As mentioned on video, robots were a scary subject for me as a kid. Watching The Six Million Dollar Man nearly get snuffed out by John Saxon's KILL switch face-plate robot defined my formative-year negative impressions of them. That thing scared the crap out of me, and the Death Probe just made things worse -- To my four to nine year old brain robots were a menace, prone to malfunction, going on berserk frenzies of destruction, or programmed by humans with evil intent to use their robotic functions to do harm.
KILL
Consequently, robots were never a big part of my childhood toy interests until "Star Wars", by which time I was ten years old and went to town on the things: R2 and 3P0 were the stars of the movie, followed by Darth Vader whom I was convinced was a robot until the I'm Your Father thing. Talk about a game-changer, and I became less suspicious of robots as a result of the first movie's influence. Still have our original Kenner figures, followed briefly by interest in Micronaut and Shogun Warrior toy pieces prior to discovering that girls had something about them which was even more interesting. But the milk-spewing robot freakout from ALIEN didn't help, nor the assorted killer robots featured in Doctor Who, now regarded as the coolest things on the show ... Leave it as robots were problematic to me as a kid, and I never had many toy forms of them. Just spacemen.
(A longer version is linked at the bottom of the page.)
My interest was squarely in humans engaged in space exploration rather than sentient robots having all manner of fascinating adventures. But, what twisted Space Art fantasy is worth the paper it's printed on without some berserk malfunctioning robots who want to paw at our women, destroy whole worlds, and enslave all of humanity for it's own good? I haven't listened to all that Gary Numan for nothing. So I've obtained the specimens below, mostly in "Lot" acquisitions with spaceman figures & you don't send back the robots. You look at them for a while, and it sinks in: These things are cool. Only one is mechanical in nature, most just stand there being what they are, which is all they need to do to appear in my art. Not at the mechanical robot collector stage just yet! and many of these might be more along the lines of spaceman figures which just happen to have robot-like details. I can live with it.
Machines
Let's get right to the Big Guy.
Mattel licensed 24" Shogun Warrior "Dragun" figure based on a similar form by Popy, missing his battle axes & disc shooter. Had him since I was eleven or twelve, certainly before 1980 (age 13) by which time girls and learning how to play the guitar were primary concerns. If memory serves he was a birthday present and one of the last major toy acquisitions of my childhood years True story: Some bonehead I'm no longer associated with once begged me to let him carve it into a bong. We didn't stay friends very long.
Impressive enough so that even my dad could not chuck it out when divesting of our childhood possessions when we went off to college. He is forgiven many times over and gave a good hearty laugh when I showed him it was still with us.
From the website guide I found, he is a 3rd series Mattel issued Shogun Warrior, owing to the additional Japanese language copyright informations underneath the "Made in Japan". Only problem with the conclusion is that he has the upside down V shaped shin decals which were issued with the 1st series of Mattel Shogun's.
Nice buzz saws ... What do kids play with these days.
That would fling a plastic battle axe halfway across the room. Been hoping a stray will turn up while sorting through storage space boxes, but am taking the need to replace at least one serious enough to venture onto e-B4y.
YEAH HE IS. Destined be one of the star features at this Toys As Art show, if we go through with it. Right now I'd rather let the stuff sink in and figure out how to make art either with or around things like this. Plan the show once the art is ready: I hate it when the planning becomes the focus rather than the growth of the art, though I can certainly show preliminary forms & let others run with the concept as well. One of my roles as "curator" is to arrive at show topics which result in more art. In Central New York. Toys will work.
Like Godzilla off in the distance. Look! I made some art right there.
Now identified as a game board piece for the "Magic Robot" by Merit, the form derived from a British made robot figure by Cherilea. Obtained with a "Lot" acquisition of confirmed vintage spaceman figures, game long gone. Very hard plastic, nice metallic pour and gorgeous post-deco lines, and many thanks to the distinguished Alphadrome forum delegate who helped with the ID.
That notch there would keep him in place as part of the game board's spinner function.
Huh ...
No markings, and am aware that black line is likely indication of a fracture repair.
Goes right through the base ... Any insights on whether that's a fracture repair? Can live with it, he poses in art pix just fine.
Melt damage to his head. I lit my toys on fire too, it happens.
A pointer stick would be stuck in that hole. As seen in the borrowed pix, the piece would sit in a central spinner type device and spun around after asking the robot a question. His pointer would then direct the players to his "correct answer". Nifty, and it explains the base. Will learn more about the game and do a followup!
LP Toys "Space Robots". Arguable that they are not true robots but cyborg creatures, and more regarded as spaceman forms than robots. Alien life forms with mechanical bodies? Works for me: I like the gumdrop shaped dude, all ticked off about something. The guy on the space cart is a keeper too, and the confused looking robot with the claw hands.
LP Toys H.K.
Click here to visit the Commodore's Triang Spacex Golden Astronaut website's info page on the form to learn more about LP Toys' alien pace robot figures.
