Today marks the 6th year I’ve been running this blog, HIDEOUS PLASTIC. Not too bad. Not too shabby, I say! Six years is pretty damned good considering the average lifetime for a web page is only three years. Well, so I’ve been told, anyway. Going strong now and no end in sight. HIDEOUS PLASTIC is here to stay and will continue to grow. 
In six years, this modest site now houses a terrific range of content. Much of it is unique and I am proud of it; and I thank all the contributors who have made such a difference during this time. Also, great thank you to the people who visit this site. Keep returning as I do add content either to the front page or enlarge existing articles with new items. This is an ongoing process for an evolving site.
Originally intended to provide support for my book of the same name dedicated to the 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure, HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream (available globally on eBay for Au$45) this blog has since evolved into a much greater and larger endeavour. Substantial areas have been added and expanded during this time, documenting all manner of unusual and unexpected ALIEN action figures, toys and other merchandise. Articles range from exploring Kenner ALIEN product development samples & prototypes, factory product error samples and bootleg ALIEN figures to reviews and an array of other content. Most of these features can be accessed from the links appearing in the sidebar at right; but here’s some quick links to get you interested:
REVIEWS – Various ALIEN action figures and toys. Just what I can get here in Australia.
1979 KENNER ALIEN – Every known variant of the nefarious toy, first released in 1979.
1979 KENNER ALIEN REPAIRS – Need to fix your ALIEN toy? This article is a solid start.
1979 MPC ALIEN KIT – Information regarding the ALIEN model kit and its variants.
1979 KENNER ALIEN BOARD GAME – The vintage ALIEN board game and its variants.
ALIEN PROTOTYPE FIGURES – A depository of Kenner product development samples.
REACTION FIGURE GUIDE – A listing of Super7’s 3.75 inch collectible ALIEN toy line.
IMPERFECT ORGANISMS – An exploration of ALIEN factory seconds, faults and errors.
BOOTLEG ALIENS – Unlicenced and knock off ALIEN toys and other oddities.
A ton of great stuff to be found in those links, above. Make sure you take the time to check ’em out. These areas receive updates from time to time resulting in some very lengthy content dedicated to little known topics of ALIEN action figures and toys. I’m also constantly looking for items to add to those entries so if you want to make a contribution, please do so! Send me details and I’ll add them, providing appropriate credit. You can contact me: windebieste@hideousplastic.com
Aside from keeping this blog ticking over, a couple of other related Projects I am working on are in various stages of development. Significantly, HIDEOUS PLASTIC Vol. 2 is slowly coming back to life. Personal challenges and obstacles I’ve had to be overcome before I could even contemplate approaching this mammoth task are now behind me. I am now set up in my current residence with most of the house renovations completed which means I am now in the position to look forward to once again charging ahead with this Project. We’ll get there. We always do. Just had to get my personal life anchored once again.
To be more precise, Vol.2 is intended to document ALIEN action figures and toys spanning the years 1979 to 2000. Twenty years of weird and wonderful ALIEN toys and action figure merchandise from last century is expected to be around 300 pages of content. All of them, if I can. Including the odd resin and metal cast items that are difficult to find. It’s going to be an enormous task but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Another project I have waiting in the wings and about to re-emerge is also very much alive. It will be much easier than writing and preparing a 300 page book about ALIEN action figures. Nonetheless, it’s true. “XENOMOFOS!” LIVES! This project was revealed earlier this year and is just about ready to resume my attention. It too has had to be put aside for the aforementioned personal reasons. The challenge is real. But so is my determination.
So 2023 is beginning to shape up to look very promising for the future of this blog. At least another year of HIDEOUS PLASTIC will be around to see it all happen. I am looking forward to ALIEN Day (April 26) next year and I hope to have more content for you then. In the meantime, please check out what this blog already has to offer. To be certain there’s plenty of ALIEN content assembled under this banner, gathered together in one place that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere in this variety. Have a great day!
Six years online. Not bad. For a human. 😉
-Windebieste.
