“You can pick one.”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

Collecting nostalgia in a nostalgic way (and it’s as tough now as it was then).

How does one choose a favorite friend? Today I figured it out.

Act 1 – The Challenge

If you were like me back in the golden age of going to the store with your Mom and Dad, I know you faced this challenge while standing in front of them with an armload of toys; “You have to pick one.” They delivered it in a way that made it sound so easy. Of course it wasn’t but you had to do what you had to do or be a brat about and loose the negotiation completely. Nobody wanted that.

It’s with that perspective and memory, I challenged myself as a parent now, to treat my collector habits like they did then. I could only pick one. Considering the choices it was just as tough now as it was then. Even though it was MY money! Still, it was a fun idea and would be a practice in self control. “What could warrant such a highly dramatic approach to buying a toy, Jim?” Four letters that followers of my online exploits know very well:

M E G O

Having went a little crazy on picking up the first series of 50th anniversary Worlds Greatest Superhero’s (Superman, Batman and Robin), the second series arrived at my local Walmart and I promised myself (and wife and daughter) that I would be a little more restrained in my impulses. But come on! There were now faithful reproductions of Aquaman and Shazam joined by new offerings (as if Mego made them back in the days of disco) of The Flash and Green Lantern to add to my block o’ nostalgia and collectors dream come true. It’s with that in mind that the challenge was born. And today was the day that I had to face the challenge.

Act 2 – What are the factors?

With the self imposed restrictions of my purchasing power agreed to, I walked into the Walmart here with a bunch of determining factors to consider:

So which one do I go with? What will the final decision be based on?

A. A faithful reproduction? Aquaman or Shazam

B. The new and exciting? The Flash or Green Lantern

C. The short packed? This was interesting too as it was a split between one of each classic vs new (2each Aquaman and The Flash’s and 4 each of Shazam and Green Lantern)

It was a serious dilemma I was facing but I was determined to make a logical (by my definition of logic that is) decision as to which one it was. One factor that was starting to come to the forefront of my selection process was to make it easier on myself by going chronologically. To go with which came first in the old days: Aquaman or Shazam. The newbies could wait. And as I was looking at them all and reverting back to my 6 year old self in 1979, something happened that was completely unprecedented in my neck of the woods:

John showed up.

Before I get to who John turned out to be, I must share the background and why his appearance had to be of some sort of dimensional enigma wrapped in a quagmire. You see dear reader, I am pretty much if not the only dyed in the wool, hardcore Mego fan in this neck of the world. I can prove this by point you back to earlier on this article of how I went a wee bit overboard with the series 1 assortment. I literally bought them all. Not at one time though. I spread the purchases out over several weeks as to not be one of “those guys” who hoards things. Sure it may look like it if you don’t know the story, but I don’t care. Those were fair shipping terms as far as I’m concerned. Plus, literally no one else was buying them here. Not one. To me that was a disrespectful shame and not an Afro t to the things I love to be allowed for too long. Hence my surprise when John walked up and politely asked me if I had grabbed the ones I wanted.

“What is happening here?” was the first question that popped into my head. “I’ve never seen this guy before. Is he a reseller? Is he looking to snatch away my precious plastic memories? What was this guys deal?!?” My rational journalistic mind snapped back into play and decided to just ask him. His answer was one for me that was of a serendipitous and maybe even divine intervention.

He was a fan.

Not only that but he was also a really good dude. I told him about my challenge and asked him if it was cool that I interview him for this most monumental encounter. He agreed and not at all awkward. You see, dear uninitiated to the collector world, we fanboys and fangirls share a kinship that knows no labels or limitations. It’s a wonderful thing.

Along with sharing his story of being from out of town but making it a point to pop into Walmarts along the way in search of these little prizes, he also shared so much about his connection to the toys and his hopes for kids to discover them as well. So many times his answers sounded like my own thoughts, words and deeds. I’m telling ya, gang, it was a fantastic exchange. That is until he posed the question back to me that I had started this journey off with; “So, which one are you going to pick?”

