Here we are again. A down-on-his-luck homeless toy. They’re always getting in the way when rummaging through the toy bins at fleamarkets and toy shows.
And what do we have here? A filthy, dirty, naked… stuntman. (You remember this guy’s buddy don’t you?)
I never would’ve expected to find another one of these guys, but here he is. A guy with the same entirely flesh-toned body, decorative belt, boots and underwear.
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This guy’s generic-as-hell, poorly made and just plain awkward… which has got me thinking. What if there’s actually a toyline out there made to look like trash. I can picture it now – an assembly line of people brushing this dirt on the toys. I see the mold makers throwing out all the good ones, making sure the bad molds with flack are used for the final production run. And to top it off, they’ll leave no production markings, so you can’t trace where and when this toy came into existence. (maybe this will be the future production plan for a Weirdo Toys store).
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Where do these guys come from?
How do they get so dirty?
What the hell.
I’ve gotta wash my hands again!
INFO UPDATE:
I did some snooping around, and I may have some idea what these guys are. It’s possible they’re from a toyline called The Karate Defenders. They were made by Imperial Toy in 1986. They were outfitted with cloth outfits and various weapons such as kamas and katanas. This is the only photographic evidence i could gather.
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Karate Defenders photo courtesy of GORT at ToyTraderz.com. Thanks!
He’s mean. He’s green. He’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.
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I found this nasty, old, green monkey recently, and I was immediately disturbed.
I hate to admit it, but the first thing that came to mind is that classic story where the AIDS virus was started by a bite from the infamous African “green monkey”(and some tellings of the story actually involve sex with the green monkey). It’s goofy I know, but if I ever had to pick a green AIDS monkey out of a police line up, this would be it.
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And just how desperate are you as a scientist to get close to this thing (let alone sexually active)? There have got to be plenty of reasons to stay away from a green monkey:
1. He’s a monkey.
2. He’s green.
3. He’s pissed (probably because a scientist just made a pass at him).
4. He’s covered in blood (maybe the aftermath of the infamous bite?).
5. He’s got chunks of flesh missing, and it looks like his skull is coming through his face (maybe we’ve got it all wrong. It could be a zombie monkey… and he was actually approached by a witch doctor).
There are no markings on this nappy monkey toy, but there is a small sticker on its foot which reads, “Hand Painted – Artmark – Hong Kong.”
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Hand-painted? Are you kidding? So, arbitrary red splotches and white highlights on his face called for hand-painting? Well, at least it gave jobs to out-of-work artists (but most likely it’s the handywork of small asian children).
The monkey is just a hollow, plastic sculpt covered with flocking… giving him that fuzzy, nappy feel. It has a broken loop or hook or something on its head, which makes me think it is a window-hanger or something.
I sure as hell hope this thing isn’t a Christmas tree ornament.
Here are some more of the oddities I found at the Jockey Lot.
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They’re awfully cute and quirky, but they’re nappy as hell. I’m not sure what these little angels are, but I’m pretty sure they weren’t intended to look like homeless children.
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I haven’t been able to gather any info about them, because all I got from their markings is “Made in Korea.” The guy I bought them from claimed they are “rare dolls from the 70s” (if that’s the case, why’d they cost a buck each?).
It looks to me that these cuties are from a series of dolls that depict a collection of facial/emotional expressions (and quite possibly various ethnicities) that range from crying, to smiling, to giving the evil eye. They’re so cute sitting there in their colored dresses (or onesy or whatever they’re supposed to be).
You think these girls are anything like the Seven Dwarves? If so, it looks like I’ve gathered, Bratty, Huffy, Pouty, Whiny and Ditzy. Who’s left in the collection? Sulky? Sneaky?
These may be considered what some doll collectors call “dirty babies” (which are essentially old, beat-up, dirty, nappy baby dolls). If anyone knows anything about these dolls, please help me out. I’m trying to run a blog here
It’s everyone’s favorite mechanical crime fighter (other than Robocop)! Here we have an old 12″ Inspector Gadget by Galoob dated 1983.
Go-Go Gadget Copter!
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For those who don’t remember Inspector Gadget, I’ll try to sum him up quickly. It was an 80s cartoon inspired by the old spy show, Get Smart. The show starred a clumsy, absent-minded, and oblivious detective, Inspector Gadget – a cop with various gadgets built into his anatomy. Gadget spent most of his time trying to stop his nemesis – the mysterious Dr. Claw, leader of the evil organization, MAD.
There’s a bit more to the show, but I’m not going to bother you with every little detail.
I just happened upon the Inspector Gadget “action doll” at a toy show months ago. I never even knew this toy existed, but as soon as I saw him, I knew I had to have him. I just love the playability of this toy and the absolutely appropriate and accurate accessories included with it. He has “8 magic features and 20 moving parts.”
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Just look at all he has to offer:
He looks perfect. Looks like he just stepped out of the cartoon
12 inches tall
20 points of articulation
Firing Hand and Pop-out Hand
Pop-Out Legs
Fabric Trench Coat
Helicopter Hat
Huge Cartoony Mallet
Working Handcuffs (to cuff the fake arm in Dr. Claws’ chair I guess)
Hat Extension Arm
Parachute Umbrella
Go-Go Gadget Legs!
