MY WHITMAN TV TIE-IN BOOKS

 I suspect most readers of TV tie-in books will remember reading as a youngter at least one or two of the Whitman series of original television adventure hardback books, based on the popular TV shows of the time.

Whitman was associated with the Western Publishing Company which published the Dell and Gold Key comics, which between them produced dozens of TV tie-in authorized, adventures. My favourites were their science fiction and adventures comics and books based on my favourite TV series.

The books were unsurprisingly, aimed at young adults, and the plots and characters didn't necessarily  reflect what we saw on screen, which makes me think the authors hadn't seen the shows, or possibly  had only general synopsis  to work with.

While I have a fair number of Gold Key comics in the collection, I only have three original Whitman TV tie-in Authorized Adventure books.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea;

The Green Hornet;

Land of the Giants.

I did have the two Man from UNCLE books, and the Star Trek tie-in books, but they went AWOL during a house move.

Lucky for me the Star Trek: Mission to Horatius edition was reprinted by Pocket Books in 1996 to coincide with the 30^th anniversary of Star Trek.

Here's a few photos, along with their Gold Key contemporaries. 

As a point of interest, when AP Films merchandise director, Keith Shackleton went over to the United States to broker a deal giving Western Publishing the rights to do original Supercar and Fireball XL5 comics, as part of the deal he managed to secure the UK publishing rights for many of the American Gold Key and Dell titles which appeared it the City Magazines TV tie-in comics and books, like Burke's Law, My Favourite Martian, Bewitched and The Man from UNCLE.

YORK SANDWICH

 The Missus and me went to the Yorkshire Auction House viewing day. It was fun and not something we do often.

There were hundreds of lots. Here are a few of the boxes of mixed toy lots we saw.

This toy gun is a mystery.

Gerry Anderson jigsaws!

Lots of toy trains

a mystery plastic dragon

Die-cast and dolls

Man in Space coins!

Airfix footballers and Striker!

We then moseyed through ancient York and visited a few Charities  before eating a delicious Doner.

Apollo 13 Laserdisc!

Lots of games including Ker-Plunk! Remember that?

Microdot spy game and a toy hoover!

Mouse Trap! What a game that was!

See anything you like readers?

Rocket Man! ED's Apollo-X Moon Challenger

Woodsy,

I'm pleased to finally present this toy. 

The T.N. (Japan) Apollo-X Moon Challenger.

I bought the rocket years ago all by itself, without a box. A few years after that I was able to buy the box which had a really rough, piece of junk rocket in it. 

While the box too was a bit rough, it was serviceable. Then the toy promptly sat on the shelves for years until this week when I got off my keester and photographed it. I tried putting some old batteries in it, but it wouldn't move.

 Then, I cleaned the contacts, put new batteries in and off it went! It works like a charm as you can see by the recently uploaded YouTube video.

T.N. (Japan) Apollo-X Moon Challenger Space Toy 1960s

There is one unusual glitch though. 

When I bought the rocket, the 'L'-shaped riser bar was flush against the underside as it should be, and the capsule was fully retracted as well. However, after running, the capsule and riser bar both cycle and cause the rocket to go up and down as it should ....... 

BUT, when the capsule retracts the riser bar remains fully extended and now the rocket won't fit in the box.

From Vegas Rocket Base

Ed

BUILD AND LEARN: SPACE CREATURES MODEL BOOK

 I've seen this make a model book a few times over the years. I saved a few snaps.

The C3P0 type makes for a memorable cover. I like the robot's Vibrainium shield!

This template inside could be for the golden bot, although he's not shown in the contents! No fair!

It certainly allows you to make some fantastic creatures.

Poor Chewie though, he's in bother on the back cover.

I can't see a publishers' name.

Have you anything like this?

Logan's Done: A Custom Kmart Princess Logan's Run Doll

 Keeping the toy workshop rolling, here's our custom version of Kmart's rare 'Logans Run' Princess Doll completely finished.

See what you think.

As usual Bill supplied the fabulous card art and I finagled the card and blister and dressed the doll.

Something a little different, here's our mock-off on the left and it's inspiration on the right, the original carded doll as featured in the brilliant Megomuseum site.

Ed's Diorama: Hannah-Barbera's Flintstones Joy Ride

Woodsy,

This is one of the very first small dioramas I built w-a-y back when. These were the only photos that survived some unfortunate computer issues a long time ago.

From Vegas Used Car Lot

Ed

USA