Showing posts with label Imperial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Imperial. Show all posts

9/9/08

Car Toons Week Day 2: A Gay Old Time

In 1994 Mattel, in conjunction with Pebbles cereal, produced one of the most unique Hot Wheels to date. Not unique because we've never seen a vehicle like it before, on the contrary, we'd been seeing it for decades. Unique because it was such a departure from regular Hot Wheels fare. Which may explain why it was a mail away cereal promo and never released as a mass market casting.

I speak of course of the famous free-wheeling Flintmobile!

The gaudy colors are due to this toy's "changes color in warm and cold water" feature, which is such a lame idea that I will speak of it no further.

The design, however, is excellent and very cartoon accurate. There's great attention to detail all over it, from the ties holding the canopy together to the shell steering wheel to the stone wheels.

"Ugh...traffic. I better take the expressway..."

Not to be outdone, Fred's neighbor Barney finally got a toon accurate ride in 1998. This car is from Johnny Lightning, and although it is officially christened the "Flintstones' Sports car" we all know that it was Barney that drove the log.

The details are limited, but then it IS a log. The steering wheel looks like a stone, and the license plate says "75 BC."

The interior also has a hole in the bottom for the driver's feet to go through. Unfortunately the wheels are standard Johnny Lightning wheels and the chrome is not cartoon accurate, but at least the tires are a rock-like grey color.

"I hate tailgaters!"

"Ahh, much better. I'll be home for dinner in no time."
" Wiiiiiilllllllllllmmaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Although these vehicles come from dueling die-cast companies (and dueling neighbors,) The Flintmobile and Rubble-log are perfect companion pieces. They're a page right out of history.

They're both pretty much the same 1:64 scale, although the log may be scaled up a bit (or maybe the Flintmobile is a little small in comparison.)

A modern stone-age mini van, next to Rubble's swinging chick magnet.

"Hey Fred...wanna race?"

Car Toons Week Day 2; I bid you adieu with a Pterodactyl's eye view.

Yabba Dabba Doooooooooooo!

7/23/08

Godzilla Week Smashes Into Day 3

Today we focus on two great tastes that taste great together.

No, not peanut butter and chocolate.

Imperial toy company and Godzilla!


As discussed in a previous post, I loved Imperial dinosaurs as a kid. Their flagrant disregard for scientific facts, their rock-hard plasticy goodness, their sloppy Chinese child labor paint applications, their hollow throats for Star Wars figure eating fun. And chances are this guy has more lead in his paint than Lex Luthor's penthouse. What's not to love?

In 1985 Imperial began producing Godzilla toys. Somehow I missed them back then, I was probably moving into another toy genre by '85. Dinosaurs were so 1984!

I only recently acquired this 6" guy, and he's kitschy cool - a must for any Godzilla collection.

In true Imperial form, he doesn't represent a specific Godzilla as much as he captures Godzilla's essence. His arms, legs and tail move, giving him thousands of times the articulation of general Imperial dinosaur figures past and present.


And ironically, without any modification whatsoever, this Godzilla already looks Jokerized:


"Why so whatnow? I don't get it."



6/12/08

Da da da daaaa...Imperial!

ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



My little post about an Imperial dinosaur I found inspired fellow toy nut "Chunky B" of Eclectorama to post about his Imperial Godzilla. Which in turn inspired me to post my Imperial King Kong.



I recently bought this guy off eBay because he was part of an auction that included a 6" Imperial Godzilla that I was after. I believe King Kong came out in 1985 or so, at the same time Imperial was producing Godzilla.

He's a pretty good likeness of King Kong...better than the Godzilla offerings from Imperial. His arms move, and I added a little plastic car for him to toss through the air in a fit of primal fury!


Uh Oh...while roaming the forest Kong has crossed paths with the monstrous SmallZilla!


Run, Kong, Run! Don't just stand there...she's likely to....


SMOOOOCH!

Yech...cat germs!