Disney’s Darkwing Duck Funko Plush

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Darkwing Duck was an animated television series produced by The Walt Disney Company. It ran from 1991-1997 on The Disney Afternoon cartoon block. It featured a not-so super hero anthropomorphic duck, with the alter ego of Drake Mallard (voiced by Jim Cummings).

And it was hilarious! So are you ready to meet the legend? Okay then: Let’s get dangerous!

The Terror that Flaps in the Night!

He has a look that just screams “Suck gas, evildoer”, don’t he? One of my favorite things about Darkwing Duck is the fact that he uses tag lines to strike terror into the hearts of evildoers, but… it never quite comes off as threatening. For example:

“I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the smoke that smokes smoked oysters.” (???)

“I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the ten dollar service charge on all returned checks.”

“I am the terror that flaps in the night. I am the surprise in your cereal box.”

Scared yet? Me neither.

The Profile that Purloins your Picture Frame!

But everyone in the metropolis of St. Canard knows that “When you’re in trouble ya, Call D. W. !” And he’ll come. Eventually.

The Back that Snubs you, Bub!

Unfortunately, like every cartoon, it had to end. But there is talk of a reboot! We can only hope.

The Label that… that… oh, never mind.

Strangely, this plush was produced by Funko, better known for their line of vinyl figures. But it’s an awesome plush so I’m not complaining!

Theme Park Walk-Around Character

Tired of waiting for the new Darkwing Duck cartoon reboot? Then maybe you can snag a Fun Pic with the ‘real’ thing in a Disney Park near you!

FUN FACTS: Darkwing Duck was named the 93rd best animated series by IGN, calling it “one of the many reasons why after-school cartoons rule.”

Posted in Animation, Characters, Merchandise, Plush, Television | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pixar Short SMALL FRY Vinyl Figures

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Small Fry is a 2011 Pixar computer animated short directed by Angus MacLane. It was released in theaters along with The Muppets (not the actual Muppets, but the latest movie version) on November 23, 2011.

This second short in the Toy Story Toons series was based on the characters from the Toy Story feature films. The story involves Buzz Lightyear getting trapped at a fast food restaurant where there is a support group for discarded kid’s meal toys. Man, being a toy is tough! A kids’ meal toy version of Buzz takes his place and hilarity ensues!

Small Fry Promotional Poster

I’ve lost count of how many versions of Buzz Lightyear I own. My wife says ‘Too Many!’ and I say ‘Not enough!’ so… when I saw these little guys, I just had to add them to my collection:


Father and Son Time

In Toy Story 2 we learned that Emperor Zurg was the father of Buzz Lightyear (in a Star Wars homage) and so I thought I would display these two fellows in a father-son activity. Okay, I know Papa Zurg should be pulling Wee Buzz, but this configuration just looked way cuter!

Kid’s Meal Buzz looks much like his larger doppelganger, if not a little more crazed!

Don’t call Kid’s Meal Zurg cute. No seriously: Don’t! His gun works.

How do they measure up to the originals?

At just around two and half inches in height, these little fellows are still posed for action!

The last picture in this post just goes to show that boys will be boys:

VICTORY!

Well, a rivalry is a rivalry, and Kid’s Meal Buzz just couldn’t resist the urge to defeat the evil (if not cute) Kid’s Meal Zurg!

The Disney Wiki has a nice article on the Short itself with many stills. It’s worth a look!

But if you’re in the mood for more spacey fun, why not check out the Original Space Ranger – Rocky Jones and stick around the blog for awhile? We’d enjoy your company!

Posted in Animation, Characters, Collectibles, Figurines, Merchandise, Pixar, Shorts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: 25 Years Walt Disney World Souvenir Book

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Publisher: Disney’s Kingdom Editions

Year: 1996

Pages: 218

Type: Hardcover

ISBN: N/A

“You, the cast, are responsible for making Walt’s dream come true.” – Roy O. Disney

Souvenir Guides have always been available at Disney Theme Parks around the world. But at special times, such as a 25th Anniversary, a hardcover book may be released as well. They go a little further into the history and attractions of the Park in question as well as giving the reader many more gorgeous photographs to view!

