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12-23-2015, 08:45 PM | #1 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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I searched and looked for a thread dedicated to this Old Big Chap on these forums and was surprised not to find one. So, I hope it's OK to start this one. Everyone here should know what this figure is, anyway. So I hope such a thread is welcome. This wonderful action figure is the original 1979 Kenner Alien. He's got such an amazing story to tell that you could write a book about it. Quite possibly one of the most notorious commercially produced toys ever made. This figure is definitely somewhat a legend - for all the wrong reasons, too, it would seem. I'm a really big fan of this figure and would love to see if other people here have one and what you guys think of it. The nefarious old figure was made by Kenner Products in 1979. Expecting to match the ludicrous public demand for their 'Star Wars' 3 3/4 inch toys with which Kenner had had phenomenal success, the company went into production early on the Alien figure in an attempt to satisfy the expected high demand. They were obligated under contract with 20th Century Fox to not reveal the nature of the item until the movie, 'ALIEN', was released in May 25th of that year and Kenner decided to adopt the new larger 12 to 15 inch format they had for their next 'Star Wars' action figure range for this particular release and manufactured the figure in a 'matching' scale. The large scale figure was considered to be an appropriate place to start with 'ALIEN' merchandising. So it was that the big 18 inch version of the Alien hit the deck in toy stores with a loud THUD! Well, it didn't go quite to plan with this release and the poor ol' Big Chap was received in toy stores with all the applause of a drooling psycho sexual goblin molesting barbie dolls. It turned out that 'loud THUD' was the public outcry of jaw dropping disapproval that this ugly thing was being marketed at children 'AGES 5 AND UP'. Some genius at Kenner thought a children's toy based on a terrifying monster appearing in an 'R' rated movie would be a great idea and a commercial success! Well guess what? It turned out this figure was one of the greatest market fails possible. Parents hated it due to it's gruesome appearance; and the kids that it was aimed at (who were unable to relate to such an ugly toy based on a movie they were not allowed to see) failed to find the gigantic drab and unappealing toy to be attractive at all. A biomechanoid beauty wrapped up in 18 inches of unpopularity. The repercussions were far reaching for Kenner. The single run item ceased production immediately and remaindered stock was quickly relegated to bargain bins to clear space for stock that didn't distress the buying public. Kenner wouldn't go near the 'ALIEN' licence again for at least another decade. Even more amazing, an entire range of 3 3/4 inch 'ALIEN' figures planned as a follow up release in 1979 was cancelled and become legendary items in their own right. This range of pocket sized figures did not see production until more than 3 decades had passed. furthermore, they were released well after Kenner had ceased to exist by another company altogether. In this regard not only does the Original Alien figure released by Kenner possess remarkable historical value, he's a true villain and a total bad-ass to boot! What do you guys think of this figure? If you have one - or more than one - please post some photos. I'd love to see them! I'm very interested in discussing this fellow. I've been doing a lot of research about it lately and would like to know more about it. -Windebieste. Last edited by windebieste; 01-02-2016 at 05:06 PM.. |
12-23-2015, 08:53 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 16
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Man, that guy's cool! He's not really in my scope of knowledge, but that's a cool toy nonetheless.
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12-24-2015, 02:25 PM | #3 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
|
yeah... for sure. He is cool. Super cool in fact; and that item posted above is a very good sample for his age. He's clean and complete with all parts present, which is more than you can say for most of these figures when you find one today. He's has the highly desirable ability to hold a pose - and keep it - by holding his arms out in front of him. Most of these figures today can't do that. The rubber anchors that Kenner used in order to give the figure its 'spring loaded arms' feature are commonly perished, weakened or as they are all too frequently found, completely broken. So yes. That particular figure is really cool!
Remember, it's been 36 years since these toys were made so it's no surprise that the condition of them can vary greatly and the really good quality items are harder to find. Boxed items are something else entirely and I'll talk about them later... Anyway, figures in this condition below are common. More common than most people realise: Mostly 'armless? HAHAHA! Geddit! ... Actually, if this was the real deal it would be spraying highly corrosive acid blood all over you... Who's laughing now? This figure is a good example of the parts that are usually missing or detached from the figure. It's obvious the arm is broken off and even the most casual inspection reveals the figure is clearly no longer complete. There are, however, at least 2 other features missing from this particular figure. The carapace (aka the 'dome') upon the head is missing as is the uppermost dorsal appendage (aka the 'spike'). Both of these items are frequently missing from these old figures. The dome is basically loose, sits upon the head without any attachment and is easily lost while the spike will often break away and will simply also no longer be present with the figure. The greater problem here is losing the spike is usually a strong indication that some other damage has been done to the figure to further degrade it; and I'll talk about that in a later post as well. Anyway, these are common problems these figures can display. Also frequently missing is any of the dentition present on the figure. This one has his teeth, which is a good thing; and I'm certain he has his tongue as well. The dentured tongued itself is split into 2 separate halves and either or both of these halves may also easily be lost. Anyway, I would love to talk more but Christmas Day duties summon me. Enjoy your celebrations! I'll be back when I can to discuss this mighty old figure some more! -Windebieste. |
12-25-2015, 01:27 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,759
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i remember begging my mom for this when i was 5 or 6 only to not be able to sleep with it in the room..
