Remco Spotlight- Astro Buzz Ray Gun

Item Name: Astro Buzz Ray Gun
Manufacturer: Remco Toys



Remco released this colorful sidearm way back in the late 1960's. I don't own a boxed version, so you'll just have to make due with that catalog shot up there.



The Rundown: Ah, 60's Remco product... Why do you have to be so cheesy-cool? The Astro Buzz Ray Gun is definitely far from being accurate to anything ever seen in Star Trek, but that doesn't stop it from being the bee's knees. Don't believe me? Well, let's take a closer look so I can prove it to you...



Let's start with that name: Astro Buzz Ray Gun. It wasn't enough to call it a Star Trek Gun, nor was it enough to call it just a Ray Gun. Remco felt the need to throw a "Buzz" in there, and then like a kid who puts too many toppings on his ice cream, they just went nuts and put "Astro" on top of that. Boy is that name a mouthful. By the time you'd yelled out "Stop Klingon, or I will fire my Star Trek Astro Buzz Ray Gun at you!", it would be way too late.



So why does it look so crazy? Well, as I explained in my second article for StarTrek.com, most of the late 60's Remco Trek product began life as toys from the Hamilton's Invaders line. Hamilton's Invaders was your standard fare for the time- Military guys fight giant insects. The Buzz Ray gun was first released as a role play item for the Hamilton line, but was later recolored and tweaked a bit for use in some of Remco's various licensed toy lines... like Star Trek.



Remco did take the time to make this version at least a little different than the other Buzz Ray Guns though. The side features a Star Trek logo sticker, and a small clear plastic area in the back houses a slightly stylized delta shield. You know- just like Kirk's Ray Gun looked in that one episode...



Now what would a good ray gun be without some special effects? It would be crap, that's what. The Astro Buzz Ray Gun has not one, but 2 electronic features... easily elevating it past the crap stage. Pull the trigger and you'll quickly understand the "buzz" part of the name (here's a hint- it's due to the annoying sound it emits). The gun also features a lighted area up front. Twist a dial along the side of the barrel and a multi-colored disk will turn, allowing you to alter the color of the light beam emitted. Check it out-



As a kid, I'd have loved it. As a parent, I'd have hated it. It's amazing how your perspective can shift over the years...



The Astro Buzz Ray Gun is a neat peek at what Star Trek toys were like during the show's original run. While it's vintage charm an quirky coolness make it neat to own, it doesn't exactly scream "Star Trek" while sitting on your shelf. Unless you are building a staple of 60's Star Trek toys, you definitely don't need one of these for your collection. Even if you did decide to go after one, you'd have to consider the price; Nice loose samples like the one above can routinely bring $100-$150, with boxed versions doubling or tripling that. Yikes! So yeah, definitely skippable for all those but the most hardcore of vintage Trek toy fans...

Remco Spotlight- Azrak Hamway Goodies!

Item Name: Various AHI "Rack Toys"
Manufacturer: Azrak Hamway Incorporated

The Rundown: Back in the 1970's, Azrak Hamway Incorporated reigned supreme as one of the "big dogs" in rack toy manufacturing. If you were in line at the grocery store with mom, and you spied a neat ray gun or ball game for sale, odds are it was a Azrak Hamway product. AHI produced a bunch of Trek-related items during the show's popularity explosion in the 70's... Today we'll take a peek at 3 of 'em!



First up is the "Phaser Water Gun". What kid could have resisted that packaging!?! It looks like a Gold Key comic, and as we all know those rule.



Marrying the phaser design with a squirt gun seems like a no-brainer to me. Forget super soakers; This would easily be my H20 weapon of choice.



Next up is the "Phaser Ray Gun". This guy is basically a flashlight shaped like a phaser. The packaging even calls it a "Space Flashlight". You also get a CLICK ACTION NOISE, but since I don't really want to open this, you're just going to have to use your imagination on that one.



Both the water gun and flashlight share the same basic body design. Look familiar? Well, it should. The design is very similar to Remco's phaser. That's because AHI acquired Remco back in 1974, offering these smaller, cheaper toys under the AHI brand and the nicer, more durable stuff under the Remco name.



The size on this is pretty small, especially the flashlight. I threw a DST phaser toy in a pic to give you a sense of scale. They are made for little hands though so that's totally fine in my eyes.



Lastly for today, there's this odd activity game. I want to call it a pinball game, but it's not. You pull back the little spring and try and shoot the white marbles into the point recesses. It's a game of skill and concentration that takes a Vulcan mind to master. Hours of fun!



This version sports a beautiful rendering of Spock slapped right in the middle of the game. I also have a Kirk version buried in a bin somewhere at the house, but that will have to wait for a future spotlight...

AHI produced some pretty goofy stuff over the years, from the super-neat water gun to parachuting action figures (a future spotlight candidate). Most of these items can be had on the cheap, and make for pretty cool display pieces. I'm always on the hunt for more AHI goodies, so I hope you enjoyed this AHI combo spotlight... because there's definitely more coming!