Contents Pages

Right after the contents pages we find four pages dedicated to Disney history. Displayed is a timeline stretching from 1910 (Birth of Walt Disney) through to 1995 (Opening of Alien Encounter).

The book is filled with perfect snapshots of Disney rides, attractions, parades, and events. Many of them are now extinct. This makes a book like this invaluable to a Disney Historian, professional or amateur!

I was surprised to see the next two images. They prove that everything old can be new again:

Yes, the EPCOT Fountain is back in front of Spaceship Earth once again for the 2021 season, and hopefully, beyond!

Innoventions & Dreamfinder with Figment

With the demolition of the Innoventions building we see an end, not only of certain attractions, but of an entire era of theming! Gone are the displays featuring the technology of tomorrow.

Did you know that EPCOT used to have not one, but two double-decker buses carrying passengers around the World Showcase Lagoon?

Earffel Tower

And not in the too distant past we bid a tearful goodbye to the Earffel Tower in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I really wish they would rebuild this somewhere else on Walt Disney World property!

As is common with souvenir books this one contains many 2-page spreads of themed areas around the Resort. Above you can see pages representing Discovery Island (gone), River Country (gone), The Village Marketplace (now Disney Springs), and the Disney Institute (yup, gone).

Disney can’t resist putting in a plug for its other properties, so the pages above feature the Disneyland Resort (opened in July of 1955) and Tokyo Disneyland Park (opened in April of 1983) and the Disneyland Paris Resort (opened in April of 1992).

End Page

And with 218 pages this overview only scratches the surface of this book! Although this book is image heavy, it does contain some text to explain what you are seeing. But it is mainly a picture book, proving that Disney knows that a picture… is worth a thousand ticket sales!

I recommend this book to any true Disney fan. Unfortunately, if you want one, you’ll have to visit flea markets or yard sales, because this was only released in the WDW Parks for the 1996 operating season.

Posted in Advertising, Anniversaries, Attractions, Books, Collectibles, History, Theme Parks, Vacation Planning, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Emperor’s New Groove Disney Store Lithographs

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Dis-LEE

We must be careful not to throw off the Emperor’s groove as we peek in on him and the wonderous Kingdom he rules! He doesn’t rule it wonderfully, and it’s a wonder he can rule it at all, but…

The Disney Store strikes again with another fine set of lithographs to promote the 2000 release of The Emperor’s New Groove. Let’s get right to it (because Emperor Kuzco is a bit impatient) and check out the cover of the folder:

Folder Cover

A nice still from the movie showing Kuzco doing his signature move during the spectacular opening musical sequence.

Duly impressed? No? Well then, how about these four moments from the self-centered life of the spoiled Emperor:

Ah, nothing like a few images to sum up someone’s entire life! Now let’s get back to the folder that holds the prints:

Folder Fully Open

This folder opens nicely to reveal the planned location of Kuzcotopia (soon-to-be formerly the home of Pacha), a map-like rendering of Kuzco’s Palace, and of course, the shoulder devil and angel of poor, indecisive Kronk. The prints tuck in behind the devil/angel characters.

Back of Folder

It’s fitting that the back cover of the folder pictures the final scene, and the happy ending, of the movie itself.

FUN FACTS: The Emperor’s New Groove was one of the first Disney films after 1999’s Tarzan that was not a traditional musical, but only featured a few minor songs. But hey, the main theme song was sung by Tom Jones!!! “What’s his name?” “Kuzcooooooooooo!”

Posted in Animation, Artwork, Characters, Collectibles, Disney Store, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Funko Pop! Town BOB’S BIG BOY with Restaurant

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Bob’s Big Boy is a restaurant chain founded by Bob Wian in Southern California in 1936, originally named Bob’s Pantry.

