One of my fondest memories from childhood was all of the excitement and anticipation surrounding the Toys R Us 10-minute Shopping Sprees that would pop us as grand prizes on kid’s game shows and in magazines in the 80s. The idea of getting free reign of a toy store with just my speed and ability to jam shopping carts full of G.I. Joe, Transformers, and board games was more than my little mind could handle at times. I used to day dream about what it would be like to have some dude in a giant Geoffrey costume cheering me on in slow motion as I filled cart after cart with all the stuff I coveted as a kid. Alas, I never got the opportunity. The best I could muster was watching Super Market Sweep and yelling at the people who wasted time getting boxes of crackers and rice when they could be grabbing those expensive huge canned hams! Well, this week’s topic from the League has given me free reign to day dream about pop culture shopping sprees once more, except instead of tearing up the aisles of my local Toys R Us, we’re storming the Hakes’s Americana and Collectables auction site! The assignment this week is all about checking out the latest Hake’s auctions and filling out virtual shopping cart with stuff we’d love to display in our collections.
Now normally I’d be all about jamming my cart full of all sorts of awesome stuff, and let me tell you there is a ton of rad stuff in the lasted around of auctions, but honestly I found something so cool I’d only need a single shopping tote to bring them home. Do you recall the 1985 Sanrio Sea Creatures action figure line? No? Me neither, and it’s because this line of aquatic warrior action figures was never actually manufactured, but there are some prototypes up for auction at Hake’s that literally took my breath away…
There are six of these prototype action figures up for auction including Hammerhead, Piranha, and Octo above, and Ko-Ral, Eel, and Baron Von Cuder below…
This action figure line reminds me a lot of a cross between Masters of the Universe and the Thundercats toys, and it makes me wonder what kind of aquatic-themed media barrage we missed out on in the mid 80s. Sure, we had the Snorks, but aside from the short-lived Tigersharks cartoon that really didn’t get any sort of massive distribution, there wasn’t really an undersea-themed action show for kids. My mind is literally reeling at the thought of how cool this could have been had it made its way into production. There are so many creatures that could be grafted into fighting warriors, from starfish to whales, and sadly we’ll never get a chance to see it. I can just imagine the Crush-Station Giant Clam playset or the eventual figures that would have squirted water or had oozing “heavy water” goo canisters included. Can you see the line of toxic polluted water villains? Luckily though, there are these six awesome prototype figures, and if I had the grand to drop on them I can assure you they would be in my collection.
The detailing on these figures is exquisite and I can only imagine what they would look like fully colored…
They also had a lot of really cool accessories and weapons that remind me a lot of the action weapons packs you can snag from Spy Monkey Creations…
Last but not least, many of these auctions also include some of the conceptual artwork for the characters which gives us a glimpse into what the color schemes would have been…
The designs remind me of a cross between Jack Kirby and Mike Mignola, and again it pains me that these were never produced. How awesome is it that these prototypes are available from Hake’s though? I wonder who’s collection these will end up gracing?
If you enjoyed taking a gander at these unproduced Sanrio action figures from 1985, please take a second and check out the other great Hake’s auctions, as well as taking a look at what these totally rad League Member’s did with their dream Hake’s spending spree…
Reis, The Dork Horde, takes on the mantle of the Phantom and punches evil in the face!
Jaime, Shezcrafti, wants to roller derby on the dark side with a jean jacket full of vintage buttons!
Christopher, Progress 13, is on the hunt for some DinoRiders and Jack Kirby Original art!
Robot’s PJ’s, The Robot’s Pajamas, is looking to slap loose lips, while riding a T-Rex and reading Weird Sex Fantasies!
Victoria, Henchgirl, has some Purrfect feline artwork in mind!
CT, Nerd Lunch, is seizing that bronze Rocketeer and packing his nerdy lunch in a Super Friends Lunchbox!
Todd, Neato Coolville, has his eye on a rare and tiny Jane Badler!
Brian, Cool & Collected, “Holy Grails Batman!”