Tag Archives: Creature from the Black Lagoon

Universal Monsters & Super 7 BOOdega at Comic-Con

July 18, 2018 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

Super 7 Expands Licensing with Universal with Loads of SDCC Exclusives

Super7 always pulls out all the stops for San Diego Comic-Con and this year will be a Monster Kid’s delight!

In collaboration with the legendary Universal Monsters, Super7 announced that the abomination will begin after sunset on Friday, July 20. The location will be changed into a “monstore”, where attendees who still by will be treated to haunting exclusives and “spine-tingling special things created especially for this horrifying event”.

The store will feature exclusive release of items available only at the Boodega event: Unique versions of the Wave 1 Universal Monsters 3.75″ ReAction Figures:

Exclusive limited edition signed and numbered prints by artist Ed Repka:

Other items will only be available at the Boodega:

In addition , Super 7 will offer up an extremely limited edition shoe collaboration with Saucony as well as a new line of apparel:

The San Diego Super7 Store is located at701 8th Avenue SD California 92101.

Universal Monsters Boodega Hours:
Friday – July 20th: 5:00pm to Midnight
Saturday – July 21st: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday – July 22nd: 11:00am to 5:00pm

No SDCC badge is needed to visit the Boodega and it will be open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.

I’m expecting a complete sell out of this merchandise at SDCC, so the only way to get your paws on this stuff will be through the reseller market and I would expect items to be popping up on eBay the same weekend.

Modern Classic Monsters

(Toy Fair 2018) Super7 Debuts New Universal Monsters & Planet of the Apes Collections

February 21, 2018 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

Toy Fair 2018 Spotlight on Super7

Super7 is best known for resurrecting the legendary 3.75 inch action figures in the retro Kenner-style and a fan-fave with many classic monster collectors for it’s original run of Universal Monsters figures released while ReAction was licensed by Funko.

Well, based on what Super7 just showcased at Toy Fair 2018, they are embracing our childhood nostalgia in toto with a slew of cool new products that hit us Monster Kids right in the nostalgia sweet spot.

Universal Monsters ReAction Figures

One of the gripes some folks had with the original collection of UniMonster ReAction figures was the sculpt quality was just a little too much like the original Kenner Star Wars figures, meaning not very good. Well, that will not be a concern this time around based on the prototypes on display of The Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Mummy. Packaging was features for updates of the Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein as well as two cool new additions in the Metaluna Mutant and Mole People. We did get a look at the Mutant prototype and it is absolutely glorious!

But the Universal Monsters licenses gets way more interesting with these new seasonal collections set to debut late summer 2018:

Super Soapys

One of my all time favorite classic monster lines is the Colgate Palmolive Super Soaky soap bottles from the 1960s. Super7 is releasing an expanded collection with all new sculpts that pay direct tribute to those amazing bath products of yesteryear with their new “Super Soapy” collection releasing in time for Halloween 2018:

Super7 Super Soakys Universal Monsters — image courtesy Paul Schiola of Sputnik Supplies

The new collection includes the iconic Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Creature and Mummy with updated molds and adds the Invisible Man, Bride and Metaluna Mutant. As you can see in the picture above, they even had a collection of the original Colgate figures on hand to showcase the homage they’re paying.

Super Buckets

new molds for buckets to used while Trick or Treating or just nifty displays.

Tumblers

Puzzles

50th Anniversary Planet of the Apes

While Super7 debuted a Planet of the Apes collection last year, they have stepped up their game in a big way in honor of the 50th Anniversary of POTA with this upcoming line of 3.75-inch ReAction classic POTA figures set to release in April 2018:

But they didn’t stop there, Super7 also revealed unpainted prototypes for Wave 2, which is due late summer 2018:

This set includes a couple of deep dives like Urko from the TV show, astronaut Cornelius and a fantastic Lawgiver statue. And the mutant comes with a removable face!

