http://blog.uofmuscle.com Researching, Documenting, & Archiving M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/11962/the-official-nintendo-players-guide/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/11962/the-official-nintendo-players-guide/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:00:23 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=11962 By closely examining The Official Nintendo Player’s Guide a much clearer picture emerges regarding how companies like Mattel and Nintendo marketed to their clientele. Hindsight allows for a much clearer picture regarding the things that Nintendo did correctly regarding their brand, and the things that Mattel failed to do with the M.U.S.C.L.E. brand.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/11962/the-official-nintendo-players-guide/feed/ 2 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/5565/new-literature-discovery/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/5565/new-literature-discovery/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:59:35 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=5565 Recently the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. made over a dozen new literature discoveries. Many of the discoveries may force the creation and/or complete reconstruction of the Literature courses. Sadly there have been many challenges posting comprehensive updates. However, the discovery of the November 1986 issue of Working Mother seemed too exciting not to share.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/5565/new-literature-discovery/feed/ 1 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/2992/literature-200-%e2%80%93-catalogs-provided-to-customers/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/2992/literature-200-%e2%80%93-catalogs-provided-to-customers/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:43 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=2992 The only documented example of M.U.S.C.L.E. in a mail order catalog is the 1986 Sears Wishbook. Sears, along with Mattel and most advertisers, seemed unsure of the figures proper place – although the placement suggests probably the best understanding of the brand. Read more in Literature 200.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/2992/literature-200-%e2%80%93-catalogs-provided-to-customers/feed/ 0 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/898/the-uncropped-catalog-pictures/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/898/the-uncropped-catalog-pictures/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:23:17 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=898 Uncropped versions of the 1986 Mattel catalog M.U.S.C.L.E. photograph, both from toy industry trade magazines, uncover six previously unseen Kinnikuman figures in the picture. All six, sometimes difficult to see, figures are identified.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/898/the-uncropped-catalog-pictures/feed/ 1 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/967/literature-400-completed/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/967/literature-400-completed/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:17:33 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=967 Literature 400 has been completed. This course examines the appearance of M.U.S.C.L.E. in toy industry trade magazines, the industry’s reaction to M.U.S.C.L.E., Mattel’s external appearance in 1986, and uncovers two previously unseen M.U.S.C.L.E. pictures.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/967/literature-400-completed/feed/ 0 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/566/literature-100-completed/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/566/literature-100-completed/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:21:39 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=566 Mattel created catalogs for toy store owners to use as a reference as they ordered, or re-ordered, merchandise. M.U.S.C.L.E. first appeared in Mattel’s 1986 catalog. The next year was the final one for M.U.S.C.L.E in the Mattel catalog. The 1987 catalog makes it clear that M.U.S.C.L.E. was not a top priority.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/566/literature-100-completed/feed/ 0 http://blog.uofmuscle.com/301/literature-300-completed/ http://blog.uofmuscle.com/301/literature-300-completed/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:11:59 +0000 Chad Perry http://blog.uofmuscle.com/?p=301 M.U.S.C.L.E.’s are discovered in the strangest places, this time a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure was discovered on the cover of a children’s textbook.]]> http://blog.uofmuscle.com/301/literature-300-completed/feed/ 0