1988 Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons #1

Bill · 05-08-2013, 11:40 AM

Hello Dromers, and welcome back. In the very beginning of the original toyline this first set of accessories came out.

(Photo courtesy of Hotc_Network).

(Photo courtesy of Hotc_Network).

Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons #1 Jokebook #1 (photo courtesy of MAXtDie )

Toycard art was nice, although it would be pretty much the same card used for the other two sets that were yet to come, don’t forget this was the first year and we had already have great toybox arts in both the Knucklehead which I have covered in this thread: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41595
and the Turtle Blimp which I have covered here: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41619

Besides, like I said in the 1988 Turtle Tropper thread http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41678
these set screamed vintage for the very beginning they came out.

The accessories included were a sewer cover shield, a pie flyer, a boom box radar and a sewerpipe bazooka. Plus an official turtle ring that squirts water and the first ever National Turtle Quizjokebook (who would have thought that these jokebooks would make it to 36?). Not bad at all I must say, besides in my opinion I think it´s a nice addition to the Tmnt universe and any could have been featured on the original Tv show.

If you are looking for something still cheap and vintage, go for them

Here´s a good review on youtube of the three sets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmHuy...CDF724&index=2

Anyone knows if there was a Tv commercial for these sets?

and finally here is featured in the 1988 playmates toy catalog (Photo Courtesy of Tuboloso)

What do you think about this set? Do you got it? Any memories you wanna share from where you bought and saw it the very first time? Anyone thought about the Motu´s weapons pack when they saw these sets?
Hope you liked and thanks for reading.

cartoonistaaron · 05-08-2013, 01:19 PM

I never saw one of these sets out in "the wild" when I was a kid. I can't imagine they sold well, but maybe I'm wrong. Kind of a neat idea I guess but I think "replacement weapons" (for all the sai and throwing stars I lost, and nunchucks I broke) would have been a neater idea.

*oldmanwinters* · 05-08-2013, 01:39 PM

Hey, thanks for sharing these pics, Bill! I don't remember if I ever saw these in stores... maybe only the dollar stores.

I only remember these because Eastman & Laird mentioned that they were cool ideas that never really sold very well and were quickly discontinued.

Here's an excerpt that appeared on page 33 of The Official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Treasury book:

Quote:

Eastman remembers that for Christmas of 1988 there was a series of "action figure accessories packs called 'Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons.' There were three different sets, and according to the company, failed horribly." Laird nods his head in agreement.

"Playmates wanted to have some kind of low-cost accessory pack that they could inexpensively mass-produce," continues Laird, taking one of the sets apart as he speaks. "You can see that in each set there's something you can actually use on a Turtle, like this sewer gas mask. And then there's a little booklet with goofy jokes. Finally, there'd be a gag, like you'd find in a magic shop. Invisible ink. Magic powder, whatever. I personally thought it was a neat idea."

Apparently, the reasoning at the time was that the company could purchase quantities of these magic products inexpensively and add them to each set. This would increase the sets' play value- as it is known in the toy industry. But for some reason they didn't sell very well, and are one of the few times the company did not correctly assess the needs of the fans.

raphfan84 · 05-08-2013, 06:42 PM

I had the 1st set I got it for my 5th birthday if i remember right. I also had those Battle Fun Assortment sets those were so much fun to dress up in and play Turtles with all my friends.

CMIK3 · 05-08-2013, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartoonistaaron

I never saw one of these sets out in "the wild" when I was a kid. I can't imagine they sold well, but maybe I'm wrong. Kind of a neat idea I guess but I think "replacement weapons" (for all the sai and throwing stars I lost, and nunchucks I broke) would have been a neater idea.

Agreed. Like a Baggie of loose accessories in the car for road trips.

CMIK3 · 05-08-2013, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Hey, thanks for sharing these pics, Bill! I don't remember if I ever saw these in stores... maybe only the dollar stores.

I only remember these because Eastman & Laird mentioned that they were cool ideas that never really sold very well and were quickly discontinued.

Here's an excerpt that appeared on page 33 of The Official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Treasury book:

I don't have access to a lot of these quotes so thank you very much for sharing. I really like getting the scoop on the inside history.

*mikey0* · 05-09-2013, 06:36 AM

More of these were sold in early '89. These were out when many people saw the Turtles on the cover of Nintendo Power. These were not very important to collectors during that time. There are some people, today, who do know that these exist. The collectors preferred Genghis Frog or a Retromutagen Ooze pack over this. These sold a little better than the Talkin Turtles Quip Strips Accessory Packs. Both of these accessory packs only sold when someone's Mother or Father told them that they were not buying anymore action figures. The action figures were always the better option.

*mikey0* · 05-09-2013, 06:39 AM

The price for the Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons did not help to sell them either. These were sold for $3.49 at ToysRUs. The basic figures, in '89,were $3.99 at TRU. So, you can see why most people would rather just have the figures.

*oldmanwinters* · 05-09-2013, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey0

The price for the Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons did not help to sell them either. These were sold for $3.49 at ToysRUs. The basic figures, in '89,were $3.99 at TRU. So, you can see why most people would rather just have the figures.

Woah. That's ridiculous. Kinda defeats the purpose of low-cost supplements if you're gonna charge about the same price for little trinkets like you do for a whole action figure! They probably would have been better off to just pack the packages with extra TMNT weapons and accessories and not bother with all the weird magic trick stuff.

*Powder* · 05-09-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey0

The price for the Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons did not help to sell them either. These were sold for $3.49 at ToysRUs. The basic figures, in '89,were $3.99 at TRU. So, you can see why most people would rather just have the figures.

That would explain why I never had these as a kid! My folks must've figured for the cost the'yd be better off just getting me two figures.

*TheCanadiandrome* · 05-09-2013, 12:05 PM

i can't recall off hand which of these i have, but i got two from a fellow Dromer!

CowabungaMikey · 05-09-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey0

The price for the Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons did not help to sell them either. These were sold for $3.49 at ToysRUs. The basic figures, in '89,were $3.99 at TRU. So, you can see why most people would rather just have the figures.

Wow! $3.99 for figurines

Now they're like $11.99 or something!

LH · 05-09-2013, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowabungaMikey

Wow! $3.99 for figurines

Now they're like $11.99 or something!

I wonder how much the average price of a figure will be 25 years from now...

CowabungaMikey · 05-09-2013, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leatherhead (2012)

I wonder how much the average price of a figure will be 25 years from now...

Haha, you're right! Poor future kids, haha!

*mikey0* · 05-09-2013, 01:28 PM

These were not advertised in Newspapers. I remember Target having a sale on the Retromutagen Ooze in the summer of 1990. These barely moved when the movie was in Theaters. I bet a lot of children did not go for these because none of the crazy weapons turned up on the show. The little radio could have been a nice accessory for Raph. At least on the cereal box, he walks around with one. I do not remember these being in the same aisle as the Turtle figures. They might have sold better if the employees at TRU did that. The TRU of that time was different from the TRU of today. Back then, not every Turtle item was displayed for a sale. There was a lot of Gordy Toy and Hope Industries stuff on pegs to go along with the figures.

1988 · 05-10-2013, 07:58 AM

I have all 3 sets, unopened, card is pretty beaten though...I saw a very crisp version on eBay a few months back, but you rarely see these in mint condition

I personally love them, although that water bottle stuff is becoming rusty and brown

ryukenden · 05-10-2013, 09:04 AM

I don't ever remember seeing this before. I would usually see cans of ooze.

CowabungaMikey · 05-10-2013, 09:32 AM

But l still love to have this coo lpack

*Hero* · 11-28-2013, 06:57 PM

I had all 3 of these sets, but I remember buying set 1 especially for the boombox in hopes that I'd one day own an Ace (Doctor Who) figure to go with it.

Present Day, I have neither. I still have the drainpipe bazooka which was a favorite.

05-08-2013, 06:42 PM	#4
raphfan84 Stone Warrior Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Winston-Salem NC. Posts: 630	I had the 1st set I got it for my 5th birthday if i remember right. I also had those Battle Fun Assortment sets those were so much fun to dress up in and play Turtles with all my friends. __________________

05-09-2013, 12:05 PM	#11
TheCanadiandrome Big, Bad & Bold Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Inside the Technodrome; Shredderville; Saskatchewan Posts: 19,719	i can't recall off hand which of these i have, but i got two from a fellow Dromer! __________________ Add me: PSN/XBL; Nintendo Network ID: BDS-3.1.6; Switch FC: SW-3378-5206-8020 TMNT Fan Club: http://sot.ag/4jZR0 Visit My Wish List: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=30904 My Collection: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=40276

05-10-2013, 09:32 AM	#18
CowabungaMikey Stone Warrior Join Date: May 2013 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 661	But l still love to have this coo lpack __________________ Cowabunga says it all!

11-28-2013, 06:57 PM	#19
Hero British Bloke Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 2,298	I had all 3 of these sets, but I remember buying set 1 especially for the boombox in hopes that I'd one day own an Ace (Doctor Who) figure to go with it. Present Day, I have neither. I still have the drainpipe bazooka which was a favorite. __________________ Go Green Machine My Facebook -My Tumblr - My Art - Figured 0ut - My Awesome Instagram

05-08-2013, 11:40 AM	#1
Bill Stone Warrior Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 666	1988 Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons #1 Hello Dromers, and welcome back. In the very beginning of the original toyline this first set of accessories came out. (Photo courtesy of Hotc_Network). (Photo courtesy of Hotc_Network). Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons #1 Jokebook #1 (photo courtesy of MAXtDie ) Toycard art was nice, although it would be pretty much the same card used for the other two sets that were yet to come, don’t forget this was the first year and we had already have great toybox arts in both the Knucklehead which I have covered in this thread: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41595 and the Turtle Blimp which I have covered here: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41619 Besides, like I said in the 1988 Turtle Tropper thread http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41678 these set screamed vintage for the very beginning they came out. The accessories included were a sewer cover shield, a pie flyer, a boom box radar and a sewerpipe bazooka. Plus an official turtle ring that squirts water and the first ever National Turtle Quizjokebook (who would have thought that these jokebooks would make it to 36?). Not bad at all I must say, besides in my opinion I think it´s a nice addition to the Tmnt universe and any could have been featured on the original Tv show. If you are looking for something still cheap and vintage, go for them Here´s a good review on youtube of the three sets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmHuy...CDF724&index=2 Anyone knows if there was a Tv commercial for these sets? and finally here is featured in the 1988 playmates toy catalog (Photo Courtesy of Tuboloso) What do you think about this set? Do you got it? Any memories you wanna share from where you bought and saw it the very first time? Anyone thought about the Motu´s weapons pack when they saw these sets? Hope you liked and thanks for reading. Last edited by Bill; 04-11-2014 at 10:12 PM.

05-08-2013, 01:19 PM	#2
cartoonistaaron Stone Warrior Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 737	I never saw one of these sets out in "the wild" when I was a kid. I can't imagine they sold well, but maybe I'm wrong. Kind of a neat idea I guess but I think "replacement weapons" (for all the sai and throwing stars I lost, and nunchucks I broke) would have been a neater idea.

05-09-2013, 06:36 AM	#7
mikey0 Foot Elite Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,754	More of these were sold in early '89. These were out when many people saw the Turtles on the cover of Nintendo Power. These were not very important to collectors during that time. There are some people, today, who do know that these exist. The collectors preferred Genghis Frog or a Retromutagen Ooze pack over this. These sold a little better than the Talkin Turtles Quip Strips Accessory Packs. Both of these accessory packs only sold when someone's Mother or Father told them that they were not buying anymore action figures. The action figures were always the better option.

05-09-2013, 06:39 AM	#8
mikey0 Foot Elite Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,754	The price for the Gags, Jokes and Crazy Weapons did not help to sell them either. These were sold for $3.49 at ToysRUs. The basic figures, in '89,were $3.99 at TRU. So, you can see why most people would rather just have the figures.

05-09-2013, 01:28 PM	#15
mikey0 Foot Elite Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,754	These were not advertised in Newspapers. I remember Target having a sale on the Retromutagen Ooze in the summer of 1990. These barely moved when the movie was in Theaters. I bet a lot of children did not go for these because none of the crazy weapons turned up on the show. The little radio could have been a nice accessory for Raph. At least on the cereal box, he walks around with one. I do not remember these being in the same aisle as the Turtle figures. They might have sold better if the employees at TRU did that. The TRU of that time was different from the TRU of today. Back then, not every Turtle item was displayed for a sale. There was a lot of Gordy Toy and Hope Industries stuff on pegs to go along with the figures.

05-10-2013, 07:58 AM	#16
1988 Foot Soldier Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 162	I have all 3 sets, unopened, card is pretty beaten though...I saw a very crisp version on eBay a few months back, but you rarely see these in mint condition I personally love them, although that water bottle stuff is becoming rusty and brown

05-10-2013, 09:04 AM	#17
ryukenden Hench Mutant Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 383	I don't ever remember seeing this before. I would usually see cans of ooze.