Star. Team Day

[RSS]

I found this great promotional piece for Ideal's Star Team relaunch in the 1970s, I really haven't written much about these in years so I think they deserve some fanfare.


While Kenner was running around selling empty boxes and promises to kids for Christmas, Ideal resurrected an old brand used to market roll play space toys in the late 60s, dusted off some old molds and viola, they rushed some space toys to market.


They even released their own promotional marvel comic as mentioned above, I've scanned the book if you'd like to see it here.






The prototype Star Team cast.

Of course, the famous story is Lucasfilm sued Ideal but lost because all of the Star Team stuff was made prior to Star Wars. The Zeroids was a toy line from the late 1960s, Knight of Darkness utilized a Captain Action body and other parts, it's a rich tapestry.

While Ideal won, Star Team had a brief two year run before Kenner unleashed so much Star Wars goodness on us, our kids were born knowing who Chewbacca was....



1978 Ideal Star Team Catalog

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


More...

[mazinz]

YES!!!! I loved Star Team, though I had (and still have) Zeroid and Star Hawk. That UFO with the opening door was insane as a child. I used to use it with Star Wars and every other collection besides Zeroid. I never remembered/knew the proper name of these toys (too young then, most were pass my downs or orders from JC penny and I don't recall much after that). Back when I was in 7th grade (198? whatever), a friend of mine still had the box for Zeroid and Star Hawk in his basement and this is how I learned what the proper name was called. Thanks for sharing and showing some love for them

[Actorman]

I had Zeroid as a kid and used him as the sidekick to my 12" Mego Buck Rogers. I never had any idea what his name was but thought he was really cool because he lit up. I think I bought him at a yard sale.

I saw one again (with a Star Hawk) for the first time in decades at a toy show a few months ago. I had forgotten all about him until then.

This is why I love this site so much and it is the first thing I check in the morning. The euphoric nostalgia always brightens my day.

[acrovader]

I have Zem 21 and Knight of Darkness (sans gun). There was also an astronaut and some type rocket ship- both looking like something from Evel Kneveil.

[EMCE Hammer]

My Megos hung with the blue Zeroid and 12" Hulk and Spider-man were pals with KoD. Before they put me in the ground I hope to make customs of all of them in Mego scale.

The astronaut being referred to is probably Kent and his Cosmic Cruiser.

[Hedji]

I had Knight of Darkness and Zeroid. I can remember being fascinated by the blinking light technology of Zeroid at the time. That thing was mesmerizing.

[cjefferys]

I remember buying a Knight of Darkness, Zeroid and Zem 21 when they were blowing them out dirt cheap at K-mart. They are long gone, but I'm sure I'll be buying them again for my collection in the future, it's inevitable. I really have a soft spot for them.

[SpaceCrawler]

Star Team was a weird line. It was patched together to capitalize off Star Wars using several existing items in Ideal's catalog, including the 1960s Zeroids line (see commercial below), Captain Action, Evel Knievel items, and the name came from the late 60s kid-sized astronaut line of toys called Star Team.

Sean