Transforming Toys: 1980s Toy Franchises and Modern Fan Cultures

Room 607 - Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Sunday June 17, 2018 - 3:00 pm to 3:50 pm


Pop culture scholars J. Richard Stevens and Christopher E. Bell present the unlikely story of how a toy company, a comic book company, and an advertising agency changed the way modern toys are marketed. Come see original toys, advertisements and excerpts from cartoons and comics in an entertaining and informative survey of the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises, from toys to comics to television to motion pictures to video games and beyond.


Guests