I had to pause due to this new x-factor which came in the form of John and the figures in his hands. I shared with him my points of consideration to which he completely understood. He also understood how the scale was now tipped with his selections. I’m not aging this was like a scene in a movie where the camera cuts into an extreme close up of the heroes eyes and we see the one bead of sweat appear and slide down his eyes… but it was close.

Scarcity. That would be my determining factor! But… it is MY money and this challenge is dumb and I might miss out on the one if I pick the other… damn it! So I grabbed them both. There was no shaming glance from John as it appeared my will power fell through and I put both Aquaman and The Flash into my handcart and we both headed toward the registers.

Before we made it all the way up though, I did need to touch base with my wife to see if there was anything else I did need to pick up before I left. Perhaps it was in this moment of responsibility, I made the internal judgement call to put one back. And I did.

*To note, John saw his three selections all the way to the end.

Act 3 The decision

So what did I do?

Who did I choose?

Why did I choose this one?

What is the moral of the story?

As I walked away from the collectibles section having returned The Flash to his spot amongst the remaining Shazam’s and Green Lantern’s, I looked down at the Aquaman in my hand basket and smiled. I had practiced self control and used (once again) my own form of collectors logic and justification in making this choice. I decided to proceed forward by staying chronological in my selection. Way back when, Aquaman was one of the original four including Superman, Batman and Robin so that made sense and also set the order of operations for my next pick ups in the coming days or weeks. I still want to give other fans a shot at them although, jumping ahead of the four Shazam’s to get to the now one lonely The Flash will be a chore I’m sure.

So the moral? Self control is still possible in an on demand, I want it now and not only that, it’s incredibly satisfying to know that in the most unexpected ways and at the most unexpected times, we all have opportunities to connect with like minded folks and share stories and moments so long as we’re willing to accept a challenge.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/28/2023

If you liked this article, I’d truly appreciate it if you would take the couple seconds to time to like, comment, subscribe and share it far and wide. It would also be swell if you are in the market for Mego toys to stop by your local Walmart and pick one up there. I can’t speak from a position of authority in this but I do believe the more that sell at retail the longer the line will go on. But of course, supporting your favorite online retailer is a great thing to do too as they are truly committed to helping folks bring the magic literally home via the various shipping services available. Yet if all that fails or those avenues are out of stock, I would ask you to consider buying a Mego their official store on Amazon where I do get a piece of as an Amazon affiliate. And if you want to learn more about all things Mego consider joining the official Mego Ambassador group on Facebook for the latest news and informs straight from the source.

“You can pick ONE!”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

Logan: He is the best at what he does, bub!

Logan7Good morning gang! I know, I know: Why time stamp this post when you never know when exactly someone is going to actually be reading it? Because its morning right NOW, duh. And morning was very crucial to the decision to do this sunrise photo session and quick post about Logan: the Wolverine.

Logan here is from the Diamond Select / EMCE Toys Marvel 8 inch Re-Mego collector set. Well one of two heads and outfits separate from the complete Mego-style Wolverine figure in the set. And on a Type S body from ZICA / Castaway Toys (as constructed by my pal Gregory Harris. Again sir, you are much hoss!). Hopefully this week I can do more of a full on review but right now this post is all about THIS figure and the fun that it inspired on a Sunday morning in August, 2015.

Taking our lovely little Yorkie out to do her morning business, excuse me, be demanded to take out Her Royal Roundness for her morning water blessings of the lawn, everything looked “just right” to bring this guy out and get some pics in natural light that I hoped would show how fantastic this figure is. And I don’t say that lightly at all.

