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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · 3h

Howard Berger came to talk at my college and brought a bunch of small props from KNB’s recent projects. He autographed this Polaroid of Jeff’s Rush’s head for me. (Says “heads off!”)

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · 4d

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · 17d

Every year I somehow forget that it's going to be like this...

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · 22d

Why do you think people are inclined to say that? Like is it just nostalgia, or maybe that they're actually describing something else about the "look" of that era and are using the wrong term?

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Has anyone ever heard of these? Seen them "in the wild?"

Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

So what's the deal? Was Power Masters a failed gamble on the over-saturated action figure market? Was it some kind of tax write off? Maybe both?

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Interestingly, the "Powermasters" (one word) sub line of the Transformers came out in 1988. "Power Master" (two words) is used by Lionel as the name of a model train control unit, but I wonder if there was a closed door trademark claim.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Had to be some kind of limited distribution at the least. Lionel did own a few toy retail chains, mostly on the east coast. Maybe that's where these all went - but again - it couldn't have been cheap. There's a lot of tooling and detailed artwork on the packaging.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

I was (am) an "inside kid." I spent most of the 1980s obsessing over toys like these - haunting toy departments and discount toy stores, pouring over Sears and JC Pennys catalogs, watching endless commercials...I had never seen these until yesterday.

Were they only sold at specialty train stores?

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

And then there's the toys -- Detailed, motorized vehicles with articulated mini-figures at a $7 price point (about $20 in today-dollars) and larger scale vehicles at $15.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Which is to say - this one off show couldn't have been cheap.

Yet it seems to have been unceremoniously scrapped after one broadcast.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

But I'm really intrigued by the story *behind* Power Masters -- The animation is very high quality. Apparently it was Japanese animation studio TMS Entertainment. And the voice over talent included 80's animation mainstays Peter Cullen, Chris Latta, Roscoe Lee Brown, Michael Bell & Jennifer Darling

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

The story of Power Masters is in line with similar series of the time: A team of super science soldiers with cool robot partners fight aliens in the future.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

A youtube account called Professor Doc uploaded clips from their personal home video recording. This appears to be the only existing video.
www.youtube.com/@ProfessirDo...

Professor Doc

www.youtube.com

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

As far as I can tell, Power Masters appears to have aired only once, the day after Thanksgiving, and in only in the Detroit market.

One article refers to a 90 minute special being a "pilot" for a series of 4 30 minute episodes - but I assume that really means the special broken into 4 pieces.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Lionel Trains were sold by General Mills to Richard Kughn, a Detroit area model train enthusiast, in 1986, becoming Lionel Trains Incorporated. For the holiday season of the following year, they announced a new toy line with an animated special: Power Masters.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 16

Power Masters - the lost '80's toyline I just became obsessed with.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 12

Check out Zombie Burger while you're in town www.zombieburgerdm.com/des-moines-d...

Downtown Des Moines — Zombie Burger

www.zombieburgerdm.com

Reposted by Ben Lathrop

Kat Tenbarge @kattenbarge.bsky.social · Sep 10

It’s actually pathetic to apply to college, get accepted, pay to be there, and then try to stop your professor from teaching you because you’re such a huge fan of authoritarianism. Even more pathetic to record your professor to get them fired.

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Ben Lathrop @benlathrop13.bsky.social · Sep 9

Very cool -- Is there an ETA?

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Reposted by Ben Lathrop

Patti Olivier EPSTEIN FILES NEVER FORGET @patti3333.bsky.social · Aug 27

🚨🚨 GREAT NEWS🚨🚨

IN IOWA
DEMOCRAT CATELIN DREY HAS WON SPECIAL ELECTION FOR STATE SENATE

Democrats now have stopped the Republican Super Majority in the State Senate

Congratulations CATELIN DREY !!