Oooh Baby Baby it's a Wild World

Before there was He-Man, there was Blackstar.

Blackstar was a concept very similar to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, following the same basic Sword and Sorcery meets Star Wars story and characterizations.

Blackstar was a Filmation cartoon like He-Man but was initially launched without a toyline (remember those days?)

The show was a flop, but the success of another Filmation endeavor immediately thereafter - He-Man - gave rise to a Blackstar toy line and a re-release of the Blackstar cartoon; but still the success of the line/characters/concept paled in comparison to Masters of the Universe and today is merely a footnote in the annals of eighties toy and cartoon history.

As a kid I had a few Blackstar figures, but they just didn't exhibit the same level of charm that my MOTU figures had. Regardless, they weren't half bad, and actually had some keen features and characters too. None survived in my collection to adulthood, but the other day I came across this furry fellow, Tongo, at the flea market and picked him up for a quarter.


I remember having Tongo as a kid, but remember nothing about his character from the cartoon. I also had Blackstar, Neptul, Overlord, and Kadray.

Tongo was available in this version and also with a spark-action chest medal. I think I had the sparking one when I was a kid. The badguys all came with little rubber demons and the good guys all came with Trobbits. The demon was there at the swap meet too, but he was missing a leg so I left him there.

Another of the gimmicks of the Blackstar toyline was glow-in-the-dark weapons. Sadly my Tongo has none of these, but I remember that as being a very cool feature when I was a kid. There's nothing better than turning out the lights and playing with your action figures. I mean, there WAS nothing better...I am an adult now, it's not like I'd be playing with my action figures after dark anymore. Or any less. HA!

Tongo shares a lot of similarities with the original MOTU figures, but he's a little bit larger. He shares the same type of articulation, similar taste in clothing (or lack thereof,) same squatty stance and similar construction.

I was actually considering buying a Tongo on eBay last year because I wanted a Blackstar representative in my toy collection. I never followed through, so thanks to the Swap Meet for once again bringing a piece of my childhood back into my hands. He's really pretty silly looking, and comes across as more of a knock-off MOTU than a legitimate Galoob made contemporary, and it's fun to imagine him and his cronies being both first (in cartoon form) and runner-up (in toy form) to the juggernaut that was Masters of the Universe back in the early eighties.

Meow, man!

Anyways, I may have to track down a couple more of these Blackstar guys. they are pretty cool after all, and are probably pretty cheap and easy to find, since the line didn't last too long and isn't very big in the collector circuit.

Also, all this Blackstar talk also has me wondering about the famed Wonder Bread He-Man, and if the similarities to that toy's design and the look of Blackstar holds a clue to his origins. Hmmm.

Fa - La - Lala - Lala - Falalalalaaaaaa!

I was holding out on posting these guys until I could do a full-fledged forest photo shoot, but fellow lunatic toy collector/blogger Reis of Geek Orthodox fame tipped my hand.

But first, a little context.

I love the Smurfs. I collected the little figurines as a kid and got up every Saturday morning to watch the cartoon. I even trained myself to sneeze like a Smurf whenever I had to "aaah aaaah aaahh - Ahhh SMURF!"

I ate Smurfberry crunch every morning and to this day cannot hear the Nutcracker Suite without thinking of the commercial's theme song "Smurfberry Crunch is fun to eat - a Smurfy, fruity breakfast treat!"

I even once tried to steal my friend's brother's Papa Smurf. Yup, I had it bad.

In fact, Toyriffic's fourth post EVER was a Smurf, way back in December of 2007!

Anyways, a couple months ago I discovered new Smurf toys were popping up at Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, K-Mart etc.

Made by Jakks Pacific, these new Smurfs are similar to the old (and surprisingly still being made) PVC Smurf figurines, but with a little articulation, houses, vehicles and accessories giving the series a more "playable" angle.

I bought my daughter the Smurfette mushroom house playset back in March and tried not to obsess over how cool these new Smurfs were (could I, a grown man, love the Smurfs again?) all the while looking with longing at the smurf cars and figure two-packs on the shelves every time I made a trip to the toy aisle (which is like, every other day!)

Well, Doctor, about two weekends ago the Smurf became more than I could Smurf. I walked into K-Mart and saw a new release of two-packs - one set containing Gargamel and Azrael and one containing Wild Smurf and Tracker Smurf!

