One of those Bucket-list/grail items you don't really contemplate ever getting, do to its rarity, it's likely cost, and its peripheral position in the oeuvre, but nevertheless, I picked one up cheap'ish, clean'ish and complete on Saturday so let's have a look at it!
There wasn't the hype surrounding Superheroes over here, that there has been since at least the last War, if not earlier, over where they were invented, and indeed they were rather frowned-upon in some circles, here, but, by the 1970's they were more obvious, and more embeded in the cultural landscape, with both the comics imported (or printed here under licence?) and the various TV shows being broadcast, followed by the big movie; Superman [I] so a few UK-specific toys were created, among which was this from Charbens.
Interestingly, I seem to recall reading somewhere, that some comic cross-pollination occurred in earlier decades, due the use of unsold stock, crossing the Pond in either/both direction/s, as ballast in empty or lightly laden tramp-steamers or other vessels, but I'm not sure of the veracity of that particular urban myth, it may pertain more to publishers remaindered or 'pulping' overstock in general, and included or not, comics?
On the back we have advertising for the other set, of which we have seen Dracula courtesy of Peter Evans, and from the Dorset/Marlborough/Plastic from the Past era, in a sort of fibrous or mildly foamed polymer, so only two to find, one of which is Frankenstein's Monster, not, as stated, 'Frankenstein'!
Dating from 1977, one wonders if these are Prindus (Prison Industries) output, the polystyrene mouldings are a bit flashy, and the polyethylene bases could be old, surviving stock - vast qualities could have been carried/passed-on in a few small sacks/cartons, to whichever Civil Service team set-up Prindus?
The seller was adamant I should paint them, but I will probably keep them as they are. The paints, similar to those issued by Airifx in their Battlefront line (and other 'starter' kits), are long-dried-up! Also, a cheap brush is probably missing from one of those slots in the tray?
We also looked at a contemporary advert from a retailer's catalogue, of the footballers and Euro-babes from the same range! And the plastic colour, perticularly of Superman (and some of the Euro-babes) ties-in with my hardplastic Greco-Romans from 'Charbens', which I also mused might be Prindus production.
No comments:
Post a Comment