Friday, April 30, 2010

Nasta Toys for 1980



We have a new company listing into the Gallery of Racktoys today with the addition of NASTA

Like a lot of it's counterparts in the late 1970/early 1980s, Nasta was rack toy manufacturer creating products based on the DC and Marvel Superheroes brands, Barbie and Hanna Barberra characters.

What sets them apart are their products, for the most part Nasta sold oddball items like Sunglasses, Sandals and Ice Pop makers. Some very non traditional licensed items that will put a smile on your face.











Visit the 1980 Nasta Toys Catalog for More




More Rack Toy Links


1979 remco . 1975 azrak hamway catalog.1976 remco catalog

AHI Spiderman toys. AHI


Thursday, April 29, 2010

Trading Card # 30: Kenner Alien


This card comes with a little bit of a story, I got lobbied to do it by someone over at the Megomuseum forums (thanks James). He even went out of way by mocking up what he thought the card should look like. This is important because and this might come as a shock but I'm not really a fan of Alien.


I've worked years at Convention dealer rooms with people who absolutely adore the thing, my wife owns all the films but the appeal of it all escapes me, I'm weird I guess. That said, James was totally right, this is an iconic toy of our childhood and absolutely deserved to get it's own trading card.



Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Greatest Star Wars Picture Ever


So let me paint this picture, these kids were winners of the Palitoy "Draw a Droid" competition (which I imagine was exactly what it sounds like) in 1979, the grand prize was a tour of the set for "Empire Strikes Back" where they had Gary Kurtz give them a tour and meet up with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew etc
At the end of the tour, Mark Hamill handed them a boatload of Star Wars toys and action figures. Gah! I think I can see the ULTRA cool Palitoy DeathStar in there as well.

I cannot imagine a better day for a kid, it would take a year of bully beatings and "Mom's new boyfriends" to wipe that smile off my face. Heck, as a kid I was overjoyed simply because I shared a birthday with Luke Skywalker, it goes without saying that I totally hate these kids....



Sunday, April 25, 2010

Colouring Book Theatre: Country Music Wax Museum

Today we have another guest colouring book review, this time from Rex who brings us possibly the weirdest colouring book I've ever seen. As souveniers go, this one almost seems to punish you for visiting. Bless you Rex and take it away...

Country Music Wax Museum"

World-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum offers audiences a chance to examine expertly-crafted likenesses of such expertly-crafted luminaries as Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Once upon a time, a dingy out-of-the-way storefront in Nashville, Tennessee similarly presented tourists with slapdash paraffin effegies of fading country music stars like Conway Twitty and Grandpa Jones. Though sadly gone, the Country Music Wax Museum lives on in an aptly bizarre coloring book that looks like it was illustrated traced by a particularly talentless 5th grader.


Here’s George D. Hay, best known as the inspiration for the schoolmaster in Pink Floyd’s The Wall, alongside Uncle Dave Macon, who’s either playing the banjo until his fingers bleed or enduring epic constipation.


Hank Williams sings the lonesome blues. Or maybe he’s singing about the horrors of tertiary syphilis.



Can you connect the dots to discover what Cousin Minnie has by her left side? Hint: It’s the same thing she has by her right side.



June Carter is a male impersonator. Husband Johnny Cash is concerned that he’s just now noticing this. (Editor's note: I pity the human being who thought woman looked like this)


Country music audiences of the 1960s were surprised to learn that white-sounding singer Charley Pride was actually African-American.
Charley looks a bit shocked himself here, as he learns that he’s also an albino.


Loretta Lynn is the most feminine-looking woman to grace these pages. And yes, that is a relative distinction.



At Madame Tussaud’s, you might see Elvis in his classic gold lamé or black leather. Here we have Country Elvis, wearing a ‘70s prom tux and looking like he’s just about to break into a conservative but definite hip-swivel. You can tell it’s Elvis from the signature curling of…uh…that oval shape where his lips would be.


Thoughtfully concluding this unique keepsake memento is a map to the museum--in case you’ve forgotten how to get to where you’ve just gone to. Road closed…bridge out…tree across road…the attention to detail is impeccable

I cannot thanks Rex enough for bringing us this horror, it almost makes Dune and Tuffy Tooth look entertaining by comparision...


