Thursday, October 20, 2016

Hold Onto Your Rainbows...a Stormy Prototype Has Been Found!!

Mattel's line of Rainbow Brite dolls in the 1980s was massively successful. It's hard to find a female 80s child that didn't have at least one character from Rainbow Land in her toybox. Launched in 1984, the line of toys ran for three years. Towards the end of the line, in 1986, they created some "Dress-Up" dolls that were similar to their earlier counterparts, but came with removable clothing and accessories. Dress-Up Fashion versions of Rainbow Brite, Moonglow, Tickled Pink, and Stormy were prototyped, photographed, and advertised. Rainbow Brite and Tickled Pink were made available in several countries. Moonglow was exclusively sold in Germany, but Stormy was never actually produced.


This has been a sore spot in the Rainbow Brite fan community for decades. Stormy was given more screen time and lines than Tickled Pink in the Rainbow Brite television show and movie, so why was Tickled Pink produced but not Stormy? Though she had a bit of an attitude, Stormy was relatable and fun. When Rainbow and friends ran into hard times, Stormy was always willing to help - even if her help came with a small dose of snark. Tickled Pink, on the other hand, had no unique personality to speak of. We barely knew her or what her purpose in Rainbow Land was. One can only assume she was produced because "girls like pink." Perhaps the plan was to produce Stormy last, but the line had lost its steam by that time. Whatever the reason, we've been angry about it for a very long time, and have begged multiple toy companies to produce her in subsequent reboot lines to no avail.

If that weren't bad enough, the Stormy prototype(s) that were created and photographed have eluded fans as well. Galacticatt, the Rainbow Brite fandom's expert on prototype dolls, has acquired several over the years, but even she has not been able to track down Stormy. We don't even know who the doll's designer was! It was assumed all hope was lost and proto-Stormy would never see the light of day...until now!

An 80s toy collector recently contacted me with a very interesting story. She'd been collecting vintage toys since the 80s (before they were considered vintage!), but only began giving focus to Rainbow Brite dolls in the last two years. As she began her research, she found information about rare dolls like Moonglow and Stormy, and recalled a purchase she'd made back in 1999. At an estate sale in or near Los Angeles, she had purchased a Dress-Up Rainbow Brite, and what she now recognizes as a Stormy doll!

The room where she found the dolls was full of toys - Rainbow Brite, Barbie, Strawberry Shortcake and more. She would have purchased them all if she could. Apart from the two she bought, she recalled there being another Dress-Up Rainbow Brite, two Tickled Pinks and three Moonglows. Knowing very little about Rainbow Brite and not having access to the internet at the time, she only bought the two she did because she thought they were pretty! Die-hard fans will also know how incredible it is for someone to have had three Moonglow dolls in the United States in 1999! Perhaps some of those were prototypes too. We may never know.

But what I find most interesting and heartbreaking about this story is why the estate sale was taking place at all. The collector spoke with the owner of the house, and it turns out that the toys belonged to her son, who had recently died from AIDS. He had worked in the toy industry and loved collecting dolls. She was moving because she couldn't bear the memories that lived on with her in that house. We don't know his name. We don't know who he worked for. We don't know how he came to own these dolls. All I do know is that I would have loved this man of kindred spirit and wish I could tell him so.

Amazingly, Stormy's new owner did not gain access to the internet until the mid-2000s, and since Rainbow Brite is not her primary fandom, she had no reason to seek out us Color Kids until recently. It astounds me that she's had this incredibly rare piece of Rainbow Brite history in her possession for more than 15 years without knowing what it was; but at the same time, it makes perfect sense. I wouldn't be surprised if other prototype and sample dolls have ended up in similar hands. My prototype and another sample doll I own had similar histories. Therefore, my hope is that more mysteries like this will be uncovered as the years go by. But right now I am THRILLED that the #1 mystery of Rainbow Brite collectors everywhere finally has a resolution. Stormy has been found!!* :D

Stormy's owner sent several pictures of the doll to myself and Galacticatt, and we agree that the doll is legit. The doll's clothes are hiding in a box somewhere in the owner's house, so we don't have pictures of the outfit yet, but she will find and photograph it as soon as possible. So without further ado...pictures!! 





