Almost Vintage: Bif Bang Pow! Six Million Dollar Man 8" Figures

In the 1970s, many kids tuned into the Six Million Dollar Man TV show week after week.  Colonel Steve Austin was an astronaut that needed cybernetic replacements for some of his body parts after a horrific crash while flying a new test craft.  These implants gave him extraordinary strength and abilities.  To be like Steve, many of us dreamed of stopping runaway cars with our bare feet, jumping over 15 foot walls, and tussling with mythological beasts like Sasquatch (Big Foot).

Kenner made a great line of Six Million Dollar Man (SMDM) toys in the mid and late 70s and we loved them.  They still hold a special place in the hearts of many "kids" from the 70s.  However, the end of the show also ended the toys and we were left to leave childhood behind and begin to grow up.  Many, many years later a lot of us started digging through boxes in the garage, scouring yard sales, and searching online for Kenner's old SMDM toys to reclaim a bit of our childhood.  In a way, the end of the Kenner toys signaled the end of an era and Steve Austin was left to be mostly forgotten (apart from a couple of made-for-TV movies in the 80s).

Fast forward to 2012.  A new toy movement has been in motion for a few years which many refer to as "Re-Megos."  Several lines of 8" action figures from different companies have been released that follow the style and size of figures produced by the late, great company Mego in the 1970s.  Mego never had a license for SMDM and so we never got 8" action figures of Steve and his "buddies" from the TV show.  However, that has recently been remedied by a newish company called Bif Bang Pow!  BBP has been producing Mego-like 8" figures for several years now and have just recently tackled the Six Million Dollar Man.

As of now, BBP has released 3 versions of Steve Austin, a Bigfoot, and Dr. Rudy Wells.  In the near future, they will be releasing figures of Steve's boss Oscar Goldman, a Fembot, Steve Austin in Astronaut suit, Barney Hiller (The SEVEN Million Dollar Man), and Mr. X (the character that the classic Maskatron figure was based on).

This first figure is Steve Austin in his iconic red track suit.  This outfit is most associated with the SMDM and was featured in the opening credits each week.  Bif Bang Pow! has also used an ingenious way of showing Steve's "bionics" if you look under his track suit.  His left forearm and each lower leg is cast in clear plastic with "bionics" silk-screened in silver on each body part.  We never really saw Steve's bionics in the television show very much except when he'd open a panel on his arm or take some bionic-revealing damage.  So, the clear limbs aren't TV accurate but they sure are fun and a welcome way of showing that Steve has special abilities.  Steve also comes with a red talking keychain that has dialogue from the show's opening segment and some bionic sound effects.  Although it would have been neat to have Steve's sound-effects integrated into the figure, itself, as originally planned, I am glad that BBP found a way to give us this sound feature, anyway.

I have only two gripes with this figure.  The first is the size of his head (and this problem seems to pertain to many of the figures in this line).  It's a bit too big and seems out of scale when put next to many other Mego and ReMego figures.  It's kind of a minor "nit," though, and I know that BBP is working on this for future figures.  Regulating this with factories abroad must be a difficult thing to do.

The other has to do with Steve's likeness.  In my opinion, it's a fair bit off-the-mark from the way that Lee Majors looked in the TV show (for one thing, Majors was always pulling his eyebrows down close to his eyes.. almost like a constant squint) .  That's not to say it's completely off as there is SOME likeness there.  Many collectors were turned off on this line by Steve's likeness and it may have hurt the overall acceptance and sales of this line.  For me, I'm just thrilled to be buying SMDM toys in 2012 and 2013.  This is a very reasonably priced toy.  So, I'm not going to cry "foul" if a couple things are off.  And, at the end of the day, this is a TOY.  I like to consider what I would have thought of a toy as a 9 or 10 year-old with stuff like this.  Would this have been good enough, back then?  Absolutely… and I would have had a blast.

The packaging is a nice representation of how Mego packaging was produced in the 70s.  I've shown one of the packages here.  Each character is packaged on the same card art with just the character's name changing.  This is just fine with me since this is how Mego approached their packaging, as well.  

BBP also released Steve in his Khaki outfit that was seen on the show many, many times.  They even included his trademark belt-buckle!  This figure was released in two versions… with and without mustache.  This was done to represent Steve's changing look on the show as Lee Majors did have a mustache for a season or two.  It's a variant that actually makes me laugh.  I never would have ever thought I'd have a SMDM figure with a mustache.

 Bif Bang Pow! chose a slightly different method for representing Steve's bionics on this Khaki version.  They screen printed the same bionic graphics on flesh colored appendages instead of clear ones.  It's kind of a nice effect, too.  You can almost imagine that you are seeing Steve's bionics through open panels on this version.

