37 replies to this topic

[arforbes]

I was just thinking about toys of the past and I remembered Madballs! These were so cool. At first they had Madballs that you could fill with air like a basketball, I think. Then they came out with the foam ones. I had a few. I also remeber the tiny plastic ones that came from store 25 cent machines like bootleg M.U.S.C.L.E.'s.

[Tortle]

Actually, I remember it the other way around: the foam Madballs came out before the inflated ones (called Super Madballs). I have a few of the foam ones loose (Skullface, Screemin' Meemie, Snakebait, Splitting Headache, and Fistface) and one carded (Oculus Orbus), as well as the basketball Super Madball (I don't remember the name). If I remember correctly, there were a few types of Madballs toys:

-Madballs (made of foam)
-Super Madballs (inflatable, like real balls... there was a basketball, football, and soccer ball)
-Madballs Action Figures (small 4" articulated figures with rubber Madballs heads that you could shoot... there were also vehicles to go with the figures)

Also, there was a Madballs comic by Star Comics that was awesome!

As a side note, you have to be careful how you store your foam Madballs. I got a few a while back that were in HORRIBLE condition, as the foam had basically rotted away. I think if you keep them in room temperature with very little humidity, they do great.

-Nathan

[arforbes]

Nathan,

You are right about the Super Madballs coming out after the foam ones, but there were also Madballs that came out around the same time or maybe even before the foam ones, I may be mistaken though. They were inflatable just like Super Madballs, but they were the same size as the foam ones. I will post a pic so you can see! They are my favorite Madballs!

[arforbes]

Here's a picture of the foam Oculus Orbus Madball that I have.

Attached Files

•  ball2.jpg   34.42K   3 downloads

[arforbes]

And here's a picture of the inflatable Madball that I had even before the foam Oculus Orbus. I think these guys came out first. There is a valve on the other side of this guy where you can put a basketball needle and inflate it to almost twice the size!

Attached Files

•  ball1.jpg   31.23K   4 downloads

[Tortle]

Interesting! The inflatable Madball doesn't look like an official Madball product, though. Does it have the same copyright markings and everything?

On a similar note, there was a recent Madballs rip-off line called Freakballs. Although they were Madballs wannabees, they had great sculpts and paintjobs, so they were actually very cool. They might still be at Toys R Us stores, but I'm not sure.

-Nathan

[arforbes]

There are actually no copyright markings or dates and no Madball writings whatsoever. I think it says made in Taiwan, and that's it. Even if it is an unofficial Madball, that's fine with me. I've always liked these ones!

Thanks for the info Nathan!

[RubzOne]

Damn man, I remember like 5 years ago I found Locklips in the garage and I tossed him to my dogs to play with, they ripped it into pieces...

[arforbes]

Damn man, I remember like 5 years ago I found Locklips in the garage and I tossed him to my dogs to play with, they ripped it into pieces...

Oh man, that sucks! Oh well, it's hard to know what toys will be worth something one day, or at least the topic of conversation on a M.U.S.C.L.E. message board some day!

[Tortle]

Here's a pic of the carded Oculus Orbus. The card and the Madball aren't in the best shape, but at least you can get a good idea what the packaging was like.

-Nathan

Attached Files

•  oculus.jpg   51.42K   5 downloads

[arforbes]

Wow, that takes me back! I remember all the different kinds of Madballs there were now thanks to that pic. Thanks Nathan!

[Ridureyu]

Hey- does anyone remember thje madballs action figures that they sold? The gimmick was that their heads (the balls- small and made of hard rubber) could launch off if you pressed a button on their back.

[arforbes]

Hey- does anyone remember thje madballs action figures that they sold? The gimmick was that their heads (the balls- small and made of hard rubber) could launch off if you pressed a button on their back.

Yup,

I used to have a couple of those guys actually. I liked the heads because they were rubbery and soft. They were cool!

[MUSCLETOYS]

Yeah! I remember a Mad Balls Cycle! The cycle had a body which you could place a mad ball on top of. Pretty cool! As for other items, I have some mint MadBalls comics. Issues 1 through 5, a couple of VHS Videos my kids love watching, and a Touchdown Terror football. I used to have a big plastic screamin meemie bank as well, but ended up trading it off for MUSCLE Money!

[Dr.Frankenstein]

Here is a pick of some of my madballs collection....
This would be a whole set of the foam balls....
I also have a few madballs action figures up for trade and a few packaged slimeballs that shoot out another ball when your squeze them...
Might have a few bootlegs laying around also.....Corey

[arforbes]

Wow,

Your collection is awesome Dr. Frankenstein! It brings back memories. I wish I still had the ones that I got rid of.

[Dr.Frankenstein]

Thanks alot man!
Took me a while to complete those guys..
I know I could never part with those dang things.......

[Doctor Dew]

i definitly echo those compliments. that is a great collection. good work.
woo-woo!

[musclemenkids]

that is cool, i had one i think it was crack head but i remember i had a madball comic the first ever issue dunno how many they made but i remember thinking "wow the first ever issue, it's bound to be worth sumint sumday" but it's lost now

[DoctorKent]

Madballs....another great line. The Madballs release was as follows:
Madballs First Series: 8 balls
Screemin Meemie
Dust Brain
Crack Head (later renamed Bash Brain - I wonder why? )
Oculus Orbus
Slobulus
Aargh
Skull Face
Hornhead

Second Series: 8 Balls, sometimes referred to as the Bad Balls:
Snake Bait
Splitting Headache
Swine Sucker
Lock Lips
Fist Face
Bruise Brother
Wolf Breath
Freaky Fullback

Super Madballs:
Touchdown Terror, football
Foul Shot, basketball
Goal Eater, soccer ball

There were 9 Madball action figures total. I stil have a few of them - they are in in pretty rough shape. You really have to watch how you store them.
The comic was awesome - finally completed the series a couple years back.

I would do a MadBalls site, but it would pale compared to this one:
WARNING - JAPANESE LANGUAGE PAGE!
http://www.ne.jp/asa...drome/toy30.htm
http://www.ne.jp/asa...drome/toy40.htm

[Tortle]

I love the Japanese illustrations of the Madballs! And it's cool to see the figures, too. Alot of them I had never seen before. I think the bodies are hilarious... especially Oculus Orbus!

-Nathan

[Dr.Frankenstein]

Im thinking of buying...
Touchdown Terror, football
Foul Shot, basketball
Goal Eater, soccer ball....and a few of the halloween masks!

[musclemenkids]

i have the madball rollercycle! still in original box.

[Doctor Dew]

great links!
crap, now i remember. i had that Goal Eater soccer ball one!!!
woo-woo!

[arforbes]

Yeah, the Super Madballs were cool as hell. I used to have the Touchdown Terror football. Football outside in the field as a kid was so much more fun with this guy!