Bob Wian, circa 1948

By August 2019, only five Bob’s Big Boy Restaurants remained in operation, all in Southern California. The Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California, is the oldest remaining Bob’s Big Boy in the United States. Built in 1949 by local residents Scott MacDonald and Ward Albert, it was designed by Los Angeles architect Wayne McAllister, “incorporating the 1940s transitional design of Streamline Moderne style, while anticipating the freeform 1950s coffee shop architecture”. The style’s often referred to as ‘Googie architecture’, which originated in Southern California (see embedded video later in this post).

And now we are well educated on Bob’s Big Boy history! So we are ready to fully appreciate the Pop! Town vinyl homage to same:

I got take-out… and took it home!

I usually collect mainly Disney-related items. But when I saw this set of vinyl figures, my nostalgia kicked in and it jumped into my arms! Money then jumped out of my wallet! And now it’s on my display shelf! Weird.

Although I’ve taken this set out of the box to display, I will definitely keep the packaging. I love the design!

In the image, bottom right, you can clearly see an address number: 7447. This is the actual address of a surviving Bob’s Big Boy restaurant! The full address is 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241, USA and you can check out more about them here. And below is an actual photograph of the real location:

The vinyl replica is almost spot on! Visiting this location is now on my Bucket List!

Box Display Backdrop Card

Most Funko Pop! packages have a backdrop card behind the actual figure(s) and this one is no exception. It looks like it’s a beautiful day in Southern California!

It’s nice that the Big Boy Mascot has a clear stand so that he can be posed alongside the restaurant itself for maximum display potential.

Adam the Woo visited the oldest Bob’s Big Boy location in Burbank. Did you know that the Beatles ate there? You’ll find out that fact and more if you invest just 5 minutes! It’s worth a look:

I don’t know about you… but I’m hungry! I’ll see ya at Big Boys!

FUN FACTS: Slicing a bun into three slices and adding two hamburger patties, Wian had created the original double-deck hamburger.

Posted in Advertising, Characters, Collectibles, Figurines, Food, Merchandise, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FUNKO Disney Princess Romance Series – Rapunzel

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Who doesn’t like a little romance? Disney Princesses have traditionally dreamed of meeting a Prince and living happily ever after. I enjoyed the movie Tangled because Rapunzel had a different motive for leaving her tower, to see the glowing lights, but still found true love. And I say: “What’s wrong with that?”

And that true love, as well as the unusual dynamic that brought it about, are well captured in this package of vinyl figures. Disney Princess Romance Series features a Princess with her love interest:

Front of Display Box

The box is made from heavier stock than normal Funko Pop! figurines. You could view this as a Premiere line.

Box Configuration & Box with Lid Removed

Instead of opening with a flap at the top of the package, this presentation features a lid that lifts off of a box in which the characters are set. They are held in place by friction mold plastic.

Rapunzel has her signature long blonde hair and her equally signature frying pan ‘weapon’. Just ask Flynn Ryder how effective a frying pan can be in battle!

The two figures are made to interconnect:

Candlesticks and Frying Pans: Who knew?

You can stand these figures together or alone. But they are designed to be displayed together.

Now… are you ready for the irresistible appeal of Eugene?

Is that… The Smolder?

I’m not sure why Flynn is holding a candlestick. I don’t remember this being his ‘weapon’ of choice in the movie. But I guess if you’re trying to fight off the Stabbington brothers, you use what ya got!

To me, Tangled is about as perfect a movie as you’ll ever get. I’m in the ‘It’s way better than Frozen’ camp for sure! And when I saw this set of Funko figures on sale… it was a no-brainer to pick them up as a present for my wife.

You can also get Naveen & Tiana, Belle & Beast, and Eric & Ariel.

