This Year's Coolest Look: Bufffalo Plaid

If i hurry I can still get this for my son for the first day of school, he'll thank me for keeping up on the latest trends.

"Jaws" Inflatable Shark

I wonder how many of us actually had official Jaws merchandise and how many just had sharks. I doubt any of us cared.

GI Joe's 50 Adventures

Moving things around yesterday I looked at the back of GI Joe package for the first time in years and was kind of blown away at how striking it is. 

It really shows how powerful this artwork was, no wonder I'm a junkie for it some 40 years later. 

Do the Do

Order this now or he'll kick your ass.

Jerry Lewis for Hasbro games

Jerry Lewis's passing this week saw much reflection on his film and television career but I didn't see any mention of his time as a games spokesperson for Hasbro. 

Celebrity spokes people for games was an interesting phenomena in the 1970s and Lewis joined other notables such as Don Adams, Lucille Ball and Dick Van Dyke shilling for toy makers.

Out of that group, you really have to say the best candidate for such a project is probably Lewis. Hasbro's ad campaign capitalized on his strengths and  had several of his characters squaring off against the humorless (and overly Germanic) villain, The Baron. 

The games are largely forgotten but this wonderful bit of pop culture shouldn't be.

Here is the original 90 second Toyfair reel for the Hasbro Spellbound game, showing that the Toy business always works well with a little show business.

The Shirt Gig

Not sure what issue but I'm pretty sure this guy is an X-Man from the mid 1970s...

Hasbro Paint by Number sets

i honestly don't know what would have won if i had a choice at six, probably the Super Friends but I think Star Trek had a decent shot.

Super Friends go all Galactic!

My pal Chris found this toy hunting recently, I don't know it's origins but I know it's probably from 1978. 

it kind of reminds me about how "Galactic" the Super Friends got during this period in time, it seemed like every week they were in space fighting a guy with a "laser sword". 

Anybody know where this is from?

Sailor Slacks with Soul

All of my pants are soulless husks, i need to find a new store.

Super Team!

No, this isn't a still from the upcoming Justice League movie (it's too bright for one thing) this my friends is from a clever late 70s promotion for a company that seems to brilliantly pioneer what we call "Cosplay" today. Take a better look after the jump. You'll be glad you did.

Major props to Robb for pointing this wonderful item in my direction.

Two Toned Ruffles

Wearing this makes any job interview a mere formality because it's obvious to all that YOU GOT THE GOODS!

Hopalong Big Bird

I honestly didn't know this existed but I'm happy it does.

Luke Skywalker, Ugnaught, Lobot & More!

From August 1981, a lovely assortment of figures mainly from Empire Strikes Back. I was ten and had all of these guys, which seems so funny considering they're almost all background characters...

smart polyester knits with stay-neat good looks

The reason many of us were so angry in the 90s explained in a single image.

M.A.C two pack

I recently picked up this two pack of Matchbox M.A.C figures, while i was fan of the series as a kid I have no memory of these. Its gate fold packaging with 3-D overtones is truly one of the nicest, most well thought out cards i've ever seen. I paid $25 for this, sometimes the best stuff is hiding in plain sight.

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.

  Download the Show Here

Listen here

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!






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Fake Vader

I have no idea who Crowd Pleasers is but I can only imagine they were not officially licensed by Lucasfilm and probably made a fortune doing this.

Love Darth's Kenner blaster, just like he never used.

This is the perfect type of photo I'm seeking for my next book project Mall of Justice, a love letter to the sensational personal appearances of our comic book, TV, movie and toy icons during the 1970s and 80s.

Whether it's Adam West at a car show, He-Man at a Toys R Us opening or an ersatz Chewbacca at a stereo store, Mall of Justice melds vintage photos with childhood recollection of these epic meetings.

While I will design andeventually publish the book (via PlaidStallions Press), it's a project we can all get involved with!

How you can get involved:
I'm looking for your photos and your recollections! Even if you've submitted them to the site before, I would likely need higher resolution and I'd want to
talk to you.

What am i looking for:

Appearances of costumed characters during the 1970s and 80s, be they from comicbooks (Batman, the Hulk) , cartoons (, toy lines (Masters of the Universe, GI Joe)  or movies (Planet of the Apes,Star Wars) , a date and place and a description of how you felt meeting theseiconic characters. Did you think they were real?

Does it have to
specifically be in a mall?:

HECK NO! Car shows, county fairs, grocery stores, heck I'd even accept birthday party shots. It's all fair game.

Download the PDF Concept booklet for Mall of Justice Here.

Download a PDF Here.

Check out a Little Flip Book Here.

Thanks everyone for reading and I hope you'll share your experiences with me!

1975 Adventure Team happiness

Spreads like this gave me a life long love of catalogs.....and GI Joe....

polyester crepe

"No really honey, i love it, I can't wait for my dad to see me" he said insincerely.

Safari Hunt

Remember kids, each Safari Hunt comes with a personalized angry letter from Dian Fossey!