So now the big question remains: will we ever get a mass produced Stormy doll??? This beautiful prototype gives me hope :)


*Because we don't have the full history of this doll, I can't say with 100% certainty that she is a prototype; but with everything Galacticatt and I know about Rainbow Brite prototypes, we are 99.99999% sure that she is. If I ever discover that we were wrong, I will update this post.


Friday, September 16, 2016

A Brite Tour through Hallmark Headquarters

Let me preface this post by saying that giving tours is not something that Hallmark employees do often, and it is something that the Rainbow Brite team had never done before. When I learned about Rainbow Brite Day and made plans to attend, I reached out to Headquarters to see if a tour could be arranged, but I had no expectations that they would be able to accommodate - especially with only a week's notice. To my delight, not only did they accommodate...they went above and beyond to make it a day that Renee, from RainbowBrite.co, and myself will never forget.

Our main tour guide ended up being Master Arist, Peter Martin, who had created new artwork for Rainbow Brite in recent years, and is still an active part of that team. When someone mentioned his last name, I had an "Oh THAT Peter!" moment, realizing who I was in the presence of. He was a wealth of information and so very kind to spend so much time with us that day. We first toured around different departments of the facility, each with its own theme and energy. It was overwhelming being surrounded by so much creative talent. I can only hope that a tiny bit of it rubbed off on me!

As we rounded a bend, we ran into Brian Pilachowski, who was the Pop-Up Artist on the new book, Rainbow Brite and the Stormy Race. We had a moment to let him know how much we adore his work and get a photo with him before continuing on. During our walk, I spotted something bright and colorful, and instantly knew what it was - the prototype Jumbo Rainbow Brite itty bitty! I had seen her in pictures, but never thought I would get a chance to see her up close. Not only that, we got to hold her and have our picture taken with her! Squee!!




Next we were taken into the inner sanctuary - aka, the archives. Hallmark Archivist, Mark Spencer, met us there and took us in. I assumed we'd have to wear hazmat suits or something, but we did not ;) He had already laid out catalogs, original concept drawings wrapped in plastic, and boxes full of artwork for us to explore. We could take pictures of the catalogs, as all of those items were produced (and I did!), but, as expected, we could not take photographs of the archive artwork. Some of it we had already seen on the official Rainbow Brite Facebook page, but many pieces were brand new to our eyes and gave us the squeals! A particular drawing of Baby Indigo still stands out in my mind as one of the most adorable.




Peter and Mark both genuinely seemed to enjoy showing us the pieces, and we thoroughly enjoyed looking through them! Along with early concepts of characters, and characters in stances we hadn't seen before, we also learned facts, such as unused character names, concept names, and information about worlds. We learned that the Dark Princess (earlier concept and name, Empress Hysteria) lives on her own planet, and the "Prison Planet" she banishes people to is actually a moon that orbits her planet. We also learned that a new concept of Rainbow Brite was sketched out in the early 90s by a company who was absorbed by Hallmark. Nothing ever came of it, but seeing the sketches was mind-blowing! Mark was also having fun trying to find things we hadn't seen before, such as a product display (that Renee happened to already own...lol!) ;)





We took a break from the archives to meet the current team bringing Rainbow Brite back to life. They were all extremely kind and took some time to answer questions and show us some upcoming products. Kara explained why her voice sounded different between the two books (it has to do with the size of the speaker), Jack commiserated that when books come back from the printers, the illustrations are sometimes darker than expected, and Peter said they had intended to use the original head mold for the new Rainbow Brite doll. I still don't think he's sure why it was changed.

