Archives

Mattel The Archies

I have zero recollection of these Mattel The Archies dolls from the late 1970s, a couple of years after Marx had done a series of Archie action figures. It’s curious that Mattel snubbed Bettie Cooper in favour of Sabrina (Maybe the Filmation cartoon show had something to do with that). I’ve also been surprised that […]

Rare Battlestar Galactica toy in CD Catalog (Plus Mego Micronauts)

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, […]

Toy-Ventures Issue 2 to cover Mattel Godzilla’s Gang

  We’re pleased to announce that Issue 2 of Toy-Ventures magazine will an article about the overlooked “Godzilla’s Gang” line by Mattel written by Ray “AcroRay” Miller.Seriously looking forward to this one! For more Updates on Issue 2, follow our shiny new Toy-Ventures Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/toyventuresmag You Can Purchase Toy-Ventures issue one at our online […]

1977 Mattel Shogun Warriors Catalog

1977 was the initial release year for the Mattel Shogun Warriors figures, unknown to us in North America these figures were called “Jumbo Machinders” in Japan and the characters were actually well-known cartoon characters. We’d get an inkling of this later when “Force Five” appeared in syndication.     Dragun would round out the first […]

Toy-Ventures: Torpedo Fist from Big Jim’s Wolfpack!

Our focus this week is one of the top agents in the Professional Agents Crime Killers (or P.A.C.K) , the amazing Torpedo Fist. We talk about the evolution of Mattel’s Big Jim, the birth of the PACK, Jack Kirby, the launch of “Double Trouble”, Torpedo Fist’s origin story and even touch how the character ended […]

Toy-Ventures: The Zython from Mattel’s Space:1999 line

This week we talk about one of the rarest action figures I’ve ever come across, the highly elusive Zython from the Mattel Space:1999 action figure collection. I don’t own this incredibly rare carded example but thankfully, I do know someone that has one and I examine it and give it’s interesting back story. Please subscribe […]

Review: Big Jim : A World of Adventures

As a kid of the early 1970s, Big Jim rocked my world. I’m also happy I have video evidence of me receiving a Big Jim for Christmas in 1974. As you can see, I’m pretty happy with the guy. As a lover of collector books, i’ve always felt Big Jim was kind of ….underserved. (more […]

Mattel’s Heroes in Action

Mattel’s Heroes in Action is easily in the top 3 PlaidStallions “Hey I had this toy as a kid” emails we get. The line’s military flavour is unique during a time when war toys weren’t quite in vogue. I remember them mainly from the gorgeous comic book ads but I never saw them as a kid, […]