Previously reviewed Colouring Books

If you have a colouring book you'd like to guest review, I'd like to hear from you!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Plaid Stallions 4th Birthday Bash

I know I promised a Cylon picture (and I'll get to that) but I just realized that today makes the fourth anniversary of this blog. So it seemed fitting to unveil Card #0 of the PlaidStallions trading cards, the Brick Mantooth action figure.

I cannot believe that it has been four years since I first created this blog and this (rather dry) first post. If you had have told me that I'd still being doing this let alone making trading cards, books and action figures I wouldn't have believed it. Mostly because I don't usually have that much "sticktoitiveness".
It's been an incredible positive trip and I've met some truly remarkable people and made some genuine friends. I truly thank you the reader for all your kind words and thoughts over the years, they've meant the world to me.
As with all the PS birthdays, it's time for another contest, just send me the answer to this question:

What's the one toy or childhood item from the 1970s you still wish you had?
Email me the Answer here and I'll announce the winners next Saturday.
Prizes include: Commercial DVDs, trading cards and Mego Reimagined Catalogs.

Again, my thanks to everyone for this terrific and fun journey.

Friday, April 23, 2010

GI Joe Adventure Team Newsletter


Hasbro was pretty adept at marketing the G.I. Joe line to kids as evidenced by this 1974 newsletter sent to members of "The Adventure Team". For a $1.50 you got all kinds of cool swag plus this newsletter, which was filled with stories and a pile of material lifted from the Hasbro catalog.
Seeing this stuff blows my mind and makes me wish I wasn't so darn lazy as a child. This newsletter (complete with letter from Commander Mike Triumph) is a wonderful window into a time when Kung Fu Grip was king...




Click Here to see the 1974 GI Joe Adventure Team Newsletter




Other G.I. Joe Related Links


G.I. Joe Action Team Line from Germany

Also be sure to stick around this weekend for a vintage visit with a cylon and the worst colouring book I've ever seen.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Steel Gym Centre

I can totally still feel the fat lips I got from this kind of stuff.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Biddy Biddy Cool


I love Buck Rogers, I watched it faithfully as a kid every week and as an adult I've worn out my boxed set. It's the perfect 70s entertainment for me, cheese, sci fi and sexy all sloppily tucked into an ill fitting spandex jumpsuit.

As a kid however, the closest I ever got to the toys were when my pal Jason visited and I got to borrow his figures for the day. For some reason, my mom truly drew the line with Buck toys, it was a complete no go, which was weird considering I watched "Battlestar Galactica" maybe five times as kid and had the whole first wave. I'll never get parents, maybe she just didn't like Gil Gerard.

Check out the Mego Museum's Buck Rogers Gallery.

Also, A scrappy company called ZICA toys is set to release Mego like 8" versions of Buck Rogers, Tigerman and Hawk this summer and they've even promised a Twiki in wave 2! Check out the awesomeness of the headsculpts here.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Son of AHI Monsters

A few more variations added to the Azrak Hamway Monster Toy Galleries, cataloging these seems to be kind of endless, which I kind of liks.


 AHI Frankenstein


Above is another one of these end of the line cupped hand versions, this time it's of Frankenstein. I think it's funny these versions come wearing cleats, I guess Franky just came from Soccer practice.


 AHI Frankenstein


And this Mummy complete our section on the wrist jointed versions of the figures, as you can see the Mummy has himself a big hairy "Sean Conneryesque" chest going on. That's because all the figures share a torso..


AHI Monster Gallery

I've spent a little time upgrading and organizing the growing AHI Monsters section of the site, check it out.


Saturday, April 17, 2010

Darth Vader hits the Waterpark

Matt sent in this fun shot of him and Darth Vader in the Wisconsin Dells circa 1978, note the signed 8" by 10" glossy in his hands. Matt gets bonus points for the cool Starsky and Hutch shirt but I'm not sure why Darth Vader is wearing the buzzer from my grandmother's apartment building lobby on his chest...

Friday, April 16, 2010

1976 Multiple Toymakers Catalog

Multiple Toys doesn't immediately spring to mind when you think of childhood favourites but they certainly should seeing as they did create an incredible amount of childhood staples like plastic dinosaurs and green plastic army men.

Add to that Multiples hot licenses like Planet of the Apes, M*A*S*H, Kung Fu and the DC Comics superheroes and you have the irresistable combination of fun and excitement.







Click Here to Visit the 1976 Multiple Toys Catalog



More Planet of the Apes Merchandise


planet of the apes azrak hamway toysplanet of the apes well made toys


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