Pod Stallions 49: The 2016 Retro Awards

Happy New Year! It's time for our annual salute to all the things that made us happy in 2016, especially those that harkened back to our childhoods and while it was kind of a rough year, there were still some nice bright spots.

The 2016 Retro Awards salutes the movies, books,  and toys we raved about this year. It's a double decker episode and let's all make 2017 the best year ever, see you in January with another Pod Stallions.

Thanks for listening and happy new year!

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Show notes:

• Brian loves the Dolemite Blu Ray by Vinegar Syndrome.
• Both guys LOVED the book "Comic Book Fever".
• Brian also read The MLJ Comics Companion.
• Jason heartily recommends the Power of the Daleks Animated DVD.
• Brian admits to playing with his 12 inch Capaldi.

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PodStallions Mini Sode 2: Nerd Horror Stories

We're finally back after a few bumps in the road with our second mini sode (remember when we planned to do these monthly?).

To make it up to everyone, our second mini is all about bearing our souls. We get into some personal cringe worthy pain from the days where being a geek wasn't something attractive women dressed like Powergirl loudly proclaimed.

We talk about cosplaying at middle school, getting caught with toys by girls or even worse, your entire grade nine class and the lengths you'd go to keep our fandom on the DL.

Join us for 30 minutes of pain and shame, just in time for the holidays?

Topics Include: Kenner Super Powers, Doctor Who, Scarves, Star Wars, Mom, The Mall, fist fights, shame, Shogun Warriors, punch out books, shame, geekery, Colin Baker, 

Hit us up on our facebook page with your feedback.

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Show Notes:

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A double Shot of 70s Barbie

I always seem to fixate on boy's toys over the Christmas season and that's kind of a shame because I always glossed the Barbie section in envy over all the cool stuff she had.

Here's a double shot from the Simpson's Sears 1979 Catalog, click on it to embiggen it.

Atari Dreams

My grandmother never threw catalogs out, she let them sit until the new one came in.

So I can remember spending the better part of a year staring at this image, plotting as to how I would make the Atari 2600 mine.

I had to get my first job but it was so worth it and it changed Christmas forever.

Superheroes and Sci-Fi

One section of any wish book that I love is the "other" action figure pages in the era of Star Wars. There is a lot of great stuff on this page!

While my time with the Mego Superheroes decreased sharply in 1979, I still viewed them like old friends. I still kinda do....

Short Jacket Suit Sale!

This sale comes right in the nick of time for my secret santa.

Space:1999 Space Eagle by Popy Japan

It's no secret that I love Space:1999 toys although I don't own many these days. An opportunity came up to own an item I have never even held before, I couldn't pass it up.

This wonderful diecast Space Eagle was made by Japanese toymaker Popy and as we'll explore they've wonderfully left some cultural fingerprints.

Frontier Fun

I never got any Best of the West or Gabriel Lone Ranger but I certainly remember their presence in the early 1970s wish books and i miss seeing them.

Jumpsuits!

I cannot wait to see the look on my daughter's face when she opens a set of these instead of an ipad on Christmas morning.....

The BIonic Age

Christmas always reminds me of the Bionic Man, I think it's because he was pricier than Mego or Big Jim.

I honestly got every Bionic toy I had at Christmas and it was a sweet three years, let me tell you.

Made for Each Other

Come on honey, let's go share a facebook account!

1985 Child World Toy Catalog

Even though I personally was a teenager at the time, I fondly remember stocking a toy aisle full of a lot the things in this Child World Toy Flyer from 1985.

 This piece is chock full of happy memories for 80s kids from the popular Care Bears, Go Bots and He-Man to the more forgotten toys like the Hugga Bunch, Zybots and Robotix, there is a lot to love.

1985 Child World Catalog

Classic Toy Store Ads on PlaidStallions

Hagensick's Playroom 1975

1981 Toys R Us Flyer

Childworld 1975

Childworld 1981

1975 Toys R Us

Star Wars....Only at Sears

Another Christmas page that made me crazy, those "exclusive" figures came on these weird shrunk wrapped cards and it drove me crazy tracking them down as a kid.

Now, I wish I'd kept them as they're worth a bundle.

Orlon Love

This ensemble is the exact reason they took "Obey" out of wedding vows.

World of G.I. Joe

This Shop-Rite piece from 1976 is another wishbook image that burned right into my brain.

I managed to con my folks into Bulletman and the Capture Copter (purchased at Shop-Rite no less) that year. I was really sad to not see Joe in the catalog next year.

Get It Together

Even I can tell these guys are Narcs....

Black Hole 1980

Seeing as it's December, I thought I'd showcase some of my favourite Christmas Catalog images of all time starting with this one.

