Spotted this strange plastic toy helmet in the cyberverse the other day. Has anyone seen one like it before?
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
BOATERIFIC BOATS
While looking through some old Batman comics I came across these ads for Ideal's Boaterific model boats.
Using Ideal's Motorific electric motor the same as Ideal's Zeroid toys, these boats carried a lot of detail.
I don't recall ever owning any but I have to say they do look good and appear to give great play value.
Using Ideal's Motorific electric motor the same as Ideal's Zeroid toys, these boats carried a lot of detail.
I don't recall ever owning any but I have to say they do look good and appear to give great play value.
I'm intrigued by the Automatic Bailing Pump. A nice realistic touch for a toy.
And it seems some came with a free Radar Lighthouse as well.
Later Boaterific toys included these outboard motor powered speed boats.
Anyone ever own any of these little beauties?
Monday, 29 July 2013
EAGLEMOSS BATMOBILE FROM DETECTIVE COMICS # 601
I should be looking at the first Batmobile as seen in Detective Comics # 27 and number 12 in the Eaglemoss series, but as it arrived with a rear light missing I'm waiting for Eaglemoss to replace it.
A sleek, futuristic vehicle which made it's debut on the front cover of the comic in June 1989.
It also featured on the title page, forced to pursue a Ferrari sports car being driven by what turns out to a demonic doppleganger, or Tulpa created by a Tibetan immigrant, Tenzin Wyatt.
The model differs slightly from the comic version in that it has no bat logo across it's rear trunk, and has an open cockpit. But as this vehicle was the Batmobile until 1994, I'd imagine there would be the occasional variations to the design.
Personally, I'm not sure about it. I'd certainly say it was a unique design and does retain several elements that go to make up a Batmobile, the bat eyes at the front and the bat logo's on the side. But, to my mind it just reminds me of a fairground ride car and not a comic book crime fighter's car. Where's the over the top rocket turbine exhausts and the bat fits on the back? The model's fine but I think I just prefer a Batmobile with a retro look.
So we move to number 13 and the Batmobile seen in Detective Comics # 601.
A sleek, futuristic vehicle which made it's debut on the front cover of the comic in June 1989.
The model differs slightly from the comic version in that it has no bat logo across it's rear trunk, and has an open cockpit. But as this vehicle was the Batmobile until 1994, I'd imagine there would be the occasional variations to the design.
There's some nice detail, particularly round the driving position.
The 3D lenticular backdrop shows a fairground on fire.
Personally, I'm not sure about it. I'd certainly say it was a unique design and does retain several elements that go to make up a Batmobile, the bat eyes at the front and the bat logo's on the side. But, to my mind it just reminds me of a fairground ride car and not a comic book crime fighter's car. Where's the over the top rocket turbine exhausts and the bat fits on the back? The model's fine but I think I just prefer a Batmobile with a retro look.
Sunday, 28 July 2013
AVION LASER & CAPE CANAVERAL ROCKET
Some more intriguing little items from Ed Berg's collection.
"-
The first photo is a hybrid tin-litho (fuselage)/plastic (wings)space ship from
Arden Toys of Argentina. It has a friction motor for the wheels, tin-litho body,
and plastic wing tip rocket launchers. It measures 6 3/4"L x 2"H x 7" wingspan I
believe I've seen other tin-litho spaceships coming from Argentina but forgot to
save pictures of them for reference. The card measures 8" W x 12"L "
" Cape Canaveral Rocket made in Hong Kong,
not manufacturer listed. Back og card is plain/unprinted. Consists of red hard
plastic (HP) rocket launcher w/silver soft plastic rocket w/yellow top. Rocket
launcher is 8"H. Rocket is 5 7/8"H. The card measures 4" W x 11"L"
Saturday, 27 July 2013
THE TERRORNAUTS
While spaceship designs based on toys created by the American toy company Pyro could be seen in the British Swift Morgan comic of the fifties, Another Pyro toy design turned up in the low budget sci-fi film,' The Terrornauts'.
