The two superbly detailed Konami models from Gerry Anderson's Joe 90.
The excellent miniature of Mac's Jet Air Car, and the Sergeant's ill-fated Explosives Truck from the episode, ' Colonel McClaine'.
Thursday, 3 September 2015
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
CENTURY 21 TOY SPECTRUM PURSUIT VEHICLE OR CAR MISSILE ALERT
Is anyone able to send me a photograph for the blog of the following two Century 21 plastic toy parts side by side? I have a feeling that they are the same! [I only own the Scouts and not an SPV]
1. Project SWORD Scout white red-tipped missile from either 1,2 or 3 as shown below
2. Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle or Spectrum Patrol Car white red-tipped missile [or any other Century 21 vehicle that has it] as shown below [NOT Dinky but Century 21 Toys]:
CORGI BATMAN GIFT SET 3
Corgi introduced it's popular Batmobile model in 1966. The following year they released their Batboat based on the Glastron Industries design for the 1966 film Batman.
My gift set 3 is a later edition first released in 1976, which also saw the altered version of the Batboat. (Mine has a repro box. The original would have had a polystyrene insert.)
While the first version of the Batboat came with figures of Batman and Robin, this one didn't. The beacon cage was also missing, even thought it shows it present on the box photo. There's also much cheaper decals. All part of cost cutting on Corgi's part.
The Batmobile had gone through a few changes over the years, too. The most obvious thing are the missing red bat wheel hubs. The Whizzwheels that replaced them meant the moving rocket exhaust at the back was now static.
Even though both these of these models have been altered to keep costs down, they still look pretty good to me.
"Holy Die-Cast!"
HISTORY OF MYSTERY
As mentioned in my Run-Off Groove post, this was the mysterious inside card gasket Ferryman found in his JR21 New Flying Saucer way back in 2009 here.
The mystery persisted for two years until I chanced upon the answer, a toy box, as detailed in Gasket Case back in 2011.
As we approach our 7th [or 8th?] birthday next month, I forget just how many toy mysteries have been solved since we started back in 2008!
Can you think of any mysteries left readers?
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
SUMMER'S END
Well, its the end of the School Summer Holidays here in the UK and a sad day all round. Autumn is already biting at our ankles, its definately colder in the evening and the nights are slowly drawing in now that's September's skipping in. I know its still relatively warm and summer lasts till the 22nd September here but you can already feel the seasonal change in the air.
As a kid the end of the summer break would have meant the last of those endless hot days playing out but also moving up a year at School, a significant step forward for any nipper. I'm unsure what it means now I'm all growed up. To be honest I'd be glad if time'd slow down a bit and let me catch up!
Anyways, hope you all had a pleasant summer and can face the coming wind and cold with renewed vigour.
One thing on the horizon is the 7th Birthday of the blog on the 15th September - Yay! - and then the next stop is Halloween in October!
So, how was your summer? Did you get any toys and collectables? What does the Autumn and Winter mean for you and your hobbies?
THE CENTURY 21 MEETS UNCLE AFFAIR
We know that Century 21 had some involvement in the merchandising in the UK, who featured the series in it's comics and specials.
As most of us of a certain age will also know The Man from UNCLE was an extremely popular series during the mid sixties, and it's two stars, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum were treated like pop stars in girls' teen magazines.
As TV Century 21 was more a boy's magazine, with an emphasis on Gerry Anderson's TV universe and futuristic space and spies, a big name like UNCLE might not fit, but although UNCLE and its stars weren't overly featured, they were occasionally mentioned.
This article was a veiled advert for City Magazines new girls publication, Lady Penelope, which appeared in January, 1966.
With Lady Penelope comic aimed primarily at young girls, and without the Anderson universe created for TV Century 21, this comic was an ideal vehicle for an UNCLE comic strip featuring the teen idols, Solo and Kuryakin.
Lady Penelope featured the full colour Man from UNCLE comic strip for 52 issues, ending in issue dated January 14, 1967. After that it was replaced with a black & white Girl from UNCLE comic strip.
A Man from UNCLE comic strip could be seen a month later in the short lived comic Solo, named after one of the UNCLE series' characters.
In spite of the interest we have for this particular comic at Moonbase, it was a bit of an oddity for City Publications, and largely forgotten by most people. It seemed to be more of a vehicle for Disney characters, like Mary Poppins and The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh.
As TV Century 21 was more a boy's magazine, with an emphasis on Gerry Anderson's TV universe and futuristic space and spies, a big name like UNCLE might not fit, but although UNCLE and its stars weren't overly featured, they were occasionally mentioned.
With Lady Penelope comic aimed primarily at young girls, and without the Anderson universe created for TV Century 21, this comic was an ideal vehicle for an UNCLE comic strip featuring the teen idols, Solo and Kuryakin.
