Superfriends

When superheroes fall back into childhood - this is what they will be looking like ! Just to never forget that deep within, we are still the kids we were...

Super Juniors (Superman, Wonder Woman, Robin and Batman), Protecto,

Taiwan, 1978

Ray guns (2)



   

 

3-Color Space Ray, Ideal Toy Corp., USA,

1950s

Strangely enough 2 different toy companies named Ideal made rayguns in the 50s/60s. Above is the American one: a raygun with a switch that allowed for different "colored" rays (read: filters on top of lightbulb) to blast the universe. Below are the rayguns from the German Ideal counterpart, with some of the best design in term or Futurism. Note the little aliens inside the gun and the sparkle effect on the plastic of the later versions !

Raygun (large), Ideal, Germany,
1960s

The clear version (no sparkles) came first. It has no CE marking on the fin.

Raygun (small) 2nd version, Ideal, Germany,
1960s

Raygun (small) 1st version, Ideal, Germany,
1960s

Atomatic, H.R. Production, UK

1950s

I just love fins ! No better example than this little gun from the UK - Buck Rogers era design at its best !

Space Gun, "M" in circle, Japan.
1950s

  

Bub-L-Rocket, Kenner, USA,
1952

Bub-L-Rocket (detail), Kenner, USA,
1952

Some astronauts had lazer pistols - others had to save the galaxy with bubbles...

Ray Guns

Nevada Ray Gun, CO-MA, Italy,

1960s

A more civilized weapon for a more civilized time... was what Obi-Wan called the lightsaber in the Star Wars trilogy. Fact is, most of the would be astronauts (Han Solo included) would use a blaster, a lazer, an atomizer or any other type of fancy name given to a much easier to use device: the ray gun.

Hey, they made spectacular light-shows in the movies ! They could be "set for stun", or "sleep" or "obey" and bring lots of new stories to a kid's imaginary world...

3-Colour Super Sonic Gun, Merit, UK

1950s

My all time favorite - maybe just because the box is so great.(found in London, Portobello market) - the inner box says it all: Electronic Magnetic Energizers, Spectroscopic Beam Converter, Ignition and Discharge Chamber, Gravitational Field Reactors, Interplanetary Transmission Sight, Atomic Power Chamber, Space Beam Receiving Aerial, Energy Condenser Chamber, Energy Ray Release Trigger, Interplanetary Gravity Stabilisers, Cyclotronic Acceleration Chamber and Supersonic Beam Amplifyer.... all in one piece of plastic. Oh boy... This thing has more gizmos then an F-16...

Space Outlaw Atomic Pistol (and repro box), BCM, UK

1950s

More futuristic cars...

Futuristic Car, DB, USA, 1950's

Futuristic Car, DB, USA, 1950's

Some quite interesting designs - or, how the past saw the future...

Futuristic car, MARX, USA, 1950's

Firetruck ? Ask Pyro to come out with an amazing design...

Pyromatic Fire Control, Pyro, USA, 1950s

Pyromatic Fire Control, Pyro, USA, 1950s

Pyromatic Fire Control, Pyro, USA, 1950s

When you really need off-road capacity, forget about the fins and the bubbletops... all you need is a good jeep. Works on earth and on planet Jupiter, like this one. With trailer and shovel... to RECLAIM rare samples of the planet ? Who knows...

Jupiter Jeep, SSS, Japan,

1950s

And for heavy loads... Sun rubber made the toy just for that !

Futuristic Truck, Sun Rubber, USA
1950's

Ulysse (s) 31

What was the best way to teach Greek mythology to a bunch of schoolkids in the early 80ies ? Well, you named it - having Ulysses and Telemachus redoing the whole Odyssey in the future. (Ulysses being the Latin name for Odysseus - which does not make sence since in this Franco-Japanese anime series the Odysseus is the spaceship in which Ulysses travels... hmmm, I will have to chat with Homer about this... (no, not the Simpson's one !). Toys were very prolific. Popy had a whole diecast toyline, and a cheaper blister-carded one. These toys were produced in Singapore, not in Japan like most other Popy toys (end of diecast toys in Japan...). You had bendies in France (CEJI) and Spain (VICMA), rubber figurines in Portugal (Maia e Borges), candy dispensers etc.

Ulysse 31 - club membercard, France

1980s

Group of Rubber Figurines (Yumi, Ulysses, Nono, Telemachus), Maia e Borges, Portugal

1980s

Odysseus, Popy, Singapore

1980s

With radars open...

Sideview...

Nono le petit robot, blown plastic (fair giveaway), France

1980s

3-part Spaceship, Popy, Singapore,

1980s

Kaleidoscope Robot

Full of colors, he will hypnotize all earthlings ! There is another version with a blue head.

Kaleidoscope Robot (robot X-II), maker "N"w/key (?), Taiwan,

1980s

Robots

Helping hand for us human beings, they evolved to a mirror for our hopes, fears, strengths and weaknesses.
A robot does not die, a robot does not feel. It's invincibility protects us from whatever me be coming in the future... at least for as long as the threat are not robots themselves...

Space Knight Mechalock (box detail), Doyusha, Japan

1970s

Daitarn 3, AL-ES SNC DI MONZA, Hong Kong

1970s

Smoking Robot, Linemar repro by Ha-Ha toys, China

2000s

Cobor (Moon Man), Cragstan, Japan,

1970s

Robot (?), Hong Kong

1970s

Robocon

Another "Friendly" robot is Robocon. He's from a Japanese TV show for younger kids from the 70ies, and is basically a man in a suit "Full of heart!". He is all that other Japanese robots are not: peacefull (no guns or lasers), funny, cute and well humored (well, at least most of the time).

Vinyl Robocon, Bandai, China

2000s

Robocon airplane (windup) box detail, Popy. Japan,

1970s

Robocon airplane (windup), Popy, Japan

1970s

Robocon Tricycle (windup), Popy, Japan
1976 

Robocon Pendant, Popy, Japan, 1970's