Wotans Bones IV

Well this could easily beome Wotans Anatomy rather than the bones of the matter. Here is the final part of the series. Here we are in 1969 and im sat at the breakfast table eagerly awaiting my first meal of the day. Unfortunately, real life didn't mirror the Kellogg commercials and what actually happened was I browbeat my mum into buying a box of Sugar Smacks in order for me to get the little plastic toy inside. I probably very grudgingly chewed down a single bowl of the foul tasting cereal, but I will never forget the moments when i surveyed the back of the box in preparation for opening it to find my prize. The series included a number of small models, including Apollo series vehicles and a spaceman, but my eyes rested on the rocket transporter and the rather cool Molab. At the time, I was taken by the resemblance to the front of the cockpit to the famous 'round window' on the BBC's Playschool programme, but I soon forgot all about that as I shook the box and freed up a small sachet holding a green kit. To my surprise and delight, it was just what I wanted - the Molab. It was a very simple kit, but beautifully made and designed. Only about an inch and a half long, it had four wheels with two spares stowed at the back and a small lookout cockpit window, similar to the Fantastic Voyages 'Proteus'.

Again, rather than show the new, complete model which has been seen many times here before, above you can see that original model. Its had most of the wheels replaced, the windscreen is long gone, its been opened up and had a seat inserted to fit a small Spacex figure and then hastily washed with black and yellow enamel paint. I also found a tiny US flag decal from an Airfix kit to adorn the side. Its been repaired more times than Triggers Brush and is grubby, covered in glue and battered to hell. But I still love it.

Kelloggs managed to insinuate their way into my affections twice more around this time, again with the space theme and the delightful Crater Critters.

The following year they put another cool collectible in the cereal in the form of Totem Tribe or Funny Uglies. These were a set of eight totem pole 'heads' which could be worn on a thread as a necklace or stacked up to make an impressive foot high Totem Pole.

My original Totem Tribe are lost to the mists of time now, I only managed to score two as my parents had become wise to my blandishments as to how much I loved certain cereals and refused to buy it, putting me on a strict diet of Weetabix...  yuk.

The totem tribe did however spawn another lasting obsession, that of Northwest Coast Art. The peoples of British Columbia and the surrounding territories decorated their house fronts and built massive totem poles to show social standing or to record myths and the distinctive style of art has fascinated me ever since, to such a degree that I know have an impressive collection of model Totem Poles as well as space toys!