Colorforms:1981

I'm gonna be honest, as much as I loved Buck Rogers, I probably would have went with the Popeye set when I was ten. I still love that movie and well, I have a thing for Shelly Duval...

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1981 Parkes Run Colouring Book Catalog

Hey remember those big colouring books you got on birthdays and Christmas? They were done by a company called Parkes Run and they made a lot of cool licensed stuff using licenses like Superman the movie, Popeye, Peanuts and the Marvel comics characters!

Adult Colouring books are the all rage right now but I'd settle for this one, which was given to me by my aunt Cathy in 1978!



Oh Man Wolf, where's your movie? 

 Anyway, check out the 1981 Parkes Run Catalog here!

Larami Toys 1981 Catalog

In 1981, Larami was celebrating it's 20th year of bringing low cost licensed "Rack Toys" to children around the world.

This year was no exception with licenses like the DC and Marvel comics Superheroes, Barbie, Fat Albert, Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, Mighty Mouse and the ever present Popeye, Larami had something for any kid to beg their parents for while they shopped.

Visit the 1981 Larami Toys Catalog here

And more Larami here:

Eats Me Dusts!

I was recently gifted this, the kind person who found it thought i'd dig it. The gesture alone floored me but so did the toy.  Popeye rack toys could fill football fields but the majority of them are nondescript items with little connection to the character, some of them laughable.

Leave it to Fleetwood to go the extra mile, I'm positive I've seen Popeye in a racecar before and I kind of love the little Popeye in the car.

He just puts the whole thing over the top for me.

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.

End cap of cheap joy

I'm super tired tonight, so here is an awesome store display of Larami goodies circa 1981.  I vividly remember that guy on the gun box. He kinda looked like my third grade teacher. 

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.

1978 Crazy Foam Catalog

 

  American Aerosol Corporation began selling Crazy Foam in the 1960s but most 70s kids will remember for it the many licenses it had including the DC and Marvel Comics Superheroes. I can honestly remember choosing a tin of Robin Crazy Foam over getting a toy once. You have a pretty powerful product if a kid chooses your soap over a toy.

 

1978 was an interesting year for Crazy Foam as it saw the introduction of Color Crazy Foam, a new innovation and also introduced were two new licenses in the form of Popeye the Sailor man and TV sensation The Incredible Hulk!

Check out the 1978 Crazy Foam Catalog here 

More Superhero Stuff!

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Popeye merchandise is a sea (i'm hilarious) of weird, re purposed stuff that has nothing to do with the character. It's always nice to see something that while absolutely re purposed, kinda, sorta relates to the character.

Blow me down....

One of the things that drove me to write a book about Rack Toys is the unintentional hilarity that seems to stem from it. Case in point, this set which connects a license to something it really shouldn't.

Popeye seems to have a lot of this going on. I am sure that he gets a haircut from time to time, I am also sure it's been seen in the strip,  however it still doesn't make this toy anymore sensical.

Kudos to the people at Larami for depicting a Popeye contemplating a shave on the card art, that ties up all loose ends, thank you.

This is only the beginning with me and Popeye, it could be an entire chapter (and likely will be)