Toy-Ventures take a trip to the spinner rack to highlight the memorable and truly forgettable comic books based on toy lines. We won’t tell you number one but rest assured; it ain’t Man Tech.

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Did you that issue 10 of Toy-Ventures magazine is now shipping? If you like vintage Toys and print magazines, this is the one for you. Topics include Mattel Pulsar, Sesame Street Finger Puppets, Shindana toys, Playmates Toxic Crusaders, Super Joe, Mego Planet of the Apes, Bionic Man Knock Offs, 

Do you miss reading print 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 ten issues and climbing; please check our page here or visit our store.

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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)

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The post Toy-Ventures: The 5 Best & 5 Weirdest Toyline Comic Books 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.

The post Space Wars 1977 appeared first on PS.

From the October 1977 of a Toy Industry magazine.

And behold, in the very same issue!

Ulp!

The post A message to the Toy Industry from 20th Century Fox appeared first on PS.

Just a  follow up to last week’s post about the late start that Star Wars got toy wise. In the very same toy trade magazine that nonchalantly showcased the photo of Lucas meeting with Kenner execs had this impressive add from Ideal at the very front.


Ideal invaded alright, the company worked very fast to crank out a Star Wars inspired series of action figures using old molds and a brand name “S.T.A.R Team” they used in the late 60s.


The publication date on this magazine is late September (ironically my 7th birthday) that means Ideal got a toy line to market in 90 days. Pretty impressive stuff and don’t think people didn’t notice,in October a new full page ad appeared in the toy trades.

Scarier than Darth Vader and the Imperial Senate, Fox unleashed their lawyers. It’s a battle many would lose but Ideal actually won, seeing as S.T.A.R Team existed prior to 1977. It didn’t matter because once Kenner launched real Star Wars, everything else paled and the landscape was forever changed.




More Star Team

The post The Humble Origins of Kenner Star Wars Part 2 appeared first on PS.

Yes! A new installment of  one of my favorites, vintage toy store photos. A journey back to the days of oddly named department stores and independent mall toy stores and chains that are fondly remembered but sadly mostly gone.

Vintage Toy Store Photos Volume 17 covers the US and Canada this time and features appearances by Big Jim, Kenner Bionic Woman,  Barbie, Shogun Warriors, Mego Star Trek, Space:1999,  Ideal Star Team, Mattel Donnie and Marie and Kenner Star Wars.

The post Vintage Toy Store Photos Volume 17 appeared first on PS.

For immediate release – April 1st, GROVERS MILL NJ – 


Somber. Powerful. A grim-masked menace that strikes terror into the bravest heart. A perfect bad guy for long hours of imagination and excitement.
– Ideal Toys Catalog 1978
So read the official description of the awesomest bad guy from the greatest space franchise in the 1970’s, Ideal Toys’ SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM – THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS. And now, HE’S BACK. 


 Originally created by a nameless Ideal executive in the late 70’s as a way to revive the long-dormant IDEAL’S ZEROIDS WORKER ROBOTS OF THE FUTURE franchise and their own SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM franchise of the early 70’s, Ideal Toys’ SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM was a completely original concept revived by Ideal because they knew kids of 1978 were dying for some awesome space-based action figures for some reason.


 With impeccable sculpting prowess, THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS was formed from the imagination of one of the artisans of Ideal Toys to provide the key figure in the franchise which the heroic ZEM-21and ZEROID SCOUTS could battle in endless original adventures throughout a child’s imagination. Along with their human friend KENT AND HIS COSMIC CRUISER and their S.T.A.R. TEAM SPACE HAWK, ZEM-21 and the ZEROID SCOUTS battled THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS. His magnificent black and silver uniform encased THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS in a cloud of mystery, as his futuristic weapon cut a path through the toy shelves of the time, destroying all the cyborg and military heroes that were his competition in the 12-inch action figure market.

But THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS had one problem – he was just too evil and imposing for the children of the time, who had never seen such an evil and imposing character in any medium ever. He’s just so evil and imposing and dark and knight-ish. 


So after only one series, Ideal Toys’ SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM disappeared from the shelves, never to return. Or so everyone thought.


