Dave Barnacle, Palitoy Box Artist

I know there are many Action Man fans among Moonbasers, so I thought this You Tube video would be of interest.

A look at the work of Palitoy box artist Dave Barnacle, who sadly passed away this month, April 2025.

He did many of the Action Man boxes in the 1970s, as well as other lines, such as Planet of the Apes, and Star Wars.

There is even a look at some concept art for figures that never made it in to production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdkC7yN-fJc

Paul Adams from New Zealand

The Man from Uncle Cane Pistol: our Custom Toy Job

Continuing our custom reproductions of carded spy toys, here's our version of the Man from Uncle Cane Pistol by Marx.

Bill created the stunning graphics from stills on Hakes auctions (see bottom) and I fashioned the cane from a litter grabber. A label and some glued-on bits, the set was completed with red beads giving the impression of the ammo.

Here you go, UNCLE's cane pistol a la Moonbase International. Hope you like it.

Our visual inspiration, ignited by a reference iny Spy Toys book, was Hakes' auction image.

Home Run! Our Secret Sam Bazooka Bat

 Here's our latest custom.

Topper's Secret Sam Bazooka Bat.

The wonderful card art is by Bill and I sourced a modern plastic beige baseball bat and white ball, emulating as far as I could the originals. 

This custom take on the bat concludes our Secret Sammery and, together with the Cane Shooter, form our personal homage to the mighty Topper.

Here they are as a pair. See what you think.

Now in the transit station - our bookshelf - before going into storage, here's one more Topper shot.

Next up, the Man from UNCLE Pistol Cane.

The Lone Star Custom Armoury

 Before they all go into storage, here's a final group shot of our five custom Lone Star swords. 

Which is your favourite?

Merit Special Agent Kit Update: the Original Box Art by Sam Peffer!

Years ago I found an incomplete Merit Special Agent boxed set and it started a sort of blog legend, blogged several times starting over a decade ago.

For years I kept an eye out for missing parts , which was fun but as with many a noble quest it wasn't to be. Still, it was a lot of fun and I've always stayed interested in this set.

So I was so pleasantly surprised to stumble across - and I mean stumble - an amazing website showing the original box art for this set and not only that, the original photographs of the artist's models and props for creating the box art!

https://www.tikit.net/2019/Sam%20Peffer/SpecialAgent.htm 

It really is fabulous.

The box artist's name was Sam Peffer, signing his work as Peff.

Click on 'Artists' on the Tikit site to find him.

The Tikit site, worth checking in its entirety, is essentially a tribute to PAN paperbacks and Sam did cover art for them including the old paperback James Bond covers. 

It makes sense then that it would appear from this site that Sam also did the box art for the fantastic Merit Avengers Shooting Game, which we've also covered on the blog before including Arto's terrific example.

It seems likely then to me that Sam Peffer also did the box art for the uber-cool Merit Saint Shooting Game.

How I would love to see the artist's photographs for these shoots!

What do you think readers?

Going Ape! The Custom Ahi Planet of the Apes Stunt Cycle Completed

 With Bill's wonderful graphics I've been able to box up my custom Planet of the Apes Stunt Cycle.

Unusually the backing card had a 3D footer, which Bill recreated perfectly so I could construct it as it was in the late 1960's.

Toy kings Ahi went to town on this box and besides the 3D footing, it had instructions on the back for turning the card into a stunt ramp! 

The plastic blister came courtesy of my Missus's old plastic case of blank business cards. It did the business alright.

The bike is an old Matchbox model, the rider an old tractor driver with an ape's head glued on and for a final garnish, a Playmobil rifle.

Our monkey business done. Hope you like this latest team effort.

Our Mock Mr. Rock Blister Carded

 It's been awhile since this Mr. Rock mockoff figure was finished.

 I've been waiting for the best blister to fit his 9 inches and wide stance, but more importantly I wanted to do decent justice to Bill's fabulous repro card art.

Today I found a largish clear plastic sushi box in Aldi. It provided the perfect blister, as well as my Japanese lunch. You got a little plastic fish too! Result! 

So here he is, the Moonbase International carded mock Mr. Rock finally finished.

See what you think.

In monochrome as it might have appeared in comic ads.

I added an old price tag this time for a final touch. 

I had to keep this photo as somehow it's captured my ugly mug too! Ha ha

The Moonbase International Martian Chronicles Custom Figure Completed

 A while back I blogged a small Martian Chronicles figure I'd made. All I needed to finish it was a decent blister for Bill's fabulous card art.

I found one. A dates box at Booths supermarket in Keswick. I bought three. It's a lot of dates!

A proper job now it's done.

See what you think.

THE LAND OF TA

 Sam Petrucci, the GI Joe box artist,  drew these neat fantasy The Land of Ta sticker sheets for the Dennison in 1981.

There are two different ones.

Did you have any of these readers?

LOCAL CUSTOMS: THE NEW MOONBASE DIY FIGURES: ZYTHON, MR. ROCK AND CO.

I've been having fun finishing off some "Moonbase International" custom figures.

With the arrival of my new baguette plastic blisters and Bill's fabulous backing graphics I was able to complete my custom Zython.

With the card art glued down and trimmed and the figure placed behind its blister, Zython has come out looking great I if I say so myself.

Like the Star Maiden Guard last Autumn, Zython is one of the larger figures we've had a crack at. Its 12 inches tall so need a big blister and a large backing card.

Bill also worked up this superb backing card rear, the first one that we've needed. Interestingly Mattel added Zython to the Space 1999 illustration. Its a shame it only ever saw the light of day in very limited numbers, through a West German comic competition

A smaller figure, at about 9 inches, our version of Lincoln International's Mr. Rock has proven difficult to find a nice blister for. Impatient to mount him on Bill's fantastic backing art, I glued down the graphics on card and deployed an oversize blister for the time being. A WIP. You get the idea. Fascinating!

