BENDY ROBOT MYSTERY

 

I keep seeing this bendy rubber robot by Imperial Toys. Do you think he's based on Dr.Who's Giant Robot?

Grab Bag

A big space toy staple of the 1960's were the Hill Climbing Moon Grabbers, by Marx. They were released over several years, with three basic models and a special Moon Train set in the states, featuring small trailers with a rocket and a helicopter on board.

They were always highly visible in christmas shop window displays along with Billy Blastoff and Matt Mason and could often be seen trundling across the floor of large department stores along with robots, airplanes and barking dogs.

My favourite of the three is the Moon Scout with its huge grab arm and the iconic multi dish radar, which appeared on the later Spacex Apollo Tracker.

A curious design, with no apparent cockpit and two large domes enclosing what must be remote sensing equipment for the vehicle.

Marx also made small boxed sets with hand painted figures, rocks and a tiny version of the vehicles, adding a fourth space tank too.

Later versions of the grabbers appeared in coloured chrome finish which were still available in the early seventies.

ECO-DRAMAS: MORE THAN A LEAKING DRUM

There's very little Eco-Drama on TV these days. It used to be very popular and highly topical. Eco-drama needs an environmental crisis, preferably a conspiracy, at its heart. Global catastrophe, nuclear energy, dodgy genetics, that sort of thing. I suppose the Project SWORD story arc might even be Eco- Drama?

 

 

The earliest Eco-drama I can remember watching were the Quatermass films based on the popular black and white BBC TV series. I've never seen the series and must do one of these days. I imagine Quatermass set the scene for all eco-dramas that followed: shady government units, remote locations, science out of control and public secrecy. Oh and a charismatic central lead always helps, usually an honest boffin like Quatermass himself. My own personal favourite is the colour version of the film, Quatermass and the Pit.

 

 

One eco-thriller of the Seventies caught my eye on the big screen, Doom Watch, released in 1972 [released as Island of the Ghouls in the US]. Essentially it's UFO but instead of aliens there are eco-disasters at every turn. The film centred on mutation amongst the inhabitants of a remote island. Doom Watch, a government unit, are sent in to investigate. Ian Bannan, one of my favourite actors of that generation, plays the lead role as Dr. Del Shaw. John Paul played the role of Dr. Spencer Quist as he did in the original TV series of Doom Watch. Again, the series passed me by but I have started watching the initial episode, The Plastic Eaters.

 

 

The Eighties were rife with eco- drama on TV as Britain knuckled down for the Thatcher years. Edge of Darkness is probably the best series ever made in the sub - genre and often lauded as one of the finest British TV series of all time. It starred Bob Peck, who would become even better known as the tough shorts - wearing warden in Jurassic Park. In Darkness Peck plays a gruff Yorkshire policeman, whose daughter is murdered. Shady government goings-on are everywhere and Peck digs deeper and deeper till the truth is finally revealed. I had the pleasure of watching the entire series yesterday on DVD, 314 minutes! Highly recommended.

 

 

The Nineties gave us genetically modified nightmares with Chimera in 1991, released as Monkey Boy in the US. I remember watching this TV series at the time and really enjoying it. It's one I'm hoping to track down again this year. I suppose the modern equivalent if it would be the movie Splice.

 

 

I'm not sure that Gerry Anderson's series and films were eco-dramas. UFO comes closest with its hidden HQ and secret battles. I would place it more in the alien conspiracy sub-genre, which later peaked with The X-Files.

 

 

What are your favourite eco-dramas and do you think the sub-genre is still relevant today?

Placid English Rover

Ahead of the Moonbase crews outing at the weekend to Bolton Train and Dinky Fair, I thought it would be good to see an often overlooked Dinky space toy, the Lunar Rover. I picked mine up recently in a box of old cars and it was missing the astronauts. But a friend of mine had the Dinky kit version of the model years ago and somehow I ended up with the figures. Now, I can only find one, but I also came across a near relative from the Zygon War Chariot! The rover itself is a basic model, with a large handle at centre, to steer all four wheels. The body lacks detail, showing only essential parts, but its still a nice toy and would stand up to being driven through the dirt by small hands. This version seems to be the official release, as the kit form required the builder to paint the model and the supplied paint was pretty basic, as can be seen on the hand painted astronaut, with gold visor smudged away!

ZYGON WAR CHARIOT (EBAY)

GALACTIC WAR CHARIOT

SPACE 1999 MEMORIES

When Space 1999 first aired in 1975, I, along with many other Gerry Anderson fans already had some insight into this new show.

In a pre – internet world the dedicated fan could still catch the odd bit of info . One way I used was checking that year’s new television  annuals in Mum’s Grattan catalogue.

The 1975 annual probably appeared just prior to the first screening, and was a good introduction to the series. 

I remember picking up the paperbacks at  ‘Dickie’  Lewis’s department store in Liverpool, on the days I attended the polytechnic. Like the annual, the first ones appeared before I’d seen the first episode.