I think its safe to say that Super7 has dialed up the nostalgia factor to eleven for all us Monster Kids and done so in a manner that pays respect to the classics they are renewing. While I tend to focus my personal collection on vintage items, I plan to stock pile as much as this new Super7 collection as I can get my grubby monster-loving claws on this Halloween season. What are your thoughts, monster collectors? Love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Related Articles

Monster Art

Mondo Gallery Universal Monsters Exhibit

January 29, 2018 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

Mondo Gallery Universal Monsters Exhibit Opening Night

I love it when the stars align and a business trip puts me in the right place at the right time. Earlier this month, I had just such an opportunity when a trip to Austin, Texas, coincided with the opening of the new Universal Monsters exhibit at the Mondo Gallery.

While I’m not new to Mondo entirely, I had no idea what to expect and so, after a great meal of Tex-Mex, I strolled over the gallery. It was an unusually wet and chilly January day in Austin, and while it was still more pleasant than my Minnesota home, I was stunned to see the waiting line extending down the block for hundreds of feet.

In talking to people in line, this is standard fair for opening night at Mondo exhibits as collectors and enthusiasts get their first shot at purchasing prints from the new collections. What struck me, though, as a Universal Monster fan and classic monster collector, was the age of those in line. We often think of our community as being largely Boomers and some older Generation X, those of us who grew up in the monster boom of the 1960s and 70s. This crowd was anything but that, made up almost entirely of 20 and 30 somethings! While this is a testament to the popularity of Mondo with the Millenial crowd, these folks were enthusiastically discussing their favorite monsters and monster movies. These were, indeed, our people!

With press credentials in hand, I was fortunate to bypass the hours-long wait and made my way into the small, nondescript gallery.

Being a Mondo neophyte, it took me a bit to get my bearings. So I decided to enjoy a complimentary local craft beer and watch the pattern of the more experienced Mondo collectors as they cued up for their must-have posters, enamel pins and lithographs.

Here’s a video from the opening night that does a far better job than my photography of showcasing the art and giving a feel for the event:

Take a closer look at some of artwork from the Mondo Gallery Universal Monsters exhibit:

About a week after the opening of the exhibit, Mondo released the first run of posters and enamel pins from the Universal Monsters collection for sale on their website.

Mondo posters are available in limited runs and they tend to show up on the secondary market pretty quickly (at appreciated prices of course). Mondo’s first Universal Monsters collection was released back in 2012 and a quick scan of eBay shows a nice sampling of posters from the original collection and, not surprisingly, some posters from the 2018 collection as well.

What do you think of these modern takes on the classic film posters of the Universal Monsters films? Do you have any Mondo art in your collections? Love to hear your stories!

Modern Classic Monsters

Monster Kid Must Haves: Universal Monsters Tiki Mugs

December 10, 2017 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

The Perfect Gift for The Monster Kid in Your Life

Classic monsters and mid-century pop culture go together like peanut butter and jelly. Many Monster Kids, like myself, have an abiding affection for all things Atomic Era, including classic surf music and Tiki culture, So the folks at Geek Tiki have come up with a perfectly logical combination of Universal Monsters tiki mugs!

The creative, colorful drinkware products combine the beloved Universal Monster characters with the unique stylization seen in traditional tiki culture.

Each ceramic Monsters Geeki Tikis® stand approximately 7” tall, is top-shelf dishwasher safe, microwaveable and boast a capacity of up to 20 ounces.

Collect them All!

I’m not sure if the Werewolf of London drank his Pina Colada out of one of these mugs at Trader Vics, but I sure drink my tropical cocktails from my Monster tiki mugs! I keep these prominently displayed but I’m not afraid to pull them off the shelf when the occasion calls for a Mai Tai!

