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San Francisco, 10:29 PM
Sun Nov 8
12 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/13/09
The toys themselves are quite collectible, and range in price from a hundred bucks or so to many, MANY thousands of dollars. But there are enough fantastic pieces at the lower end of that scale for nearly anyone to build a nice sized collection of great toys.
I've written about my own collection of robots and space guns (and have posted photos) at my blog, Doc Atomic's Attic of Astounding Artifacts (astoundingartifacts.blogspot.com).
There's also a great forum for the discussion of these toys called Alphadrome, at www.danefield.com/alpha. Hundreds of members, many of them active; it's a deep resource for people interested in these toys.
There's even an actual, brick-and-mortar museum dedicated to toy robots: The Toy Robot Museum in Adamstown, PA. In fact, the museum often plays host to the only vintage space toy convention, Botstock (no, I didn't name it...).
It's a surprisingly thriving hobby, all things considered. The question, of course, is whether it will continue to attract fans once a certain generation dies off or loses interest. Or are there enough younger collectors -- like myself -- who find these toys fun and interesting despite not having grown up with them. Time'll tell, I guess...
10/13/09
10/13/09
I've got #12 sitting next to my computer at home. Sadly, Spaz-Bot lost his ability to walk and shoot sparks over 20 years ago (he also tends to list to one side and then fall over if you're not careful)
That still didn't stand in his way when becoming a totally sweet ride for my Jawa action figures, who fit conveniently into the battery compartment on the back.
I tell you, the Empire would have been much different if tiny sand gnomes riding inside 30ft tall flame-shooting mechas had run the place!
10/13/09
But why does #12 not have a bellybutton stud in real life?
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10/13/09
It DOES look more girly than the rest of them.
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03/03/09
There was a movie back in the 80's -- possibly called "Strange Invaders" -- that sorta did this. Only the plot was that aliens had taken over a small Midwest town in the 50's and never changed their styles or mores and our hero discovers them in the present and has to stop them, etc.
This cast looks great, though. Hope it comes to A Theater Near Me.
03/03/09
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03/03/09
"Playing it straight" is what all those made-for-TV movies do on the Sci-Fi Channel. That is, they intentionally try to make movies that look good, but fail at them. This is a movie that intends succeed at looking like a failure.
Ironic.
03/03/09
Plus, have you ever noticed it's only white people who reminisce about the "good times" of the 1950's?
03/03/09
01/09/09