I have updated my post on this crazy rare line each time I have learned something new about them or found a new figure, and now I'm redrafting the whole post. I think these are hands down the rarest fantasy toy soldiers made in the 1980s. Their story has slowly come together and I can now provide some truly definitive information to go along with my speculations about their origin. I had very little solid information when I started this blog, and really hoped that somebody who knew more than me would see my post and fill me in. That worked out just as I hoped. Meeting people who share my interest in these guys and getting their help in finally finding out what they are called and who made them has been one of the best things about this blog for me. I don't know if I could have ever learned as much as I have by my myself. Thanks much Countzackula, Splittyhead, B-36, and Chris.
I can now say with
certainty that this line is called Stingers & Wings and was released by
LarGo Toys, Ltd. in 1985. I have seen one example of a packaged carded set
of just the mounted figures and their mounts, called Stingers & Wings Battle
Set. There must be other packaged sets
for the other figures. There are four
55mm figures, two purple and two orange, and two smaller mounted figures that
are available in both colors. The sets
came with a scorpion for the purple figures and a spider for the orange
figures.
I still believe that
the figures were actually made by Arco for LarGo just like the Sword
& Sorcerer figures were made for Fleetwood by Arco. They use the same glow in the dark weapons as the Arco/Fleetwood
Sword & Sorcerer figures, and look like the same style. I'll make my case below.
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| I found this picture on the net. |
The Orange Spider Guys
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| Bampt Bampt Bampt . . . . . Everybody dance now! |
The Purple Scorpion Guys
WHY I THINK ARCO MADE THEM
I think Arco made these using the same artists and factory as the Sword & Sorcerer figures they made for Fleetwood. First, I know that Arco made the Sword & Sorcerer figures because of an Italian carded set which lays it all out. You can see a picture of that set at the bottom of my Sword & Sorcerer post here.
Now, lets look at the similarities between the two lines:
1. The standing figures look like the same style and use the same glow in the dark weapons.
2. The mounted figures are in the same smaller scale with built in weapons.
3. The packaging art looks like it could have been done by the same artist.
Arco also made a pair of larger rubber bugs in the same style. The spider looks more like a bee/spider mix and matches the art work better than the version that comes in the Stingers & Wings package.
Hey there!!
ReplyDeleteI actually have the orange spider that goes to your set! Interestingly, he only has four legs instead of six, making him very awesome weird!
I found him with the same purple scorpion as in your pic, only mine has seen many, many battles. (:[
Let me know if you'd like a pic of the spider!
Thanks very much, I would love a picture. Please also let me know I have your permission to post the pic, and if so, how you would like to be credited. (I will only use your name if you say it is ok). You can send email to me at fantasytoysoldiers@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSpectacular - finally all the pieces come together!!
ReplyDeleteAwwww, together at last! Yay!!
ReplyDeleteI love this blog! So glad I subscribe and get to see cool posts like this when there posted. I was wondering if these Bug Men are related to the Bug Men of Insecta figure range by Multi Toys Corp from 1983? http://megomuseum.com/community/showthread.php?82941-Bugmen-of-Insecta
ReplyDeleteI don't think they are related to the Bugmen of Insecta. I am fairly sure they are related to, or made by the same people who made Arco's Sword & Sorcerer figures.
DeleteJust noticed the updated post about these. Looks great man! I'm glad we were all able to pull together on this one and solve a big chunk of the mystery. If Arco didn't make these for Largo toys then they straight ripped off the sword and sorcerer toy line. Even the base/background piece looks to be of similar size and layout as the castle one for S&S. I'm still looking to put a set together, only having 2 figures at the moment...man, ever since these became more public (from this blog and LRG)the prices on these have gone super steep! I don't think I'll be completing a set anytime soon. I am patient though. I'll get em eventually!
ReplyDeleteThank Chris. Stay patient and they will come along. It took me more than a decade and building this site to find my set. I have noticed over the years that prices for rare stuff like this tend to peak and then drop after a while. It is usually just a few freaks like me who overpay for rare stuff the first couple of times it comes up on ebay. I have mixed feelings about high prices for these guys and fantasy toy soldiers in general. I have a lot of them so seeing the value go up appeals to my Daffy Duck side. However, there won't be very many collectors if most people get priced out of the hobby, and having fun with a large community of collectors appeals to my Buggs Bunny side. Maybe if they get too expensive somebody will start making bootlegs.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has leads on a purple scorpion, let me know: I had one as a child and it went missing, but it has great sentimental value to me due to the games I played with my grandparents. (we had the whole set - picked up at a local grocery store, iirc - but everything but my scorpion was scattered at the bottom of a toybox and forgotten fairly quickly).https://fantasytoysoldiers.blogspot.com/logout?d=https://www.blogger.com/logout-redirect.g?blogID%3D3450385060357670401%26postID%3D5499519999362021345
ReplyDeleteOk, so for like EVER I have been trying to figure out what I had as a kid. In the early 80's I bought a set with one figure and THAT PURPLE SCORPION only he had GREEN highlights instead of the yellow we see with the S&W release. The figure was like a 2-3" tall MOTU KO like figure and I believe it came wit a few accessories. The figure was also like 5-points of articulation if memory serves. If anyone has any info on this line it would help me out greatly and also prevent me from going completely off the deep end. Contact me through IG, THANKS ALL! (Great site by the way!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, glad the blog helped you take a fun trip down memory lane.
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ReplyDeleteI FINALLY had some luck on eBay (though it cost a lot for most) getting some of these, most I am still waiting to receive in the mail as I just won an auction! Out of the rider figures I have each one (two of the purple ones with the green sword and shield), except for the orange one with a sword and shield. Out of the small arachnids I now have 3 of the scorpions, and 3 of the 4 legged spiders :). Out of the larger soft ones I have a orange scorpion, and purple bee/ant/mantid thing, the EXACT same ones I had as a little girl :)! I really wish someone in china would unearth the molds, wherever they are, produce more and start selling them on Alliexpress or something. I wonder if the steel molds still even exist? I'm hoping I can get some of the little standing mini figures of these, the color variants on the larger ones, and that little landscape. I wish these were not so incredibly expensive and hard to come by, they are just so funky and cool.
ReplyDeleteI have a set of these (large and small scorpion & large and small spider/bees) and 2 standing figures. The only difference is my large spider/bee is purple and my large scorpion is orange which is opposite of the ones on your blog and all I’ve seen on eBay. They are stamped 1985 Largo Toys on the inside bottom and everything else looks correct. Do you know of any variants or reason for the different colorations? Maybe just a production error? I’d love to hear anyone’s thoughts. Thanks.
ReplyDelete