Man From Atlantis : The Lost Toys

An amazing update to the Kenner Man from Atlantis Page thanks to some steller contributions by Chris Georgoulias including prototype actions figures, test shots and internal paperwork from Kenner.

MFA was as close as we were going to get to a live action Aquaman series as kids and this is an insiders look at the cool toys we missed out on.

Some Home Decor Ideas

Poopin' in Style: The idea of carpeting around a toiled is unbelievable "Skeevy" to me. Also, I think I'd kill any plant placed in my bathroom.

Decorative and Functional: I think I see clocks like this at every flea market I go to, popular for a time but man, when they fell out of favour, they fell hard.

Girl Meets Cylon Centurian

"I suggest you buy that high quality Mattel toy little girl"

I'm not sure to put this in the Super Hero Mall Appearance Gallery or Vintage Toy Stores Page because it's a bit of both. If you look in the store you can see a display of Shogun Warriors and on the wall a display of Battlestar Galactica figures. This is just about the coolest thing I have seen in a very long time, an amalgamation of my two favourite things.

Bed Spread Senses Tingling!

Star Wars or Spider-Man? These are the decisions children with normal bads got to make, I didn't have that choice as I slept in my parents old bed, much too large for kid's sheets. Well, I didn't do much sleeping after I realised they likely made me in that bed, but that's a story for another time.

Dig the Marvel Star Wars Comic on the night stand, looks like my room now.

Shameless Plug Department: My first article for Toplessrobot.com debuts today, it's titled The 10 Most Awesome Toys of the 70's and if you're reading this blog, you should enjoy that.

Happy Disco People Chase Away Blues

I've got a "case of the Mondays" (you have to say this with a pouty lip) so what better way to chase it away than with a group of polyester clad preteens dancing poorly. The kid on the left is trying for Travolta but ending up more Michael Cera....

Colouring Book Theatre : Planet of the Apes

Today's colouring book is courtesy of Sharry AKA Hardygirl on the megomuseum boards, a real kindred spirit when it comes to colouring books.

This is an Artcraft/Saalfield colouring book on one of my favourite subjects of all time, Planet of the Apes.

Even though the first movie deals with a lot of adult themes, we as kids seem to really eat it up. My own kids like Planet of the Apes now. Never underestimate the appeal of taking primates I guess.

According to Sharry the original cost of this book was $0.39, she got it for $3 because some of the pages have been (well) coloured. Personally, I think a few coloured pages adds to the charm but I'm also a fan of store stickers being on the toys I buy.

Theis evening the part of Taylor will be played by Kris Kristofferson.

If I recall this scene correctly, these soldier apes were posing in front the carcasses of slaughtered humans. Artcraft chose to leave that out making this more of a scene you'd see in an Ape's high school year book.

The art is pretty spot on most of the time and Sharry tells me the story is pretty faithful to the movie with a few exceptions.

How many colouring books have court scenes?

It's a mad house! A mad house!

This is an example of deviating from the movie, Taylor gagged in the court scene. Not surprising, this is a colouring book, don't need him filibustering.

As is this, guess they didn't want to include Lucious. I don't want to spoil the ending for those who haven't seen it (It's a real shocker!)

Got a colouring book you'd like to guest review? Drop me a line!

Thanks again to Sharry for this great book!

More Retro Superhero Appearance

T.J. sent in this terrific shot of Spider-Man at the Canadian National Exposition (We call it the CNE) in 1979, I love Spider-Man's medallion!. What's cool about this is T.J. and I were friends in high school, check out his great blog here.

Chris Franklin sent in this awesome flyer for a couple of appearances at Hills stores, Captain America and Rom: Space Knight at one and Spider-Man Goblin at the other. Chris saw the Spider-Man Goblin fight, good choice.

Here is a great memento, Spider-Man's autograph, Chris tells me that you should not hand Spider-Man a Batman pen to sign with, sound advice.

Got a Superhero appearance picture? Drop a Line, I'd love to feature it.

