Play Do Monsters Need Haircuts

I love this monster version of the playdo fuzzy pumper barber shop even though it doesn't make a lot of sense. Dig the perm on the skeleton.

Charlie sent in these great pics of the Count Creepyhead playset, something I've never actually seen before.

Hot Costumes for 76

I think it's a pretty cool sign of the times that the apes aren't supposed to be Cornelius and Zira but Caesar and Lisa, now that's progress. What kid wanted to be Charlie Brown? I spent my life avoiding being him.

Delicious monsters that stay crunchy in milk

These cool BooBerry and Frankenberry puppets were in the 1977 Kenner catalog, which makes sense considering that Kenner was owned by General Mills. Booberry was my favourite cereal as a kid, they stopped making anything but Count Chocula here in the late seventies.

Frankenbumps!

Here's one by Mego that never made it out, Frankenbumps was a twist on stretch armstrong except you could use a pump to vacum seal his bean filled body and you'd be able to twist him into different positions. If this at all sounds familiar it's because Cap toys revived the concept years later as Vac-Man.

No Frankenbumps protos have ever been found but a box exists. Mego also had produced a face changing 12" Dracula doll in the late seventies, no photos have come forward sadly...

Where my monster love comes from

Growing up in my neck of the woods, we didn't have a horror host and getting a copy of Famous Monsters wasn't easy but we did have the Monsters Series of Books from Crestwood House. My local library had all of the ones pictured (and I swear a Creature one) and they fed my mad thirst for monster knowledge. From about 1980-82, one of these was constantly lent out by me, especially the Godzilla book. That's why I was so excited to find this at a toy show a few years ago:

The crestwood book on my favourite monster of all, Frankenstein. This book goes from the Edison version lingering on Universal to Hammer and ending with Michael Sarrazin (this was published in 1977). One of these days I'm going to have to track down the others.

Monster Toy Recap

I did a page highlighting some of the cooler monster toys of last year's Halloween features and thought today was as good day to point it out. There's nothing quite like phoning it in is there?

Monsters on Wheels

What do you get when you mix Evel Knievel with the Universal Monsters? You get Ideal's Scare Cycles, daredevil biker monsters is the perfect way to kick off our Halloween festivities this year.

Loud children demand to be seen and heard

It's like a meeting of the "future used car salesmen of America".

The rest of October will be devoted to Halloween and Monster merchandising found throughout the 70's, as our annual Halloween bash begins!.

McDonaldland of Confusion

I remember as a kid being perplexed by why the Remco McDonalds action figures existed, mostly because even then, I knew Ronald and co. were corporate shills. I guess all action figures are in some respect but this was really blatant.

I also remember really being curious to see how they made an 8" Grimace (still my favourite character) and being kind of let down he was just a plush of sorts.

They actually make reproductions of these figures, check it out.

A semi logical Hulk toy for once

In the midst of all the Hulk Helicopters and Explorer vehicles we get this, the Hulk Excersize mat. Seeing as the Hulk is muscular, it makes sense and it's far cheaper than a gamma bomb.

The advantages of Vinyl

While I love the convienence of MP3s, you can't display them in an attractive manner like this sweet record rack. Too bad it looks like you can only hold eight in there....

Al's toy memories

I've been wanting to start a gallery of people's childhood toy pictures but never really got around to it, then artist Al Bigley gave me a big jumpstart with these great examples from his family album. Above Al is shown with an APC Superman canister puzzle, I had an Apes one like that as a kid.

Al opening a Lone Ranger and Silver from Gabriel, really great his folks documented things so well.

The opening of a Stretch Armstrong is only slightly cooler than Al's Batman shirt in this photo. Ironically, Al would grow up and illustrate toy packages that many 90's kids remember fondly including many Batman items!

Many thanks to Al for these great memories, if anyone else would like to share some drop us a line at our mailbox.

1978 Kenner Star Wars Launch

A big one today, the 1978 Kenner Star Wars Catalog with shots of the original lineup including prototypes and store displays. This stuff will forever make me drool.

Toilet Decisions

I don't think I'd be able to choose between this bathroom decor, I mean the furry job above means you wouldn't have to clean your toilet often (if you know what I mean fellas).

But the gold carpeting on this bad boy would mean I really wouldn't have to worry about my aim at all. You could just splash away, nobody would be the wiser.

To be honest, the site of carpet near a toilet would send me into "Silkwood shower" mode.

As seen on TV

Plaidstallions makes the news

There is nothing more surreal than a morning news show reading stuff you wrote. Thanks to Anthony for the video.

Silly Dilly Sky Diving PoopaTroopers!

Thanks to a generous scan from Chris Montgomery, we have a new addition to the Plaid Stallions Rack Toys Gallery, these poopatroopers were a dimestore staple for years. I myself have called parachute men "poopatroopers" for years so it had an impact on me, thanks Chris!

Check out Chris's awesome Poopatroopers page

The many faces of Lenny

This little collage makes me giddy just because it's so perfectly odd. if I didn't know it was from 1973, I'd swear it's from some upcoming Will Ferrel movie.

Gamma Radiation Sold Separately

Starting a look at the toys produced by Remco with the 1979 Energized Super Heroes selection, featurings not just Spider-Man but all your favourites getting the low tech electronic treatment.

The Amazing 3-D Man

Yikes! He's coming right for me!

Harsh Chair Reality

Another item that I'd love to own but my body style (The Lummox TM) prohibits such purchases, I'd destroy this thing in a week. I used to babysit for a couple that had one, it's part chair, part swing, all goodness.