QUASAR ROBOT

 This thing intrigued me.

I saw it on Worthpoint and saved the pic.

Have you come across one readers?

Here's the long item description on Worthpoint from ages ago linking it to Klaatu!

This is a hard plastic toy robot bank, with a soft plastic / vinyl / rubber "bubble helmet" head. It is marked: "QUASAR INDUSTRIES, INC. 1975...R. DAKIN & CO...SAN FRANCISCO, CA...PRODUCT OF HONG KONG." This little fellow has QUITE an interesting history! (I encourage you to Google: "Qausar Robot" and read many of the fascinating articles!) It seems, that in the mid seventies, "Quasar Industries " implied that in the near future, they would be offering "domestic servant robots" that could cook, clean, baby-sit and do other household chores. The robots would be offered at a cost of $4,000. They released publicity photos of this fellow, dubbed "Klatu." (No doubt named after "Klaatu" from the 1950's Sci-Fi film: "The Day The Earth Stood Still" - although "GORT" would have been a more appropriate name!) Many of the old photos, that can be seen online, show "Klatu" vacuuming, cooking, walking the dog, dusting or acting as a butler. It seems that the prototype, used in the promotional photos at the time, was nowhere near functional, and of course the robots were never produced. One theory, was that this was a ploy to get "gullible investors" to sink funds into the company. Another theory, was that it was all a hoax, or perhaps a publicity stunt, or MAYBE the company REALLY thought they would be able to produce working "servant" robots. The toy / bank offered here was part of their publicity. It stands almost 7 inches tall. He has movable arms. The condition is VERY GOOD, with a bit of paint wear to his round head and a little residue, from a sticker, on his chest. The bottom stopper is still present, and it displays very nicely. Look him up, online - then come back and enter bid! This item is guaranteed to be old & original - made in the mid 1970's.

GEMINI: IN TWO MINDS

I watched Gemini Man last night. I like Will Smith and the idea of clones. It was OK but nothing to write home about.

Like the character he plays in Suicide Squad, The Gemini Man is a a crack shot. he never misses and can hit a target on a moving train from miles away! he's so perfect in fact that the clandestine agency he works for want more just like him. Send in the clones.

Alas the cloned Smith just looked off. The CGI was awry. There was something really unnatural about his mouth and it was a distraction. It reminded me of the terrible upper lip of Henry Cavill in Justice League, where DC had attempted to CGI out a tash he had to have for another film.

The Gemini idea has a long history on film. The Janus project springs to mind in Demolition Man, where Sly Stallone is brought back to fight his brother[?], a brutal criminal terrorising a gentrified future. I wonder if there were toys?

I'm sure you can think of more cop-agent clonings readers?

Old Toys 1930's Onwards

Here are some more TV commercials from the 1960s, this collection being devoted entirely to space toys. Wow.

HQ Classic Space Toys- Remco, Ideal, Mattel Billy Blastoff and more! - YouTube

This video is actually a collection of still photos of toys and boxes, from the 1930s onwards. Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Robby the Robot, Dan Dare, and more general toys. The space helicopter is a little bizarre. No idea what the 1950s War of the Worlds box contained. Top class photographs.

What do you like?

Vintage Space Toys from the 1930s to 1960s HD - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

TINY COSMICS

 We were discussing the merits of small things the other day.

Have a look at these beautiful and tiny space creations I saw on Etsy.

How cool are they!

PERFECT THINGS

I watched Man of Steel and Justice League again this week. DC stuff is just ace.

I must admit I adore Man of Steel. I think its a masterpiece of filming. The global hope that Superman brings is palpable and maybe its because the last two years have been a covid nightmare I am noticeably susceptible to beacons of hope, even when they're on film.

Snyder, Cavill, Adams and company strike just the right tone to make this a serious bash at bringing Supe to life on screen. No high camp, no daft jokes. Its like entering a glorious Alex Ross painting. 

And the score is just terrific; the snarling world-engine rev keeping us on our toes and the two-note Superman melody reminding us not to give up. Its just superb.

Justice League is good but not the icon that is MoS. Having said that I haven't seen the JL Director's Cut.

Absent here is Dawn of Justice, as its not on Netflix. I saw it several times last year though on Prime I think. It is without doubt one of the finest Super Hero films ever made and as Batman says in the first minute, it is a perfect thing.

What do you think readers?

Have you any DC toys and games?

ALPHA EXPLORERS

Here's another Explorer 12 relative, the Alpha Explorers.

Unusually its coloured black.

Looks it was released by Supertoys.

I've also seen Manley Toys involved.

Do you know either of these companies?

B-25 Group Build Photos

Hi

Did you know that there is a real Fireflash ? It was an early British Air to Air guided missile, test fired from the Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hunter, and Supermarine Swift. Weird looking thing.

The B-25 Mitchell Group Build is now up, from Max at Max's Models. My photos are in the first of the two clips, but there is a great model in the second - Max's Minions, which has had a few modifications from a standard B-25 - note the wings. Great fun.

Hope you enjoy them.

B-25 Group builds - YouTube

B-25 Group Build Part 2 - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

 

THUNDERBIRDS GUMMED PAPERCRAFT: THUNDERBIRD GLUE

 This is the sort of Thunderbirds set I would have had as a kid but I just don't recall, dammit.

Gummed Papercraft, which I saw on auction so saved the images a while back.

The thought of cutting out gummed pictures of Thunderbird 2 and sticking them down in a scrapbook is even now supremely appealing. You even got scissors and a sponge!

Did you have this set?

There can't be many around intact.