Pod Stallions Episode 59: 2017 Retro Awards

Another year, another pile of amazing pop culture.

As every retro awards, we talk about the things that most hit us in the feels in our nostalgic journey that is Pod Stallions.

We talk about our favourite movies, books, DVD releases and toys of this past year.

Topics include Planet of the Apes, Wonder Woman, the Super Friends, Doctor Who, Blade Runner, Al Adamson movies, Kung Fu, Mystery Science Theater, Elvira and much, much more.

So sit back, relax and please don't give a second thought to the fact that two music nuts never thought to talk about albums......


So happy life day and  give us spirited debate on our facebook wall.

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McActionfigures : More Fun than Burgers

My local Eaton's growing up had a huge McDonaldland display that looked just like this in a cube in the middle of their toy department. I recall being kind of in awe of the diorama but it couldn't compete with Big Jim, Bulletman or the Mego Superheroes in my five year old brain.

I was later told by a salesman for Irwin Toys (the distributor in Canada) that I wasn't alone in that. 

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For His Most Casual of Times

I hope the sight of Brick Mantooth in a monk's robe is all you need to make this week an epic win. 

Like Brick could ever be celibate......

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Gentleman Sleestak Contest Winners

Before I announce the winners of the Gentleman Sleestak magnets, I want to confess reading this has made me feel really, really normal, we all seemed to share fears growing up.

 Also, I wasn't a brave kid because I shared the fear of about 75% of what was mentioned. Man, I'm fragile.

Here are just some of the  childhood fears that both made me laugh and shudder:

Tina Turner’s quivering lips in the movie Tommy."

The Flying Monkeys in the Wizard of Oz! 

The Zuni Fetish Warrior Doll from Trilogy of Terror (several mentions)

Oompa Loompas, especially the tall one.

Freddie the Flute. F**k that guy

Dean Travers from Three's Company (fear of over acting I guess)

Phil Silvers 

In Search of (Several times, bless you all)

 the Phantom of the Muppet show

And we're all scared of Sharks, Bigfoot and ventriloquist dummies thank you the 1970s for those.

So the random number generator chose the following winners:

Kip Rathke

John Ogg

Dennis Nelson

Matt Taylor

Jason Young

Joe Hanus

Thanks so much for playing, it brought me a lot of joy to read all those responses! I'll be in touch with each winner this week and send magnets their way!

 Look for another contest in February!

The PlaidStallions Sleestak Contest

Let's have our first contest of the Year, shall we?

 A couple of months ago, I made a bunch of these kitchen magnets made featuring some art I did called the Gentleman Sleestak. 

There really wasn't a plan in motion but I knew they'd make a fun contest prize.

So, I'm giving away five of these this weekend to some nice folks who post their reply to the PlaidStallions Facebook page or to the Forum at the MegoMuseum. 

The question is:  What thing scared the hell out of you as a kid that you're now kind of fascinated with as an adult?

I'll pick five names randomly from those answers and send them this plucky magnet and a mittful of PlaidStallions Trading cards.

Thanks for playing, here's to a fun weekend!

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Love Is....

I have a major meeting this morning, I would love to roll up my sleeve and check the time on one of these babies....

Pssst new contest tonight, pass it on...

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Choice Board Games of 1976

I'm not sure what your favourites were but I had a mean love affair with playing Hangman and staring at the Sleestak on the "Land of the Lost" board.....

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Denim Duo

From the "Alex and Alexandria Cabot" Collection for evil brother-sister twins

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Big Jim Vs Zorak

As much as I love this Big Jim, you knew the line was in some serious trouble when numerous wish books scaled their offering down to two characters. 

I remember being kinda heartbroken in 1977 when I entered the Sears toy department and asked the clerk where the Big Jim stuff was, he turned to me and said "Oh, they don't make those anymore" in a "Vincent Price" kinda way. 

My brilliant grandmother found a Jim on the clearance table and the day was saved.

However, that clerk was a dick, I was six and he was totally trying to make me cry.

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Peasant Look Night Shirts

I refuse to believe there is a "His" in this equation, this looks 100% exclusively "Hers".

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Mexican Star Wars

I love this (Knock off, judging by the misspelling of the film's title) piece from Mexico, so much so that I put it in my book Rack Toys. Funny thing is, I have no idea what it's for, I assume it's for an action figure but I have no clue. L'il help SW fans?

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From Space:1999 to Rupert Bear

Browsing through some old magazines and found this killer licensing artwork for Space:1999, too good not to share!

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1971 Hasbro GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog

 My earliest memories of action figures are Hasbro's GI Joe Adventure team, I would spend hours staring at those wishbook pages, drooling at those fuzzy faced guys having adventures. 

The sights of these toys are so hard-wired in my brain, they're pure happiness.

