Flash Gordon and Bif Bang Pow! Team Up Again!

From the "Hell and Yes" department, my friends at Bif Bang Pow have announced that they are righting a toy wrong. Like a lot of people my age, I was permanently scarred by the fact that I could never find 3 3/4" Flash Gordon figures to play along side my Star Wars and Black Hole men. 

I have it on good authority that these figures will be awesome and while very much embracing the retro vibe, they will also resemble the cast.

FLASH GORDON IS BACK! BIF BANG POW! AND KING FEATURES SYNDICATE ANNOUNCE NEW LICENSE AND COLLECTIBLES FOR FLASH GORDON

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 23, 2014) - After a four year hiatus, Bif Bang Pow! proudly announces a return to Mongo with a new license from King Features Syndicate to release a series of brand-new products and collectibles from the 1980 sci-fi cult-classic film Flash Gordon.

"Bif Bang Pow! is well positioned in the character toys and collectibles market and we are delighted to have a new agreement with them," said Jarred Goro, North American Licensing Manager for King Features. "Flash Gordon and the other classic characters in his world are cultural icons. Bif Bang Pow! crafts quality merchandise with incredible attention to detail. The fans are going to love this new and expanded collection!"

  

Bif Bang Pow! is thrilled to return to Mongo, working on new Flash Gordon action figures and collectibles to add to its ever-expanding lineup of iconic branded products. Bif Bang Pow! will debut the first-ever line of 3 3/4-inch movie action figures to include Flash Gordon, the dreaded Ming the Merciless, Princess Aura, Prince Barin, Dr. Zarkov, and other popular characters from the film. In addition to new "retro" scale action figures (and possibly even vehicles this go 'round!),Bif Bang Pow! will add prop replicas, journals, tin lunch boxes, drink ware, license plate frames, and more to the Flash Gordon line of collectibles. Merchandise is scheduled to hit the marketplace throughout the term of the license.

"We're excited to be working with King Features Syndicate once again," said Jason Lenzi, co-founder of Bif Bang Pow! "Fans have missed our Flash Gordon products, and have always wished we had taken things further than we were originally able to. Now, with a renewed interest in that colorful cast of characters, thanks to projects like Ted and a brand-new Flash Gordon movie in the works, we believe now is the perfect time to introduce new collectibles to veteran and novice fans alike. It would seem that the rest of the world has finally caught up with us Flash Gordon true believers, and to paraphrase the words of the immortal Queen, 'the continuation is OURS for the making'!"

Scheduled for initial release in early 2015, the entire Flash Gordon movie line will be exclusively distributed through EE Distribution (www.eedistribution.com), a division of Entertainment Earth, Inc., and sold direct to consumers at www.entertainmentearth.com and other fine specialty retailers.

EE Distribution

1-818-255-0090 x147

sales@eedistribution.com

Shigcon Fever

I was so smitten with the larger Shogun Warriors as a kid, that I completely ignored stuff like the Shigcon tank and jet pictured here. I honestly just learned their names tonight.

These vehicles (like the majority of the Shogun Warriors line) were originally toys from a Japanese TV series, these two were from a series called "Daitetsujin 17" which saw VHS release here in the 1980s as "Brain 17".

Hey! Hey! Hey!

I never ran into these Chemtoy Fat Albert figures as a kid but if I had, they would have so been mine.  I'm not sure why there isn't a Dumb Donald figure staring back at while I type this, what's wrong with me?

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.

Patriotic Pairing

It's always the fourth of July in the Henderson bedroom.

Colouring Book Theater: Valley of the Dinosaurs

Valley of the Dinosaurs

I haven't done a CBT at all this year, so I'm glad I found this book whilst visiting the groovy retro store Planet of the Stuff two weeks back.

I remember this show well as a kid, mostly because to me it seemed like an animated knock off version of my beloved Land of the Lost.

However I was surprised that the two shows came out at the same time, Lost was the clear winner as Valley never had another season.

Let's take a look at this after the jump...

1979 Fisher Price Adventure People Catalog

It's often forgetten that Fisher Price Adventure People lead the 3 3/4" charge of the 1970s. Their wonderful world was free of violence but just completely captivating.

