386. Meeting my Match: HULK HOGAN 16' VINYL TOY, 1984

Would you believe, wrestling superstar HULK HOGAN (aka Terry Gene Bollea), is almost 65 years old?? Considred as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, HULK HOGAN is perhaps the most recognized face in the wrestling world back in the 1980s. That’s because he was also visible in the movies, seen in “Rocky III”(1982) as the nemesis of Stallone.

He was also seen in several TV shows (Thunder in Paradise, Hogan Knows Best and China), and enjoyed a career as the frontman for The Wrestling Boot Band, whose record, Hulk Rules, reached #12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.

No wonder then that HULK HOGAN’s likeness was coveted by marketeers,promotions companies as well as toy makers, who tried to cash-in on the wrestler’s fame by turning him into various merchandising items—from trade cards, wrestuling costumes, video games and the most wanted—action figures!

This fine example—is actually the biggest HULK HOGAN figure to be made in 1985. The vinyl figure, made by LJN Toys Ltd., stands an impressive 16”. HULK HOGAN comes in his trademark red hanging shirt, white headband and wears his championship belt.

I found this on ebay—one of those items that were tagged with “Make an Offer” feature. So I did, and offered a ridiculous price for this complete piece, which, to my surprise was accepted (Secret: It cost the equivalent of a thousand pesos).  To this day, HULK HOGAN remains active on and off the wrestling scene, and managed to rise above adveristies--including a divorce that nearly bankrupt him!

No such things as retirement for HULK HOGAN...

Hulkmania rules!!!

379. VINTAGE G.I. JOES IN A FOOTLOCKER BOX, 1960s

Opening this 1960s G.I. Joe wooden footlocker box is like peeking into Ali Baba's cave of treasures! This ebay find houses two vintage G.I. Joe action figures, one from the 60s and the other--a flocked-haired Joe--from the 70s decade.

The footlocker doesn't just contain these figures in good condition, but also a stash of clothes, uniforms, and plastic accessories. I really haven't sorted the stuff, but I am sure they will be of use to me later, when I re-dress them.

This is the older of the dolls, and it's a scar-faced brown haired Joe. I need a beret to go along with his outfit. he should date from 1964.

The more hirsute Joe still has his lush hair and beard after all these years. They sold for 34$ which is a steal, considering how Hasbro's 'action doll for boys' has risen steadily in price, with no signs of waning. There's a saying that goes--when you die, God looks not at your medals, but at your scars--and G.I. Joe sure has lots of them! And that's why I collect them!

338. He Is The Greatest Collectible: MUHAMMAD ALI BOXING PUPPET

A very amusing puppet I found on ebay--it's a plastic-headed boxing doll made in the likeness of Muhammad Ali or "Cassius Clay" in his younger days. Good thing the dealer was from the Philippines, so I coaxed him into pulling this out from the auction and selling it to me outright. Never mind if it's missing a glove. Made in Hong Kong in the late 60s, this mechanized puppet has a lever that you push hidden under his robe--that triggers him into a jabbing frenzy!

Boxing puppets like these are still being made today (I saw one recently, with the likeness of Saddam Hussein), but this vintage example has a charm that made me float like a butterfly and which stung me like a bee! :-). Muhammad Ali--you, indeed, are the greatest!

299. Classic Ghostbusters Find: STAY PUFT MARSHMALLOW MAN

One of the most sought after collectibe figure from the 1984 movie Ghostbusters,  is Mr. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (doesn't he look like a close cousin of the Michelin Man?). I found this sealed toy by Kenner in an Angeles City shop back in 1995, which still had old stocks of Ghostbusters toys, many in boxes. So what do you expect? I bought them all, of course. But this one is my favorite--dating from 1987.

Mr. Stay Puft, in his trademark sailor suit, was the final enemy of the first Ghostbuster, the chosen Destructor Form of Gozer, when Ray let the idea of a company logo "just pop in there". Out of the package, he sells for about $45 in great condition, but I've seen mint examples in their original packaging go for $200 or more! So sorry for the bad photo, I'm not about to tear Mr. Stay Puft out of his plastic cocoon; I ain't afraid of no ghost, I'm afraid it will decrease in value!

253. HULA-BALOO!

When Hawaii became America's newest state in 1959, its native culture fascinated American mainlanders--including its sinuous dance--the "hula". Inspired by dancing "Leilanis" , many merchandisers cashed in onthis iconic image of a hip-swaying Hawaiian maiden in a (missing) grass skirt and came up with nodders and bobbers meant for car dashboards and curio cabinets. This Made-in-Japan example, straight from the 50s,  falls into that category, but is much more functional. For one, the figurine is a bobber and ash tray in one, and is made of more expensive ceramic than the usual plaster cast models. The upper body is attached to its lower part with a spring. When shaken, the figure wobbles, mimicking the swaying moves of graceful hula dancers. So kitschy...so tacky...so collectible!!

