Plaid Stallions : Rambling and Reflections on '70s pop culture

Colouring Book Theatre: Monster Gallery

2009-11-29T00:07:00.003-05:00

Sean from creepsylvania.com sent me an awesome surprise this month, a colouring book I've actually been looking forward to seeing for years.

The Monster Gallery Colouring Book is an early seventies masterpiece illustrated by Mark Savee (with text by Leah Waskey) and each page is a stunning tribute to a famous monster of either screen or legend.

A lot like the Bernie Wrightson Monster Colouring Book we reviewed a while back, this is a real cut above the standard fair. It's beautifully put together and honestly if you owned this, I doubt you'd put crayons to it.

Frankenstein here is a great example of this great art in this book but 70s toy dorks like myself have even more interest in this book for a very specific reason:

Some of Savee's designs were swiped and used as packaging illustrations for Tomland/Combex (A UK division of Marx) "Famous Monsters of Legend" Toy Line. I borowed these images from Megolike.com where you can oodles of info on these fun Tomland figures.

Tomland Morlock has an ascot for some reason, like a cannibal Mr. Furley

The Yeti figure is a little off model to the artwork.

Cyclops, I doubt any royalties were paid to Harryhausen.

Unlike almost every other colouring book I've covered here, this one is too good and too much great artwork to cover here, so I've created a gallery page highlighting all the great artwork in this fun book, just click here to visit The Monster Gallery

Thanks again Sean! This made my week.

Previously reviewed Colouring Books

If you have a colouring book you'd like to guest review, I'd like to hear from you!

SPEAKING OF MONSTERS

Today is the last day to enter in my "Save Frightenstein" contest, I could really use some help here and you could win a cool prize, so click here for details...

"Turn to the dark side Ryan"

2009-11-28T09:04:00.004-05:00

Jon sent in this terrific picture of his brother Ryan encountering a rather home made looking Lord Vader at Karber's camera store in Hamden CT. I think the chest panel is from Phantom of the Paradise.

Where is Jon you ask? Well, he informs me that he was too scared of the Dark Lord and ran away! I think we've all had those moments, thanks Jon!

Send me your mall appearance photos!

We Are Not Alone

2009-11-27T00:29:00.001-05:00

In 1978, toy manufacturer Imperial, like a lot of toy companies were very interested in all things outer space thanks to Kenner's whirlwind assault on the toy marketplace thanks to Star Wars. Now, anybody with a science fiction film was interesting and a name like Steven Spielberg even moreso. Imperial snapped up the rights to produce the alien from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and it became the center piece of their 1978 toy fair display.

While not the full catalog, this piece from 1978 shows a lot of familiar staples from the still very much in business Imperial, some of which I was surprised to find out I had as a kid.

Click Here to visit the 1978 Imperial Toys Catalog

Like Rack Toys? Visit this page for more:

The Fashion Dolls of Doctor Moreau

2009-11-26T00:04:00.000-05:00

What happens you combine Barbie with animal DNA? You get Mattel's Gorgeous Creatures line, which if I had to guess was an attempt to catch some heat off the popularity of Ms. Piggy.

I'm sure this line has an ardent fan base somewhere but I kind of find these guys disturbing, I prefer Blythe thank you very much.

Bug Man!

2009-11-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Outfits by Steve Ditko" never truly caught on in the early seventies, the shame of this failure made the artist a recluse...

Bathtub Sailing

2009-11-24T00:01:00.002-05:00

I'd really like to nominate the Fisher Price Boat pictured here as one of the greatest bathtub toys ever created. I realize there is no "bathtub toys hall of fame" but there should be, I'd visit!

Guy Times Three

2009-11-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

It's like the Three Stooges but instead of being bumbling idiots, they are all suave gentlemen dedicated to a ladies pleasure...

Pocket Superheroes Trading Card

2009-11-21T00:02:00.001-05:00

Card number 28 is dedicated to one of my personal favourite toy lines of my child hood, Mego's Pocket Superheroes. Released in the late 1970s, these 3 3/4" figures kept my love of Superheroes alive in a time when everything around was space orientated.

For more on this killer line, check out the Mego Museum Pocket Superheroes Gallery.

