Memories of Toymorrow

Metal Memories: My First Concert Tee

2018-11-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

Way back in 1989 I saw Ozzy.......

June 30, 1989 was the date of my first concert. Back then I wore band tees all the time, but I would never wear an actual concert shirt if I didn't attend it, I'm no poser......

This was my first real concert tee.

The lineup: Geezer Butler, Ozzy, Zakk Wylde and Randy Castillo.

Tough to see but Darien Center, NY is the 6th from the top left.

I've seen Ozzy so many times I couldn't even count em all. If he came to Buffalo, NY I went. He was always a good show but this was the one that started a long stretch of concert going.

The thing was......I always had to buy a tee. And I did. I bought a concert tee from every concert I ever attended, except one. Black Sabbath was supporting the Dehumanizer album at Shea's. They ran out of tees at that show and only had tees with no dates, sorry but that's not a concert tee. The one that never was ......

This show was also the reason I started playing bass. I was always interested in the bass before this concert but after seeing and hearing Geezer Butler live, I was hooked. I was third from the stage the whole time and the power coming through those amps made a huge impression. I was taking lessons soon after and playing garages in no time.

The shirts were good memories of fun times. No cell phones with pics or someone recording the show and putting it on YouTube (Not that that isn't awesome !!!!). Had the tee to show I was there. And after browsing eBay for vintage tees, all of which did not survive the years, I could afford to retire. Or pay off school loans......

Ertl 3 3/4" Smokey and the Bandit Figure EAST BOUND AND DOWN !!!!!!

2015-01-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

There are some figures I regret never having as a kid, this is one of them. This one I'll admit escaped me until recently. Trolling through eBay, I came across this figure .....

a Die Cast 3 3/4" Bandit figure !

Back in 1982, ERTL produced a figure based on Burt Reynold's character the Bandit from the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit". Its a die cast figure with 4 points (5 if the head moves) of articulation, standard for the time.

A fine looking figure. Decent detail and likeness. As you can see from the package, ages 3 and over can pretend to thwart the law and transport beer across state lines.

The backer is plain but has a nice looking picture of Mr. Reynolds in an advertisement for "Smokey and the Bandit 2" which came out in 1980, 2 years before this figure was released.

The front of the card states "as seen in Smokey and the Bandit", but the figure is modeled after the jacket wearing Bandit of the sequel, so there must be an assumption that this figure actually represents the sequel. One would think that the front would have been labelled as such ......

Also, I came across a Trans Am that goes with the figure. I cannot confirm anything about it, but it does seem to fit the mold.

It even has removable T-Tops !

The movies themselves were full of adult themes, sexual innuendo and profanity, so why not produce a child's toy to promote it !?! It does seem a bit absurd that ERTL made a toy for an age group that should not have been viewing it, but hell I would have wanted it !!

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This item is not in my personal collection.

Photos taken from eBay @

http://www.ebay.com

The Tamiya RC Grasshopper Model Premium is Fantastic !!

2015-01-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

Back in the late 80's, RC cars were the BOMB !! Various car kits were available at all the hobby shops, RC Car Action was first published in 1988 and race tracks, both indoor and outdoor, were popping up all over to fill the need to race these 1/10th scale beauties.

The Tamiya Radio Control Grasshopper was my first foray into the world of RC cars. It was a beginner kit that was relatively easy to build yet robust enough to play hard with. It could be modified enough to be somewhat competitive, and I sure tried with mine. It wasn't going to match up with an RC-10, but I was in the mix.

This is a 1/10 scale miniature model of the Tamiya Grasshopper. I'm assuming it is a 1/10 scale replica of the 1/10 scale replica RC car but its not that critical :) Apparently it was a premium from January of 2005. When you bought a can of coffee called "Coca Cola Georgia", you received this model or one of the other various cars. At least that was in the description in the eBay ad. There is a Coffee Cup graphic with GEORGIA next to it so it validates that description, but I'm not about to translate it to be sure.

The model comes in a neat package, straight from Japan. Its a Tamiya product so I knew it would be decent quality.

The interior yields a few pieces to be assembled. The directions that are included are written in Japanese but the picture is good enough to build from.

