Favorite Childhood Toy - Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle

Without a doubt my all time favorite childhood toy. Built for heavy duty use both the figure and bike were absolutely indestructible. I once fired mine off a ramp five stories off the ground and upon landing the motorcycle kept going across the grass and then cement.

Although all my childhood toys were lost in the 'Great Disaster' after returning home from Europe I recently got the replica release by Ideal Toys. Evel, like Spidey here, were the only two of my childhood figures to survive.

My Dad always bought me action figures and that one Christmas I had both the basic Evel and bike set along with the Stunt Stadium and Scramble Van (look below). That had to be the best Christmas ever in terms of all the great toys I remember getting.

These ads from the back of comic books of the 70s are beautifully drawn and colored. This last picture is one of the last toys my father bought me - the remastered toy released in 2005


So, who's the greatest and most popular star-spangled hero whose exploits fab artist Cliff Chiang has illustrated? No, no, not that woman of wonder with her satin tights, not this week in this feature. After all, it's Evel Knievel week! Ever wonder why those toys I've been featuring this week were so popular? Who tried to jump over sharks before the Fonz? And what the heck was up with that "swagger stick"? Cliff Chiang explains it all for you in these panels from The Big Book of the '70s!















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