Green Hornet's Black Beauty

Batman was not the only masked vigilante of the 70'ies... A little lesser known is another hero : Green Hornet. With Bruce Lee as sidekick ("Kato") - he also needed some wheels. Maybe not as elaborate as the Batmobile, his "Black Beauty" also had a number of secret gadgets hidden everywhere.

Black Beauty, Corgi Toys, U.K.,
1970's

Oh noooo - my ears !

Siren gun, (?), Japan, 1970's

Some toys can be pretty hellish to parents. This is one of them. You're not going to destroy the galaxy with it, oh no... Just some eardrums and the nerves of whoever stays in a 50m radius.

I'ts a lizard ? No ! It's a space aqua alien amphibious guy !

Lizard Alien, Kinder (?), Italy, 1970's

Years before the original "V" series, aliens and reptiles already made a good match - in the style of Ed Wood movies and pulp Sci-Fi.

I've had this little Alien in my collection since my teens (and I'm 40 now !). The helmet is original to this figure.

Don't you play with fire !...

Lighter robot, (Popy knockoff), China,
1980's

A lot of politically incorrect toys have made it to the hands of our kids. So much so, that a whole new blog could be made on this subject. This is one of those... In an attempt to get new ideas about "transformer robots", lots of very weird items were designed. There were of course the Rocklords (robots that could transform in ... a stone - how exciting !) and little robots in forms of lighters. For all of you would be smokers (or worse, child arsons/pyromaniacs).

The original "lighter transformer robot" came from Japan (courtesy of Popy/Bandia) - but China quickly copied...

Lost In Space...

Outer Space Robot, AHI, Hong Kong
1970's

Together with Robbie the Robot, this is one of Hollywood's most reknown tin cans... AHI of Hong Kong made two different versions of this bot - one with an official (let's pay royalties - kind) box and another one with the name "Outer Space Robot".

The toys themselves were identical.

When travelling through space... wear rubber suits and be safe...

Some other spaceman to look for. These fellows are US-made and have a design of their own...

Outer Space Alien Spaceman,
Thomas, USA, 1950's

Spaceman, Poplar Playthings,
USA, 1950's

Spaceman, Thomas Toys,
 USA,1950's

SD Brave Battle Warriors from Gundam

Chohi Gundam,Bandai, China,
2010

Chohi Gundam,Bandai, China,
2010

Shin Chouun Gundam Hieisen,
Bandai, China,2010

Shin Chouun Gundam Hieisen,
Bandai, China, 2010

They're cute and well equipped. Samurai Warriors for the future ! Hasshin !

Cruisin' down Gotham

Batmobile and Batboat, Corgi Toys, Great Britain, 1970's

Maybe the toy that was sold the most in the history of the Caped Crusader is this one. It had it all: spring loaded missile tubes, saw-blade emerging from the front grille, real working suspension, and even a full sized carved Batman (?) on the bottom of the car. Take as an extra the Glastron Batboat on a trailer and Bats and Robin could go camping, fishing, ... and catching bad guys - all at the same time. Holly Roadtrip, Batman !

For the story, this is my Batmobile that my mom gave me when I went skiing for the first (and only time) in my life (with my primary school - I was 11 years old). First time away "all alone" for a week in Tirol. I found it in my luggage and kept it preciously through all these years...

It's Halloween time - where is my ghost costume ?

E.T., LJN, Hong Kong,
1982

Can't seem to find it. I will have to ask Elliott if he has a clue...

Sympathic Plastic

A two-faced robot ? Hmmm, the head looks like it is quite mad at the world - but then, why would he have a "clown's face" on the belly ? (come on... that missile type of device that shoots out looks like Rudolf the Reindeer's nose to me)

Robot ?, Japan, 1960's-70's

push on my head to see my belly-button fly!

4 saucers (where's the teapot ?)

Lots and lots of toys were made during the "Goldorak(e)" craze in the late 70ies. Below are 4 variations of the Grandizer saucer... All readily available at that time on the European market.

Grandizer Spazer shampoo, ?
France ?, 1970's

Grandizer with Spazer, Popy,
Japan, 1970's

Flying Saucer, "L.A.", Taiwan,
1970's

Flying Saucer, (PLAYME ?),
Spain ?, 1970's

... or feeling grey ?

Astronaut (keychain), Germany ?, 1950's

Well, at least this one will not suffocate to death in deep space...

Feeling blue ? Go to Mars !

Blue Spaceman keyring (missing helmet), Germany ?
1950's

It is in the little knick-knacks that come along that you can see the pre-Nasa low-tech gear that the astronauts would use for the exploration of the universe.

Beam me up, Scotty !

No Rex ! Don't chew on my Mazinger... Good dog !

