ASTRONAUT BARBIE

I've never given much thought to Barbie dolls, other than to notice their odd message of consumerism and unnatural proportions- oh, and lots of kids seem to love them! But it's always been clear to me that the dolls (and especially, the accessories!) have sold well since Barbie first debuted in 1959. I once helped to run a toy shop for a year and witnessed first-hand the ongoing popularity of the brand. Fast-forward to Spy Vibe and I begin to take more notice of the fashion history and perhaps ways the dolls reflected their times. I suppose most people are familiar with the typical Barbie identities that envision her hanging out at beach houses and going on dates. And there have been many apt criticisms about how the doll's disproportionate design and limited roles have perhaps entertained -and hurt- girls in equal measure. I didn't expect much from Mattel as I looked a little deeper, but was surprised to learn the company launched a Miss Astronaut Barbie and Mr. Astronaut Ken in 1965. Four years before the Apollo landing, Barbie was in space! Incidentally, the first woman in space was Russian Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963! But there was a Barbie for the Space Race.

If fact, Mattel has marketed a career range for Barbie throughout the decades to promote inventor Ruth Handler's vision that "through the doll, a little girl could be anything." In practice, the message was pretty limited, unfortunately. Yes, there was a Barbie astronaut, but the accent was heavily on cosmetics and fashion more than scientific exploration- the later anniversary edition included on the box "yes, I am a rocket scientist". But sure, the fashion aspect can be really cool from a design perspective. Other careers for Barbie at the time were predictable options such as stewardess, nurse, fashion model, ballerina, business-woman, and... babysitter. OK, stereotypes of the age, but how bad could it be, you ask? Just consider the 1965 Slumber Party set, for example, which included a miniature weight scale and little books titled "Don't Eat" and "How to Lose Weight." What child doesn't love shaming and image obsession? Yikes. These items were eventually pulled from the set by 1967. Barbie's horizons did expand a bit in the 1970s with surgeon (but with a skimpy cut to accentuate her legs) and Olympic athlete. I found the new documentary series The Toys That Made Us (Netflix) really interesting, and the Barbie episode was a good intro into the history. I seem to remember one of the interviewees talking about how some of the choices re: body proportions was due to needing a foundation shape that could accept the thick, folded fabrics of the costumes properly (the fabrics would have otherwise been too bulky to fit smoothly). Seems hard to believe in that era of new developments in synthetic materials. When I asked historian, writer, cartoonist Trina Robbins about her impressions of Barbie, she talked about how she felt back then about the doll's unrealistic dimensions and about working later on the official Barbie comic book. "I hated Barbie in the 60s! I thought she was a terrible body image for little girls. When my daughter was a little girl I had to change my perception just a little because she really, really wanted a Barbie, and it would have been cruel not to get her one when all the other little girls had Barbies. Then in the 90s, I was one of the writers on Marvel's Barbie comics and we really did a good job. We didn't have her shopping all the time- we did some realty good stories, dealing with anorexia, a girl who's ashamed of her mother because her mom is deaf, stuff like that. And I even did some mild mysteries, which I really enjoyed writing. We were practically an all-woman group (I called the artists "the Barbie Four") a woman editor and women writers and artists, and there was nothing else out there for girls." This all reminds me of a great 1998 poem and recording by my friend Nerissa Nields (I enjoyed re-mixing it once to music), which you can read about at her blog here. Perhaps Barbie has sparked these kinds of discussions because her image has so ubiquitous in an industry that otherwise did not market many role-model alternatives. Naomi Wolf has said “The harm of these images is not that they exist, but that they proliferate at the expense of most other images and stories of female heroines. If the icon of the anorexic fashion model were one flat image out of a full spectrum in which young girls could find a thousand wild and tantalizing visions of possible futures, that icon would not have the power to hurt them.” Looking at the current Mattel site, it would appear the company is working to expand the message of the brand to support the inventor's hope that the doll could inspire girls to be anything ("more role models" is the current slogan). And there are dolls now with different face shapes and nationalities (my students tell me they still mostly see only white dolls in TV ads), but the final hurdle of change re: role modeling will have to come down to evaluating the doll's range re: glamour and body type. The company will have to invest in tooling new figures. I love that there has been an astronaut Barbie, but I also hope to see awesome Barbies of all types doing a wider range of amazing things. More role models- really go for it! Kids deserve it. I began this saying that I've never given much thought to Barbie dolls. That's because, as a boy, there were endless action figures, cars, and playlets marketed to me. I didn't have to think about Barbie. Maybe you didn't have to, either? But I'm glad to know a bit more about her complicated past and place in culture. Some kids love her; some kids question her. And yes, that astronaut outfit was so awesome! Explore Barbie at Mythanthrope and Mattel. Entertainment Tonight looks at the most controversial Barbies. Below: Astronaut Barbie designed in 1965. Related post: Interview: Trina Robbins- Trina and I talk about Honey West, Miss Fury, Emma Peel & more! Spy Vibers, please check out my new book about one of America's most successful cartoonists. Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Eurospy Music Collection, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin, Why Mort Walker?, Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!, Avengers Critical Guide, The Spotnicks, Benny Spies, James Pond 0017', Satire Stones, Annette Andre Book, Cat Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Get Smart, Caine: My Generation, Interview: Ian Ogilvy, ITC Elstree Event, Horror of Party Beach, Sylvie Vartan Renown, Ringo At 78, Dark Shadows Strips, Spy Vibe Radio: Flint, Archie Batman 66, Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Spy Vibe Radio: Jerry Cotton, The Invaders, 007 Horowitz Book Tour, McGoohan/Prisoner Event at Elstree, The Prisoner Interviews Vol 1, British Underground Press, Interview: Fab4 Mania, Bond Cocktail Book, Bond at Bletchley, Spy Smasher, Spy Vibe Radio: Peter Gunn, Agent Zero M, New Prisoner Comic, Dr. No Villains Edition,  Spy Vibe Radio: Danger Diabolik, Dr. No 60th, Oy-Oy-Seven, Spy Vibe Radio (UFO), Cold War Comic Strips, Thunderball Event, Mission to India, Mort Walker Celebration,  Peter Wyngarde Celebration, Batman 66 Exhibit, Prisoner Fifty Event, Ian Fleming Publications 2017-2018, Interview: Ed Hulse Pulp, Avengers Audio Drama, Interview: Callan At 50, Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private Eyes, TWA Returns, Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Mata Hair Exhibit, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.

