Colouring Book Theatre: The Superfriends

Today's colouring book is one I had as a kid, the Super Friends, yep, the "Wendy & Marvin" version of the show.

This isn't just a cover with stock art of the DC comics heroes, this book is completely faithful to the original series.

It's a non violent, positive message adventure from start to finish.

Whitman did an exceptional job with this one, the art mimicks Alex Toth's designs better than the DC comic adapataion ever did.

It's pretty obvious that Whitman was provided a lot of reference material from Hanna Barberra, I'll explain why down below.

It should be known that I got in a fight with a neighbourhood chum in 1977 when he decided to get liberal with his colour choices. Superman isn't yellow Michael C, where ever you are!

The story starts out rather innocently with the Superfriends working out in the park. You get pages like "walking is healthy" and shots of Marvin working out with dumbells. Then you get this scene of Robin getting grossed out by health food followed up by Wendy and Marvin hiding the health food in a bush (!)

This is a swipe of a classic Neal Adams drawing that made it onto a couple of Mego packages. After they work out, it's Superman's birthday, Supes gets a Fish from Aquaman and a Bat from Batman, I detect a theme....

The party takes a turn for the worse when the world is being invaded by the Sea Weed people, who capture Aquaman. The Sea Weed King is actually a villian from an old Galaxy Trio Cartoon, HB really dug deep for this guy. Eventually Aquaman escapes and the Superfriends find uses for their Sea Weed, which includes making crappy furniture, baskets and Wonder Woman makes a Salad.

I get it, the dynamic duo don't like to eat healthy. I imagine the Batmobile floors are just whopper wrappers and Big Gulp cups. The Seaweed King shows up and is shown all the junk that can be made from his "Weed" that he can now start selling at Flea Markets.

He thanks the "Surface People" (doesn't that piss off Aquaman?) and everything is alright in the end. Hooray!

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1975 Lili Ledy Catalog from Mexico

Lili Ledy was Mexico's premiere toy manufacturer and because of trade restrictions, all toys they sold had to be manufactured in Mexico. So many of the popular US lines were licensed and then produced by Lili Ledy resulting in wonderful variations that toy collectors hunt for to this day.

Alot of favourites like the Mego Superheroes, G.I. Joe and Kenner TTP are included along with some interesting Mexican market items. Check out the 1975 Lili Ledy Catalog.

Reminder: Plaidstallions Retro Toyfair begins this Sunday with coverage from 1974. Find out what your favourite toy companies were up to.

Holy Statues Batman!

I've never noticed these cool Batman and Lone Ranger Shaker Maker sets before, I wonder why they chose to make the characters with such gigantic heads?

Aurora Karate Men!

I loved this toy as a kid, when I wasn't playing the game I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to get the figures off the stand. They were like really muscular G.I. Joes complete with flocked hair.

Hey, you guys wanna party?

Please, it's so obvious they're cops......

By Your Command

I like classic Battlestar Galactica more as an adult than I ever did as a kid, making me wonder why I ever had to have these figures so bad.

I would have loved to have found Baltar, Lucifer and Gold Cyclon as a wee one but they're still evading me into adulthood. In the early ninties, I spent some weekends working with John Colicos (Baltar) and during a car ride mentioned his action figure, even he didn't have one.

More Fun: 1979 Mattel Battlestar Galactica Catalog

Coming Attractions: Retro Toyfair

We'll leave the new Toyfair news to other sites (like AFI) and focus on news coverage of Toyfairs past, staring with 1974 next Sunday and ending with 1977 on the 20th.

Be there for regular updates on the first appearances of classic toys, toy industry ads and a whole lot more. Our first annual Retro Toy Fair is going to be a lot of fun, well at least I hope it will be!

Colouring Book Theatre : Action Jackson

Today's colouring book is a personal favourite of mine, Mego Action Jackson.

For those not in the know, Action Jackson was Mego's attempt to muscle into the boy's market dominated by G.I. Joe with a new character and plenty of TV advertising.

Action Jackson was a sportsman/adventurer/military man who kids just had to think of what they wanted to be and call on him.

AJ sold brightly but not for a long time, Mego went on the superheroes and the rest is history.

My Dad's company bought a lot of Action Jackson overstock back in the mid seventies, so I was bringing AJ's to birthday parties up until the late 70's.

First off, I love the art in this Saalfield publication, it suits the character perfectly.

The story itself is all over the map, Saalfield tried hard to incorporate all of AJ's outfits and accessories into this so AJ parachutes in, then goes surfing, takes a dangerous mission, crashes his plain in the jungle. Above he gets stuck in quicksand but is quickly rescued by the Action Jackson helicopter.

After being rescued, AJ goes on a sporting tear, playing football, hockey, baseball (his favourite sport!) and then Karate. When does he sleep? AJ then hops in another plane, which crashes again and he's rescued by a boat. Which brings me to my favourite page......