FUN FACTS: For some reason, each pair has the male name first except Belle & Beast. Things that make you go ‘Hmm.’ Perhaps it’s because ‘Beast’ isn’t a name, per se?

Posted in Animation, Characters, Collectibles, Figurines, Movies, Princesses | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Disney’s Face-Painting and Costume Kit

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Publisher: Disney Press

Year: 1997

Pages: 66

Type: Spiral-bound Paperback w/kit

ISBN: 0-7867-4180-X

“To the making of many books, there is no end.” – Ecclesiastes 12:12

That Biblical truism certainly applies to the amount of books that have been published by and about Disney! I’m constantly amazed, and delighted, every time I find another volume of Disney-themed content. The subject matter can be so wide and varied so as to appeal to every taste. But along with the wonderful… is the weird!

Disney’s Face-Painting & Costume Kit is a case in point… in spades! Just have a look at the cover picture if you’re in any doubt:

Cover on left / Tip Page on right

I don’t like to use the word ‘creepy’ as I feel it is overused and misused by many writers, however, I’m making an exception in this case. Those kids are just plain creepy! The makeup reminds me of the scariness of the original walk-around characters in the Disney Theme Parks. The stuff nightmares were made of!

But if the kids enjoy it who am I to say them ‘nay’?

This book is a how-to in the DIY (Do-it-Yourself) vein and I suppose constitutes a sort of Cosplay tutorial. The characters you can create are as follows: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Cinderella, Captain Hook, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Sleepy, Evil Queen, Pocahontas, Ariel, Genie, Dalmatian, Cruella, Beast, Simba, and Duchess.

First, you are shown what colours to use and how to apply them. So always start with the face!

Next, it’s time to work on the costume:

You are given a list of materials and instructions on how to craft your little character’s attire.

Below are just some more of the characters as modeled by the Children’s Theatre School of Milwaukee, WI.

All of the costume characters are accompanied by an image of the actual animated character. For comparison I suppose, although, very few of the efforts are close to the original. But close enough for fun! I think the greatest thing that this book offers is the opportunity for parents to work along with their children in creating something special. This might be a case where the journey is as or more important than the destination.

The book ends with some safety tips for when you use the paints:

The book came with a painting kit, as shown below:

You can still buy this book on Amazon for about $40.00 CAN plus approximately $8.00 shipping.

Posted in Books, Characters, Clothing, Crafts, DIY, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bobby Orr Read-a-Thon Promotional Card

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Robert Gordon Orr (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the position of defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons, starting with 10 with the Boston Bruins, followed by 2 with the Chicago Black Hawks.

And that last statistic helps us to date this promotional card. It was handed out to school students for participating in a Read-a-Thon program. Orr had signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1976 and was active with the team until about 1979, when his number was retired. He retired from playing altogether at that time.

The card below pictures Orr wearing a Chicago Blackhawks uniform, confirming this promotional giveaway must have been during his relatively brief time with the team.

Front of Card

Unfortunately, the signature on this card is not ‘live’ but was printed along with the image of the player. So no added value is afforded the piece due to the autograph. Not likely as sought-after as a rookie card, but maybe a completist who collects Bobby Orr memorabilia might covet something like this!

My wife received this card for her participation in the M. S. (Multiple Sclerosis) Read-a-Thon as a Mystery Sleuth. She confirms receiving the card in 1979 which would make her 10-years old at the time, and in grade 5. If you click the link, you’ll see that this program is still offered! And you can enroll your child today and help raise funds for a worthy charity.

And maybe they’ll receive a message like the one below, perhaps from a contemporary star of sports or entertainment:

Back of Card

M. S. Read-a-Thon inspires kids to read as much as they can, all for an incredible cause. The rules are simple: they read whatever they want, as much as they can! Like when my wife participated, children can get sponsors to pay them any amount per book read.

Children can register with their school (teachers, you can register your class) or individually. Best of all, by joining this quest, not only will children awaken a love of reading, but they will also be helping people who live with multiple sclerosis (MS) in their community.

