Recommended music: Elmer Bernstein – Who Brought the Dog
On this #WhateverWednesday from the archives, we’ve got the Mattel “Matty Collector” Vinz Clortho Keymaster of Gozer!
I’m not sure why this figure wasn’t packaged simply as ‘Louis Tully’ as it bears more than a passing likeness to a disheveled Rick Moranis, no need to make things complicated.
This figure came with a good amount of accessories including an alternate colander head, a terror dog statue overlay for the head, a pizza slice and a jar of popcorn. He doesn’t come with any coffee, but yes, he will have some. 😁
Recommended music: Huey Lewis & The News – The Power Of Love
On this #WhateverWednesday, we’re going back in time with the NECA Back to the Future Ultimate Marty McFly!
In the film, Marty is auditioning with his band “The Pinheads” for the Battle of the Bands on October 25, 1985. When they begin to play a hard rock version of “The Power of Love”, the head judge (played by Huey Lewis) cuts them off after just a few notes, claiming they were “too darn loud”.
This ‘Audition’ version of Marty was actually the second one released with a denim jacket look, however, it is a worthy redo as the first version also had his non-removable vest on top, so this is accurate to Marty’s look at school. In addition to the new jacket, the figure comes with an extra head sculpt (both mostly look like Michael J. Fox), a (tiny) family photo, a flyer for the clock tower, a hand that is starting to disappear (even though this happens later in the film with a different outfit), Marty’s headphones and Walkman, and a new black guitar and picking hand accurate to this audition scene.
We’re just 12 weeks away from the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future! I figure it’s worth jumping in the Delorean to revisit some great toys from the film.
Lastly, this #SomethingElseSunday, we’re still celebrating 70 years of the Muppets! Here’s a character you’ve seen many times, but you may really only remember from one particular sketch. From the Palisades Toys Muppets line, it’s Link Hogthrob!
While Link was first seen as part of the expanded cast during The Muppet Show Theme from the beginning of The Muppet Show season two onward, his speaking debut was on Episode 203 (Milton Berle) where he was featured as the captain of the Swinetrek on the reoccurring Pigs in Space sketch.
Unlike his resident scientist pig, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Link was featured in dozens of sketches over the last four seasons of the show, on top of the dozens of Pigs in Space bits. The character and voice were usually a play on a stereotypical male bravado, but I have to think Captain Kirk was also an inspiration for at least the Pigs in Space segments.
In the Palisades toy line, Link made his debut with series 4 along with Dr. Julius Strangepork. This seemed like a risky choice to me at the time, considering the First Mate Piggy included with the Pigs in Space Playset didn’t come out until wave six. The figure is a pretty excellent likeness of the character in a shiny purple suit with a silver cape. Accessories include a ray gun, a ‘Starhog’ magazine, and a miniature model of the Swinetrek ship.
#TheMuppets70
Recommended video: The Muppet Show Episode 307 Pigs in Space Sketch
Also on this #SomethingElseSunday from the archives, we’re celebrating 70 years of the Muppets! This is one character you may have forgotten about, from the Palisades Toys Muppets line, it’s Johnny Fiama!
This post last year was actually meant as an April fool’s joke featuring the Muppets Tonight character and his parody album. The sleeve and record were actually a pack-in with the Palisades Muppets figure and were really featured in episode 105 of Muppets Tonight. Johnny’s singing is meant to reflect Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett, who actually appeared on the show for the following week’s episode.
On this #SomethingElseSunday from the archives, I’ve got a short video with sights and sounds from last year’s Toy and Doll Show, including a Sectaurs Hyve playset (which I sold). While I liked having this giant, rare playset in my collection, I hadn’t really featured it in about a decade, so I’m glad it was able to go to someone else’s collection.
While I am going to miss out on next weekend’s show, I am going to have a similar table at this year’s local Retromania event.
On this #TurtleTuesday, we’ve got the return of a character specifically from TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze, it’s the NECA Keno with Scooter!
This figure made its debut at SDCC 2023, packed in a large pizza box with random stuff like a keychain, a T-shirt, a magnet, and an employee of the month card. Thankfully, the figure was recently made available without all the extras, just a boy and his scooter.
During the film’s opening scene, a multitude of New Yorkers are enjoying a slice of pizza, and Keno is revealed to be a new character for the audience to follow who works at ‘Roy’s Pizza’ and makes deliveries on his scooter. Well, at least he did before his shift ended early due to a run-in with the foot clan and four guys in weird green ninja costumes. 😉
NECA really did an excellent job here in recreating the look of a youthful Ernie Reyes Jr., the scooter in the film, and even the pizza bag and inner cardboard pizza box. If you want to change up Keno’s look, there is an alternate head where his smile is slightly different (while still being the happiest pizza delivery boy in the city), and two extra pairs of hands for doing ninja moves, not just delivering pies.
Dale's Toys 