Toy-Ventures: Maskatron (Kenner Six Million Dollar Man)

 Toy-Ventures this week looks at what we believe to be the greatest villain action figure of the 1970s and perhaps the best action figure of the decade as well.

Kenner's Maskatron, the robotic face changing robot from Kenner's Six Million Dollar Man toy line is a wonderful bit of toy magic when some licenses a property but takes artistic license (anticipate a callback joke) and sets out to also make a toy with tremendous play value.

Bionic Jump over to our facebook group PodStallions:

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Toy-Ventures Magazine is coming this month:

https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/magazine/

Cool Shirt Explosion!

Forgot suggested ages, I NEED ALL OF THESE IN AN XL! DAMMIT, GIVE ME THREE OF THE BIG FRANKS JUST IN CASE I LOSE ONE!

New Six Million Dollar Man Shirt in our Redbubble store!

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Toy-Ventures 7: Robot Man with Four Faces

This week's installment of Toy-Ventures is all about the wonderful and weird Maskatron knock off from France called "Robot Man with Four Faces" one of the more blatant (and charming) rip-offs I've ever encountered as a collector. 

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New Six Million Dollar Man Shirt in our Redbubble store!

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Get the expanded digital edition of Rack Toys here.

Six Million Dollar Christmas

I can't help but associate Lee Majors with Christmas, he was present at some really good ones!

New Six Million Dollar Man Shirt in our Redbubble store!

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BIonic Action!

I received a very generous donation to the PS archive that I will reveal next Friday, until then, here is a Bionic taste.

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Rain Coat Season 1977

I think I'll go with King Kong this Spring, there is something about that movie poster that just screams 1977!

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Bionic People in France

Steve Austin and his crew were truly an international hit as evidenced by this wonderful catalog page from France. I love how Jaimie is now "Super Jaimie" but Maskatron? That's multilingual baby!

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Do it yourself Bionic Men

My model kit building skills were super weak when these came out so i never had the pleasure of painting Steve Austin beating up an outlaw biker.

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The BIonic Age

Christmas always reminds me of the Bionic Man, I think it's because he was pricier than Mego or Big Jim.

I honestly got every Bionic toy I had at Christmas and it was a sweet three years, let me tell you.

Super Shirts!

OK, even though this is 1977 there are a few of these I would wear now especially Frankenstein and that weirdly smug Captain America.

You know what they call "Six Million Dollar Man" in France?

"L'Homme Qui Valait 3 Millards" and Bionic Woman is "Super Jamie" and Maskatron is just...Maskatron

Oscar Goldman visits Kenner (gets briefcase)

OK, so apparently actor Richard Anderson visited Kenner headquarters in 1977 and they presented him with a life sized version of Oscar Goldman's exploding briefcase!

So that means, that (hopefully) in Richard Anderson's house, he has a 1/1 scale version of one of the greatest action figure accessories ever made.

I simply have to know where this is, I need to see this. I have a new mission in life, right after i lie down.....

UPDATE: 

Thanks to Ann on our Facebook page (like us!), we've cracked the case. Turns out, it still exists and was auctioned off in 2013 to a collector. Nice to know it's still around and being looked cared for. It's also kind of refreshing that I didn't know about the auction before hand because that sort of thing would haunt me....

More Bionic Toy Love:

6 Million Dollar Man Bionic Video Center

I've joked about the Bionic Video Center in the  past but there is no way as a kid that I wouldn't have wanted this.  Steve is reliving his glory days, he needs a six pack.

Bionic Favourites:

PodStallions 21: Bionic Man-ia

It was bound to happen, episode 21 talks of the Six Million Dollar Man television series which slow motion ran across our television screens (and our collective hearts) during the Polyester decade.

In this we discuss the series itself, the spin offs and the crazy/wonderful merchandise that made Christmas more memorable. We go through the fan club kit, discuss favourtie episodes and villains. Jason also gets to relay his experience working with the license some 30 years later and even 

Of course, that being said we get off track into discussions about Mego, Star Wars, West World, Penny Dreadful,  the career of John Saxon, Star Trek the Motion Picture , David Carradine and other things completely unrelated to our subject.

Episode 21 will have you looking your Bionic Eye.

Download the Show Here

Listen here

Show Links:

• The Japanese Spider-Man figure by Popy we discussed.
• The very first episode of Kamen Rider V3 sees his whole family murdered by a villain called Scissors Jaguar.
• The Ark diecast ad we discuss on the show that features Jason's beloved Baltan toy.
• How Star Wars figures were sold in Japan.
• The Captain Scarlet model kits Jason mention.
• Denys Fisher Cyborg toys based on Henshin Cyborg.
• A website devoted to the Shinsei UFO Commander toys.
• The Kamen Rider Henshin suit that keeps Brian up at night.
• Drool over the amazing Jumbo Machinders!

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!

We'll be adding Bionic Man collectible photos to Facebook.



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Vintage Toy Store Photos Volume 16

In an effort to combat the end of summer blues, I've dig deep to the days of Pegboard and regional toy stores to bring the 16th edition of our vintage toy stores feature.

Installment 16 features old favorites such as the Bionic Woman and Six Million Dollar Man, Barbie, the Osmonds, Atari, Fisher Price, Mego Diana Ross and much more.

We explore such long forgotten chains such as Bambergers, Two Guys as well as local toy emporiums such as The Toy Shoppes and Youngtown.

Check out Vintage Toy Store Photos Volume 16 here.

Bionic Spring '77 Extra

In the Spring of 1977 Kenner issued this supplemental catalog to retailers to showcase the innovations in their (then) biggest hit toy lines, the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman.

Bionic fever would wane the following year but this was truly a golden time from Bionic fans.

Check out the Kenner Bionic Spring '77 Extra



More Bionic Toy Love:

Bionic Displays

 

I'm really digging these store display shots I found in a Kenner promo piece for the Bionic Man. I honestly remember the outfit display as a kid, which had no effect. I had a million Big Jim and GI joe outfits as a kid but had no desire to change Steve Austin's clothes.

Fashions for the Bionic Woman make so much sense, I imagine they sold very well.

More Bionic Love

The Six Greatest Bionic Man Knock Off Toys

I gave up writing a weekly list for Topless Robot, in order to finish writing Rack Toys. I will admit to missing it from time to time, so I’m going to keep fresh by churning out the odd one for PlaidStallions.

The Kenner Six Million Dollar Man toy line is one of the most memorable and successful toy lines of the 1970s.

With the bright light of big sales, you attract a few bugs. A lot of competitors come and try to "cut your grass" as a former boss of mine would say, as the list goes on we'll see it gets more and more blatant.

6: PULSAR (MATTEL) 

 When faced with the overwhelming popularity of Steve Austin, Mattel decided not to play in the Cyborg sandbox at all but went sideways and made an all organic superhero. 

 That's pretty clever, combating steak with a vegan alternative, as a bonus, Pulsar was super gross to look at which is a bonus for young boys. 

Mattel sold the character for two years and didn't pay anybody a dime in licensing.



Come see the Greatest Bionic Man Rip Offs here

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