Friday, February 29, 2008

Return of the Vintage Toy Store Pictures

vintage toy store pictures part five click here to see

This has to be one of my favourite obsessions, finding pictures of toy stores and aisles past. So I'm really pleased to be coming out with Vintage Toy Stores Part Five with a collection of images that feature classic toys of the seventies including Mego Superheroes, Adventure Team G.I. Joes, Aurora Monster Models, View Masters, Tonka Trucks and of course, Star Wars action figures.

If you're digging this then please check out Part One, Part Two and Part 3 and Part 4 in this series. I hope to bring Part 6 in the next few months, wish me luck!



Thursday, February 28, 2008

More Sleeping Bag Goodness

superhero sleeping bags

More reminders of my now long gone sleeping bag collection, that supergals one was possibly my favourite of all time, it doesn't hurt that much of it looks like a giant Mego actionf figure package but how often do you see Wondergirl on merchandising?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Star Bird

star bird by milton bradley
Star Bird was created by Milton Bradley, it's cool electronic features set it apart from the more obvious Star Wars inspired toys of the day (like this stuff). The command base practically begs you to use your star wars figures on it!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Spider-Man Strikes Again

spiderman appearance 1980 click here to visit the gallery

Another entry in the Superhero Mall Appearances gallery, this one shows children treating Spidey like he's the beatles in 1965(!)

Got a vintage mall appearance photo from back in the day you'd like to share? Drop me a line!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Don and Juan


Both of these gentlemen have not been seen since the 1979 Comiskey Park "Disco Sucks" ralley.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Colouring Book Theatre : Batman and Robin

Superfriends Colouring Book Today's colouring book is another one I had as a kid, Batman and Robin Battle the Joker in "Comedy of Tears" I borrowed the cover image from Rob Kelly's Treasury Comics website because this tabloid sized volume is too big for my scanner.

While the cover is a 60's image by Carmine Infantino (which also graced the Mego Batman box) the insides reflect the Batman of the mid seventies, Robin looks to be about 18.

Whitman did a nice job marrying the modern art style while making the content just a little reminiscent of the Adam West series.

I must say as a kid, I really dug this book, probably why I still have it as an adult. Most of the colouring is by yours truly but I'll explain that later.





The story starts out with the Joker escaping from Arkham Asylum and decides to think outside the box, instead of making people laugh, he'll make them cry. Bruce Wayne is wearing the loudest jacket he can find, no second guessing the decade here.






The Joker, who is drawn to look like an eery combination of Phyllis Diller and that "Madame" puppet, embarks on a series of seemingly meaningless crimes that make people cry, like stealing this kid's report card and swiping some schlub's petition.




Of course, the Joker wants the signatures on those documents to commit crimes which leads into his first encounter with the Dynamic Duo. Note the Joker's green nose, this is another strange colouring job by the previously mentioned Michael C. He was a menace, I remember snapping about this.





In the end, the Dynamic Duo get the best of the Joker by duping him into accepting a cheque as ransom for Robin. The dynamic duo get all dressed up to pick him up for his trip back to the asylum. Life is swell in Gotham city.


Got a colouring book you'd like to guest review? Drop me a line!

Seriously, I'm running out of stuff here, I'm down to my daughter's "My Little Pony" book.




Saturday, February 23, 2008

Vintage Star Trek Toy Love


A very cool "back in the day" piece of Star Trek coolness courtesy of Jerry, whose patient mom converted a red sweatshirt into a perfect trek uniform. Word of advice young Jerry, don't volunteer for any landing parties. If I wasn't already envious of that sweet Remco Ultility belt, Jerry rubs in it a little with his parting words "That utility belt was
awesome, I tell ya...".

Thanks for the great submission Jerry, if anyone else has some toy love they'd like to share, drop me a line.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Double Feature Friday


A double header today as we have two new features added to the site, first off, the 1976 Wham-o Frisbee catalog which, if you're like me, will make you long for summer.


All the Retro Toyfair Coverage has been saved to the site on one tidy page, in case you missed any of it or were just obsessed with Sea Monkies.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Don't Drink the Kool Aid!


"And that comet children, contains the mothership that will take us all to paradise"

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Hasbro has Charlies Angels

Dakin Looney Tunes


Ayyy It's the Fonz Bike!


Toy Fair 1977 :I would pay a million dollars to see Henry Winkler on that Big Wheel nowadays.....

Shindana Toys for 1977


Toy Fair 1977: Shindana's crime fighting "Slade" figure out cools just about any other action figure this year. I still want a Redd Foxx doll as well.

Super Joe Armed for Space War


After the demise of the Super Adventure Team, Hasbro regrouped and turned G.I. Joe into Super Joe, an 8" Mego sized Space Warrior. Super Joe lost the space war in 1978, interestingly at a time when the public's interest in science fiction was at a new high.


1978 Hasbro Super Joe Catalog


Mattel Welcomes Kotter


Toy Fair 1977 : Mattel put a lot of time into developing a Welcome Back Kotter line of action figures in 1977 but they had bigger success with the Shogun Warriors also making a debut in 1977. The Space:1999 Zython figure mentioned here never saw release in North America but is occasionally available through German Ebay.

HG Puzzles and Poster Sets for 1977


Toy Fair 1977: Who wants to colour in Starsky and Hutch? For more HG Toys check out their 1979 Catalog.

