So which space toy line do you consider to be the best readers?
There are so many from so many eras but I still think its a fair question.
So go on, will it be:
SpaceX/ Golden Astronaut, Zoids, Battle Beasts, Micronauts, Starcom, Mighty Max, Manta Force, Major Matt Mason, Johnny Apollo, Apollo Moon Exploring, Linkits, Capsella, Tente, Explorer 12, Space Patrol, Flash Gordon, Dan Dare, Multimac, Mazinger, Battle of the Planets and yes, Star Wars.
There are loads more!
What do you think ... and why? As many as you want!
Star Wars,of course,because is a way of life ;) and the line "Adventura 2000" by Matchbox,i have my models again! ew
ReplyDeleteI thought Star wars might top many lists and yours too EW. I like Adventure 2000 as well and only this past Sunday I had one of the die-cast toys in my hand at a car boot sale. Very well made and will last forever!
DeleteGot to be Spacex for me, with the Anderson stuff close behind.
ReplyDeleteIts a good choice Kevin. I did so love 'em as a kid too!
DeleteWhile I would really love to say Dan Dare, the toys from the 50's were all pretty lame stuff partially because cut out paper models, very limited range of toy soldier figures and Meccano Style space ship kits were fairly unimaginative designs. A nice but limited range of plastic soldier figures of the main charactors appeared around 1960 when the comic strip went into a decline as Frank Hampson the creator left.
ReplyDeleteProbably the best Dan Dare toys were the cap or water pistols, one of which was a copy of an American toy that Hampson used as the reference for one of Spacefleets weapons.
In reality while far from being a favourite of mine STAR WARS over the years has produced the most impressive range of figures, space craft, vehicles. This was intentional as the creators wanted to cash in on merchandising and worked with manufacturers before the movies were released. Dan Dare merchandising was an after thought, licensing being sold to manufacturers once the comic strip was a sucess, these manufactures often renamed existing products.
For the final word on Star Wars marketing watch SPACEBALLS by Mel Brooks.
May the Schwartz be with you.
I still have to see Spaceballs Terran. Its a shame that Dare waned in '60, just as I was waxing. I think I would have loved the Eagle comic. But would it have been a direct competitor to TV21? I do love 50's space toys. There's a charm about them which is hard to describe. I know what you mean about Star Wars. Its a leviathan among space toys and we may never see the like again.
DeleteLego space! The little lego dudes could do just about anything! That now transfers into all the toy licenses but particularly star wars, have you seen the stuff they make now! Thousands of parts! structural integrity! A collectible and a toy!! -Mark J
ReplyDeleteI knew Lego would get the thumbs up! Well done MJ although its not my thing its adaptability is sensational. A true classic outlasting everything else. I can imagine lego figures on top of wedding cakes no problem!
DeleteOmg i missed lego space.. i ll post
Deletesomething on the blog soon! ew
Go for it EW!
DeleteWhile I love Space-X/Golden Astronaut and Project SWORD, the winner has to be Major Matt Mason, simply because of the broad range of toys, the endless play value and the sheer design and engineering genius of the team at Mattel who produced them.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate the fact that they leveraged off the then-current space campaign, rather then using a film tie-in as their starting point.
Cheers, Tony
You might be onto something there Tone. His Rubberiness may well be top dog for me too. Project SWORD lacked any action figures whereas Major Mat had the lot, figures, vehicles and those fantabulous little silver accessories like his spanner and his walkie talkie. How I loved those little things! Yep, I'm liking your style Tone!
DeleteI'm with Tony.
ReplyDeleteIt's Major Matt Mason.
A high quality Space toy range, OF the 'Space Age' and FOR the 'Space Age' generation.
It perfectly caught the zeitgeist of the 1960's Space Race era.
Mish.
Matts pulling in the votes! Ta Mish.
DeleteI'm going with Micronauts.Something about the translucent colors, the chrome,the tubes...I thought I'd be living in Micropolis by now!
ReplyDeleteI thought the translucent ones would get a shout out. Nice one Brian. Micropolis is round the corner!
DeleteHi Woodsy,
ReplyDeleteMajor Matt Mason had a lot of accessories for such a short lived toy line, including a space station and a working glider space ship. The Marx toy line had a lot of good space race sets, including a couple of Cape Canaveral sets and an Fireball XL5 set (never got that one, want it even today!). Had many hours of fun with Mason and the Marx Cape Canaveral set.
Jim
Henderson NV
The Major seems to have won our hearts and minds Jim for sure. His accessories were simply brilliant. I too never owned a Fireball and your Cape Canaveral Set sounds amazing.
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