The Electric State

There's been a few standout streamed TV Sci-Fi moments over the last decade: Stranger Things, Fall Out, The Boys, The Creator and now, the Electric State.

Shown this month on Netflix, I really enjoyed this film. It reminded me of AI a lot: sad, wistful, hopeful and yearning: the girl's (11 from Stranger Things) search for the lost brother echoed David's desperate quest to find the Blue Fairy and ultimately his mother.

Incredibly expensive and somewhat panned over it's opening week, Electric State is that insightful vision of robot futurism that comes along every now and then, which shows humanity at it's worst and best through the eyes of machines.

I loved it.

No spoilers, have you seen it?

Surf's You Right

 I've been browsing through Classic Plastic, the modelling reference book and drooling over the surfing kits like Hawks

There's a few words that crop up in that and other books that I'm unsure about.

I can roughly guess, but does anyone what they actually mean?

Hep

Hodad

Hipster

Hang Ten

Bat Fink

Shooting the breeze

Surfs up

Hot Dogger

Surfari

Wipeout

Beach bum

Curl

Rip

Dude

WINGS OVER MOONBASE

 Awaiting for Evri to arrive and collect my daughter's Sindy sales, I'm currently listening to an old fave LP, Band on the Run, by Wings.

I always found Wings pleasantly melodic and wistful. Paul and Linda McCartney, young husband and wife, playing together in the band really counted. You could feel the warmth.

I guess I'm nostalgic about them, reminding me of the Missus and I as was in the Seventies, a shaggy loved-up couple, although we've been apart much more. Paul and Linda were apart for a single night before she sadly passed away I've read.

Anyway, enough soppy stuff. Band on the Run is one of many fine Wings albums. Wildlife and RAM are two more I really enjoyed as a teenager in the Seventies and still do.

They released loads of singles too: Jet, Juniors Farm, The Frog Chorus, Live and Let Die to name a few.

Do you like Wings?

Not everyone's cup of tea I know, can you name the people on the cover of Band on the Run?

Barbie and GI Joe Nissan TV Ad 1997

 

The Kinks' played by Van Halen! Its really got me!

What do you think!

The Blue Galleon Space Glider

This beautiful blue space glider, one which sadly I don't have, was described on the auction listing as being by Galleon.

Galleon is not a toy company I know and its the first time a specific name has emerged with these NASA 2001 space gliders, of which there are many colours. 

Do you know Galleon?

Barbie Movie Corvette

Barbie really loves the Chevrolet Corvette sports car, and over the decades she has had a whole fleet of them. In the new film, Barbie: The Movie (2023) she drives a 1956 Corvette convertible - pink of course, with white side panels, and a pink and white interior.

Naturally Mattel have gone all out to promote this latest live-action movie. Apart from a doll-sized version of the movie car under the Mattel name, Hot Wheels have released a smaller die-cast version.

The Hot Wheels model is part of the 2023 Screen Time series, although the base carries a 2022 copyright date. The model is pink with white side panels, an all-white interior, and a black plastic base. Very fine tampo printing includes a BARBIE number plate at the front.

The card features the Barbie movie logo in one corner, but there is another card, which has a pink house in the background. This is the Barbie Dream House from the film.

I was very pleased to have found one of these cars recently, as Hot Wheels do not seem to make many of their Barbie models, and they do not stay on sale for very long. You will likely only have one chance to buy them. If you want one, and you see it in the shops, grab it or miss out.

On the subject of Barbie: The Movie, on my way home from work one evening in July 2023 I saw a double-decker bus on the streets of Auckland, New Zealand, painted pink, and covered in advertising for the new film. I really wish I had my camera with me.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Secret Admirers: our Secret Sam Cane Shooter

 With our Lone Star swords done and dusted, here's the first of our two Secret Sam homages.

This is our updated Topper Secret Sam Cane Shooter.

Rather than a golden lion's head, this cane has a rather snazzy modern golden snake's head.

As usual, Bill's wonderful card art makes all the difference. I sourced the pharaoh's sceptre from a joke shop on eBay and shortened it.

Hope you like it. The secret's out! 

MONSTROUS HANDS

 I love obscure facts about obscure toys.

Here are Lincoln International's monsters.

I read on the brilliant Plaid Stallions that the hands of the Werewolf, Mummy and the Fly were based on the fabulous hands of the Aurora Wolfman, pictured below.

My own observation is that maybe Imperial's Classic Movie Monster Wolfman has the same hands too.

Have you any of these toys readers?

*

Another hand!