Nice stash of em on need. Some have damage and will likely be included in collaged/diorama-esque paintings as 3d figurative elements. The best condition get to star in diorama pix, and I do hope to glom onto some of the painted variations before too long.
LOVE the Timmee Toys "Laser Team" Mailbox Robot. R2D2's designer must have been aware of it, and looking. And am eager to score a five-inch version to consider ordering a new set of the larger figures direct from Timmee. In fucking green ... I want a white one!!!
BAhh ... Get two sets and one can be painted white? mehh.
Gloriously simple, that waffle pattern on the inside a nice touch. I like the Timmee astronauts, got a few of the larger 5" versions which are gorgeous. But the reason to have a Laser Team set is for the robots!
No markings and no way to date them, one of the drawbacks about pursuing Timmee forms as collection items. How can you tell a vintage later 60s pressing from a set made three months ago? as the moulds have been reactivated. You can buy a new "Laser Team" set for twelve bucks shipped, sealed, just dried from the moulds. Unless it's a sealed vintage bag with card there is no way I am aware of to demonstrate new from vintage. Just sayin', and if there is a way lemme know!
<3
Similar in idea, unknown "gumball machine" prize likely Made in Hong Kong prior to 1990.
Tomy wind-up robot, Japanese design but Made in USA.
His windup spring must have been wound a few times too many. Have a vestigial memory of destroying something like it as a kid.
1978.
TRANSPARENT ROBOT BRAIN CASES = WINNING
Now identified as the pilot figure from a vintage "Battlestar: Galactica" Cylon fighter toy. Had thought he looked familiar! and what threw me was the lack of a chrome finish, and cheers again to the Alphadrome.net forum member who helped confirm the ID.
Articulated at hips & shoulder.
Tiny thing, no markings anywhere. Definitely a Cylon, just not all silvery.
Another unknown. Definitely looks to have been part of a set, maybe game pieces? Features are painted and that yellow is very odd.
Marked China with an upside down 3, so likely part of a numbered set, and that also suggests game piece.
A favorite regardless! Would like to have the full set.
Hot Wheels "Zombot".
Click here for Fandom's reference page for "Zombot", and I am not seeing a blue variant with chrome gun on the described releases. They also cite 1987 as the first release, so this may be an "earlier" version which was re-worked.
Not bad for a Hot Wheels.
1985 Mattel Inc., Made In Thailand. So he was likely part of a multi-vehicle set, where Mattel has traditionally manufactured their multi-set or specialty set cars. Could have come as part of a track set, maybe a space car set. Not sure.
Bitchin' gun. Any Hot Wheels fans who can pin down a date + segment give me a shout!
Medic Droid from "The Empire Strikes Back", 1997 Lucasfilm Ltd. marked. I try to avoid franchise recognition when choosing subjects but he's always been a favorite. Had to have him & the price was right.
I believe he is taller than the standard issue classic Kenner figures. Which I have a box of from childhood, carefully put away. We'll take a look at some point.
Yeah, I like him. Great face and the mask is a brilliant design touch.
Ferrero/Kindertoy figure. Might be intended as an alien but I get robot out of his surface grooves.
Ferrero/Kinder Moon Scooter guys, mid to late 80s. Arguably spaceman figures but again their hard-shell outer casing looks robotic, as do the hands.
The scooters all fold up to be carried backpack style, another brilliant design decision.
Am not convinced that one is supposed to be sitting ...
Three Coman Boys figures from their "Robot Space Pirate" series, will learn more about it. I call them Antenna Robots and the middle one missing a 2nd helmet antenna, and all are missing their weapons & whatever other accouterments came with. Propz to the distinguished Alphadrome.net forum member who confirmed the ID.
Look to me to be equipment accessory notches, and am quietly suspicious that these are Kindertoy pieces as well.
They make me think of Gary Numan, standing there in the corner staring at nothing, waiting for someone to remember to please switch them off before leaving, lest their batteries run down.
Another Coman Boys "Robot Space Pirate" missing his gun, and whatever else. ID confirmed yet again by knowledgable Alphadrome.net delegates.
Also has equipment notches & similar feet.
Wildcard Figure! Now identified as a Ferrero/Kindertoy figure and yes, a robot. Came with the red guy above and he is definitely supposed to be a diver or underwater-equipped character. But those are robot arms, confirmed by yet another instant ID by the knowledgable Alphadrome.net space toy discussion forum members.
What would an underwater operating robot need in its air tanks ... Maybe argon? Helium??
Uber-articulated snap together ball and socket joints everywhere.
What would robot scuba divers be doing ... Removing lost nuclear weapons from shipwrecks ... This has potential.
Bagged up childhood Star Wars figures, with a couple Shogun Warriors mixed in too. Will dig em out for another post. I may despise the current state of the Star Wars franchise, but if the house was in peril they'd be one of the first things I'd evacuate.
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