Once Upon A Zombie (WowWee)

Before we jump into today's post, we'd like to share a fun video we found on Youtube where the cast of the 1960's Batman television series played against the cast of Gilligan's Island on Family Feud. Man, that Richard Dawson was quite the ladies man. Check it out, and try to count how many kisses he gets from Mary Ann and Catwoman! Lucky dog!

Once Upon A Zombie
WowWee
2013

We don't touch much on (what would be considered) girls toys (by most). However, we do appreciate a good "doll" line. Especially when it's not one hyper fixated on living in a dream world where everything is catered to you in pink fashion. You know who we're talking about.

Once Upon A Zomibe may be cliche in its zombie theme, but it works in a way. The dolls are based on the book which was intended to be a trilogy by author Billy Phillips. However, to date it appears that only book one has ever been released, and that was back in October of 2015. Will book two ever see the light of day (let alone book three)? Seems doubtful, but we've been wrong before.

Regardless, the book(s) aren't what we're here to focus on, but rather the characters that were produced in doll fashion by WowWee.

 

The dolls have very meticulous details to them which make them stand out significantly from your average girl's toy. For starters, the paint deco on the scars and stitching is amazing. Not only that, but the glass eyes and rooted eyelashes give them a quality that most dolls just don't have these days. If there was one complaint to be had, the paint tones could have been mixed up more to show a more decaying corpse than just a reject pale vampire. These are zombies after all.

There are definite hints of Disney inspired themes in the dolls. Specifically their clothing (look at Snow White specifically). However, these are not a Disney iteration, nor are they intended to be. These are designed to be zombie versions of their classic fairy tale counterparts, and for the most part that's what you get here.

Speaking of the clothing, a lot of detail went into each dress as well. They each have a jagged edge theme to them, which only drives the "horror" theme all the more. Each one also has strategically placed wear and tear incorporated into it - Such as holes.

Overall, these aren't bad dolls.

Unfortunately with the series seemingly dead (no pun intended), there is little movement in the dolls on secondary markets. The dolls sell for roughly $20.00 to $30.00 here and there, but sadly there is more supply than demand. This could be a good thing if this is a series you're interest in getting into, and want to do so for as little as possible.

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Carrie (NECA)

Before we start - For those of you confused by our brief posting the other day about it being May, and Free Comic Book Day being right around the corner, fret not. We haven't gone insane. We don't think it's May. We actually work well far in advance here at The Toy Box, and that was a post we already have in the works for May of 2018. So, check back in about a year for that one! It'll be here sooner than you think (sadly).

Carrie
NECA
2013

We often wonder what it's like to be sitting around your house one day as a struggling writer, have your phone ring, and be told by your agent, "Hey, you're now a millionaire." That's pretty much how it went for Stephen King when his agent called him and told him that his very first novel, Carrie, was a best seller.

Mind you, this figure of Carrie White isn't the iteration portrayed by Sissy Spacek in the 1976 classic film, but actually the rebooted version played by Chloe Grace Moretz in 2013. Not a bad thing - Just stating for a matter of reference.

The figures were produced in 2013, and much to the standards of NECA was a one off (with a variant of course). Carrie can be found in both her white prom dress with a bouquet of flowers, or her not so white anymore prom dress covered in blood. For those of you familiar with the film, you know this is because the gag of all the cool kids at prom was to get Carrie elected prom queen, then douse her with pig's blood while accepting her crown. She then quirks out, and we see that Carrie has a supernatural power to eradicate anyone she wants. For those of you who haven't seen it...well, that's what happens. Sorry for spoiling it for you.

This is really a niche demographic item, so it's no surprise that the figure was a relatively large bust on store shelves. Many second hand dealers are trying to offload these, but sadly are pricing them too high to make them desirable to your average collector. Between $10.00 and $15.00 is what people are willing to pay for both the standard and bloody version. However, most dealers are asking for $20.00 for the standard edition, and upwards of $30.00 or more for the bloody variant. This makes the figure a no sale scenario for most.

If you're looking to add this figure to your collection you face one of the most difficult challenges of collecting - Finding a seller who knows what the figure is reasonably selling for to get it at a fair price. Patience will be a virtue here.