OH! Almost forgot! Congrats to Miles for winning the AA/ DST Tribble giveaway! Thanks to everyone who entered! Keep an eye out for more giveaways as I always have extra Trek stuff looking for good homes!

-James

Mego Spotlight- Super Phaser II Target Game

Item Name: Super Phaser II Target Game
Manufacturer: Mego Toys Corp.



Mego released this weapon of mass destruction way back in 1976... check out that INSANELY cool box art! Take that ya dirty Cheron!



The Rundown: Produced back in a time when play features far outweighed screen accuracy, the "Super Phaser" from Mego is the somewhat ugly electronic forefather of the superior South Bend TMP phasers. They both employ a similar electronic feature, but the Mego version obviously didn't strive for the same accuracy. It's still a really fun toy though, and just like all Mego product- you have to expect a little inaccuracy in the name of fun. Let's take a look at what the cool kids were playing with back in '76-



Here's the meat of your meat-and-potatoes. This phaser is big and bloated, but if you were a kid back then you probably didn't even notice. It looks enough like the phaser to meet the standards of any Trek-loving adolescent back then- way before there were entire forums dedicated to toy likeness authenticity. A product of a simpler time... a time that I really miss. I'm just as guilty as everyone else when it comes to complaining about how good a likeness a figure has, or if they got the correct sound effects built into my tricorder. Oh to be a kid again when none of that stuff mattered. But I digress...



This couldn't be called a game unless it included more than just that phaser, so you also get this little piece of fun in the box. It's a giant red reflector mounted on a picture of a Klingon Battle Cruiser. Klingon bastards! I hate you so much that I'll shoot your ship with a mere hand phaser! That'll learn ya.



And the other side-



See? Very much like the South Bend TMP phasers, except this one is built for solo play. TOS fans must be a lonely bunch.

Since this toy is over 30 years old now, I highly doubted that it would still work. I threw some batteries in it, and tried hitting the target a few times with no luck. Bummer. I went ahead and set up the camera anyways to give it one last try at capturing the effect on camera. The result-



That's right baby! when the pressure is on, the trusty Super Phaser II pulls through!

Obviously, this is one that's worth picking up for folks that owned it way-back-when and not those hoping for a series accurate replica. I'm sure these things saw a ton of action back then, and deservedly so. You can get them pretty cheap on eBay still, so take an inexpensive trip down memory lane and blast the crap out of an unsuspecting Cheron!

-James

AA/ DST Spotlight- Phaser Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Item Name: Phaser (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)



Diamond Select Toys released this phaser in the "universal" Star Trek packaging. This TMP version is an Entertainment Earth exclusive. Here's the back of the box featuring some of DST's other products and a little more on the TMP phaser-



The Rundown: The TWOK phaser from DST was one of my favorite Trek toy purchases in years (you can read my original post on it here). The electronic features and sleek design are top notch and easily elevate the piece from a mere toy into the "prop replica" range. So when DST announced they'd be using the mold to do a TMP version, needless to say I couldn't get my credit card out fast enough to place my pre-order. Mine arrived shortly before Christmas... How does it stack up against the TWOK version? Let's look!



Both phasers feature the same great electronic features, so the only real differences in the two are in appearance. The TWOK style phaser features a shiny metallic silver finish while this new TMP version is molded in a flat gray color.

Oh! Before I forget... I didn't notice when I reviewed the TWOK version, but the handle actually has "pinky indents" just like the real prop! They are easy to miss (obviously), so it's pretty cool that DST took the time to include them.



The next difference is in the trigger. The new TMP style phaser features a flat trigger that lays flush with the handle while the original TWOK version has a raised circle in the middle.



Here's the biggest difference of the bunch, and the true selling point in buying another version. The buttons of the TMP version are a different mold than the TWOK version and are cast in translucent plastic. Instead of the plain white lights of the original, the new TMP version features multi-colored lights indicating the different power levels! Here's a quick video so you can see what I mean-



Pretty sweet! Had DST just left the lights the same, I'd have a hard time pushing an additional purchase on this... but with the addition of the different colors, I have no problem giving this one my recommendation. It was a great piece the first time, and it may be just a bit better on this go round!

You can pick up the phaser for $29.99 right here from the fine folks at Entertainment Earth!

-James

Remco Spotlight- Utility Belt

Item Name: Star Trek Utility Belt
Manufacturer: Remco



Remco released this set back in the mid-70's. Shown above is the Canadian style packaging.

The Rundown: Remco was one of the first companies to tackle Trek merchandise, releasing a few items way back during the original run of the show. Most of that early merchandise was related to Star Trek by name only; releases like the "Astro-Cruiser" had absolutely nothing to do with the series. In the 70's however, Remco put out some really nice stuff that was actually based on the show...like this utility belt set. Here's what ya got-



No utility belt would be complete without a phaser. The phaser has the Remco-style "Star Trek" logo on the side, a silver emitter area, and a rather large trigger up front. What's the large trigger for you ask? Why these of course:



The phaser comes with a pack of small disks for you to load up and fire! The mechanism sticks a bit, but this thing still fires after all these years.