I have been on the fence with these DST/EMCE Marvel 8 inch figures for some time and still have some issues I want to discuss later this coming week but for now I just want to share and celebrate with you this Canadian that means nothing but business. Check out the pics and tell me what you think either here or on Facebook.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 08/02/2015

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ALSO !!!!!! I’ve created a Streaming Channel for the ROKU! It’s much more than toys but I would appreciate it if you would take a look sometime. Plus you never know when I may get more playtime in for the Toy Box that will find it in the Arts&Entertainment section of the channel. Still waiting on the final approval from ROKU to put it in the official channel store (fingers crossed) but in the mean time you can still access the channel using the Vanity Code below. Thank you again to all of you wonderful folks for the encouragement in all of my weird and wacky adventures 🙂 – JB

ROKU AD 1

Sea Ghost – A fantastic voyage to the bottom of the sea and top of the imagination.

sg01logoGetting children involved in oceanic preservation is crucial to the long term success and legacy that you are working towards. One way to get them interested and involved is to help them fall in love with the sea. One way to do that is through fun and fantastic tales and adventures. For that I have a suggestion that: Captn’ Eli and his amazing friends.

images (1)Hearkening back to the days of Saturday morning cartoons and super heroic fun, young Eli saves the seas with his pal Commander X. While the Commander is a formidable hero on his own his efforts are more than amplified thanks to his pal, the Sea Ghost.

74c18514d8770790834e7ddae1e83823I can not stress who incredibly clever and fun these comics are. Adventure, excitement, mystery is all there plus the 2D and 3D artwork created by artist and writer Jay Piscopo is beautiful. And a long with the comics and cards Jay has also put together a series of action figures based on Commander X that helps kids get into the action and create their own adventures. And now Sea Ghost is joining the ranks of playtime and collector fun.

Sea Ghost - 3 PrototypesSea Ghost is currently up for Pre-Order now at the discount price of $16 which is an incredible value considering the quality that comes from it’s maker Paul “Dr. Mego” Clarke of EMCE toys. Not too big, not too small, these toys can stand up to play and collectability. Considering how much you all love the sea feel free to get an extra one for you too.

download (1)The way we play is a reflection of how we live. Introduce your kids to this fascinating undersea world today and help deepen their sense of importance in saving the seas and all of its inhabitants while enjoying some fascinating fun and adventures with Capt’n Eli, Commander X and the Sea Ghost!

Now, Go Play!
Jim 02/27/13

That winning lottery ticket needs to hit!

What a year for 8 inch Mego style action figures! Between the Figures Toy Company reproductions, the full lineup from the Big Bang Theory and the customizing possibilities with the S-Type body I only thought I was going to have to get a third job to pay for my hobby. Well I guess I gotta start looking for the fourth job now thanks to Bif Bang Pow and EMCE toys…

bluntman

I just pre ordered my set and hope you will be so kind to do the same via the links I have up here (and share this posts link too). Actually if enough of you do I won’t have to find that fourth job. Oh who am I kidding? The way this is going I’m probably going to need a fifth.

Now, Go Play (and Pre-Order!)

Jim 02/23/14

Looking back and forward at the Venture Bros.

Entertainment Earth

Dear Reader I present to you the coolest Re-Mego yet!
At one time Henchman 24 knocked my socks off, the options have only gotten better and better so the top spot is always changing!

While I’m on a pretty hardcore Sheldon Cooper / Big Bang Theory kick at the moment some of you may recall my appreciation for the Venture Bros. line of 8 inch Classic style of action figures. And as some of you may recall that appreciation of the fun and fantastic show came after the discovery of their Mego style action figures from Bif Bang Pow.

This still impresses me; the fact that the merchandise was so so cool I couldn’t help but get lured in. Well played BBP, well played. I really enjoyed talking up these figures in the past and Dr. Orpheus is still my absolute favorite of the line.

 

 

 

The special "magic hand" is simply to die for.
The special “magic hand” is simply to die for.

With the rest of the Triad coming out later this year my collector gene is kicking into high gear.  While they are not a part of the in-stock sale you can Pre-Order Jefferson Twilight and the Alchemist (plus Pete White and Shore Leave) via these links: Order The Venture Bros. Pete White and Jefferson Twilight Figures from Entertainment Earth!Order The Venture Bros. Shore Leave and Alchemist Action Figures from Entertainment Earth!

Microsoft Word - Dexterl022608_approvedfinal.docThis all came to mind again because of the big Bif Bang Pow sale going on now through February 20th at Entertainment Earth. Sadly I had to sell off the majority of my collection last year but 2014 is looking to be much better and brighter. I hope the same is true in your situation whatever it may be. If that is the case do yourself a favor and check out the sale. There are a lot of really good deals on some really GREAT collectibles and toys from BBP.

