Wednesday, November 4, 2015

The Hulk 1967 & Johnny West Custom Ranch Hand

Doc Bruce Banner, braving the Gamma rays turns into the Hulk!  While your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man amazed everyone on Saturday mornings, the Marvel Super-Heroes, using limited animation techniques based on the actual comic book panels and stories, enthralled young viewers coast to coast after school.  All our favorites were there:  Thor, Captain America, the Sub-Mariner, Iron Man and...The Incredible Hulk!  

Original box: 

Comic Scene box:

Comic Scene comic:

My built up:


Johnny West Corner

The Ranch Hand Custom

This one is based on the prototype in Tom Heaton's book The Encyclopedia of Marx Action Figures.  The one he pictured has flocked hair, which I didn't do.  Might someday, but haven't yet.  This is a Johnny body with a Boone head and Navy Blue gear from CXR.  Since he is a Ranch Hand, I also display him with a branding iron and saddle bags.  I must confess this is probably the worst condition figure on my shelf, and that is at least partially intentional.  He has holes through is ankles, his...uhhh.   backside and a few staple holes.  That is because he was originally from a store display.  I have a real fondness for those displays, having spend as long as my mother would let me looking at them when I was a kid.  Just seemed kind of cool to me to have a representative of an historical prototype represented by an historical piece.  I said I have a fondness for the displays, but I don't actually own a display.  I believe trying to own one would violate my "don't take out a second mortgage for the collection" rule.

My interest in the prototype pieces is not odd colored or test shot figures or accessories, it is pieces that were designed or even mocked up or molded that still never saw the light of day on the toy aisle.  Anyone knows of any I don't know about, I would be most appreciative of the information.


No comments:

Post a Comment