Toy-Ventures 9: Superhero School Supplies

This week's installment of Toy Ventures is all about the cool licensed School Supplies created by a company called Alco. Over a period of five years they made two styles of sharpeners, erasers and even a Batman Slide Rule?

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1976 Child World Toy Flyer :Space:1999: Mego Superheroes

Man, do we have something wonderful this Friday, an original Child World Toy Flyer straight from November 1976.

If you're a fan of this site, this is going to be a real treat as it features all the hits, Mego Star Trek, Mattel Space:1999, Kenner Stretch Armstrong, Mego Cher, LJN SWAT, Hasbro Weebles, Ideal Evel Knievel, Remco Earthquake Tower, the list, she is ended.

Special props to Robert Bruce for being so unbelievably awesome and generous with this piece, I am humbled by his generosity.

CHECK OUT THE 1976 CHILD WORLD TOY FLYER HERE!

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Mego Thursday

I spent last evening loading up all the images for Mego's grand launch back to Target stores (You can see it all at the MegoMuseum), even got a call from Mego's president last night. So I'm suer nostalgic, grateful and entirely validated right now, also tired. Anyway, Mego is what brought me on this grand adventure, so I declare today Mego Thursday!

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Random SuperHero merchandise from 1980

Here are a few random pages from the 1980 Pedigree Toys catalog from the UK, being 9 at the time I can honestly say I WANTED ALL OF THIS! I had a special love for the Remco utility belts.


 

Please add a long life obsession with the Remco Batcopter to my life long list.



OK, I never had anything to do with roller skatea and these looked really weird and dangerous...

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Aw Yeah Mego Meet 2017!

This weekend marks the annual Mego Meet convention in Skokie, IL.

I'll be heading there to help out at the door, see old friends and spend money on things I probably don't need. If you're in the area, it's a terrific show and we'd love to have you.

If not, I'll be posting live pics and videos on the PlaidStallions facebook page and twitter all weekend. 

More information on the event is below:

https://www.facebook.com/MegoMeet/

Super Slickers

My mom bought me a Sesame Street rain slicker this year (1978), I remember being a little embarrassed wearing it as many of my peers were wearing KISS shirts at this point.

I honestly would have loved the Six Million Dollar Man or Star Trek ones pictured here.

Canadian Superhero Pepsi Cups

For the last two decades I've been quietly collecting these promotional cups given away by Pepsi in the 1970s in Canada. Similar to the US cup promotions but a much smaller character choice, different design and made in Canada. (update I've just been told they were made available at the restaurants in Zeller's department stores)

My mantra on these was to never buy them online but find them in the wild at the many toy shows, antique malls and flea markets I regularly haunt. I think I've put together a complete set and thought it would be fun to showcase them. More after the jump.

Superheroes and Apes in Japan

I was elated to find this ad full of Ourway Studios Superhero and Planet of the Apes merch in a Japanese issue of StarLog.

Especially mind warping is those Superhero stamp albums, which I totally had and collected as a kid. I wonder if they still accept orders......

Check out the Our Way Studios catalog from '77!

The shop window of Mego Dreams.....

I debated whether to put this here or on the Mego Museum but considering it's a vintage photo of a toy store in Hong Kong (and let's face it, this site has an obsession with such things).

This display of Mego Superhero items and Micronauts is my happy place, I drove my mother crazy looking for the 9.5" Robin on the far left. It looked just like Dick Grayson in the comics, it had to be mine.

Speaking of Mego, the annual convention known as Mego Meet is this June 16-17 in Skokie, Illinois. It's our last year in the Chicago area before we move to a new state, so last call mid west! Strong chance the guy at the front desk will be me, don't let that deter you.

Mego invades the UK

This picture, from the 1977 Palitoy Bradgate Catalog is so much like my childhood (and adult dreams) it's scary. I love a world where the Star Trek crew can mingle with the Fantastic Four and take on Doctor Zaius.

You can see the whole thing at the Mego Museum.

