REMCO Hamilton's Invaders - Pt 28 Bug War Pt 4: Search Party Disaster

With disappearances on the increase, local establish a search party. It did not go well! Survivors of the encounter with The Bugs spoke of their immense size and power. Something more had to be done!

Enjoy! Opa Fritz

REMCO Hamilton's Invaders - Pt 25 Bug Wars Pt 1: The First Victim

I haven't had this much fun with a series of toys in a long time, and unlike so many of the things I collect, REMCO's Hamilton's Invaders were toys I had as a kid. After pulling them all out and photographing them, it hit upon me that making a story would be fun - so I did! Mind you, it's not high art, no technological wonder here folks, but a campy, fun way to put these toys to use.

Here's the story line I came up with:

Mysterious Mt. Rainier in Washington State is known for multiple missing persons, Bigfoot sightings, UFO sightings and abductions, and supposed interdimensional portals. Legend has it that a race of very large bugs, also terrorize the region. To the First Nation peoples, the The Bugs are not rumor, they are both legend and fact, and teach their young to avoid areas where the bugs have been spotted. However, there hasn't been a sighting for decades, leading people to speculate that the rumors were just scary stories to tell children around the campfires at night. But something has caused them to reawaken in a remote area of the surrounding woods. This area of the forest is not well traveled, and all visitors to the park  are warned against venturing in, despite The Bugs' absence for so many years. But not all heed the warnings! As this first victim soon finds out, warnings (like 'STOP' signs on a street), are there for a purpose! Horrible Hamilton has awakened and claims the first victim!

Enjoy! Opa Fritz

REMCO Hamilton's Invaders - Pt 8 The Toys: Introducing 'The Grotesque's'

The last series of bugs are the smallest, measuring only 4"L. The name 'Grotesque's' was gleaned from the PFPC article posted back on 1 Dec. I have yet to see that term on any of the packaging so we'll go with it for now unless anyone can show packaging with their proper names. Speaking of packaging, these small bugs appear only to have been in the large, plain carboard boxes which included the folding cave (as shown below). Unfortunately, that style of packaging offered very little information as to set contents. 

These small bugs had no working mechanism's other than one set of plastic wheels underneath. There were three bugs in three different designs, with each design being color-code. They measure: 4" (10.16cm) L x 3.25" (8.25cm) W x 1.25" (3.17cm) H. We'll start looking at each individual bug in our next post. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

REMCO Hamilton's Invaders - Pt 5 The Toys: Horrible Hamilton - The Big Bug

Here's the basis for this whole line-up of toys: Horrible Hamilton himself (herself? its self?) The Big Bug. Again, how and why they came up with 'Horrible Hamilton' as a name befuddles me (or, as my 10yr old granddaughter says "I'm confuzzled" LOL). This bug operates on a pull-string spring mechanism: pull the string which winds up the motor, release, causing the front and rear legs to move in an alternating fashion, propelling the beast forward. The pincers or mandibles open and close manually allowing Junior to place a hapless victim in its grasp. Many bugs have broken pincers.

If you're a collector, be prepared to shell out some serious money for a fully intact, working bug in pristine condition. I've seen them offered for $600!! However, bargains are to be had. As stated in a previous post, these toys couldn't withstand rough play and were prone to breaking. I bought one years ago that had the right front claw and antennas completely missing for about $50 (a lot for a broken toy, but still okay for these guys). I figured I could use him as a casualty in any future set-up. Last year I bough a nearly intact Horrible that was inoperable. That one has a broken tail but as they say "it displays well." Enjoy! Opa Fritz

My two Horrible Hamilton's

The bug measures: 10.75" (27.30cm) L x 7" (17.78cm) W x 5" (12.7cm) H

Horrible #1

The right front claw is gone as are the antenna.

However it has an intact tail.

Horrible #2

This one has a broken tail and no longer works

Pincers closed

Pincers open

Here you can see the pull-string taped to the underside. On a working bug, this string would have retracted into the body. The front and rear legs move independent of each other allowing it to scurry along the floor. Quite frankly, it worked better on a hard floor vs. a carpeted one or on the dirt in the backyard