Comments on: The Portal of Lost Toys

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:50:43 +0000

Another great article Jason.

Mark – really? Someone can’t make fun of Michael Jackson? I love he dies and suddenly he is a saint who can’t be made fun of – maybe you should read more – there are many articles out there about his predatory nature – but despite all of that, I hope you don’t make fun of ANY dead people – because clearly that is what you are saying.

No Grover Cleveland jokes! EVER!

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:37:46 +0000

Actually, Mark, if you go back and read my intro again, you’ll see that I was making fun of Michael Jackson FANS, not the man himself (may he rest in peace). And just to clarify, I do read more than Toy Fare magazine, I’ve been known to peruse Lee’s Action Figure News and Toy Review as well. So other than that bit, did you enjoy the article??

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:43:57 +0000

Seriously. Making fun of Michael Jackson. Do your research moron. Read a book and look up the definition of extortion. Moronic fools like you who only read things like ToyFare and then cast judgment is what is wrong with the world. People like you, sir.

By: Dave Ziegler

Dave Ziegler — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:03:15 +0000

My brother & I each had Starbirds, and we had the Starbase, too. Had no idea Intruder even existed until just now, reading about it in the comments. But Starbird was insanely cool for the time. We flipped out over the accelerate/decelerate sounds.

By: kevfett

kevfett — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:11 +0000

I’m not sure it was ever labeled as evil but it was molded in black and called the “Intruder” so I always assumed it was.
Basically it was the front section of the Starbird with wings. It had the same electronic features as the Starbird and if you had both they could duel kinda like laser tag. After something like 3 hits the engine noise would cut out like the ship was disabled. Pretty cool for the time. I wonder if my Mom still has those in the basement back at home…

By: Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi

Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:21:17 +0000

Thanks Chip! The ship I had was a saucer of some kind, and it had wings that folded down. A small Shogun figure, I think Mazinga, could be inserted into the front and shot out. Along with missiles from the arms of the ship. Unfortunately, I got mine JUST as the change over from small, cool, red missiles that shot across the room to huge, YELLOW, rubber ones that shot out about an inch and a half. All because some idiot kid in Iowa choked on a Battlestar Galactica missile. Culling the herd, I say….

By: Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi

Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:17:02 +0000

Oh, cool! Was The Intruder, like, the ‘evil’ Star Bird ship? I only had the Star Bird, never got the base, and didn’t know about this ‘Intruder’ thingy til recently.

By: Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi

Jason "Plastic Soul" Lenzi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:15:05 +0000

Brian, that’s just wrong. In so many ways. But it certainly explains your devotion to such collectibles today!

By: kevfett

kevfett — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:33:25 +0000

Starbird was an awesome toy! Toy line to be exact. I had the Starbird, The Intruder and the cardboard base. Whirlybirds ( I knew them as Vertibirds) were also cool! I seem to remember having a Battlestar Galactica version.

By: Lightsource

Lightsource — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:57:21 +0000

This portal is sometimes manned by siblings, annoying nextdoor neighbors, or forgetful mothers. They can channel the portal towards attics, basements or dare I say, garage sales and landfills.
In my case, what has come to be known as the “Great Purge” had nothing great about it. Sister-in-law moves in, opens the portal with her evil powers, and numerous moments of nostaglia are lost to oblivion.
Amazingly, many things still survived that really have no value at all as they are completely thrashed. They are kept for nostaglia of course, but also as survivors of the Purge.

By: Hourman

Hourman — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:06:40 +0000

I had Raydeen but always secretly wanted Mazinga instead. But when your Mom is buying you a 24″ Shogun Warrior, you really don’t complain about which one you get.
And, naturally, Raydeen is long, long gone.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:41:24 +0000

I lost my Six Million Dollar Man action figure, X-wing, and Mego Kirk and Spock to that portal.

By: stewbacca

stewbacca — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:21:52 +0000

My parents never did this to me– in fact the opposite- I try to get rid of some of my older stuff and my mom says no– your kids will want it–

The attic is filled with 30Yr old board games– and I have all of my old action figure stuff- although I have sold a bunch of it the past few years.

By: logan

logan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:51:54 +0000

I feel your pain on missing toys. When I was 9 (in 1988) someone broke in to my family’s house and one of the main things they took were most of my action figures. They took all of my Kenner Super Powers (which sucked because I had all of them except for Orion, Shazam, and Cyborg), all of my Transformers, most of my Thundercats, and 85% of all of my G.I. Joes. I was heartbroken. The theif just about cleaned me out. The only thing they didn’t take was my Star Wars toys. Since it was mostly toys that got stolen the police didn’t really do anything about the break in.

Ever since then I became an action figure collector. I don’t want to go back and buy the figures that were stolen from me because I know my memories of them are making them cooler toys than what they really are.

By: plaidstallions

plaidstallions — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:57:48 +0000

My Bulletman, Atomic Man and Stretch Armstrong were all whisked away into that vortex.

The worst thing I ever saw as a kid was on a family trip, my sister decided to be car sick on my aurora models and mego figures, they were all tossed into some farm field. agh!

By: Russ

Russ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:39:04 +0000

No, I unfortunately know where all my old toys went. My Dad gave me the ultimate threat as a kid: “get rid of some of this stuff, or no new toys”

Painful, right?

Basically, whatever I have now that’s vintage is stuff I bought again later on.

By: Chip Cataldo

Chip Cataldo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:43:02 +0000

The 24″ Shoguns were, hands down, some of the greatest toys ever made. I had the Great Mazinga. Also, like you, I had one 5″ diecast one.
Great blog, as always.

By: chad

chad — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:49:50 +0000

cool article. and as for most of your lost stuff wound up proably into the portal that sent them somewhere else no doubt into someone elses hands to enjoy. as for finding the old stuff now it would cost you given the price for the old stuff like star wars and megos and of course the rom doll a big hunk of change. as for me the so called lost portal just made some star wars stuff and my super powers darkside wonder woman and batman vanish