Happy 40th Anniversary, Infamous Kenner ALIEN Toy!

40 years ago, in October 1979, Kenner Products distributed retail stock of their spectacular new ALIEN action figure to retail outlets throughout the USA and selected nations around the world. Intended to capitalise on the Christmas season market of that year, the 18 inch tall action figure was based on an implacably hostile space monster featured heavily in a recently released R-rated movie. Despite the R-rating, the large toy was marketed at children, ‘AGES 5 AND UP’. An age group that was unable to attend sessions of the movie due to its violent and otherwise generally inappropriate content for children. A toy based on the horror/science fiction movie, ALIEN.

ALIEN was a big hit with audiences in 1979 and Kenner was eager to release their oversized toy to retailers late that year. Due to massive financial commitment to the Project, Kenner’s substantial expectation in sales were intended to follow in the footsteps of the massive success of their popular Star Wars toys. These popular toys were released the previous year and sales of the ALIEN product were expected to equal or exceed those sales.  It is estimated Kenner sold over forty million Star Wars toys in 1978!  As to how many ALIEN toys Kenner planned to move the following year is anyone’s guess and actual production or sales figures are not available. Christmas 1979 was rapidly approaching and the ALIEN toy was Kenner’s big entry into a potentially lucrative new property hot on the heels of the success of their Star Wars toys. Forty million units, though? Just keep that astonishing figure in mind for now. Continue reading

eBay – For Sale 1979 Kenner ALIEN in Box.

UPDATE: This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing.

Let’s make a hat trick of these posts today, shall we?  Listed on eBay today is this 40 year old vintage Kenner ALIEN toy.  It’s the third one that’s appeared on the service today.  It’s complete.  It’s in the box.  It’s got a hefty price tag of US$1600.  Aside from that price, does this item attract my attention?  It sure does. Is there anything worthy of note about this item?  Yep. There sure is.  Let’s take a closer look at what US$1600 will get you…

Well, it’s a nice looking box.  It’s a little worse for wear and certainly not in pristine condition.  That’s not really a problem.  The price sticker has been picked at and there’s the usual dents and marks common to these older boxes.  It clearly has the front window attached and in place and that’s welcome, too.  Unfortunately, photos don’t show what the condition of the top and bottom of the box actually look like.  For US$1600, you might want to know the condition of those features.  I have seen boxes where the bottom has been damaged, rotted out from sitting on a damp surface for an unknown number of years.  You don’t want to spend US$1600 to find out your expensive Kenner box has a yucky bottom.  Nope.  That’s just tragic.

Nonetheless, let’s assume this box is in as good a condition as expected.  Let’s just take it for granted that the top and bottom of the box are in great condition; and the window in the top is also present. Are there any other issues we may want to be aware of?  Like, for example, has it been opened?  Continue reading

eBay – Kenner ALIEN Missing Dome for Auction.

UPDATE: Sold for US $187.50 (19 bids)

Oh, look!  It’s another 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy for sale!  Wait… didn’t I post about one of these things for sale just earlier today?  Sure I did; and this one is up for auction. “Hey, I thought these things were rare.  Aren’t these weird ass things rare?”  You may tell yourself.  Nope.  Actually, they are not rare.  For a 40 year old toy, there does appear to be a surprisingly large amount of them around – and demand for them is high.  Very high – just like the prices they command.

Despite the high prices of these old toys, it would appear nobody knows how many of these things Kenner actually made.  Any quantity you choose to nominate is valid.  The fact is, these things appear on eBay with incredible regularity – and often at astonishing prices.  Even incomplete figures like this one can result in hundreds of dollars from an eBay auction.

As of this post, this particular auction started 2 hours ago with a starting bid of US$0.01 and 2 bids have already been place.  Let’s see how high that one cent starting bid climbs.  It can escalate to any amount.  Nonetheless, it’s a safe bet it will exceed the US$100 mark with ease.  It may even do so within 24 hours.  This item is almost complete but it is missing the dome on the head. Everything else is present, albeit a little scuffed and scratched around the edges.  Everything appears to be in good working order, too.

I’ll be surprised if this sells for less than US$150.  I love watching these auctions.  Sometimes they can surprise me and the piece will sell for less than expected – or possibly even sell for double if a bidding war starts.  This is going to be fun!  I’ll be keeping an eye on this item and will update this post with a result in 5 days time, when it finally concludes.

-Windebieste.

eBay – Average Condition Kenner ALIEN for Sale.

Today’s 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy for sale on eBay is in a condition that is very commonly found. 40 years have passed and these things are appearing on the online service regularly.  Almost on a daily basis, you might say.  Quality can range from immaculate figures in an unopened boxes right down to individual parts for sale extracted from stripped down figures.  This one is in ‘average’ condition.  Let’s take a look at what this means.

