’s face changes, this is the ad for Double Trouble Big Jim. You see Zorak had a device where his face switched around from Human to Monster, so Mattel made a Jim figure where he goes from Mad to “I’m having a really big poo”, the device was hidden under some really big Micheal Landon Hair. 

A lot of “hunh” moments here, firstly why didn’t Torpedo just put the paper down himself and pull out his rifle? Was there a really good Mary Worth he wanted to clip? Of course, you’ll be ready to forgive when you see what The Whip is doing below.

Warpath is wearing the coolest (IMO) double trouble outfit in the set, the construction workers jackhammer turns into a machine gun. You know the P.A.C.K couldn’t look more like the village people at this point. They have a native American, a cop outfit, construction worker and a pirate!

I love the “to be continued” ending, it reminds me of the Doc Savage movie. Just like the Savage movie, Jim’s exploits were cut short much to my chagrin. I loved the Wolf P.A.C.K as a kid and I still remember the day they disappeared from toy shelves. Thanks for reading!

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

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The Love Boat crew goes to war? Planet of the Apes gumball items? Aquaman goes sky diving? Big Jim pajamas?

This week’s Toy-Ventures explores all the oddball stuff I’ve picked up over the past few months and also gives an update on the channel and our various endeavors and announcements. It’s a super long Toy-Ventures!

Toy-Ventures Magazine Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/toyventuresmag

PlaidStallions Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Plaidstallionsdotcom

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 Toy-Ventures: Weird Stuff I Got (plus channel news) appeared first on PS.