Mazinger "pet toy" (no markings), ?
1980's

Sometimes the strange and weird come along the life of a collector. Why did they do it ? Who would give a rubber chew Mazinger to their favorite pet ? The rubber in this case is very thin. Any teeth would have destroyed it in seconds...

So now you know what ex-employees of Bandai, Popy, Bullmark etc. do when they get fired. They copy toys and give them to Rotweilers for destruction !

Lego's first "Man on the Moon"

Astronaut, Lego, Denmark, 1979

This is one of the little astronauts that came with the first LEGO space sets (set 928 - Galaxy Explorer / European box). A milestone away of all the STAR WARS and other Harry Potter sets available today. I did play so much with these little guys that it is a wonder they are still in such a condition 30 years later...

Definitely one of my classics...

Yes, it's a futuristic bike... but the driver is much nicer looking than Akira's

SoltyRei Rose Anderson (detail),
 Vice, Japan,  2010's

 

SoltyRei Rose Anderson (on bike),
 Vice, Japan,  2010's

Futuristic Bike, Vice, Japan, 2010's

I have not yet seen the OAV "SOLTYREI", but this bike has a certain art deco meet future design that is gorgeous. Where do I buy the real one ?

OK, the fake horse's ... goes up and the ramp goes down and...

Octopussy set (James Bond), Corgi, Britain, 1980's

The name is Bond. The gadgets are from the Q division. And the toy is from Corgi. The mini plane with folding wings goes out of the horse's trailer, just like in the movie. And James (Roger Moore) escapes unharmed... again, without a scratch... again... and right into a story full of Fabergé eggs, spies and more.

The green mean machine !

Thunderbird 2, Bandai, Japan, 1992

Extra Pod and vehicles, Bandai, Japan, 1993

The Japanese kids were hooked on Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds serie back in the 60ies - with fabulous toys being made.And when in the 1990's the series aired again, both in Europe and in Japan, they were not going to import the Matchbox from that period, but were going to make their own version of these toys. 

The result is this big green T-2, maybe not as fine as its British counterpart, but definitely in sinc with the big models of that spacecraft that were seen on TV. And as an extra bonus, they could order the pod separately with not one little Thunderbird 4, but with ALL the vehicles of the serie. (firefly, mole, excavator etc.) They even have the small FAB 1 that could fit inside. 

Off you go, Parker ! And don't scratch the paint...

Leji Matsumoto's KIKI's (Monchichi) - how cute can you get ?

Maettel, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Captain Harlock, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Driver of 999, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Tochiro Oyama, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Albator bagatelle

Albator flipper (bagatelle) game, Ceji ?,
France, 1978

A number of smaller toys have been produced in France on Albator (Captain Harlock), the space pirate. This little flipper game is one of them. I am not sure of the maker.

Car dealership of the future...

Gobot Combiner Puzzler, Tonka/Bandai, 

Japan, 1980's

Lamborgini, check ! Porsche, check ! Mercedes, check...

For me, this robot represents the end of the golden age for robot toys. Sure, it was still diecast (well, part) and it had a nice concept, but it is clearly missing the missiles and sprung laden features of Popy toys 10 years earlier...

It was one of 3 "put them together" toys of the Gobots line, a Bandai/Tonka attempt to cash into the Transformers craze of the 1980'ies. Did it succeed ? nope. (but it's a nice spinoff nevertheless.)

Lack of flexibility - parts that did not hold well together just from the start, much les after 10 hours of playtime.

Going around the world in circles and circles...

Around the World, Schopfer, Germany, 1950's

Who said world travel could be boring ? Here you get all the fun without jet lag... Made in Germany - this little toy has some nice litho, but why would they still use the Japanese WW2 flag ? Lack of updated sources ?

At your launching stations, and quickly !

Space Satellites with launching site, Luois Marx & Co., USA,
1953

One of my son's (David) favorite toys, this one is quite old but works as it did in the 50's. Put the flying discs/saucers on the top of the tinplate base, crank the wooden handle and zwooooooof - there goes the paint of our living room's ceiling.

Very effective - and definitely made before any "don't get my kid into hospital" protectionistic movements that made contemporary toys oh soo dull. (oh yes, because I forgot to tell you - at the left of the toy (blue disc with 3 pins) came a spring-loaded missile - and yes, sharp it was - and even more soo powerfull !) If you weren't that lucky, you could easily loose an eye on that one.

Dr. WHAT ? no no no... Dr. WHO !

Giant Robot (Dr. WHO), Denys Fisher (MEGO),
Hong Kong, 1977

Daleks were not the only robotized foes in the Dr. Who series. There was this guy also - meet Giant Robot. The beard is from King Tut - the rest is pure robotic evilness.

I am still looking for the 2 missing shoulder pads on this one. If anyone has some or even good repro's let me know.