"Remembering Marx WOW Figures" Topic

If you were a kid in the 1960s who loved History and Toy Soldiers, you probably had a WOW figure!

The original Marx Warriors of the World figures were 60mm, hard brittle plastic and handpainted in Hong Kong or Germany. The WOW figures were sold in dime stores everywhere; each figure was packaged individually in a small cardboard box that included a fictitious bio card about the figure. The Warriors included Civil War soldiers, Revolutionary soldiers, Cowboys, Indian braves, Pirates, Vikings, and Cadets.

Our Custom Generals from GETTYSBURG SOLDIERS were inspired by these WOW figures of our childhood, except our figures are made of pewter, 15/18mm, and made for wargaming.

(Shameless plug!) This month celebrates the 10th Anniversary of GETTYSBURG SOLDIERS custom painted figures and our ACW Rules.
Hope to see you across the wargame table next month at Nashcon!

Larry

I do remember those. Hard playing as a kid did not leave much left of muskets, swords, etc. Those officer figures are great too.

I remember them too! My dad bought the entire set for my brother and I as a gift. We loved them as they were already painted!. Unfortunately we were a bit rough with them.

I still have 2 Marx WW2 Canadian Soldiers. They appear to be a team as one is talking on a telephone while the other has a roll of wire strapped to his back. They are pretty scuffed up with one missing an antenna and the other missing the butt and fore stock of his rifle. They mysteriously both wear black berets, not a common headgear for Canadian infantry in WW2 as far as I know.

I fondly remember them. I used to get them whenever I got a good grade or good report card.

I especially liked the WOW Viking figures.

I bought some at the local McCrory's dime store. But they were not in boxes. They were all loose in bins. No cards that way, of course. Also I did not know they were by Marx.

Besides the hard plastic painted ones, McCrory's would also sometimes have the same figures in soft plastic, unpainted. and also just loose.

Tom

It's been a long time, but I don't remember the bios as being fictitious. They were only a so-so match for the castings, though.

Open to correction if anyone still has a few sample cards.

I have no recollection of those figures, despite owning and playing with many other Marx sets back in the '60s. I see that these are individually boxed, but I only recall seeing multitude sets, or bags of multiple figures

Congratulations on making the 10 years, Larry! I will miss our treks up to Gettysburg to shop at the store now that I have moved back home to Colorado. Best to your Dad! Been looking for that pictured arty man but in the rubbery plastic. Nice collection!

I actually remember the tv commercial for them. A booming voice ending, "Warriors of the World by Marx!"

I got the Confederate officer when I visited the Gettysburg Battlefield as a teenager. I don't remember him coming with a box or card.

Grelber

I also remember my parents getting me some of these in the mid-1960s at one of the local Five and Dime stores, probably McCrory's since we would hit the soda fountain as well.

I also recall larger versions of these, about 6" also painted and in hard plastic. I was fond of the Romans and Vikings (I think there were the same poses in both scales).

I think I had the Roman centurion. He was holding a sword and shield?

That sounds familiar, Tumbleweed. My clearest recollection is of the standard bearer in a crested helmet holding a vexillum… I am pretty sure I had that figure in both the 60mm and 6" versions and the vexillum snapped off at the hand on both!

So that's what those things were.

I would buy one a week, at a dime store called TG&Y, with box and card.

If they made it to my flyspeck town in West Texas, then they must have been quite common at one point. Their fragility is what makes them rare, I guess.

total side track: if Tom Dye is back in Colorado are there changes afoot vis-a-vis Minifigs?

Also, for Tom, what is the status on Bite the Bullet?

Thanks.