With those two figures sorted and with more small dolls at the ready, I moved onto a new custom project, inspired once more by odd rare figures I've seen online.

I finagled a headpiece from Fimo and some old PC ribbon cable.

Recognise it? 

Its one of three aliens from the obscure Martian Chronicles figurer range released by Larami. Mine's smaller than an original, at just 6 inches.

Here's my custom Martian placed next to a picture of the original Larami toy as seen in the wonderful Rack Toys book by Brian Heiler.

To get an idea of how it might look on a backing card here's mine on top of the original in the above picture [ original picture credit: Brian Heiler].

So here's this weekend's work together in a huddle showing my latest custom dolls and Bill's really terrific backing cards. A toy tag team effort.

Hope you like them.

The Final Article: our Custom Lincoln Victim Carded Figure

 Finally I'm pleased to present our finished custom Lincoln Monsters Victim figure.

The dressed doll and the card have been ready for a while.

The delay was in finding the best blister for the card, a Lidl macaron box.

The superb card art was by Wotan Bill.

The brilliant tailoring was by Franzi E.

The sourcing of the doll, cloth and blister and final assembly by Woodsy

The Moonbase International Victim. Hope its been worth the wait.

Only Skin Deep: My Mock Monster Backing Cards

 Armed with new bigger blisters for my bigger custom monster figures I've made a few mock-up backing cards using my Art of Horror book by Stephen Jones.

Here they are, purely for artistic purposes and a temporary use of the book's illustrations. 

Dracula's Daughter

The Bride of Frankenstein

The real backings will be developed next year by Wotan Bill.

Matteline 1967 Fantasy Box Art 14

Matteline 1967 has done another of his fantasy box art videos, No.14, showing kits that were never produced, but should have been. These are all from various TV shows of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Six Million Dollar Man, followed by a Doctor Who UNIT vehicles set - in 1/76th or 1/32nd scale. Airfix actually did a 1/76th scale Scorpion light tank kit, and there was a Short Wheel Base Land Rover in the Bristol Bloodhound missile kit - much later there was also a Long Wheel Base version, which was a re-issue of the JB Models kit.

Several rather obscure shows, followed by Fireball XL5, which mentions the Kitmaster/Airfix model which really did exist. Finally, the Galosphere from Space Patrol - I only know about this series thanks to reader Rob C.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4I93Uc1mHw

Paul Adams from New Zealand

DIY Lone Star Dalek Rocket Gun Carded

 Continuing my DIY Dr. Who toy guns project, here's my home-made Lone Star Dalek pistol on its nifty new custom backing card.

Bill's fabulous custom card has really improved the look of the gun and I reckon you'll agree that together they don't look half bad at all now. 

Thinking that the original may have been bagged here's the home job in one too.

The toy arsenal will continue soon.

Daleks everywhere beware! 

Fantasy Box Art Video 15 No.15

Matteline 1967 is now up to Fantasy Box Art video No.15.

First up, a couple of boats from The Creature from the Black Lagoon and African Queen, movies with trucks, and then on to Gerry Anderson - this time it is mainly Joe 90.

Many of these ideas would indeed have made wonderful kits. What a pity they were not actually produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-acgX09Te8

Any good?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SAM PETRUCCI: GI JOE-ACTION MAN BOX ARTIST

 With Action man uniforms on my mind I got to looking at another of my favourites, one of many favourites, the Palitoy Russian Infantry. I was in love with the box art as a kid.

There's just something about the bent leg and the turned body. Like all that early Action Man box art, it captures the movement brilliantly.

Googling a bit more about this box art I came across this amazing image on Reddit.

It features someone modelling for the original Hasbro GI Joe Russian Infantry box art! Its all there, the bent leg and the turned waist.

That someone turned out to be one Sam Petrucci, a name I've not come across before. You? Mr. Petrucci was none other than the GI Joe box artist! How cool is that!

I'm thrilled to know who the GI Joe/ Action Man artist was at last.

Sam sadly passed away in 2013 but his memory lived on on all the GI Joe forums and sites, not to mention his family's memorial site to his work.

https://www.sampetrucci.com/

Which was your favourite GI Joe-Action Man box art? What was the action doll called in your country?

Sam did much more besides GI Joe and I feel another post coming on!

The Greatest Catch of All Time

 I saw this fabulous framed print in a Kingsbridge charity shop this week. I wish I'd have got it now! 

I was immediately drawn to it because it reminded me of series of Aurora kits that fascinated me since first seeing them in Rick Polizzi's Classic Plastic book, Great Moments in Sport, the box art of which is simply stunning and includes boxing, football and baseball.

My favourite is Willie Mays

 Famous baseball Catch, a beautiful illustration.

I got to wondering if they they were the same artist of both the print and the box art?

After some digging, sadly they're not but they are both very well-known American artists in their own right.

The top framed print is by the late Frank McCarthy. I found the same image in an old fictional story, the Take-Charge Guy, from a May 1952 Colliers magazine online. Looks like they issued prints of it judging by what I saw in Kingsbridge. I don't know if the play shown is fictitious. Do you?

The Aurora box artist on the other hand was Mort Kunstler, who is still around and creating art. From what I can see online no prints of the Willie Mays painting are available, which is a shame.

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153593459825036&vanity=mortkunstler

Willie May's incredible move is known simply as The Catch and is widely seen as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, baseball catch of all time.

Here it is in real life, an amazing shot borrowed from Wikipedia, showing The Catch for the New York Giants, New York, 1954.

Have you got any baseball art or collectables or even the Aurora sports kits readers?