However if things are still lean for you rest assured that your old buddy Jimbo is gonna keep my eyes peeled for good deals to hopefully help all of us get back on our collecting feet and get our shelves overflowing with fun and merriment that only comes from officially licensed, product tie ins. Now, Go Play! – Jim 02/16/14

8 Inch Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros. Dean Venture 8-Inch Action FigureThe Venture Bros. Series 4 Hank 8-Inch Figure, Not MintThe Venture Bros. Dr. Venture 8-Inch Action FigureThe Venture Bros. Dr. Girlfriend and Hank Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Dr. Orpheus & Phantom Limb Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Brock Samson and Killinger Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Molotov and Billy Quizboy Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Shore Leave and Alchemist Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Pete White and Jefferson Twilight FiguresVenture Bros. Monarch & Dr. Mrs. in Tin-Convention Exclusive

3&3/4 inch Venture Bros.
Venture Bros. Dr. Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Hank Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Dean Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Naked Brock 3 3/4-Inch Figure - Con ExclusiveVenture Bros. The Monarch 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Phantom Limb 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Monarch Unpainted 3 3/4-Inch Figure-Exclusive

3 Robins: Different but equally loved.

Robin Group

I thought it would be fun to put all of these fellow’s together, side by side and chat about them for a moment. Our subjects in case you didn’t know are Robin the Boy Wonder in three different incarnations.  In this article I’ll do a basic breakdown of the nuances of each.

MEGO

Robin MegoUp first is the original Mego Robin. This particular specimen is the T-2 body style which has been the standard that most good re-Mego’s have followed (Yes I am dissing you Mattel, go back to your corner and slouch and as you recall, you didn’t even bother making a Robin.).

Nothing will ever replace this wonderful feat in toy engineering for me. No matter how good a reproduction may be, nothing will ever match this version note for note. But it is clear to see this fellow has been loved quite a bit over the last few decades. While the gloves are reproductions everything else is original Mego including the internal rubber bands that hold him together.  Actually this Mego Robin is my daughters that she has been playing with for the past couple of years. Don’t worry Kaitlynn, Daddy will bring him home once I’m done with this article.

Figures Toy Company

Robin FTCNext we find the Figures Toy Company reproduction. In their marketing they use the term “Exact” however this is not the case. There are noticeable color variations, Robin’s head is smaller while his neck is longer, the internal rubber bands are almost too tight which has caused some breakage issues for some folks and the body is made of a lighter weight plastic. With all of that said though, none of those are damnable offenses.

I consider the color variations not much different than what can be found in Mego’s original run of the World’s Greatest Super Heroes.  As far as the head size, to the casual observer and non- Mego collector this is most certainly a passable facsimile.  The rubber bands are what they are and I’d almost be willing to bet that FTC is going to get this resolved as it would be the poor business plan to have to keep replacing bodies all the time, which I hear they have no issues with. As far as the lighter weight plastic this isn’t a bad thing. If not for the super tight rubber bands these bodies are actually quite durable. Again I would like to take this time to publicly commend Figures Toy Company for having really turned their quality ship around. Bravo to you!

Castaway / ZICA

Robin S Type

And our final specimen is the S-Type body from the combined efforts of Castaway and Zica Toys outfitted in the Figures Toy Company’s Robin accessories and head. While I love the body as a whole and raved about it in the video I posted earlier there are two issues that I would like to point out. The first is purely aesthetic. The S-Type is just different enough from the T-2 body that it does stand out as being just that, different. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying.

And secondly the legs and arms are not as beefy as the T-2 or the FTC facsimile of the T-2 body. This is not a huge deal BUT the oven mitts will slide right off with little provocation and the shoes are loose. Again none of these are terrible flaws and in fact this one is the most playable. I even offered it to my daughter but Kaitlynn is a creature of habit and loves her “old Robin” just fine.

