ZERO-EXPONENTIAL

The first addition to the Wotan archive of 2014 arrived recently in the shape of the Fondly Remembered Series Zero-X. Cast in resin, on a special stand, the model is not strictly accurate in proportion, but captures the essence of the fabulous ship perfectly.

One of a unusual selection of Thunderbirds models, seemingly chosem for unknown reasons as the line up excludes TB1 and five and most of the brothers!

It is also a fine companion to the Bandai Zero-X which I received the same time last year and is just a little smaller than the kit based version too.

So my Zero-X fleet has expanded exponentially once more, thanks to my good friend Terry!

IMPERIAL TOY CORPORATION: EMPORERS OR IMPOSTERS?

In 1970 the US Imperial Toy Corporation gave us Apollo Moon Exploring, which I know form part of many readers' collections. The carded helicopter and space sled are pictured here [on Ebay some years ago]:

What else were Imperial doing in 1970? A quick search revealed nothing else space-related  but a couple of novelty items did pop up, cute but standard rack toy fare. A quaint Air Hostess set  and a Freddy the Frog, which I think Imperial may have trademarked.

 

 

When I first saw the Golden Astronaut legal notice [pictured below from Ebay 2011] warning against piracy of Multiple Toymaker's toy range I had assumed they meant Imperial specifically, but I'm not so sure. Apollo Moon Exploring only knocks-off Multiple's P3 Helicopter and Moon Prospector as far as I can remember. Were they enough to warrant legal threats?

 

 

Or were Imperial's two knockoffs simply the final straw for Multiple, as there were other Golden Astronaut/ SpaceX knockoffs like the Hover, Hippo and Futuristic Vehicles sets, though I'm unsure of the chronology of these. LP must have had the same beef with Imperial as many of the Apollo Moon vehicles appeared in LP sets too. Or?

 

 

 

Imperial Toys did trademark some of their toys from the very off in the Sixties right up into the Eighties You can check yourself here [no Apollo Moon Exploring though!]  http://www.legalforce.com/company-imperial-toy-corporation-595310-page-6-2. So they weren't the knockoff kings I thought they were. They did appear to run into legal hot water a few times, including Topps, though, but maybe that's par for the course for a plastic toy company?

 

 

 

So, what do you think readers? Were Imperial Toy Corporation basically plastic pirates in the 70's? Was the Apollo Moon Exploring toy range a blatant knock-off or does it stand alone on its own merits do you think? 

GALAXY WARRIORS BLOG AND FRANK FRAZETTA

 

 

 

If like me you love the mysteries of toy box art then you may like this blog by one John Coats that I've found, also done on blogger no less. As equally enthusiastic about its subject matter as we are at Moonbase Central, he covers an action figure line called the Galaxy Warriors, a sort of cheaper Masters of the Universe, made by Sungold in 1983.

 

 

I first came across Galaxy Warriors in a field guide on loose action figures back in the late Nineties, which I used to identify figures I found at car boot sales. Amongst the hundreds of Masters of the Universe [MOTU] figures I did manage to find a few Galaxy Warriors. Like Star Wars six years earlier, MOTU sparked an unprecedented avalanche of clones and knockoffs in the early 1980's, making it a smorgasbord for Sword and Sorcery figure collectors.

 

 

Anyways, its the connection with the great American fantasy artist Frank Frazetta, one of my teenage heroes, that had me hooked when I read the Galaxy Warriors blog. Have a read here. Great toy blog but sadly not updated since July 2103.

JR21 MYSTERY BLUE THUNDERBIRD 4

 

This Thunderbird 2 caught my eye. Its described by the Japanese seller as "Chogokin Popy Imai Bullmark", which I think is an attempt to cover all bases. As far as I can tell it's actually JR21. Its the blue Thunderbird 4 that has me puzzled. Did JR21 issue the TB2 with one? Anyone recognise the blue TB4?

TAITO THUNDERBIRD 4

This is the Taito Thunderbird 4 model, another in the Japanese company's Thunderbird  upscaled Konami range.

My last look at this range showed their disappointing Thunderbird 2 model, Taito's Thunderbird 4, however is an excellent representation of it's television counterpart.

It's amazing to think these models were original made as  prizes for mecanical 'Grabber' slot machines in Japan. 

Like all the Taito Thunderbird models there is plenty of  detail particulaly with regard to the controls in the cabin.

  

The Model is quite large, around 30 cm (12") long. The above photo's show it in comparison with the JR21 toy.

 

I have to say this model is a winner with me. A lovely looking, well made item and a perfect display model.

KEVIN D'S ORIGINAL STAR COPS LASER PROP

 

 

 

 

Kevin D has kindly sent in these great pictures and says:

 

"Hi, here are photos of my Star Cops original laser prop. In the series, they never say what the red/ green buttons do. Star Cops went for realism, so when they fire the gun there is just a brief flash from the muzzle (the electronics are in this prop) and the victim dies as if shot with a bullet. There is no beam. The prop does have a set of switches and a 7-segment LED display in the rear, presumably for that function."

CENTURY 21 CAPTAIN SCARLET FRICTION DRIVE TOYS

Although  the fabulous  Zero X toy made by Century 21 is pretty high on everyone's want list I suspect that the C21 Captain Scarlet vehicles are also up there, especially the SPV judging by the crazy prices it's gone for recently on eBay.

Hers's a candid shot of my collection which I managed to get before silly money started changing hands,

Although most of the gadgets have long since ceased to work, the SPV is still my favourite.

The Captain Blue figure has managed to escape  from the ejector seat and has subsequently gone AWOL but there's still some nice detail inside including Captain Scarlet who's firmly glued to his seat.

KEVIN D'S STAR COPS COMMANDER NATHAN SPRING UNIFORM

 

 

Kevin D has kindly sent in pics of a new acquisition and explains


"Hi Chaps,

 

 

Thought you might be interested in this. I am a massive fan of the 1987 BBC2 series 'Star Cops' (yes, it possibly is just me), I have been lucky enough to acquire the odd original costume from the series but so far they have been of background characters.


However, I am now the proud owner of the uniform worn by the hero of the series, Commander Nathan Spring, head of the International Space Police Force (nicknamed in contempt by the press as 'Star Cops', but a phrase that so caught on that our heroes use it to describe themselves). David Calder played the character in all 9 episodes of the show. (BBC2 1987).


Well, I'm very pleased with it anyway!

 

 

take care,

Kevin D"