I'll be giving out these cards at tomorrow's Toronto Toy Show if you're in the area (click here for $2 off coupon to get in)

Mattel Clash of the Titans Catalog

2009-11-20T00:56:00.001-05:00

Mattel hoped that they ahd the next Star Wars with Ray Harryhausen's second trip into Greek Mythology in 1981's "Clash of the Titans" . While the film was a hit at the box office, it somehow didn't carry over to the toy shelves. Mattel released only one wave of figures and cancelled other merchandise based on the film.

The 1981 Catalog highlights what was released and gives us a little taste of what was in store had the toy line taken off:

Aaaaaw maaaan! We were gonna get a playset! Rip off!

1981 Mattel Clash of the Titans Catalog

Speaking of Toys: If you live in the Toronto area this weekend, come and check out The Toronto Toy and Doll Show (click here for a $2 off admission coupon) at the International Center this Sunday, November 22nd. I'll be setting up there with my friends from vintagevideogames.ca to sell toys and DVDs, I'll also be giving away Mego Museum and Plaid Stallions trading cards in my booth. Drop by and say hi!

More Mattel Action Figures:

The Comfort of the Bean

2009-11-19T00:01:00.001-05:00

Duct tape sold separately. It was really hard to vacuum out those loose beans if you had shag carpeting but dammit, those things were crazy comfy.

NFL Teammates

2009-11-18T00:07:00.002-05:00

Everybody seems to forget about these little guys that predate "starting Line Ups" by a decade or so. These figures are close to Mego size and eventhough I'm not a big sports guy, I will cop to finding these pretty neat.

If anyone has an extra Green Bay Packer, I have a good friend who would probably love it.

Your Creative Writing Assignment

2009-11-17T00:21:00.000-05:00

Ok class, your writing assignment will be to tell me what exactly young Val Kilmer is doing with the swarthy man in their underpants. 500 words minimum please...

Captain Kangaroo Keeps Play-Doh in Pouch

2009-11-16T00:04:00.001-05:00

Is it me or does it look like the Captain is getting kind of steamed here? I wouldn't mess with a former marine. On the left is Bernard Loomis, President of Kenner, most of the pictures I post of him seem to involve Lee Majors somehow...

The Save Frightenstein Contest

2009-11-15T13:36:00.007-05:00

Yesterday Critical Mass releasing issued a statement over at Frightenstein.com saying that the show's broadcast rights are set to expire Dec 31 2009 and so far, no one has picked them up for 2010, meaning the show would go off the air completely.

Being a fan of this Canadian institution, I don't want to live in a Frightenstein-less 2010. Critical Mass is calling to fans to help by contacting any of the following stations and expressing how you want to see Frightenstein remain on the air:

Stations you can direct e-mails to are:

CHCH -TV (where it all started) feedback@chchnews.ca

Teletoon Retro info@teletoon.com

CBC ( go to their contact page to fill out and send located at) www.cbc.ca/contact/

CTV (Specialty stations Space, TV LAnd, MTV) programming@ctv.ca

Corus (YTV and the new owners of Drive In Classics ) info@ytv.com

I wrote emails to CHCH (because it was created there) and ctv to please keep the Count, Igor and Brucie on TV. I

f you're willing to help out, I'm holding a special contest. Every person who writes at least one email to one station about Frightenstein can send me an email and next Sunday I'll do a drawing, first prize winner gets a copy of the latest DVD "Hilarious House of Frightenstein: Bats, Bones and Creepy Poems starring Vincent Price".

Two other folks will recieve prize packs filled with PlaidStallions goodies. So please, please, please help me keep a classic series on the air! Thanks for reading!

--Brian

Spider-Man crashes the party

2009-11-14T00:08:00.000-05:00

David Smith sent in these rocking shots from his birthday party circa '77 or '78ish.

David is wearing a very cool Spider-Man T Shirt BTW.

Here you see Spider-Man signing autographs, (back when celebrities signed everything for free) note the back of Dave's awesome shirt.

Spidey crouchs down for a shot with David's 85 year old Grandmother, he mentioned that whoever was in the suit had a great sense of humour, which totally fits.

David's folks pose with the weird wall crawler. These pictures are really cool and special, what a fantastic birthday this must have been. Thanks David!

