I can at least be certain that Ultimate Photon existed in
theory, although it was apparently never released for the market. That said, I challenge
any Photon Warrior to help me figure this one out. I welcome anyone to drop me
a note if you can share any further knowledge about a second generation of the
LJN/Entertech toy version of Photon. Here’s what I can tell you at this point,
even though I am sure there is much more to the story.
I recently acquired two unusual lots from an ebay seller.
The first piece is a plastic photography cell that looks like it was the
intended for the box art printing for a never-released laser tag toy product.
The image printed on it is quite dark in regular light, but when placed up
against a lit white background, well let’s just say…the light shines!
But the light must have dimmed on this project somewhere
along the way in that the toy depicted in that cell with blue plastic accenting
was never approved/never released.
In a separate lot from the same seller the description
indicates that these items were “acquired from a former LJN artist/employee.
LJN unproduced toy fair kit - Photon electronic infra-red laser warrior battle”.
The items included were described as follows: “This is the original sketch
drawing from the original artist who was drawing and designing the guns and
accessories with blue on them, which was removed and never approved.” It was
accompanied by a catalog-style card with a photo of a boy modeling the
prototype.
You’re dying to see this, right?
Here is a page that looks like you might find it in the
Entertech product book. However, I own the 1987 book and can tell you these products
do not appear in it.
There is no reference in the book to Ultimate Photon, and
yet on the back of my newly obtained catalog card I do see references to other
product names that might have been being developed? I just don’t know.
So, the listing mentioned original artist sketches. Let
me go on record as saying that it is my (confident) belief that these are
actually copies, although I don’t question that they depict the original sketches.
These are what were included.
They arrived with this envelope…
…and were accompanied by this cassette tape.
So, there are some interesting artifacts remaining from
this unusual and unreleased piece of Photon history, even if Ultimate Photon never
got to the public. The catalog photo is evidence there must be a prototype out
there, so now my search for the rest of the story begins! Hello, George?
Seriously though, this is a bit of a mystery, and I am now
considering the prototype in the photo to be “the new grail” for my search. So, if anyone can shed any further light on what I’ve got here, well…let the light
shine!
Comments or Questions?
Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
