MOONBASE CENTRAL

Thursday, 28 November 2013

EAGLEMOSS BATBOAT

The year was 1966 and Batmania was at its height. A new Batman film, based on the phenomenally successful TV series was released. This time the dynamic duo would face not one but four Bat Villains – this meant Batman and Robin needed even more crime fighting vehicles – Enter the Batcycle, Batcopter and the great looking high speed, Batboat.

This is the model of the Batboat from the Eaglemoss line, and I have to say I think it’s a superb rendition.

Full of tiny detail, I’d say it was almost as good as their TV Batmobile from issue 2.

The only thing that's missing is a couple of Batman and Robin figures.

The aft of the boat, showing the gas turbine exhaust.

The bow of the boat. The model is around 4" long so focusing is a bit of a problem from this angle but you can make out the intakes and the fittings.

The lenticular backdrop shows the decoy buoy and the Penguin's submarine.

Finally, a couple of photos showing the Corgi model and the Eaglemoss versions.

Holy Thatsgottobeworthatenner, Batman!

TIM MEE GALAXY LASER TEAM AND FRIENDS

I'm forever stumbling across these Tim Mee plastic figures online, the Galaxy Laser Team. I didn't have any as a kid and have never seen them in the flesh.

They seem to have been endlessly recycled and repackaged although the distinctive designs stay the same.

They get renamed too and these STAR PATROL set mention an X-Wing, perhaps giving away their origins in the vast world of Star Wars knockoffs.

They got bigger too as in these giant sized STAR BATTLE figures.

and appeared all over the world.

The designs do remind me of certain characters. The green martian with his rifle recalls this proto-Chewbacca drawn by John Schoenherr.

and the lady stood next to the console recalls all those comms officers in space shows like Uhura in Star Trek.

The guy with the helmet has got to be Magneto!

and the warrior turtle is a deadringer for Gamera!

What do I know! Do you know anything about these Tim Mee figures readers?

PS. see the cool SECRET FUN BLOG for more info on these figures.

PSPS. there's some really beautiful pictures of Tim Mee's space figures on this flickr gallery

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/galaxy_laser_team/pool/interesting/

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

SEVENTIES AMERICAN COP SHOWS

I'm currently enjoying re-runs of old American cop shows like Kojak and Cagney and Lacey. I'd forgotten how much I used to enjoy them back in Seventies and I had definitely forgotten how well they were made.

The sets are excellent, the characterisation is interesting, the plots are exciting and the acting is great. And the cars, sheer class. I can't decide though if this is pure nostalgia on my part? They really do seem so much better than anything modern.

I didn't really have any toys relating to them apart from the odd board game and annual. There were so many cool cop shows back then - Harry O, Ironside, Hawii Five-O, but if I had to name my top five, then they would be:

1. Kojak

2. The Streets of San Francisco

2. Cannon

4. Cagney and Lacey

5. Starsky and Hutch

What do think readers? What are your faves? Were they really any good? Did you have any toys relating to the shows?

PROBE FORCE 2 INSPIRATION?

I've always like the one man rocket ship Probe Force 2 design.

I'm not sure what inspired that design. The only thing I can find that has one or two characteristics found on PF 2 is this spacecraft seen briefly in the Fireball XL5 story featured in the 1966 TV21 International Extra, which as we know also carried other articles featuring Sword (and Spacex) designs.

Coincidence? I guess we'll never know.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE CARS

Hard to believe but yes, its Christmas in a month! Where did the year go? I dunno but I'm slowly getting my head round the festive season being upon us once more. It officially started to day as I got my first Christmas card [thanks Ed the Iceman!], so I can safely talk about the run up to the Big Day.

Some of the best toys I ever got at Crimbo were die-cast cars and the plastic tracks to race them on. It didn't really matter what make they were as long as they were fast. They all competed against each other - Matchbox Superfast and Whizzwheels, Corgi Rockets and of course, Mattel's redline Hot Wheels. I had a good smattering of them all back in the Sixties.

Although I was very democratic in who got to race, there were firsts amongst equals, my top gear as pictured:

There is something quintessentially Nineteen Sixties about these die-cast cars for me and a bevvy of them lying around are guaranteed to take me back to childhood. Of course, die-cast speed kings needed tracks and accessories. Never have Christmas dining room chairs been so completely transformed as when die-caster Kids clamped all manner of red and orange tracks onto them, which then flowed out across the carpet, round the dog and over the cat! My own fave track accessories were the Corgi Rockets circuit Assembly, with its unique plastic cone-shaped stands and the iconic Skypark tower:

What are your Christmas die-cast memories readers?

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

PROJECT SWORD IN TV21

As the NEC Memorabilia event isn't really a vintage toy fair any more I didn't expect to see any Project SWORD or SpaceX toys. And I didn't. There were some great old items around though, especially on Jim Stevenson's stall, which never fails to amaze, including an HG Toys Alien Chase Target Set and a 007 Thunderball Rifle Toy.

There were lots of comics too and I was pleased that my usual supplier of TV21's was standing, along with his trusty record player. Checking my wants list, I found two which I need as part of my SWORD strip collection. My daughter settled the bill, which was an added bonus too, as its an early birthday prezzie. I have about another 30 TV21's to go!

Is any one else trying to collect the Project SWORD strips in TV21?

Monday, 25 November 2013

ARE YOU THE DAN DARE TYPE?

Taking a break from the famous British fictional hero, Dr Who , here's a chance to find out whether you could be good enough to be another famous British sci-fi hero, Dan Dare.

The test and overview taken from the Eagle comic dated 28th September 1963.

Here's the questions and answers.

Well, are you the Dan Dare type?

MEMORABILIA COMIC CON BIRMINGHAM NEC 2013

On Saturday I went to the Memorabilia Comic Con event at the NEC in Birmingham, England. I went with family and friends and a grand day was had by all. Since first going in 1999 the event has changed a lot. The current owners, MCM, have found new ways to pull in the crowds: robot wars battles, glamour girls and hundreds of minor celebrities.

The biggest change for me and my pal Mark has been the rise of Manga and Anime over the last 15 years to the point where it has completely taken over the event. As a result there are many more young people attending than ever before, most of whom are dressed up as a Pokemon or Sailor Moon.

I go for the old toys and comics, which can still be found in between all the modern mush. Here are a few snaps and a bit of film from the day.