The Terrornauts, which premièred in 1967, was produced by Amicus, better known for their portmanteau horror films. It was directed by Montgomery Tully.
The film was based on the 1960 pulp sci-fi novel, The Wailing Asteroid written Murray Leinster, non de plume of William F Jenkins.
For anyone unfamiliar with the film, the action takes place at a British Radio Telescope installation . Dr Joe Burke ( played by Simon Oates) is an astrophysicist in charge of Project Star Talk.
He’s determined to find evidence of extraterrestrial life ever since he’d had a strange dream about visiting another world when he was a child. His uncle, an archaeologist had uncovered a black cube during a dig in France. He’d given it to Joe as a gift, who accidentally dropped it, smashing it to bits revealing the inside to be full of strange blue crystals. These crystals, Joe believed, had put the image and sounds of a strange twin mooned planet into his mind, and from then on he’d pursued a career in radio astronomy.
Needless to say, his assistant, Ben Keller (played by Stanley Meadows) and his secretary, Sandy Lund (played by Zena Marshall) think he’s just a dreamer.
He clashes with his superior, Dr Henry Shore (played by Max Adrian) who thinks he’s totally misguided and wants Project Star Talk shut down as he feels it’s a waste of money.
But one night strange signals are heard, sounds that Joe recognises from his childhood dream. The signals emanate from a distant asteroid only 20 miles across. Dr Shaw dismisses it, saying it‘s too small to support life. But Joe argues that the only way to find out is to send a message back.
Shore reluctantly agrees, and Burke begins to equip the telescope to send the reply.
But as costs spiral, a auditor from the Holmes Foundation, the organisation providing Star Talk‘s grant, Joshua Yellowlees (played by Charles Hawtrey) is sent to check the money‘s not being wasted.
Yellowlees, and another character, the installation's tea trolley lady, Mrs Jones (played by Patricia Hayes) are actually quite intrigued by the forthcoming transmission.
The signal is finally sent to the small asteroid. On it’s surface is a space station being maintained by a sole robot. On receiving the signal a spacecraft is despatched to Earth and the point of transmission.
This model seems to be made up of kit parts but note the little sphere on top taken from an X-30 Space Explorer toy or maybe an X-60 Launching Truck.
Hovering over the transmitter shed, the strange craft emit’s a beam which scoops up the shed from the ground and secures it in a bubble - like force field beneath the ship.
After travelling through space the five land on the asteroid and are introduced to the station’s robot.
After being given a series of tests to establish their intelligence they find out the reason for the station.
Long ago the galaxy was invaded by creatures known only as ‘The Enemy!’
Any intelligent races they encountered they would attack and reduce them to primitives.
The now abandoned station was created by a long dead civilization as a giant fortress armed with missiles to fight back.
Cubes on the station similar to the one Joe had as a boy are filled with knowledge which is accessed by means of electronic skull caps. With the robot’s help they learn how to operate the station.
With the last of the station’s inhabitants long dead and The Enemy approaching the Solar System , Joe, Ben and Sandy are Earth’s only hope.
The invading ships loom towards the space station and Joe, Ben and Sandy prepare to launch missiles.
A space battle begins and The Enemy ships are revealed as none other than Pyro Space Clipper’s (or as ‘The Terrornauts’ was filmed in Britain I would suspect they would be Tudor Rose toy versions made under licence from Pyro )
One by one The Enemy ships are destroyed, however the last ship, heavily damaged and on fire, hurtles into the space station following its lift off from the asteroid.
With the Enemy destroyed and with seconds to spare before the station explodes,the five jump on to a teleportation pad , or Transposer aboard the station and are instantly transported safely back to Earth.
I do admit I love this daft film, despite it's shortcomings. Simon Oates wearing a bathing cap and taking it all very seriously is priceless, and a monster costume seen in the film leaves a lot to be desired!
