Toyco Alien Attack

Today’s update is the answer to one of those riddles that plagued for years. The play set you see above has been something I’ve been trying to track down for well over 20 years and it’s a wealth of toy history (and re-used molds) inside, more after the jump.

Despite the Woolco price tag on this one, I vividly remember buying this set at the pharmacy next to my grandparents store (oddly the same place I bought my last Star Wars figure General zzzzzz Mandine) there were three types of sets available a Dungeons & Dragons fantasy version (which I would also pick up that summer), this one and I think a war theme.

The insides were what you expect, some cardboard for a back drop, a thin sheet for the ground and some pretty nice figurines. I really dug that the box was it’s own carry case.

In the end, while these things held a mild distraction at best for two weeks during that summer. I was on the cusp of being a teen and toys weren’t really doing much for me. I was finding myself more into records (still something of a problem for me) and sneaking into R rated movies.

I have no idea what happened to either set and they became fond memories.

And then i became a collector and one who likes information.

For years and I mean years, I had no idea what this set was even called let alone who made it. I’m not positive how i stumbled onto “Toyco” but i kept it as an Ebay search for at least ten years until i finally found this set.

These are the astronauts included with the set, their origins are unknown to me but I know they’re at least from the 1960s. I also found them in a dollar store a few years back, so they’re molds still get used. I’m also positive that if you go to my parents house right now, you may be able to find one.

The real stars of this set were the amazing aliens, little did I know as a kid that they were knock offs the Colorforms Outer Space Men from the 1960s, the very same characters I lusted over in this set.

It seems kind of fitting that i reunited with this set as I’m late in career as a toy collector these days, more interested in stories and friends than buying new things. I’m still into records but i sadly just waltz right into R rated movies now…..

Thanks for reading, hope you have a tremendous weekend.