JOINT MONSTER: EXPLORER 12'S GROWING BROTHER

 

This ace toy has all the chops of the Explorer 12 space toy line. I can't make out the branding. I saw it on auction ages ago.

A double vehicle multi wheeled snow plough maybe.

There appear to be colour variations with different stuff like a radar?

The name's clumsy, Joint Monster, but I think that vehicles can be slotted together on the sides judging by the artwork. It just gets wider and wider!

Is that right?

Are Supertoys BHS?

I'm a bit confused. We've covered Explorer 12 toys many times but here's three I saw on eBay, which are branded Supertoys 1986.

I know about the Supertoys connection but these three look like BHS toys.

Are all Explorer 12 toys branded as Supertoys?

AXLE ROWS

I saw this yellow land-train style truck on an old auction site and thought immediately of the Explorer 12 range of toys we've seen many times on MC. The boxy looks, multiple axles, ribbed tyres and articulation are just rock 'n' roll.

The auction listed it as a Platis Boley from 1986. I have no idea what a Platis Boley is, a brand of toy?

Six years ago I post some You Tubery of someone's very similar multi-wheel truck. Is it the same range I wonder. It says FAUN on the front. Is that a toy brand?

Anyone shed any light on these yellow land trains?

SUPERTOYS LAST ALL SUMMER LONG

 I saw these Supertoys [of New York] EXPLORER III toy vehicles on auction a while back so I saved the images.

Being a sort of 80's type of SpaceX, the BHS Explorer 12 toy line has always found a warm welcome on Moonbase and these Woolworth specials have too.

Looking at the price stickers, they were clearly in a sale way back when and half price!

Mike Noble did the original BHS books artwork that went with the line. These Woolworth jobs look to be too simple to be Mike's work.

Did you have anything like this? Do you still? Does anyone collect them?

First Among Equals: Explorer 12: The Holy Grail

Check out Mr. Jay's amazing new find on his Explorer 12 website. It's the motherlode!

https://explorer12.co.uk/2022-haul/

What do you think?

EXPLORER III

Ever since finding an Explorer 12 book in the early 90's I've admired this range of small plastic space toys.

Here's an Explorer III Super Land Vehicle in a window box I saw on auction. Wotan would know better but I think this is a precursor to Explorer 12.

Have you anything like this readers?

I bet some lucky kids got it one Christmas in the mid 80's.

ALPHA EXPLORERS

Here's another Explorer 12 relative, the Alpha Explorers.

Unusually its coloured black.

Looks it was released by Supertoys.

I've also seen Manley Toys involved.

Do you know either of these companies?

SUPERTOYS LAST ALL SUMMER LONG

 

I had to look twice at this.

Its a black Explorer 12 vehicle called Alpha Explorers.

Its got the features of the classic BHS Explorer 12.

Its by Supertoys.

I saw it online ages ago and saved the pics for Moonbase.

Have you got anything like this?

Re-Discovering Explorer 12

 British Home Stores excellent, but oft overlooked toyline Explorer 12, now has a permanent blog, thanks to the efforts of expert collector Joe Lang. Joe has been hunting down the origins and variations of the toyline for many years and has just presented his findings on a new dedicated blog, which you can visit here: https://explorer12.co.uk

Joe will be posting regular updates and new material including some gorgeous Mike Noble artwork on the E12 story books!