Back with another toy review, and this time, I'm covering Medieval and/ or fantasy themed figures. Our entries are knights by Marx and Legendary Battles from Timmee, both in reissue. One is a recent acquisition, the other has been in my collection for some time. Both are of further interest as part of the evolution of fantasy toys. Here's a lineup of the rogues.
"Some of you may die, but it's a chance I'm willing to take."
As might be expected, these sets of figures have very different histories. The Marx knights appear to have been released in 1965, in "army man" and 6 inch sizes as well as the relatively rare 70mm/ 3 inch size seen here. The Timmee figures were released as late as 1986, as a presumed knockoff of Masters of the Universe (though by then the MOTU franchise would already have been in decline). These were also released in 70mm size, allowing extra detail. Here's some pictures of the figures with each other and other figures, including a Timmee nuclear guy I've had lying around for literal decades. (I know he's part of the firefighter set, but you can't tell me he doesn't look like it.)
"Sorry, that's not magic, it's gamma radiation."
If some of the Timmee battlers seem suspiciously familiar, it's because at least one was copied from a series of authorized Marvel figures. The Marvel line originally had a gimmick where they coud be moved with string that ran through their hands, which would have had to be entirely replaced. Just how many were directly copied isn't entirely clear. One sculpt is quite clearly a copy of Dr. Doom (top left), and the Viking guy is clearly influenced by Thor. The ogre (middle left) certainly shares a sculpt with a Hulk figure, though the weight of evidence indicates that both were based on an earlier caveman figure. It has been speculated that the cat-creature and sorcerer (bottom left and center) are based on Marvel figures, but I am not convinced. My own suspicion is that it is based on Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials, specifically the Tran from Alan Dean Foster's Icerigger.
For a little extra fun, here's a pic of the knights with a couple dragons we previously met in my post on patchisaurs, from my own investigation originally released by Fleetwood toys for the nominal movie tie-in line for Sword And The Sorcerer.
"What do you mean `endangered species'???"
Finally, here's a tribute to the Timmee battle mountain, with the Truckstop queen since we haven't heard from her in a little while.
The lineup is Marx reissue Amtrack landing craft, Gundam bear, Click Chicks mermaids, Action Fleet rancor and the Polyfect anime space jet transformer, and a Hoth playset, probe droid, pterosaur and ninja around the background and edges.
That's all for now! Here's the links.
Secret Fun blog post on Legendary Battles and their Marvel predecessors.
Little Weirdos post on LB.
Marx Wild West guide to Marx knights/ Medieval figures.
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