The use of toys in the special effects obviously betrays a shoestring budget and the sight of the space station floating through space with its rocket launchers flailing about doesn't help the willing suspension of disbelief, but some of the colourful sets are a retro joy. I love the Space Station control room set with it's huge circular window showing the asteroid's surface outside, and the Transponder set which is so simple. In fact I reckon that's what I like about this film. It's a colourful nostalgic Saturday morning matinee for the young and the young at heart.
The Terrornauts, which premièred in 1967, was produced by Amicus, better known for their portmanteau horror films. It was directed by Montgomery Tully.
The film was based on the 1960 pulp sci-fi novel, The Wailing Asteroid written Murray Leinster, non de plume of William F Jenkins.
For anyone unfamiliar with the film, the action takes place at a British Radio Telescope installation . Dr Joe Burke ( played by Simon Oates) is an astrophysicist in charge of Project Star Talk.
Needless to say, his assistant, Ben Keller (played by Stanley Meadows) and his secretary, Sandy Lund (played by Zena Marshall) think he’s just a dreamer.
He clashes with his superior, Dr Henry Shore (played by Max Adrian) who thinks he’s totally misguided and wants Project Star Talk shut down as he feels it’s a waste of money.
But one night strange signals are heard, sounds that Joe recognises from his childhood dream. The signals emanate from a distant asteroid only 20 miles across. Dr Shaw dismisses it, saying it‘s too small to support life. But Joe argues that the only way to find out is to send a message back.
Project Star Talk Radio Telescope
Note the Airfix Dock Yard Crane parts
But as costs spiral, a auditor from the Holmes Foundation, the organisation providing Star Talk‘s grant, Joshua Yellowlees (played by Charles Hawtrey) is sent to check the money‘s not being wasted.
Yellowlees, and another character, the installation's tea trolley lady, Mrs Jones (played by Patricia Hayes) are actually quite intrigued by the forthcoming transmission.
The signal is finally sent to the small asteroid. On it’s surface is a space station being maintained by a sole robot. On receiving the signal a spacecraft is despatched to Earth and the point of transmission.
This model seems to be made up of kit parts but note the little sphere on top taken from an X-30 Space Explorer toy or maybe an X-60 Launching Truck.
Hovering over the transmitter shed, the strange craft emit’s a beam which scoops up the shed from the ground and secures it in a bubble - like force field beneath the ship.
After travelling through space the five land on the asteroid and are introduced to the station’s robot.
After being given a series of tests to establish their intelligence they find out the reason for the station.
Long ago the galaxy was invaded by creatures known only as ‘The Enemy!’
Any intelligent races they encountered they would attack and reduce them to primitives.
The now abandoned station was created by a long dead civilization as a giant fortress armed with missiles to fight back.
Cubes on the station similar to the one Joe had as a boy are filled with knowledge which is accessed by means of electronic skull caps. With the robot’s help they learn how to operate the station.
With the last of the station’s inhabitants long dead and The Enemy approaching the Solar System , Joe, Ben and Sandy are Earth’s only hope.
The invading ships loom towards the space station and Joe, Ben and Sandy prepare to launch missiles.
A space battle begins and The Enemy ships are revealed as none other than Pyro Space Clipper’s (or as ‘The Terrornauts’ was filmed in Britain I would suspect they would be Tudor Rose toy versions made under licence from Pyro )
One by one The Enemy ships are destroyed, however the last ship, heavily damaged and on fire, hurtles into the space station following its lift off from the asteroid.
With the Enemy destroyed and with seconds to spare before the station explodes,the five jump on to a teleportation pad , or Transposer aboard the station and are instantly transported safely back to Earth.
The use of toys in the special effects obviously betrays a shoestring budget and the sight of the space station floating through space with its rocket launchers flailing about doesn't help the willing suspension of disbelief, but some of the colourful sets are a retro joy. I love the Space Station control room set with it's huge circular window showing the asteroid's surface outside, and the Transponder set which is so simple. In fact I reckon that's what I like about this film. It's a colourful nostalgic Saturday morning matinee for the young and the young at heart.
The VHS cover