 Now, after multiple years of complex legal matters, Toyfinity Toys has removed Ideal Toys’ SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM from the scrapheap of toy history and they will now be part of the revamped ROBO FORCE franchise. Toyfinity CEO and Owner John Kent said, when reached at his new mansion in Grovers Mill, NJ, “I couldn’t be happier with the acquisition of Ideal Toys’ SPACE TRAVEL AND RECONNAISSANCE (S.T.A.R.) TEAM, which will now be known as ROBO FORCE’S SPACE TEAM. I mean, Starriors wasn’t available and I wasn’t paying six more figures for the rights to MANTECH and STARCOMM, so this was the next best thing, I guess. At least until we finish up the DOCTOR DETROIT license.” 


 To mark the occasion, Toyfinity Toys has prepared a special piece of artwork showing ROBO FORCE’S THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS dispatching some type of robotic entities and reclaiming his territory on collectors’ shelves, in a piece done by Robby Musso, acclaimed artist who has worked on many, many comic book projects. Additionally, ROBO FORCE’S ZEM-21 and ROBO FORCE’S SCOUTS OF ZETON will appear in an all-new ROBO FORCE’S SPACE TEAM comic book on Toyfinity.com to continue their adventures in the cosmos later in 2014. 


The very first ROBO FORCE’S THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS action figure will appear later in 2014 utilizing the revolutionary GYLOS System from Onell Design , with ROBO FORCE’S ZEM-21 to appear in 2015, maybe.

ROBO FORCE’S KNIGHT OF DARKNESS – dare you add him to your shelves? Your other toys will be terrified as #DARKNESSFALLS.

About Toyfinity Toys, LLC
Toyfinity Toys, LLC is a New Jersey-based toy company who legally acquires the rights to old franchises and then makes new toys from them. 


Buy some at Toyfinity.com.
Trademarks are legal right and property of the various companies that own or owned them, copyright the years they were valid. No one reads these sections anyway, right? 
Special thanks to PlaidStallions.com for their scans of the Ideal 1978 Catalog.

The post TOYFINITY Presents: The Return of the Greatest Villain from ALL of the 70’s Space Franchises – ROBO FORCE’S THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS! appeared first on PS.

They even released their own promotional marvel comic as mentioned above, I’ve scanned the book if you’d like to see it here.

The prototype Star Team cast.


Of course, the famous story is Lucasfilm sued Ideal but lost because all of the Star Team stuff was made prior to Star Wars. The Zeroids was a toy line from the late 1960s, Knight of Darkness utilized a Captain Action body and other parts, it’s a rich tapestry.

While Ideal won, Star Team had a brief two year run before Kenner unleashed so much Star Wars goodness on us, our kids were born knowing who Chewbacca was….

The post Star. Team Day appeared first on PS.

And Spidey’s Villian du jour? Doc Ock? Green Goblin? Vulture? Electro? Wrong….remember, this was 1977 and a certain movie was all the rage back then. Spidey’s foe looked like Ideal Toys’ Knight of Darkness from Space Team (you never forget a Darth Vader knockoff)…the voice over sounded like a ham talking into a coffee can: “Ha-ha! I will destroy the city, and Spider-Man cannot stop me…ha-ha!, etc.” …and the finale was a “Lightsaber” battle, with Spidey webbing the ‘Knight up, another day saved, game over.

My mom and sister asked me if I wanted a picture with Spidey, which, to their surprise, I eagerly agreed to. That little paper sleeve (autographed!) with the attached picture is THE childhood treasure of my life. I have it to this day (I am 39 – 1/3). Note that I have an X-wing fighter pendant and a Star Trek ‘Scotty’ shirt (note the collar)…so I began my journey with sci-fi at a VERY early age. Thanks Patrick for the great story and if anybody out there has shots of Spider-Man fighting the Knight of Darkness, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. I need to see this spectacle for myself.
Send me your mall appearance photos!

The post Spider Man takes on the Knight of Darkness? appeared first on PS.

Other related links

Ideal Scare Cycles

The post S.T.A.R Team Promotional Comic appeared first on PS.