The Old West by Gabriel

In 2013, we got a pretty disappointing Lone Ranger movie, just like we did in 1981.

In 1981, we got a killer action figure line for that Lone Ranger movie that was so good, most kids loved them anyway.

Advantage 1981....

Gabriel Legend of the Lone Ranger Catalog.

The 1978 Marx Ready Gang Catalog

 

I'm still learning things. When I last posted about the wonderful Marx "Ready Gang" series of action figures, I pontificated that these old west figures had bombed in their initial year of 1977.

Now I discover that the line not only didn't bomb, it continued into a second year and even added new items to the line.

Yep, Ringo, the Sundown Kid, Black Hawk and Trooper Gibson were all back in 1978 and now they had a covered wagon as well.

As I've posted before, the Ready Gang is easily one of the 1970s most forgotten toy lines and that's a shame as it's also one of it's nicest.

Visit the 1978 Marx Ready Gang Catalog here.

More Western Figures

The Ready Gang

File this toy line under "Can't remember the name" Marx's Ready Gang line didn't get a lot of recognition and kind of got swept away with all the Western Action figures released in the 1970s. It's hard to imagine but at one point almost every major toy company had a series of Cowboy action figures on the market. Heck even Marx was still pumping out Johnny West figures.

I wonder if I could even find one at retail right now and no I don't count Vigilante from JLU...

Viva Zorro!

In the early 1980s Gabriel Toys, (known mostly for their fan-freaking-tastic line of Lone Ranger toys) picked up the license to the Filmation Zorro television series and worked their usual magic with a series of awesome 3 3/4" action figures.

Click on any of the images to explore the 1980 Gabriel Zorro Catalog.

More Western Action Figures:

The Lone Ranger Rides Again!

I am extremely happy to anounce a new toy gallery at Plaidstallions, dedicated to what is definitely one of the finest and somewhat under rated action figure lines of the 1970s, Gabriel's Lone Ranger.

Thanks entirely to the generosity and support from collectors Bill Frost and Rob Chatlin, we now have on display what might be the most comprehensive archive of the Lone Ranger Toy Line ever compiled.

Feel free to browse the galleries for figure variations, playsets and the staggering amount of outfits and adventure sets produced, it's pretty amazing just how much was created for this line, it has it's own "mini universe"!

Please check out the Lone Ranger Action Figure Archive and if you have something we don't, please drop us a line.

1975 Marx Johnny West Catalog

Like G.I. Joe, Johnny West was one of the few hold over action figure lines from the 1960's. This durable (hell, indestructable) cowboy figure line was looking a little strange on a shelf now populated by superheroes, aliens and talking apes but he managed to kick around for at least one more year.

The line was bulging with characters this year and the figures now had "Quick Draw Action" which was pretty neat. Someone still needs to explain how they got a jeep back in the old west?

Marx 1975 Johnny West Catalog

Links of Interest:

Butch and Sundance : The Action Figure Years

In the late seventies, Kenner released a line of action figures based on the Western film "Butch and Sundance : The early Years" which was a commercial failure. Kenner had done such a nice job on the toys that they attempted to repackage the line as "The Real West" in 1980.

The Real West would have included Butch and Sundance and added new Western Legends such as Geronimo and Jessie James, sadly the Real West line never saw release.

I say this far too much but this well made line is highly underrated and you might recognize a few of the pieces from it as they made it into other series such as "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars"

Check out the 1980 Kenner Real West Line Here.

Butch and Sundance: The Plastic Years

Another toy line that I never knew existed, Kenner's Butch and Sundance (based on the 1979 prequel) line made a real quiet debut but the amount of effort into them have made them a cult favourite with collectors. The Saloon playset is a recycled Star Wars Creature Cantina and the figure's body style would later be used for Indiana Jones.

Sundance was played by William Katt, most people remember him better for this series.