Halloween Pot Pourri

No real direction today, just a bunch of different things that didn't seem to fit anywhere else, above is an early 80s ad for a costume company called Topstone. I'm not really all that familiar with them but I know there are collectors out there.

For Maxx Fx Fans, here is a 1989 article (click on it for a larger read) about the problems Matchbox encountered when they attempted to market Freddy Kruger toys to children. This was more based on the cuddly talking doll (bad idea) but it eventually doomed Maxx as well. I don't give a toss about Freddy personally but find it a shame that those wonderful Universal Monster toys weren't released. If you haven't already, I insist you spend the next hour checking out creator Mel Birnkrant's fantastic Maxx Fx site.

And lastly, I found this postage stamp sized ad in an old Canadian newspaper, it's for a clearance of Aurora Monster Scenes kits (which got Aurora in a lot of trouble at the time) and I know that the Giant Insect kit is one thing a lot of collectors would have loved to have found for under a buck.

Crazy Cool Toy Websites

Thought I'd use Sunday to share some new links, be prepared to waste an afternoon on these because they're a lot of fun. First up is the newly launced FPLP Word, which stands for Fisher Price Little People, a line of toys that I am particularly fond of.

Scott, the site's webmaster really knows his little people, so the site is extremely comprehensive with lots and lots of fun photography. There is even a forum if you want to talk Fisher Price...

Also this week, toy creator Mel Birnkrant, who last dazzled us with his amazing Maxx Fx site has returned to tell of yet another 80s toy line he created Animax.

Mel gives another fascinating insider's look into the toy industry from initial concept sketches, prototypes, toyfair presentations right down to the final products. The story includes all the details, right to the hassles, arguments and sadly, the complete botching of what would have likely been a terrific toy line.

Even if you've never heard of Animax, you'll be sucked into the story behind them and while you're there, check out his wonderful pages about the creation of the Colorforms Outer Space Men. You'll wish Mel had created all of your favourite toys because these sites are just so rewarding to read.

Just a PS, this colorforms set (released years after the Outer Space Men were done) was one of the things that probably made me a toy collector in the first place. I spent hours staring at the box wondering the history behind these wonderful toys and where I could get them. Thanks Mel!

Nerfman Trading Card

Trading Card #25 is Nerfman by Parker Brothers, he's kind of forgotten now but this guy ruled, so I really wanted to honour him a bit. As an added nostalgic bonus, Nerfman is from the first toy dealer catalog I ever found because it came from my dad.

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Time for another great link in the world wide web and today's is pretty fantastic. Toy creator Mel Birnkrant has created a site giving you an inside look at the Maxx Fx toy line. I've blogged about Maxx here before, the concept was a doll of a special effects artist who could become movie monsters through the help of costumes. The whole thing imploded according to Birnkrant due to Matchbox's bright idea of making a stuffed Freddy Kruger doll for kids.

The Life and Death of Maxx Fx is an amazing resource and provides insight that you will wish all toy lines had websites this good.