Where to Buy

These tiki mugs were released earlier this fall and are available at the following online stores:

Amazon.com

EntertainmentEarth.com

Movie Memorabilia

Top 10 Most Valuable Movie Monster Props

July 5, 2015 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

Top 10 Most Valuable Monster Movie Props & Costumes Ever Sold at Auction

We love our movie monsters and we love collecting them in al their forms. From creatures from outer space to beasts from the ocean depths, movie makers have spent decades creating monsters to keep us on the edge of our seats.

Here we take a look at ten of the most fearsome – and valuable – screen monsters to ever cross the auction block.

10) Brain Gremlin Puppet

Joe Dante followed his hit 1984 horror comedy Gremlins with an anarchistic sequel featuring numerous parodies, slapstick, Chuck Jones animation and fourth-wall breaking humour. A screen-used animatronic puppet for the ‘Brain’ gremlin – given intelligence by a super-potion and voiced by Tony Randall – sold at Profiles in History in 2008 for $13,000. (Image: Profiles in History)

9) Ghostbusters Terror Dog

Despite featuring a host of less-than-scary spooks such as Slimer and the Marshmallow Man, Ghostbusters does feature two truly memorable monsters – the terror dogs. A stop-motion puppet, used as the demon alter-ego for Sigourney Weaver (“The nice lady who paid us in advance before she became a dog”) sold at profiles in History in 2008 for $13,000. (Image: Profiles in History)

8) Bruce the Shark Jaws

Despite its status as a cinema classic, Jaws almost never made it to the screen. During production the mechanical sharks failed to work, or looked ridiculous, hugely delaying the shoot to the point the studio almost pulled the plug. Spielberg was forced to show the shark – nicknamed Bruce by the crew – as little as possible, which actually improved the film. An original 4ft prop shark used for close-up scenes sold for £16,675 at Christie’s in 1996. (Image: Christie’s)

Related: Collecting Jaws Memorabilia

7) Bat-Dracula from Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Despite featuring some of the worst English accents in cinema history, Bram Stoker’s Dracula also provides one of the most intense performances as Gary Oldman inhabits the Count in Oscar-winning effects make-up. One of the most terrifying scenes features Dracula transformed into a gigantic bat, and the original suit and mask worn during the scene brought $30,000 at Profiles in History in 2011. (Image: Profiles in History)

Related: Collecting Dracula

6) Creature from the Black Lagoon Mask

Man-in-a-suit monsters don’t come much more famous than the Creature from the Black Lagoon, who first appeared on the silver screen in 1954. He resurfaced again in 1955, in Revenge of the Creature, in which he fell in love with Lori Nelson, although their relationship ended in a hail of bullets. The original screen-worn mask from the film sold for $70,000 at Profiles in History in 2009. (Image: Profiles in History)

5) Predator Suit

Stan Winston created the now-iconic design for the Predator whilst on a plane ride with director James Cameron, after Cameron commented he’d like to see a creature with mandibles. The 1986 film went on to spawn a franchise, starting with Predator II in 1990, and a full screen-worn mask and suit from the sequel brought $80,000 at Profiles in History in 2010.(Image: Profiles in History)

4) Starship Troopers Warrior Bug Puppet

Paul Verhoeven’s satirical sci-fi classic features a wide range of monsters in the shape of gigantic alien bugs. Created using a mix of CGI and practical effects, the film earned an effects Oscar nomination in 1998 but was defeated by the all-conquering Titanic. A 72” tall screen-used warrior bug puppet sold at Profiles in History in 2012 for $85,000. (Image: Profiles in History)

3) Jurassic Park T-Rex Head

Spielberg’s Jurassic Park may have featured some of the greatest CGI ever seen on film, but it also included practical dinosaurs made by effects maestro Stan Winston – for which he won an Oscar in 1994. An enormous, life-sized animatronic T-Rex head from the film sold for $110,000 at Profiles in History in 2007. (Image: Profiles in History)

2) Xenomorph Alien Suit

One of the most famous movie monsters in cinema history, the creature from Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic was created by Swiss artist H.R Giger who also helped design the look of the film. Giger won an Oscar for his work, and the Xenomorph went on to become a true icon of horror. The original screen-worn suit from the film sold at Profiles in History in 2007 for $110,000. (Image: Profiles in History)

