1980 Toys R Us Flyer featuring Mego, Mork and the Kenner Alien

It's sadly looking like the end for Toys R Us in the United States, so let's go and focus on when it was a growing company that made for an amazing experience.

This Flyer from 1980 is so jam-packed with late 1970s pop culture that every page seems to have some Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman merchandise tucked in there somewhere, it's a real trip!

1980 Toys R Us Flyer is really to send you back in time here.

Classic Toy Store Ads on PlaidStallions

Hagensick's Playroom 1975

1981 Toys R Us Flyer

Childworld 1975

Childworld 1981

1975 Toys R Us

Kenner Alien, He's a Cutie?

I've desperately trying to scan in a newly acquired Toys R Us Flyer from 1980 for Friday (fingers crossed). I've been so busy with it that I only just noticed the Kenner Alien in there!

Such an iconic and coveted toy just regulated to the corner, it brings you back to the reality that the big chap wasn't really a big hit when he made his toy shelf debut.

Anyway, consider this a Toys R Us tease.

More Kenner Alien:

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Vintage Toy Store Pictures Volume 18

For this year's last Friday feature, I bring you my favourite of all sections of PlaidStallions another volume of vintage toy store pictures!

Celebrating the time when we had unique independent retailers dotting our landscape and came up with colourful and and interesting ways of selling us toys.

Volume 18 is our biggest yet and loaded with shots across the USA dating from the 1970s to the 1990s. Maybe even your favourite childhood toy haunt is included in this mix!

Notable sites include Kenner Six Million Dollar Man, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Mego 2 XL, Muppets, Fisher Price Little People, Electronic Games, Atari Consoles,  Kenner Star Wars, Gabriel Lone Ranger and much, much more.

"Take my advice kids, keep one of these in the box!"

Vintage Toy Store Photos Volume 18

Don't forget to visit our archive of Vintage Toy Store Photos, it's a timewarp!

Pod Stallions Episode 23: Monster Movies

As we are both lovers of Monster Cinema or some call it "Creature Features" it makes sense for J and B to count down their top ten favourite Monster movies.

By favourite, we do not mean "best" or greatest, just our personal favourites.

Our top tens vary wildly which makes for an interesting discussion, Jason seems to prefer classic film while Brian seems to enjoy mostly junk food. The list wildly ping pongs between the houses of Hammer, Toho, Hemisphere, Independant International and Señor Spielbergo.

 Along the way we discuss Karloff, Chaney, Yaphet Kotto, Stephen King, Doctor Who, Paul Naschy, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and loads more. 

Happy Halloween from Pod Stallions!

Download the Show Here

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Show Links:

• Assignment Terror can be seen on Youtube
• Dracula VS Frankenstein is available on a beautifully remastered DVD with Sam Sherman commentary.
• Any fan of Paul Naschy shouldn't be without this book.
• The Universal Monsters Blu-Ray set Jason and Brian both adore.
• A teriffic box set of Hammer Horror classics.

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!

We'll be adding Halloween Costume photos to Facebook.



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Kenner Alien Promotional Catalog

In 1979, Kenner toys gave out this promotional catalog to prospective industry buyers to promote what they hoped would be their next big science fiction property "Alien".

 While the film itself was a hit and still considered a classic, Kenner would soon realize that the world wasn't ready for toys based on R rated sci fi horror films. (that would change).

What follows is a little piece of 70s toy history:

Check out the Kenner Alien Promotional Catalog here

Speaking of Alien: The good people at Super 7 are righting a wrong and bringing us the unproduced Kenner Alien 3 3/4" line. To top it off, they're doing it in the coolest, most retro way possible, click the banner for more information (this is not a compensated endorsement in any way, I just care that much)




More Kenner Alien:

Super 7 reveals SDCC Alien ReAction Goodies

I'm not much of a modern toy news guy but the good people at Super 7 are doing a phenomenal job at pushing every one of my nostalgic toy nerd buttons.

So dedicated to channeling the ghost of Kenner, Super 7  not only issuing a SDCC early bird kit (which really is both nostalgic and a clever way to sell product they ain't got) but they're also selling figures in those little white mail away boxes that are only connected with joy to me.

You can get the details at the Super 7 website and also check out their Flickr account.

Weekend News-A-Rama

Been kind of sidetracked lately and whenever that happens, the world moves on and does neat stuff, so I'll try and play catch up.

1) Outer Space Men 

The very cool Outer Space Men line of toys has a new limited edition set called "Cosmic Creators" that are signed by the legendary Mel Birnkrant, creator of the line.

Mel is one of my favourite people on the internet, a storied toy designer and artist who shares absolutely everything with his fans.

Check them out and pre-order here.

2) Doctor Who 

In celebration of the show's 50th Anniversary Royal Mail is issuing a series of Doctor Who stamps. I'm not a stamp collector as such but I have to admit I want these. It feels like a giant nerd victory.

