Memories of Toymorrow

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 !

Fisher Price Little People has a NINJA Race Car Driver !!!!

2013-04-10T22:16:00.001-04:00

Sometime back in the 70's Fisher Price released this wonderful toy ! The Little People Race Car Driver !!!!

Clad in Black, his trusty race car at his side, ready to win the cup !!

Black suit, face partially obscured .......

Wait a tick .......

NINJA !!!! He's no race car driver !! That's a Little People NINJA !!!! I knew it, they're everywhere !!

There is no security.

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

I've Been AFK, but I've got some M.U.S.C.L.E to back me up !!

2013-04-07T23:58:00.000-04:00

M.U.S.C.L.E. (Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere)

From 1985 to 1988, Mattel released about 236 2 inch PVC wrestling figures in the US derived from a Japanese line called Kinkeshi. Kinkeshi were based on a manga and anime called Kinnikuman.

As shown below, the main hero is Muscleman. He leads the Thug Busters. The bad guy is Terri Bull, leader of the Cosmic Crunchers !!

I had no idea until now that the rest of the figures in the line all have names too ! (Thanks Nathan's M.U.S.C.L.E. Blog)

I had piles of these guys back in the day ! Only the pink ones though, I didn't know about the other colors til I acquired these guys recently. I actually used to wrestle them against each other. Wrestling Mania was full upon me back then. I could take any figure and create matches with them. These guys were perfect for it ! The memories of scanning each pack to find the "cool" looking one that had a good wrestling pose that I could use in a match ! The best part was I could always afford a pack or two cause they were cheap enough !

Upon researching these little pink gems I have found all kinds of nostalgia, mostly seeing a lot of the ones I had as a kid. Looks like I'll be starting a bit of a M.U.S.C.L.E. collection now !

Pulsar: Mattel's Ultimate Man of Adventure and Enigma ...

2013-03-28T23:21:00.000-04:00

Remember Pulsar ? I know you do ! He was Mattel's answer to the Six Million Dollar Man line. Released in 1977 (even though he is stamped 1976), and billed as "The Ultimate Man of Adventure", Pulsar was a toy that had a lot of quirky features but little backstory. The box had a few catchphrases, but there was never a comic, cartoon, or any real support. I guess they left it up to your imagination what exactly he was and why he so "gifted".

Standing in at a massive 14 inches tall, Pulsar is imposing to sat the least. He is built like a tank and looks to be an older gentleman. A cool spandex jumpsuit that forms to his sculpted body with big white plastic boots adorn this guy. The figure sports some great detail and is really crafted well.

Here is where it gets weird .......

His head pops open and reveals a clear brain cavity that houses a sort of odd looking brain that holds two "mission discs". Apparently these discs are Holographic Mission Discs that I assume transfer information to him. The discs themselves are cool and spin around on a peg in his cranial cavity, but they do not do much else. The brain has a recess in it that I always thought should have held something, I think I put a Playdoh brain there at one time. Now looking at it, it just accommodates the hinge and band that open his head.

Pulsar's second feature is a clear chest cavity that reveals his circulatory system and groin. There is a button recessed in his back that you can push in and out that acts as a bellows. The pumping action expands and contracts his lungs/heart, while circulating liquid in his intestines. While this is a cool feature to play with, I cant imagine how this would help him at all. The fact that his reproductive system is missing is cause for concern. But it looks cool.

The third feature is probably the oddest. There are holes in the back of his head. While they are probably there to let the breathing action work, I imagine they were drilled in to let the "demons" out ! I remember someone explaining that they let the air out when you pumped him, but as a kid I was unconvinced. I talked and breathed through those holes like they were some sort of "Play Feature." Gross now that I think of it ......

Typical of the era, the figure is very solid and sturdy (even though mine has a broken hand, I'll need to get a new arm). There is limited articulation. Shoulders, knees elbows and neck move, but the lack of hand articulation is a huge downfall. His hands are stuck in a open Karate chop pose that allows no utility other than chopping his adversaries. Even a Hard Plastic Kung Fu grip would have been helpful. The jumpsuit is well made and durable. The lack of ankle articulation makes his pants difficult to maneuver on or off. The Hologram discs are cool but probably got sucked into vacuums quickly.