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12-26-2015, 02:56 PM | #5 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Wow... just Wow. That's some anecdote you have there. Thank you for that. Here's a cookie to help console and comfort your clearly traumatised inner 5 year old child. You have to wonder how many other children endured similar such experiences when they saw this thing. I'm very interested in hearing from others as well in this regard.
The 18 inch Alien figure wasn't unique in its day. Kenner had already previously started releasing a range of '12 inch' sized 'Star Wars' figures to complement their already released range of 3 3/4 inch action figures. Darth Vader (below) was released before the Alien in 1978. Yet even these 2 figures standing together don't scale perfectly. The Vader figure is 15 inches tall while the Alien is 18 3/4 inches tall. While Darth Vader, as he appears in 'Star Wars', is 6' 8" tall (depending on who you talk to) at this scale the Alien would be around 9 to 10 feet tall. A significantly larger size than it appears in 'ALIEN' at 7' 8" (Once again, depending on who you talk to). Even Darth Vader appears to be expressing some uncertainty here as to whether his ugly stablemate is a good idea. Now we are beginning to get into some of the grey areas of my knowledge regarding Ye Olde Alien figure and it would be great if anyone reading this could contribute and/or correct me if I err. I know a lot about the figure but I'm also very aware that some of those 'facts' may potentially be erroneous. This is a problem where the internet can be as big an assistance as it can be an hindrance to the spreading of knowledge. One of my goals here is to ensure my facts are 100% correct. This figure is 36 years old now and as such has been provided with ample opportunity for reality to become distorted; and for history to become myth; and for urban myth to become fact. For example here is one 'fact' that is widely regarded as the truth that I know is definitely incorrect: "The 1979 Kenner Alien action figure is RARE." Well, that statement is blatently untrue and is easily proven to be otherwise. Kenner made thousands of these figures prior to the release of 'ALIEN' in order to avoid the supply and demand problems they experienced when they severely under estimated how popular their 'Star Wars' action figures would be. Even today many samples of the figure can easily be found. You only have to look at how many of these figures are currently available for sale on Ebay. If scarcity is the case, then how is it that there is always at least one of them available for sale on the service at any given time? Always. What's more, there is currently about a dozen of them available there in conditions that range from loose and degraded right up to boxed with AFA grades. This item is not rare. Such statements are a load of bollocks. It's just untrue. This is the kind of perpetrated myth I am attempting to correct in my own appreciation of the figure. As such, it is any other such falsenesses that may be masquerading as 'facts' I'm interested in correcting. If the need arises during the course of my discussion here to correct me in this regard then please, please, please do so! The last thing I want to do is continue to perpetuate any untruths regarding this figure. Verification and historical acuracy is what I am seeking here. Thank you for reading. -Windebieste. |
12-27-2015, 06:14 PM | #6 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
|
I hate doubling up my posts and I love seeing feedback from interested visitors but if no one is going to respond, well, that's not going to stop me. I have a ton of material to go through here. So, onto my next post... Getting away from some of the difficult to verify historical details of the figure, let's start taking a look at how to repair these things. This is an area I have had a lot of experience in so I know these facts and techniques outlined here work; and they work well. Here's a pair of figures that are clearly in a pretty bad state: Sadface is sad. ...but all is not lost. The one on the left is missing his head while the other is missing a number of other features including his left arm, the shoulder spike (or crest) and is his dome. I am pretty sure he has his tongue in place. Unlike many action figures, the old Kenner Alien can be repaired. For example, the net result of dismantling both of these figures and reassembling them is rewarding. A single almost complete figure will emerge with of its limbs and critical body parts present. Only the head dome will be missing. To complete it is possible and all that is required is to purchase either an original Kenner dome (very uncommon and expensive) or a reproduction item (which will look just as good) on Ebay. The net result will be a fully feature complete figure in great condition and worthy of display. ...along with a bunch of left over scraps you can sell on Ebay to recover your cost of which ever choice of dome you purchased. The nature of the damage can vary greatly. The figure below has experienced a nasty fall resulting in the head being snapped off at the neck. I purchased this fellow from a guy whose cat knocked it off of his display shelf. It is true. Cats and Aliens don't mix very well! Jones will testify to that. Nonetheless, this figure is severely damaged and in this condition would normally be considered to be beyond hope of repair: Despite this serious damage, this particular figure was repaired without the need for glues or adhesives. Today you wouldn't even know it was damaged. There are several ways to deal with this issue. Actually, quite a few options are available to you. You can accept that it's broken and just let it be, displaying it in this condition. You can either give it away or sell it on Ebay - which will net you about US$100 or more. Or you could repair it. Whatever you do, don't throw it away! It's worth a lot to someone like myself and it's potentially an ideal source of genuine parts not available any other way. If a restoration is planned, there's a few ways to tackle this problem. As outlined above, you could cannibalise parts from another figure and swap out the broken head. Or if you don't have a another figure available to you or don't want to purchase one then you can repair the damage part. This repair is a challenge in its own right but it can definitely be done. Here at AvP Galaxy I have written a brief outline of how to repair this particular kind of very serious damage. The scope and potential for repairing any of these old damaged Kenner Alien action figures is extremely high. Almost any form of damage done to the figure can be addressed in one way or another by either replacing parts cannibalised from another figure or directly repairing an already damaged part. Of course, some figures are just beyond restoration but even those can still be used as a source for genuine parts that are otherwise unavailable by any other means. Either way, you can fully restore many old and damaged figures and make them display worthy. I've done this many times now and have become very familiar with a variety of techniques and methods to achieve this end. In the end, there's just about nothing that can't be fixed on this figure. -Windebieste. |
12-30-2015, 02:51 PM | #7 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
|
At this point in my exploration and appreciation of the old action figure we move onto actually taking one apart. This is something that can't be done with most other figures.