Also recently produced was Bigfoot!  Some of the show's greatest episodes centered around Steve finding and fighting the mythological beast.  Bigfoot is on a taller body than the other SMDM figures and uses a stuffed suit to represent his fur and girth from the character on the show.  The head sculpt is a very nice representation of Andre the Giant's costumed portrayal of this beast.  Bigfoot also comes with a talking keychain that has many different sounds bionic should effects… different than Steve's keychain, I might add.

 Bigfoot's arms are a bit stubby in proportion to the rest of the figure, but again, this is a pretty minor "nit."  This is a great, fun figure that does great justice to the TV show and also Mego heritage.

Bif Bang Pow's 8" Steve and Kenner's 13" figure of Steve

Big and Small Bigfoot

"Get 'im, Steves!!"

I love this line of toys and am looking forward to all of the forthcoming SMDM releases from Bif Bang Pow!  I don't know how many characters they can do past the ones that have been announced but I'd welcome any that might be announced in the future.  

Kenner Six Million Dollar Man Critical Assignment Legs

This is the Six Million Dollar Man Criitcal Assignment Legs set from Kenner, produced in 1977. This was another add-on set for the Bionic Man figure... similar to the Critical Assignment Arms set that I've reviewed previously.

Despite Steve Austin's legs being bionic (robotic) in the television show, the Kenner 12" action figure only featured bionics in his right arm. With this set, kids playing with Bionic Man figures everywhere could finally have bionic features in their figures' legs, as well.


This set features two legs (naturally) that both perform unique bionic "actions."

The left leg is an "exploding leg." It features flesh-colored panels that hide the true nature of Steve Austin's powerful appendages. When the appropriate button is pressed, "Pow!!!" the panels explode off the leg. According to the back of the box, this function is to simulate a "bionic malfunction." Ouch.


The right leg features two opening panels. The panel in Steve's thigh opens to reveal wires and bionic circuitry. The panel in his shin provides the necessary tool to perform bionic surgery on Steve's leg, should he need it. It features a small blue hook that aids in pulling the wired panels from Steve's thigh... kind of like a mini Operation game without the lights and buzzer.



This set also features a pair of white shorts. In his regular, red standard-issue pants, it would be difficult to play with the features in Steve's new legs. The shorts allow adequate access to the various parts and panels in the legs. Cool beans.

I didn't have this set, as a kid. I picked this one up close to this past Christmas on Ebay. However, I did have the Critical Assignment Arms as a kid and did always want to add this set to my Six Million Dollar Man. So, it was great to finally add this set to my collection. I still think it's pretty neat that Kenner would produce add-on sets like this that would allow kids to add new features to their figures without having to buy an all-new figure. I guess Kenner really did care. After all, that WAS their slogan.

Top Ten Favorite Childhood Christmas Gifts

With Christmas less than a week away, I've been reflecting on Christmases of the past and all the great gifts that I've received from my parents and family over the years. Everyone knows that a toy received on Christmas is more special than a toy you saved your allowance for or happened to talk your Mom into while on a shopping trip. There was a special "magic" associated with the things you unwrapped at Christmas. In honor of those Christmas mornings of the past, I've compiled a list of my 10 favorite Christmas presents I received while I was a kid.


1. Evel Knievel Sky Cycle

I received the Evel Knievel Sky Cycle the Christmas of 1974. Evel had just attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon the previous September. So, this was quite a timely toy. The Sky Cycle was my first Evel Knievel toy and I remember getting it that Christmas very clearly. We lived in a townhouse in Minnesota with a very short hallway. That didn't stop me from sending Evel back and forth across jumps in that short hallway for the better part of the day. Because Evel Knievel toys were a huge part of my childhood and this toy was my first one, it snags the number one spot on my list.


2. Crosman 760 BB Gun Air Rifle

My Dad surprised me with this BB gun the Christmas of 1977. In a very "A Christmas Story moment" my Dad pulled this out from it's hiding place after I had opened all my other gifts and was feeling a bit disappointed that the BB gun I had been hoping for was nowhere to be found. My parents had made it pretty clear that I would, most likely, NOT be receiving a BB gun. Incidentally, I was shopping with my family a couple of weeks ago and was in a sporting goods store. Surprisingly, Crosman still makes this same model of air gun (some 30 or so years later) and there was an entire display of them on an endcap. It warms my heart to know that in this ever-changing world, some things stay the same.

3. Evel Knievel Dragster

I received this the Christmas of 1975. I have good memories of playing with this in our unfinished basement all day (couldn't play with it outside...SNOW). It didn't have the speed and jumping ability of the Stunt Cycle but it did do "wheelies" and deploy a red, white, and blue parachute.

The only photo of my stereo I could find. Dig the woodgrain. You can also see the wires running up to the speakers and just a hint of a Kenner tie-fighter on the top shelf.

left to right: Yours Truly (Look, I match my cake!), Brian McGill, Tom Fuchs, and my younger brother Mike.