His shoes are pretty cool though. Instead of the "slip on" action that was common for the time, these hinge at the arch and snap together at the top. They are pretty easy to take on and off, but remain in place throughout tough play.

As a comparable, here is Pulsar in comparison to Steve Austin: taller and built thicker.

I had Pulsar early in the 70's and immediately he was an adversary of the Six Million Dollar Man. I never had Bigfoot (I was afraid of it), and only Maskatron was there to take on Mr. Austin, so Pulsar played the role. Stand alone, Pulsar is a weird toy that has no real use but as a supplement to the Six Million Dollar Man toys, he fits in good.

This figure is from a bygone era that is not likely to come back again. Big toys that were able to be played hard with. The price point back then was reasonable, but the lack of articulation and support of this line speaks of Mattel trying to keep the figure cheap enough to mass produce. My Pulsar got a lot of use beating up Steve Austin and my 12" Han Solo and I'm glad I now have him again in my collection. Now on to Ebay to find a new arm .....

Jones of Lanard's The CORPS ! makes a few corpses !!

2013-03-25T23:33:00.001-04:00

His name is Jones. He is a member of the Lanard CORPS ! figure line.

John over at Revenge from the Cosmic Ark sent me a package of goodies (Thanks John !) and one of the figures packed in there was a curious little gem that instantly caught my attention.

This guy !!

Apparently, in Lanard's The Corps! timeline: his name is Jones, he is a "counter espionage and covert mission specialist. He is the Head of Mission Intelligence Services and a Professor of Archeology and History." (Thanks Corpscollector.com !) Since I'm not in to the obvious Indiana Jones rip off, I'll call him Dr. Calm, he is a Ranger, served as a LRRP Back Door gunner in Vietnam. The CIA recruited him after the war and he was sent to achieve degrees in Engineering, Psychology and History. He studied intensively at the highest levels of unarmed combat and espionage.

He doesn't like noise.

Unfortunately for a few rowdy monsters that were included in the package, they found that out the hard way ....

Did I mention he doesn't like noise .....

Anyway, I outfitted him with a backpack and an M-60. He looks ready for action now !!

Special thanks to John, I really dig this guy ! It was a lot of fun to research his story, and then be a bit shocked that Lanard REALLY ripped of ROTLA to make this guy. I like him, he reminds me of Pre GI Joe Snake Eyes, ('Nam era, Before the accident - I guess I kinda ripped off that story to build my profile on him). It's alot of fun to get somehting new and kinda roll with it !

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

1983's Stalker the Swivel Arm Ranger Heading for the Hall of Fame !!!

2013-03-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

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 !! Stalker was included in that group of iconic figures that could now swivel at the bicep and also had slimmer torsos to relieve pressure off the O-Ring (but introduced the "Crotch Blowout" that the new waists were susceptible to). I still remember getting Stalker the first time: CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT IT.

My original Stalker suffered from "Cracked Thumb" syndrome and he was quickly replaced by a new, Swivel Arm version that stayed with the team until the end. Although I loved my straight arm version, the swivel arms made Stalker a force to be reckoned with !! Couple the fact that this is a frikin' awesome figure, with the poseability that the new feature brings, Stalker goes from a great figure to an Epic Figure.

I remember getting a new Swivel Arm Grunt to replace the broken one, and the extra backpack was quickly given over to Stalker. I thought then, and still do to this day, that a great injustice was appropriated upon Mr. Wilkinson by not including a backpack for him. Hasbro made up for it with other versions and Larry Hama gave his character a huge role in the Marvel comics, but he should have gotten a backpack.

The camouflage made him one of my favorite troops and being a Green Beret instantly made me think he was basically invincible. His file card says that he is a Field Medic so I involved him in that role a bit, but for some reason, maybe his camo, I used him as a sniper a lot too.

Decked out in Full Camo and Green Beret, Stalker and his trademark M-32 Submachine gun !!

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

Stalker, 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 !

The Vintage GI Joe Duffel Bag !! Store the Bodies in Style !!

