So, when you read these posts, you probably think I’m all over the place in terms of what I buy. While that’s true to some extent, there are things that I’ve actually been collecting. Some of these things you already know about from previous posts, but a few of them might surprise you. Hell, they even surprised me!
We’ve already covered that I like to collect Power Rangers morphers. During the early years, I made it a priority to get the main morpher, the main Megazord, and the core team figures. Then, I went to college, Saban sold the franchise to Disney, and the toys seemed like less of a priority. Anyway, I’m on my Morpher Quest to reclaim all the morphers I missed, at a fraction of the original price! Since the last post, I’ve acquired the RPM Rev Morpher, RPM Cell Shift Morpher, Jungle Fury Wolf Morpher, Mystic Force Fury Edition Mystic Morpher, SPD Patrol Morpher, and the Mystic Force Mystic Morpher. At this point, I’ve made a nice dent in the Disney seasons, but I actually hate most phone-based morphers, as well as the stupid sunglasses morpher. I’ll have to get them eventually, though.
I’ve also been collecting cutesy versions of comic heroes. Whether it’s Spider-man & Friends or the original Fisher Price DC Super Friends line, I like anything comic related that comes in what I call the “Rescue Heroes scale”. Like any smart toy company, they released that same Batman in, like, 6 different paint schemes, so that’s where the blue and yellow came from. I also acquired Hulk, Thing, Spider-Girl, Iceman, and Hang Gliding Spidey. I did not get these all at once, but rather picked them up here and there on various thrift visits.
Now that we’ve covered the familiar stuff, here’s something new: 3M Bookshelf Games. I’m not really into games, as I was an only child, raised by senior citizens. I’ve never played Monopoly (outside of the McDonalds version), and I pretty much only know how to play chess and Stratego. That said, I’m not sure if it’s my love of Mad Men, but I’m drawn to these due to their aesthetic. Produced by the 3M Company (the Scotch tape guys) in the late 60s, these were board games that tucked into a nice slipcase that you can place on your bookshelf. To the untrained eye, visitors will assume you have a full library that smells of rich mahogany! Anyway, I’ve been grabbing these whenever I come across them, so let’s take a look at what I’ve found so far.
I LOVE this box cover! I imagine the dad asking, “So, Roger – how do you feel about the Negro Problem?” While this game looks like a familiar mass market game, I’m sure you’ll never see a break thru film starring Rihanna!
White dudes making mo-NAYY!! Stocks & Bonds is probably the most boring box of my collection. Sure, these games were marketed towards adults, but it looks like the Clone Saga starring Floyd the Barber.
This cover is so damn awesome! I like to think of it as “What if Hef ended up in Alice in Wonderland?” Dude in the smoking jacket is so frustrated, while the chick is taunting him from one of the cards in the distance. It’s like he’s muttering, “Why is this bitch making it so hard for me to fuck her?!” Foil either refers to what he’s trying to do to a plot OR it refers to the condom wrapper he plans to open. Wait, it’s the ’60s; condoms are only for sailors!
I really don’t have anything to say about High-Bid: The Auction Game. Yeah, I’m disappointed in me, too. Next!
THIS! Screw Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, as this is clearly the most badass lost Lincoln story EVER! I’m convinced that Alan Moore looked at the Facts In Five box and was inspired to write The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Based on the art alone, I can only assume that Abraham Lincoln teams up with a geisha girl and Joe Namath in order to save Charlie Chaplin, who’s been trapped in a painting. It’s a globe-spanning tale, involving knights, cosmonauts, and a test pattern color wheel! As an added bonus, when they make the movie, it’ll be called “Facts In 5ive”. I hear Paul Walker is in talks to play Lincoln.
Rich Mahogany!
Tune in next week, when I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll have for ya. I don’t plan these things out. Anyway, just be sure to come back!
Where’s Acquire, one of the other popular bookshelf games by 3M? I use to play that with my dad and brothers. It’s still around during family events.
Wow, I’ve never came across someone who never played Monopoly. Okay, I haven’t played a game in almost 20 years, but still…
Those games look very interesting. High-Bid seems like a ripoff of the old Price is Right format. Also, such deceptive box art in the 60s for Facts in Five.
Thanks for sharing.