For US$225 let’s see what you get for this four decades old ugly toy.  Firstly, he is incomplete.  That’s the most important consideration here, otherwise this Kenner ALIEN toy is in reasonably good condition. First, let’s see what is absent from this figure as those missing components and parts will aid in determining its ‘average’ status. Continue reading

eBay – Custom Kenner ALIEN Toy in Box for Sale.

UPDATE: This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.

Listed on eBay today is this curiosity.  This 40 year old 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy being sold in Japan includes it’s box and poster.  Painted in flat gun metal grey with silver highlights, this is a modified figure and significantly removed from its original condition.  Yet, it still maintains all of its original parts.  It’s 100% complete.

While it is unusual for a custom item like this one to include a box, it certainly does happen.  Neither the figure or the box can be considered in excellent condition, though, and certainly a long way from the Near unused state the seller is claiming.  The US$999 price tag is very hefty.  For this coated item to be anywhere near that value, it would have to have been painted by HR Giger, Salvador Dali or maybe some other artist of reputation or fame.  Sadly, I suspect this is not the case.

Continue reading

eBay – ‘Feature Complete’ Kenner ALIEN for Sale.

UPDATE:  This listing has ended, presumed sold.

Posted today on eBay is this ‘feature complete’ 1979 Kenner Products ALIEN toy.  He’s got it all – dome, both split tongue parts and the strange shaped shoulder crest on his back!  All important parts for a vintage toy to possess.  But wait, what does ‘feature complete’ actually mean – and is this sample actually worth US$500?  Let’s find out.

Firstly, let’s just say that one of these toys in complete condition is highly sought after by collectors.  Unfortunately, many of them are now missing critical parts.  The dome on the head, the crest on the back and the split tongue halves are frequently absent from samples.  About 80-90% of ALIEN figures are now missing these parts.  Figures lacking these parts are astonishingly easy to come by and it is common for owners to replace lost pieces with reproduction parts. Continue reading

eBay – 2 Kenner ALIEN Toys for Sale.

UPDATE: Both of these items are now sold.

Listed today on eBay are a pair of Kenner ALIEN toys from different sellers.  They are both used and missing common parts.  The major difference is the level of cleanliness each is demonstrating.  One item is in dire need of a bath; the other one?  Not so much. Otherwise, they’re both in very similar condition.

While both figures are missing common pieces, being the dome and the dorsal crest, there’s an obvious difference in condition and an anomalous listing in price.  The Grub Monkey on the left is clearly in a lesser desirable condition than the more presentable item on the right – yet the Grub Monkey is priced at an additional US$25 more than the other superior figure.  Sure, the Grub Monkey has an additional mouth piece present but the inclusion of that item doesn’t warrant the US$25 increase in price.  No.  There is simply no official price guide for these things so they do get listed with all kinds of expectations.  They do sell at any price and both of these items are listed with ‘Make an Offer’ option.

Surprisingly, despite it’s obvious dirty condition, the Grub Monkey may yet sell  for that amount.  Regardless, it’s a safe bet the cleaner and cheaper sample that will sell first.  It’s simply less risky as well.  Covered in so much dirt and looking like it’s been exhumed from a dog bone burial site raises other questions about the Grub Monkey sample.  Sure, he can be cleaned up very well and made to look presentable but other questions need to be asked: Continue reading

eBay – 1979 Kenner ALIEN Toy.

UPDATE: Sold for US$300 (2 bids)

Let’s take a look at another Kenner ALIEN toy for sale on eBay.  This one is nearly complete and is just missing its dome.  Aside from this issue of incompleteness, it’s a decent looking figure.  Bidding starts at US$300.  Or you can Buy now for US$390.

There’s nothing particularly outstanding about this US edition of the toy.  All the parts are present minus the dome.  The right arm can hold an elevated pose – that’s a good thing and uncommon on these old toys.  It may even be considered suspicious.  The left arm appears to be very loose as we can see a gap between the ball and socket joint making the black cavity of the interior of the figure beyond visible.  It’s either a symptom of a loose neoprene anchor or a repair that hasn’t been 100% successful.  Either way, it can be fixed. Continue reading

eBay – Complete Kenner ALIEN Toy for Sale.

UPDATE:  Sold for US$500.

The Kenner ALIEN toy I posted yesterday sold within 24 hours for the listed price of US$399.99.  That was quick.  Let’s see how long this one takes to sell, then.  There’s always more of these things where they come from, somehow.  This 40 year old toy is listed for US$500.00 on eBay and is complete; but it does come with some caveats.

