Posts Tagged ‘Toy’

Super-Spider-Man

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Well, last time I thought I’d show you some cool “knock offs” of your favorite super heroes, but today, we’re taking it to full-on “bootleg.”

So what do you get when you combine the world’s three most popular comic superheroes into one figure?

You get a mess.

If you can’t afford a figure of each, might as well combine ‘em. right?

Let me introduce you to a bootleg figure I like to call Super-Spider-Man.

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

He’s the best of all your favorite superheroes!

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

The body of Spider-Man painted as the costume of Superman…

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

… topped off with the cape of Batman. (It’s red, but I’d recognize that jagged, zig-zag cape pattern anywhere.)

Yikes!

I think he’s actually a bootleg of a bootleg. He’s not a “real” Superman bootleg. He’s a 10″ tall bootleg movie Spider-Man figure that’s been repainted as Superman. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a bootleg of a bootleg. Ha!

So, yeah. He’s freaky enough as it is, but look at this!!

Super-Spider-Man

His eyes are crawling up his head. Is this Superman’s new approach to hiding his identity?

Out of curiosity, I decided to put his eyes in their proper place.

Super-Spider-Man

I “Photoshopped” ‘em, and I’m not quite sure he looks any better.

So, we’ve established this guy’s a horribly-produced bootleg – complete with the weird hollowed-out arms, scraggly paint job, but he does have one more small surprise.

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

Did you notice that weird, little button on this guy’s back? It actually activates a little, red LED in his chest.

Super-Spider-Man Bootleg Figure

Awesome! I think this is his bootleg heat-vision! (His eyes relocated, so maybe his heat-vision did too.)

I’m scared to look into the light.

Whew! If the crappiness of this toy doesn’t blind you, at least the LED will. Maybe if you stare at it long enough, you’ll go blind and will never have to see this monstrosity again.

Thunder Cats Villanos

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

I think this is it.

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Monkian Bootleg

Quite possibly the most horrible, disgusting, poorly-produced toy I own.

Seriously.

Look at him.

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Monkian Bootleg

He’s a hairy beast, trapped in his own cobbled-together body – screaming in agony, because he’s stuck in this constant state of crappiness.

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Monkian Bootleg

Seriously. The guy looks like a failed prototype of a prototype or a badly-built model kit or something.

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Monkian Bootleg

Another weird thing about this monstrosity is its potent chemical smell. Not only does it stink, but the smell actually rubs off onto your hands when handling this thing. Now that’s a first in my toy collection. Even Stinkor’s stench doesn’t rub off on you.

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Monkian Bootleg

And just look at this awesome toy construction. Now that’s quality.

His pieces don’t even fit together properly, and he looks like he was painted by a small child… with a poor motor skills… using a partially-crusted, dry brush from a bottle of white-out.

I know this is a bootleg possibly produced using child labor, but c’mon! Teach those kids to paint!

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Monkian Bootleg

Oh, wait! The figure came in a little plastic baggy with a header card and everything. It looks so legit now!

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Monkian Bootleg

And look at the huge assortment of accessories he came with… which he can’t even use.

Wanna know why? Because most of the stuff was re-purposed from smaller toylines’ accessories – Masters of Universe, Galactic Fighters, Galaxy Warriors, and maybe a hint of Thundercats.

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Monkian Bootleg

Well, at least he can hold the swords… but only in one of his hands. Wanna know why? Because the shoddy production processes left him with some much extra plastic flack all over his body, his hands are filled and closed off.

Kind of gross actually.

Well, there is one saving grace to this figure – that custom package header. Let’s take a closer look.

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Monkian Bootleg

Not bad. I mean it’s crappily printed and all, but it looks awesome. It’s actually an original piece of art – hand-drawn typography and semi-sloppy comic art style. A lot of artists and designers strive for this look. You’d normally expect to see re-purposed packaging art from the original toyline on these Mexican bootlegs. I really like the personality of this piece (I even made it into a desktop wallpaper for you.).

I wonder what the original toyline was. I’m guessing it’s Thundercats. My first clue was the title “Thunder Cast Villanos.” Ha! Plus I recognize some of the characters in the artwork. (From left to right) Looks like we have Monkian, Slithe (who looks freakin’ great!), Mumm-Ra… and ummm… some wolf guy (is that supposed to be Jackalman?) and… uh… is that Golem from Lord of the Rings? Looks like Vultureman on the bottom though.

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Monkian Bootleg

So, there you have it. The most disgusting Monkian bootleg you’ll ever see, and the crappiest bootleg toy I’ve ever owned (and the greatest wedding gift – thanks Jason!)

Wow.

If you’re one of those folks who’s not even sure who Monkian is, or what the original toy looks like, here’s a pic for you.

Monkian Bootleg
Thundercats’ Monkian photo courtesy of ToyArchive.com.

I actually had the original figure as a kid. I liked him well enough, but he was never really as cool as all the He-man figures I had him surrounded by.

Beast Man

He was a wannabe Beast-Man in my book.

Don’t believe me? Check out this boring, yet semi-fun video of Monkian “in da club.”


Santa Claus by Kohner Bros.

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Hey folks! Merry Christmas! (I would say “Happy Holidays,” but I don’t feel like being politically correct today.)

Don’t worry, all you non-Christmasy types. I’m only focusing on the commercial side of the holiday. That’s right –Santa Claus!

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Santa Push Pupper

Wow, this isn’t the jolly ol’ Santa we all know and love. This looks more like the homeless, mentally disturbed Santa we’ve always feared.

All the signs are there – wandering eye, disheveled clothes, bloody nose. Damn. Looks like he’s been stumbling through the streets of the North Pole for well over a week.

He is the perfect stocking stuffer for the weird toy lover in your family (who is probably you).

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Santa Push Pupper Santa Push Pupper

What we have here is a vintage Santa Claus Push Puppet by Kohler Bros. I think it was released in the 1960s. (No wonder Santa looks like hell. He’s been lost on the Island of Misfit Toys for the past 40+ years.)

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Santa Push Pupper

I’m sure you’ve seen toys like this before. For those unfamiliar with push puppets, they are basically miniature, marionette-type of toys whose segmented body parts are held together by string which is tied taut to a solid platform encased in a cylindrical base.

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Santa Push Pupper

Once you “push” on the platform inside the toy’s base, it releases the tension of the string, resulting in the sporadic movement of the character. If given enough pressure, all of the body parts will fall limp.

Sheesh. That written description of a push puppet was a bit overkill. I think a quick video will more quickly express what I’m talking about.

Merry Christmas folks! Enjoy your food, drink, family, friends and whatever else it is that you do. I hope Santa leaves something weird in your stocking.

Buy Push Puppets on eBay!