We've always been a two Kenner Alien household. I was aware of the toy through a photo in Starlog magazine, but it was never generally available in Australia.
My father bought me one on a trip through Singapore. My life partner Marilyn bought hers at The Land Beyond Beyond a specialty comic store in Sydney, before we had even got together!
While hers remained in it's original box, mine went adventuring and somewhere along the way, lost his transparent brain case.
I'd tried 3D scanning Marilyn's, but my technology wasn't up to it at that point.
Anyway, I recently sold the unfinished parts of my Lost in Space Robot to an avid collector who will lovingly restore it. He took the grand tour of our secret mountain hideaway and his eyes instantly locked on to Marilyn's Alien sitting in it's box, high on her shelves.
He couldn't resist asking asking her if she'd consider parting with it and a unedifying but friendly round of haggling ensued.
He ended up securing a new item for his collection for A$1500.
As she was pulling the box down and cleaning it up (I'd forgotten the toy came with it's own mini poster) she discovered there were two brain cases inside. My Alien's one wasn't lost at all!
Yesterday I gave him a good clean and reattached his brain with a few blobs of black tac. Then for good measure, I repainted his outer set of teeth.
The original vacuum metallised ones had evaporated over the decades, but a quick lick
of Green Stuff World Chrome paint has returned him to indistinguishable dental glory!
Here he is in my home cinema with his more
detailed NECA cousin.
Happy endings all round!
Looey
Oz Base
Those things were like hens teeth when they were released in the UK and were quickly pulled from shelves as they were deemed unfit for children! Similar thing happened with the original MPC kit of the Alien, after the general public caught on to the gory nature of the film, the toys and models evaporated from the shelves! Bill
ReplyDeleteI am glad you were able to find the correct brain case for your Alien. Good thing you checked the box before selling the other example.
ReplyDeleteA true gem to have, Looey. And what a fortunate find.
ReplyDeleteAmazing luck Looey and Marilyn! Two domes are better than one! I've never owned a Kenner ALIEN, a toy with legendary status. I've certainly never seen one at a car boot sale either! Your collecting friend went home a happy chappie!
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