2013-03-15T23:32:00.000-04:00

Hasbro, in the early stages of the GI Joe line, produced a Duffel Bag so kids could carry their gear while sporting the Real American Hero theme ! This was a total impulse purchase for me. I came across this while trollin' Ebay. I have never seen one before and if I would have seen it in 83', I would have been lugging my Dungeons and Dragons manuals back and forth in this !!

I could not find any information on it, but from the selection of characters I'd date it about 1983. Its made of very thick canvas. Measures 19 X 16, so its big enough to carry quite a bit ! The Screening of the graphic is done extremely well. The pictures do not do it justice. The detail has great depth to it and shows off well.

Two new characters of 1983's selection, Snow Job and Gung Ho !!

Stalker represents the Original 82' line alongside newcomer Tripwire !!

Oh yeah, look at the tag !! Made in 1983 by Hasbro Industries !! Thanks Spidey !!

It funny, I started doing this Blog to write about my collection. In the process I have found or been introduced to items that I never even knew about. I was a massive GI Joe addict and lusted over every item that came out. Then I find out there was more. Its like being a kid again, uncovering a lost gem on Ebay or getting introduced to the world of Remco reading Revenge from the Cosmic Ark. Even after all these years I can still find something new, that's really cool !!

Bravo Company Die Cast figure from Small World, he Names no Names and has no Story to Tell ....

2013-03-14T23:58:00.002-04:00

Bravo Company Die Cast Metal figures !! Distributed by Small World Importing Co., Inc. in 1989, these figures made a huge impression in the Action Figure landscape of the time.

Not really.

This guy was sent over to me a while ago by John of Revenge from the Cosmic Ark fame some time back (Jboy rules !!!). I have done a bit of research into this line since I have no familiarity with it.

My findings ? Very little. They have also been named "Bravo Mission" (phryz.com) but I have not been able to get many factoids to add to this line's legacy.

The package is generic, gives very little information to lend to the line's use. The characters are not named or described in any way so you would have to use a bit of imagination to make them useful. The front art is nice. There is a bit of detail to the graphic and it displays well. The backer shows each figure offered in a group picture. No names or descriptions here either but my guess is the guy with the ski mask and bazooka is a "bad guy".

The figure itself is cool. Very SGT Rock-ish which I like. The hand placement reminds me right away of SGT Rock. Same articulation and similar molding makes me think that this was produced to be a knockoff of the SGT Rock line. They would have fit in well with the Rocks, die cast and all.

This guy reminds me of a figure that would be hanging on a peg getting overlooked, eventually getting clearanced at a low price. Its not a bad figure, but a bit too generic. Nothing to really hook someone into buying it. Mine is displaying proudly with all the other figures in my collection. Maybe one day I'll just make up a backstory for him as SGT Rock's pupil turned adversary .....

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

Fisher Price Adventure People Black Rescue Pilot found a New Job !!

2013-03-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

In 1975, Fisher Price released the Rescue Copter for their line of Adventure People. Two Pilots were included, both exactly the same except one was White and one was Black. I didn't get this guy with the Copter, he probably came to me carded or from a garage sale, etc. but he wound up having quite a career in my militia. First, lets check the figure out.

Typical Adventure People pose, super durable construction and as is common for the line, a few details and some decent head sculpting.

He is an Adventure Person and he is ready for action !!

The interesting thing about this guy is his designation as a medic. All I needed to see was that cross and helmet, then instantly he was the first GI Joe Medic. I flew deep into GI Joe mania when the line was first released in 1982, but before that, I had tons of Adventure People. The Adventure People were incorporated immediately into Joe adventures as support personnel. Hey, someone had to be collateral damage or hostages ...... This guy became the Medic. Even when 1983's release was rolled out and Doc took over that role, the Black Adventure Pilot was still part of the team. I designated him to the role of Field Medic. Doc would operate mostly at home base while the Field Medic would get the dirty assignments. The Dragonfly was released the same year and I saved up like mad to get that toy. After that, whenever the team needed a medivac, this was the guy flown in to extract the wounded.

Tough, Durable and Ready for Action, this Adventure Person took his role to new heights. I dont remember ever giving him a code name though ......

