Bootlegs, Knock Offs and Other ‘Illegal Aliens’. Part 3: Imitations.

  • This page is Part 3 of a much larger article.  You may like to Read Part 1 first.

As my curious exploration of the ill defined underworld of bootleg and knock off ALIEN action figures continues, we now take a peek into the the oddities that inhabit the strange world of ‘imitation’ ALIEN figures. These samples are of some dubious ALIEN toys.  Product that might be considered legitimately associated with the licence by casual onlookers – but most certainly exist well outside of it.

I’ll be adding to this growing list of grotesque and frequently odd action figures when I can.  In this regard, any information where it may be lacking is welcome. Considering the nebulous nature and obscure origins of some of these questionable and nefarious toy industry anomalies, corrections are also being sought. Either way, completeness of information is going to vary greatly with these things from one item to the next and I’ll do my best to update wherever possible.


  • Trendmasters Space Alien.

  • Product Line: Space Alien Hunters.
  • Manufacturer: Trendmasters.
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1993

This 8 inch tall Space Alien is one of several items featured in Trendmasters Space Alien Hunters range of bendable painted ALIEN-like toys. It is cast in rubber and features a wire core tail throughout its legs, tail, arms and neck. While the flexibility of the core is adequate, it is hampered by the rubber being at its most thickest at joints like the elbows and knees. This thickening allows for easy posing of the arms and legs at locations other than where you expect them to be.

These toys frequently a rough blue sprayed detailing across the figure which this sample lacks. Other figures in this line up include Trendmasters Alien Hunter, which looks suspiciously like a Predator.


  • PYTHOR – THE ALIEN COBRA SNAKE LIZARD.

  • Product Line: Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
  • Manufacturer: Bandai
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1994

Pythor is an evil space alien from the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers series 2 set of villains.  Cast in a bright green with silver painted highlights and a long tail terminating in a dual barbed tip, Pythor bears a loose resemblance to creatures appearing in the ALIEN movies.  Add the ‘darting tongue’ action feature and the fact he is of ‘alien origin’ and the evidence this figure is intended to be an ALIEN ring-in becomes more clear.

Released around the same time as many of Kenner’s officially licenced ALIENS action figures, it becomes obvious Bandai wanted fans of those toys to indulge in purchasing this look alike figure.  Take into account the ‘darting tongue’ is a spring loaded feature operated by pulling back a lever on top of its head that any Kenner ALIENS toy would have been proud to possess and the argument for it to be intended to be mistaken for an official ALIEN product is almost sealed.  All it really needs is a coat of black paint with some silver highlights and it would be very convincing.

Kenner did release a Snake Alien toy during the period of the early 1990’s so it may have been Bandai’s intention to confuse that official release with their own Pyther action figure. Unfortunately, this Pyther sample is missing its weapon and shield accessories – but the ‘darting tongue’ action feature is complete and in perfect working order.

 


  • MALIBU UltraForce NM-E ULTRA VILLAIN.

  • Product Line: UltraForce.
  • Manufacturer: Galoob Toys
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1995

Galoob are well known for their brand of 1 inch tall Micro Machines figures and vehicles from the 1990s. These were licenced  merchandise based on real world vehicles and popular movies. 3 sets of ALIEN characters and vehicles, along with playsets and other scale model vehicles, were made in the Micro Machine range. Galoob made other ALIEN inspired merchandise such as their UltraForce action figures and toys based on Super Hero comics published by Malibu.

Malibu itself didn’t have the ALIEN licence under its wing.  Yet they released comics featuring their dubious looking NM-E Ultra Villain which displays a clear intention to be confused with officially licenced ALIENS comics released by Dark Horse publishing of the time.  Galoob’s action figure itself is based on those comics as was accurate to the knock off characters appearing in the Malibu comics. The Galoob manufactured action figures clearly retain the ALIEN influence Malibu depicted on their print media.

This sample of the robotic NM-E Ultra Villain figure is incomplete. It is missing rocket launcher accessories and a pair of antennae that would normally be attached to the sides of its head. The figure was manufactured in several different variants.  The metallic version depicted here, a red version and blue as well.

The white skull mounted in the center of the figure’s chest glows in the dark.

 


  • STAR ADVENTURE / STAR COP Extraterrestrial.

  • Product Line: Star Adventure / Star Cop.
  • Manufacturer: Wing Sang Toy Company
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1996

Wing Sang released these knock off figures in 1996 while holding firmly onto the coat tails of both Star Wars and ALIEN. These items are often mistaken for Mexican product; but closer inspection reveals these specimens are clearly stamped ‘MADE IN CHINA’. More importantly, the manufacturer is a known Chinese outfit. These figures are painted only on the front half with the rear half left untouched and raw. So, they look great inside a blister packet but once removed, reveal very quickly how little attention is applied to them on their unseen backs. Typically, this particular Extraterrestrial figure is painted blue on the front only.

Other paint schemes for these ‘villains’, featuring red, white and orange paint patterns, are known to exist. Human characters were also included in this series and were badged with ‘COP’ emblazoned on their attire thus defining who are the Good Guys in this product range; and who is Bad. They were packaged on a card and blister arrangement with weapon accessories and often in pairs with the extraterrestrial figure.

Artwork on the ‘Star Adventure’ packaging for these items is also of worthy note.  It features Star Wars style X-wing vehicles engaged in aerial combat with Classic flying saucer UFOs. I kid you not.

The extraterrestrial figure is also known to have been packaged with a set of circular clip on wings. Such samples are rare and difficult to find at the best of times. The wings themselves attach onto a “backpack” which in turn clips onto the toy’s waist.

