Anti-terrorist dolls unveiled

Syracuse Herald-Journal, Tuesday February 16 1982 "Reflection of good" o NEW YORK (UPI)'- American children can now be the first on their block to have their very own anti-terrorist squad. "Eagle Force," a line of anti-terrorist dolls of both sexes, was unveiled yesterday to a gaping audience in Manhattan. Mego Corp. Chairman Martin Abrams said the dolls were created because America appears to have run out of heroes. "We're focusing on the good guys," he said, adding the dolls were intended to get boys to "feel proud to be American." "When I grew up in the '50s, we had heroes. Everything was up-tone. But we got into a war in Vietnam and everything became negative. Watergate tore down institutions." "These are the American heroes of today," Abrams said of anti-terrorist squads, adding they are "a reflection of good." During the presentation at a midtown Manhattan heliport, traffic on a nearby highway slowed to a crawl as rubber-necking motorists, watched a stunt team of four men and a woman - dressed in gold jumpsuits and berets - descend from a hovering helicopter via ropes. Their arrival was heralded by an 85-piece marching band'playing "The Stars and Stripes Forever." The 3-inch metal dolls have such names as Captain Eagle, Wild Bill and Zapper, and youngsters can buy several accessories including the Eliminator Jeep and the Rampage Tank. There are villains as well, including Shock Trooper, Baron Von Chill[Editor's note: This character is named after then Mego VP of R &D Bill Baron] and General Mamba. Abrams skirted questions about introducing the concept of terrorism to children, saying only: "It's there. It's always been there." Click here to see more of Mary Anne Baron's amazing pictures of the Eagle Force Launch