FOR YOUR SHELF ONLY: BIG FUN COLUMBUS

One of the highlights of my mission to Pulpfest last summer was making a daily pilgrimage to Big Fun Columbus. Nestled among the restaurants and boutiques of Columbus' Short North arts district, the shop is a must-see destination for fans and collectors. I helped manage a toy store after college, so I could appreciate their effort to organize the space into a kind of Disneyland journey through major toy genres. Large cases, some floor-to-celing in height, focused on go-to items like Star Wars, GI Joe, vehicles, action figures, dolls, comic characters, etc. My Spy-Vibe eye naturally gravitated to gems like vintage Man From Uncle dolls, James Bond figures and cars, Gerry Anderson vehicles, and original Megos. On one of the first days of Pulpfest I brought Win Scott Eckert (Honey West, T.H.E. Cat, Green Hornet) and our group of pals to the store. You could see everyone immediately light up, as the little kids in us came to the surface to search the shelves for treasures. I helped Win score the Man From Uncle board game, and we all ogled over a display of Six Million Dollar Man, Wild Wild West, and Planet of the Apes dolls. Big Fun became a home away from home for me and I look forward to spending more time there in the future. The shop just celebrated its one-year anniversary this week, so I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce it to Spy Vibers and to have a brief chat with the owner (a fellow Jason) about cool toys. Images are from last summer.

Tell us a little about the genesis of Big Fun Columbus. Did your shop evolve from the Cleveland store?

I worked at Big Fun Cleveland for 10 years and had my own place for 2.5 years called Spaceman Floyd's. After I sold my business, I searched for a new home and found the Short North. I proposed a partnership with my old boss, Steve Presser, and we've been doing this for a year now!

Were you a collector growing up? What were some of your favorites?

I was given a stack of Marvel comics when I was five years old- my uncle's old comics. It was all down hill from there! I grew up reading Marvel. I had lots of super-hero toys, GI Joe stuff, Monsters, Godzilla, Apes, and Star Trek.

Do you still collect? Are there treasures you look for now?

I still collect, but I have to be picky. I can't take home everything that comes into the shop. I grab some Planet of the Apes toys, Marvel Legends, Walking Dead, etc. Treasures, personally? It's a zen thing. I bought a 1970s Don Post Fly mask at the last Columbus toy show and a Marx Daniel Boone figure. For the shop, it's a lottery on what comes in. You never know what will come in.

I was really struck by the presentation in your store. Tell us about how it is organized. What are the main categories you try to cover?

Thanks for mentioning organization. I try real hard to keep it orderly. We're always one car-load of toys away from chaos. Well, it's mostly sectionalized: Gags, coffee mugs, lunch-boxes, GI Joes, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Legos, But the structure changes frequently because of toy buys.

Are there certain items in most demand, like vintage Mego or Star Wars? What are the mainstays of the vintage toy business?

Star Wars will have another 10-15 years of shelf-life because of the new movies. It's a nerd renaissance right now with all the movies: Super-heroes, Godzilla, monsters, etc.

I’m sure people contact you looking for rare items. What are some of the common holy grails people ask about?

Rare items folks are looking for? The original Alien figure (12'' from the mid-70s), Jem dolls, Wonder Woman stuff, Megatron, and vintage Godzilla items.

You had some great spy toys during my visit: James Bond, Man From Uncle, Wild Wild West, dolls and figures, diecast cars, games, etc (see above images). What are some of the most common and most rare items you’ve seen from 60s spy lines?

The spy toys we see frequently are the Bond Johnny Lightning vehicles and play sets (the more recent stuff). The coolest vintage piece we've seen so far is the Bond Attache Case from the 1960s. It had all sorts of great attachments.

I really want to find that! I’ve seen some new retro-style Mego dolls that looked cool. Are there re-releases that you are excited about? Any sign of retro-styled spy items?

I don't know if there are retro-styled spy things coming in. Most likely. Toy companies like covering repeated ground these days. I'm excited about Funko's Reaction line, done in the style of the old Star Wars figures. They're doing Goonies, Firefly, Universal Monsters and more.

You also had some awesome Six Million Dollar Man toys, including the Bigfoot doll. What are some of your personal faves from that Era? Tell us a bit about some of the coolest design features.

We've had two Bionic Bigfoots come in. Great toy! I'm a fan of the 1970s Megos. I love the Star Trek figures (and the new versions they've reproduced), the Apes figures, and super-heroes. I also appreciate the large Shogun Warriors from the mid-70s. The Godzilla with the shooting fist, from the Shogun series, is probably one of the coolest pieces. There's a lever in the back of its head to make it's fiery tongue stick out. [original TV ad below].

 

During the week I was in town, you took in some fantastic collections and found cool stuff on buying trips. How do you mainly stock the store?

Well, 50% or so of our stock is vintage, so we're dependent on the items folks bring in. Today, for example, I know there are some 70s toys coming in and some Star Wars Lego sets. Sometimes folks give me a heads up, but not always. I've found myself tracking down Pokémon stuff online. We don't get many Pokémon toys from walk-in sellers and lots of kids ask.

Do you have to worry about counterfeits in the toy world? Are there common signs to watch for?

I'm not worried about counterfeits. There was a guy in Texas reproducing card-backs for vintage Star Wars, GI Joe, Indiana Jones, etc. (advertised as repros) and he had reproductions listed in the descriptions. Occasionally, some collector will try to be tricky. But those examples are in the minority. Most folks are honest.

How do you think toys reflect culture and time period?

Toys, weirdly, do reflect the culture. We may not recognize it at the present moment. Hasbro had to change the original 12'' Joe from a 1960's war toy to a bearded adventure toy in the 1970s. The population was war-weary with Vietnam. Godzilla was originally a subconscious product of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

As a spy collector who grew up mostly on re-runs of westerns, I was always fascinated by the transition from cowboy toys in the 1950s to the secret agents of the 1960s. This may be a generalization, but I believe the westerns reinforced the post-war drive to create a suburban ideal and to enforce our ideology on other countries- much like Matt Dillon making the world a safe place for "decent folks." With the Cold War heating up and writers like Fleming, John le Carre, and Deighton bringing awareness (and movie adaptations) of spy intrigue and technology, it made sense for kids to see the secret agent as the hero of the space age. Interestingly, the spy is a solitary character and doesn't operate, like a Matt Dillon, in public with community support. Maybe this hero-type was riding the same wave as Antonioni's films, capturing the alienation of a changing society. Vintage James Bond toy ad below.

What are some of the rarest items to come through Big Fun?

The rarest item I've seen so far is the closed box, removable cowl Batman Mego. The closed boxes were only around for 6-8 months in the mid-70s. All the kids kept opening them to see the figure. Mego did the clear box  (plastic window) soon after.

There’s a new Godzilla film opening this month. Are you stocking any cool vintage or newly produced kaiju stuff?

Unfortunately, our stock of Godzilla has taken a hit. We have a few newer figures, but nothing vintage. I just bought a lot of Ultraman toys the other day.

If “Toy Story” was real and your shop came to life after the humans went home each night, which toy would you want to be?

My real Toy Story pick would be the Captain America Mego. That was always my favorite character and toy.

Thanks, Jason! I look forward to visiting you guys again sometime.

Thanks for the questions, Jason. Take care.

Spy Vibers, step into this time-machine video compilation of vintage toy ads. You'll see many of the items Jason and I talked about, including Mego, GI Joe, Star Wars, and Star Trek. Enjoy!