There did seem to be more emphasis on Beatle-haired David McCallum rather than smoothy Robert Vaughn, but as McCallum was arguably, the girlies favourite, I suppose that was understandable.
The UNCLE comic strip was in full colour, and drawn by a couple of different artists, The first, I believe was Spanish illustrator Jose' Gonzalez, better known as the primary artist on the horror comic, Vampirella.
The second illustrator was Ron Embleton, a familiar artist to TV Century 21 readers. Ron drew the Stingray, and early Captain Scarlet strips.
A Man from UNCLE comic strip could be seen a month later in the short lived comic Solo, named after one of the UNCLE series' characters.
The Man from UNCLE did feature, but was relegated to black & white.
Solo lasted for just 31 issues, during which time it had gone through a few changes, still unclear as to who it's target readers were.
It was swallowed up by TV Tornado, which already featured The Man from UNCLE. TV Tornado was actually released the same week that Lady Penelope featured its final Man from UNCLE comic strip.
TV Tornado could be summed by just one word - cheap! The front cover, drawn by Mick Anglo was a big pull, but inside, the comic featured too many text stories, rather than comic strips, and apart from the front cover everything was black & white.
The Man from UNCLE did make it nearly to the end of th 88 issuee run of TV Tornado, with a text story right up to issue 86.
The next issue dated September 7, 1968 of TV Tornado featured some photos from the UNCLE TV series.
The final issue (88) of TV Tornado featured no UNCLE features.
The TV Tornado masthead was incorporated into TV21 with UNCLE failing to make the jump. By this time the actual TV series had been cancelled after 4 seasons and 105 episodes, and with interest in The Man from UNCLE waning Century 21 and UNCLE parted company.
The final issue (88) of TV Tornado featured no UNCLE features.
The TV Tornado masthead was incorporated into TV21 with UNCLE failing to make the jump. By this time the actual TV series had been cancelled after 4 seasons and 105 episodes, and with interest in The Man from UNCLE waning Century 21 and UNCLE parted company.
.
BBC GHOST STORIES
Having grown up with Play for Today, Armchair Theatre, Appointment with Fear and countless creepy TV plays, I am re-discovering one such television icon, the series of BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas, ideal for the nights drawing in now that Autumn looms.
Beginning in 1968 with Whistle and I'll Come To You, there followed a uniquely rich seam of television drama exploring the darkest corners of the supernatural. This carried on right up to the Tractate Middoth in 2013 and Remember Me in 2014.
The BBC used stories from classic writers like the great MR James and Charles Dickens, together with modern storytellers like Nigel Kneale and Mark Gatiss. Many of the older episodes have been re-made but I prefer the originals from the Sixties and Seventies, which were all masterclasses in the use of eerie locations and sparingly little music, relying more on lots of creepy quiet to create suspense!
All of these TV gems are really quite unsettling and many of them deal with the fell consequences of a selfish desire to uncover some hidden knowledge, the aftermath for which is usually quite grim for those concerned.
Often ancient objects are used as the catalyst in the story: an old crown, an age-old book, a lost whistle are a few that spring to mind. It is these objects which are coveted and the unseen knowledge they represent even moreso.
Often buried either in soil, sand or in libraries, to name a few locations, these old artifacts would be best left well alone. The usurpers of these artifacts become the victims of their own curiosity.
One of the most startling images is in Whistle and I'll Come to You [1968], that of a dark spectre chasing such a victim, played brilliantly by Michael Horden, across a lonely beach. The spectre looks like a large opaque bin liner but despite this, its awkward and otherworldly movements are really quite disturbing.
All of these TV gems are really quite unsettling and many of them deal with the fell consequences of a selfish desire to uncover some hidden knowledge, the aftermath for which is usually quite grim for those concerned.
Often ancient objects are used as the catalyst in the story: an old crown, an age-old book, a lost whistle are a few that spring to mind. It is these objects which are coveted and the unseen knowledge they represent even moreso.
Often buried either in soil, sand or in libraries, to name a few locations, these old artifacts would be best left well alone. The usurpers of these artifacts become the victims of their own curiosity.
One of the most startling images is in Whistle and I'll Come to You [1968], that of a dark spectre chasing such a victim, played brilliantly by Michael Horden, across a lonely beach. The spectre looks like a large opaque bin liner but despite this, its awkward and otherworldly movements are really quite disturbing.
For the DVD collector there are 5 and 6-disc boxed sets available through the BFI and Amazon et al, together with the individual BFI DVD's released in the early Noughties. I understand that there are also some old VHS releases as well although I have never seen them.
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Paul Vreede's New Spacex Toys Website
A beautiful and comprehensive site dedicated to the world of Tri-ang SpaceX and Golden Astronaut Toys
Ed Berg's Toy Blog: Toys and Stuff
