Mexico Bootleg Scorpion Aliens.

Posted on 29/03/2023 by windebieste

Just messing around with some of my favorite toys. Here’s a trio of bootleg ALIENS figures from Mexico. I love these things so much! That is, I love them the same way I love The Three Stooges. So here, let’s just call this messed up set of Kenner Scorpion ALIENS Larry, Moe and Curly (or is it Shemp?) and check ’em out a little closer… Larry, on the left is blessed with an alternate arm. At some point, either in the factory where these things are made or else when, he acquired an elbowless robotic arm. It’s a good match either way and appropriate for this guy. Moe, in the middle, demonstrates such color contrasts with his blue torso and red head and limbs, he’s definitely going to stand out in any crowd. Finally, Curly/Shemp is simply just lurid green without any compromises. Loss of detail, production artifacts, abundant amounts of demolding flashings and other anomalies just makes them beautiful, I say. Continue reading →

UPDATED: ImPerfect Organisms – NECA Kane.

Posted on 28/03/2023 by windebieste

One of my favorite features on HIDEOUS PLASTIC is the section dedicated to defective product that really shouldn’t have made it to the outside world. When such flawed items from factories enter retail outlets and then out to the wild, it’s too late for manufacturers to do anything about it. Such errors are rare and can often be comedic in nature and worth taking a 2nd look to make sure you’re actually seeing the real thing. Here’s such an item that’s come my way and it’s a beauty! This is NECA’s Kane action figure from their 40th Anniversary ALIEN series, incorrectly packaged in a box intended for another figure.This truly is a lovely example of a production error. This Kane figure in his compression suit is packaged in a box intended for the Alien itself. This item is still factory sealed and shows no tampering with either of the stickers used to seal the package. This is exactly how this figure shipped from NECA’s factory.

You can check him out and a bunch of other unique factory error ALIEN items right here. Many are head scratching “wtf?” curios while others are outright embarrassing to their manufacturer.

-windebieste.

eBay – Pristine ALIEN Box for Sale in Australia.

Posted on 13/03/2023 by windebieste

If you’re not saving for a house deposit, new kitchen, rumpus room extension, bathroom upgrade, new car or some other necessity, another Kenner ALIEN has appeared on eBay Australia. This is the third one in about two weeks, which is remarkable enough. This item however appears to be an unopened sample. Loose Kenner ALIEN toys usually appear on the Aussie service about once every three months. Boxed items, significantly less so. Pristine boxes like this one? It’s about an annual occurrence at best and when they do appear, they demand high prices. This one is being listed for Au$10,000. The seller will accept a Best Offer. I guess that’s nice of them. This is a standard US version of the figure. It is unopened, without any significant marks or creasings on the box. The windows on the front and top appear to be secure and the bright blue package looks rich and free of any UV damage making it look fresh and clean. Items of this quality are uncommon in the US; but they do appear with a fair degree of frequency. This box item is extremely well preserved and will command attention when displayed.

I personally don’t like to refer to such samples as ‘mint’ simply because at least some material degradation during the past four decades is unavoidable. This item isn’t going to be in the same condition it was when it first departed the factory way back in late 1979. None now are. All the contents of this package have aged forty years and there’s no pretending the packaging and contents have slightly altered. The fact remains unchanged these toys weren’t made to last and closer inspection reveals it is possible the right arm may have separated from the figure at the shoulder. A quick email to the seller might be in order prior to purchasing this item to verify this potential issue. This is unfortunate but nonetheless, this excellent package example is going to be the closest you will see one of these unopened Kenner ALIEN toys being in original condition for some time.

Au$10,000 is a high price to pay; but this is a highly sought for collectible in optimum desirable condition. Is it a record breaking asking price for a sealed, extremely well preserved sample being sold in Australia? Nope.

-windebieste.

Kenner ALIEN for Sale in Australia.

Posted on 12/03/2023 by windebieste

It must be ALIEN season in Australia right now. These things are rare in this country and it’s not often you see two of them listed on eBay in as many weeks. This item has just popped up and is being auctioned by the seller with bids commencing at Au$200 and a Buy Now price of Au$320. Not bad asking price for a forty year old toy.This item is in a considerably more degraded condition compared to the previous item listed not so long ago. That item was a full, complete figure with all parts present and a rare Canadian sample. It sold for Au$900. This item is being listed by the same seller but the condition is significantly less feature packed. A lot of parts (5) are missing and you’ll be hard pressed to find any replacements in this country. Nonetheless, it’s still a 1979 Kenner ALIEN and the price is justifiable, even for a figure missing many of its smaller pieces. Someone will be lucky to land this item in Australia and it will be thoroughly worth what they pay for it.

-windebieste.

Hachette DIY ALIEN Now Available in UK.

Posted on 10/03/2023 by windebieste

French publisher Hachette has made their 1:2 scale DIY ALIEN kit available for purchasers in the United Kingdom. Subscriptions are now available. This subscription appears to be intended for the residents of the UK only.

Originally released in France a couple of years back, this part works assembly project arrives periodically in the mail in kit form. Here’s what the publisher, Hachette, has to say about this item, “Subscribe now and you’ll receive your first pack with kits 1-4 for a special price of £24.99 with free P&P. After that, you’ll receive subsequent packs with 8 kits monthly for £94.99 + £5 P&P. There are 13 packs in the collection containing 100 assembly kits in total. As part of your subscription benefits”, you will also receive 3 FREE gifts during the course of your collection. I’d imagine a project as complex, detailed and containing so many features and ancillary parts would take time, requiring a staggered global release. So maybe Hachette will yet make this subscription available to other locations (US, Canada, the rest of Europe, Australia, et cetera) at some future date? No information regarding this action is available at this time. Loving the look of this project. Who doesn’t want a four foot tall Alien loaded with electronics and moving parts that hisses at passers by in their living room? Cat owners be warned!

-windebieste.

eBay – Kenner ALIEN Parts for Sale.

Posted on 07/03/2023 by windebieste

Do you need some Kenner ALIEN parts to rebuild a figure? You’re in luck! Some core pieces have become available on eBay. A seller is offering both torso halves (US$74.95) along with a set of those “four strange thingies on its back” (US$59.95). Both samples look good for their age and if you want to build a Kenner ALIEN toy from scratch or simply refurbish one, these are used but decent samples worth considering. There’s a few notes to be made here. All pieces being offered do show some wear and obvious use but the news does get better from here. The torso halves appear to be complete in all important regards. The rectangular socket between the shoulders where the elusive crest (not included in this sale) usually sits is intact. These rectangular sockets are frequently damaged. This one appears to be in good condition, without any obvious breaks or stress damage. There should be four pins inside the shoulders, too. Some are visible in the images provided by the seller and each one I can see is also intact. This is good news as it means attaching the arms to the shoulders for them to be properly supported will be successful.