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

OMG !!! Massive haul sent from JBOY !!!

2013-03-07T21:49:00.000-05:00

WOW ! John over at Revenge from the Cosmic Ark is too generous for words ! He sent over a package that turned out to be a massive haul !! I kept pulling out stuff like it was magic :) Look at all that stuff !!

Massive thanks to John for sending over all that stuff. I will be playing and blogging about this stuff for a LOONG time :)

Thanks !

Wrasslin Wednesday: RIP Paul Bearer but an Awesome Figure Remains !!

2013-03-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

Sad news to report on this edition of Wrasslin Wednesday, William Moody aka Paul Bearer, has passed away at the age of 58 on Tuesday March 5th, 2013. Sad news for anyone who was witness to the Undertakers early rise to fame with Paul Bearer at his side. Condolences to friends and family of Mr. Moody.

Even though his departure is sad news, his figure is truly a classic ! Packaged with Mankind for the Managers Series 1 from Jakks Pacific in 1997. Paul Bearer is one of the best of the early Jakks figures.

Limited articulation is made up for with exceptional detail and one of the best accessories ever produced .... an URN !! This figure captures Paul Bearer's likeness perfectly. The urn fits well in his right hand while he points the way to the top for his Undertaker !!

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

The newest Inductee into the Toymorrow GI Joe Hall of Fame: CLUTCH !!

2013-03-05T21:09:00.000-05:00

The newest inductee into the Toymorrow GI Joe Hall of Fame: CLUTCH in all his versions !

Clutch, in both the Straight and Swivel Arm versions, as well as the "Tan" version, occupy an area of the Hall of Fame as the newest complete inductee !

Clutch, in all his forms, fits in well with the rest of his comrades !

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

GI Joe Clutch gets a Tan and The Battle of the Clutches has a Suprising Ending !!

2013-03-04T21:00:00.001-05:00

In 1984, when the third series of vehicles were released by Hasbro for the GI Joe line, Hasbro decided that the VAMP needed a makeover! Driving the VAMP Mark II (Vehicle.Attack.Multi Purpose) is Version 2; "Tan" Clutch .

The second version (v2) has the new swivel Arms that not only bend at the elbows, but the biceps swivel making the figure infinitely more poseable. Also, the torso was changed to a thinner version that puts less stress on the O-ring, but does add to the possibility of the "Broken Crotch Syndrome" that can plague these figures. This version is molded and painted in the Tan and Brown colors to match the new VAMP Mark II vehicle.

That brings us back to the battle ....

Tan Clutch jumps in to victory !!

He is an improvement on the original after all ......

It's been a Clutch o Rama around here lately ...

Version 1 Straight Arm Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!

Version 1.5 Swivel Arm Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!!

Thats a lot of Clutchin !!

The Next Version of Clutch is a Swivelin Kinda Guy !!

2013-03-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

In 1983, when the second series of figures was released by Hasbro for the GI Joe line, we got one of the greatest running changes ever, the Swivel Arm Battle grip ! The first wave of figures was re-released and the line had a slight variation to the original figures. Driving the "VAMP" (Vehicle.Attack.Multi Purpose) is Clutch v1.5.

The variation version (v1.5) has the new swivel Arms that not only bend at the elbows, but the biceps swivel making the figure infinitely more poseable. Also, the torso was changed to a thinner version that puts less stress on the O-ring, but does add to the possibility of the "Broken Crotch Syndrome" that can plague these figures. I only had the Straight Arm version as a kid, so how can I determine which version is the best ? COMBAT !!

Clutch v1.5 strikes a Boxing pose while v1 Clutch takes a Tae Kwon Do stance ..... who will prevail !?!?!

It's been a Clutch o Rama around here lately ...

Version 1 Straight Arm Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!!

Version 2 TAN Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!!

The First Version of GI Joe's Clutch is a "Straight" Guy !!

2013-03-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

In 1982, when the first series of vehicles were released by Hasbro for the GI Joe line, we got one of the coolest vehicle drivers produced ! Driving the "VAMP" (Vehicle.Attack.Multi Purpose) is Clutch .

