#206 HE-MAN – FLOGG/BRAKK and SLUSH HEAD/KALAMARR (Ref. 2314 and 2315) (1989)

HE-MAN - NEW ADVENTURES: DARIUS

This article can be considered to be a short update to both existing articles about He-Man, that were published a while ago. I will present two more characters from the 1^st wave of He-Man toyline: Brakk and Slush Head.

So, let’s go with the two figures that are described in this entry:

The first character is Flogg/Brakk. According to his description: Brakk is the “Evil mutant commander of a goon squad from the alien planet Denebria! Has been forced by Skeletor to serve as his evil second in command!” This character came with a helmet a collar armor and a whip. The figure can move the arm upside down.
 

 

The second character is Slush Head: “Evil mutant moron and goon squad member from the Quagmi Swamp on alien planet Denebria! Has sucker on his arms and water on his brain”. Slush Head has two tentacles that can be attached to his back and another weapon (a “trident-laser-axe”). Placed in his arm, the can perform a “chop” movement. The most interesting part in this figure is the head, which is built into a bubble full of water.

As you can see, I own both figures MOC (the figures are mint, the cards are a bit worn), what gives me the opportunity to take a look at the cardback and comment a couple of things about He-Man’s 1^st wave. The first wave consisted of only 6 figures:

• He-Man (2274)
• Flipshot (2275)
• Hydron (3259)
• Skeletor (2303)
• Flogg/ Brakk (2314)
• Slush Head/ Kalamarr (2315)

The first 6 figure were also available in the 2nd wave, this cardback belong to it.

And there’s a curious story about them: Note the reference numbers of the figures, there’s no mistake in them… My theory is that Hydron was designed for the second wave but had to be manufactured for the first wave because another figure that was planned, Darius, was never produced massively. 

Some prototypes of the Darius figure were made, because there are catalogue pictures of him (at least two of them) and some prototypes have appeared in recent times on eBay (test shot sold for 400 US$).

The most complete test shot was sold in 2010 by Martin Arriola and purchased by a guy in Germany who asked him to paint the figure in the original colour scheme. The total price was 2000 US$. The collector got to contact Martín through another Mattel ex-employee, named DaveWolfram, who was the guy selling another of the test shots from his personal collection. 

The whole story can be read in German here, and it’s recommended for each MOTU/ He-Man: NA fan. This interview with Dave Wolfram is also recommended:

The prototype from the engineers was made at a larger scale and using metallic parts but the toy had to be produced completely in plastic, and in a smaller size, and that’s were the problems came, the action feature didn't worked smoothly and after a few tries, the figure was discarded/cancelled: the “trick” that the figure performed was too complicated and didn’t work correctly… The movement the figure performed (or was supposed to perform) was an arm rotation when the torso was moved in either direction. 

Darius figure appears in vehicle boxes. His reference number was 2232. (Pic: he-man.org forums)

…And it's a shame, because Darius was expected to be the main character after He-Man and Skeletor. In his profile was written: “Darius is the leader of the Galactic Council. It was his memory of ancient legend that prompted Icarius and himself to travel back through time to Eternia to find He-man. His energy mace is a powerful weapon which can strike terror into the hears of Skeletor's goons.”

More information on this particular figure can be found in specialized forums and websites, for example:

He-Man.org.

UPDATE: An alternative cardback for Flogg/Brakk in which the Darius figure is shown

UPDATE2: Pictures of Brakk (loose)

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: FLOGG and SLUSH HEAD (Ref. 2314 and 2315)
• Alternate Names: BRAKK and KALAMARR (Europa)
• Toy Line: He-Man (also New Adventures of He-Man) (Wave 2)
• Year: 1990
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: 14 cm

#205 PILEN – FORMULA 1s: LOTUS 80, LIGIER JS 11, McLAREN MP28, WOLF WR7 and FERRARI 312 T4 (Around 1983)

Pilen Ref. 851 and 857 Lotus 80 (dark green and black)

I have dedicated many post to Polistil’s formula 1s. In one of those entries I mentioned that the Spanish toymaker Pilen had manufactured very similar vehicles. I think they’re not the same casts, but very similar, and definitely, these are made with lower quality. After so many years, some have lost part of their paint, or even some wings are broken. Almost no car runs smoothly because the axles are bent. If they were mint, they would be indeed beautiful cars. 

The list of released formula 1s is:

• 851 Lotus 80 (dark green) - 1979' season - Mario Andretti (RN 1)
• 852 Brabham BT48 (red) - 1979' season - Niki Lauda (RN 5)
• 853 Ligier JS11 (blue) - 1979' season - Jacques Laffite (RN 26)
• 854 McLaren M28 (white) - 1979' season - John Watson (RN 7)
• 855 Wolf WR7 (dark blue, almost black) - 1979' season - James Hunt/Keke Rosberg (RN 20)
• 856 Ferrari 312 T4 (red) - 1980' season - Gilles Villeneuve (RN 2)
• 857 Lotus 80 (black) - (RN 7)
• 858 Brabham BT48 (orange) - (RN 3)
• 859 Ligier JS11 (white) - (RN 25)
• 860 McLaren M28 (orange) - (RN 8)
• 861 Wolf WR7 (black) - decorated as Lotus JPS (RN 5)
• 862 Ferrari 312 T4 (green) - (RN 9)

 

Pilen Ref. 860 McLaren M28 (orange)

 

Pilen Ref. 856 and 862 Ferrari 312 T4 (red and green)

As you can notice, there are 6 different cars; but 6 miniatures would have been too few, so Pilen simply doubled them. From 6 casts, they made 12 different cars/references, each car comes in two different colours, and decals. The first reference number is the "real" car with the corresponding decals, the second reference has the colours and decals of another real car/racing team. It is interesting to see a green Ferrari or a white Ligier. 

