It's League Of Extraordinary Bloggers time again. Hoard World previously joined forces with The League last Christmas for our very special "Dear Santy" blog entry.
For Those Who Came In Late: The League was created and spearheaded by Brian over at the website Cool And Collected to basically spread the blogging love by sharing a topic across as many participating websites as possible each week. Imagine that! A whole host of independent blogs coming together and uniting with different takes on the one topic! Then, they all link to each other's entries - increasing traffic, exposing new readers and growing the community!
This time around our mission (should we choose to accept it) was this:
You have very deep pockets but your shelves are bare. Go on a shopping spree at Hake’s Americana and Collectibles to make your place a little more awesome.
How could I resist?
There's so much amazing stuff on auction at Hake's. It's a little intimidating. It makes little ol' Hoardax here wonder if any of the nice things he's hoarded over the years are any good at all.
It wasn't long before I found what I was going to waste all my imaginary fortune on and it starts and ends with this guy right here: Lee Volpe.
All photos used with permission.
(Hake’s has given us permission to reuse their photos and descriptions in our responses to this week’s League challenge, just as long as we link back to their auction.)
Pictured: Garfield, Jim Davis and Lee Volpe.
From Hake's Lee Volpe Collection Auction Page*:
"Volpe helped Tyco expand their product line from the electric trucks, trains and car racing sets that made up 60% of their sales (with building blocks and novelty telephones like Garfield and Knightrider filling out the rest) by taking Jim Alley’s Dino-Riders idea and running with it. As Tyco’s Toy’s Manager, Director, and VP of New Product Development from 1982 to 1994, it was Volpe who put his background in industrial design to work, helping to design the classic Dino-Riders toy line, which showcased realistic, scientifically accurate dinosaurs. Volpe was also the Chief Story Editor and came up with the Dino-Riders back story, which helped flesh out the characters and provided the basis for the accompanying cartoon series. While a number of people were involved at the project’s genesis, it was Volpe who oversaw most of the production development of the Dino-Riders line. Additionally, Volpe oversaw production on Tyco’s line of novelty Garfield telephones, receiving feedback and insight from Garfield creator Jim Davis, who became a close acquaintance of Volpe’s."
Did I want to spend all my "money" on Dino-Riders straight from the personal collection of one of the key founders of the entire line?
Hellz yeah.
First off is a Dino-Riders Promotional Lot* that contains a bunch of awesome including the following:
Dino-Riders Licensing Stylebook binder w/numerous pages of artwork, story, designs and illustrations of toys and Tyco 1989 toy catalogue w/16 pages of "Dino-Riders" toy photos
The first issue of the "Dino-Rider" comic book published by Marvel Comics; one of the mini comic books that came w/the toys themselves; a packet of full color pages showing a proposed Japanese manga (comic book) treatment for the series.
Polaroid photos, four of which show a proposed Rulon version of the popular Diplodocus toy that never came to be
Next up is something I always dreamed of owning as a kid - The Dino-Riders Tyrannosaurus Rex! I might as well have Lee Volpe's one*. That's extra special.
Front of Box.
Back of Box.
Inside the Box!
I love how Dino-Riders were "Museum Quality Replicas" but with FULL BATTLE ACCESSORIES!
While I'm at it, why not get a lot of 16 blueprints/schematics* and unproduced designs of the Dino-Riders toyline?
Since I have an unlimited budget, I might as well grab this Stegosaurus Prototype*.
Like Grandpa Hoardax used to say, "@$!% the expense!"
Stegosaurus's head has ink notations on it, showing a "Brain Box" design, which indicates there was at one time a plan for an evil Rulon version of this toy (which was never produced).
Now that I'm building a pretty impressive Dino-Riders collection, I need to get the coveted Diplodocus*. It'd be silly not to. Just silly.
But I can't stop there. I also need all of these guys. I want to fill my imaginary empty shelves with as many Dino-Riders as I can fictitiously afford. Click on the images for larger pics!
Phew. That's a lotta Dino-Riders. But I have to be completely honest when I say, I'm gonna need some more Rulons and Valorians*. As always, please click on the images for larger pics!
When I was a youngster, I had an official VHS of the first episode of Dino-Riders that I think came free with a purchase of a certain amount of figures. I must've watched that episode over and over again. I'll save you the trouble of me finding that VHS tape and you borrowing it off of me and you can just watch it here. I loved the animation in the intro with the little kid in the museum.
I only ever had two little dinosaurs and a few 2-packs of figures from the Dino-Riders series. I had to make up the numbers with Imperial Toys and other random hard plastic cheap-o dinosaurs. Which was fine.
Fortunately, now that I've been granted the power of a bottomless wallet by this League Of Extraordinary Bloggers project I can truly Harness The Power Of Dinosaurs!
I can't wait for all this stuff to theoretically turn up in the mail.
I'll leave you with two more things from this great auction lot courtesy of Hake's.
I don't think I ever saw the final series of Dino-Riders in stores but inevitably right at the end of the line, The Ice Age was going to rear its ugly head. That's the only place an "historically accurate" series like Dino-Riders can finish up before the entire toy line goes the way of the dinosaurs and into bargain bin extinction.
Here it is folks - Dino-Riders: Ice Age......
Check out GROM the Neanderthal Caveman!
Watch some of the Dino-Riders: ICE AGE cartoon here!
Just a reminder that all of the Dino-Riders stuff in this blog entry is currently on auction at Hake's*.
I would probably also buy all of these prototypes* (completely unrelated to Dino-Riders) as well.
You should really check them out. They're similarly amazing.
You can check out other League Of Extraordinary Bloggers Hake's Spending Sprees by:
Progress 13 - Dork Horde - Branded In The 80s - Fortune and Glory (Days) - both of whom actually cover some of those amazing prototypes I mentioned earlier - The Robots Pajamas - Blogger From Planet X - SHEZCRAFTI - AEIOU and Sometimes Why - UnderScoopFire! and MANY MORE!
yr pal,
Hoardax.
*Note: Many of the asterixed auction page links in this entry may no longer be valid after March 22nd, 2013.
Wow what a spree you got there! I am yet anther 80s kid who always wanted that T. rex and never got it! So cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rich! I hear ya. That T-Rex would have been pretty awesome to have back in the 80s. When my one turns up in the imaginary mail, you can borrow it!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great post. I had see the cartoon but I had no idea how great the toys looked or I would have chased after them. I also like posts with a ton of pictures attatched. I appreciate the effort and the education.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Cal! I appreciate the kind words and the effort of commenting!
ReplyDeleteYou should totally check out the Hoard World Facebook - there's plenty more pics where these came from! Or if that's not your style - there's also Hoard World on Pinterest!
yr pal,
Hoardax.