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Go-Go Gadget Neck!
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Go-Go Gadget Hands!
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Go-Go Gadget ‘Brella!
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Go-Go Gadget… Cuffs?!
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Told you he was great. Only bad thing is, he has no one else to arrest. I guess he could always cuff Barbie. “Go-Go Gadget… nevermind.”
Wowzers!
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If that isn’t enough for you, check this truly unforgettable intro. Careful though. The song may be a bit too catchy.
INFO UPDATE:
Over the months I’ve noticed that the Inspector Gadget doll I featured here isn’t the same one I’ve seen online and on eBay and everywhere else. At first glance they are pretty much the same, but in a few moments, you’ll see that things are definitely much different.
Slim-Box Gadget
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First, let’s start with the doll’s box. I’m not sure whether this package version appeared first or second, but as you can see, it’s a slimmer, condensed version of the box pictured in my original entry above. It does have an extending flap that makes it appear wider. Not quite sure why they included that, because it seems like that panel would block any other Gadget dolls or other merchandise from being seen on the store shelves.
Straight-Arm Gadget
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Second, let’s look at his arms. This is something I’d noticed most whenever i found images of the Gadget doll online. The most common version is this straight-armed version. This lack of elbow, bicep and shoulder articulation really makes Gadget appear stiff and awkward. He can’t bend his elbows to comfortably hold his Gadget-Copter. To accommodate this new awkward hand position, Galoob altered the design of the Helicopter-Hat accessory. The handlebars are much more narrow, short and they protrude in front of him.
Gadget Accessories
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Third are his accessories. Both Gadget dolls come with the same accessories, but the pink items that come with with the “Straight-Arm Gadget” are much more vibrant and saturated. Also, as you can see here, his handcuffs are a dull gray plastic instead of the metallic-coated plastic of the original Gadget.
Gadget Arms & Legs
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And last and probably least are his activation buttons. The “Straight-Arm Gadget” has blue buttons instead of yellow. It doesn’t really matter, but I though I’d point that out. I actually like the blue better, because they match the color of his Gadget-Neck.
If anyone has info on which of these versions is the original and has any explanation for these differences, please let me know. Hey. Maybe this “Straight-Arm Gadget” is the original. The other one could be the updated one… ya know… kinda like “swivel-arm battle grip” being introduced to the G.I.Joe toys.
Warning: This next little bit is just my jabbering on about the blog and my discovery of the Gross Out Gang.
This entry is particularly special to me, because a couple of months ago, when I started this site, I had a simple vision of sharing some weird toys with toy collectors around the world. I hoped to learn some things about the oddball toys I’ve featured, and if lucky, I’d have the opportunity to make contact with others like myself with information or better yet – toys they’d like to donate, sell or trade
It all started with my first toy entry. This lip guy was one of my favorites. I found him years and years ago, and I had absolutely no idea what he was (I admit I hadn’t really done any “research” prior to creating this site, but I didn’t really feel the need to at the time). Just weeks after my first toy entry, I stumbled upon this pie guy, who I immediately recognized as a related character. It wasn’t until I found this Japanese toy website(the only other site I’ve found that presents any info about Skilcraft’s Gross Out Gang figures), that I had any clue what these things might be. I finally had an idea of what I was looking for. And, I don’t know if it was desperation or destiny, but i discovered this old Skilcraft toy ad on eBay and bought it solely for the image of the Gross Out Gang(It may sound dumb, but at least I was finally going to get a look at the entire gang).
Things have been going well enough for this site. Some people drop by and are genuinely interested. Some leave in the split second it took them to arrive. I’ve even had friends and family bring odd toys my way hoping they’re “weird enough” to be featured on the blog, but finally, just a couple of weeks ago, I actually struck a deal with a reader who discovered my blog and its articles regarding the Gross Out Gang. And now, with pleasure, I’d like to announce my first “toy blog vision” has come to fruition. The Gross Out Gang now have a home at weirdotoys.com(now I just need to make the visions for this site a bit more” grand”).
Now let’s meet the gang!
Nose Ark (he’s missing the crutch shown in the ad, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers) He uses his super nose to sniff out oil in the ground of danger in the air. He can smell Airheads a mile away!
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Egg Brain Incredibly enlarged brain gives him super intelligence, light years ahead of ordinary geniuses
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Wired Wilma Braces like high tension wires conduct electricity like lightning rods. She can give Airheads the charge of a lifetime.
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Seezall With his four enormous eyes and special glasses, he can see far into the future and back into the distant past.
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Blow Hard His enormous lips could actually blow a semi off the road. When he whistles, it unleashes a devastating tornado!
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Fat-so He makes the earth quake with a mere footstep! Can eat over 100 times his weight in matter of any form.
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If any of you happen to see a little nose-crutch lying around and want to give it a new home, just contact me. Please. Anybody?
Info Update
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I found four of the Gross Out Gang figures still in their packages, so now I know all the characters names, their origins, etc. You can read all about it in detail here.
