Some photos I've previously published of my S.T.A.R. Team STAR HAWK, made by Ideal Toys, and which appeared in 1977.
This was simply a reworked version of the Ideal's earlier 1970 Zeroid Z.E.M. XXI toy, and was created to blatantly cash in on the popularity of Star Wars.
A pocket size Marvel Comic was also given away free at the time - Raiders of the Black Nebula , written by Archie Goodwin, and drawn by Dave Cockrum, which featured the Star Hawk, and it's occupants , the Red Zeroid pilot, and Blue engineer, both reworkings of the previously released Zeroid Zogg robot , and android, ZEM 21, which used the body of a previously released action figure based on real life private investigator , J.J. Armes.
Archie Goodwin, went on to write Marvel's official Star Wars comic, while George Lucas attempted to sue Ideal for ripping off his film at the time. Sadly for poor George, the court found in favour of Ideal and the knock offs were saved - hurrah!
Moral of this tale, don't take on The Mighty Zeroids!
N.B, S.T.A.R. stands for Space Travel and Reconnaissance, as if you didn't know!
The original Zeroid Z.E.M. XXI from 1970.
Some of my previous S.T.A.R. Team posts:
https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2017/02/focus-on-star-team.html
https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2013/07/star-team-star-hawk.html
Like those. I've got the blue robot but not the red one. Not got the spacecraft though!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'm very fond of the STAR Team toys, Kev, (which is a little ironic as I have very little interest in Star Wars.)
DeleteThe blue robot was sold separately, whereas the red one came with the Star Hawk, although there must be a few unboxed examples of both around
Oddly enough, I believe the villain of the STAR Team set, The Knight of Darkness (the Darth Vader knock off) was the biggest seller.
Oh, I didn't know that about the red one. I'm not a Star Wars fan either.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the original Star Trek, and the original series spin off films Kev.
DeleteYep, me too.
DeleteLike the first time round I like these garden S.T.A.R Team shots a lot Scoop! a great range of toys. I seem to recall you did a nifty video as well. I didn't have any STAR Team but Zeroids were a bid deal when I was a kid. I even got one when I had my appendix out in Hospital! Zeroids to the rescue! As regards Star Wars, I always thought the Star Hawk looked a little like Darth Vader's helmet!
ReplyDeleteThe garden has changed somewhat since I took those photos in 2013, Woodsy, a bit overgrown in places! The video can be seen in either of those links.
DeleteI occasionally like to dip into Zeroids nostalgia from time to time, and as they are still very popular with a lot of people.
One particular Zeroids fan I know makes life size robots, and he's currently working on a 'Zobor'!
I'm of the age that The Zeroids were my go-to space robots, and we had em all, between us. By the time Star Wars (ugh) and the space toy tsunami came, I had lost interest in all things SF, for awhile at least. But there will always be The Zeroids!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to read so many of you like the Zeroids, Zigg, I'll have to dig out another batch of Zeroid fun fotos!
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