Buckaroo is a turn-taking game of balance that inolves hooking items onto the saddle of a mule before it can ‘buck’ the items off. The toy was released in the UK by Ideal in 1970 and went on to become a global hit. Buckaroo is still sold to date and remains a popular toy.
1973 Ideal catalogue page.
UK. Ideal catalogue page. 1972
France. Pif Gadget. 1981.
This post was brought to you by office cats, broken time machines and Non-toy ad non-Tuesday Tuesdays.
Peter and Jane: We Have Fun. Lady Bird Books. 1964 / 2004.
Hamleys toy shop based in Regent Street, London, England, was founded in 1760 by William Hamley. It is the biggest and oldest toy shop in the world, and prides itself on selling not only traditional toys but newer toys that enter the market. Hamleys Book of Toys, Sports and Games, Christmas 1983 states
“Whilst traditional toys and dolls are as popular as ever, a vast revolution has nevertheless taken place in toyland. Electronic games and home computers have captured the imagination of children and their parents throughout the world.”
The Hamleys book goes on to announce the creation of a vast 4,000 sq. ft electronic games complex called ‘A Step Ahead’ with trained technology advisors on hand to guide customers through what surely must have been described back then as ‘video game heaven’.
Hamleys also announce another new department ‘Small World’ featuring international dolls furniture and miniatures, as well as extra space given over for their ground floor Star Wars department.
The 123 page Hamleys Christmas book is wonderfully presented with photographs and descriptive text, giving us a sense of not just what the toys looked like back in 1983 but what they did too, Enjoy the scans!
The 1983 Christmas Book of Toys, Sports and Games by Hamleys. Front and rear cover. The front ‘cover subject’ is “Toy Lady” while the back features one of Hamleys famous bears.
Hamleys “A Step Ahead” Electronic Games Complex
That’s all folks. Hope you enjoyed the scans. Thanks for looking 🙂
Further reading: A history of Hamleys by Hamleys
Seven new ads (and one book cover) packed with scintillating sci-fi flavours, a twist of Spider-ery Cap ‘N Crunch breakfast cereal, and some sword and sorcery buffoonery of the highest degree from Groo the Wanderer.
US. Alpha Flight. 1987.
US. Ghostly Haunts. 1976.
France. Pif Gadget. 1980.
UK. Starburst. 1984.
UK. 2000 AD. 1987.
US. X-Factor. 1986.
US. X-Factor. 1987.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1996.
Aside from its regular weekly issues (known as PROGS), British comic publication 2000 AD also published summer special issues known as 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special. The comic was released each summer from 1978 up to 1996, and recently underwent a reboot by the current publishers. Typical issues contained new and reprinted stories, posters, fan art, film and book reviews, puzzles and fact files. I really like the Sci-Fi Specials and tend to regard them as ‘summer break’ versions of the UK hard back Annual which is traditionly published each Christmas, 2000 AD being no exception. I’m also a fan because the stories are complete and not serialised.
2000 AD Thrill-Power rating: a no nonsense ten out of ten!
Here are some selected scans.
Various artists from credits: Gibson, Fabry, Davis, Demarkus, Percival, Bisley, Smith, Kennedy, Rowley.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1981.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1981
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1986.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1987.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1986.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1996.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1996.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1996.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1985.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1983.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1984.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1980.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1994.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1994.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1994.
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1980. Thargus Maximus.
