In this the fourth episode of Pod Stallions Jason and Brian talk all about how spy movies affected their childhood (and adult lives) Jason loves his Bond, Brian likes his spies "spoofier" (it's a word!) and drunker. As with all PodStallions, the whole thing keeps deriding into toy talk. Like PodStallions on Facebook where we post materials relating to each show and you know, interact and stuff..
Batman goes pants shopping
really can't begin to describe today's update and do it justice. In a nut shell, Batman puts a small boy at risk and also buys him a new wardrobe that only 1974 could provide. You'll swear I made this up.
Batman and the Orange Hand is likely the worst Batman comic you've ever read.
Kenner gets Glamourous!
Glamour Gals was an interesting attempt by Kenner in the early 1980s to capture the girls market. Instead of doing the standard 1/6th fashion doll made so popular by Mattel's Barbie, Kenner decided to do what they at the time were doing best, action figures.
The 4" size of the figures allowed Kenner to expand the Glamor Gal's environment more than a traditional doll line could adding many play sets and environments in a cost effective manner. The 1980 Kenner Glamour Gals Catalog.
Pod Stallions Episode 3: Growing Up Star Wars (vol 1)
In this the third episode of Pod Stallions Jason and Brian try to describe their world before and after the juggernaut that is Star Wars hits it. We couldn't cram the experience into one hour so expect parts 2 and 3 later in the year.
GI Joe gets Bionic, I mean Atomic
1975 was a good year for GI Joe, the adventure team brand a staggering catalog of older offerings and some cool new ones including the Sea Wolf sub, even a new member in the form of Cyborg Mike Power. The 1975 Hasbro GI Joe Adventure Team Catalog
The best of 70s fashion part 2
Time to take a look back at some of the greatest fashion nightmares we've showcased in the last five years. The Best of Fashion Mockery Part 2 is a bell bottomed, plaid, synthetic fabric jumpsuited joy of a time.
Kenner Butch and Sundance : The Action Figure Years
In 1979, Kenner tried to make kids like cowboys again by licensing this prequel to the Redford/Newman classic. The movie is forgotten today but the toys shouldn't be because they're really great.The 1979 Kenner Butch and Sundance Catalog
Pod Stallions Episode Two:Toy Shop Days
Brian and Jason go back to the pre-internet days of toy collecting and talk about Toy shop ads, toy shows, big phone bills and the horrors of the phone auction. Listen live at the Pod Stallions page or enjoy us at itunes.
No Ookla for us
This list of cancelled action figure lines that includes V, Man from Atlantis, Thundarr and Logan's Run is enough to turn any happy childhood a little more melancholy. Check out The Top Ten cancelled toys of the 70s/80s and feel sad.
Puzzles in a can
APC and their caned puzzles bring back memories for a reason as this 1974 catalog shows they had all the cool licenses like Batman, Universal Monsters and the Lone Ranger. 1974 APC Puzzle Catalog
Two men, a microphone and piles of useless knowledge
Welcome to Pod Stallions, here myself and co-host Jason Lenzi take a topic and talk about it from our childhood perspective, first up Doctor Who and it's also probably the longest episode we'll ever tape. If you listen, drop me a line and let me know what you think either via email or our Facebook page.
Bionic Bikers
In 1977, The Six Million Dollar Man series was pretty much a license to print money, so Kenner melded it with their popular Turbo Tower of Power motorcycle series for a line of toys that make little to no sense. And you know what? I'm glad they did..
Eat Bigfoot's dust right here with the 1977 Kenner Turbo Tower of Power Catalog. Keep a sharp eye out for Gary Coleman....
Rack Toys is now available!:
I'm very happy to announce that my first book "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" is now available for sale at our online store and at Amazon. Rack Toys is 144 pages, full color and $19.95. Order with us and we'll thrown in 3 exclusive post cards. Rack Toy is a love letter to fun toys that broke super easy
and any child of the 60s, 70s or 80s will be able to find something they used to have.
Like Rack Toys: Cheap,Crazed Playthings on Facebook .
One marker to rule them all
1979 saw the release of the Ralph Bakshi produced animated "Lord of the Rings" feature and fan expectations were high. Many toy and hobby companies pounced on the license for the widely popular characters including Open Door Enterprises who offered poster sets, Play sets and colouring books.
Check out the very precious 1979 Open Door Enterprises Catalog featuring Lord of the Rings.
Machinders...Italian Style
Mattel sold the popular Shogun Warriors brand around the world and in Italy in 1979, it was simply known as "Shogun".
The popular line even had the forsight to introduce cartoon characters popular in Italy at the time..
Enjoy the Mattel Italy Shogun Catalog.
Plaidstallions Vintage Toy Store Photos volume twelve is different from previous entries in that it features images from a photo album of a former Mattel employee, who seemed to in charge of taking shots of retail displays and while Mattel stuff is in the foreground, there sure is a lot of neat stuff going on in the background as well like Barbie, Battlestar Galactica, Hotwheels, Weebles and Sesame Street items.
Vintage Toy Store Photos Part Twelve.
Original Hip Hop
Sun Products doesn't exactly ring a lot of bells for for many but I think everybody remembers the Hoppity Hop. Originally devised in Italy in the late 1960s (where it was known as the "Space Hopper"), Sun dubbed it the Hoppity Hop when it was introduced in 1971 to North Americans and the name really stuck.
Sun Products 1980 Hoppity Hop Catalog.
Rack Toys : The Book
I've progressed far enough now that I'm ready to launch a seperate web page for my upcoming book tentatively titled "Rack Toys:Cheap, Crazed Playthings". On the new page you will find: A basic outline of it's content, Teases as to it's look and design and lastly, details on how you can get involved!
Rack Toys: Cheap,Crazed Playthings. The first book from Plaidstallions.com
Night Fight by Light
After folding the G.I. Joe Adventure Team in 1976, Hasbro sought to give their rugged man of action a massive overhaul. Thus SuperJoe was born, bearing little resemblence to the soldier of the past, Joe had lost four inches of height and the G.I prefix. Superjoe was now set in the far off future and (I'm guessing here) on another planet. The Superjoe dolls were all electronic and the 1978 campaign was "They fight by night with light" meaning the figures were working penlights.
1977 Super Joe Catalog
Glow in the Dark Discoveries
Ok, it's December and not exactly the best time to launch a monster toy gallery. That is unless the mere discovery is a Christmas present to 70s kids. For years, the mythical second series of Tomland Famous Monsters of Legend figures has been a tough thing to see. Now for the first time you can check out the entire set in the new
Tomland Famous Monsters of Legend Archive
Toy Sale (Expires 30 years ago)
Seeing that it's close to Christmas, let's take a trip back 30 years and see what toys were on special with the 1981 Child World Flyer, celebrating the best playthings that 1981 had to offer.
Star Wars, Barbie, Mego Superheroes, Jordache dolls, it's all on sale in the 1981 Childworld Catalog
Selling My Brick.
I have a small amount of boxed Brick Mantooth: The Plaid Stallion dolls ready to go, this is an 8" action figure that comes complete with an outfit and boots in a groovy vintage feel solid box. Seriously, this whole thing wasn't a joke, well it kind of is but it's one that's gone too far.
Order yourself a Brick Doll, you totally deserve it!.
1976 Brick Mantooth Commerical Found
Join Us On Facebook
We've got our own facebook page set up, so drop by and share your craziest 70s memory, Check it out Here and while you're at it, why not become pals with PS Spokesguy Brick Mantooth.
