I Think I've Got Smurf-Sickness...

We interrupt our regularly scheduled SDCC 2013 Toy Haul Report to point out the fact that Smurfs have been invading my desk (and waking moments) a lot lately.

It all started a while back when I scored a few vintage Smurfs at a local toy show...

Then, I somehow managed to steer away from several various Smurf collectibles at SDCC, which had the reverse effect of causing me to want Smurfs even more once I got back. A classic case of Damn-I-should-have-bought-those-itis.

Which has all led up to me practically losing my mind during a recent Toys-R-Us run when I picked up several new Schleich Smurf PVC figures...

And these unbelievably adorable micro Smurfs from Jakks (I love these little guys so much I can't stand it)...

And even these "just okay" Smurf blind bag figures from Mega Bloks...

THAT'S THREE DIFFERENT STYLE OF SMURF TOYS IN ONE SHOPPING TRIP.

I need help, people.

I've always loved Smurfs, and I make no apologies about it. And more than once I've bought a bunch of these little blue guys (and one gal) only to give them away after a while, but this time I think I'm in it for good.

Oh, and I capped my Smurf-themed shopping spree by buying 10 volumes of Smurf comics on Comixology.

Did I mention that I may need help? Because I may be losing my smurfing mind.

It's Toy Show Time and I Went a Little Crazy!

Hey fellow Hordytes! Sorry I haven't been blogging much. Work and personal life has just got me slammed. I really do miss you all.

This past weekend, I did manage to find a couple of hours to hit up our local twice-yearly Lake City Toy Show and I just wanted to quickly post my scores. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to blog about them all in greater detail at some point. God knows when that will be. But I can hope.

Also, sorry for the crappy pics. I just snapped these with my phone really quickly.

 First up, I made some pretty decent scores in the Star Wars department, snatching up two vintage Kenner figures I needed for $1 each, a vintage Micro Collection set for $5 (complete!) and a Power of the Force Oola, because even though I hate the POF line, green chicks are hot.

Another personal epic find for me was this lemon yellow Empire Gnome, which was a line of Smurf knock-offs that came out in the late '70s and early '80s. I had a couple and loved them. Now they're hella rare.

And speaking of Smurfs, I just couldn't resist these guys at $1 a piece...

But where things got crazy was when I, a person who has never bought a vintage lunch box in his life (except for my Dukes of Hazzard one), ended up catching lunch box fever with the purchase of these 5 beauties...

So, it looks like I'm a vintage lunch box collector now. Oh boy. I'm going to try and fight this, but man, they look sweet on my shelves...

Anyway, that's my latest score.

Truth is, I've been piling up all kinds of toys and comics and other cool things that I keep wanting to blog about, but just haven't found the time lately. Hopefully, I'll get around to them all eventually.

In the meantime, I hope you all are doing great out there!

Thanks for joining me on this little moment of show and tell. :)

Random Toy Pic #15

The Randomest Cheap-o eBay Haul EVER!

Some of you may not know this about me, but I like to buy toys on eBay. No, no... it's true. If I don't watch it, I can kill an entire afternoon trolling for cool action figure lots and hunting down good deals. And recently, I managed to win one of the most random assortments of toys I have ever seen, causing me to imagine some mom emptying out her grown son's old toy box and lumping together anything that was roughly humanoid in shape, made of plastic and under 4" tall and throwing them all up on eBay as one big bundle to see if anyone bites.

Well, I bit.

About $10 plush shipping later, I was the proud owner of a mish-mash of action figures from all walks of toydom. And here they are...

Look at that insane collection! Clearly some guy around my age is, at this very moment, saying to his mother, "You sold my WHAT?!" Sorry, dude.

First up are the figures that led me to this find, a Kenner Super Powers Flash and an Aquaman. As you all know, I scored some killer Super Powers dudes a while back and am now kind of on a kick about them. Seriously, I would have paid ten clams just for these two figures alone, so I figure that the rest of the haul is gravy. 

Next up we have some classic Fisher Price Adventure People. Despite there simplicity, I find these guys quite charming. Of course, these dudes, a swingin' swim instructor, a banana colored scuba guy and a motorcyclist with no motorcycle, may not be the best examples of the more shining characters in this line, but read on...

These are the most kick ass figures of the line! You all saw two of them the other day, such was my excitement of finally owning a Clawtron and X-ray lady again that I just had to post them. In the middle is one of my favorites from bygone years, the green headed space traveler who's name escapes me right now. I actually already have this guy and his classic one-man space fighter, thanks to Bubbashelby, but this one is in super duper condition and will get added to the mighty shelf of nostalgia. Now I just need to get an X-ray man!

Seriously, people... how pimp is Clawtron?

There were also other singular oddities in this bunch, like this vintage Mego Pocket Heroes Zod, who spends a lot of time ordering my other figures to kneel before him, a Planet of the Apes parachuting orangutan and some Star Trek dude. I don't know... Bones? No idea who he is, but he's sporting the same lovely shade of banana as the Fisher Price scuba instructor.

And what jumble of random toys would be complete without two Gargamels and a Waldorf? I actually had the Gargamel in the middle, who originally came with a little Azrael (which I now have to find). And doesn't Waldorf look like he's going, "Oh, puh-leeeze!"

And, of course, one single random plastic cowboy. Why not.

Ahhh... Action figure lots like this bring me way too much joy. Something about kicking back and looking over them that sends me back to the days when I toted around my cherished cowboy boot box, filled to the top with a willy nilly collection of figures. As I would put them away at night, an Indiana Jones next to several Smurfs, a Snake Eyes next to one of the Duke boys, a Cyclon next to an R2D2, I would imagine that they would talk about today's earlier adventure, going back over the exciting parts, telling my Remco Wolfman that he'd get his chance next time and everyone keeping a wary eye on Warduke.

I wonder what these figures will talk about tonight? One thing is for sure, I imagine there will be a lot of, "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!"