See these 4 screws? These are your friends. Well, they certainly are if you want to fix your Kenner Alien, that's for sure. You will find all 4 screws hiding amongst the rich textures upon the figure's back. They are present in deep recessed holes concealed amongst the various appendages and spinal details. Removing them is as simple as using a screwdriver. 4 screws. Count 'em. I dare you. It's a good thing that Kenner Products decided to use screws to clamp the figure's torso halves together. If glue had been employed, the dismantling of the figure to orchestrate any repairs would be impossible. Being able to remove the screws, disassemble the figure, make whatever repairs necessary and then fasten the torso halves back together again is an absolute Godsend. Once the screws are removed you will need to pry the figure apart. DO NOT USE A KNIFE, SCREWDRIVER OR ANY OTHER TOOLS TO SEPARATE THE HALVES! Just use your fingers to gently separate them. Wedge your thumbs into the shoulder sockets and pull gently at the halves if they are unnyieldingly fixed in place. Turn the figure over and try the other side. Alternate and rotate the figure until you get the smallest movement. Repeat the process and pull at each side in turn until the halves are separated. Yes, sometimes this can be a difficult process and wear painfully upon your fingers and thumbs but ultimately the figure will surrender to your patience, determination and tenacity. It will come apart. An exploded Alien. Pulse rifle grenades not included. This is what the figure looks like when it is fully disassembled. Notice there is almost a dozen mounting and securing posts present inside the front torso half? When assembled, these posts and their matching counter posts in the rear of the figure give it strength and a very firm and robust assembly. Now, onto the parts themselves. Note that the shoulder crest and the tail are still attached to the rear torso half. Unless these particular pieces require attention and need fixing, then they should remain attached to the back of the figure and not removed. The other pieces: the head, carapace, screws, quad appendages (note that all 4 of these appendages are connected via an otherwise internally concealed bridge mount.), both legs, both arms and the torso front all come apart from the figure relatively easily once the screws are removed. At this point, any damage to the figure can then be easily addressed either by replacing parts or directly addressing issues on a broken part. Once the work is done, reassemble it and return the screws to the figure's back and it's done. It's a simple process and easily accomplished. Brilliant! Thank you Kenner for using screws to fasten this thing together. Most other action figures, if they break, will have all kinds of problems that will never be addressed. Never. Not this fellow. He may be ugly. He may be old. He may have a reputation and history that makes most other action figures blush but one thing for sure, though. He can be fixed. Next up, I'm going to start exploring the curious oddities that followed in the wake of this figure's disastrous release. We still have a looooong road to travel, Folks. A long road... -Windebieste. |
12-30-2015, 03:48 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,354
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Never seen this 18" version before, but it seems to have a following. A broken figure is listed ~$200.00. Top listing for boxed uncirculated is $5K. Wow.
1979 Kenner 18" Alien |
01-01-2016, 03:17 PM | #9 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
|
Hoopy New Year to you All!!!
