We Had That

Fisher-Price Adventure People "Safari" set #304 The Fisher-Price Adventure People were first available in 1975.  For the next 10 years, this line of well-made 3 3/4" action figures and toys prospered in toy stores.  The Adventure People also paved the way for dozens of other 3.75" action figure lines.  Not only did they heavily influence the design of Kenner's Star Wars figures, but the original prototypes for the original 12 Star Wars figures were constructed from Adventure People figures.  Because they were much more durable than many of the 3.75" action figures that followed, many Adventure People figures can still be found in good condition making most figures and sets very affordable! Adventure People Safari Mom Pets a Zebra! One of the first sets released in 1975 was the Safari set #304.  With a total of 19 pieces, it was the largest of the initial releases and one of the largest sets in the entire decade-long run of the Adventure People ...

My childhood Luke Skywalker in X-Wing Pilot Uniform from Kenner, 1978 As a young kid, Star Wars was my favorite movie and the Kenner Star Wars Figures were my favorite toys when they first came out.  I can still remember the excitement of picking out my first figures; then having a light saber duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker next to the salt & pepper shakers, napkin dispenser, and tabletop jukebox at the Dunk & Dine up the street from the toy store. Kenner 1978 Luke Skywalker: X-Wing Pilot I loved those toys!  Apparently, so did a lot of other kids around that time.  Kenner had a huge hit on their hands with Star Wars and it was an obvious decision to add more figures to the line as soon as possible!  The first wave included twelve figures.  Once everyone saw how fast they were selling, Kenner quickly starting working on a second wave which came out in 1978.  The second wave of eight figures included four cantina monsters,...

1997 Universal Monsters Burger King Kid's Club Action Figures In 1997, Universal re-released a lot of their old monster movies on VHS.  As a result, they were licensing the old Universal Monsters all over the place to rekindle interest in the movies.  They even had Universal Monsters US Postage Stamps that year!  For me, the coolest result came in October of 1997 in the form of The Burger King Kids Club Universal Monsters Action Figures! 1997 Universal Monsters action figures from Burger King still in the original packages The figures were similar to the 3 3/4" Remco universal monsters, but different enough that anyone who had the Remco figures wouldn't confuse the two different releases.  Also, Remco released six different characters while Burger King released only four: Down For the Count Dracula, Bolts and Volts Frankenstein, The Wolf Man Cellar Dweller, Scaly Squirter featuring The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Universal Monsters Glow-in-t...

1990 Kenner Snare Arm Swamp Thing captures the Evil Un-Men "Skinman!"  In 1990, Kenner teamed up again with DC Comics (Kenner and DC had a huge hit with the Super Powers collection from 1984 - 1986).  Unfortunately, despite numerous tie-ins and making it to a second wave of figures (if you want to call two new re-paints a second wave), the Swamp Thing line wasn't much of a hit. 1990 Kenner Swamp Thing "Skinman" action figure The total line consisted of 12 figures: six different Swamp Thing figures, two hero figures, and four Evil Un-Men Villains.  There were also two playsets and three vehicles.  As in the comic books, movies, and TV shows, the villains of the line consisted of the evil scientist Anton Arcane and his Un-Men monsters.  Each of the Un-Men figures came with an accessory and a monster Bio-Mask which was supposed to represent the transformation from man to Un-Men monster.  All of the Un-Men had glow-in-the-dark eyes and all of t...

1982 Kenner "Raiders of the Lost Ark" Indiana Jones Action Figure The movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in theaters on June 12, 1981.  At just under $390 million, it was the highest grossing film of the 1981.  Audiences loved it.  Critics loved it.  Kids wanted action figures!  Kenner was already a well known toy manufacturer thanks to their gigantic hit with their line of 3 3/4" Star Wars figures and toys, so it was no surprise that they were the company to release 3 3/4" action figures for Raiders of the Lost Ark as well.  However, kids would have to wait until 1982 for the figures to hit the shelves. 1982 Kenner "Raiders of the Lost Ark" figures: Toht, Indiana Jones, and the Cairo Swordsman The first wave of four figures included Indiana Jones, Toht, the Cairo Swordsman, and Marion Ravenwood.  There was a second Indiana Jones in a "Desert Disguise" that came with the Map Room playset and a mail-away Belloq in his cere...

Zee Toys / Zylmex Metal-Man: Roton With a confusing similarity in appearance to some of the 3 3/4" Mego Micronauts and little to no advertising, the Metal-Man toy line of die-cast action figures has all but faded into obscurity.  Of the figures released, the blue and silver Radon is the one I see most often (click HERE for my Radon review), but he was hardly the only Metal-Man on the shelves! Metal-Man action figures: Major Mercury, Roton, & Radon  Today, I would like to take a look at Roton, the red and silver Metal-Man who seems to have possibly been released later in the line.  Radon, Major Mercury, Sergeant Silver, and Corporal Chrome have all been found on cards marked 1976 while as far as I know, Roton has not.  Additionally, Roton has been seen with fewer packaging variations than the rest of the figures, so it would make sense if the others hit the stores before Roton.  I have seen him in the 1979 Zee Toys catalog, so I know that he...

Masters of the Universe - Ninjor action figure (1987) In the 1980s, the ninja craze was in full swing.  From movies like The Octagon, Enter the Ninja, American Ninja, and Ninja Death Squad to video games like Shinobi, Saboteur, and Ninja Gaiden, to comic books like Daredevil (with characters like Kirigi & Elektra), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Tick (which made fun of the fact that ninjas were everywhere) you couldn't get away from ninjas in the 80s.  Ninjas started silently creeping onto the toy shelves at least as early as 1982 with the Eagle Force character "Savitar," but it was GI Joe's "Storm Shadow" that truly brought the ninja action figure to the masses in 1984.  Remco had Ninja Strike Force, Hasbro had Ninja Warriors, and Soma had Master Ninjas. GI Joe "Storm Shadow" - Masters of the Universe "Ninjor" - Eagle Force "Savitar" The original Masters of the Universe toys first came out in 1982....