Wheeljack’s Lab – Vintage Toy Blog

Follow this blog for the new, the unusual, the rare and cool Generation 1 G1 Transformers toys. Reviews, news, toy resources, galleries, unboxing, opinions and personal reflections on vintage toys.

MAS*H Retrospective

Posted on December 20, 2024December 20, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1960s Toys, 1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action ifgures, books, M*A*S*H, MASH, movie, playsets, sitcom, spin-off, television series, The 1960s, The 1970s, The 1980s, toys, video game

The widely loved franchise, M*A*S*H, began in 1968 with Richard Hooker’s (H. Richard Hornberger) book series. The books, inspired by Hornberger’s own experiences as a military surgeon during the Korean War, told of great stories. Hornberger’s books told of inspired stories during his time serving as a captain in the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital […]

Are My Toys From Garage Sales Worth Anything?

Posted on November 25, 2024November 25, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1960s Toys, 1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, 1990s Toys, 2000s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, cars, dolls, garage sales, toys, value, vintage toys, worth, yard sales

Do you ever come across old toys at garage sales? Do these toys hold any value? How can you know if the toys you find are worth anything? The simple truth is, many people find extremely valuable toys at garage sales without even knowing it. Moreover, many people also get rid of extremely valuable toys […]

James Bond Retrospective

Posted on November 23, 2024November 23, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1960s Toys, 1980s Toys, Uncategorized, 007, action figures, books, comics, films, James Bond, The 1960s, toys, Video Games

In the year 1953, Ian Fleming created one of the most popular and epic characters ever, James Bond. The British secret agent spy character, typically known as 007, gained popularity through many movies, comics, toys, and more. The James Bond film series sparked the most popularity, with one of the highest-grossing film series of all […]

When Were the Original Speclatron Action Figures Made?

Posted on October 12, 2023September 16, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, Speclatron

The world of vintage action figures is a treasure trove of hidden gems, each with its own unique history and appeal. Today, we delve into the nostalgic universe of one such gem: the original Speclatron action figures. Born in the exciting, colorful era of the 1980s, Speclatron offered children a world of adventure and fantasy […]

Top 10 Army Ants Toys

Posted on September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, Army Ants, The 1980s, toys

In 1987, these tiny toy Army Ants marched into stores. These two inch scale figures released by Hasbro toy company featured two different armies. The two armies separated by color: blue and orange. The blue army, led by General McAnther, included five different squads and eight members. The orange army, led by General Patant, also […]

Captain Power Retrospective

Posted on August 13, 2024August 13, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, Captain Power, comics, Movies, playsets, series, The 1980s, The 1990s, toys, Video Games

Travel through time with us to the 22nd century through this Retrospective of Captain Power. The franchise first began in 1987 through the television series, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future. This series starred Tim Dunigan, Peter Macneill, and Sven-Ole Thorsen and featured 22 episodes of 20 minutes each. The story begins in […]

Top 10 BraveStarr Toys

Posted on August 9, 2024August 9, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, Bravestarr, playsets, The 1980s, toys, vehicles

The epic space western franchise, BraveStarr, debuted through a toy line by Mattel in 1986. Following the toy line, a movie, video game, comics, and books released to expand the franchise. Read our BraveStarr Retrospective to learn more about the franchise and the epic characters. Mattel released over 15 million dollars worth of action figures, […]

BraveStarr Retrospective

Posted on August 6, 2024August 6, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, animated series, books, Bravestarr, comics, Movies, playsets, The 1980s, toys, Video Games

Travel through time with us to the 24th century in this Retrospective of the BraveStarr franchise. The space western franchise, BraveStarr, released through many forms of media from the mid to late 1980s. The franchise includes toys, comics, books, a television series, movie, and video game. BraveStarr stands to be unique in genre, mixing both […]

The Difference Between Zorro and The Lone Ranger

Posted on August 1, 2024August 1, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, Uncategorized, difference, Movies, television series, The 1900s, The 2000s, The Lone Ranger, toys, Zorro

In 1919, the superhero western character, Zorro, made an appearance. First, in a folktale and later in many movies, series, toys, and comics. Then, in 1933, The Lone Ranger first aired as a radio program but is most widely known for the television series with the same name. The Lone Ranger also told the story […]

Computer Warriors Retrospective

Posted on July 23, 2024July 31, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1980s Toys, 1990s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, animated series, Computer Warriors, The 1980s, The 1990s, toys

In 1989, Mattel toy company released a transforming toy line representing the storyline of the Computer Warriors. These toys released from 1989 to 1990 when an animated pilot episode of the characters also released. The pilot episode unfortunately never picked up but later came out as just one 22 minute film on VHS. These toys […]