dolls Archives - PS

I Love Action Figures in Karate Outfits

Mantooth — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 01:12:00 +0000

(Many thanks to my friend Eddie for this awesome image above)

The Martial Arts explosion of the early 1970s was not lost on action figures, growing up in this time, it gave me a lifelong obsession with the culture.

It also turned out to be a real positive influence in my life, so I’ve decided to start collecting all the various 70s action figures I can find in Karate Gis and compiled a list of ones that i have and would like to have after the jump:

I recently just bought this Adventure Team Karate outfit and it made me realize that i’ve always been buying this stuff in one form or another. GI Joe was always the trendsetter, I love the art on this package.

http://www.plaidstallions.com/ljn/donbiljac.html

The Hong Kong based BARTER produced a series of action figures that went through different names around the world, in the US it was called Mr. Action, in Italy it was “Don-Bill-Jac” and as you can see Bill has deadly hands.

Of course, Big Jim always had a Karate GI in his arsenal, for almost his entire run too. He even got a Kung Fu Studio (we call it a Dojo) to practice his deadly board breaking skills.

Mego‘s Action Jackson is an old friend of mine and of course, he’s got every belt. The sticker on this box was done in Canada due to overstock of outfits, they tried to sell it as outfits for the Superheroes, Monsters and Apes bless them.

Mego also made a series of lower cost outfits for AJ that included tennis, golf and you guessed it, more Karate.

The Adventurer was a lower cost rip off AJ that copied a lot of the same themes, Some of the time his outfits appear to be Mego overstock.

Action Jose the Kung Fu Man had many “dresses” (their words, not mine) and thanks to my buddy Kevin, here are a couple.

I want to point out that I have never seen the actual Action Jose doll, if you have one please, please, please send me a photo.

More Martial Arts dolls soon, I promise!

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Get the expanded digital edition of Rack Toys here.

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Pod Stallions Episode 59: 2017 Retro Awards

Mantooth — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Another year, another pile of amazing pop culture.

As every retro awards, we talk about the things that most hit us in the feels in our nostalgic journey that is Pod Stallions.

We talk about our favourite movies, books, DVD releases and toys of this past year.

Topics include Planet of the Apes, Wonder Woman, the Super Friends, Doctor Who, Blade Runner, Al Adamson movies, Kung Fu, Mystery Science Theater, Elvira and much, much more.

So sit back, relax and please don’t give a second thought to the fact that two music nuts never thought to talk about albums……

So happy life day and give us spirited debate on our facebook wall.

Download the Show Here

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Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!

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Bendy Buck Rogers and Twiki

Mantooth — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000

This past weekend I was grateful to recieve a surprising package from Jason, my podcast partner. If you had asked me to guess, I’d have never gotten it right but somehow it’s the perfect gift. More after the jump:

So, it may be obvious to listeners and readers here that Brain loves hisself some Buck Rogers but when these two figures turned up on my doorstep on Sunday, I had totally forgotten they were even a thing!

Bendy Toys is this UK company that makes figures out of foam rubber and wire. Most of their stuff doesn’t age well and kind of rots. Their main output seems to be cartoon characters with a strong british focus, so you get a lot of characters like “Worzel Gummidge”.

Jason is mainly obsessed with these because Bendy made a Kenny Everett “Captain Kremmen” figure. Seriously, if you google “Bendy” and “Captain Kremmen”, you get a photo of Jason. That’s not me mocking him, far from it, we share that phenomenon.

I am so delighted to be the guardians of these wonderful, weird, off model action figures.

Buck and Twiki are home.

Mall of Justice wants your photos and stories click here!

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Big Jim Motorcross Honda

Mantooth — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 05:00:00 +0000

Picked up this oddity at last month’s Kane County toy show. It’s the regular Big Jim Honda bike that was released for a couple of years but for some reason it’s got the Pack logo emblazoned on it.

This isn’t a sticker either, it’s printed on the box. The best I can figure this is a transitional piece released before the P.A.C.K vehicles had been devised.

I have limits on what I buy and I don’t actively collect the All Stars line but this sort of crept in. Also, when I picked it up the dealer automatically kicked 25% off his posted price without me saying a word. That kind of tactic works really, really well on me.

Shameless Plug: I’m currently selling my US boxed Torpedo Fist on Ebay. Thanks for looking!

More Big Jim than you can handle!

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Pod Stallions 49: The 2016 Retro Awards

Mantooth — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 04:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year! It’s time for our annual salute to all the things that made us happy in 2016, especially those that harkened back to our childhoods and while it was kind of a rough year, there were still some nice bright spots.

The 2016 Retro Awards salutes the movies, books, and toys we raved about this year. It’s a double decker episode and let’s all make 2017 the best year ever, see you in January with another Pod Stallions.

Thanks for listening and happy new year!

Download the Show Here

Listen here

Show notes:

Brian loves the Dolemite Blu Ray by Vinegar Syndrome.
Both guys LOVED the book “Comic Book Fever“.
Brian also read The MLJ Comics Companion.
Jason heartily recommends the Power of the Daleks Animated DVD.
Brian admits to playing with his 12 inch Capaldi.

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Hasbro 1973 World of Love Catalog

Mantooth — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 05:00:00 +0000

Hasbro described Love dolls as: “She’s what’s happening. She’s today’s American teenager and she’s part of the World of Love“.

This was an interesting to attempt to combine Fashion dolls with what was left over of the hippie movement in the early 1970s as Hasbro hoped little girls would clamour to enact adventures for Love and her friends Peace, Flower, Music and Soul.

Check out the ’73 World of Love Catalog here.

More Fun from the Doll Commune

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Talking celebrities

Mantooth — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:49:00 +0000

Growing up I knew who Bozo and Mrs Beasley were but I can honestly remember having no clue what a Flip Wilson was when I saw one of his gender bending dolls on clearance.

I had to ask my Mom, who smiled and said “Oh he was funny!” which really didn’t answer the question….

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Mattel Sunshine Family for 1978

Mantooth — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

The Sunshine Family were a series of (In my opinion, creepy) dolls marketed by Mattel beginning in 1974. At the time, the line was marketed with the family being very into the burgening “post hippie” early 70s craft movement.

By 1978, the line’s look had begun to look dated so it was rebranded the “Sunshine FUN Family” (bet that was an all nighter at Mattel) and the characters were given a bit of a makeover. The Sunshine family had moved into the suburbs it seems…

Click here to see Mattel’s Sunshine Fun Family Catalog for 1978

More Sunshine folks

1976 Mattel Sunshine Family Catalog

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Lazy Dazy

Mantooth — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Coincidentally, should they ever make a doll of me, it would also come with it’s own pillow.

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Wedding Jitters

Mantooth — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:22:00 +0000

Note to toy manufacturers, when producing “Beautiful Bride” type dolls, try not to make their faces so “Twilight Zone creepy” perhaps keep them more at a “Night Gallery” level….

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