Conclusion

In the end I feel I’ve shared with you three examples of some great toys that hit on numerous positive levels.  The negatives that were pointed out were merely observations that I make as a lover of these toys. It does sadden me however that I didn’t have a Doc Mego or EMCE example to post along with these as the good Dr. will always in my eyes be considered the champion of the Mego cause and without him none of this resurgence would have happened.

Now, Go play!

Jim 02/12/2014

8 inch Commander Adama from Bif Bang Pow!

me and carded adamaIn 1978 ABC Television took us all on a journey across the stars with a gaggle of refugees who were seeking to set up a new home on the little blue marble we call Earth.

 

via 8 inch Commander Adama from Bif Bang Pow!.

Commander Adama from Bif Bang Pow!

Watch the video for the short take and then read on for the long drawn out review you know and love me for

(rate and comment if you would so kind as well)

Who it is

adama carded
Old Man Action Figure? Maybe. But he’s still cooler than Flash Gordon.

Commander Adama from Bif Bang  Pow’s Battlestar Galactica line of 8 inch classic style cloth costumed action figures.


Where it Came From

Photobucket
Yeah I grew a beard, but I’m better now.

This particular specimen came as a gift from my Mego Museum Secret Santa. Man I love that place.

Why I’m writing this:

me and carded adama
When your feeling old, hang out with an old guy.

I loved this show as a kid. It was Star Wars but better because it was on TV every week! The toys had already gotten a bad rap because of the one kid who just had to choke on a missile but what ya gonna do? Plus outside of the ships which were not in scale with the figures, Mattel really created some boring and bland looking toys. But honestly, had Mego gotten the license I don’t think we would have seen anything much better.

The company had already moved away from the magical 8 inch format and was focusing on the new more cost effective, but poorly detailed, 3 and three quarter inch line as well. But that was then this is now.

Bif Bang Pow has once again fixed this gaff in my childhood by picking up the 8 inch retro ball and running with it. And while all 4 figures released so far (I consider the variant cylons as one figure) the leader of the pack is simply awes

Why it is I have a strange fascination with “Old Guy” figures is beyond me but I dig ‘em. And this particular figure is really sweet. Not only is he the heroic leader of the colonists, with the weight of his entire civilization on his shoulders, it’s also Lorne Greene man, in 8 inch form! But that doesn’t come without some critiques of the final product. But as always I like to look at the positive side of life first…ome to me.

The Good.

accessories
Layers, layers, layers! And accessories!

Moving away from my fan boy gushing I would like to draw your attention to the costume. If anything Bif Bang Pow does remarkably well is the layered look. As I pointed o

ut in my review of Dr. Orpheus from the Venture Bros. line I really appreciate what all is going on here in regards to really adding value for your buck. With a retail price tag of $22.99 it’s nice to get more than just a hunk of plastic. Let’s break him down shall we?

The Bad

adama nekkid
Pale, Nekkid Old People. Yeah, I got issues.

My biggest gripe is the flesh tone. Commander Adama was never this pale. Watching clips from the show you see that Poppa Joe still had his radiant tan that was earned while riding the range at the Pondarosa Ranch, despite being sealed up on Galactica. This pale face look is what I believe takes away from the likeness of the sculpt. Also to note the paint for the hair color is wrong. But then again if the hair was the proper shade of white versus the grey that was used this Adama would look more like a Jedi ghost and we wouldn’t want to open up that copyright can of worms now would we?

The Ho-Hum

he card art is cool but honestly it bores me to tears. Each of the figures uses the exact same card back with the only deviation being the name and UPC sticker applied over the bottom corner. While I understand the need to cut costs to keep these dollies affordable I still feel just a little cheated here. Not enough to not buy the figure but the sameness of the cards doesn’t enforce my compulsive need to purchase two of each (one to keep carded and the other to open). Again this is more of a ho hum gripe than a real problem. One thing I do like however is that the card is compact in size like the latter series of Venture Brothers figures.

name sticker
Front name sticker

upc
Back UPC stickerT

My Suggestion
How I would have preferred the card to be. Back to Front.