Next up is your handy Tricorder. It lacks the strap of the original, and the design seems much more akin to the version included with the Mego figures, but it's still way cool. Perfect for the kid pretending to be Spock (which is what I would have done had I owned this as a kid).



The communicator is really my favorite piece in the set. It has a little flip open top, and the inside is actually fairly screen accurate (for a kid's toy). I could just imagine running around outside and flipping this open to call for a beam-out.



And the final piece of the set is the belt itself. There's little spots for each of your pieces of equipment so you can carry them with you everywhere! The belt is adjustable, and has a sweet logo at the buckle area. I would totally wear this if I could fit it.



The only drawback on the set is the size. This was made for kids, and as such everything is about half the size of the actual props. Really, who cares though? I'd have gone nuts for this as a kid! Sweet stuff!

-James

AA/ DST Spotlight- Phaser Star Trek II : The Wrath Of Khan

Item Name: Phaser (Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan)
Manufacturer: Diamond Select Toys



Diamond Select Toys released this phaser in the "universal" Star Trek packaging. Here's the back of the box featuring some of DST's other products-



The Rundown: Man, I love the AA/ DST Trek Tek stuff. I've been pretty satisfied with just about everything they've done, excluding the problems I had with my Medical Tricorder. This TWOK style phaser continues the trend, and may just be my favorite Trek Tek item ever.



The sculpt is great and looks very much like the movie prop. All the little details are here, from the "hologram" piping on the side to the smaller panels on the Type 1. Very nice!



Speaking of the Type 1, although it's never seen doing this in the movie, it is detachable from the Type 2! The feature works differently than the TOS phaser; instead of being attached with a simple post mechanism, DST used the same sort of magnetic featured they developed for the Enterprise D. It works incredibly well, and seems really secure when it's in place. The magnet is very strong too and actually feels like it pulls the Type 1 towards it.



The Type 1 is what actually houses all the electronic features. It's pretty lightweight since it just runs on 3 little watch batteries. Looks great, and can fit in your pocket for those sneaky away missions!



When the Type 1 is attached to the Type 2 body, the electronic features are activated by pressing the large round power button...and this thing is LOADED with features-



The phaser is covered in lights. The power button lights up, the panel lights up, and the emitter area lights up. When the phaser is powered up, the lights will blink showing it is activated. You can then shift the phaser into it's 5 different setting, with the light shifting between panels and the emitter beam changing in intensity.

The 4 different settings are as follows:

"Safety"
"Low Stun/ Heat"
"Stun"
"Kill"
"Disintegrate"

There's also a sound effect that plays when your Type 1 attaches to the Type 2 body. And perhaps the coolest feature of all: Press down both the Type 1 trigger and setting selector for about 5 seconds and the phaser enters "Overload" mode. Once "Overload" mode is initiated, press down on the trigger and the phaser will begin to overload, culminating in an explosion!

Here's a quick video showing off the effects:




This phaser ROCKS. I really didn't expect to like it as much as I do, but this thing is just awesome. It's hitting stores now, and I seriously can't recommend it enough. It looks and feels like a prop, and the electronic features are some of DST's finest work to date. Go pick this puppy up!

-James

Hallmark Ornament Spotlight- 2009 Starfleet Phaser

Item Name: Starfleet Phaser Keepsake Ornament
Manufacturer: Hallmark



Hallmark released this phaser ornament for the 2009 holiday season.



The Rundown: Last year's classic communicator ornament was one of the coolest pieces Hallmark has produced in their Star Trek ornament line. The sound quality was great, and the ornament was just plain fun. Well, this year's companion piece- the "Starfleet Phaser"- may just top it.



the first thing you notice when getting this one out is the size. Unlike last year's communicator, the phaser is much more accurate to the original prop. Check out the comparison with the AA/ DST version! The size is almost identical!



Hallmark's version is pretty close to the AA/ DST version overall. There are a few slight differences that I picked out, like the gold reflective sticker near the emitter light.



There's also a gold reflective area on the "sight", which is clear on the AA/ DST version. And unlike the toy version, Hallmark's phaser functions by pressing up on the dial instead of by pressing a button. The numbered dial switches the phaser between three power modes and an additional button on the top activates the sound chips. The phaser runs on 3 watch batteries, which are included. Here's a quick video illustrating what all this puppy can do-



And in case you want to read the back of the box-





At $18.50, this ornament may seem a bit pricey, but in comparison to some of the other Hallmark stuff at this price point, this phaser really feels like your getting a lot of bang for your buck. The sound effects are nice and loud, and the phaser looks great. The phaser looks so accurate that you could even use this as part of a Trek costume (if it weren't for the little gold hanging ring at the base). This one just hit stores this week, so go hit up your Hallmark stores and check it out for yourself!

-James