These flying extraterrestrials were also packaged with an abundance of other accessories, including no less than 8 vac metal plated weapons. Some of these weapons can strap onto the wrists of the figure while others, with pegs, will only fit onto the human characters.

Products similar to these knock off Star Cops figures along with those made by companies such as Hong Kong based Chap Mei (See below.) are often packaged and presented with the intention to influence customers to purchase a commodity that bears a close similarity to more Official and Licenced product; while at the same time not overtly stating these items are not actually associated with popular movies and their properly licenced manufacturers.

Confusion and deception by association was the main marketing drive to sell such dubious product. To the casual, less observant or uncaring  purchaser, such product could be mistaken for Kenner or other similar reputable name brand manufacturer when first available on retail shelves. Originally, these items were frequently found in Dollar Stores and other cheap or ‘discount’ retail outlets. That was over 20 years ago and due to their age, they can now be a challenge to come by.

 


  • GALAXY TROOPER Two Headed Abomination.

  • Product Line: Galaxy Trooper
  • Manufacturer: Wing Sang Toy Company
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1996

The 2 headed biomechanical monstrosity seen below is also a Wing Sang product.  It’s included here due to its association with the other Wing Sang ‘extraterrestrial’ figure. It is never formally identified on any packaging and as such is identified among toy enthusiasts with several names. Two Headed Alien/Monstrosity/Abomination are common monikers.

The figure is often misidentified as a Mexican bootleg, which it is not. A casual inspection of the packaging reveals the year and country Wing Sang Toys released this item. It is frequently found loose but was distributed for sale in 2 pack along with the eponymous Galaxy Trooper himself, which was also released in a variety of colours.

The item in the package above is a dark blue and here are 3 additional samples of the Two Headed Abomination finished in blue, grey and white paint schemes.

 


  • Highly Detailed Powerful Beast

  • Product Line: Stellar Force 2.
  • Manufacturer: Chap Mei
  • Country: China
  • Released: 1998

Much like the Wing Sang toys items above, the Chap Mei Highly Detailed Powerful beast (or just Powerful Beast) was marketed at imitating Kenner’s ALIENS figures of the 1990’s.  It even draws influence from Kenner’s Snake Alien of that period with its webbed appendages projecting from the exposed ribs of its torso.

Below we can see how confusion was intended to assist in the sale of this item. The Kenner Snake Alien was legless as the name implies while the Chap Mei Highly Detailed Powerful beast has 4 limbs. Size contributes to their differences, too. However, similarities suggesting these figures are related are clear on both figures. Each of them have exposed ribs with webbing between them. They both have elongated Alien heads and both are adorned with similar ridged features. It’s no surprise Chap Mei were successful in selling this item as its general ambience does mimic Kenner’s ALIENS figures perfectly.

The Powerful Beast was packaged in a 2 pack arrangement. The 2nd figure appearing in the package was humanoid in nature. Of interest is the weapon like device appearing on this character’s right shoulder.  Mounted as it is suggests this weapon may be a Predator plasmacaster. This inference not only associates these knock off toys obliquely to ALIENS but also to the PREDATOR and AvP properties, as well.

The figure’s translucent head is attached to the torso via a ball and socket joint which provides the sole point of articulation present on the figure. This figure must have been a success for Chap Mei as it can frequently be found in bulk sale lots of used Kenner ALIENS figures, nestled away with those other Officially released product like the ring-in it was intended to be. For this reason, it is also known by some Collectors as ‘The Cuckoo’ Alien, after that bird’s behavior of laying its eggs in other birds nests and then have the chicks be raised by the unwitting foster parent. Chap Mei made 2 variants of this figure.  The sample pictured below features a green torso and blue scheme elsewhere on the figure.


  • Space Aliens

 

  • Product Line: Hidden Adventures – Space Zone
  • Manufacturer: Blue Box
  • Country: China
  • Released: Unknown (Most likely late 1990s)

Kenner Products wasn’t the only official licence holder whose product was targeted by imitators. Galoob, makers of Micro Machines also had to compete with manufacturers cashing in on their market. Like the Galoob Micro Machines series, these Hidden Adventures figures are among the smallest of action figures ever made, frequently around an inch tall and not much larger. The packaging was similar to Galoob’s product as well, with multiple small scale figures and vehicles standing on a tray inside the carded blister package.

Of course, the ‘Space Zone’ was only one of several items Blue Box released with other sets including dinosaurs, castles and sailing ships. These were all presented in a similar way to Galoobs Micro Machines and the Space Zone included its very own Space Alien.  This tiny brute loosely resembles the Alien seen in the movies and a pair of them are included in the packet. Also included in the packet are ‘4 poseable Space Marines’. It’s at this point you realise, yes, this product is definitely a ring-in – a knock off out to take advantage of Official items in the market place.

Here’s a gallery of close ups of the 1.5 inch tall imitation Alien figure that comes with the package.

 


  • This page is Part 3 of a much larger article. Our exploration of Bootlegs, Knock Offs and other Illegal ALIENS commences in Part 1: Kenner Bootlegs or you may like to continue onto Part 4: Unexplained Phenomena.

Part 1: Kenner. – Bootleg Kenner ALIEN action figures.
Part 2: Mexican Oddities – Other dodgy unlicenced stuff from Mexico
Part 3: Imitations – The very strange world of not quite licenced ALIEN figures.
Part 4: Unexplained Phenomena – Mashups and curiosities of dubious origins.