| ISSUE 135 - MARINE BEACHHEAD |
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| ISSUE 135: MERRY CHRISTMAS! This issue’s feature is the Marx Marine Beachhead. Adapted from our Battlegrounds book and updated with new information and especiall,y new diorama and contents photos, it is the perfect celebration for Marx collectors of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of America and its Marine Corps. That particular great event, the 10th of November and our Issue comes out five days later. A lot of our readers are Marines (remember, there are no ‘ex” Marines – once in, you are a Marine forever. There’s a lot of them. And there are a lot more Marine Beachhead playsets than you might think, spanning three years as Montgomery Wards’ only combat battleground set, and it’s a doozy with Helicopters, missiles, exploding subs, really desirable colors for the figures, Series 2000, 1000 and 500 varieties among the 3432, 3434 and 3436 numbered sets, and more. MARX MOUNTIES Much easier to understand are the early 1950-1952 Marx 60mm Mounties. They seem perfectly simple, only seen as 4 individual figures for dimestore sale until you discover the complete playsets built around them, and that Royal Canadian Northwest Mounted Police HQ with its tin litho signage!!! But don’t worry, we have the goods on them all and you’ll be full informed after this issue. Gaining popularity on our pages is the “Two Shot” feature, usually 1 big photo of pure unaltered collector beauty savoring some giant set ups. This Christmas has a new Ben-Hur and it’s a spectacle. Don’t forget to send yours in – any subject is admissible, we welcome them all. Also here, a huge Marx Tank believed to be for the 3” GI figures, a Fireball XL-5 box courtesy Space-e-min Mark Young, and vintage store images from Christmas 1962. Then, it’s off to Chicago for the Chicagoland Toy Soldier Show. All those smiles in our all-new “Letters” column are from the show, and there’s two pages of great sets and adventures in Toyland. LOSSES  Also, we sadly report the loss of Willey Pickett (1966 – 2025) at the far too young age of 59. Friends describe him as an incredible, “Perfect soul”, friendly quick, and a major collector of Desert Fox playsets. Back in issue 123 we featured a piece on the hand painted terrain layout sheets he was making for the hobby; they were so realistic that at five feet away everything from roads to trees looked 3-D real. Willey was one of those guys you like immediately; he was a passionate Marx Desert Fox collector and good neighbor. Everything was fun to him, his enthusiasms were infectious. He had a professional background in stage and theater set designs, he had done many other things as well. When we met him at the Lafayette Show, he was premiering the terrain sheets -- I had the sense that the world didn’t make much sense to Willey but toy soldiers did, and the fraternity of friends that had drawn close around him and each other. God Bless Willey, the world is not a better place without you. Biff Smith, one of Playset Magazine books proofers, has also passed. Biff had real medical problems most of his life, and his woes never ceased. He is is a better, quieter place now, God Bless him. Still, Biff was one of the happiest people I knew, never complained, and was always ready to take up the task to benefit all our readers. He just appeared one day, an eager collector of all things Marx, and wanted to be a proofer -- a job he had performed in real life professionally. Sadly, I never met Biff, never took his photo, but he is as missed as a brother. These men are in toy heaven now fellows, and both were happy souls whose collections and collecting friends mean a lot to them. Don't be too sad, their place is a happy one. And then there is this: Christmas means the arrival of brilliant starry nights, and warm families gathered to celebrate and dine together where they can. We share memories that are as real and permanent as life itself. Merry Christmas, everyone! We hope there is some fantastic Marx for you in it! So from us, Kathy and I and Paul and all the contributors, have a wonderful safe holiday. |
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