Sunday, February 21, 2016

At Flashbak: The Mighty Zeroids (Ideal; 1968-1970)


This week at Flashbak, I remembered a great toy from the late 1960s: Ideal’s Zeroids.


“In 1968, Ideal Toys released the Zeroids: a set of toy robots described as “incredible workers of the future” from “the Planet Zero!”

These pint-sized robots were powered by small, removable electrical motors, and they promptly became the must-have Christmas present of the year for children of all ages.

In the first batch of Zeroids released came Zerak (“the blue destroyer”), famous for his brute strength and “throwing arms.”

At the same time, Ideal released “Zobor” (“the bronze transporter”), who featured special “gripping claws,” and Zintar (“the silver explorer”) who came equipped with a lunar sled for dragging ore and other materials found on alien surfaces. 

Each of these nifty ‘bots sold in the United States for under $5.00.

In 1969, a new toy -- The Commander Action Set -- revealed the Zeroids’ team leader, Zogg, and a vehicle and control panel for him to operate as well. This set cost about twice as much as the original Zeroids had, owing to the additional items.

In 1970, two more characters joined the Planet Zero Universe.  These were Zemo -- a bright red Zeroid -- and an alien villain.

With all these futuristic characters of the space age, children were directed to become the “master” of the Zeroid automatons…”


Continue reading, please, at Flashbak.

1 comment:

  1. Very cool! Here's a site devoted to them:
    http://www.topperdingalings.com/index.html

    ReplyDelete

My Father's Journal: "Apologia"

Apologia By Ken Muir   I am a person of my age, of my time in history.    Born into an America that was on the verge of winning the greatest...