Oh yes, this figure definitely has a following and those prices are what this figure is actually pulling. Even poor quality b0rked figures with missing parts can easily pull upwards of $100 without any effort. For boxed figures you can add $400 to the price... Unopened boxes, yeah, you can start at about $1000 and keep piling on the ca$h. This is a serious collectible we are talking about here. Anyhow I'll talk more about that later. For now, let's move into the weird territory that surrounds this grotesque action figure as we move away from 1979 and fast forward to 1984. 1984 was the year to see the next release of any 'ALIEN' action figure - and Kenner was nowhere in sight. Well, at least not in terms of being actively involved as a participating company. Over a decade would pass before Kenner would return to licence merchandise for this property in 1992 but their contribution remains important in 1984. Significantly, 1984 saw Tsukuda Hobby release their iteration of the Big Chap. It's true that MPC did release a model kit of the Alien in 1979 alongside Kenner's big chap but strictly speaking the MPC item wasn't an action figure. It was a kit that required complete assembly. The figure looks almost exactly like it does on the box! Nice. Too bad it's a rubbish figure. Tsukuda's 'ALIEN' figure was an unremarkable attempt at grasping a foothold in a market that had been left wide open by Kenner's failed marketing strategy. It's unfortunate that Tsukuda's attempt to fill this void resulted in a product of poor quality and did little to grab anyone's attention. It would easily have been forgotten and completely disappear into obscurity had it not been for one significant detail. In order to produce their figure, Tsukuda repurposed the moulds that Kenner used on their original 1979 release. It's obvious when comparing both figures side by side that the 1984 Japanese pressing of the figure uses the old Kenner moulds. While some changes were made to various parts of the body of the figure, it clearly demonstrates its origins without debate. It possesses many small changes throughout but the relationship is undeniable. The tongue is no longer operated via a trigger mechanism, the head has various small changes including the removal and filling in of the trigger mechanism. An abundance of minor changes are also present but the figure fails to conceal its origin. 1984 Tsukuda (Left) and 1979 Kenner (Right). The 1984 pressing is slightly smaller but shares obvious common traits with the older figure. Overall, the 1984 Tsukuda figure is inferior to the original Kenner item in just about every way. It feels cheaply made and among other modified features it lacks articulation in the mouth and tongue areas. The arms which were originally ball and socket arrangements that afforded a decent range of movement were reduced to rotating spindle joints. There's no glow in the dark features present on the head and the carapace was even more ill-fitting (as is observable in the top image.) than how it appeared on the original figure. It was derided by fans as a 'Fake!' and a 'cheap knock off' of the original Kenner figure. It was also frequently accused of being a bootleg. Yet it was a genuinely licenced item from 20th Century Fox. Such authenticity does little to change the fact that it's an ugly embarrassment to the original figure and a woeful blatant unsatisfying copy of the same. It's shorter, too. By about an inch. Which is quite surprising when the box declares that the figure is over 18 inches tall. At full height, the figure measures less than that. About 17 3/4", actually. The 1984 iteration of the figure wasn't the last time the Kenner Products moulds were reissued by Fox - and certainly not Tsukuda's final entry into this licence. During the next dozen years or so, the moulds were passed around between companies. Each time the molds were modified slightly but still strongly retained an obvious ancestry and direct connection with the original Kenner figure. None of them were particularly any good and only added to the growing disreputable history of an already nefarious action figure. Poor old Kenner Alien. Nobody loves you. Even people on this forum (of all places!) don't know about you. Don't worry, KA'79, I love you; and so do many others! -Windebieste. |
01-03-2016, 04:27 PM | #10 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Here's a bunch of Alien figures. 5 of them. They're all in various states of incompleteness. Obviously, each are missing their carapaces and some are missing the dorsal crest between the shoulders. The one on the far right has his arm detached and is lugging it around lashed to his left leg. The one on the far left is missing his upper set of dentures.
The new recruits; and ideal candidates for complete restoration. These figures are in average condition and can be frequently found in such states. The missing domes and dorsal spikes are common. Missing teeth and split tongue are also common. The same can be said for the broken condition of arms as well. The rubber anchors that hold them in place allowing them their 'spring loaded' quality is all too commonly fatiqued making them hang loosely at the figures side or possibly be broken. Mind you, taking all these issues into account all of these figures are fine candidates for full restorations. Below, we see 4 very reasonable looking Aliens in good state of well-being. Each one of these items has had similar issues as described above and each one of these has had significant work done on of them to bring them up to a level of being 'feature complete'. They display well and all of their parts are present. This does, however, come with some caveats. Fully feature complete restorations. As each one of the Aliens in this photo was originally in an average condition similar to those in the first image of this post, they all required varying degrees of work. This entailed a number of necessary procedures including dismantling the figure, cleaning it, re-attaching the dorsal spine along with a number of other repairs to bring them up to a decent standard. Of important note here is the use of facsimile - or 'repro' - parts to complete this group of figures. Without the use of such 3rd party