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.

Limited Edition Star Trek Medallion

 I had my Star Trek Medallion stolen during fifth grade swim class (back up ladies, I'm taken) and I know who did it.

He ended up working at my gym in the mid 1990s, the sight of him every day would fill me with this weird anger combined with the feeling that it was super dumb to wear a Star Trek medallion to swim class in the first place.....

A Special Friend for you!

Oh, I'll be seeing all of you tonight when i close my eyes.

Also, shouldn't our generation been one of Super Ventriloquists?

Blazer Jacket Sets the Pace!

Pretty flowers or cosmic dots drawn by Jack Kirby? It's both!

Pod Stallions 48: Frankensteins!

We weren't gonna not do an October show, so we saved until the 31st because HALLOWEEN!

Episode 48 is a celebration of our favourite monster and we discuss his highs (which involve Karloff and Lee) and his lows (which involve Deniro and Jackman) along the way we kibitz about different incarnations, TV versions and as always, TOYS! TOYS! TOYS!

It's a ghoulishly good time with one of our favourite subjects.

  Download the Show Here

Listen here

Show Links:

• Frankenstein Island is on YouTube, we demand you watch it.
• This is the 1997 "House of Frankenstein" TV movie Brian mentioned.
• The Trailer for Frankenstein Unbound

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!

PODSTALLIONS ON ITUNES

PODSTALLIONS RSS FEED

1986 Ben Cooper Costume Catalog

It wouldn't be Halloween without at least one costume catalog on PlaidStallions and I'm thrilled to be showcasing this rarity from 1986.

It's pretty hard to find an 80s property that isn't represented here, I mean seriously this thing is chock full of cartoon and toy characters.



Check out the 1986 Ben Cooper Catalog here!

More Halloween at PlaidStallions

   

AHI Dracula on the card

I had a nice contribution by a fellow named Bob last night of this Azrak Hamway Dracula on the card. I actually didn't have this version in the AHI Monsters gallery so it was a welcome addition.

Dracula was sold in the AHI Official World Famous Super Monsters wave but in a way that distinguished him from the other monsters. The other monsters aren't mention on the card, nor are the monsters, just a huge portrait of Dracula.

Dracula didn't get a jiggler or a water pistol and his Bend N Flex figure looked more like Christopher Lee to be honest.

It's largely assumed this was due to ongoing litigation between Lugosi's estate and Universal Studios.

Most licensed 70s Dracula stuff is somewhat generic, the AHI Dracula is really no different


One of the more puzzling items is the presence of Bela on the card art. 

I'm assuming that use of his likeness on packaging was somewhat undefined at the time because his does appear on packaging, trading cards and other items but never in figure form.

Visit our AHI Monsters Gallery for more information

Gre-Gory: Big Bad Vampire Bat by Mattel

It finally happened, I got my hands on a Gre-Gory. After posting my disappointment ten years ago (ulp!) I found a good deal on one and decided to take the plunge.

More photos after the jump and my observations as I have never seen or held one of these in my life.

New Video: Tomland Famous Monster of Legend

Very happy to showcase my latest video collaboration with Jason Lenzi, this month we tackle one of my passions, Monster action figures in the most appropriate month to do so.

The Tomland Famous Monsters of Legend are one of the rarest sets of monster toys in the world and in this volume we try to give you the basics on a unique line of action figures.

See the video here and don't forget to subscribe to see our upcoming vintage toy short films.

Thanks for watching, Happy Halloween.

It's a Trap!

I honestly don't remember anything about this era as it was my last Halloween, while Star Wars had been my go-to costume from 1978-1981, this year was my last Halloween and  I think I went as Sid Vicious. 

Monster Squad Dracula Costumes

No better time than Halloween than to discuss costumes and my love of the 1976 Monster Squad Television series.

Collegeville had the license to the series and while they didn't make a Frank Costume, they sure went to town with Dracula.

Below are all the variations I've found thus far of his store bought costumes. Above is the standard kid version and the one most commonly found.

It's refreshing to see a suit like this and not just a picture of the character.



This is an "Adult" cape and mask set. It's a bit threadbare but I guess if in a pinch, an adult would wear this.





And this is my latest find, the Monster Squad Poncho and mask combo. Collegeville sold this right up until 1979, two years after the show left the air waves.

Want more Monster Squad goodies, check out our gallery. If you have something I don't, PLEASE contact me!

Monogram launches Movieland Monsters from the crypt

1983 saw the Aurora monster models rise again when Monogram brought six of them back for the first time since Aurora folded. I remember being pretty excited to see them again and they would return every decade after that.

You can't keep a good monster down.

Ben Cooper Frankenstein Wiggler

I never ran into a Frankenstein, I didn't like and this past summer at Mego Meet I found one that I didn't have.


I AND I love him! he's got a magical "Dracula Vs Frankenstein" quality about it. There's something so special about a generic Frankenstein.
 

Friend Good! I think it's funny that he's specifically called a "Wiggler", it just didn't catch on.

Halloween Department 1980

THIS is my happy place today.

All those wonderful costumes on display are from the 1980 Ben Cooper catalog BTW.

Topstone. Not Just another pretty face

Let's kick off Halloween talking about Topstone shall we? 

Topstone started marking masks in the 1950s, I mainly know them for their famous character art. this Wolfman was offered in comic books my entire childhood.

The company closed it's doors in the 1990s and Topstone masks are now highly collectible among passionate collectors.

I still remember how a bin of those smelled, I hope I never forget it.