I, like my brother-in-Smurfs Reis, struggled with the upcoming rift in my mandom - the struggle to maintain manly dignity at mid-thirty-something while gazing in wide-eyed awe at shirtless little blue communists (one in a loin cloth no less!)

I snapped.

Unlike Reis, I couldn't get out of the store without at least ONE set - the struggle finally leading to the purchase of Wild Smurf and Tracker Smurf...with the promise to return later for Gargamel/Azreal if my man parts didn't fall off and I didn't suddenly develop a penchant for a house full of cats, or the musical Cats for that matter.

Well now I have two new blue friends who can't wait for their Redwood forest photo shoot, which should be coming soon. So without further ado, I give you:

Tracker Smurf -


"Tracker Smurf is the Smurfiest guide in the entire village. He loves to explore and never gets lost. Seen with a feather in his cap and a walking stick in his hand, he knows all the best picnic spots."


Wild Smurf -


"Wild Smurf may live in the forest, but he is a friend to everyone. Especially animals! Although other Smurfs can't understand what he says, he's always there to lend a helping hand."


Unfortunately Wild Smurf has a mistake - his hat is painted white in the front as if he wrapped a regular Smurf cap in leaves, when in actuality he made his cap out of leaves (he is wild, after all.) I will have to figure out a way to safely remove the white paint without damaging the plastic he is made of. But come on - a Wild Smurf figure? Really?!?! How Smurfin' cool!!! I couldn't pass him up!


Other Smurfs available in this new release include Grandpa and Granny Smurf, Painter Smurf, Tailor Smurf, and of course the previously mentioned non-Smurfs Gargamel and Azrael.

So turn in your man-cards, boys, and go get you some Smurfs!

(I just want to add that on Jakks Pacific's website the Smurfs are listed in the boy's section.

So there.)

You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it.

This IS your father's Oldsmobile.

One of the coolest Matchbox cars ever released has just hit the toy aisle pegs near me (and was as quickly swiped from the toy aisle...by me!)


Cast your Brady Bunch lovin' eyes on this new Matchbox 1971 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser!


No red blooded American can deny that tinge of nostalgia when they see an old station wagon go by. The long road trips where Dad refused to pull over unless HE had to pee, popping your head up in the back window and sticking your tongue out at the drivers behind you, and nights at the drive in movie megaplexes - the ones that showed Disney on the screen in front of you and the Exorcist on the one to the left (as if you couldn't see the horror or had self control enough to not look that way.)

This Vista Cruiser even has two dogs sticking their heads out the back (as well as a cooler and other camping accouterments molded in the back,) and even the outline for the bumper-step! Groovy.


The seventies-era lime green paint, top window, luggage rack and faux wood trim are all here. You can almost hear the v8 roar!

Go 100, dad! (As a kid I would yell that to my dad from the back seat all the time. He would always comply.)

I've been eagerly anticipating this Matchbox release since it was announced over a year ago. Although I would have prefered a 1971 Torino Country Squire (a woody I once owned) I am as happy as Bobby Brady when he saw his first booby (remember that episode?) to have my Matchbox Vista Cruiser.

Kamen people now, smile on your Rider

The other day Bandai America sent out a tweet (that's Twitter speak for you Neanderthals) announcing a chance to win free toys if you RT'd them (more Twitter speak - get with the program people!)

I did so, and I won a free Kamen Rider deluxe figure, which arrived today!



Now to me, a child of the seventies and eighties, Kamen Rider means grasshopper headed dirt bike riders. But there's a new Kamen town, and apparently this dude is one of them.


The guy is pretty bland, but this is the unmasked character so what do you expect. According to the package his name is Kit. I'm sure he's a cool, no nonsense ladies man with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. I can tell because he wears a red shirt, black jeans and has that "I spent an hour on my hair to make it look like I just rolled out of bed" hair-do.

But he's irrelevant anyways because the coolest part of this set is Dragreder!


Dragreder is a robotic Asian style dragon and is very cool.


His head, waist and tail are jointed so his body twists a little like a snake.


He can also stand on his rear legs. He cannot, however, roll over or fetch. Yet.


So I'm a total Kamen Rider 2009 newb, and I don't know what robot dragons have to do with grasshopper headed dirt bike riders, but I know if I was ten I'd be all over this series like purple on Prince Adam.


Thanks Bandai for the cool free toy, and thanks Twitter for making me feel like a winner!