Back in the early 80s computer and video game technology was thriving, and while the graphics and hardware may look lame to the modern eye, it was groundbreaking at the time. The digital boom of the decade inspired countless elements of pop culture, including film, which in turn brought us Tron.
If you don’t recall, Tron dropped in theaters in 1982 and starred Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn. He was your average disgruntled computer programmer with hacking goals who gets sucked into a computer mainframe. Produced by Walt Disney, it has the distinction of being one of the first films to really utilize CGI. We take that for granted today since so many films and TV shows infuse CGI on the regular, but in 1982 it was a huge deal. Tron got great reviews, but only did okay at the box office. Fortunately, it gained a cult following of computer nerds, tech junkies, and gamers that made it the sci-fi legend it is today. In 2010 the sequel, Tron: Legacy was released and in 2012 the TV series Tron: Uprising made its debut. Maybe the franchise started off as low tech 1980s, but that’s why Tron is loved. All that stuff in the plot is still cool and cutting edge – the graphics are just better now!
Anyways (surprise, surprise) Tron inspired plenty of video games and its very own toy line. In 1982 and perfectly timed for the release of the film, TOMY toys of Japan released four action figures (Tron, Flynn, Sark, and Warrior) and two light cycles. It might seem like a small offering compared to the franchises of today, but the limited production makes the Tron original toy line so much more desirable to collectors. TOMY was known for mechanical toys, but the action figures they produced for Tron were high quality, eye catching, and fun to play with. A win for parents, TOMY, and kids!
The fact that the original Tron toy line was so well loved and played with, combined with the fact that only six toys were ever created makes factory sealed, unused, mint-in-box examples nearly impossible to find.
Nearly.
We were lucky enough to obtain four action figures and one light cycle from the collection of Andy Yanchus, the legendary model enthusiast and Marvel comic artist, which are up for auction October 18th. If you’re a computer nerd, tech junkie, or gamer old enough to remember that epic feeling you had when you first saw Tron and played with the toys, now is your chance to bask in that 1980s low tech futuristic nostalgia!
