Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Looney Tunes

 Looney Tunes

PVC figurines - Shell Oil promotion


A set of eight, in-package Looney Tunes figurines from a Shell Oil promotion in 1990.  Shell Oil?  

Okay, whatever!  These Warner Brothers characters scraped by most of the 70s and 80s with tv specials comprised of repackaged shorts.  1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit appearances must have been the shot in the arm they needed.  

Time Warner acquired Six Flags theme parks in 1990, giving these celluloid critters a new home and space to mingle with fans new and old. 

Soon the Tunes would be all over baggy, sassy 90s t-shirts and apparel.  Renewed interest would lead to one of the most bizarre major studio films of all time, Space Jam.  Seriously...a pseudo Michael Jordan biopic that touches on the recent loss of his father, his rather embarrassing foray into baseball...turned on it's ear as a Roger Rabbit-esque caper to save the Tunes from enslavement by space aliens.  Fate to be determined by a game of basketball...where Bill Murray and Wayne Knight are key factors in the win...

Right...so a Shell Oil promotion doesn't sound so bizarre in retrospect.  Get an oil change, pick up some cheap thrills for the kids.  I got this set for $8.99, so not too bad of an increase considering inflation.

They're sturdy, yet pliable plastic, and brightly colored.  Daffy and Road Runner may need to be adjusted a bit to stand properly.  Some of the sculpts (like the Road Runner)  are cleaner than others, but overall  there's not too much to complain about here.  

I wouldn't go out of my way to track these down, but I couldn't resist them as a thrift store diamond in the rough.  Ebay has them for about what I paid for them.  Until next time:



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