The first version (v1) has the classic Straight Arms that only bends at the elbows. Also, the torso is the thicker version that puts more stress on the O-ring, but does not easily suffer the "Broken Crotch Syndrome" that can plague these figures. Another cool feature is that the chest is a completely original design, not reused on any of the other first series figures.

Clutch was one of my favorites from the first line. I got him in the Great GI Joe Birthday of '82 that completed my GI Joe collection that year. Not only did he drive the VAMP, which was a staple of my adventures, but his file card made him out to be a bit of a rebel. I used him as one of the most vital members of the team. Being the mechanic had Clutch constantly pulled into repair situations to get the team to safety, or driving like mad to exit a hot spot !

It's been a Clutch o Rama around here lately ...

Version 1.5 Swivel Arm Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!!

Version 2 TAN Clutch was reviewed: READ ABOUT IT HERE !!!

Thats a lot of Clutchin !!

LJN Kamala WWF Wrestling Superstars

2013-02-27T23:49:00.000-05:00

LJN released Kamala in it's fourth series of WWF Wrestling Superstars in 1987 and the toy world received one the best figures produced throughout this line !! Not only is he awesome !! Kamala is posed in one of the best ways to make him very versatile pulling off wrestling moves. He is one of the biggest figures of the line, in real life he is 6'7", so Kamala can be tested by the best of em!

He's huge and has paint apps all over ! Kamala certainly is one of the best looking figures in the Wrestling Superstars line.

Check out the Moon and Stars painted on his torso. Even his skirt has some detail.

Kamala even has his facial warpaint and beard ! LJN captured the realism with this guy !

Kamala was a fun figure to have ! A total wild card ! I would use him as a monster that would come in and destroy his opponents ! There was no handling him. Kamala would then turn civil and become a super technical wrestler that could vie for championships based on his skill ..... then freak out again ! You have to love a figure that can let you go all out while playing. If you had a Hogan, well, you had Hogan. But Kamala could be anything you wanted him to be. That's Fun !

Check out the LJN Archive for more WWF LJN Superstars by CLICKING HERE !!!!

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

Fisher Price Little People Mom and her Bratty Little Kid !!!

2013-02-23T22:42:00.000-05:00

From the Fisher Price line of Little People, its the Mom and Frowning Boy !! These two were in just about every ones pile o' little people. Who didn't have some version of the Woman and pissed off looking kid ? I had a ton of these "Little People". I love their wooden bodies and simple design. It's a perfect toy for children to explore simple life among their plastic (and wooden) friends.

Look at the "Lil Boy". What a little bratty sourpuss !! His wooden body dates him to the early 70's. His frowning visage makes him look like he's ready to throw a fit. Look at the baseball cap ! Ohhh, that cap .... I used to chew on the brim of that cap back when chewing on toys was fun :)

Mom must have a secret to be able to keep smiling ! Her plastic body dates her to the 80's and her happy demeanor is infectious !

The Postman shows up with a BIG smile on his face, some say he always rings twice .....

The Little People are such wonderful toys ! I love these guys and am currently trying to hoard as many as I can. The town playset and Sesame Street ...... what memories. I loved playing with the dentist chair and there was even a toilet ! Toys that have a place to take a crap, that's fun !!

If you want to read the Mailman's story CLICK HERE !!!

When will the Killing stop !!! Our Government HAS TO WAKE UP to this crisis !!!!!

2013-02-22T22:17:00.000-05:00

The madness must end ......

Legends of the West Davy Crockett from Empire Toys Legendary Western Toys !!

2013-02-21T22:57:00.002-05:00

Empire's Legends of the West was one of the all time great 3 3/4 Western Lines ever produced, and Davy Crockett is one of the best figures ! Empire Toys produced the Legends of the West line of figures in the late 70's. The 3 3/4 line was compatible with Legends of the Lone Ranger and the other Western toys out at the time. Empire toys produced these figures and a line of accessories to go along, but Excel and Imperial also produced them at various times. Anyone who had these figures knows that these figures and accessories are AWESOME!!

