We decided to put the show up a little early for the seventh anniversary of the site. Jason and Brain talk about their memories of the first time they saw Star Wars anything. The toys, the comics, the magazines, the school yard rumors, the knock offs, it's all there.
We even get waaaay off tangent and start talking about Benson's replacement on Soap and why exactly do Logan 5 and Jessica 6 have British accents?
We titled this volume 1 because there was no way in hell we could encapsulate all of the juggernaut that was Star Wars into one show, it will eventually become a trilogy.
We even get waaaay off tangent and start talking about Benson's replacement on Soap and why exactly do Logan 5 and Jessica 6 have British accents?
We titled this volume 1 because there was no way in hell we could encapsulate all of the juggernaut that was Star Wars into one show, it will eventually become a trilogy.
- A display of original 12 back Kenner Star Wars figures that brings back warm memories.
- Here is that original People Magazine issue about Star Wars.
- The bootleg minatures that Jason mentioned were made by Neville Stocken.
- The Space Sword and Shield Brian will generously pay for.
- The poster that Jason kept from the Star Wars album.
- Ever wonder what the Early Bird Kit Jason cut up goes for these days? (not for the faint of heart)
- The book about Canadian Star Wars that Brian is thunmbing through is calls Irwin Toys: The Canadian Star Wars Connection.
- Those Star Wars pendants we mentioned.
- A Cheerios box from Canada that had a Star Wars offer that Brian mentioned.
4 comments:
Just downloaded the episode and can't wait to listen.
I saw the mention on the Space Sword and wanted to say thanks! I've been trying to find the name of this for a while. I had multiple Space Swords (I was pretty rough on 'em). My parents used to buy them for me at the local TG&Y. As far as me, they were sold single as the sword on a flat cardboard backer. Loved this toy!
Here's a pic of my holding one, in my Vader costume back in the late 70s:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P90GnCCv1oI/SOY0i657epI/AAAAAAAABw4/hf9wX5JAfyE/s1600-h/2008+Halloween+logo+copy.jpg
Every time I hear people giving Kenner the credit for inventing the 3 3/4" figure scale I go insane a little. I was so happy to hear Brian set the record straight. Adventure People, Micronauts, and even the Mego Comic Action Heroes are always overshadowed by Star Wars for some reason.
The other knockoff lightsaber mentioned was probably "The Force Beam". I agree that vintage bootleg Star Wars toys would be a great subject to devote an episode to.
I thought the comments about the kid who choked on the Battlestar Galactica missile were ignorant and inconsiderate. Yeah it sucks that toymakers overreacted somewhat, neutering launcher springs for most of our childhoods from '79 to about '89, but directing your ire toward the kid is incredibly offensive. I know his surviving brother is active online and I hope he never listens to this episode.
I guess part of the problem is people are unaware of the other casualties. It wasn't just one boy who was injured by those missiles, it was at least 17 kids. He was just the one who died. This article from February of '79 spells out why that whole missile affair was a real problem for lots of children:
http://tinyurl.com/bsgmissile
I guess Jason doesn't have children because the insensitivity of his remarks floored me. I have a collection of loose Mattel BSG ships and a 6 year old son. Ever since my son's fourth birthday I've thought a lot about Robert Warren and how he died at 4 years old. I also think about all those other kids who inhaled missiles and what it must have been like as a parent having to deal with that nightmare. It must have been a horrible tragedy for every family impacted by the missile situation.
I love the format of two forty something guys talking about toys of the seventies. This is the kind of podcast I always wished existed.
Appreciate the honest feedback guys> Totally understand how those comments could offend. I'm fairly certain they were done tongue in cheek but I see and respect your point.
Great show! I swear listening to your podcast is like hearing stories of my own life. I actually find comfort in knowing some of the more unsettling aspects - such as the competitiveness, the envy and even the stealing - are shared! Growing up, I wondered if those were normal for a kid. Weren’t we supposed to be naïve and trusting and generally good natured? Like, when Jason talks about removing the proof of purchases or keeping the poster from the record he returned, I did him one better. I was a manipulator. I got a buddy of mine to steal Star Wars cards from 7/11 while I waited outside. I even managed to have him open loaves of Wonderbread (you guys didn’t mention that promotion!) & stick his grubby hand in the bag and take the cards! Then I would split the bounty, usually giving him about 1/3 of the take. Terrible, right?
I didn’t get to the movie until August 1977 but I had seen the commercials and I had the Wonderbread cards and a Marvel Star Wars #2. After being blown away upon seeing it, the one thing I anticipated - and was sure of - was the arrival of Star Wars Megos! Of course that never happened, but in the interim I did get… a Space Sword! I had it, too, Brian! A one-piece glow-in-the-dark plastic toy that resembled the blade of an actual sword more than it did a lightsaber. But I recall the artwork on the box in the drugstore they were in featuring an illustration of a Stormtrooper knock-off yielding the weapon.
I also got my hands on the Rolling Stone with the Star Wars cover, Famous Monsters with Darth Vader on the cover, that same shot of Vader in the form of a poster, those gorgeous coloring poster art sets, notebooks, the Star Wars Album book which was only like $5.95… I didn’t actually get figures until my birthday in Nov ’78. And I have pics from that I will have to share with you.
Yeah, I could just go on and on… I’m looking forward to hearing exactly how Empire had an even greater effect on you, Jason!
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