Jack also showed us an entirely new Rainbow Brite kids book that will be coming out soon. The colors on his computer screen were SUPER bright and saturated, so I think it's safe to say that many of my illustration complaints have not been his fault. He wanted to show us a second book as well, but we needed to move along in our tour. I'm looking forward to the release of them both. Then they gave us presents! We were not expecting that AT ALL. Molly Wigand was there, and gave us signed copies of her book, Wit and Wisdom of Rainbow Brite. We were given a Rainbow Brite itty bitty for everyone to sign, but ran out of time for them to do the signing (we were having too much fun!). They also gave us each one of the NYCC exclusive Rainbow Brite POP ornaments, of which they only made 100!! We were FREAKING OUT by that point, as we had been truly worried that we wouldn't be able to get our hands on one. It's the most limited Rainbow Brite item ever produced, so to say we were thrilled is an understatement. And to top it all off, Jack gave us original drawings of his artwork and signed them for us! It's a wonder we didn't faint right then and there.




Still reeling from the gifts, Brad Springer, Art Director for Characters and Licensed Properties, ushered us into a room full of products from several properties - Rainbow Brite being among them. Some items we had seen before, some were never produced, posters showed ideas of items that may yet be produced, and we got to see the non-glittery POP ornament (similar to the NYCC exclusive) that will be sold mass market this fall. We also had fun pointing out a couple of errors on a poster of Peter's artwork. Canary Yellow had a star on her cheek, and Champ was named Hammy...right next to the actual Hammy ;)




We also learned that some new products are more popular in other countries. For instance, Japan has licensed Rainbow Brite clothing, towels, etc that we don't have here, and some of the RB Pop items are already being sold in India! Jack Pullan has been designing the TeeSpring shirts that we've gotten over the past few months, so we have him to thank for that. Also, Feeln has given Rainbow Brite back to Hallmark fully. They will no longer be continuing the mini-series they produced in 2014, and Hallmark will be taking over Rainbow Brite's website and social media accounts.

I'm sure I've forgotten half the things I saw and heard. Most of the time, I thought I must be dreaming, and the rest of the time I was on rainbow overload. It was such a magnificent opportunity, it's definitely going down in my list of best days EVER! I want to thank everyone who pulled this together last minute and made it happen. All of those mentioned above, plus Erica and Sarah - you have my undying gratitude for making a life-long dream come true.

You can watch Renee and I squee about our experience that day :D


You can also catch some behind-the-scenes shots of our tour in PopMinded's coverage of Rainbow Brite Day!



Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Rainbow Brite Day

On September 10, 2016, Hallmark held a "Rainbow Brite Day" celebration in their Crown Center store near Hallmark Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a day to celebrate the success Rainbow Brite achieved in the 80s, showcase the individuals and products bringing success to the brand today, and tease fans with promises of items still to come. Employees from Headquarters and the store banded together to make the day spectacular, and let me tell you, it was over the rainbow!

Renee Stowe from RainbowBrite.co, our friend Justin (and daughter), and I arrived at the Crown Center mall early to take a peek at what was in store for us that day. We already knew there would be meet and greets with two original designers (Jeanne Slater and Susie Cozad); book signings by illustrator, Jack Pullan, and writers, Melvina Young and Matt Gowan; a reading by the new voice of Rainbow Brite, Kara Goodier; coloring fun and costume contests. What we did not expect were the decorations, displays and coverage of the event.



As soon as we stepped into Crown Center, we were greeted by an enormous rainbow balloon arch. I immediately jumped on the escalators, trying to get a good picture of the magnificent sight. I had come in costume, so a photographer greeted me and asked to take a few shots. I was flattered! And not only had they erected a gigantic rainbow above the store - there were rainbow balloons greeting you at the entrance, along with displays of previously released merchandise, never released merchandise, new merchandise, and original drawings of landscapes and characters from Rainbow Land!





Since we had arrived slightly early, I was first in line to get my books, and other memorabilia, signed. The entire team was absolutely lovely. It was easy to tell that they genuinely enjoyed interacting with fans. They giggled at a few vintage Lurky-themed items I had brought for Jeanne to sign, as she was his creator. They were happy to answer questions and surprise us with new information. The writers of the new books were equally gracious, and Kara, the voice of Rainbow Brite in the new interactive books, was one of the sweetest individuals I've ever met. She was definitely the right choice for the job.