This catalog shows the line still going strong after Lucas with new innovation and a little dash of science fiction thrown in for good measure.:

Check out the 1979 Fisher Price Adventure People Catalog

More Adventure People at PlaidStallions

 

Strange:1999

These were possible the oddest things I spied at last month's Mego Meet show. A set of home made Space:1999 plush figures, nerdy high school art project or a really well meaning Grandmother? We'll never know.

Eyes up here Martin Landau!

More  Space:1999

Bird Watching Hunks

Ladies, if you like sitting in the woods, you've hit the jack pot...

Battery Operate Batmobile

This is one of the earliest pieces of Bat merchandise that AHI ever made. One of the more interesting things about the company is you get to watch them go from creating original, crazy artwork for each toy to the less dynamic "style guide" approach of the early 1980s.

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.

Mr Flower

All it would take is one brave soul to bring floral embroidery back to the mainstream, i ask you are you strong enough to accept the challenge?

Podstallions 19: Japanese toys

Episode 19 sees Jason and Brian explain their deep affection for toys from the land of the rising sun.

Even though we both grew up in North America, our childhoods were made happier by the imports that did manage to hop across the Pacific leaving us with a thirst for more.

Japanese Toys tries to cover all the bases (but we're going need to do a part 2 sometime) including topics such as Shogun Warriors, Kamen Rider, Microman, Ultraman, Star Blazers, Mecha Kong, Japanese Spider-Man, Eidai Grip, Gerry Anderson, Jason's Tokyo mishaps and Brian's current addiction to Japanese auctions.

Episode 19 will have you finding a proxy bidding service.

PS don't buy us things.

Download the Show Here

Listen here

Show Links:

• The Japanese Spider-Man figure by Popy we discussed.
• The very first episode of Kamen Rider V3 sees his whole family murdered by a villain called Scissors Jaguar.
• The Ark diecast ad we discuss on the show that features Jason's beloved Baltan toy.
• How Star Wars figures were sold in Japan.
• The Captain Scarlet model kits Jason mention.
• Denys Fisher Cyborg toys based on Henshin Cyborg.
• A website devoted to the Shinsei UFO Commander toys.
• The Kamen Rider Henshin suit that keeps Brian up at night.
• Drool over the amazing Jumbo Machinders!

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!



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Ice Bird

Like a lot of kids, I wanted the ability to make my own shaved ice. I wasn't sure where people got blocks of ice, replacement flavors  or who cleaned up this mess but as a parent, you begin to realize why you didn't get it...

Sizzling Satin

Suddenly the decidedly non shiny pants I currently have on fill me with a strange sense of yearning...

Finger Faces

One of the things I've noticed about Rack Toys is that good concepts don't die. This Finger Faces ad is 40 years old but I can still find them at my local dollar store for exactly the same price.

I can't say that about coffee or Buicks sadly...

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.

How many sugars Mr Sulu?

From the "I spoke to soon" department. No sooner did I mention no evidence of Star Trek tea sets in the Worcester catalog last Friday when I was quickly corrected. Thanks to my pal Corey, it appears that Worcester did indeed pitch a 23rd century tea set. I can't imagine what they thought to accomplish here but honestly I would have to own one now just to prove the oddest piece of Star Trek merchandise existed (which would likely remove the title from this)

Star Trek Big Wheels

I've been looking for this catalog for ages, in 1978 Worcester toy corporation, mostly known for tea sets offered a series of Star Trek inspired Big Wheels (sadly there appears to be no Star Trek tea set).

While I can find no evidence of the Trek cycle being made, Worcestor did produce them as generic space ships. What might have been....

Last bedroom out of Dodge

I'm not sure I'd sleep well in something that routinely gets robbed.

Poster Art Center

There is no doubt in my mind that I would have spent all of my pocket money on one of these as a kid. It's just what one? I'm not ashamed to admit even Ziggy was a contender for me as a kid.

Esquadron Ultra

This piece may be my favourite bit of Ultra-man merchandise ever, this particular rack toy doesn't come from Japan but Peru, where I guess Ultra Seven got played at one point.

What's amazing about this item is a) I'm not even sure it's licensed, b) I'm surprised something this fragile survived and c) it's so darn wonderful and show accurate.

I keep trying to quit collecting these things but they keep getting prettier.....

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.

Action Pants!

Is it just me or does this montage extolling the virtues of double knit polyester look like the greatest detective show ever?