Once the show started I still continued to pick up the paperbacks and annuals, although with the exception of the Eagle Airfix kit and Dinky die-cast I didn’t really bother with any of the spin off toys, preferring to concentrate on the ephemera that appeared in magazines and comics at the time.

These two dedicated poster magazines came out during 1975.  

Bearing in mind these were the days before Star Wars made science fiction trendy, sci-fi mags were thin on the ground.

I remember picking up this intriguing publication from the corner shop, which obviously used Star Trek as its selling point.

Coming out in 1976 just prior to the release of Space 1999’s second season, Sci-Fi Monthly was full of little articles about the upcoming new production, with the odd poster or pin up thrown in for good measure.

Looking back at the articles now, it’s interesting to read how readers were looking forward the new series, which was to address the short comings of the previous series with much more emphasis on characters rather than special effects, and more action rather than metaphysical ideas.

Personally, despite its faults, I still preferred the first series which took a lot of inspiration from my favourite sci-fi film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The second series just came across as a watered down Star Trek to me.

As the years have passed I don’t think my opinion has changed. Space 1999 isn't my favourite G A series, but nowadays I do admit I've grown much more fond of the series, and I do get quite nostalgic remembering a time just prior to and during the show’s initial screening.  

ROTA-MATIC LOVER: KNOCKOFF THUNDERBIRDS WATER PISTOL

 

In the mid-1960's JR21 Toys released their popular toy pistols based on those seen in Thunderbirds. They came in red or blue, cap firing or water firing, each in a nice header carded bag as shown above. I've often seen knockoffs of the Stingray and Captain Scarlet pistols but not these bad boys. Until now that is!

 

 

Cruising the interways I chanced on this lovely thing, a modern Thunderbirds water pistol clone called Space Water Gun. The label on the header appears to say the company name of GIESSE but I can't read their address.

 

 

Looking closer at the pistol, the word ROTA-MATIC appears where THUNDERBIRDS would have appeared on the original. The word below it is SPECIAL. Can't read anything else. Unusually the toy is browny gold, which I don't think JR21 used. I could be wrong. Anyone seen this knockoff before?

 

Brain in a Jar

Growing up in a time when space and horror B movies were all around, I saw a lot of monsters and aliens on tv and in books. One concept that always fascinated and scared me, was the disembodied brain! Films such as Fiend without a Face, The Trollenberg Terror and the Green Slime, all showed weird tentacled monsters with one eye or exposed brain. The Metaluna mutant from This Island Earth was another favourite, as this sported crab claws too! Over time films have produced some really strange creatures, Star Wars was especially good for introducing new ideas and one classic for me had a brief walk on part in Return of the Jedi. In the first half hour, Threepio and Artoo arrive at Jabbas palace and after entering, the huge storm door lowers behind them. As it does, a spidery mechanical being stalks by - the Bo'marr Monk! Ralph McQuarries book about the Star Wars universe says that the humanoid monks reach a state of ultimate enlightenment after years of meditation and elect to have their brain removed and installed into a mechanical body - essentially a walking life support frame. The monk then wanders in a state of disembodied nirvana, protected by the spider like form. Hasbro released a mail away figure of the monk back when the Star Wars Special Edition was being prepared, although not technically 100% accurate to the film version, its still a nice figure, even down to the inverted brain in its nutrient bath!

SPANDERSON: Vintage Gerry Anderson from Spain, Argentina and Brazil

On a recent trawl round the hispanic cyberverse I found a few Anderson goodies new to me that I thought I'd blog. It always amazes me just how popular Gerry's shows were across the globe.

El Capitan Escarlata comic book

OVNI UFO TV series poster

[large drilling machine courtesy of the New York World's Fair Futurama expo methinks!]

Did other countries have posters advertising this TV series? The UK too?

La Ciudad En Tinieblas hardback novel

[The City Of Darkness]

CONSOLE YOURSELF: DIY SPACESHIP DASHBOARD

Recalling the recent computer consoles theme, check out this amazing home-made space console someone's Dad made them in the Seventies. Everything works! Courtesy of dougshreevebass on You Tube. Respect!

ZEROID ZINTAR

Continuing  my flirtation with those mighty robots from the planet Zero,  here's another short film featuring the silver explorer, Zintar.

Hope you like it.

SPLITTING INFINITY: OF FISSION, FUSION AND NUCLEAR FERRIES

It's been a funny old Summer. We're just back back from North Wales and the school holidays are once more nearly over here in the UK. After record-breaking sunshine, Autumn is faintly whispering through the warm trees once again.

 

 

The summer was a milestone too. Unbelievably NASA's Curiosity Rover has its first year under its belt as it trundles across Mars. It seems like only yesterday when it retro-rocketed to the surface. For some reason I find it comforting to know it's up there toiling away on our behalf WALL-E style. It's only covered a mile but Mount Sharp beckons now. Although it's not programmed to reach the summit I don't think, I chuckle at the thought that it'll do it anyway, climbing the three miles to the peak, where it greets it's aerial pal MAVEN due to fly out in Winter.