Yep, AJ takes a little coffee break and indulges his sweet tooth. Think this page is weird?

What if I told you it was a double page spread! Judging by the extra cups of coffee, I get how AJ gets things done. I guess Saalfield had to stretch a bit. The remainder of the book, AJ has anunderwater adventure, gets stranded in the jungle again, finds mayan treasure, gets trapped and then he straps on his helicopter backpack (something I still want to be able to own for myself) and sails off into the sunset.

Hopefully he goes for a nap.

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

Barbie for 1973

I don't do enough girl's related things here, so I thought it be fun to highlight some of the things that were new for Barbie in Spring of 1973. Barbie got curlier, Ken started looking like Ron Burgundy and everybody got a just a little bit mod.

The Ork Look

Seriously, in 1978 JC Penney was encouraging young woman to dress like Mork, it's right in the ad copy! Attempts to revive this concept in 1990 with the "Get all Urkeled up!" campaign failed miserably thankfully.......

The Bed Spins

The one on the left gives me motion sickness....

A double shot of generic Star Wars goodness

I can't get enough Star Wars rip offs and the page above has one of the best, Starroid Raiders action figures by Tomland. The Space Case is another cool "Me too" type product.

Star Raiders were a Mego type varaiation on the theme, also by Tomlands, many of the characters had vaguely familiar looking faces. For more info on them, check out this site.

Quick Everyone, back to the Spacepod!

Family fashion or the latest Irwin Allen pilot? You decide!

Colouring Book Theatre : Big JIm and the P.A.C.K

When I can on Saturdays, I am going to provide an overview of what's inside of some of the cooler colouring books from the 1970's.

I decided to open with Big Jim and the P.A.C.K seeing as it's based on one of my favourite toy lines of that era.

Whitman had released a Big Jim All Star colouring book a few years earlier as well.

The art in this opus looks to be the work of Tony Tollarico, who was famous for the Dell "Monster Superhero" comics such as Dracula and Frankenstein. If you're into dopey comics check those out.

The action in this story begins in a small town, where all the animals have begun to attack the locals this apparently enough to interest the Professional Agents/Crime Killers and they speed off to investigate.

Big Jim and Warpath look a little cramped in the Lazervette but they immediately know who's behind the attacks.....

Yep it's Zorak, evil lord of the Underworld. Zorak has a plan to rule the world using all of our pets as slaves, he gives them a treat, they obey him. Actually, I used this same practice on my college roommate's dog.

So Zorak sends a dog to take care of Big Jim, did I mention he also has an army of Robots that look like Knights? I think I'd have sent those first or at least a bear.

Jim quickly shoots the dog with his gun (which puts people to sleep, this is 1976) and faces the army of Robot knights giving this brave speech while apparently wearing lip gloss.....

THEN HE FRIGGING RUNS AND HIDES! Leaving the P.A.C.K team to clean up the mess, I guess he meant to finish that brave statement with "By P.A.C.K, I meant those guys"

Jim of course, chases down Zorak and gives him a look at what his team did, probably taking credit too. All is won and the P.A.C.K ride off into the sunset.

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

1977 Berwick Toys Catalog

Most North Americans have probably never heard of UK based Berwick toys before but that should change because they created a lot of fun and inspired licensed items for the English market.

Berwick's main items seem to be role play such as their line of play suits and games, while all the American standards are there such as Mr Spock and the Hulk, UK specific characters such as Captain Britain and Doctor Who are present as well.

Check out the 1977 Berwick Toys Catalog

Hi-Yo Silver Away!

In the mid 1970's Gabriel toys released some of the highest quality action figures of the decade with their Lone Ranger line. Not known for action figures previously, the company spared no detail in the figures, their horses or the multitude of accessory packs.

Announcement Time: I am taking a short sabbatical from the interweb to recharge my batteries. I'll be back at the end of the month with more of the usual. Have a great weekend!

Super Selection of Sleeping Bags

I used to collect Sleeping bags, talk about a space killer. This spread has me wondering though, what kid wanted the McDonalds characters over say Spider-Man and Hulk or the cool robots from the Black Hole? I can't imagine unrolling a McDonaldland sleeping bag at Richard Huer's sleep over back in the day. I think I'd have been better off with the oversized Dorito's bag.

Pajama Unity = Family Unity

If you look closely I swear the kid in "J" is mouthing "Help Me"

To Boldy Sit

I dig bean bag chairs, I dig Star Trek: The Motion Picture, so imagine my surprise to find two styles of Star Trek: TMP Bean Bag Chairs. It'll be a tough call but rest assured ,the crew of the enterprise will soon be cradling my butt cheeks.

Poorly Named Jeans

When I look at the outfit on the left, the word "rough house" doesn't really pop to mind. Words like "Pixie" or "Musical Production" do though.