That's why I'm excited to be showcasing the 1971 Hasbro GI Joe Adventure team catalog, full of helicopters, snakes, sharks, mummies and spies!

  Please enjoy the 1971 Hasbro GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog.

1973 GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog

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Casual Men Step Out

These guys look like every dad that broke up an underage drinking party I was at ever.

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Banana Splits Mania

I'm a little young for the original run of the Banana Splits but their reruns are a really happy early memory. So I totally dig these pages from the 1969 Hasbro catalog,  I never knew how much merch they got.

I especially would have loved these!



I'm a sucker for bendy figures and these are wonderful.

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New for '75

The "L'il Honkies" collection is available exclusively at all "Dad 'n Lad" stores!

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The Force Beam

I remember watching an informercial in the 80s that interviewed the creator of the "Force Beam". He claimed he invented it while walking around a department store and it was just a golf tube stuck on a flashlight.

I'm sure George Lucas had steam coming out his ears when he saw kids playing with these.

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Dr Steel International

My pal Jesus posted this yesterday and it's too good not to share, behold the many different faces of Dr. Steel one of my favourite action figures of the 1970s.

Mainly known as Dr. Steel, the notable exceptions are when he's called "Dr. Acero" (Steel) in Spain and "Doctor Drago" in Mexico but that's only because Big Jim himself is called "Kid Acero" there. 

That's probably a lot to take in, sorry.

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Bar ware:1977

Bar Kitsch is the one collection that I can't believe I don't have.

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Underwhy

It was at that moment that Steve & Kip began to realize that the girls they met online may not have been real people. Follow Plaidstallions on Twitter

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The Great Sci-Fi Toy Slump of 1979

It's really hard to believe but in 1979, Star Wars and other Sci-Fi related toys hit a major slump. So much so that many retailers considered it all a "fad" and stopped ordering new items.

This article taken from a "Toys, Hobbies and Crafts" magazine interviews major buyers and the vice president of Mego about the then-uncertain future of  space toys. Surely Star Trek the Motion Picture and the Black Hole were going to kick it back into high gear!

The recent release of two new space movies, with a third on the way for the spring, means kids will again be looking into space toys in droves, say manufacturers.

But retailers are leery about space, since sales dropped off as much as 30% for some last year on licensed and nonlicensed space toys.

The retailer's attitude for 1980s a "wait and see" philosophy. Most are hoping that Star Trek, The Black Hole and the Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, will rejuvenate sales.

Still, buyers say they plan to go slow in placing orders for sci-fi toys, depending upon the interest.

TH & C spoke with representatives from Heck's, Winns Stores, Singer and Co., Sprouse-Reitz Co.,Toy Fair, Kenner and Mego. This is what they had to say:

Read the rest here.

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Spotlight: Planet of the Apes Game by IDW

This past week when I went to my local shop, (World's Collide BTW)  I was presented with this Planet of the Apes tabletop game by IDW.

 I like games and if you pair them with an established property, well I'm an easy mark, so even though I didn't sincerely recall ordering it, it sounded like something I'd do and I went on my way.

What it is: Planet of the Apes is a cooperation game, meaning all players work together rather than pitted against each other. I like this concept a great deal although I've never been particularly successful at it. I'm a big fan of Star Trek Cattan BTW....

How it's played: Each one of the up to four players is Taylor, albeit in a different emotional state, there is Clever Taylor, Defiant Taylor etc.  

The game works sequentially in the film's timeline as you race against time to go through the various stages of the film.  Each area has different challenges and relies often on dice to get you through. 

If the Soldier Ape or the Statue of Liberty gets to the bottom before Taylor, well, you blew it up you maniacs.

How it Looks- It's a pretty darn gorgeous game, the box art is by Jason Edmiston, a super talented dude I got to have a beer with a few years ago and have been a fan of ever since. The interior art is equally as beautiful, this is a joy to look at.

I got an early edition of the game and it came with plastic figurines of the Icarus, Taylor, a Soldier Ape and the Statue of Liberty but honestly, the cardboard pieces are super nice. I'm an Ape toy geek, so these do make me happy, I admit it....

So do you like it? Honestly, i've had a lot of fun but I'll freely admit this, I'm not sure if I'm doing it correctly. 

Planet of the Apes is ambitious and a little complicated, even on my second play, I had some questions. Now, that isn't a bad thing, the game rather new and I expect more and more Youtube videos of actual game play will probably answer all my questions.

I do see myself playing this a few more times as I've enjoyed the experience thus far.

Where to get it?

The absolute best place to get this is your local brick and mortar comic or game store. Keep them in business, spend your dollars locally.

Failing that, you can get it on Amazon or Ebay and if you click these links, you help out this site. Which would also be awesome.