reproduction parts, these figures would never be whole once again. In these particular cases displayed above, the head carapace was absent from each of them and all of them needed to be replaced with reproduction parts as genuine domes are rare and costly. It would take me forever to find 9 original carapaces to complete this lot. I'm not against the use of repro parts being used when it means an otherwise incomplete figure can be made whole. I believe it's a perfectly viable option. Especially when a figure is otherwise never going to live up to its full potential. Once again, there is a caveat here. Any practice of using repro parts should always be disclosed. To someone not familiar with these figures pictured here they may appear to be 100% complete with original parts. But this is not true. If you do choose to purchase one of these online then ALWAYS attempt to determine if they possess original or reproduction parts before you buy it. It is known that some vendors have sold old Kenner Alien figures claiming they are 100% orginal only for the purchaser to discover this is not the case upon delivery. There's a couple of other features these 4 Aliens possess that are noteworthy. You may notice that each one of them can hold exactly the same pose. This is significant because these action figures are now 36 years old. These ones have had additional work done to them and the arms can now hold any pose. Also of particular note is the tail. None of these tails are loose and none of them are resting on the table top surface. Loose tails are common and further additional work has been performed on these figures to make their tails sit correctly without swinging loosely from side to side. The same figures immediately above, holding different poses with their arms. Cleaned, with all parts present, albeit some facsimiles used to fill in some gaps; and being able to hold a pose with arms in any position and a tail that sits well makes these figures very attractive when displayed. To think that each of these 4 figures originally came into my possession looking like the others at the top of this post, these 36 year old figures were in average condition and can't be made to look better than this. -Windebieste. |
01-05-2016, 03:29 PM | #11 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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One of the common issues these old figures display is the missing dorsal appendage/spike/crest. (whatever that projection thing is that sits between the shoulders is) is often missing. Chances are high if you buy one of these action figures today this feature will not be present. If so, you can still make figure complete by buying a part online. You can purchase an original if you are lucky but they are rare and expensive or you can buy a repro part. Original parts aren't cheap and the repro spike will do the job just as nicely. After all, we will be modifying it so for this reason it's good to not purchase an original piece. Use a facsimile instead. This is the culprit who is often AWOL. The real problem associated with this piece missing is the mounting slot upon the figure where it is fixed in place is frequently broken and enlarged making the pair of pegs that formerly held the spike in place no longer capable of fastening it to the torso. In this regard, it doesn't matter whether you use an original or a replacement spike as the result is the same and the piece will not sit in place correctly and will fall out once again. As repair to the damaged slot on the torso itself is not possible, we have to work around that problem and address the spike itself. Fortunately, this is relatively easy to do. First you need to dismantle the figure. It's a simple task and outlined in a post above. You will need to trim off both pegs from the spike and render the surface flat. For this reason alone it is preferred to use a facsimile part rather than an original one. Then drill a pair of holes into the back of the part. The spike without its mounting pegs and 2 holes drilled in their place; an improvised mounting plate and a pair of screws. You will then need to craft a small, improvised mounting plate to sit inside the interior of the figure to fix the spike in place. To do so, cut the material from an old DVD case and trim a small plate to fit the space inside the rear half of the torso behind where the spike is to sit. An old DVD case is an ideal source of material to work with as such things are readily on hand, it is easily cut with a good pair of sharp scissors and the improvised plate is strong enough to hold the spike in place securely without any problems. You will also need a couple of screws to assemble the new arrangement; and of course, a screw driver. Drill or punch a pair of holes into the mounting plate to match the pair of holes in the back of the spike. The rear torso interior with the mounting plate and screws in place. Now it's a simple task to assemble the arrangement from within the torso half. Pass the screws through the mounting plate holes and fit the assembly into the rectangular slot in the back of the figure. Then screw them into the spike. It's simple, really. Tighten the screws until the spike is fixed in place. You can leave each screw half a turn away from being fully tightened if you like to emulate the innate looseness the spike originally had when it was in place. Reassemble the figure. Job done. The crest is now securely returned to its proper place. The finish will be secure and undetectable and include any minor movement the piece originally possessed when the figure was new. No glue will be required at all. Always treat glue as a last resort in any repair; and indeed, in returning one of these spikes to the figure's back it's use is not necessary at all. The end result will be a figure with its dorsal crest confidently secured in place and a figure that is made more complete. -Windebieste. |
01-07-2016, 03:11 PM | #12 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Just for now, my investigations regarding the Kenner Alien will briefly depart from the figure itself and focus on the packaging it was originally distributed along with other inclusions you can expect to find in one of these boxes.