This figure appears to be in good shape but is it worth US$500?  The presence of the dome on the head makes it complete but no indication exists whether or not the dome is missing any of the 5 nubs on its lower edges. This critical value adding detail is not revealed in the images or the brief description provided by the vendor, “1979 18 in vintage Alien Action figure by Kenner. Condition is Used. does not have a box. All parts are attached nothing broken off. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.”

The figure appears to have other issues, too.  Leaning as it does, propped up against the wall would indicate the figure has extremely loose hip joints and may be prone to toppling over.  What’s just as concerning is the orientation of the dorsal crest on the figure’s back (circled) as it is placed upside down.  These features are often missing from the figure and their absence can indicate damage to the slot it is mounted in.  One returned to the figure like this in an inverted state might indicate such damage may be present on the mounting slot, thus removing the figure even further from perfect condition.  Documentation of any possible damage is lacking in the listing. Continue reading

eBay – “Nice” 1979 Kenner ALIEN Toy for Sale.

UPDATE: Sold for US$399.99 about 24 hours after listing.

Listed on eBay today is this sweet treat.  It’s a 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy.  It’s incomplete, missing only the dome and the used condition is declared as “nice” by the seller.

It does look like a good, solid standard US pressing of the figure.  Nothing is broken or too tarnished – but nothing too outstanding, either.  It is covered in a layer of dust but that’s easily cleaned with some care and patience; and the arms are elevated slightly off the thighs, potentially allowing for even better posing if they aren’t too loose.  The vendor’s description of the the figure is brief, “1979 Kenner Alien 18 inch missing dome, nothing broke, still stands, minimal playwear, very nice teeth still go in and out with lever.” and that looks like an accurate summation.

Is it worth US$399.99, though?  Kenner ALIEN figures around this price are usually complete.  They can on occasion also include the box.  Maybe the poster as well.  The US$400 mark is the threshold where such levels of completeness can begin to be expected.  This figure, despite it’s generally good condition simply falls short on those expectations.  It’s probably worth around US$150-250.  That’s a fair price to pay for solid condition figure like this without a dome.  Had that dome been present then yes, it’s easily worth around the US$280-$350 mark.  There is a ‘Make Offer’ option on this listing.  It’s just a matter of time and who makes the best offer before this item gets sold.  A nice quality albeit incomplete piece; but a little over priced.  Just a little.

-Windebieste.

eBay – Pair of Banged up Kenner ALIENS for Sale.

UPDATE: Both sold.  (Left): US$232.50. (Right): US$100.

Available right now on eBay is a pair of Kenner ALIEN toys, listed a minute apart from each other and closing in just under 7 days.  Neither of them are in particularly good shape but the damaged and missing parts from one figure could easily be used to fix the other.

Cannibalising both figures to create a single Kenner ALIEN toy is a viable way to add a decent one to your collection.  They are relatively easy to dismantle and there’s enough good parts between these 2 samples to do so.  The only catch is both items are being sold by different vendors.

The item on the Left possesses the dome and both legs but the head and torso halves are damaged.  The item on the Right has a decent head (It’s hard to tell exactly, as only a single photo accompanies the listing.) but the torso looks good plus the tail remains attached. Continue reading

eBay – ‘RARE!’ 18 Inch Kenner ALIEN Toy for Sale.

UPDATE: Sold for US$310.48 (Allowing for currency conversion and sold in UK.)

This item has been listed for sale on eBay for a few months now.  It’s an average condition Kenner ALIEN action figure.  It’s a little knocked around, the left arm has broken off, the dorsal crest is missing, the dome is cracked and warped; and all four dorsal spines are internally damaged, twisted out of their correction orientation.  So the big question here, what makes it so special?  And is it really worth the asking price of over US$300?

There are always about a dozen Kenner ALIEN toys for sale on eBay. It’s testimony to the large number of these things Kenner made back in 1979.  An item like this should be rare after 40 years yet it is not.  eBay is constantly stocked with them.  Most of them are the same common version that endlessly populate the service but this one is different.  Why is this item so different from the other ‘common’ versions?  The fact it is for sale in the UK goes some way to explaining why this is the case.

Continue reading

UPDATED – Bootlegs, Knock Offs and Other ‘Illegal Aliens’.

My fascination with unlicenced ALIEN product continues with this pair of knock off space vehicles from the movie added to the site.

These 1996 STAR FORCE range of ‘pull back’ vehicles mostly focus on dodgy Star Wars toys.  However, it also includes knock off versions of ALIEN’s Nostromo and Narcissus as part of its product range.  Naturally, I have added this pair of unlicenced vehicles to HIDEOUS PLASTIC’s section dedicated to such weird and wonderful oddities.

