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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Pod Stallions Episode 55: Tarzan

Episode 55 is all about the Lord of the Jungle, Tarzan of the Apes

J&B (the hosts, not the crappy scotch) discuss their initial exposure to the Lord of the Jungle in his many television, film, print and comic adaptions over their life times culminating with last summer's adaptation.

Some of the subjects we touch upon are Mego action figures, DC and Marvel, Filmation, Mike Henry, Doctor Who, Chimp Genitals, Dakin, Casper Van Diem, Ron Ely, Batman, Sheena, John Carter of Mars, Flash Gordon,  At the Earth's Core, toys, Big Jim and oodles more.

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Plaid Stallions in Famous Monsters of Filmland!

I am honoured to have been a part of this October's issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. I was tapped by Editor David Wiener to write a piece about Saturday Morning and I had a true blast working on it.

If you're a reader of this blog, this piece will speak to you as will the interviews with Martin Landau, Lee Majors and Richard Benjamin.

If that weren't enough, Pod Stallions,  the podcast that i co-host with Jason Lenzi is the featured show of the month! Yay!

If you can't find a copy at your local book store, check it out at Captain Company where you can get a Six Million Dollar Man variant cover.

Battle of the Planets by Jecsan

Ever since I found this guy sitting at the cash register of Suspect Video on Queen and talked the manager out of it (good thing too because the store sadly burned down not long after) I've been wondering what the heck he was. I by and large just assumed a knock off figure sold in dime stores but happily I was wrong. 

Turns out they're by a company called Jecsan of Spain, more figures and packaging after the jump.

Pod Stallions 43: Top Ten Things We Miss about the 1970s

Our website turns 10 this month so we begin by discussing it's origins and why it came to be. With the topic already being nostalgia, we thought it would be fun to talk about the top ten thing we miss about the 1970s.

This is not a "things were better in our day" type discussion (We like Ebay and YouTube just fine thank you very much) but more about the certain rituals, tastes, establishments and items that sadly, no longer have a place in our modern world.

Topics range from Saturday morning TV to local toy stores, full comic book racks everywhere you looked, ice cream men on bicycles, long gone fast foods, Jason's crush on Rhoda Morgensten (and her mom!), Network Stars Battling, Heroes World adverts, colorful home decor and of course, wish books. 

Be careful with episode 43 because the filling is hot!


Hit us up on our facebook page and tell us what you miss about the 1970s, 

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Battle of the Planets Book and Record Set

While packing up this month, i found this wonderful piece that belongs to my wife. It's a book and record set from France very similar to our Power Records or I guess the Disney book and records. Canada has a large French population so many books, records and toys native to France were available here.

I am told that the French Battle of the Planets storybooks were in high demand at the local library where my wife grew up.

While there is no real novelty to copying the record (at least for me, I only know swears), I did think it would be fun to scan the great art from the accompanying pages, so transmute after the jump.

Sleep Tight....Kid Dyn-o-Mite!

No offence to Scooby Doo or the Liberty Bell (!) for that matter, but they don't hold a candle to the supernova of win that is JJ Evans Pajamas....

Sid & Marty Krofft Halloween Costumes Gallery

One of the biggest influences of my childhood were the Saturday morning programs created by the famed Canadian brothers Sid and Marty Krofft. I don't think I was alone judging by the amazing variety of Halloween costumes available almost every year of my childhood.


Thanks to my pal Dave McKroffterson for sharing his

amazing and often times obscure collection of

Sid and Marty Krofft costumes and prototypes for 


this amazing gallery.

From Electra Woman to Dr Shrinker and more 

Witchie Poo than you can shake a stick at it's all in

the Sid and Marty Krofft Halloween Costume Gallery!

   

Lovable Smoking Traveler's Pet

I was pleased to track one of these down over the weekend as my dad sold them back in the 70s. I was always fascinated by the concept, especially the notion that the Hanna Barbera characters were chain smokers.

As an adult, I'm going to venture a guess that this isn't an officially licensed product.

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Krofft Supershow Iron On Transfer Book

This past Sunday the first thing I saw when I entered GTA Comic Con was my pal Dana wearing a Magic Mongo T Shirt, which is a sentence I never thought I'd ever type in my life. 

Turns out Dana had found this amazing book of Krofft T Shirt transfers that I never knew existed but now, cannot live without. Thankfully, he shared his careful scans with us (give him a follow on twitter folks!)

Nice scans after the jump:

Pod Stallions Epsiode 27b: The Krofft Super Show (Part 2)

Seeing as we were unceremoniously cut off from finishing last month's show, Jason and myself decided to cut a "mini-sode" in addition to our regular show (which debuts next Friday) to finish what we started.

We pick up on "Pink Lady and Jeff" talk about the Bay City Rollers, briefly touch on DC Follies and the 1991 Land of the Lost Remake ending on the new Electra Woman and Dyna girl announcement. It's short and sweet but it's jam packed!


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Fun Links:

• Krofft Lost Island Episode featuring many Krofft characters.
• The Living Island Electra Woman Action Figure Brian mentioned
• Action figures from the 1991 Land of the Lost Reboot

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Pod Stallions 27: The Krofft Supershow (part 1)

We wouldn't be much of a 70s retro website without a discussion of Sid and Marty Krofft would we? I think we'd have to turn in our "Gen X" badges.