During the Shoot

As I was taking the pictures and video for this review a few things popped out. Well actually needed to be popped in. I thought the figures head looked a little odd in the packaging. As if Adama was trying to bury his chin deeply into his pimpin’ turtleneck. During the strip down I quickly noticed that the head was actually not all the way in the body. It was a quick fix and added a lot for the figures presentation.

adama no boots
Dig them threads. Or not.

Also to note there are a lot of threads hanging bout on the sleeves and pant legs of the now exposed cuffs on the body suit. Of course these are well hidden when the figure is fully assembled. Speaking of which, it was a bit of a bear in layering him back up. The sleeves and pant legs were quick to bunch up when booting the boots and overcoat back on.

I did like that you could adjust the cape to lay over the shoulder. Observing the figure from in the package I assumed that it was held in place with Velcro tabs. I’m happy to report that’s not the case. There is actually a strand of the silver ribbon / piping serving as the tie. Nice touch if you ask me.

In Conclusion

me and loose adama
I got your mic. Now what papaw?

This line has taken some hard pot shots on the web and in some cases rightfully so. With that said however I won’t say that you shouldn’t buy this figure. If your like me you can appreciate what all is going right with it. However if you haven’t been bitten by the 8 inch classic style bug then I think you’d be much happier avoiding this line and cutting your teeth on a much more visually pleasing line such as the Venture Bros.  Now, Go Play! – Jim 1/2/2012

Get yours today straight from the source at Entertainment Earth! Be sure to tell ‘em Jim sent ya!

 

 

Now, Go Play!

Jim 01/02/13

 

[ebay width=”355″ height=”300″ query=”Retro Action Figure” ]

Customizing your heroes. Even if they are a little bit weird.

The latest creation from Jim and Gar!

 

Scroll to the bottom to see NEW pics of the subject and his doppelgangers as well as a very nice and appreciated video shout out from the main man!

Custom Secret Squirrel: You know the “Bleh, Bleh” Guy!

Introduction – Greetings gang! In this entry I get the distinct pleasure in introducing you to two separate but equally cool things. The first is my pal Gar Ghoul who is the host of “Horrible Horror” on the web and has been for the past six years. Each week Gar brings you a complete line up of fun and merriment consisting of music, fun and funny banter, lots of “bleh, bleh’s” and of course, a horrible movie. Add to all of that the online broadcasting platform allows you to chat directly with Gar and other members of the audience in real time.

To those who haven’t tried it out yet the best way I can describe the experience is like, being able to talk in the movie theater but no pimply-faced usher is going to try and kick you out for disruptive behavior. Or better yet, its like a movie with subtitles that actually salvage an otherwise crappy movie. Check it out for yourselves Saturday nights at 8PM Eastern / 7PM Central (the rest of you can figure out your own time zones, I’ve got an article to right)..

The second really cool thing that I am introducing to you today is the art of custom figure making known as ‘kit-bashing’. This my friends is an ancient Chinese secret that very few are tuned into. Okay that’s not really true. Kit-bash customizing is actually a fun and relatively easy way to create action figures of characters that have never been produced, using existing parts and pieces in a configuration that captures your heroes in 3 Dimensional form. And the best part is that for this particular 3D art form you don’t need stupid glasses that cost you an extra two bucks and that they expect you to give back at the end of the feature. Sorry about that. But that really does get on my nerves. Back o the fun stuff.

What it is 

Now that I have introduced you to our subject I’d like to share with you some of the insider tips I used to create this custom “Gar Ghoul” 8 inch, classic Mego style action figure that may inspire you to have your own arts and crafts fun day.

First, the character that Gar ‘is’ really lends itself easily to the custom Mego treatment. To me Horror Hosts (the name is a proper noun, show some respect) are cool on so many levels. A few of those being that 1.) They’re great entertainers, 2.) There’s not a terrible amount of money in it (if any really) so these guys and gals are doing it for the love and for the artistry and 3.) The characters created are like real life cartoon characters, super heroes, movie monsters come to life etc… It’s those reasons that toys of the characters are a natural fit.

 *editors note – for more on Horror Hosts from today and days gone by check out the fantastic archive created by Corpse S. Chris at 

Three others that I would like to also recommend (I could go on but for the sake of time I’ll narrow it down to just three)… Ormon Grimsby…Dr. Gangrine and MeTV’s  very own Svenghoulie. 