You’ll find them at the bottom of the page dedicated to crossovers and oddities.

-Windebieste.

eBay – 1979 Kenner ALIEN Tail Clip and Screws.

Loose body parts for the 40 year old Kenner ALIEN toy frequently appear on eBay.  Listed currently for sale is a set of 4 screws and a tail connector clip. The asking price for these items is US$20 for the set of 5. Their important job is to hold the toy together.  The 4 screws are concealed within recesses of the figure’s back to hold the figure in an assembled state while the round serrated clip secures the tail onto the figure internally.

Is this set of 5 old pieces really worth US$20?  That’s a good question.  If you need these parts, yes, they are – but only under specific conditions; and these are very, very purpose specific items that do come with their own set of caveats.  The important question is: Who needs this 40 year old stuff, anyway?

Continue reading

eBay – 1979 Kenner ALIEN Dome for Sale.

UPDATE: This item sold for US$149. Well, that didn’t take long, about 24 hours.

Currently listed on eBay right now is a loose dome for your Kenner ALIEN toy.  It’s a decent looking part and the vendor is asking US$169 for the prize piece.

These features sit loosely upon the head of the Kenner toy and up to 90% of these 40 year old ALIEN figures now lack this feature. It appears to be a complete piece with all 4 nubs in place on the sides, no serious damage to speak off and looks to be free of warps and deformations.  There appears to be some blemishes and other minor marks on the surface that the piece has acquired over time but these anomalies may easily be removed with some plastic polish, gentle buffing and careful attention to bring it back to a fully, shiny glory.

Any domes that do become available on eBay frequently command a high price.  Usually they sell for around the US$100 mark.  Sometimes a little more.  This item is priced a little high but the vendor has included a ‘Best Offer’ option as part of the listing.  US$160 is definitely in the upper limits of what they usually sell for so it will no doubt go for less than that.

It’s a good looking piece and it will sell.  Demand for these loose head carapaces is high and these domes are sought after by many owners whose Kenner toy is missing this iconic feature.  Frequently, these loose items will sell within 24 hours of being listed.

-Windebieste.

Prototype Gallery Update: Call and Battle Scarred Alien.

Another update made to the Prototype Gallery section of HIDEOUS PLASTIC.  Today’s addition fills in a couple of holes of previously unrepresented characters, including  early production samples of Kenner’s 1997 ALIEN: Resurrection Battle Scarred Alien and that movie’s female android, Call.

Once again, posting these images has been made possible by the kind permission of Derek Ho.  Thank you, Sir.

-Windebieste.

UPDATED – Bootlegs, Knock Offs and Other ‘Illegal Aliens’.

As part of my ceaseless effort to fill my life with weird junk, my Chap Mei Stellar Force action figure 2 pack arrived today.  Mounted on card with blister is a purple Highly Detailed Powerful Beast!  I’m adding him to the lengthy article on Bootleg and Knock Off ALIEN figures here on HIDEOUS PLASTIC.

I’m also adding the Wing Sang Toys Galaxy Trooper 2 pack which features the two headed abomination that is frequently mistaken for a Mexican ALIEN bootleg to the same page.  So, here they are, both of these 20 year old oddities expanding this section of the website dedicated to anomalous ALIEN action figures along with a bunch of other new photos as well.

I’ve done some major re-organising of this page today, separating some things out a little and giving it improved structure and it’s taking shape very nicely now.  Have fun with all of this weird junk.  I know I do.

-Windebieste.

eBay: 1979 Kenner ALIEN Toy for Sale.

UPDATE: Sold for US$909.35

Currently for sale on eBay is this 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure.  It includes everything: the toy, it’s box, the red insert card and the B&W poster.  This feature complete listing is being offered for sale for a healthy US$1,399 (or best offer)That may seem like a lot of money to spend on an old toy in a box.  That’s because it is.  While the figure, box and other contents may be considered ‘feature complete’ that does not mean it’s in perfect condition.

This item suffers from one of these old toys many common ailments – one of the arms are broken off.  Let’s briefly explore this development a little further and investigate how it will affect this purchase. Continue reading

Prototype Gallery Update: 1979 MPC ALIEN Kit.

Today I have added a new area to the Prototypes Gallery.  This new entry is for the one of the oldest of all ALIEN product lines, the 1979 MPC ALIEN model kit. The wonderful old kit makes it’s debut in this section with a pair of images.

These images represent a proof copy sheet of the original package prior to full production printing and an early work in progress transparency illustration of the Alien character as it appears in the kit’s assembly instruction sheet.

These images have been added with the permission of Derek Ho.  Thank you once again for sharing these unique pieces with us all.

-Windebieste.