MARVEL AND DC'S LESSER MOVIES

I have always been a fan of Ghost Rider. The combination of horror and super hero is a no brainer for someone like me.

When I had some spare dosh in the mid 00's I invested in a neat Ghost Rider carded action figure toy, by Fleetwood which really appealed to me. Amazingly I haven't sold it and its still riding round the attic looking for the contract.

I'm also a huge super hero film fan and naturally I was excited about Ghost Rider blazing a trail onto the big screen. I went to see it, with leading man Nick Cage in the title role, at the local flicks.

I caught it again last night on UK TV and realised that there is something different about certain Marvel movies like Ghost Rider.

Some don't have the flickering Marvel comics pages device at the start and there is clearly a smaller budget being spent.

There may also be something about the lighting, a sort of vaseliney haze across these movies but that could just be me.

These Marvel 'B-movies' I would say include Ghost Rider, Ghost Rider 2, The Punisher, Man Thing and the recent Venom to name a few.

These are clearly 'lesser' movies in the eyes of Marvel I'd say and seem to be secondary to the big hitters like Captan America, Iron Man, Spidey and the Avengers.

I suppose the same could be argued about DC. There are many DC 'B-movies' like Swamp Thing, the early Superman films and Supergirl.

Maybe its just a timing thing. More recent films get bigger budgets?

What do you think about these 'lesser'movies from Marvel and DC?

HEAD BOY

I must say I feel extremely flattered and pleased, after Gordon M. who helps run Sixteen 12 Collectables Facebook page asked to use one of my blog photos as its header.

I guess that just means more Space:1999 Eagle photos from me, not that I need much of an excuse!

CHRISTIES' PROJECT SWORD 1993

Here's a very early modern reference to SWORD toys for sale at Christies in 1993. Its interesting to me as in coincides with the start of my own collecting bug. There's also a T Moon Ranger, which is one of there flying saucers.

Clearly there was no online auctioning in 93 so Christies have digitised these auctions retrospectively, which is very helpful.

There's also mention of the Straco Fireball XL5. What's that when its at home?

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/gerry-anderson-tv-and-film-related-toys-3665676-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=3665676&sid=e8a29589-c5d5-4a0e-90f6-2fe534e46c34

and 1991, Space Glider. is this the earliest SWORD sale online?

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/japanese-space-toys-masudaya-m-41-space-tank-3437602-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=3437602&sid=4035333a-a77b-4541-8686-d2e975e400c1

YELLOW ROAD ROLLER

I had to look twice at this. I thought it was a yellow SpaceX Cricket!

Its a lovely little plastic road roller on an auction site.

I loved construction vehicles when I was a kid. Tippers, Cherry Pickers, cement mixers, cones and fencing. Oh, and plastic workers too. Brands like Blue Box and Jimson.

Did you?

Any pictures?

LOST IN SPACE DIE-CAST JUPITER 2

As any Lost In Space fan knows, October 16^th 1997, in fictional history is the day the Robinson family took off in the Jupiter 2 spacecraft on a course to an Earth-like planet apparently orbiting the star, Alpha Centauri.

As today is October 16^th, I thought a few photos of the Jupiter 2 might be in order, with suitable background , of course.

This is the tiny Johnny Lightning die – cast Jupiter 2, released in 1998.

I’ve already done posts on the other models in the Johnny Lightning series, the B-9 Robot, the Space Pod and The Chariot.

Originally, the Jupiter 2 was to be called the Gemini 12, which had a similar design  on the outside to the Jupiter 2 but different on the inside, in particular having no lower deck for living space.

Its presumed that there was a Jupiter 1, which had already been sabotaged by the mysterious Aeolus 14 Umbra, the same organisation who employ Zachary Smith to sabotage the Jupiter 2.

I'll resist the temptation to say "Warning,warning!" or "Danger, Will Robinson!" - "Oh, the pain!"

REMEMBER SLIDING PICTURE PENS?

These are Terranova47's sliding picture pens. I so remember these kind of pens. Like snowglobes they were part of that glittery watery magic of childhood back in the day. Great to see some again. Thanks Terranova47!

Did you have any readers?

The Blue Knight Toy Police Patrol Car

Now this is a toy and a TV series that wholly new to me. I saw it inline on an auction a while back.

The Blue Knight and its Police Patrol Car.

I loved toy police cars as a kid so I would have liked this but I don't think this US series was shown here in Blighty.

Is that George Kennedy on the backing card?

Anyone know the toy or the series?

PARACHUTIST BATMAN

I've been  Batman fan since Adam West became the caped crusader.

So I was thrilled last year to find this old hard plastic parachuting Batman - still with the cape!

Made of thin plastic, its very fragile, so its unusual to find the cape still intact.

I'm not sure what the parachute looked like.

You had or got one of these readers?