Just thinking aloud really, was there a female member of Mattel's Major Matt Mason toy line? For some reason I thought there was but I might be dreaming!
If not, wonder why Mattel didn't go for it?
Where/ are there any female astronaut toys?
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
SPACEX PHOTONIC PROPULSION SPACE STATION: SCRATCHBIULDING FOR DUMMIES [LIKE ME!]
Six years ago I made this mock-up of the mythical SpaceX Photonic Propulsion Space Station, part of Triang's SpaceX II range.
As its the Easter holidays and I'm relaxing before the Easter Bunny and the family hop round, I thought I'd have another go. To get into the swing of actually sticking things together again I've begun with a test shot before I start proper.
Like last time I was keen to use only things lying around the house; pens, straws, plastic bottle tops and friends, to create as plastic a look as possible. I also can't ignore my singular lack of modelling and painting skills either, so instant toyness is what I'm after!
So after super-gluing my fingers together and nearly skewering my thigh, here are the fruits if my labours, my initial test shot space station.
What do you think readers? Next stop, version Mark II.
OKLOPARCHI: THUNDERBIRDS TV21 MONSTER TOY
Just to add to Scoop's superb post on Thunderbirds monsters this morning, here's a cool toy version of the TV21 cover monster, sent in by reader Paul Kaiju. The "Okloparchi" was on sale at a Super Festival in Tokyo in 2014. I've blogged this last year but had no idea what it was! Thanks to Scoop we do now! It really does remind me of the Kraken in the original Clash of the Titans. Ray Harryhausen?
MONSTER IN MY COMIC
A few posts back Woodsy asked the question, was there any monsters in the Thunderbird TV series. The answer is technically no, unless you expand the question to the feature film Thunderbirds Are Go which contained a segment featuring Zero X having a bit of an altercation with some Martian Rock Snakes.
A couple of monsters that didn't feature in the Thunderbirds TV series do appear in several specially created photos taken by Century 21 stills photographer, Doug Luke, who sadly died at the beginning of the year.
This Thunderbirds Somportex card shows a monster which looks a lot like the puppet as seen in the Stingray adventure, 'Lock Ness Monster'. This monster appeared on the front cover of TV 21 in several specially created photos promoting a Thunderbird story inside.
Another monster which I can't say I've seen anywhere apart from the covers of TV21, again featured in that same Thunderbird story.
I imagine it was specially made by the Century 21 model makers for Doug to photograph in his own studio space which he used to create scenes not seen in the actual filming.
A posed shot of Thunderbird 1 being attacked by this monster. This same shot was used a few years later for a Thunderbirds Special published by Polystyle.
You can see Doug being interviewed on the Film in Supermarionation documentary, and here's a link to an article by James Fielding about Doug as featured in the Independent newspaper.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/doug-luke-photographer-recruited-by-dick-lester-to-work-on-help-before-joining-gerry-anderson-on-thunderbirds-10144563.html
A couple of monsters that didn't feature in the Thunderbirds TV series do appear in several specially created photos taken by Century 21 stills photographer, Doug Luke, who sadly died at the beginning of the year.
Another monster which I can't say I've seen anywhere apart from the covers of TV21, again featured in that same Thunderbird story.
I imagine it was specially made by the Century 21 model makers for Doug to photograph in his own studio space which he used to create scenes not seen in the actual filming.
A posed shot of Thunderbird 1 being attacked by this monster. This same shot was used a few years later for a Thunderbirds Special published by Polystyle.
You can see Doug being interviewed on the Film in Supermarionation documentary, and here's a link to an article by James Fielding about Doug as featured in the Independent newspaper.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/doug-luke-photographer-recruited-by-dick-lester-to-work-on-help-before-joining-gerry-anderson-on-thunderbirds-10144563.html
CAPE KENNEDY SET LENTICULAR POSTCARD
Hey Woodsy
Don't know if you've seen this? I found it on ebay. It is a 4 x 5 lenticular postcard from Japan, mid 60s. Very, very fine lens, extremely detailed. Thought you might get a kick out of it. Here it is side by side with Bob McCall's artwork. It looks like someone actually built a toy/model to stage the exact image in his painting. It could just be a very, very realistic painting, but it looks like a toy or maquette of some kind.
Cheers
Rob Godwin
Canada
Woodsy says: Amazing! is it really a model? For more of these lenticular cards then check out John Sisson's fab Dreams of Space blog.
Woodsy says: Amazing! is it really a model? For more of these lenticular cards then check out John Sisson's fab Dreams of Space blog.
Monday, 30 March 2015
New Thunderbird 1 in landing position.
Check out this screen grab showing Thunderbird 1 landed. Note that rear engine swivel.
NEW THUNDERBIRD THEME HEARD ON RADIO 2
Sara Cox standing in for Chris Evans this morning on the UK Radio 2 breakfast show had a brief chat with David Graham and played the 'new' Thunderbirds theme. She dld talk over most of it, but from what I could hear it sounded a lot like a pointless slight reworking of the original, complete with the Peter Dyneley countdown!
THUNDERBIRDS AT EASTER: EGGSCELLENT!
Thinking ahead to this Easter Saturday I am planning a table display for a family meal [if Missus Moonbase will let me! ha ha].
To celebrate the debut of the new Thunderbirds TV series and Easter I would like to combine them together in the display! Bunnybirds!
