Toy OTD: Musical Banana Splits Plush: Snorky

Here's yet another late '60s Hanna-Barbera show that I don't like all that much, but still feel compelled to collect the merchandise! What can I say? I like Iwao Takamoto's character designs, like many of the other H-B programs.

The show was essentially Laugh-In for kids. The Splits (animal musician costumes created by Sid & Marty Krofft) would 'perform' songs, which were broken up with animated segments (The Three Musketeers), live-action serials (Danger Island) and various non sequitur comedy bits.

There was a fair amount of toys spun off from the series, but Splits figures haven't been made all that often. So when a set of eight-inch 'beanie' plushes surfaced in the UK, I snapped up the best-looking one: the drummer, Snorky!

As you can see, my love for these characters transcends my finicky nature - it's not very accurate to the later Snorky, much less the early version of the design. The trunk, hands and feet are inexplicably dark, and the eyes seem small and poorly mounted. Simply changing the eyes' pupils, lowering their position on the head, or maintaining better alignment would boost this toy's appeal in a big way! The polka dots on the ears seem too large and too close together, and the fur seems to be a bit too dark. The proportions are fine otherwise, and the plastic hat is a great touch.

Ideally, it'd be wonderful if this toy could stand or sit on its own - my biggest issue with plushes is that the majority of them can't - but that doesn't detract from things all that much.

There's also a musical feature - squeeze Snorky's tummy, and he (she?) plays the Banana Splits theme song. Kids will probably enjoy it, but the novelty wears off quickly. It's a nice detail, but personally I'd rather that the effort had gone into the plush itself.

I still can't find these for sale in the U.S, but you can get Snorky right now (not to mention the other band members) on eBay.uk starting at £2.99 + £2.00 shipping. Good luck!

Toy OTD:Wesco Tardis Four-Port USB Hub (2006)

It's not exactly a toy, but I though this accessory was nerdy and frivolous enough to merit a Toy OTD post. For those of you who don't know, it's like a power strip for your computer - plug it in to a USB port on your machine, and you can plug four cables in, rather than just one. There isn't an overwhelming amount of detail, but it looks nice, and gives your computer desk a touch of geeky fun.

The decals get a little crooked, so if you're bothered by such things, you might want to check a few of them before purchasing. Otherwise, the unit works fine.

The only minuses: the bright blue light stays lit as long as it's connected. That might not seem like a big deal, but it gets distracting. I'd vote for the light to come on when you plug it in, along with softer, back-lit windows. The blue light could go out, leaving the windows on as a sort of power light.

The other minus is that it makes a horrible noise when you first connect it. Die-hard Who fans will be happy to know that it's the actual sound the Tardis makes when it's dematerializing. So it's a bug or a feature, depending on how you look at it. You don't have to have to hear it all that often, so it's not a big deal. I'd suggest a variety of randomized sounds - some dialogue, other sound effects, maybe a bit of the title music.

I bought mine last summer at Comic-Con, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Forbidden Planet has them for sale for £17.99 + shipping, which is about $36 USD + shipping.

Toy OTD: Product Enterprise Ltd.'s 7" Die-Cast Stingray

I only wish I could afford more of Product Enterprise's great Gerry Anderson collectibles, because they're so beautifully made! It's clear to see that a lot of love has gone into making these die-cast replicas look just like their televised counterparts. They're a good scale for fine detail, and the paint jobs are gorgeous! There's just no downside to these beauties - aside from their high-ish prices, but well worth it if you can spare the cash!

You can still buy a Stingray right from the Product Enterprise website if you're a US customer - it's now £9.99 + £6.00 shipping, or about thirty US dollars.

Toy OTD: Robert Harrop Dennis The Menace Figurine

Did you know that England has its own version of Dennis The Menace - twice as big, twice as mean, half as cute? I traveled to England in '99 to celebrate the re-release of Yellow Submarine, and was looking in the stores for something British to take back with me as a souvenir. Fortunately, it didn't take long, and it was comic-related to boot! This little guy is very nicely made - it was even on sale (I think it cost me $10 or less)!

A great, on-model sculpt and tight paint job pulls the whole thing together - it's nice that it has a matte finish, so as not to obscure the clarity of the design. The hair treatment is tricky, but I think it's handled very well!

There's tons of Dennis figurines out there, but you can get this one on eBay.co.uk right now for £9.99 + £2.50 shipping (about $24 USD).