Send me your mall appearance photos!

1974 HG Toys Puzzle Catalog

2009-11-13T00:15:00.001-05:00

HG Toys was one of the bigger producers of licensed products in the 1970s and this great puzzle catalog from 1974 proves this. Almost every popular television show or character from that time is present, including Evel Knievel, Star Trek, the Marvel Superheroes, Planet of the Apes, Happy Days and much more.

Check out the 1974 HG Toys Puzzle Catalog

Also, if you haven't already check out the previously posted 1979 HG Toys Catalog for Godzilla, Alien, Superheroes, Barbapappas, Vegas, Love Boat and a lot more:

12 Superheroes Who Should Be On '70s Vans

2009-11-12T14:23:00.002-05:00

Ever wonder what Superheroes would look best splashed on a "Shaggin' Wagon"? Well wonder no further cause Jesse sent me this funny piece from Maxim today that answers that nagging question once and for all.

Check out the 12 Superheroes Who Should be on '70s Vans

Here is my personal favourite:

Mike Grell's Warlord, I could so totally see this parked at Wal-Mart somewhere....

RC Super Heroes

2009-11-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Captain America never gets enough toy love IMO. These RC cars were an uncharacteristicly higher price point item from AHI and while the Spider-Man car was around for a couple of years, I can only find evidence of Cap being offered in 1980 thus far. I've never seen a boxed Captain America Car either.

Picture Socks

2009-11-11T00:05:00.001-05:00

Dammit, even socks weren't safe. I'm not sure why you need an image of a couple enjoying a romantic "love walk" on your inner thigh but apparently somebody assumed the public was screaming for this.

The socks in #2 look like those funky skies in those late 60s Rocket Robin Hood/Spider-man cartoons, totally freaky.

Merchants of Space Death

2009-11-10T00:31:00.001-05:00

The influence of Star Wars is incredibly obvious in any Christmas Catalog from 1978 to about 1982. Space Toys were pretty much in the minority prior to 1978, then all of a sudden cool, crazy stuff like these helmets and pistols started popping up. "Space Swords" were my favourite, awesome "nudge, nudge, don't sue us!" stuff like this is the best.

Dress Alikes With Soul

2009-11-09T00:02:00.000-05:00

The perfect matching outfit if you plan on dancing by Don Cornelius anytime soon....

Star Bird Trading Card

2009-11-08T00:48:00.000-05:00

Card #27 is Milton Bradley's Star Bird Avenger, this card wasn't decided by me or the factor of what I had as a kid, to be honest I was never aware of this toy back in '79. I held a contest at the Mego Museum Trading Card Forum (where you can trade PS cards) and this was the winner. From everyone I've talked to about this, Starbird was an awesome toy full of the electronic "bells and whistles" that the Kenner Star Wars vehicles weren't.

I'll be holding a contest for more cards this month, if you live in the Toronto area check out the Toronto Toy Show November 22nd as they'll be readily available there as well.

More Superheroes at Sea World

2009-11-07T00:14:00.001-05:00

I got a nice email from Tony who works for the Florida memory department about the website he works on called Florida Memory which catalogs photos from the state of Florida. I have a lot of fond childhood memories of visiting Florida so I've accrued a few hours surfing through this incredible site. Here are a couple of low res samples but I encourage you to visit the site and explore for yourself. The Terrific Trio, I admit it, I have a Batgirl fetish.
This billboard gives me chills, although it does seem to have some scale issues.
Aquaman is tall!

Thanks Tony and for more awesome images like these, visit FloridaMemories.com

The 1975 Mattel Toys Show Room

2009-11-06T00:05:00.006-05:00

Thanks to some tremendously thoughtful efforts from a good friend, I have a bit of toy history to unveil today. It's one of those things I've always wanted to see but never thought possible.

But these rare shots featuring both the massive Big Jim and Barbie displays for that year have finally been unearthed. While they look primitive compared to the paegentry thrown at current toy fairs, it's still a wonderful look at how some of our childhood friends are marketed.

Click Here to see the 1975 Mattel Toyfair Show Room

Another Morning on Bachelour Island

2009-11-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

Someday these well dressed cast aways will be rescued but for now they'll drown their sorrows in another tall mug of Chicory...