A pair of boxes in decent condition, despite a few creases and wrinkles. The tall blue box is distinct in it's child friendly light blue presention and stores were known to have entire shelves packed with them. Retailers were happy to take Kenner's word that this figure was going to match sales of their earlier 'Star Wars' figures (Which had sold 40 million units in the space of just 8 months in 1978!) and stocked up well on these items when 'ALIEN' was released at the cinema. The attractive box is in marked contrast to the ungainly and drab gun-metal grey figure itself. Kenner made the boxes to be disposed of once purchased so they only had to fullfil the purposes of transport (6 boxes were packed into each packing carton) and display the figure on store shelves. It's the secondary collector market that has since generated the value they now possess. The boxes are made of light card and feature a pair of clear plastic display windows through which the figure can easily be seen. One window is on the front face of the box and another is found on the top. Inside the box, the figure was originally strapped at the elbows to a folded red dyed corrugated cardboard insert with laddered black ratcheted ties. The rear of the head, dorsal spines and tail were each recessed into penetrations through the corrugated insert card. You can sometimes find opened boxes for sale with the figure still strapped to the cardboard insert, thus keeping the figure protected inside the box in near mint condition regardless of the state the packaging is in. There's a variety of images of the figure and Kenner's 'ALIEN' toy range logo adorning all sides of the box in various configurations. The left side of the box. The Alien depicted on the packaging is a production prototype and not a serial production run item. Typically, boxes were sealed across the top by a length of cellotape. The condition and presence of this tape sealing the box will seriously influence the value of the box, effectively making the short length of adhesive plastic strip the most expensive feature the box can possess. It's no joke that the presence of an intact length of original tape sealing the package can easily add over US$1000 to the value of a box. These 36 year old boxes can commonly demonstrate any type of problems. Tears, buckles, watermarks, bruising, blemishes and other signs of wear and tear are frequently present upon them. Often either or both of the two windows may be missing as the adhesive that holds them in place may have perished either partially or completely. If you are thinking of purchasing one of these boxes make sure that you can see photos of all sides of the box including the bottom, which should also have a length of tape running across it sealing it similarly to the top. Always make sure you inspect all sides of a box. Damage to the bottom can easily be concealed in photos. Nonetheless, boxes are typically opened when you do come across one. As a rough ball park figure opened boxes with their sealing tape broken can range in price from about US$400 to US$1000, largely depending upon their condition. Unoponed boxes with the tape still intact are uncommon. Their value can start around the $800 mark and can easily lead upwards of US$1000 and more. Once again, it depends largely on its condition and what vendors expect to get for them. Price can vary greatly and are not hard fixed by any measure. A pristine and/or uncirculated box is a true rare collectible item in regards to this commodity. Expect the asking price on these items to be no less than US$2000. If you want a true collectible sample of the 1979 Kenner Alien, then that item is the Holy Grail you seek. Once the Alien figure was deemed unworthy of sale to children, many of the action figures were removed from their boxes. The figures themselves were placed in bargain bins to conserve shelf space for more attractive toys that didn't upset parents and their children. The boxes themselves were discarded. They were thrown into dumpsters and were subsequently destroyed. Of course, this wasn't the fate of many boxes; and not all retailers adopted this method of clearing stock, either. No discussion of the box would be complete without a close up image of Little Jimmy completely enraptured by his new toy! No doubt Kenner Products expected American children across the country to lovingly embrace the action figure just like this. Individual stores and chains of retailers adopted their own disposal methods and strategies for clearing unwanted stock. Nonetheless, this action on behalf of those retailers that did destroy the boxes has amplified the scarcity of boxed Aliens available today. In the next instalment of my continuing episodic appreciation, preservation and restoration of ye olde 1979 Kenner Alien action figure, I will explore the all too cool and valuable poster that came with it as an inclusion inside the box when it was new. -Windebieste |
01-09-2016, 02:15 PM | #13 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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The Alien figure strapped to the red dyed insert wasn't alone in the box when it was released. There were a couple of other inclusions as well. The Kenner customer reply card and a poster were both present in the tall blue package. The reply card was Kenner's standard inclusion for their various product lines at the time but the poster was unique to the Alien action figure only:
Upon one side of the poster is the figure's operation instructions. It's basic stuff and mildly amusing as it outlines the action figure's key features. The reverse side of the sheet is the actual poster. It displays grey scale artwork featuring scenes from the movie. The poster is frequently missing from opened packaged Alien action figures and its presence can add significant value to any box. You can occasionally purchase one of these 36 year old posters loose on Ebay if you are lucky enough to find one. That is, if you possess the inclination and bank account to afford one. While these are occasionally available on the service but don't expect your wallet to be treated with any kindness. These monochrome posters, around the size of an A3 sheet, can sell for upwards of US$100. A good quality poster will have only a single crease across the middle where it was folded in half. Commonly, they have an additional perpendicular crease that divides the poster into quarters. It is not possible to find one without any creases at all due to the first hard fold being necessary to stow them in boxes. The first fold is always a hard crease while the second fold is sometimes lacking or not so severe and can sometimes almost be undetectable. Loose and potentially over US$100 apiece, it's a good thing they're double sided coz that's what gives 'em real value for money, right? *GUFFAWS!* If buying an opened box with one of these in it - or even just a loose poster - make sure you're paying for a legitimate item and not a copy! It's not surprising that such facsimiles exist, is it? As for the Kenner Customer Reply Card, these are even more rare than the poster in an opened Alien box but no one genuinely appears to care about the lack of any presence of them in opened boxes. This is probably due to such cards being common inclusions inside packages across Kenner's various other toy ranges at the time. (Presumably) it's an easy task to purchase an old (cheaper) Kenner item of similar vintage and transfer the card across to the opened Big Chap box if you really want one. -Windebieste Last edited by windebieste; 01-09-2016 at 02:20 PM.. |