Hallmark's PopMinded crew was there covering the event, and I thoroughly enjoyed being interviewed by them. Christine and Kevin, being geeks themselves, understood the enthusiasm I hold for Rainbow Brite and how ecstatic I was to be in her birthplace. Peter Martin, who has produced new artwork for Rainbow Brite in recent years and actively works on the brand, had his cell phone at the ready to live-stream as much of the event as he could for out-of-town fans. Hallmark Archivist, Mark Spencer, and Art Director for Characters and Licensed Properties, Brad Springer, could also be seen amongst the happy crowd!

The store employees really got into the spirit by dressing in bright colors, wearing Rainbow Brite t-shirts and/or wearing stars and jewels on their cheeks. Not to mention their bright personalities, which could have un-murked even the gloomiest of customers! The activities - coloring, photo-ops, readings, costume contests - were all expertly executed. There were a few adult cosplayers, but the kids really took the cake in the costume department. There were a handful of little Rainbow Brites and a gaggle of the most colorful kids I've ever seen. They were clearly having an amazing time, and all of the parents I spoke with were also childhood fans of Rainbow Brite - so they were thrilled to attend as well.



(last photo source - Instagram)

As if that weren't enough, we also got a sneak peak at a new doll and a new ornament that will be debuting in stores this fall. I can't tell you how excited I am to know that Hallmark's line of Rainbow Brite merchandise still has a bright future ahead of it!




This celebration alone was so amazing that it would have justified my flying from North Carolina last minute to attend it, but the fun didn't end there. I got to meet several adult Rainbow Brite fans in person who I had previously only known online. One in particular, Brian, joined my Rainbow Brite mailing list in the year 2000, so I'd known him for more than 15 years! He has always been a valuable part of the fandom, so it was a real treat to give him a hug and express some of that gratitude in person. Another fan, Jane, has been on the Rainbow Brite message boards since at least 2005, if not earlier. It's wonderful to meet people in person whom you've known online for more than a decade! Especially when they are as sweet as Jane!! Jane's fiance, Michael, and another fan, Myra (and son), joined our brigade of Color Kids. And last, but absolutely not least, was our good friend, Justin, who helped make this weekend possible.





We made a few purchases in the Hallmark store, had some lunch, tried to recreate the photo of Rainbow Brite standing in front of the Hallmark Cards building, and even spent some time with Anita Marra Rogers, who sculpted the last two Rainbow Brite ornaments! Basically, we were having so much fun that, in the blink of an eye, the mall was closing and it was time to leave.







The day felt like a miniature Rainbow Brite convention, which is something Hallmark has never attempted before. It's difficult to put into words how amazing the experience was. I flew in from North Carolina, Renee flew in from Florida, and Jane and Michael drove four hours from St. Louis to be there - and that was only with a week and a half's notice that it was taking place! I'm sure if we had known about the event earlier, even more fans would have made the trip to Rainbow Brite mecca. My hope is that this will become a regular event in Kansas City and across the country in other stores. Perhaps this could even be the beginning of a larger event to come. A girl can dream!

I want to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who pitched in and made this event a reality. We appreciate your efforts so very much, and you all did an amazing job! I hope to see you again someday.

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Here are more pictures and some video from the event as well:





Video: PopMinded's Coverage of Rainbow Brite Day

Photo Album: All of my photos from Rainbow Brite Day

Photo Album: The merch I got, and got signed, while I was in Kansas City

Photo Album: Pictures from vintage Rainbow Brite Catalogs

Monday, May 16, 2016

Rainbow Brite Musical at Worlds of Fun

Worlds of Fun is a theme park in Kansas City, Missouri, and in 1985 they added a Rainbow Brite Kids Musical to their park! It was part of the Aerodrome section of the park, later renamed to the more kid-friendly Pandamonium in 1987. This park map from 1987 shows that the Rainbow Brite musical (located in the Rainbow Pavilion!) ran for at least 2 years:


(source worldsoffun.org)

Sadly, I have been unable to find any video or audio recordings of the musical, but thanks to Hallmark and some awesome fans on Instagram, I do have a few photos!


(source Facebook)



(source Instagram)


(source Instagram)



(source Instagram)



(source Instagram)


Did you see the Rainbow Brite musical back in the 80's, or were you one of the performers? I'd love to hear your memories of the show and see any photos or video you might have :)