VLIX ONCARD: A DROID AT ALL COSTS

Its true, I am a bit of an action figure fan. I've been coveting the plastic guys and dolls for years.

Probably more than most toy lines, rarity is a facet of action figures. And when it comes to figures I am fascinated by rarity,  far more than say, space toys.

Its probably because there are just so many action figures around, so many people collect them, many serious collectors know everything and there are so many action figures at car boot sales and in charity shops. The chance of finding a real gem is a possibility every Sunday. At least it was when I went. I never really found any gems myself but I loved the search. Secret Wars were the figures I was digging for.

So having an interest in rare action figures I am always fascinated by what gets onto rarity lists online. These often differ from each other and change over time as figures wax and wane.

Here's one on You Tube, which you may find interesting. What do you think?

and here's Robot Voice's different list with Vlix top dog. Do you agree with this one?

https://www.therobotsvoice.com/2011/04/10_ridiculously_rare_international_exclusive_actio.php

I've been aware of the Droids Vlix seen above in the video pic for years. It would have been Tomarts Action Figure Digest that brought the Vlixster to my attention. I adored Tomart's publications and regularly got the digest magazine and several of their books. 

I must have consulted their books at least weekly for the past twenty years!

Robot Voice's list above features a Brazilian Vlix on card by Glasslite. Is there an American version?

The net is full of his general biography so I won't labour it here. Are you vlixed readers? 

What do you think of rare action figures lists?

Do you collect figures or action dolls?

UNIFORMED DOLLS OF THE WORLD ANYONE?

I saw dozens and dozens of old uniformed dolls of the world at Whitley Bridge boot sale near Doncaster.

They were literally in piles.

I can feel the beginnings of the collecting bug when I see them!

I haven't succumbed yet but resistance maybe futile. I already have the Grenadier Guard on the left and I'm fascinated that there are further Guard uniforms available like the Scottish bandleader and the sworded Guard 

[this picture was borrowed from Etsy].

I think its the Action Man still in me that triggers the appeal of these uniformed dolls.

Does anyone collect them?

NAVAJO MOON

My Missus read out a interesting anecdote in her book Sapiens the other night.

I'd not heard it before.

It concerns a Navajo talking to NASA.

It may well be an urban or indeed lunar legend.

There are many instances of it on the interweb.

Here's one.

https://www.gaia.com/lp/content/native-message-apollo-astronauts/

What do you think readers?

GAMES AND TOYS WITH VIDEO CASSETTES INCLUDED

The Dragon Strike board game reminded me of how many games there were with videos with them. I suppose it was a short-lived thing before video games proper.

In the loft Ive got one called Atmosfear I think. Someone gave it me back in my toy stall days.

The standard board game was driven along by a creepy guy who appeared on the TV screen courtesy of a video. Here's the intro on You Tube. Not for the faint-hearted!

Yep, it was played on the floor in front of the telly. Did you play? 

There will have been more games like this I'm certain. 

Cassette tapes were also included sometimes. Dracula, the game based on the Coppola movie, had a tape of eerie music to be played during the game, along with fake blood and sets of plastic fangs. 

Another cassette featured in Teddy Ruxpin. He was an animatronic talking teddy. Quite a sophisticated toy really. I recall the tape slotting into his back. I got hold of a mint boxed example for my old toy stand. It was being thrown out of a toy library at my Missus' work!

Here's the US TV ad on You Tube.

Mentioning it reminds me that I narrowly missed out on a mint complete Paddington Bear with red wellies. It was snaffled by the Missus' boss! 

Can you think of more games and toys involving videos or cassetes readers?

RC JOE 90 CAR: JAPANESE SCRATCH

Hi Woodsy, I was looking at your posts on Candy comic with my nine year old daughter looking over my shoulder which lead to me showing her some Joe 90 stuff.  Then this Yoichi Kawano video appeared on my feed. Enjoy!! 

Regards 

Mark J

Southcoast Base

Woodsy says:

Check out Yoichi's amazing Prometheus ATV too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ZhYn6p-ts

ODDS AND ENDS

The attached shows a plastic beach toy, painted and crewed. The silver base for the mast was some kind of packaging possibley for an electric toothbrush. It sat in a 'bits' box until I decided to add detail to the basic toy. 

Terranova47

STEAMING MY TOY BOX

Before reading readers' counsel on how best to remove masking tape from my Space Tract box, I did try another method I thought of.

Steam Ironing!

I opened up the box on the ironing board.

I draped a towel over.

I heated up the gizmo and steam ironed over the towel.

It did nothing to the tape but it did flatten the box completely!

You'll be pleased to know that I've now invested in a bottle of lighter fluid!

MY PEN CLIP FIND AND THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES

Whilst taking the Grandson, Moonbase Junior, on his first bus journey, to a local park last week I found a small plastic thingy on the playground.

I assumed it was a large pen clip but it didn't half cry out action figures!

I immediately thought of headgear or a crown - 

the X-Men's Cyclops or upturned, Magneto's helmet.

Maybe even Mego's Isis figure but on closer inspection her's is a jewelled headband. Here's a piccy from an old Ebay auction.

I also thought of the super nifty Martian Chronicles figures by Larami.

This one was getting there. The central shoot with the circle on top is similar. Even my pen top plastic is a similar grey.

This Martian is wearing my Mum's dressing gown! Anyone got Martians?

[Pic: MegoCentral]

Anyway's, short of finding the perfect action figure crown like my new pen clip I thought I'd bob it onto my recent mystery action figure cyclopean head.

What do you think?

Iron Man

Milk Man

Have you found odds and ends that you've used on your toys readers?