Have recently started aquiring toys & various pop culture collectables from my childhood, and im quickly starting to realise how addictive it is.....
.... & also how expensive it is 😳
Collecting at such a late stage unfortunately means paying premium prices for the stuff i want. And ive learnt that any new stuff thats released means having to go on waiting lists for pre-orders or else miss out & pay double once its resold on ebay.
Will update this post as they arrive 👍
First up, we have a 1984 Matchbox 'Voltron 3'. Comprised of 5 robot lions which join together to form the "defender of the universe". This was the 3rd evolution of the toy & the first to adopt the Voltron name. (1981 was 'Beast king Golion' & 1982 was 'Godaiken Golion') The Matchbox Voltron was also the last of the brief run of japanese die-cast versions. I managed to hunt down a mint sword & shield to compete the display. It is a fantastic surviving example & nothing is broken.
Another childhood favourite of mine, teenage mutant ninja turtles!! These particular ones are from 1988 & are the very first ninja turtle figures ever made (10 initial characters released), which can be identified by the seamless 'soft heads'. The turtles are surprisingly in mint condition & still had their weapons attached to the 'sprue'
Transformers, still popular to this day. I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of different toy versions & reissues. The original 1984 G1 optimus prime is very hard to find complete, & prices on ebay start at $1100+ so that was out of the question. I decided to go with the takara 'Transformers Collection' 2002 G1 reissue line. These come with nice "book-box" style packaging that opens just like a large book, complete with a small booklet containing profiles of the reissued character (and a couple of random characters) & episodes of the cartoon.
Below is a 2008 ERTL Joyride 1/18 scale die cast "K.I.T.T." Knightrider played a part in developing my passion for cars from an early age. There are 3 versions that are collectable.... 2013 diamond select 1/15 plastic, the 2008 joyride & the 2013 hot wheels elite 1/18 die cast which features the most detail & is the most desirable. The original 1982 "voice" car lacks detail & doesn't seem to be sought after.
I was also lucky to find a 2021 Super7 Michael knight action figure. "The Hoff" !!!!
Cult hit, 'Samurai Pizza Cats' was a Japanese anime (Kyatto Ninden Teyandee) adapted for western audiences & was first broadcast here in Australia in 1992 & again in 1994. The cartoon was shown on 'Agro's cartoon connection' & was responsible for alot of kids being late for school. Producers, Saban Entertainment completely disregarded the original japanese script, reasons for which remain a mystery. Instead, they had writers sit down & watch episodes & write what they thought the characters should say. The show ended up farcical, wacky & a parody of everything, including itself. There weren't many toys produced of the series, but Heat Boys company has just released an alloy figure which I was able to acquire. It comes as 2 parts, the leader of the pizza cats, Speedy Cerviche (Yattarou), & a large 'goonie bird' (Toritsukkun) which combine into an armoured 9" robot
"FINISH HIM !!" ....... When Mortal Kombat hit the arcades in 1992, everyone emptied their pockets. I remember the local burger shop always had about 20 kids huddled around a MK cabinet. The game was unique with its digitized sprites, gore & finishing moves. The following year Mortal Kombat was ported over to the Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis & we could finally play for "free" !!! The most collectable figures seem to be the original Storm MkII range but prices are crazy. I ended up with a 2024 Goro MKX & Scorpion 2020 event exclusive instead. Both storm figures are 1/12 scale. Interesting to note the difference in size.
The show about nothing 😂 An epic 90's comedy TV series which spanned 9 seasons, with a humorous take on regular everyday events. I've seen every episode multiple times, & the re-runs on TV still crack me up years later. I purchased a ladle signed by the "Soup Nazi" Larry Thomas, & U.S. postal worker hat signed by "Newman" Wayne Knight both certified by James spence authentication, along with a pair of 2015 'Vinyl Idolz' to complete the display.
Horror films were so much fun to watch years ago. And nobody had more stage presence than Jason Voorhees. The 'Friday the 13th' franchise spanned over 10 films beginning in 1980, plus a Freddy Krueger mashup, & then a remake in 2009. I acquired an authenticated hockey mask signed by Kane Hodder who played 'Jason' in Friday 7,8,9,10. Displayed along with 2008 Jason VII & 2004 Pamela 1/6 scale figures made by Sideshow Collectibles.
More to come....