Ormon Grimsby

Dr. Gangrene

Back to the custom…

The Gar custom consists of two parts – the packaging and the figure itself. I list the packaging first in this case because honestly my customizing skills ain’t what they used to be so the packaging is crucial to the final products effectiveness.

The packaging 

Card Front

Card Back

If the old saying “imitation is the greatest form of flattery” is true than you folks at Bif Bang Pow should be blushing brighter than a red, ripe tomato. For the packaging I used Adobe Photoshop, stills captured from the Horrible Horror show(Thanks Tammy)  and the layout is a direct copy of the one used on the later issued Venture Bros action figures. The outer shell was recycled from a EMCE Toys/ Diamond Select Star Trek action figure. *astute readers will notice that the name on the card art says “Secret Squirrel” … to learn about why that is come on over to the Horrible Horror facebook page and find out why.

The figure

The figure is actually really simple. The base used is the Companion character from the Space 1999 series of figures released by Classic TV Toys. The only thing I really had to do was slap a little black and white paint on and “WAH LAH!” instant Gar Ghoul. The nose of the base figure was the real deal maker actually. It looked just similar enough to help add to the overall likeness needs.

I only made three of these (1 for Gar, 1 for him to use as a giveaway and 1 for my own personal collection.) but more are always possible thanks to the ability to kit bash.

Now the bigger question some of you may be asking;

“Why do I care?”

The main one being that the art of kit bashing is a great way to make some really neat gifts for those you love. The creations could also be used for unique marketing promotions or simply just for fun!. And while you can customize and kit bash pretty much any toy line out there, something about the Mego style just seems to mesh better with the final products “fun factor”. So what are you waiting for? Pick a subject, gather your supplies and get to creating! You can even work on it while watching “Horrible Horror with Gar Ghoul”, Saturday nights at 8PM EST / 7 PM CST on Vaughn TV!

Now, Go Play! – Jim 6/30/2012 (Updated 02/05/2014)

“So, it’s Bleh, Bleh,Bleh”?
“No,just  Bleh, Bleh. The 3rd is over kill. 

Entertainment Earth

My muse is old and green with a hint of Lava.

Entertainment Earth

Introduction

A ‘Pandora’s Box’ of good clean humor.

Okay so I haven’t written a new blog in forever and now that I’m finally getting to it what subject matter inspires me? The massive amount of 8-inch classic style action figures coming from Bif, Bang, Pow and EMCE toys? Nope. The Lando’s that I’ve been accumulating that I’m supposed to be blogging about? Nope, again. Or even the insanely super cool and already pre ordered 8 inch KISS classic style figures from Classic TV Toys? Surprisingly no. In fact the muse that has ignited my fingers is perhaps one of the most oddball additions to my collection… ever. So fellows and girls without further ado may I introduce to you my muse of the moment… Vintage Star Wars Yoda Soap!

What it is

Yoda Soap from 1981

Omni Cosmetics Corporation

Apparently they are out of business now and these mighty fine shops have taken over this prime real estate location. It’s been rumored that when the moon is just right when the clock strikes midnight you will catch a soft whiff of Yoda Soap in the back storage room.

Where I got it

For $20 bucks (with shipping) I even got a gold Vader from AVON! Yeah, it’s not that big a deal but still fun. Leave me alone.

From an ebay auction that I threw a token bid on because of the vintage, all be it a beater Colonial Viper that was in the lot of star wars stuff. And yes that interested me only because of all of the talk coming from Bif Bang Pow and their new 8 inch Classic Style Battlestar Galactica figures (available for pre-order now by the way via Entertainment Earth).

Why this is cool

When “lathering with Yoda” had no dirty connotations… pun not intended. Seriously.

