The Real Ghostbusters was never a popular TV series in Spain. At least I don’t remember watching it on TV. It’s quite surprising that these figures made the whole way to my country. Here’s the story (it took a few years) of how they arrived to Spain.
The figures were first available in Spain around 1992. I remember that day in which some friends of my parents came to spend a few days at home with their son. We passed by a Spanish well known department store (El Corte Inglés) and our parents bought a figure for each of us. He took Peter Venkman and I took Ghost Post. If it wasn’t for him, I would have probably never bought any figures of this series.
The Fright Features series (2nd wave - see photo with card) was the first (and probably the only) which was ever sold in Spain, and I don’t think all those items were actually available. During the early 90s, many toy lines which were not available in Spain, were imported to be sold in El Corte Inglés. Otherwise, very strange toy lines like Galoob’s Unifighters, Olmec’s Bronze Bombers or Kenner’s Real Ghostbusters would have never been available there.
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| Click to enlarge and read the importer's information |
So what happened between 1988 and 1992? Probably these figures and vehicles were leftovers, that weren’t sold in other European countries. Note that the card is written in French and Dutch. Some exporters –Loustau and Sachnovsky– brought them, and offered them to El Corte Inglés. The figures were not available anywhere else, and (maybe for this reason) they were not a big success in Spain.
The actual card that you see in the pic, was from a figure I bought myself (when I was maybe 12) in a 2x1 offer. That means, that the original price of one figure in 1992, was 850 pesetas (5,10 Euros), but they were later sold at half price (425 pesetas or 2,55 Eur).
The actual card that you see in the pic, was from a figure I bought myself (when I was maybe 12) in a 2x1 offer. That means, that the original price of one figure in 1992, was 850 pesetas (5,10 Euros), but they were later sold at half price (425 pesetas or 2,55 Eur).
Frigth Features!
Well, I don’t want to speak much more about import-export, otherwise I won't have much time to talk about these two wonderful figures. They are two of the four members of the ghostbusters: Egon and Winston. The figures from the second wave of this Kenner’s series, included a “fright feature” which could be activated pushing one arm. The figure seems to be very scared! This feature was in my opinion a great idea, it makes a lot of fun, and it’s very original. I have rarely seen something similar in other toy lines.
Egon opens his mouth, lengthen his neck, and his tie goes up. Winston has a most elaborate feature, in which his head turns 360º while he opens his mouth in a very funny expression.
Together with each figure, a ghost and a suitable weapon to trap it, were included. The ghost could in some way attack the figures but the humans could defend themselves with the trap weapon (see pics).
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| Instructions for both figures' features |
FACTS and FIGURES:
- Name: FRIGHT FEATURES' EGON SPENGLER AND WINSTON ZEDDMORE
- Toy Line: The Real Ghostbusters (Wave 2)
- Year: 1988
- Company: Kenner (U.S.A.)
- Size of the figures: 14 cm approx.
Those Fright Feature faces promise to devour your soul.
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