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Toy Biz Lex Luthor
I have some fun picking on the ridiculousness that is Toy Biz's Self-Abusive Lex Luthor on the latest episode of Those Wonderful Toys. PLUS, a look at Funko's recent 1st Appearance Superman!
Chris
Chris
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Ah, the infamous punch myself in the face Lex. Their early DC stuff was comically bad but I still miss the company.You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return... -
^Agreed. Hard to believe Marvel Legends came from the same company as this abomination.
I have a soft spot for these figures because they were the first line I scooped up as a brand-new collector in 1989, after there was NOTHING new for me to collect in 87 and 88 super heroes-wise.
ChrisComment
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I feel like that Luthor was in the markdown aisle in my Toys R Us for at least five or six years. Ironically I never did pick one up, even though I collected the Toy Biz figures. The DC and Marvel figures they put out in '89 and '90 were pretty much what kickstarted my toy collecting once I graduated high school. I have a soft spot for them as well!Comment
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Saw a lot of these LL figures in the bargain bins back then. I confess I picked one up.PUNY HUMANS!Comment
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I think this figure falls into the "so bad, it's good" category.The hands that grip.Comment
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The original ToyBiz was actually a hastily thrown together toy company based out of Canada (Charan) when they discovered the Batman movie license wasn't being picked up, they changed hands by the early 1990s.
I worked with one of the people who started ToyBiz for a brief time, he got me a gig with Warner Brothers and a pickle company for a summer. I kid you not.Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions
Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shopComment
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I remember getting the Toy Biz Batman and trying out his climbing belt, ONCE! Pulled the thing out completely, and let go of the figure expecting it to climb slowly. Smacked my knuckles so hard it drew blood. About as safe as a Wham-O crossbow.
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^Yeah, the winch in my Toy Biz Batman belt still works like that!!!
There were a few stores in my area that had Super Powers figures into 1987, maybe early 88, but by the time I decided to actually collect things, they were gone from around here. Secret Wars Kang remained.Could you still pick up Super Powers at that time in the stores? I heard some were htf even even.as they were released.
ChrisComment
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My local TRU had Darkseid, Kalibak and Desaad's until the early 90s. Justice joggers too.
Another toy chain I went to had like 1,0000 wonder Woman figures. I eventually bought some wholesale off the manager.Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions
Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shopComment
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No, these were regular card versions. I can tell you where those slim carded versions came from, that gentlemen i worked with did a promotion with Shell gas stations here in Canada where you could get a Super Powers figure with a fill up. Shell apparently way over ordered.
A lot of Americans tell me they remember seeing these, so I called him and asked why? Seems that he sold the excess inventory to a liquidator in the US which also ticked Kenner off royally.Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions
Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shopComment
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Ok, I really want to hear this story someday.
I saw some of the less popular Super Powers (eg. Flash, Darkseid, Desaad, etc) at retail in the early nineties. I recall the 3rd series being a bit tricky to find in stores when they came out, and never saw Cyborg at retail at all. I remember a local comic/toy store had a carded Cyborg for sale back in 1989 for $15, and I stupidly passed on it ("What? I'm not paying that much for a toy that just came out a couple years ago!" D'oh!)Comment
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I only saw Cyborg once. I found him and Captain Marvel (Shazam!) at the local Wal-Mart. I only had enough money for one (I was 11). Cyborg was cool, but Captain Marvel had history. He had the TV show. So I went with the Big Red Cheese. Ol' Billy ain't cheap nowadays either, but he ain't no Cyborg!
I never saw the slim cards at retail. I do recall seeing pegs of Darkseid at a TRU and a KayBee at the mall in nearby Lexington, but some savvy collector/dealer must have scooped them up by the time I got into the collecting game proper. As I recall Darkseid came in his own case assortment, which accounts for his abundance.No, these were regular card versions. I can tell you where those slim carded versions came from, that gentlemen i worked with did a promotion with Shell gas stations here in Canada where you could get a Super Powers figure with a fill up. Shell apparently way over ordered.
A lot of Americans tell me they remember seeing these, so I called him and asked why? Seems that he sold the excess inventory to a liquidator in the US which also ticked Kenner off royally.
ChrisComment
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