Return of the Vintage Toy Store Pictures

This has to be one of my favourite obsessions, finding pictures of toy stores and aisles past. So I'm really pleased to be coming out with Vintage Toy Stores Part Five with a collection of images that feature classic toys of the seventies including Mego Superheroes, Adventure Team G.I. Joes, Aurora Monster Models, View Masters, Tonka Trucks and of course, Star Wars action figures.

If you're digging this then please check out Part One, Part Two and Part 3 and Part 4 in this series. I hope to bring Part 6 in the next few months, wish me luck!

More Sleeping Bag Goodness

More reminders of my now long gone sleeping bag collection, that supergals one was possibly my favourite of all time, it doesn't hurt that much of it looks like a giant Mego actionf figure package but how often do you see Wondergirl on merchandising?

Star Bird

Star Bird was created by Milton Bradley, it's cool electronic features set it apart from the more obvious Star Wars inspired toys of the day (like this stuff). The command base practically begs you to use your star wars figures on it!

Spider-Man Strikes Again

Another entry in the Superhero Mall Appearances gallery, this one shows children treating Spidey like he's the beatles in 1965(!)

Got a vintage mall appearance photo from back in the day you'd like to share? Drop me a line!

Don and Juan

Both of these gentlemen have not been seen since the 1979 Comiskey Park "Disco Sucks" ralley.

Colouring Book Theatre : Batman and Robin

Today's colouring book is another one I had as a kid, Batman and Robin Battle the Joker in "Comedy of Tears" I borrowed the cover image from Rob Kelly's Treasury Comics website because this tabloid sized volume is too big for my scanner.

While the cover is a 60's image by Carmine Infantino (which also graced the Mego Batman box) the insides reflect the Batman of the mid seventies, Robin looks to be about 18.

Whitman did a nice job marrying the modern art style while making the content just a little reminiscent of the Adam West series.

I must say as a kid, I really dug this book, probably why I still have it as an adult. Most of the colouring is by yours truly but I'll explain that later.

The story starts out with the Joker escaping from Arkham Asylum and decides to think outside the box, instead of making people laugh, he'll make them cry. Bruce Wayne is wearing the loudest jacket he can find, no second guessing the decade here.

The Joker, who is drawn to look like an eery combination of Phyllis Diller and that "Madame" puppet, embarks on a series of seemingly meaningless crimes that make people cry, like stealing this kid's report card and swiping some schlub's petition.

Of course, the Joker wants the signatures on those documents to commit crimes which leads into his first encounter with the Dynamic Duo. Note the Joker's green nose, this is another strange colouring job by the previously mentioned Michael C. He was a menace, I remember snapping about this.

In the end, the Dynamic Duo get the best of the Joker by duping him into accepting a cheque as ransom for Robin. The dynamic duo get all dressed up to pick him up for his trip back to the asylum. Life is swell in Gotham city.

Got a colouring book you'd like to guest review? Drop me a line!

Seriously, I'm running out of stuff here, I'm down to my daughter's "My Little Pony" book.

Vintage Star Trek Toy Love

A very cool "back in the day" piece of Star Trek coolness courtesy of Jerry, whose patient mom converted a red sweatshirt into a perfect trek uniform. Word of advice young Jerry, don't volunteer for any landing parties. If I wasn't already envious of that sweet Remco Ultility belt, Jerry rubs in it a little with his parting words "That utility belt was
awesome, I tell ya...".

Thanks for the great submission Jerry, if anyone else has some toy love they'd like to share, drop me a line.

Double Feature Friday

A double header today as we have two new features added to the site, first off, the 1976 Wham-o Frisbee catalog which, if you're like me, will make you long for summer.

All the Retro Toyfair Coverage has been saved to the site on one tidy page, in case you missed any of it or were just obsessed with Sea Monkies.

Don't Drink the Kool Aid!

"And that comet children, contains the mothership that will take us all to paradise"

Hasbro has Charlies Angels

Dakin Looney Tunes

Ayyy It's the Fonz Bike!

Toy Fair 1977 :I would pay a million dollars to see Henry Winkler on that Big Wheel nowadays.....

Shindana Toys for 1977

Toy Fair 1977: Shindana's crime fighting "Slade" figure out cools just about any other action figure this year. I still want a Redd Foxx doll as well.