These toys were often exhibited in a polystyrene frame were the cars were half inserted in it. This frame contained 24 cars, that’s twice each. The formulas were also available in a plastic case, very similar to the classic Majorette case.

Pilen Ref. 855 and 861 Wolf WR7 (dark blue and black)

Pilen Ref. 853 Ligier JS11 (blue)

 

Sorry for the bad quality of the pictures, they were taken very quickly and the light is terrible.

UPDATE:

Pilen Ref. 852 Brabham BT48 (red)

 

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: LOTUS 80, LIGIER JS 11, McLAREN MP28, WOLF WR7 and FERRARI 312 T4  (Nrs. 851, 853, 854, 855, 856)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: Around 1983
• Company: Pilen (Spain)
• Size: approx. 7 cm

#204 MAJORETTE – VARIOUS CARS FROM SUPER S SERIES (1995 to 1997)

MAJORETTE "SUPER S" SERIES

 
This is an unusual entry in this blog because I am presenting a die-cast model that is “only” 19 years old. I will sometime explain why I do not collect modern toys.

Majorette “Super S” or “SuperS” (also “series 230”, don’t ask me why) was a series of 1:64 scale cars released in 1995. They are particularly interesting because they could be steered by pressing down on either front corner, as if it was a skateboard. 

 

When they came out, I had never seen this steering method yet, and I found it quite fascinating, so I bought one car, although I was already too old to play with it. The car was the first reference 201/202 of this series: the Fiat Coupé (well, actually the second -202- see catalogue image below). I have kept it ever since in its original blister pack. In other countries or releases, the cars were also available in the typical Majorette plastic case. Some “sets” included a few orange traffic cones to play with.

Note the difference between the blister packs from 1995 (1st pic) and these (1997). Note also the set car + traffic cones

 

 

The series was for some reason quite short (at least initially), consisting, to my knowledge, of only 11 models. Note that the references are double. The first time these models were released there were two versions/decorations of each model, but in the following years the same reference were re-released in new colours and with different tampographies, including several “promotional” decorations.

These two scans are taken from 1995 catalogue, when the series was released. Note that some of the models are drawings and not the actual toy. As a matter of fact, it could be that none of the models in the pictures are "Super S", because the pictures are from cars like the Renault Clio or the Ferrari GTO that were already available in the normal "200" series. The bodies of those cars are exactly the same (even same colour) than the Super S releases, the difference is on the chassis and wheels.

The references are:

• 201/202 Fiat Coupé
• 203/204 Mustang GT Convertible
• 205/206 Mustang GT Hard Top
• 207/208 Renault Clio
• 209/210 Ferrari 456 GT
• 211/212 Ford Mondeo
• 213/214 Roadster
• 215/216 Ferrari GTO
• 217/218 Stock Car
• 219/220 Porsche Boxter
• 221 Mondeo Police (1998)
• 222 Peugeot 406 (1997)
• 223 Peugeot 406 Racing (1998)
• 224 VW Golf IV (1999)
• 225 Dodge Concept Car (1999)
• 226 BMW Z3 Coupé (1999)

The numbers are sometimes referred with an S at the end, to indicate “Super S”, for example: 201.S. From 2000 on, the numbering system is changed, so it’s difficult for me to say if the Super S were still released that year…

An interesting point is that in the bases of the cars the words “Patent Pending” appear. This means that the patent had been requested, but not yet granted at the time in which the toy was manufactured.

Although in the card it is specified that the toy is “made in France”, it was actually made in Thailand, because Majorette relocated their factories in that country in 1992. In the base of the car there is no reference to this fact.

Card Back incl. instructions

Majorette Super S 201/202 Fiat Coupé

The following model is a new cast from which the roof of the car iss made of plastic. There were two "roofs" available, and thus two diferent models depending on which part was attached to the die-cast  body: Convertible or Hardtop. This one is the hardtop version. The number is 205/206 no matter what's indicated in the base. All bases are marked with the convertible reference 203/204.
 

Majorette Super S 205/206 Ford Mustang Hardtop

One of the most popular models Majorette chose for the Super S series was the Renault Clio from the early 90s. In blue the early release from 1995, in light yellow a later version (probably released around 2000)

Majorette Super S 207/208 Renault Clio

This Ford Mondeo was made of a new cast. Note that this might be a later reedition, since the Super S logo and the Made in France have been erased from the base.

Majorette Super S 211/212 Ford Mondeo

One of the most impressive model, is the new cast Roadster. This model is quite broad.

Majorette Super S 213/214 Roadster

In the following pictures is shown the Ferrari GTO (215/216). This model was modified from a previous "series 200" version, as said above.

Majorette Super S 215/216 Ferrari GTO



Opening bonnet as in the original "series 200" model

The next car is the Porsche Boxter. I would say the yellow one is original from the mid 90s, the other one is a reedition, because those wheels seem pretty much modern to me.

Majorette Super S 219/220 Porsche Boxter

This last model was released in 1997, and has only one reference number instead of the usual two, I don't know to which version the other reference number in the base (218) belongs. Maybe to a "normal" (not Super S) version?

Majorette Super S 222S Peugeot 406

UPDATE1 (Dec/2018): a different shade of blue for the Peugeot 406.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: FIAT COUPÉ (Nr 202.S or 201/202), MUSTANG GT HARD TOP (205/206), RENAULT CLIO (207/208), FORD MONDEO (211/212), ROADSTER (213/214), FERRARI GTO (Nr. 215.S or 215/216), PORSCHE BOXTER (219/220), PEUGEOT 406 (222)
• Scale: 1:58, 1:59
• Year: All 1995, except PEUGEOT 406, 1997.
• Company: Majorette (France)
• Size: approx. 7 cm