The card featured in this post is definitely ‘old-school’. Today, children who take part have access to cool things via the Internet. Oh, how things have changed! Did you ever receive a keepsake for participating in some school activity?

Posted in Awards, Books, Collectibles, Ephemera, History, Postcards, Promotions, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mickey Band Leader Pulsating Light Sword

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Dis-LEE

Disney is always looking for ways to ‘plus’ the Theme Park experience for its guests. So over the years we have seen innovations that have made parades, firework shows, and other attractions more interactive. Most recently, synchronized Mickey Ears were introduced that flash in concert with music being played during a Castle show.

But the piece of merchandise I’m sharing today is ‘old school’. They have re-released versions of this item but not with the level of detail and quality found originally. Let’s have a look:

Fully Extended

This toy has an extendable ‘blade’ that shoots out with just a flick of the wrist. Once out, you can activate a pulsating light display by pushing the yellow switch on the front, upwards.

This model is vintage and so has some obvious wear. But it is both heavier and uses thicker plastic for the ‘blade’ than the newer versions.

Top View showing Collapsing Tube

The ‘blade’ telescopes down into the body of the hilt when not in use. The body is just 11″ but with the ‘blade’ extended, the toy grows to a full 28″.

I shot a quick video to show the Light Sword pulsing, both with the lights on and off:

Video of Light Sword in Action!

Who says kids have to have all the fun?!?

So who remembers, back in the old days, when you had to buy some type of light toy to wave around during a parade, fireworks show, or other event? I know you still can, but it seems to be less common now, what with the newer technology taking over. Or maybe Disney is afraid of a Light Sword war breaking out! Star Wars… eat your heart out!

Posted in Characters, Collectibles, Merchandise, Theme Parks, Toys | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lilo and Stitch Disney Store Lithographs

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Dis-LEE

This offering from the Disney Store went above and beyond when it came to designing the cover folder. Lilo & Stitch was set in Hawaii and featured cultural things like dance, festivals, and of course, surfing!

So for the release of the animated classic Lilo & Stich, not only did we get four prints depicting scenes from the movie, but also an ʻeʻehia cover folder as well! Let’s have a look:

Folder Cover

The beginnings of a surf board are just behind the title and we also have a very nice floral print.

Folder Completely Opened

With the folder completely open we can see the full shape of the surf board. The prints fit in behind the sand dune.

Now let’s have a look at the prints:

Stitch wearing a polka-dot bra as a hat was a very funny moment in the film! I can’t remember any winter scenes in the movie, but wasn’t there a collage of photographs over the closing credits? Maybe the winter scene came from those.

These prints are rendered on mid-grade paper suitable for framing, but not gallery quality, by any standard.

Folder Partially Opened to reveal Surf Board

Finally we have the surf board in all its glory. Now everyone is ka heʻe nalu ʻana, dude! And just what are they doing, you ask? For the answer, check out the picture on the left, below:

Yup, everyone is surfing! Sheesh, you all need to swat up on your Hawaiian. And for your next language lesson, do you remember the Hawaiian word for family? If you answered ʻohana, not only are you right, but you obviously understand the powerful moment from the movie being depicted in the print above, on the right.

To conclude, let’s have a look at the back of the folder:

Back of Folder

Stitch was a rascal until he experienced unconditional love for the first time. Nothing like a honi to perk a person up! Come on now, I don’t have to interpret that one for ya, do I?

Oh, are you still wondering what ʻeʻehia meant? Well, it’s simply awesome, dude! A HUI HOU (goodbye!)

FUN FACTS: Farewell or goodbye in Hawaiian is also “aloha.” It is a common word used by those leaving. It can also be used as a greeting for hello. However the deeper meaning of aloha is love. Used by one who is departing, aloha makes no distinction as to when and if that person is returning.

Posted in Animation, Artwork, Characters, Collectibles, Disney Store, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment