Blast Off!: Rockets, Rayguns, Robots, and Rarities from the Golden Age of Space Toys Limited Edition HC

Vendor: GRAPHIC NOVELS

Who could have believed that a toy robot made in Japan from scrap tin would one day fetch $70,000 at a Sotheby's auction? Blast Off! chronicles the golden era of space toys, an age of imagination unbound by the more mundane realities of space travel ushered in by Sputnik and the Space Age. Containing hundreds of striking color photos of some of the most beautiful and ofttimes bizarre toys ever created -- many never before seen in print -- Blast Off! unearths the nearly lost histories of these space treasures and the companies that created them. Not limited to the presentation of these unique and fascinating playthings of the past, Blast Off! includes one-of-a-kind prototypes, original packaging and instructions, glimpses into ultra-rare Japanese robot catalogs, long-lost advertisements, vintage comic-strip and pulp-magazine art, and items of every description from every corner of the globe. Blast Off! covers extensively some of the most profound toy and space phenomena of the era, from Buck Rogers to Flash Gordon to the Space Opera programs of the infancy of television to a blow-by-blow account of the greatest Tin Robot auction in history. Blast Off! is an essential resource not only for the collector, but for anyone with an appreciation of pop culture -- or just plain fun!* Introduction by award-wining author, futurist, and cultural commentator Harlan Ellison.This special limited edition deluxe boxed set is limited to only 350 signed and numbered sets worldwide and includes the following special features:* The 256-page Blast Off! hardcover book comes in a deluxe slipcase* Blast Off! Spaceport Edition - An additional 32-Page limited-edition color magazine with more rare toys and memorabilia, available only in this boxed set!Pyro X-200 Space Ranger - Authentic 1950s toy space ship with original instructions!* Limited-edition illustrated trading cards - Available only in this boxed set!* Official Blast Off! Brigade Membership Certificate - Signed by the authors! 9781569716892 9781569716892 16769 11650 S. Mark Young;Steve Duin;Mike Richardson