It’s old and green just like Yoda, perfect product representation there. No actually it’s cool to me not so much for the soap but for the copy that is on the box. “Wise Yoda, the Jedi Master, dwells on the bog planet Dagobah. He’s taught all the Jedi Knights including Obi-Wan Kenobi. And because he’s had over 800 years of experience, he’s a maser at helping to keep you clean,,,”

Stop right there. That is just creepy and a little sad. Not for the obvious modern day, ‘everything is a dirty joke waiting to happen’ reasons. No it’s sad because we seem to have lost the innocence of copy / marketing such as that. It was written for kids. Kids who loved Star Wars and couldn’t get nearly enough of the, at the time two movie Empire and was most likely picked up by either a mom but most likely a dad who just wanted to surprise their kid with something Star Wars other than another of those silly plastic men. Touching moment complete, back to the copy from way back when…

“…Lather up with Yoda.” Dang – there they go again.

“…He’ll help you destroy ugly dirt and grime.” Again I must pause and dissect some of the components in that simple eight-word sentence. First off the word ‘destroy’. Man, that is pretty hardcore!  And then there’s dirt and grime, which were the enemy of every small boy back in those early Reagan administration days. Those two words also serve as a pretty good snapshot of the times. Their usage evokes memories of the fact that kids actually played outside and not only did they get dirty they got so dirty in fact that grime formed. For today’s generation here’s what that means: grime [gra’m]- n dirt, soot, or filth, esp when thickly accumulated or ingrained vb(tr) to make dirty or coat with filth. Needless to say Yoda soap is pretty bad ass! Back to the copy…

“… And he’ll make you feel mighty good about yourself, too!” – Okay here’s where they lost me. Obviously the copywriter never saw Empire. They must have gotten a very basic character outline before they crafted this prose. Yoda make you feel good about yourself? Not in Empire sister. In the second (okay now fifth installment) of the Star Wars saga Yoda was anything but a booster.  In fact he was a real drag for Luke’s self esteem. First he suckers him by way of not revealing his identity… then he busts his balls by saying that he is too old to begin the training (perhaps this was because the older padawans wouldn’t let the little green dude lather them up)… then he tells him he’s gonna be all scared and junk essentially calling our former farm boy a sissy. Luke may have been winey, but farm boys ain’t sissy’s. And that’s not even bringing up the whole “Do or do not, there is no try” hard-assery. Yeah that Yoda, he’s a booster.

Oh who am I kidding I appreciate the humor and attempt of a completely out of touch 40-something copyrighter who was still holding onto the promises of the Woodstock generation all the while working copywriting gigs like this one, selling his formally flower powered pen to feed his $200 a day cocaine habit. Or maybe he was just an old stiff who really had no clue and didn’t care considering he was probably only pulling down about $75 bucks a week and hoping that his ’72 Gremlin could hold up for at least one more year. Boy, the psych students in the audience are probably and very easily translating my own current emotional state in regards to employment or disdain thereof. I think I need a Yoda bubble bath.

Why you should care

Regardless of Lucas’ changes Star Wars will always hold a place in my heart (and now my tub).

No real reason outside of this; Yoda Soap (and actually all of the oddball stuff in the lot it came with) serve as a reminder that the Lucasfilm marketing machine has been milking this franchise long before there was a 3-D, special edition version of Episode 1- The Phantom Menace to berate because it and he are selling out the franchise. I mean seriously, “Lather up with Yoda”? This line was approved by the guy who wouldn’t allow for Star Wars to be licensed to vitamin manufactures because of fears of promoting drug usage?!? If it was me and I created such a merchandising juggernaut you’d have seen “Official Star Wars lightsaber syringes for diabetics”. Still, I wouldn’t recommend anyone plunking down $12 to see Phantom Menace again when you can buy the BluRay collection and fast forward through the pod race and all extended Gungan dialog exchanges.

In Conclusion

All silliness aside I want to say thanks to the ebay seller who hooked me up with this odd yet cool lot on the cheap, expertly packaged and promptly shipped. And to you dear reader the lesson I would like all of you to take away from this little rambling is this; drop ten bucks on an oddball lot that only makes a mild amount of sense. Upon closer examination you may find your muse packed carefully in between the items wrapped in the September 16th 2011 edition of the Post Standard.

Now Go Play! – Jim 02/12/2012

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