I remember exactly where I was when I first laid eyes on this, riding in the back seat of my father's gigantic car to go visit Vince, his barber.

It blew my mind to see Bob, Star and the humanoid on this page and I stared at this for WEEKS and  would eventually make them mine. I would have no idea that Canada (along with Italy) get the exclusive on these characters.

I never lost my love for Black Hole or Christmas catalogs but I still hate haircuts. 

M*A*S*H Field Hospital Set

I love how they included the latrines in this....

Fur Shoulder Bag and Cap set

This is the perfect combo for me, I plan to use the bag to transport my many inhalers and jitterbug cellular telephone.

Help Dorothy and friends find the Wizard of Oz

The Witches Castle was a Sears exclusive (and now a pricey collectible) and was originally meant for the Super Knights toys. 

My local toy store put these in the same basket as the Superheroes, as a six year old boy they just couldn't compete with Aquaman. 

Slack Monday

You will not find a better Cyber Monday deal than these fine, fine slacks, you'll need a rotary telephone to order sadly.

Thunderbirds are Going Japanese

Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds was easily his most toyetic series and that was not lost on the Japanese.

Even though the show was 14 years old in 1980, it didn't stop Popy from creating some incredible diecast toys.

Featuring Brushed Denim

Once you know the pleasure of brushed denim, regular denim will feel like sandpaper wrapped in an old garbage bag!

Sgt Rock by Remco

I've never read more than one Sgt. Rock comic and I missed the toys when they were new but I really think they're neat....

Tron Pajamas

Obscure Pajamas are some of my favourite things to find, also it's a killer band name.

Night Shirts on Parade!

I hope those guys aren't standing on a subway grate.

Get fit with the Superheroes!

It makes sense, Superheroes are great role models what  child didn't want to have a "Kirby Esque" physique when they grew up?

Marketing fitness equipment with Superheroes faces slapped on it is not only a good idea, it's good for ya!





My dad bought me all of that body builder stuff in the boring, non superhero versions as a kid. Not that Batman would have incentivised me to use them more.



Oh these skates never fail to bring a smile to my face.....

Related:

Official Star Wars Watches

Does anything still use the spelled out names like "Artoo Detoo" or are we past that now?

Disguise your identity!

That kid is on his way to see "Caligula" and nobody will be the wiser......

Pajamas: 1977

I'd be that kid and want Space:1999 over Trek.

The Denim Blazers

Look out ladies, the retainers are off and they don't have to be home until 9:30!

Corgi Spiderbuggy & Green Goblin

I thought I'd devote today to my favourite diecast vehicle of my youth. A piece of Spider-Man merchandise that makes absolutely no sense but to my nine year old brain just felt oh so right, the super awesome Spiderbuggy with Green Goblin! More after the jump!

The Empire Sleeps Over

I love vintage bedding and sleeping bags but I can never figure out a way of displaying it properly except on my kid's beds.

Super Shirts!

OK, even though this is 1977 there are a few of these I would wear now especially Frankenstein and that weirdly smug Captain America.

Destroy all Rack Toy Monsters!

It wasn't easy to find decent Godzilla Rack Toys here in North America when I was a lad. I recently discovered this fun piece by Yamakatsu in Japan that many of us would have adored as kids, it's Destroy all Monsters on a card!

My best guess is these rubber dudes came out in the mid 1980s, anybody want to confirm?

Jumpsuits!

A Jumpsuit comeback is not only what this world needs, it's what it deserves as well.

C'mon People, let's zip up together....

The Mego Black Hole Cereal Promotion

I joined ebay in 1997, since then like clock work, i have searched "Black Hole" and "Shreddies" in hope of finding this item. Recently on one boring Tuesday morning, there it was with a Buy It Now price that was so agreeable, it still makes me smile.

Sure it's an empty cereal box but to me, it's just something slightly more.



I've written about this promotion before , it's one of those incredibly happy moments in childhood that you just smile about whenever you think about it.

Shreddies was never my favourite cereal, yet for a month in 1979, I endured three boxes of it (with a lot of help from sugar)  to get these....



Actually, it was one box top per figure, an additional $2.50 per figure (plus sales tax) and my mom had to write a cheque! Hell, this wasn't even that great a deal!

But i did it and waited the eternity for that bubble envelope (with a cool drawing of Maximillian on it) to arrive. I'd love to reunite with that envelope as well, I hope one still exists. Those figures were just....kind of earned and I still have my Vincent nearly 40 years later.

One of the saving graces of this promo that really kept me going were the kick ass Space Pal Pencil caddies that came in every box. I'm positive I ate Shreddies well into 1980 to finish my set.

These guys lined my fourth grade desk and actually i still have one at work right now.

I'm thrilled to share this happy memory, it's one of the reasons I collect.

Thanks for reading, have a terrific weekend.