I don't recall any specific Thunderbirds Easter toys from my childhood so I will use what I have to hand. The old Matchbox Tracy Island toy springs to mind as it has three places where I could sit some Easter eggs!
Here's what I mean using some random rockets as eggstras.
I suppose the obvious places for eggs would be the Thunderbirds vehicles themselves: a pod egg in Thunderbird 2 and an sat snug in the middle of Thunderbird 5. And who could ignore the possibilities of Zero Eggs! [sounds like a boring holiday though! ha ha]
Has anyone else any ideas for a Thunderbirds - Easter table display?
AT THE BUS STOP ROUND THE CORNER FROM THE THUNDERBIRDS TV STUDIO
It was a cold Spring morning in Toy Town. At the Fisher Price Bus Stop a queue had formed. Captain Laser was at the front, then Weed, then Barbie, then a Weeble and finally Lady Penelope. The hot topic was the first episode of the new Thunderbirds TV show being shown this weekend.
Lady Penelope: How embarrassing! Me , a Lady with my own TV show this Saturday, having to catch a bus to the studio round the corner!
Weeble: weebles wobble but we don't fall down!
Barbie: Keep your hands off Ken Lady! He's mine, d'ya hear!
Weed: weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!
Captain Laser: bodoiiiiiiiing!
Weed: weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!
Barbie: How darn disgustin'! hey Lady, you related to Sindy?
Weeble: weebles wobble but we won't fall down!
Lady Penelope: Right, that's it. I need rescuing. Captain Laser, I'm pulling rank and demand that you carry me to the studio!
Penelope climbs into the Captain's hard plastic but rather rigid arms. Being an international agent of S.T.R.I.N.G.S she knows just how to press all the right buttons so she reaches over to the Cap's backpack.
Captain Laser: bodoiiiiiiiiiiig!
Lady Penelope: Fiddlesticks! It always works on Parker!
She gives the Captain a sip of the finest China tea from her thermos and pushes the button again.
Captain Laser: Yes, M'Lady!
Lady Penelope: Excellent! To the studio Laser!
As the pair walk off Barbie shouts: Hey Pen, you'd better keep your magic mitts off my Ken!
MORE THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO SCREEN GRABS
The New Zealand channel TVNZ has been heralding the new Thunderbirds series by broadcasting several features on its news channel.
Here's some screen grabs from their One News programme showing Thunderbird 3 taking off , which I have to say looks pretty good. The other grab shows Lady P and a rather informally dressed Parker. I'm not intending to pre judge but I think it'll be the CGI characters that I'll have most trouble accepting. The youngsters the show is aimed at shouldn't have that problem though as those characters wouldn't look out of place in your average video game.
TWO EDGED SWORD: PROJECT SWORD AND SPACEX ON ETSY
Just shows how extreme collecting can be. Look at these two listings on ETSY. Both are of interest to the Project SWORD and SpaceX collector but the price range is astronomical, excuse the pun.
The small set of modernish Apollo Moon Exploring-style cake toppers, probably made in China, is a steal and a number of readers have bought sets like this in the past.
On the other hand the SWORD Annual is so overpriced its untrue. You shouldn't have to pay more than £20 for a decent copy. Unless there is something uniquely rare about this annual its price is in the realms of fantasy.
Sunday, 29 March 2015
GODZILLA COMPETITION
OK SWORDzillas, another mirthful mouthful here! Your mission, should you care to accept it, is to create the most humorous caption to this photo in the known Zillaverse! The prize: your personal glory in the halls of Moonbase. Go Go Gojira!
BTW The toy is a prism beam Godzilla and the image is by imgur.
WERE THERE ANY MONSTERS IN THUNDERBIRDS?
Being a monster nut as a kid I often gauged a TV show by how many monsters it has in it! I still do! Obviously Little House on the Prairie scored nada, as did The Magic Roundabout but something like The Outer Limits got ten out of ten!
Dr. Who did well too, packing loads of space monsters mauling the Doctor, as did film slots like Appointment With Fear and Midnight Movie.
The Addams Family and the Munsters scored well too, together with Dark Shadows and Voyage to the Bottom of the sea occasionally. Even the the Avengers had its scary creeps, in a less obvious way.
But the shows of Gerry Anderson have me stumped. Largely due to my creaky memory banks, I can't recall any monsters in them other than the giant alligators in Thunderbirds.
Were there any monsters in Gerry's shows like Thunderbirds and UFO?
THE VINTAGE SPACE TOYS OF DULLA AKKERMAN
Hoover Space Glider
Micronauts Membros.
Made by Mego 1977.
Made by Mego 1977.
Battle of the Planets (Strijd der Planeten / Gatchaman / G-Force) Skycar/Condor
Attacker
Rare toy by POPY / Mattel '80s.
From the original TV cartoon series in the 80s.
Rare toy by POPY / Mattel '80s.
From the original TV cartoon series in the 80s.
70's PA-85 Shogun Warriors Action Vehicle Kondar
chogokin GAIKING Skyler
By POPY / Mattel '78 Japan.
By POPY / Mattel '78 Japan.
Shogun Warriors Action Vehicle DANGARD ACE LAUNCHER chogokin.
Made by POPY / Mattel "78 Japan
Made by POPY / Mattel "78 Japan
Reader Dulla from Rotterdam in Holland has sent in these snaps of his cool space toys. Enjoy!