01-14-2016, 04:00 AM | #14 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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hmmmm... lemme see. where were we..? Oh, Yes! I remember now! My apologies for not making an appearance here lately and keeping up with these posts. I've been busy. Amongst other things I have been working on a major project that is rapidly nearing completion. I've also been building a web site and generally getting on with my life. Wow... So much happening all at once. Besides, the Christmas and New Year break did provide me with the opportunity to speedily get a few extra posts in very quickly but I will have to slow down now. I have to reduce my output and will only be able to post once a week from now on rather than one post each day. Anyway, on with the next EXCITING AND THRILL PACKED EPISODE of 'How to Care for your Alien'! Bet you can't wait, right? Frequently, these old figures experience a looseness in their leg joints at the hips. 36 years hasn't been kind to many of them and some of them have become so loose at these joints they fail to stand up and have to be propped up or lean against a wall or other surface to support them. It's a very concerning experience to have your valuable old Alien topple over onto its face, potentially falling at a distance that can easily cause more damage to the figure. Luckily, it's a relatively easy process to give the old worn out joints some new firmness and the ability to stand confidently without pitching face first into an embarrassing faceplant. Disassemble the figure and wrap some teflon tape around the leg spindle and re-assemble the figure. Job done. Just wind it 'round once and cut it with a pair of scissors. Yeah. It's that easy. So, what's this strange and magical teflon tape of which I speak? 'Teflon tape' is actually a thread sealing tape that plumbers use to prevent leaks in pipe joints. It is extremely pliable and flexible, strong and perfect for winding around the spindle of the leg so that it reduces the amount of play between both moving parts. It is also completely adhesive free which makes it perfect for the job at hand as it is easily removed without risk of leaving any sticky residue. Along with its dryness, it is soft and smooth allowing for perfect oil free lubrication so that both surfaces of the torso and leg no longer cause any abrasion within the joint. The tape can be purchased from all good plumber suppliers in any hardware store. It costs around $2 per spool. An applicaton of just a single winding of tape upon each leg spindle should be an adequate repair for most figures. 2 windings at the most on each leg spindle if the legs are particularly loose. For such a small cost, you can not only have your old vintage figure standing upright with confidence but you can now also go fix that damned leaky pipe under your kitchen as well. Brilliant! -Windebieste By the way, just in case you were curious, I'm about half way through my exploration of this awesome action figure so there's still a lot to go. |
01-20-2016, 09:30 PM | #15 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Just a quick note to let you all know I haven't abandoned this topic. Among other things I have been performing a complete tear down and rebuild of one of these old vintage Kenner action figures. It's a lengthy and time consuming process not just because the candidate I chose needs a ton of work done (ideal for my purposes, really) to it; but also due to the time needed to generate the documentation and photographs as well.
You can find the work in progress chronicling this effort on the Mego Museum forums. Eventually, that figure will be completely refurbished and I'll be back once again with some more historical and random tidbits of information regarding ye olde 1979 Kenner Alien. Thank you for taking an interest in my efforts. It's greatly appreciated. -Windebieste. |
02-13-2016, 03:11 PM | #16 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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OK. Back again. Sorry, but real life nonsense has been keeping me away from tending to my much more fun nonsense. ...but we're getting there.
I'm not going to spend too much time exploring this not so mighty entry into the strange history of the 1979 Kenner Alien, just a brief outlline of it's notorious existence. Anyway, on with the show. 12 years after the release of Kenner's original Alien action figure, model company Halcyon released their iteration in 1991. This was in the form of a vinyl assembly kit. The fully assembled 1991 Halcyon kit and box. Unlike the earlier MPC model kit of the Alien that was released alongside the Kenner figure in 1979, there were no fresh sculpt made to generate the Halcyon kit. Instead, Halcyon re-purposed the moulds created by Tsukuda earlier in 1984. As a result, the kit bears a striking resemblance to both it and the original Kenner toy with which they both share common ancestry. However, of all the representations of the Alien derived from the old Kenner item, this Halcyon kit is arguably the weakest. Standing at a solid 16 inches tall, the figure is also the shortest. This kit also possessed its own share of notoriety when it was initially released. This was a generally poor quality kit and its origin as derived from the original Kenner toy was obvious. Considering the box art depicts the Alien in a distinctly different dramatic stance, it came as no surprise that modellers were very disappointed that the kit did not match the box cover art when it was fully constructed. What modellers ended up with instead was another version of the old Kenner toy, roughly disassembled and then repackaged into kit form. The ugly kit did little to conceal this fact. What purchasers had received instead was a modified repressing of a decade old toy that nobody loved; except it was more expensive, was 2 inches shorter, arrived in more pieces and required glue to fully assemble. (Alternatively, you could assemble it by immersing the pieces in hot water and working them into place.) On top of that, it was an officially licenced Fox item as well. The original 1979 Kenner Alien (Left) next to the 1991 Halcyon kit(Right). As you can imagine, fans and modelling enthusiasts at the time were not impressed. At least in this regard, the model kit adds another curious chapter to the lamentable History of the original 1979 Kenner Alien action figure. ...and so we continue to explore the amazing history of this old toy and its evolution through various marketed kits and action figures. There's still more to come so needless to say, we aint done yet. -Windebieste. |
03-17-2016, 03:41 PM | #17 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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I just finished my 2nd online documentation of the restoration of one of these wonderful vintage figures.