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:

Komic Korner

From that time when Superhero T Shirts were hard to get.....

Super Heroes by Croner

I found this catalog from Croner, an Australian toy distributor that carried alot of US items by companies like MPC and Azrak-Hamway International.

Nothing that I haven't seen before but it's nice to end a week looking at stuff like this.




That Captain America kite is particularly dreamy.

Mighty Crusaders Stunt Cycle

It's been a while since I've found a Rack Toy that excites me (that sounds weird) but this week I totally have. These toys come from Remco/AHI and are as I can figure, the last line of these kind of licensed affairs that AHI was so known for in the 70s and 80s. 

Mighty Crusaders are a superhero team owned by Archie Comics, they have a great lineage but an awfully sporadic publishing history since the Golden Age. During the early 80s, they had a pretty decent attempt at a revival which spawned licensed toys from Remco.

While the Remco Mighty Crusaders action figure line is fairly commonly found, these toys must have been produced in much lower numbers.  I'm still not positive what got made and didn't . 

Prior to this discovery, the only Rack Toys for the Mighty Crusaders I could confirm were these helicopters.

The back of the package suggests that Mighty Crusaders got the same treatment that Batman and Planet of the Apes did in the mid seventies with helicopters, Motorcycles and (gasp!) Parachute figures. (If you have one please email me, even if it's not for sale!)

A really nice shot of "The Web" figure, I'm glad that I keep running into one of my favourite characters when I do find this stuff.

If you have any input on this Mighty Crusaders merch, I'd love to hear from you!

1978 Dejay Record Player Catalog

I'm really happy vinyl is back in what few record stores I can find these days, that's why I love this 1978 catalog from Dejay featuring a variety of licensed children's record players.

Disco, Holly Hobbie and the Superfriends, it's a grouping that won't happen in any other decade....

Check out the 1978 Dejay Catalog here.


More Superhero Stuff!

Comic Heroes Tube Socks!

Pretty commonplace now but back in '76 some Shazam! socks would have really brightened my day. Especially 65% Orlon Shazam socks.

1980 Azrak Hamway (AHI) Toy Catalog

As one of the premiere rack toy manufacturers of the 1970s, Azrak Hamway International (most commonly referred to as AHI by collectors) ended the decade with a bang featuring new products featuring their hottest licenses.

Most notably in this book are the Marvel and DC superheroes, Star Trek, KISS and the Universal Monsters.

It is truly a fun catalog loaded with my favourite toys from the era like parachuting superheroes, Mr Spock Bop Bags and ....

Superhero Pipes! You can't make this stuff up.

Visit the 1980 AHI Toy Catalog Here

Azrak Hamway Index on PlaidStallions/AzrakHamway.com

Monster Gallery

Batman Gallery

Star Trek Gallery

Planet of the Apes Gallery

Marvel Comics Gallery

Space:1999 Gallery

Pod Stallions Episode 30: Model Kits

This month sees us discussing the days of slapping paint everywhere and getting a l'il high off glue.

Model kits has us discussing Aurora, Addar, MPC, fundimensions and many other kit manufacturers long gone.

Subjects include Sweathogs, the Fonz, Planet of the Apes, Jaws, Doctor Who, Gerry Anderson, Universal Monsters, Dark Shadows, Star Trek and much more.

As always we get sidetracked into talking about Jason's singing voice, Cosplay and star wars sneakers.

Please note I am working on raising my volume level, thought I had it licked this show but it's a work in progress.


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Super Hero Skates

Larami did these SuperHero skates for years and as weird as they are, they must have sold.

Like every toyline from the mid seventies, the Hulk was very quickly added to the mix once his TV show aired.

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.

Super Frame!

I found this little oddity in a local flea market, produced in 1978 by a Canadian company called "Friendly Photos" it features a rare appearance by Green Lantern. Even if he is blonde with large red gautlets, it's nice to see ol' Hal.

The biggest mystery about this piece is why I haven't slapped a third grade photo of myself in there....

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.