Initially, only dealers, retailers, vendors, and other trade professionals had the chance to browse the 1984 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog. This catalog helped educate vendors about IDEAL’s latest selection of action figures, games, and other toys. So, it focused on its upcoming assortments and products. Moreover, catalogs like this one gave some of the first looks at IDEAL’s products.
One of IDEAL’s most exciting toy lines for 1984 was the Manglors, toys designed to be mangled and pulled as the company fell in love with a malleable, self-healing polymer, which IDEAL touted as a substance from another world. Thus, they advertised the Manglors as creatures that could be pulled, stretched, and even torn apart. Moreover, they designed the figures to resemble various otherworldly beasts and dinosaurs.
Another notable product in this Toy Fair Catalog was the Knight Rider Racing Set. While IDEAL did not produce a toy line based on the hit television show, they celebrated the exciting driving action. So, they designed an electronic racing track with lights that allowed KITT to chase down a criminal’s vehicle.
Otherwise, readers received the chance to examine IDEAL’s Robo Force toy line, which responded to the rising popularity of robots in the toy aisle. While these robots were cylindrical, non-humanoid beings, they offered many play options. Most Robo Force toys featured action gimmicks to help them stand out. Moreover, these action figures could ride inside vehicles. This toy line even featured a programmable robot with a remote control.
Wheeljack’s Lab proudly presents high-definition scans of the 1984 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog featuring Manglors, Robo Force, and more.
Explore the pages of the 1984 IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog
Do you have old and used IDEAL toys or Toy Fair catalogs?
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About Our IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog Scans
IDEAL handed out catalogs to attendees of toy fairs and other events, such as dealers and retailers, to promote their upcoming slate of products. Each catalog contained information about the company’s newest toys, even ones still in development. Thus, companies often included first looks at action figures, playsets, vehicles, and more. Therefore, they have become valuable and rare collector’s items.
These IDEAL Toy Fair Catalogs featured toys from their beloved lines. For instance, the company created the Manglors, creatures built to be stretched and mangled. IDEAL also produced the Robo Force toy line in the 1980s, which featured Maxx Steele. There were also the Living Legends of the Old West, a line featuring characters like The Lone Ranger.
IDEAL used in-production prototypes in their images as these catalogs were prepared before the lines were released. This meant that the featured toys often differed from the retail releases. Moreover, toys sometimes appeared only in these catalog pages, as they were canceled or never hit retail store shelves.
While IDEAL only handed these booklets out to trade professionals, we have now made them available to all. You can explore the toys featured in these catalogs with our IDEAL Toy Fair Catalog Scans. This is a rare treat since catalogs like these have become increasingly difficult to locate with each passing year.