 

 

Renewed interest in space has shot up apparently. I'm not so sure, but one British kid in the Newspaper has passed his Astronomy GCSE at age 11 or 12, 5 years before he normally would. Blimey! He says he wants to work for NASA or be the next Prof. Cox, the current rock star of the British space scene. Its what childhood dreams are made of!

 

 

Science took another leap forward as the ITER project got underway in France, the biggest nuclear-fusion plant in the world. One particular quote caught my eye: "It is the largest scientific collaboration in the world. In fact, the project is so complex we even had to invent our own currency – known as the Iter Unit of Account – to decide how each country pays its share,” says Carlos Alejaldre, Iter’s deputy director responsible for safety.

 

 

Despite my passion for burgeoning space travel, it seems counter-intuitive that we continually bombard our own planet with ever more difficult energy. Fracking is causing social ructions in the UK and Fukushima is leaking like a fissile sieve. All of this reminds me of the ominous Eighties eco-drama with Bob Peck, The Edge of Darkness, especially when regarding ITER I read "Nothing is left to chance in a project that has defied potential Babel-like misunderstandings between the collaborating nations." Well that's alright then. As we drove past the square hulk of Trawsfynydd Magnox Fission Power Station in North Wales I brooded on the year 2027 when "Iter “goes nuclear” with the injection of tritium" and can't help thinking of Pandora's own curiosity and a certain box.

 

 

Which brings me to perhaps the Summer's nuclear high point, its own atomic core - the auction of another Century 21 Project SWORD Nuclear Ferry! Blogged about already, it began and ended before I went on holiday and like many of you, I saw it all, including the final seconds when the price went critical and brushed passed £1,000. That's One Thousand Pounds, which is an incredible amount not just for Project SWORD but for a vintage toy in general. It's surely a record amount for a SWORD toy and may even be for a Century 21/ JR21 toy?

 

 

So why such a fabulously high price? A bidding frenzy? an investment? collectors' passion or what has already been mentioned, Bill's so-called 'blog effect'? For me personally, rarity is the key. The Moonbase Playset aside, the Nuclear Ferry is the rarest Project SWORD toy of all and as such will always engender high emotions and command even high prices. If the 'blog effect' has got something to do with it then I suppose its the high price we ourselves pay for sharing our knowledge and passion online with fellow toy fans and although I am unlikely ever to own a Nuclear Ferry myself, I think it is a price worth paying - in both senses! Good luck to the new Nuclear Ferry owner and enjoy!

 

 

To the best of my knowledge this particular Ferry is the fourth one known to exist, the other three surfacing in the last five years, two from Hong Kong and one from Japan. Their oriental origins are intriguing and we will all have our own theories about this: warehouse finds, dead stock, retained shipments or the marooned remains of Century 21 Toys' Hong Kong operation.

 

 

I asked the seller Nassau San, who kindly told me that: "This ferry is my own collection & got it from old Hong Kong toys manfacture factory a warehouse about 20 years ago.I think that place was help 21st toys company to additional some assembly in that space series & other HKG toys co., between 50's - 70's. This old factory district was change to living estate & develope by Hong Kong Goverment. Now when I go to visit again here just building a modern shopping centre.;-(" [sic]

 

 

So, as the nuclear Summer remains hot here in Europe and I sip my cold Becks, try to keep a cool head and don't have a meltdown!

SLIME TIME: THE MIDORI LUNAR TRANSPORTER

 

I'm back from a week in sunny North Wales and relaxing surfing the net after 7 days abstinence. Just found this new cool image of the model Luna Transporter inspired by the film The Green Slime; it was made as a kit by Midori. We know it better as the glorious Tri-ang SpaceX LT10. For some reason it always reminds me of a lipstick on wheels! [picture: Retro Plastic Model Gallery]

 

You can check out this image and many more fabulous Japanese kits at The Retro Plastic Model Gallery, illustrating catalogues at the Bunkyo Yayio Museum in Japan. It also includes the Midori and Paramount Beetle aka Lunar Climber. Yummy!

Inside Subside

I'm collating all my Inside Information books at the moment and just noticed something in the Hovercraft book. Each volume has a 'What of the Future' page and Lesley Ashwell-Woods interpretation of a futuristic (well from an early 1970's point of view) vehicle. The Hovercraft of the future has more than a little look of our old friend the C21 Submarine Aircraft Carrier!

Toy version courtesy of the Ferryman Collection

ANDERCON 2014: A NEW GERRY ANDERSON CONVENTION

 

Check out the website for this new Gerry Anderson convention happening next April in London: ANDERCON

 

 

Might be a great weekend for us SWORDies!

INSIDE INFORMATION - TANKS

I've been scanning a couple of Inside Information books as a side project today and was fondly remembering how good they were. Illustrated throughout with glorious cutaways by Eagle artist, Lesley Ashwell-Wood, there were a series of about 12 books on different vehicles. Naturally, my favourite was the space one, but I also liked the Tanks and Armoured Vehicles book. Here are a few shots of some of the best vehicles.