My friend, Chris, had me start this blog, after I started
posting some related posts from the world of toys on Facebook, back in 2011.
Well the relationships were drawn together by myself, but I am sure that just
as things in the Cosmos are somehow tied together, the same is true in the
World of Toys. Whether or not the original toymakers saw these connections at
the time is uncertain, and probably will never be known. Here I have collected
the first day of these posts, I think I did this for about a week before
Chris told me he liked what he was
reading and seeing and that I should start a blog. So The Amazing Toyland is
that blog. I will try and collect the subsequent days posts before too long. I
have credited the appropriate sources for each topic.
One of the few toy-lines I liked as
a kid that wasn't tied to a movie or animation property was Battle Beasts. They
had thermal rub-signs similar to Transformers, except instead of the
Autobot/Decepticon allegiance, they showed a Fire, Wood, or Water emblem. These
emblems were used in a paper-rock-scissors fashion, with Fire beating Wood,
Wood beating Water, and Water beating Fire. They were very cool.
Check out a review at: http://www.collecttoys.net/1980s-Toys/battle-beasts.php
Displayed at San Diego Comic Con
2010 were new, larger, more dynamic Battle Beasts. They are supposedly slated
for 2011 release at $14.99 each. I dig the designs, and can only hope they get
animation support. I think they seem a bit costly, but I haven't seen them in
person, so they might be justified at that price.
Check out the gallery at: http://geekinbox.fr/2010/07/22/sdcc-2010-les-dragonautes-font-peau-neuve/dragonautes-battle-beasts-sdcc-2010-cool-toy-review-photos-2/
Less than 10 years after the
original Battle Beasts line came Beast Wars Transformers. Battle Beasts serves
as the "missing link" between Generation One Transformers and Beast
Wars. In Japan Battle Beasts were called BeastFormers, and were directly tied
into Transformers, while in the US no direct connection was made between the
Transformers and the Battle Beasts.
Check out the entry on the first
Megatron Optimus Primal two-pack from Beast Wars at Transformers World 2005: http://www.tfw2005.com/resources/beast-wars-predacons-144/megatron-alligator-527/
Pirate Lion was the #1 figure in the
Battle Beasts series 1. He had an awesome sword and an eye patch. The names of
the Battle Beasts were not on the packages back when. Instead they were
determined later. I didn't have any problem playing with these figures even
with a lack of names.
Head over to the Toy Archive to get
a glimpse of Pirate Lion: http://www.toyarchive.com/BattleBeasts/Figures/1PirateLionIcon1a.jpg
In the Japanese follow-up to Beast
Wars, referred to as Beast Wars Neo, Optimus Prime takes on the form of a white
lion, called Leo Convoy. This is most likely a nod to the Battle Beast Pirate
Lion. Convoy was the name of the original Optimus Prime in Japan.
Another entry at TFW2005.com: http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-images/toys/Beast+Wars+II-Beast+Wars+Neo/Lioconvoy+-+Beast+Wars+II/