Davy Crockett adorned with his trademark coonskin hat, but he also carries a holstered pistol and 7 points of articulation ! The quality is OK for a figure produced 30 years ago but it is not up to today's standards. The body has a good bit of detail and the holster is very nice, but its the paint that lacks attention. The apps are a little off and can smudge easy. That being said the figure is robust enough to take on serious play and can be posed easily. The pistol, although very small, has a lot of detail and fits his hand very well.

Jesse James does not like sharing the spotlight ! Looks like he stole himself a black vest and is looking to show it off, but Davy is not backing down !!!

OH NO !! His twin brother and partner in crime is attacking from behind .... what a travesty !!

I love these figures. I dare say I had more fun with my pile of Legends and Lone Ranger figures than I did with all the Star Wars figures I had. Maybe its because the Star Wars figures already had built in roles and limited what I could do with them. The Legends of the West and Lone Ranger figures were very conducive to "out of the box" play. The lines diversity and numerous characters lent itself to long, involved adventures without many limits.

Man, I love this line ......

Check Out Jesse James from this line by CLICKING HERE !!

Check out the Gabriel Lone Ranger figure by CLICKING HERE !!!

GI Joe Puffy Sitckers !! C'mon Everyone Loves Puffy Stickers !!

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GI Joe Puffy Stickers !! Check these beauties out !! Puffy stickers are awesome and these are right at the top !!!

Snake Eyes, Breaker and Clutch with the VAMP in action .... PUFFY STYLE !!!

The backer shows the other sets that were available !!!

Looks like I'll be tracking down some of these other sets !!

These aren't the only Stickers that are PUFFED up ....... check out my Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Stickers by CLICKING HERE !!!!

GI Joe Lifeline, the Medic that needs a Dictionary !!

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Lifeline; Version 1 from the GI Joe Real American Hero Fifth Series released in 1986. I was a Doc kid myself. By the time Lifeline was released I was thrashing my head to Slayer and was, well, into other stuff ....

Anyway, as I got back into collecting GI Joe I immediately took a liking to Lifeline. I always liked the Field Medic's role in Warfare. Fixing the wounded while all Hell is breaking loose around you. That's someone with nerves of steel !

In the Marvel Comics continuum; Special Missions # 4 and Action Force # 8 ; Lifeline was portrayed as a Pacifist that hates guns and uses his intellect. Someone should have shown him what Webster defines as a Pacifist .......

From Websters Online:

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of pacifism or pacifists

2 : strongly and actively opposed to conflict and especially war

OOPS !!

Lifeline comes pretty well equipped to help his fallen comrades !!

The portable medical gear is really cool !

While I like Doc a lot, I see him as the Chief Medical Officer mostly in Surgery. Lifeline I see as the guy in the field sending the wounded back to base as they need help. Lifeline is well equipped and is carrying enough gear to be an asset in action.

Looks like Rock n Roll has a blown crotch !! Can Lifeline save the day ?!?!?!

You bet he can !

Mr. Steen makes a pretty cool action figure. Aside from the pacifist stuff, he looks like he would be a formidable force out there on the line. I could see him being a constant member inside the Tomahawk as it lands in hot spots picking up the force from battle !!

Coleco made Colonel Trautman join the Force of Freedom !!

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Based on the 80's cartoon; "Rambo: The Force of Freedom", Coleco made a series (two actually) of fully articulated 6 1/2" figures to celebrate what is mostly a lame and non violent show. Colonel Trautman was part of the release and he looks ready for action !!

Carrying a belt fed Heavy Machine gun and big freaking knife ! Yeah, he'll do some damage !

The gun has a real cool feature; there is a wheel on the backpack that "feeds" the belt through the gun !

The figures from this line are really impressive. Trautman is no exception. The detail in the molding and attention to facial features is exceptional.

The paint apps on his arms and chest are very well done.

The Colonel and his protege killer, Mr. John J. Rambo. Want some advice ? Just let them get a quick bite to eat and they'll leave your little town peacefully. We know what can happen when the former Green Beret gets hungry !!

This line is exceptional and I wish I knew about them when I was a kid. I am enjoying these guys a little late but the damage I would have done with Rambo and Trautman as a Warmongering little toy addict would have been epic !

You want to see Rambo's action figure scars: CLICK THIS LINK !

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