The Micronauts are Coming!

mego micronauts article

Mego Corp had one of it's biggest hits on it's hands when they transformed the Japanese line "Microman" into the "Micronauts" for children in North America.

ToY Fair 1977 : Stretch Monster Joins Kenner Clan

Lack of Stretch Monster still haunts me to this day.....


Original Stretch Monster Commercial


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Sea Monkies Speedway!

sea monkies

That's it for today, Retro Toyfair concludes tomorrow with 1977

Collegeville Costumes for '76


Toy Fair 1976: Hmmm, Martin Landau or a shark this halloween?

Aurora Scre-e-echers

G.I. Joe Super Adventure Team 1976


Toy Fair 1976: Eagle Eye Joe, Mike Power Atomic Man, Bullet man all teamed up to fight the evil Intruder aliens. This was G.I. Joe's final year of production, Hasbro reps were optomistic about the sales improving but sadly, it didn't work out.

Related Links: 1976 Hasbro G.I. Joe Catalog


Amsco World of Marvel and Moonbase Alpha Playsets


Toy Fair 1976: These cool Amsco Playsets must have made many a kid happy, in addition to Moon base Alpha and the Marvel universe, Amsco made sets for Planet of the Apes and the Waltons House(!)

Power Records

power records

Many of us thrilled to comic book and tv/movie adventures in those pre VCR days via Peter Pan record and comic sets. Dig the amazing store display in this article, what a nice thing to find now. For more on Power Records check out this groovy blog

Pressman Dick Smith Make Up Kit


Toy Fair 1976: The Pressman Dick Smith Make Up kit certainly made an impression on thousands of monster fans.

Retro Toy Fair 1976 : Super Babies


Everything got "super" in 1976, with the popularity of licensing increasing, toys became about the capes or the future with the popularity of Star Trek or then newcomer Space:1999.



A great example of the licensing surge are these Amsco Superbabies, wook at L'il Cap'n Merca with his widdle shield, awwwww!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Aurora releases Karate Men


The Fisher Price Adventure People Debut

fisher price adventure people

Toy Fair 1975: One of the most influential toy lines of the 70's emerges in 1975 with the birth of the adventure people


Related Links 1983 Fisher Price Adventure People Catalog

1977 Fisher Price Catalog

Shrunken Head Kit by Milton Bradley


For the aspiring young witch doctor.....

Kung Fu Figures from Diener


Toy Fair 1975 : Enter the generic Dragon, Diener also created some highly collectible Space Alien Figures.

Estes Star Trek Rockets

Estes Star Trek Rockets

Toy Fair 1975: I've always loved the concept of making the Enterprise a rocket.

Janex Talking Batman Alarm Clock



1975 Toy Fair: Janex would later go on to make more talking clocks including Superman and Star Wars.

Product People Cereal Character Squeezables

Charlie the Tuna and fruit brute

Using characters from commercials like Charlie the Tuna and Count Chocula just goes to show how influential advertising is on us as kids. Man, I need to hunt me down a Boo Berry.

Retro Toy Fair Coverage : 1975 gets all Bionic!

toy fair 1975

Toyfair 1975 was held from February 16 to the 18th of that year, a pretty signifigant year as many iconic toys from the 70's (some spilling over into the 80's) were born, including the big guy below:


kenner six million dollar man doll debuts in 1975

Upon seeing Steve Austin, many of us said "Mike Power Who?" and begged our parents for the amazing Kenner Bionic Man. Below is the toy fair promo reel courtesy of you tube:




Kenner Bionic Man Promo Reel

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Mighty Mego Men

Mego Superfoes


Toy Fair 1974 saw the introduction of the Mego Superfoe figures and my obsession with the Riddler was born. For more Mego action figure goodness check out the Mego Museum (whose members have already seen this, it was too good not recycle).

Child Guidance Sesame Street Finger Puppets


ToyFair 1974: There is no limit to the amazing amount of Sesame Street products made in the 1970s, these puppets were some of the more memorable items.

Evel Knievel is #1

ideal evel knievel


Toyfair 1974: Ideal's Evel Knievel was one of the hottest action figures going as this less than subtle ad from Ideal suggests, if you grew up in suburbia chances are you knew at least one kid with this thing.


More Fun: 1975 Evel Knievel Catalog

Imperial Millionaires

imperial toys ad

Toyfair 1974: You wouldn't think there was lots of money in rubber apes and alligators but I can't think of a kid who didn't have them....

More Fun: Imperial Toys Gallery

Shindana releases Rodney Allen Rippey Doll


Toyfair 1974 :Commercial spokeskid Rodney Allen Rippey got his own doll courtesy of Shindana in 1974. Poor Mason Reese......

Mason Reese endorses Matchbox Fighting Furies


Toyfair 1974: Deviled ham pitchman Mason Reese does a little moonlighting to support the new line of pirate action figures. The Matchbox Fighting Furies were one of the nicest made action figure lines of the 1970's.

Retro Toy Fair :1974

toy fair 1974

We begin our coverage showcasing some of the news and advertising Toy Fair 1974, which was held from February 17 to the 20th of that year.

First up, the latest addition to the Colorforms Team.



Check back for updates from 1974 all day long


LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin