Star Wars really brought the robot genre to the next level, even expanding the descriptive vocabulary to include a new word 'droid'. From the early 3 inch figures of C3PO and R2D2, simple chunks of plastic, the robot toy lines expanded exponentially including Transformers, Terminator toys, Robosapien and all manner of action figures.
So what would be your favourite robot toy ? Apart from the obvious Robbie the Robot toys, one of my favourite toy robot designs would be the IG series figures from Star Wars Clone Wars. The tall skeletal 'phlutdroid' IG-88 first appeared in Empire Strikes Back as a three inch figure and thenlater as a rare 14" figure. Both had severely limited articulation, but the thin, gaunt body and thin head made the droid seem menacing and implacably robotic. The Clone Wars franchise introduced earlier iterations of the droid with the IG Lancer and Assassin Droids, all of which made it to action figure status, with much improved joints and articulation.
Though I've always loved seeing toy robots, esp the tinplate variety, I've managed to avoid temptation in having any. My favourite robot would be the stalwart little R2D2 because of his endearing character - dutiful, stubborn, and at times a bit sarcastic in his beeps (for some reason 'it' doesn't apply to R2D2 in my book - he's a little chap). I've built a model kit of him, forget which brand, and that makes him the only robot I purposely went out and buy. (I do also have two walkers from the Macross range, but those I just happened to come across, and I'm not sure if they're robots or supposed to have a crew after all. Just got them coz they were cheap and looked nice - never bothered to find out the back story). Anyway. R2D2. Nuff said.
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Paul
Zeroids from IDEAL in the late 60's started me off; while the longest standing (most played with) robot on my shelf is Biotron from the Micronauts.
ReplyDeleteThe IG-88 and that blue SW Medical droid are favorites. If I can 'remove' them from the STARWARS universe for a moment, they remind me of the very best sci-fi book covers (the kind that tricked me as a child where events on the cover never sync with the story) featuring a mysterious mech-humanoid contemplating an alien landscape.
Tin...love the tin but was never bold enough to perform required bank robberies to fund that collection ;)
You are such a wuss, CS! Bank robberies are easy ... it's the getaway that's the hard part. That's where I always come unstuck. Sigh. (laughs)
ReplyDeleteRobots I like: the Servo Robots from Wheel in Space. Also the Quarks from The Dominators. (They were robots, weren't they?)
Fantasy toys of robots: I'd love to have either six inch "action" figures or 54mm plastic figures of Jedakiah (a robot from The Tomorrow People, whose name I have probably spelt incorrectly), and of the "My Living Doll" robot as played by Julie Newmar. The Jedakiah robot would come in three different versions, of course.
What about The Metal Men? They were robots, weren't they?
Jedekiah I remember the klan-like Spideron and Tim .But that's it
ReplyDeleteI think my favourite modern robots are Honda's Asimo and JARVIS, the AI butler programme voiced by Paul Bettany on the film Iron Man. One day we'll all have both in our homes.
ReplyDeleteI would go for the tin or tin/plastic robots, any of the Forbidden Planet - Robby/Lost in Space-B9 varieties.
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