The model itself is produced well. The body graphics are tight and clean, however the nose graphic is a little off. It does not take away too much from the model but I would have preferred straight lines. The pieces are molded well with all flashing is trimmed off, so I did not have to do any clean up work.

It is really easy to assemble and the finished product stays together tight. The end product is a good representation of the actual Grasshopper RC from the 80's and looks great !

It even has a little dirt sticker to display it on :)

This model was well worth the few bucks I paid for it. It is difficult to display a real RC car easily and/or the cost of one may be prohibitive. This model is a good little flashback to a time when having fun mudding around with these little powerhouses anywhere we could get drive em was the best time ever.

My original Grasshopper got sold in the 90's along with my comic book collection to get a Peavey Bass Amp to start my music career. It was a decent trade off, trading one hobby I outgrew for a new one that I was getting pretty good at. I did manage to get a new Grasshopper recently off eBay. It is pretty much stock and I am going to keep it that way for nostalgia's sake, then get another to modify for racing like I did in the 80's. They can be a bit pricy but when I do the post about that toy, the memories that come back of my cousin and I racing them all over the place will make it well worth it.

CHiPs Vintage Motorcycle Helmet Set !! with a REALISTIC LOOKING GUN !!!!

2015-01-09T15:17:00.001-05:00

Back when Ponch and Jon ruled the airwaves, the powers that be tossed out many products so us little kids could play-act out their adventures.

I already covered the Mego Ponch Figure here: (that toy is AWESOME)

Mego Ponch Gets a Zombified Pallor

Here we have a treat I received on some Christmas morning during those years; The CHiPs Motorcycle Helmet Set.

Look at all the goodies that came in that magic box ! Handcuffs, a Helmet with Flip Up Visor, Walkie Talkies, a Badge, Sunglasses, Paper Tickets and a GUN !!! A realistic looking gun at that !! Now, this was a different time when toy guns looked like real guns and honestly, I played with it a lot and never had the urge to rob 7-11 or point it a a real Police Officer; making him decide whether or not to shoot me but ........ times were a lot simpler then.

I loved this set. I loved playing cops and robbers and this set really gave me the means to act it out. Once, I actually used the helmet to ride on a Motor Scooter cause I needed a helmet to ride and it was deemed "Safe Enough". Like I wrote before, these were different times ......

As for CHiPs, I loved the show, but the lack of violence was something that, even as a little kid, I thought was missing. I get that it was a soft drama that featured car chases and some mild fisticuffs, but I, like many kids at the time, was playing with 12" GI Joe and little green army men where people got shot. That was combat. The fact that the Mego Figure came with a removable Pistol and Billy Club, as well as this set having a realistic pistol don't seem to fit in with the shows premise. But it was great to see some cool Cops chase chicks and get in to hi-jinks :)

As for this set, the gun was the best. I was a total gun nut as a kid (who wasn't) and wanted realistic looking guns in the worst way. Before they made those real looking cap guns (please, if anyone remembers those - I remember a silenced revolver and an auto with a clip - and can offer some clues LMK cause they have escaped me thus far) this one fit the bill. After all the little kid cop play was done, I had that gun around for more serious play (pre-teenage). The helmet didn't offer much protection (not that it was meant for it). I remember falling off my bike with it on and it might have been softer to hit the ground but it was a cool toy :)

Either way this set gave me a lot of joy and fun memories as a kid. One of the few good dress up play sets from that era, there was a lot of fun packed into that magic box !

A Side Note:

As some of you may have noticed, I have been absent from writing here for quite some time. My work schedule and finishing the last classes of college are taking quite a bit of time from me. Moving last year has put a damper on writing because most of my collection is still boxed up (proven by the fact that this and the last few of my posts have had pictures taken from the web instead of my own collection). Although, I have found that my interest in this hobby waning. All the new products just don't interest me and, while the vintage toys still do, its just getting pushed to the periphery. I'm gonna try posting some non-toy related interests and see if that inspires me, as my increasingly limited time permits. I do like writing this and will keep it up, but the posts may not be as frequent as they once were.

Mike

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This item is not in my personal collection.

Photos taken from eBay @:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-1979-CHIPS-MOTORCYCLE-HELMET-PLAYSET-BY-HG-TOYS-MIB-UNUSED-/261720561195?pt=Classic_Toys_US&hash=item3cefc2d62b

Ain't No Party Like a Pokemon Party !!!

2014-07-12T00:03:00.000-04:00

My son turned 7 last weekend and we had a Pokemon themed party !! His obsession for the last year has been Pokemon and it translated well into the party theme. There were Pokemon decorations galore including homemade Pokeball plates !!

Pokemon themed napkins !!

My wife made homemade Pokeballs for a Easter Egg type hunt for prizes !

The kids got to beat Pikachu until he burst candy !!

Pokeball Cupcakes !!

(By now you should know that my wife is VERY creative :)

Even a Pokemon Candle !!

A sticker book was one of his gifts but ...

I got him a Charizard EX !!

Last year about this time he got a few cards from some kids at school. He liked them a lot so we invested some of last years B'day money in a Plasma Freeze box set to get him started. Of course he needed someone to play against and show him the rules, so I dived in and learned the game. Using my vintage game playing knowledge I guided him along to learn the ins and outs of Pokemon.

Fast forward a year later and I'm hooked......

I never played CCGs before as I had a snobbish attitude toward them for some reason. After a year of playing I have to admit I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Not only do I get to play something with my son, I get to get back into playing mode :)

I know, the game has been around for a long time but its just gotten to me. My obsessive personality kicked in and the collecting has been going hardcore. Both of our collections have grown quite large. Even though we have books and cases for the good cards, they get used for playing. To me that's one of the best parts, not just having a card that collects dust, but using them to play the game.

The Charizard EX is a set up for the M-Charizard I'll have to acquire for him some time down the road. I wound up getting a Mega Kangaskhan of my own and will need a Mega for Jr to keep up. Its a fun game and I'm looking forward to lots more challenges, hopefully making some memories for my son that he can look back at one day like the ones I have of my childhood :)

I Shall Return !!!

2014-07-01T23:58:00.002-04:00

For those of you that may be wondering why the posts have stopped .....

My work schedule along with the Spring semester completely stifled my free time, along with the fact that my collection is still in boxes from moving to our new house. I do miss the dialog with my fellow collectors and resolve to pick up where I left off.

Needless to say I still have a lot of toys to write about and some are scheduled to be sold off to concentrate on vintage toys from my youth.

I will be back and am amazed that even though I have had no activity over the last few months the spambots still have been crawling me like lice .....

In 1982: GI Joe Steeler was Straight and Armed with a Suprise !!

2014-03-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

In 1982; Hasbro rolled out the GI Joe line to a generation craving the next great 3 3/4 toy line that would supplant Star Wars as the top of the line. GI Joe went on to become one of the greatest toy lines ever created and even with a few "bumps" in the road it is still being produced today.

The initial roll out by Hasbro was first and arguably the best.

Were there many flashy offerings ? No. Were there Ninjas ? Technically not yet. Were there plenty of toys that could spur the imagination of pre-adolescent boys ? YES !!

It was the start of things to come. The first wave had the short lived "Straight Arms" that preceeded the greatest running change to be implemented into a toy line; the "Swivel Arm Battle Grip".

Steeler was included in that first offering. He came packaged as the driver of the Motorized Battle Tank (MOBAT). It was the tank of the GI Joe team. It was self propelled and all kinds of awesome !!

Steeler himself is different from his teammates. The M.O. of Hasbro was to re-use and re-paint in the first line. That said, even though he is created from a "Flash" head and "Zap" waist and legs; the torso and arms are unique to Steeler. Also, he got the cool "Snake Eyes" Uzi and a binocular attachment for his helmet that was unique as well.

The chest piece is unique and detailed. I always loved the pistol holster, it just looks bad ass !

The arms are unique to Steeler which is a grand departure from the rest of the line. His are adorned with a gold paint app to his left bicep. But the coolest feature is the little pouch on his wrists which are completely unique to this mold.

Here is the 83' version with swiveling arms but no wrist pouches. Uh oh, looks like he has the dreaded "Broken Crotch Syndrome". ouch ......

I did not get the MOBAT and Steeler in the first wave. The price must have been too high for me to get it right off the bat, but I managed to get the rest of the line in its entirety before the second run started. I got the MOBAT the next year with Steeler and his swivelin arms. That tank became a mainstay of my battles. C'mon, it the frikin' tank ! You had to use it ! I managed to get the straight arm version recently pretty cheap on eBay and was pleasantly surprised to see the wrist pouches. I never knew the difference til now and its a neat little bit of detail that sets him apart. I'm unsure if the wrists were used for any other figures but if my memory serves me correctly; they remain unique to Steeler and his Straight Arms.

David Brockie AKA Oderus Urungus of GWAR Dead at 50 R.I.P.

2014-03-24T22:31:00.000-04:00

Saddened to hear the news of David Brockie's passing today. Brockie, who personified Oderus Urungus of the all time great band GWAR, was an extremely creative mind and always a delight to listen to in interviews. GWAR has remained one of my all time favorite bands even in my (now) older age.

Sex-scuse me :) but my first experience with the band was listening to Scumdogs of the Universe which hooked me in right away. I tracked down a cassette (remember those ?) of Hell-O at Home of the Hits (Buffalo Elmwood) and it remains to this day one of my all time favorite albums. My VHS (making me feel old now) tape of Live from Antarctica was worn to unwatchable from the gazillion times I played it.

Circa 1992; when the band announced that they would be playing locally supporting the America Must Be Destroyed album; myself, two friends and the girl I would eventually marry (our first date and have been together ever since) saw them live and in the raw ! What a show. Its been a long time but I still remember the blood and urine flowing :)

A lot of people don't see the humor in the band and its show, but for those of us who do, this is the end of an era. GWAR is a groundbreaking band that introduced a great many metal heads to the humor of violence and bloodshed on a level that only the truly free of mind can appreciate.

RIP David Brockie; thanks for the memories.

If you want to know more go to the GWAR website through this link and enjoy:

http://www.gwar.net/

In Honor of the Sochi Olympics: C64 Winter Games and Nikolai Volkoff !!

2014-02-07T23:28:00.000-05:00

In honor of today's opening ceremonies in Sochi, Russia; I offer you two of my all time favorite memories:

A Vintage Star Wars Inflatable Lightsaber or Expensive Flashlight ?

2014-01-27T14:56:00.001-05:00

WAAAAYYYY back in the day, Kenner's Star Wars line of toys was an all encompassing imagination bonanza. The first line of figures and toys came through in 1978 and what kid didn't want a LIGHTSABER !!!

Kenner's offerings that year gave us this:

The Star Wars Inflatable Lightsaber !!

Its Wrasslin Wednesday with Classic Piper's Pit Footage - The Coconut Incident !

2014-01-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

Its Wrasslin Wednesday !! While there has been a Blizzard up here in the Buffalo area, I've been warming my thoughts with classic WWF footage.

This is an absolute gem !!

A classic episode of Piper's Pit with Roddy attacking Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. This is Roddy Piper at his best, antagonizing the "Face" and enraging the fans.

It would not be Christmas without looking through Transformer product catalogs !!!

2013-12-23T23:06:00.001-05:00

Yes, for a few years Transformers took my attention away from GI Joe. Really they were just a gateway between GI Joe and WWF LJN which would soon take over my entire attention. Anyway, I remember leading up to Christmas staring at this catalog thinking about which ones I wanted and how I could use them. I mean really, if you have new troops coming in you have to think ahead and have a plan for their insertion to the battle, right. Too much Sun Tzu too early ......

This was the first year that TF hit and I was caught in the excitement. There were cartoons, commercials and comics promoting them, how could I resist ?!?! These were the offerings .....

Super Thomas the Transformer ??? or is he a combiner .....

2013-11-30T23:47:00.002-05:00

OMG, the horror.

Yes, in a freakish, twisted universe where Thomas the Train is a Transformer, there exists this.....this .....toy.....

The Day of the Doctor brings me the Tenth Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver

2013-11-25T00:13:00.000-05:00

We had a little party for the Day of the Doctor celebration and I added a new accessory for my costume. A new Sonic Screwdriver !!!

Based on David Tennant's Tenth Doctor version, its a sonic screwdriver and more .....

First off its packaged awesomely, beautiful display and card art. The backer describes what you are getting to a tee, heck it even comes with batteries !!

The Vintage Metallica Backpatch I used to wear .......

2013-11-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

Yep.

I was one of THOSE kids.

I had the uniform: jeans, concert shirt, hightops, leather jacket, but most important:

a jean jacket - sleeves cut off and frayed - with patches.

Of course all the patches were Heavy Metal bands.

Back then a GI Joe patch wouldn't have cut it. It was Slayer, King Diamond, Celtic Frost; although I would have loved to have a Joe patch .....

The most important patch was the backpatch. It was a giant billboard for your musical taste and let everyone know it.

Now, just about everyone had a Metallica patch. But this one is the one I wore:

I loved this patch. Because of my superior sewing skills this one rotated with Slayer, but I always came back to this one. Not being the typical fare that was found in my area, this patch was different. Image aside, which is beautiful, the colors and detail are striking. Only a Manowar patch would have supplanted this one which was unfortunately never available.

Back then you had to go to the Flea Market or a small retailer like "T-Shirts n Stuff" to find these. No eBay. This style of dress wasn't exactly marketed back then either .......

Oh Yeah, the GI Joe Comic Pack Kwinn Came First ....

2013-10-08T23:21:00.000-04:00

Back in 2004, Hasbro's GI Joe line produced a Comic Pack three figure set as part of its twentieth series (2004). Showcasing the figures that played a role in Marvel's issue # 2 "Panic at the North Pole." And Oh Yeah, there is an O-ring Kwinn in this set !! we'll get to that in a minute ....

GI Joe Makes Kwinn the Eskimo a Reality !!

2013-10-04T23:50:00.001-04:00

KWINN. I've been waiting a long time for this figure. The Eskimo mercenary that graced the pages of the Marvel GI Joe comics from issues 2 - 19 finally gets made into plastic reality.

While I am not a fan of the new figures, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get Kwinn. The packaging is nice. He sure is packed full of stuff and it will display well. Roadblock on the cover looks really weird to me .......

I missed my Anniversary / State of the Blog Address !!!!

2013-07-22T21:59:00.002-04:00

Yep. Missed my anniversary. 1 year of bloggin on April 3rd.....just a little late. Oh well, you may have noticed that the posts have been sparse as of late. Currently I am preparing to move myself, my family and the enormous amount of stuff we've accumulated to our new home. As most of the collection is packed up, it is difficult to post. I have a few pics left over and maybe I'll revisit some old posts if I have time.

So for now I'll be reading everyone else's posts and try to get a few in occasionally but rest assured I shall return ....

Vintage 1975 Deka Star Trek Cup and Bowl Set !!!

2013-07-03T23:23:00.000-04:00

This set brings back some serious memories for me.

This cup and bowl set was made by Deka Plastics circa 1975. Both the cup and bowl are marked "C 1975 Paramount Pictures Corporation". The cup is marked on the bottom "DEKA Elizabeth N.J. 14 269 Made in U.S.A."; the bowl is marked on the bottom "Deka Plastic Inc. Elizabeth New Jersey 07208 Made in U.S.A.".

The detail and art on these pieces are great. Well made, great likenesses and detailed art are the showcases of these beauties. The only question I have is why does Spock have a purple shirt ....

and Kirk have an orange shirt .....

For some time I thought it had to do with the Star Trek Animated series; I have seen some pictures of Kirk with a darker shirt but no purple Spock ....

My Grandmother bought these for me some time when I was really young and kept them at her house until she passed a few years back. They were in the same spot, in a cupboard above the fridge all those years. I can still picture them up there any time the cupboards were opened, and still remember using them as a kid. I always wondered why they were so detailed yet the colors were off. They were thrown away when my Mother cleaned out her house but I tracked down these samples to add to my collection. That's some of the fun about this addiction, reliving memories when you can track down a piece that spurs the memories. Its like taking a time machine back to when life was simple and a plastic cup and bowl can stay with you forever.

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !

Vintage Matchbox Car Erasers !!

2013-06-16T16:11:00.000-04:00

The memories of these guys !! Matchbox erasers !! Back in the 80's there were so many cool things to steer our attention from schoolwork. A pile of car shaped erasers in the Matchbox Car scale sure did the trick !!

I remember the weird stamping on the bottoms of these guys.

The next two look they were hand etched into the eraser after they were molded.

I had tons of these things in school. WAY more fun racing these around than schoolwork :) Setting up roads and courses with our books and supplies. Taking pencils and making bullet hole divots in them when they got shot up .... what fun !

I remember airplanes and all sorts of different styles of erasers, and they never were used for erasing ! Why use these wonderful toy like pieces of art for the purpose they were designed for ?!?!

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !

The Many Uses of Fleer Candy Lockers !! (Besides the Candy)

2013-05-21T14:55:00.003-04:00

Back in the 70's / 80's candy was bountiful. Sugary candy came in all shapes and packages.

It was great to be a kid.

Fleer packaged candy in many different packages; coffins, fire hydrants, peanuts, lunch boxes ...

One of the most useful were the lockers !!

After devouring the candy, they became storage for GI Joe equipment !!

One of the cooler features were the tabs on the sides (red arrows).

Snap them together and .....

Ya got a whole row of lockers !! Having them linked together made them less vulnerable to toppling over, and created a whole bank of them ! To top it off, they are very detailed, with opening doors and shelving on the inside.

I am a big fan of sugary candy (PEZ, Smarties, etc) and all these little "boxes" of candy were, and still are, my absolute favorites. These lockers were plentiful. When I got the GI Joe Headquarters they were a fixture of the rear where the storage was:

I made a locker room back there for extra weapon storage. Its amazing the kind of things that kids think of. You have these plastic candy lockers and what do you do with them ? Put the Joe's weapons in them and include them into your play !

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !

Dreadnok Buzzer takes the Fisher Price Adventure People Motorcycle for a Ride !!

2013-05-12T15:35:00.000-04:00

In the late 70's and early 80's, Fisher Price was producing one of the iconic action figure lines of our time: "The Adventure People." The Motorcycle Racing Team (#356) is perhaps one of the best items they managed.

The set comes with the driver, a passenger, the motorcycle and sidecar. Each piece is tremendous. These figures are well made and durable so putting them to serious play was always an option. The figures could always be incorporated into other 3 3/4 play, as they are generic enough to fit any option. The motorcycle is awesomely detailed, but it is difficult for figures with no leg articulation to ride it. The sidecar is perfect and the footrest at the bottom does a good job of keeping the passenger intact through serious riding.

One of the coolest features of this set is the driver. His knees are articulated and he is in a bit of a saddle pose to allow a perfect fit on the bike. Both hands are posed palms down to allow him to grip the steering wheel, which pivots and directs the motion of the motorcycle.

Of course once I got Dreadnoks, the motorcycle was transferred to Buzzer, who was my favorite of the pack. The motorcycle is a perfect fit and allows him to wreak havoc with his chainsaw !

If you can't tell I am a big fan of the Adventure People. They were my main toys before Star Wars, and then GI Joe. The best thing about them is how they were so easily incorporated into my GI Joe universe. These guys were used as cannon fodder, smugglers, couriers, assassins .... all kinds of roles ! The bike got used along with the RAM and the C.H.i.P.s 3 3/4 motorcycle as the Dreadnoks main rides.

I remember setting up a dirt track in the garden (the one where I lost my "Mickey" Cobra Commander) and riding this sucker all over it, doing tricks and jumps and whatnot. The figures and motorcycle were built so you could just hose em of and had no problems. Even the Joes would start to rust around their screws if you kept getting them wet. These figures are perfect for outright play or in tandem with any other line, which is one of the reasons why it is truly an Icon of the Action Figure legacy.

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !

Hasbro hits a Grand Slam for GI Joe all the way to the Hall Of Fame !!!

2013-04-19T22:38:00.000-04:00

In 1983, Hasbro re-released the original GI Joe figures and incorporated one of the greatest running changes ever into them, The Swivel Arm Battle Grip !! Grand Slam was included in that group of iconic figures that could not only swivel at the bicep, but also had slimmer torsos to relieve pressure off of the O-Ring (but introduced the "Crotch Blowout" that the new waists were susceptible to).

The "driver" of the HAL - Heavy Artillery Laser - Grand Slam !!

