Awesomely terribly wonderful knockoff toys


Zack sends us "A look at some wild and often highly-collectible knockoffs, including several things you can't unsee, and a piece that combines Thomas the Tank Engine with giant 'combiner' Transformer sets such as Devastator. I want two of those."

Bootlegs. Counterfeits. Knockoffs. They're the bane of any toy manufacturer, but a source of pure delight to the jaded collector. Their affordability, availability, and aesthetic all intersect into what might be the perfect toy. I know, that's a crazy statement. "Perfect" is a pretty subjective term, it turns out; however, I'm going make the case for bootlegs, knockoffs, whatever you wanna call 'em. We're gonna look, laugh, and maybe learn somethin' before we're done. Hold onto your Pop Rocks, kids, we're goin' in!


The Wild World of Bootleg Toys

(Thanks, Zack!)