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Rack Toys the book

Colorful packaging hanging from your pharmacists or grocer's shelves, designed to entice you while you sat in your parents shopping cart.

Often terribly made, these strange playthings were low priced enough to wear down even the most frugal adult and were most likely forgotten or broken by the time you left the parking lot.

Rack Toys is a love letter to repurposed, illogically licensed toys that were not meant to be remembered.

UPDATE December 2012 Rack Toys is landing next week. After nearly two years, the book will be finally available to order through many sources but the best will be through the PlaidStallions shop:

Rack Toys Page on FaceBook.

rack toys on Facebook

The book will explore all the nagging childhood questions like: "Why does Superman need a parachute?"

"What does the Love Boat have to do with shaving?"

and "When did Dr. Zaius get a motorcycle?"

Rack Toys is an explosion of color, nostalgia and humor spanning three decades and dozens of different genres.

Materials

Based on research and interviews, the author will deliver:

Introduction by Jason Lenzi (Bif Bang Pow!/ Geekshallinherit podcast)

Introduction essay "It's in the Blood"

* Approximately 300 different photos of rare and unusual rack toys from the 1950s to the 1980s in different chapters, including store displays, factory samples and unique never before published toys:

Actual spread from rack toys the book

1) Comic Action Heroes: Superheroes sell toys

Actual spread from Rack Toys the book

2) Sci Fi : From Flash Gordon to the Martian Chronicles

Actual spread from rack toys the book

3) Saturday Morning : Our cartoon favourites

Actual spread from rack toys the book

4) Generic Fun: poopatroopers and rubber bugs are staples to childhood

Actual spread from rack toys the book

5) TV Action: How Kojak, Mr T and Baywatch translate into cheap thrills.

Actual spread from rack toys the book

6) Spooky Stuff: How rack toys kept monster mania alive

7)Hey, Knock it off: You don't need a license to have fun.

1) Got something fun, strange, logical or just completely bizarre and can take a photo please drop us a line.

seeking pictures of rack toys

2) Do you have a vintage Catalog from Azrak Hamway, Lincolin International, Fleetwood toys, Larami, Gordy International, Jak Pak or Imperial Toys you'd like to share?

3) Are you a former employee of Azrak Hamway, Lincolin International, Tomland, Fleetwood toys, Larami, Gordy International, Jak Pak or Imperial Toys and would agree to be interviewed?

While submissions for Rack Toys are currently closed but hey, I've got another book in the works so contact me!