The original figure (shown on the right) has straight arms and the original thick waist.

The reissued figure now has a slimmer torso and swivel arms at the bicep. The strange thing is the pad on the straight arm figure was removed and now is replaced by a paint app. Upon closer look, you can see the swivel arm feature would cut right through the pad. Hasbro must have made the decision to not modify the original bicep (probably a cost issue). Instead, the reissue of Grand Slam has the same bicep and elbow combination that was included with most of the other figures. A paint app instead of retooling the bicep for 2 figures (Grand Slam and Flash) that probably didn't sell well was probably cheaper. Personally, I would have not put on the app and left the arm bare. The paint makes it look like something is out of place.

This year I have an agenda for my collecting habits: to immortalize the origins of the 3 3/4 G.I. Joe line. I will put together a "Hall of Fame" combining every original Joe and Cobra in both Straight and Swivel Arm versions. Click the link at the top bar to see the current state !

The newest inductee into the Toymorrow GI Joe Hall of Fame: Grand Slam !

Grand Slam, in both the Straight and Swivel Arm versions occupy an area of the Hall of Fame as the newest complete inductee !

To view the Current State of the Hall of Fame and see the other inductees CLICK HERE !!!

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !

GI Joe hits a Grand Slam in 1982 !!

2013-04-15T23:51:00.000-04:00

In 1982's initial offering of Joes from Hasbro, there were four "vehicle" drivers produced. While only two were really vehicles, and the other two were really mobile units that were hauled by the vehicles ... but I digress.

The "driver" of the HAL - Heavy Artillery Laser - Grand Slam !!

Clad in Helmet, visor and lead lined uniform, Grand Slam is ready for battle !!

The original figure has straight arms and the original thick waist.

I always thought the shade of green in his uniform is cool looking.

I always like Grand Slam. His weird outfit is kinda cool looking, if not useful. I just assumed that since his vehicle was a massive laser cannon, the red padding was actually lead lined protection. Knowing that, it was usually his fate to get shot in the chest. The padding was like a bullet proof (mostly) vest.

The HAL itself didn't get a lot of use. I was a bit biased against "lasers" in use, I would have liked a traditional artillery weapon. Also, since there were no Cobra weapons that needed artillery guarding against, I did not have a viable role for it to play. It got dragged around by the VAMP a lot !

CHiPs Mego Ponch gets a Zombified Pallor !!!

2013-04-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

In the early 70's, Mego was cranking out action figure awesomeness by the truckload. When they were tasked to introduce the TV show characters of CHiPs to kids all over the world, they did not disappoint. The main character, Officer Francis (Frank) "Ponch" Poncherello was one of the line's best !

The card art front to back, is really well done. Nice clips from the show, displays well. I do remember being disappointed that the rest of the toy offerings were not on the back. No Internet back then to check the manufacturer's website .......

Ponch is ready for action ! Mego certainly packs the accessories and decals with this figure. The sunglasses are kinda weird looking on him. They don't quite fit well, but the rest are top notch !

Really cool accessories ! The belt has a loop to hold the baton and a holster for his pistol. The helmet is perfect for the figure. The sunglasses are cool but do not fit well. Removable boots, pants, shirt and a bunch of decals round out the accessory selection.

Oh, he also comes with a watch.

In his spare time, Ponch makes a good watch model !!

The Ponch figure has a tendency to get a zombified look. His face gets a grey pallor and his eyes yellow. Its a bit creepy but not too bad. His real life counterpart; Erik Estrada, looks fantastic for his age, so a little greying of his action figure is nothing.

I watched the show as a kid and really liked it. I'm sure I didn't get all of it, Ponch's skirt chasing and the like went straight over my head I'm sure. The action and "cop" adventure is what drew me in. Once I got some action figures, I was all in. Mego figures are awesome in their own right, but having police figures with batons and guns are incredible ! The trio of Police action arrested Kirk, Batman and their 8 inch counterparts at every turn. My horde of Megos gave the police force a plethora of perps to arrest.

I had all three figures and the van. Still wish I got the motorcycle. I even had the 3 3/4 figures but they were not that good. Mego's version of Ponch is greatness though, zombie and all .....

Got something to add ? All are welcome to leave a comment !