Episode 27 takes from the days of HR Puf N Stuf but sadly gets cut short at "Pink Lady and Jeff" due to Jason became trapped in a pocket universe thanks to a pylon accident (translation his wi fi crapped out).

So the silver lining is, there will be another Krofft themed episode, for now join as we talk about Sleestaks, the Brady's, Caroline Ellis, Electra Woman and Dynagirl, Kaptain Kool and the Kongs, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Will Ferrel, Jay Robinson and much more.


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Fun Links:
Krofft Lost Island Episode featuring many Krofft characters.
The Best of Pink Lady and Jeff
The 2001 Markie Post Electra Woman pilot

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Krofft Week: Wonderbug!

Aw yeah, Wonderbug is definitely in my top five Krofft shows, basically a live action speed buggy with a little Shazam! sprinkled in for good measure, what's not to love. Above is the Wonderbug toy cars made by Duncan (the yo-yo people).

Here's a whole display of them. I really need to track down one of these.

This is the Wonderbug pedal car, I wouldn't know where to put this but I pray i never see one at a flea market...

I am not surprised to see there is a Wonderbug puzzle by HG Toys, I am now convinced they made puzzles of my first communion.

I did not know however that there was a Wonderbug board game, the art work on the box is pretty great.

 

Lastly we did a Colouring book theatre a few years ago for Wonderbug, my friend Sharry graciously provided the scans. You can check it out here.

Krofft Week: Dr Shrinker

Continuing my love for all thing Krofft, I have always been super fond of Dr. Shrinker. I probably like "Far Out Space Nuts" a l'il bit more but it doesn't seem to have much merchandise so Shrinker it is...

Harmony had the license to make rack toys from all the Krofft Super Show and seemed to have fun with this show.

I was maybe a little too excited to get this magnifying glass a couple of years ago.

Another puzzle that I had no idea existed that i now need to own. Curse you HG Toys!

I nabbed these Dr Shrinker/Wonderbug (another favourite of mine) Viewmasters at a flea market this summer for ten bucks, total victory!

There is a Dr Shrinker Halloween costume but I can't seem to find right but will post to the Facebook page when I find it.

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions and it's full of stuff just like this. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.

Pod Stallions Episode 26: The Retro Awards

We're back and we're launching our first episode of 2015 resurrecting the Retro Awards.

For those not familiar with the Retro Awards, it's a celebration of things that came out in the last year (for this show we've slid into 2013 a l'il bit) that we feel rocked a 70s vibe.

Of course along the way we get terribly sidetracked and discuss the Hudson brothers, Planet of the Apes, Doctor Who annuals, Herve Villechez and Tim Burton's Batman. Surprising we're still better at hosting awards shows than James Franco...

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Awards Run Down:


Best Films of 2014:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Brian)
Guardians of the Galaxy (Jason )

Runner up:
Captain America: Winter Soldier (Jason and Brian)


Best Blur-Ray, DVD or Download of 2014

Batman 1966 (Jason)
Phantom of the Paradise (Brian)


Runners up:
The Guy from Harlem Rifftrax (Brian)
Doctor Shockers Vault of Horror (also Brian)

Best Book
Planet of the Apes Evolution of a Legend (Brian)
Doctor Who Annual 2015 (Jason)

Runners up:
Mail Order Mysteries  (Brian)

Best Magazines
Empire (Jason)
Shock Cinema (Brian)

Best Record or CD
The Small Faces: Here comes the nice (Jason)

Best Toys 

Neca Taylor (Brian)
Kane in Spacesuit (Jason)


Runners up
Bif Bang Pow Dalek
Anchor Man 12" Figure with Scotch Vision
Lucifer from Battlestar Galactica

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Banana Splits Flute Set by Larami

Spied this shopping on the weekend, one thing I've noticed about Larami toys is often the connection to the licensed product was instantly lost when you took the toy of it's card.

Not that a sticker makes it more official but you get what I'm saying.

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.

Land of the Lost Moonbase Rocket

 

I'd make a joke but somebody, somewhere would send me an email rationalizing this toy by citing an episode that I've somehow missed where this makes complete, perfect sense. 

So fine, here is a moonbase rocket from Land of the Lost, a series that may have taken place on the moon and featured many rockets. If anyone needs me I'll be at scotch.....

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.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

I never ran into these Chemtoy Fat Albert figures as a kid but if I had, they would have so been mine.  I'm not sure why there isn't a Dumb Donald figure staring back at while I type this, what's wrong with 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.

Colouring Book Theater: Valley of the Dinosaurs

Valley of the Dinosaurs

I haven't done a CBT at all this year, so I'm glad I found this book whilst visiting the groovy retro store Planet of the Stuff two weeks back.

I remember this show well as a kid, mostly because to me it seemed like an animated knock off version of my beloved Land of the Lost.

However I was surprised that the two shows came out at the same time, Lost was the clear winner as Valley never had another season.

Let's take a look at this after the jump...

Sleestak Jiggler

Pretty overjoyed with today's Rack Toy showing, something I've been after for years. The Ben Cooper Sleestak jiggler, the closest thing we ever got to a Land of the Lost action figure and honestly, I'm not sure how many of us ever knew this thing existed?




This excerpt from the '76 Ben Cooper catalog showcases the costume, Ben Cooper often released jigglers in conjunction with costumes. However this one must have been brief! 

He's dressed like Enik but totally green.



His tail got snipped but I ain't complaining, I've probably seen two of these in the last few years. One of these days I'd love to see the display box.

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.