Rad Stuff on eBay: Robo Force Fan Club Poster

In the true spirit of Rediscovering the 80s, I'm starting a new feature series titled "Rad Stuff on Ebay" which I hope offer on a regular basis. I'm going to fill these articles with rare and glorious pop culture items from the '80s that I've come across while scrolling through current eBay listings.

In case you didn't know, I'm a huge fan of thrift store shopping. You might have seen some of my finds on Instagram or the RD80s YouTube channel. I'm also part of the Thrift Store Horde show on TRN TV which is a monthly reveal of my thrift store finds with my friends Kevin and Adam. There is nothing like the feeling of coming across rare and weird items that makes you want to ask a friend if they remember it.

I enjoy shopping at thrift stores in and around my city, but I also frequently find myself searching online for more. eBay and Shop Goodwill are the two places I dig through online and I'm never short of surprises when searching for '80s collectibles. I decided to share these listings here with you in an attempt to jolt your memories or surprise you with stuff you didn't know existed.

So let's take a look at the first item up for bids in this inaugural edition of "Rad Stuff on eBay"...

Robo Force Fan Club Certificate & Poster

Most will probably not remember the short-lived 1984 animated series and toyline, Robo Force. And when I say short lived, a pilot episode is all that was ever produced even though it featured voice talents like Michael Bell, Peter Cullen, B.J. Ward, and Neil Ross. The toys hung around in stores a bit longer, but I had no idea there was a fan club! I was surprised to find this listing featuring an official member card and poster with some very vibrant art. eBay Link

Rough Riders The A-Team Great Escape Stunt Set

I remember having some motorized Rough Riders trucks as a kid. They featured spiky tires, some made with hard plastic and some made with foam, that would drive on their own with the flip of a switch. I believe they had some playsets but the commercials primarily showcased them outside. I had not remembered this licensed playset for The A-Team with B.A.'s van (Faceman's Corvette sold separately!) According to the back of the box, Rough Riders also had an A-Team branded helicopter that dropped vehicles from it. eBay Link

The Real Ghostbusters Spitballs

I'm a huge fan of Madballs (had a couple as a kid) but I don't remember these "Spitballs" at all. What I thought was interesting is that these water shooters were produced by the company Entertech which I was familiar with as a kid. I remember having water battles with the Entertech motorized squirt guns. These Ghostbusters-themed Spitballs would've been great to use in our water battles or just to display in your room. eBay Link

Galoob Sneak Previews Motorized Pocket Movie Viewer

Of course, we all remember View-Master and the white reels that featured 3-D images of our favorite characters. You might remember the Fisher Price Movie Viewer and Theater that had the long yellow cartridges that featured short movie and cartoon clips. However, I doubt you were aware that Galoob got in the movie viewing game with a Motorized Pocket Viewer. According to the card back, it ran on AA batteries and played the cassette on a continuous loop. I had no idea this existed. eBay Link

A Nightmare on Elm Street Freddy's Glove

Back in the '80s, it wasn't uncommon for R-rated movies to have an animated series and toys (see Rambo and Robocop.) If I had to guess, this Freddy's Glove role play toy was probably in stores for Halloween. Some fun things I noticed on the package was an address to join the Freddy Fan Club and the price tag from Hills Department Store which I have fond memories visiting as a kid. Also, while it's noted that the glove is not recommended for kids under 10-years old, they still marketed it as "Play-Safe!" eBay Link

Masters of the Universe Viewer-Pen

With taping television shows on VCRs being a real novelty in the early '80s, we kids would do anything to see our heroes beyond Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons. This "Viewer-Pen" could have been something you could get away with having at school versus like a View-Master that was an obvious toy. "Okay teacher, I'll do this math sheet...and get a little inspiration while I'm doing it!" I wish mom had come across this while shopping for school supplies. eBay Link

That's all the eBay listings for this post. Let me know if you remember any of the items mentioned above in the comments below. Happy hunting!