80s Sword & Sorcery weirdness Arco Other World

[Werewolf]

I tend to be drawn to these funky 80s Sword and Sorcery lines. A fantasy line with glow weapons? I am so there.

I think this is one of the more obscure 80s fantasy lines. Really nice sculpting and paint for a budget line of bendy action figures. Arco put in a surprising amount of effort with these. Even including little fold out pamphlets with comic panels fleshing out the story and characters. It's a pretty rad little line and I can't forget to mention the sheer awesomeness that is Froggacuda. The line must have been fairly successful. They made a several waves of figures, mounts and even a castle playset.

Haven't had these out in quite a while. They've really held up. No rips, splits or tears, the plastic didn't get sticky and the colors didn't fade. They still feel like new and they are nice as the day I got them. Which is amazing considering this was a budget line meant to sell at places like Woolworths. Now the plastic windows on the boxes have really yellowed though.

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I forgot to mention they still have that 70s/80s toy vinyl smell. Especially Froggacuda. He is still quite pungent. It really takes you back.

[Earth 2 Chris]

A friend of mine had the castle (Castle Zendo, maybe?). It came with those odd little squishy-headed pigmy type characters in your photo. It kind of reminded me of what Mego did with Star Trek's Mission to Gamma VI playset.

We had a lot of fun with that castle. The "generic" design and lack of strong back story opened up a lot of play value. I know my friend used it as Castle Dracula for his Remco Universal monster figures.

Chris

[Werewolf]

I know my friend used it as Castle Dracula for his Remco Universal monster figures.

That was really clever.

I never had the Castle Zendo but I can see how it would work for a lot of different toys.

[PNGwynne]

This is a good-looking display, very colorful. But I'm not enamored of bendies, I guess I"m more of a Dragonriders of Styx fan.

I'm glad to hear the Arco line has aged well, that is a pleasant surprise.

[Werewolf]

I guess I"m more of a Dragonriders of Styx fan.

Those are wicked toys. I've long admired the action figures from that line but never had any. The only Styx toy I have is a little dragon from one of the army men sized sets.

[PNGwynne]

As a kid, I had the black knight and dragon man.

I look at them all the time on ebay, thinking I'll eventually assemble a set of figures and riders.

[Earth 2 Chris]

That same friend had the Dragonriders of Styx figure that was a red devil with wings. That was one wicked looking figure. It was like having something off a heavy metal album to mix with your GI Joes, etc. He too worked in nice with the Universal Monsters and Castle Zendo.

Looking back, I think his parents bought him cheaper toys because he had two siblings around the same age. He did have a lot of Joes and LJN Wrestlers, but the rest was off-brand stuff like this. And honestly, it was just as fun, and as I said, more open to play interpretation.

Chris

[PNGwynne]

I just looked up Castle Zendo--now that is a great playset.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Indeed!



Chris

[Werewolf]

Glow in the dark skull, fangs and eyes. What more do you need? That thing is all kinds of wicked.

[Klosterheim]

Wow! I think that I missed these toys.

I don't even think that I noticed them on the "Fantasy Toy Soldiers" webside.

Very cool figures and castle.