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Electroman and Zogg the Terrible (Ideal)

Electroman
Ideal
1977

Man, vintage toys really were the best. They just don't make them like they used to. Take Electroman here. The figure incorporates a flahslight which can be used to blast his enemy Zogg the Terrible (which we'll go into more down below).

Electroman is decked out from head to toe in an almost Mork from Ork style garb - Or perhaps the Greatest American Hero. Bright red and yellow makes this guy stand out like a sore thumb in your classic hero lineup.

Zogg the Terrible
Ideal
1977

As mentioned, Electroman was intended to be paired with Zogg the Terrible.

Zogg here features a motorized attack function. This does little more than make him walk forward, as well as the key piece for playing out battles - A stun deflector shield.

You can play with Zogg by either interacting him with Electroman, or blasting him yourself with the included stun gun. Remember, it's not about killing the villain. It's about stunning him to take him alive. That's what good superheroes do.

As was the case in the 70's (and 80's), when ordering toys from a catalog you often didn't get the flashy packaging that sat on toy shelves. Take for example these Montgomery Ward catalog boxes below. This is how the dolls came from that particular retailer.

Depending on the condition you're looking for, Electroman can set you back anywhere from $8.00 (poor / loose) to $400.00 (mint / sealed). Oddly enough, the Montgomery Ward versions in their bland brown boxes go for more than packaged ones.

Zogg is much more scarce, and loose will set you back anywhere from $50.00 to $80.00. Mind you, that this doesn't include the stun gun. Boxed versions are few and far between, and more so from European countries when found. Due to its scarce nature, we can't estimate a value for one on the box.

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R.I.P. Adam West

As I hear more and more as the months go by about the death of actors and musicians who in essence shaped my childhood, and helped see me through tough times as an adult via their epic work I can't help but start to feel my own immortality. It saddens me to lose such iconic people, and makes me more cognizant that my time is approaching as well.

Many of you have already heard, but legendary actor Adam West was the latest casualty to pop culture. West died Friday, June 9th after a short battle with Leukemia.

As an actor, he played many roles, but none as memorable as Batman in the campy classic 1960's television series. For many, West's performance as Bruce Wayne and the caped crusader was their first foray into the world of Batman. In essence, he was the persona which kept the character alive and relevant during the groovy flower generation.

It could even be argued his presence as Batman was even more so popular in his elder years than it was back when the series first aired. This was probably cemented by the fact that Adam always made himself available for appearances at conventions, premieres and many other events. He always had a smile, was always very casual with fans, often giving autographs, handshakes, hugs, photographs, or all of the above. His happiness emanated across rooms he was in, and his smile was contagious on all the faces of those around him.

Over the past few years, fans have been privileged to see numerous Adam West as Batman related merchandise released. Toys, clothing, and even the highly coveted classic television series on Blu-Ray and DVD have made their way into the hands of many eager fans. Though these items will never replace Adam West, they will be a constant reminder of his legacy for many across the world.

We will miss you, Adam West, but you will never be forgotten.

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Marvel Adventure World Playset (Amsco)

Marvel Adventure World Playset
Amsco
1975

Amsco is no stranger to the world of cardboard playsets. They made a killing on them in the 70's with playsets such as Space: 1999, Planet of the Apes, The Waltons, and of course the one we're looking at today - Marvel World!

The playset mostly features itself around the world of Spider-Man ala the Daily Bugle backdrop. However, it features numerous characters from the Fantastic Four to Iron Man to Captain America, and so on.

For cardboard, this playset is very well put together. It's sturdy, durable, and if we had to admit it - Pretty darn fun to play with. Sure it's not made of plastic, but it's got a lot going on for itself.

Admittedly, the chances of you finding one for sale are pretty slim. Amsco playsets are considered holy grail collectibles among toy enthusiasts. The "figures" can set you back up to twenty dollars a piece, and finding one mint in the box will set you back at least $1,500.00. This set is no joke when it comes to being an investment. Most people aren't going to buy this, then tear it out of the box.

For the rest of you that can't drop that kind of cash on a cardboard cut out playset, you can at least take it in visually via the internet, and enjoy it for the bit of nostalgic Marvel Comic history that it is.

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