You can read about its full rehabilitation on pages 5 and 6 at MegoMuseum. Restoration of figure No.21 in my log book, 'Hercules' -Windebieste. |
09-02-2016, 05:43 PM | #18 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Just to show I haven't completely abandoned this thread or given up on my OCD* for this old toy, here's my review for the Removed for rules violation. -Toyark Staff by Super 7 on AvP Galaxy.
At 18 inches tall, Super 7's speculation of what a 1986 ALIENS action figure would be like is a clear derivative of the older Kenner figure. Just how deep does the derivation go? Pretty deep, it would seem. I like it. A lot. Not just because it's yet another re-issue of the old vintage toy but because in many ways it harnesses all the dubious manufacturing philosophies of the time. Everything you need to add the notoriety of this family of action figures is present in this very limited release. Tsukuda Hobby and Halcyon eat yer hearts out! Perfect, lol. -Windebieste. *Obsessive Collector's Disorder. Last edited by Joe Moore; 12-13-2016 at 04:59 AM.. |
12-07-2016, 08:11 PM | #19 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Ah, it's been a while since I posted here, but I haven't forgotten this thread. Just been busy doing other things. Anyway, This big announcement will open some eyes. I hope...
Currently being prepared, 'HIDEOUS PLASTIC - In stores everyone can hear you scream' is a non-fiction book scheduled for release in late 2017. The book is an extensive and fully detailed investigation into the history, maintenance and continuing legacy of the notorious 18 inch tall Kenner ALIEN action figure released in 1979. It is comprised of an excess of 200 pages of information and over 180 images. HIDEOUS PLASTIC comprehensively examines the infamous action figure and is rapidly approaching completion. An exciting KickStarter campaign supporting its publication will be launched in early 2017. HIDEOUS PLASTIC is an independent publication and is currently not supported, authorised or endorsed by 20th Century Fox or its partners and/or affiliates. Removed for rules violation. -Toyark Staff What 'violation'? What was the problem? Care to even PM me about it in the first place..? That would have led to an appropriate resolution on my part. Gah. -Windebieste. Last edited by windebieste; 12-14-2016 at 04:48 AM.. |
12-13-2016, 03:10 AM | #20 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Here's the 'HIDEOUS PLASTIC - REVEAL' video.
The video outlines some of the principal features and content of the 200+ page book to be published sometime late next year: -Windebieste. |
12-14-2016, 04:30 PM | #21 |
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 4
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Great post!
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12-28-2016, 01:58 AM | #22 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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Right now I am on schedule to release the first version of the Preview Edition of my new book, HIDEOUS PLASTIC - In stores everyone can hear you scream. The book is a multifaceted and complete investigation of the notorious Kenner Productions ALIEN action figure released in 1979. For now, to help stir up some curiosity and generate more interest in the book, here's a single page of how the content is shaping up.
When released, the Preview Edition will be a 30 page excerpt from the 200+ page book and the excerpt's content will comprehensively document the early years of the notorious 18 inch tall Kenner Products ALIEN action figure. This single page is a very early work in progress sample from the non-fiction volume (the complete book isn't scheduled for release until late 2017). The release of the excerpt is intended among other things to be a promotional exercise for the full book. It is also to be considered an early and evolving manuscript subject to substantial changes depending on feedback I receive from the public during the months of early 2017. The 30 page Preview Edition will be available for download on the 30th of December 2016 from Hideous Plastic (Don't forget to bookmark it.) as a FREE .pdf to anyone who wants to read it. Don't forget to find out more about HIDEOUS PLASTIC: In stores everyone can hear you scream by checking out these online resources: You can read more about the book here. You can read the FAQ here. You can watch the Reveal video in the link provided a couple posts above. -Windebieste |
12-30-2016, 05:36 PM | #23 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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HIDEOUS PLASTIC - Preview Edition is now available.
I am pleased to announce after 18 months of research and effort, a sample of the book is now available for your perusal. You can download this early work in progress version for FREE! Keep in mind this is an early draft of a single chapter from the manuscript and it is continuing to evolve. It represents approximately 15% of the book's current content. As the book still requires a lot of attention, it won't be available until late 2017. Think of this release sample as a FREE 'early access demo'; and like such demos it is lacking in polish and presentation but most of its components are in place. A lot of work still needs to be done on my part but any feedback is welcome. Feedback can be sent to me: [email protected]. -Windebieste. |
01-07-2017, 12:27 AM | #24 |
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Elmira, NY
Posts: 362
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I remember seeing an original mint in box, at a comic shop about 15 years ago for $200, to this day I still kick myself for not buying it.
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01-15-2017, 08:55 PM | #25 |
Warning! ALIEN is here!
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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You can add an extra zero onto that figure now.
-Windebieste. |
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