Monday, January 22, 2007

Johnny West

I opened a box the other day and found this relic from my 1970s Johnny West figures. It's a poster around 10x20 and the only thing I have left.

Well, except for these photos, which for the life of me I can't understand why I felt compelled to photograph them.

No one shall mention the fact that Jay West is clad in a cape from a superhero doll that I had.

Also there shall be no mention of the two Tarzan dolls in the front, which are from he same line as the superhero who provided Jay with the cape. One Tarzan was my brothers. We could never tell which Tarzan was which - until my brother left his Tarzan sitting on top of a light in his room and Tarzan's leg melted against the bulb. He probably would have melted further if we hadn't smelled that horrible burning plastic odor.

12 comments:

Riley said...

This post is kick ass in so many ways! You should open more boxes, Chris.

I still have a Johnny West in the box in storage.

Chris Jart said...

Glad to bring you back to the 70s, although I'm not sure I'd like to have a nasal flashback. Sounds painful! I don't remember Johnny West or his plastic vest having a strange smell. Perhaps I have blotted it from my mind.

Riley, I don't see how anyone can keep a Johnny West in a box....well, unless you bought it when you were an adult. And there's no shame in that!

Dave said...

Oh man that new toy smell. what a memory rush that is. I think the only thing better was opening the box to a new transistor radio. I never did know if it was the plastic case, or the inner works or what gave it that smell. I loved it though.
As for Johnny West in a box all I can say is arggghhhh... I had Johnny West, Chief Cherokee and both their horses still in the box, and all pieces still present. I came home from the Army only to find my parents had given all my saved toys to my 4 young cousins. I freaked. I'm talking all the Johnny West stuff, a complete Fort Apache in the box, Lone Ranger gun set in the box, about 100 mint condition Matchbox cars, 2 G.I. Joes in their boxes. Arghhh. Those Johnny West sets in a box and complete go for about $300.00 on ebay now.
Dave

Anonymous said...

This actually has to do with your post on Nov. 7, 2005 regarding Zoom and the David card. On the back you said there were instructions to make water walkers. I have been looking for that for a long time. Do you still have those instructions? Any way I could get them? thanks! hpitas@hotmail.com

Jimmy said...

Hey, Chris. Been a while.

I had some older cousins who had these toys. I thought they were the coolest toys ever . . . until Star Wars came out, of course.

Anonymous said...

I had one of these as a kid, 'cept I never felt compelled to photograph it. Photography, in my case, was exclusive to my Evel Knievel figure w/ stunt cycle - the greatest toy ever.

Chris Jart said...

Good god! Evel and his stunt cycle are definitely worthy of mucho photography. I hope you still have those pictures...although I'm not sure why.

Unknown said...

love the post, fantastic

Anonymous said...

Wow! I had a bunch of these figures and horses when I was a kid...They became target practice when I was a teenager...wish i still had 'em

Chris said...

I knew someone who had that very poster.

It's amazing to see it now. Funny how memory works.

gomonkeygo said...

Jesus Christ! Are you me? Is this my blog of dreams? What the hell? How did you steal my childhood - Witch! Witch!

Mark R Hunter said...

I had a lot of the Johnny West collection -- and my brother got the jart in his head.