4. Soundesign Stereo (Record player and Radio)

This was a BIG deal on Christmas Day, 1978. We didn't have mp3 players, boom boxes, or even Walkmans (if you don't know what a Walkman is... I pity you) back then. There really wasn't any way for a kid to enjoy music in private without the whole family listening in. I had to play most of my records (big plastic cds...for you youngsters) on my Mom and Dad's record player in the living room. So, this gift meant FREEDOM! I was suddenly free to play whatever I wanted when I wanted...IN MY ROOM (Gasp!). This was such a big deal to me that I requested a "stereo cake" on my next birthday. I think my Mom did a great job.

5. Maskatron

Six Million Dollar Man toys were always a Christmas staple for me in the mid-70s. I think I received this guy for Christmas 1976. Now, Steve would have an enemy...that could look like Steve! This toy was great fun.

6. Evel Knievel Super Jet Cycle

I think I received this Christmas 1976, also. I seemed to receive an Evel Knievel toy each Christmas for several years in a row in the mid-Seventies. Great memories of this one. The jet pods would send out sparks as the toy tore across the floor.

7. Sesame Street Cookie Monster puppet

This photo is probably from Christmas 1971. I had just received a cookie monster puppet that I had been hoping to get for quite some time. Back then, Cookie Monster was the "bad boy" on Sesame Street. He was dangerous. Sure, Oscar talked a lot of smack but we all knew who was in charge when it came to fuzzy monsters. I played with this puppet for years and years. I also had a Bert and Ernie, as well.


8. Bouncy Horse

I don't know what these are officially called but I received it on Christmas 1969 (I think). I played with this thing for years and years, too. This is currently sitting in my parents' garage and has even been ridden by my kids when they were little. It still works perfectly. I have such great memories of throwing on my Lone Ranger mask and galloping across the plains in pursuit of train robbers.

9. Talking Adventure Team Gi Joe Commander

I'm a bit unsure about what year I got this guy. I was only about 5 or 6 years old. I DO remember spending Christmas with my cousins (far away from home) that year. I remember playing with this Gi Joe while at my cousins' house. However, I don't recall playing with him ever again. I have no memories of this toy after that Christmas. I wonder if it became broken, somehow, and had to be returned. Strange. At any rate, I loved it while I had it and have very distinct memories of opening him and playing with the talking feature.

(the figure pictured is a replica...but a good one, right down to the box)


10. Six Million Dollar Man: Bionic Mission Vehicle

I still have this toy stashed away, somewhere. This toy was a lot of fun and had quite a few play features. I loved the winch it could lower from the side. There wasn't anything remotely like this in the TV show but I didn't care. It was just cool that Steve finally had a "ride" that wasn't a rocket/operating table. You KNOW you are heading for trouble when your space ship transforms into a bionic operating table. The makers of this transport must have deemed it "safe" since it didn't fold out to to fix Steve immediately after a crash.

My first Christmas. Yes, that Santa is terrified.

A few years later, Santa gets "payback."
Guess who's terrified now?


I hope you enjoyed this little trip through Christmas past.

I'd like to TAG a few fellow bloggers to see if they are willing to list their favorite Top Ten Childhood Christmas gifts.

Brian B at What My Dad Saw

Chunky B at Eclectorama

Bubbashelby at Toyriffic

If any other bloggers would like to do this, just add a link in the comments. Even if you don't have a blog, leave a list in the comments. I'd love to see them.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!!

Kenner The Six Million Dollar Man Critical Assignment Arms

This is Kenner's Six Million Dollar Man Critical Assignment Arms set from 1976. That title's a mouthful...but deservedly so. The SMDM toys were some of the best toys ever created. This set again demonstrates the great playability that Kenner injected into this line.

The set came with three different bionic arms to equip your Bionic Man (sold separately) with new bionic features. Each arm popped on and off easily and had a roll of rubber skin to cover the bionics to keep Steve's bionic-ness covert. It also came with a white short-sleeved t-shirt (complete with SMDM logo on the chest) to provide easy access to Steve's new arms.

The set features a "Laser" arm that lights up when Steve's hand is bent back at the wrist, a Neutralizer Arm with spring-loaded karate chop and neutralizer gun behind a door in the bicep, and the Oxygen Supply arm with oxygen mask.

A more thorough explanation of each arm's features can be seen in the instructions below.

I had this set as a kid but managed to lose every arm over time despite still having my original Steve Austin figure. I love the concept of this set and the opportunity it provided kids to add brand-new play features to a toy they already owned...vs. selling a whole new figure with new arm features (although Kenner did that from time to time, as well).

Am I just getting old or do they not make toys like they used to? I'm probably just not paying as much attention to newer licenses and toys.

Included instructions (front and back)