More info here

3) Alien

For those of us who can't attend Wondercon, Michael has been kind enough to give us not only a look at the Alien catalog that Super 7 is handing out but they're awesome booth display. I can't wait to get these:

Take a gander at Michael's Flickr photo stream here

Super 7 issue Alien "Reaction" Catalogs

The good folks at Super 7 shared with me this brilliant catalog they're handing at next weekend's WonderCon out in anticipation of their 3 3/4" "ReAction" figures (great name!). This catalog is loaded with inside vintage toy references and of course, the cover pays tribute to the Kenner game box. 

As a collector of both action figures and vintage catalogs, this sings to me.

I  wish more toy companies would do such things, I also hope this 3 3/4" revolution continues. Happy days!

The Top Ten cancelled toys of the 70s/80s

As much as I enjoyed my childhood, it sometimes pains me to think of the stuff we didn't get, for whatever boring grown up decision. Sure, some of these licensed wouldn't have sold and could have forced the companies into risky financial positions but baby Brian wants his toys dammit!
Here are the top ten cancelled toy lines that I personally weep for at every occasion:
Disclaimer: There may be some figure lines not included, this probably intentional as like all of my lists, it's a little biased. I try to be fair.,

10: V LJN planned to make action figures based on the television series V but somehow it stalled and never totally happened.

Why it Hurts It may just be my teenage crush on Jane Badler and her red spandex talking but "V" is just so seriously under-serviced in merchandise, especially when you consider the impact it had.

9) Galoob The Last Starfighter line In the race to find the next Star Wars Starfighter was probably the closest to the concept (well at least when you look at stuff like Krull or Dune), the movie did good but not great at the box office (which is still a mystery to me) so Galoob chose not to go forward with these beautiful items.


Why it Hurts Not only are the figures nice but Galoob wasn't stingy with the character selection, this movie deserved these toys.


Read the whole list here The Top Ten cancelled toys of the 70s/80s

Original Alien Artwork for sale

What an awesome treat I have today. I was alerted on Tuesday by a seller that they had some original Earl Norem Artwork produced for the HG Toys Alien series coming up for sale this weekend.  This is not only huge, it's wonderfully timely considering we're ten days into our Month of Halloween celebration and Promethius just arrived on DVD (please no spoilers).

 

 

Here is the Alien from the Blaster Target Set (here's a shot of the final product here) from what I'm told HG blacked out the eyes on Norem's artwork. Alien was a project that toy makers were really leery of.

 

 

 

And here we have the brilliant early artwork for what became the 250 Piece Alien Puzzle (you can see it better here). Sadly HG did not return Norem's artwork, this happens more than it should.

I cannot say anything more than I'm overjoyed that wonderful bits of toy history still surface to this day, this is going to look amazing in somebody's collection.

Both of these pieces are available on Ebay via this seller come this weekend. I am not afiliated, just spreading the word.

 

 

Super 7 goes retro with Alien

I rarely post SDCC news here (mostly because it's about stuff I don't collect) but this announcement from Super 7 is so huge it can't be ignored.

Super 7 has the Alien license which is not really earth shattering in of itself but it's the fact that they're going retro with it that's so exciting, what are they doing you ask?

1) They're doing a series of "Burger King" type glasses that are so freaking full of win that I wish they'd get every 70s sci fi license. I want to start my day with OJ from a "Westworld" glass and guzzle down my fifth "lunch beer" staring at Sean Connery from "Outland".

2) THEY'RE GIVING US THE 3 3/4" ALIEN ACTION FIGURE LINE THAT KENNER STUPIDLY DID NOT RELEASE! A HUGE WRONG IS FINALLY RIGHTED.

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Here is the Kane figure prototype in it's vintage glory.

Oh and if that wasn't enough, they're doing Boba Fett as a Jumbo Machinder as well.

I am not sure I'll be reporting anything else from SDCC but I'm also not sure I have to either....

Kenner Alien Catalog

It's hard to imagine with all the decapitated looking McFarlane monstrosities currently at Toys R Us but it was downright crazy of Kenner to make toys based on the R Rated Ridely Scott film "Alien'.

It's obvious that Kenner, high off the fumes from the model glue that is the Star Wars franchise decided to not let any other Fox Science Fiction film escape their clutches. The results were vaired, Alien toys weren't appreciated and sold poorly but now they are coveted secondary market pieces.


Check out the Kenner Toys Alien Merchandise

World's Coolest Cage Match

Alien VS ROM: Spaceknight

That would have made Steve Austin VS Bigfoot look like a tickle fight, I somehow feel cheated I never got to play this as a kid....

1979 HG Toys Catalog

It's not a household name but chances are you had some HG Toys gorwing up, their lines were simple but popular items such as puzzles and gun sets all utilizing the hottest tv stars of the day.

From Godzilla to Barbapapa, from Vega$ to Alien, HG Toys had a really interesting mix of cool and kitschy items, check it out here.