Top 5 Toys - Shawn Robare

The man behind superblog Branded in the 80s Shawn Robare has sent in his group of current favourites!! His website is one of the most invaluable resources on the internet for information about 80s memorabilia.

"Like most folks my top five toys changes a lot, but for the last year or so my favourites have stayed pretty stable. These are the toys that bring the largest smile to my face when I see them perched around Branded in the 80s HQ."

5) 14” Mumm-Ra from Mezco 2012.

"I picked this up on clearance at a local Toys R Us a couple years ago and was surprised at just how massive this figure after taking him out of the box. He’s probably my favourite cartoon villain for his sheer crazy design and insane screaming antics, and has since become the centrepiece in my toy collection."

4) Thrashor by 8-Bit Zombie 2013.

"I’ve been a fan of 8BZ’s 80s cartoon, movie, and toy inspired T-Shirt and apparel for a while and this past year they finally branched out and produced their first toy. Based on an homage to the Masters of the Universe toys, Thrashor was designed by 8BZ owner/operator Ross and artist Matthew Skiff. They totally nailed the MOTU aesthetic and added a lot of fun elements like the NES Power Glove and Skeletor Skateboard. Thrashor is totally the Master of the Radical Universe."

3) Maxx Steele/Hun-Dred Robo Force Kit by Toyfinity 2013.

"As a kid growing up I had a bunch of miscellaneous toys, single characters from all sorts of oddball toy lines and my one Robo Force figure left an indelible impression on me. 30 years later and I still constantly go back to this line as a cornerstone of my 80s nostalgia, so I was super excited when my friend John Kent bought the rights to the franchise and re-launched Robo Force. The new toys use the Onell Design Glyos system of interchangeable snap-together parts that both pays homage to the original toys, yet also gives these an unlimited potential for recombining to form new cool robot figures. They’ve been released in a few colorways, but the standard grey/tan is by far my favourite as it was my re-introduction to a great toy line."

2) Masters of the Universe Faker by Mattel 1983.

"I can’t have a list like this without having some actual vintage stuff on it. In my number two spot is a figure from the 80s that I never had as a kid but always coveted, Faker. I picked this up sometime in the mid-90s from a lady that was selling a huge bucket full of MOTU figures. The bucket was $15, so I couldn’t pass it up and was so happy when I got it home and found a Faker figure included. He’s one of the go-to figures I use now when taking toy photos as well as the figure I tend to play with whenever I’m recording a podcast. Gotta love an evil robot He-Man clone…"

1) My Pet Monster by American Greetings 1986.

"My favourite toy right now is the rad My Pet Monster plush toy. I was gifted this MPM by my girlfriend last year for my birthday and he’s just plain awesome. Again, I never had him as a kid and in the back of my mind have always wanted one. Getting him while turning 36 is just as cool as it would have been getting him when I was 9."