152. JOHNNY HERO

Johnny Hero is a 13 inch figure made by Rosko Industries for Sears in 1965 as an alternative to GI Joe. He disappeared a few years after as apparently an alternative was not required. He was repackaged briefly (probably to dump unsold stock) as an Olympic Hero. Johnny came with a red number 16 shirt, gold shorts, socks and white tennis shoes. His body was a heavy foam with plastic hands and head. He had a metal prong in his hand that helped him hold a baseball or football.

Once you bought your basic Johnny you could then buy accessory sets from your favorite baseball and football teams. It is not unusual to find later sets with mixed accessories. You may find a Vikings helmet with Redskins pants and an Eagles jersey.

One of the problems with this line was getting the helmets and clothes off on and off of the figures. The foam rubber would tear easily and the helmet was nearly impossible to get on without cracking it or scraping Johnny's ears. That short production run also means that these figures are hard to find. Just a few years ago, you could find Johnny Hero MIB for under $50 and equipment sets for under $10. Now boxed figures regularly sell for $75-$125 and equipment sets for $25+. Well, I find mine in a local city thrift shop for just a hundred pesos! That's a heroic feat!

74. Dollified: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER in "COMMANDO"

The 1985 action movie, "Commando" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Col. John Matrix bolstered the Austrian beefcake's career as a Hollywood hottie. In the movie, Matrix's daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) was kidnapped and the colonel, a former elite member of a a special operations unit comes back to attack and destroy the evil perpetrators led by Bennett, an ex-captain of Matrix's very own unit. To capitalize on the film's success, Diamond Toymakers created this large 18" John Matrix action figurethat came with a pistol, an M16 and a grenade. The toy line was criticized for making children's toys out of Rated-R movies that few of them should have seen.

55. BIONIC WOMAN

Meet Jamie Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagner), the Bionic Woman--but do be careful--this former tennis player re-engineered by Oscar Goldman has superhuman legs, amplified hearing and a bionic arm that packs a mean wallop. Jamie first appeared in a 2-part episode on "The Six Million Dollar Man", earning such high ratings that a separate series was spun-off by ABC and later NBC, running from 1976-78. This mint-in-the-box action figure of Jamie Sommers made by Kenner was a purchase from Hake's Americana and Collectibles, a mail auction that was hugely popular before the advent of ebay. A quick ebay check showed a similar piece with a $99 starting bid, but I got this for just 20$. In 2007, an attempt was made to revive the TV series but failed to flex its bionic muscles.

54. 6 MILLION DOLLAR MAN Action Figure

The hit TV series Six Million Dollar Man ran from 1974-78 and was based on the novel Cyborg. Headlining this series about a man working for the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence) was Steve Austin (played by Lee Majors), whose various body parts (legs, left eye, right arm) were replaced by "bionic" implants. This enhanced his strength, speed and vision far above human norms: he can run at over 100 km/hour, and his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens with infrared powers. Steve Austin became such an icon that an action figure had to be made, replicating his bionic capabilities. This plastic figure shows Steve with his bionic eye (which is simply a magnifying lens) and a springing bionic arm. Also on Steve is an original membership button for "The 6 Million Dollar Man Club". In 1975, Steve was given a love interest with the launch of "Bionic Woman".

Nowadays, at the rate plastic surgery is being done in the Philippines, more and more men and women are becoming bionic, rendering the feats of Steve ordinary and commonplace.

27. TREKKIN" WITH THE STARS

Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and pointy eared Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) are ready for space action where no man has gone before! Vintage 1974, made by MEGO. Four more action figures from the Star Trek TV Series were produced by the renowned toy maker: Scottie, Lt. Uhura, Dr. McCoy and a Klingon. I was lucky to find this pair, in near mint condition and still in their blister packs. A quick search on ebay yielded a similar mint Capt. Kirk figure priced at $145! Of course, I paid much, much less for these two. I got these from Hake's Americana and Collectibles, a mail bidding collectible shop that preceded online auctions by many years. So you could say I had quite a headstart. Such are voyages of a star flea market trader!

9. PACMAN, DOLLIFIED.

Pambansang Kamao just got dollified!
This is a one-of-a-kind Manny Pacquiao deconstructed action figure made by a Bulacan artist who, using Sculpey ( a kind of mdelling clay) sculpted the likeness of the boxing legend and plunked it on a generic 12 in. vinyl body of some other action toy. Manny wears his trademark shorts (handpainted) and rosary. The boxing gloves and Everlast training helmet cmplete this boxed ensemble. I was surprised that this didn't sell on ebay.ph, even after repeated re-listings. So I snapped it up for under 3K! Definitely, the best pound-per-pound 12 inch action puncher on earth!