1) King Kong Armature

The most famous movie monster of them all, King Kong captured the imagination of movie goers when he roared to life in 1933. The film featured state-of-the-art stop-motion effects by Willis O’Brien, with three Kong models built from mechanical frames, foam and rabbit fur. One of the original 22” armature skeletons – used during the climactic scene on top of the Empire State Building – sold at Christie’s in 2009 for a record £121,500. (Image: Christie’s) Another armature skeleton resides in the monstrous collection of Bob Burns

This article is provided courtesy of Picollecta.com – read the original article on their site

Action Figures, Monster Toys

FUNKO REACTION UNIVERSAL MONSTERS – RONDO AWARDS 2015 BEST TOY NOMINEE

June 1, 2015 georgemcgowan 1 Comment

Collecting the Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Category – Part 10

Funko ReAction Universal Monsters Collection

This is the final installment in my review of the 2014 nominees for the Best Toy, Model, Collectible category of the Rondo Hatton Horror Awards and we finish with the most classic of all monsters –the Funko ReAction Universal Monsters.

In 2013, Funko and Super 7 partnered to bring Kenner’s unreleased 1979 Alien prototypes to market. It wasn’t long afterwards that Funko announced a full “ReAction” line of retro 3 ¾” action figures based on characters from 1980’s cult, sci-fi and horror cinema: Escape From New York, Back to the Future, Terminator, a Rocketeer figure, iconic horror villains as well as the Universal Monsters. These news collections were designed as an homage to classic Kenner Star Wars action figures of the 1970s and early 80s.

Controversy

The retro style has been a bit controversial as these figures have been panned by some for the lack of detailed likeness to the actors/character. Funko even extended that feeling of “vintage-ness” through the packaging, which is the same size as the original Kenner packaging from the late ’70s /early ’80s. This has also met with some push-back by collectors who find the side-panel style packaging a challenge to display.

Reis O’Brien, Funko’s head designer of the ReAction line, explained the design inspiration for these figures in this quote from the FunkoFanatic Reaction Forum:

We did originally look towards the first run of Kenner Star Wars figures for inspiration, especially when we first got started, so that’s why you’ll see that our Terminator and Snake Plissken sort or mimic that “softness”, but as we went on, things got a little more detailed, a little closer to ROTJ figures, which you’ll see in the Universal Monsters and Horror lines. Basically, we think there’s a sweet spot somewhere in there that we keep trying to hit. But Kenner remains our main inspiration as opposed to, say, Remco or Mego. But they have their charm, too.

I buy that logic fully and think that they nailed the retro styling of the characters. I particularly like the packaging, though finding them in pristine condition on store pegs has also been a frustration for collectors.

There are a lot of great reviews on these figures already published and, frankly, from folks with greater expertise then me. For your reading please, here’s a great review from one of my go-to resources for collectible toys, Brian Heller at Plaid Stallions.

Here’s the Funko ReAction Universal Monsters collection, in order of theatrical appearance:

Funky ReAction Phantom of the Opera

from The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Funko ReAction Dracula

from Dracula (1931)

Funko ReAction Frankenstein’s Monster

from Frankenstein (1931)

Funko ReAction The Mummy

from The Mummy (1932)

Funko ReAction Invisible Man

from The Invisible Man (1933)

Funko ReAction Bride of Frankenstein

from The Bride of Frankenstein (1932)

Funko ReAction Wolf Man

from The Wolf Man (1941)

Funko ReAction Creature from the Black Lagoon

from The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Product Details

3 ¾” action figures
Five points of articulation
bubble photo card
MSRP: $9.99 each

Chase Variants

Like all variants, forced scarcity is either the bane or the blessing of the completist collector. The glow variants were limited to one figure per every six cases and the clear Invisible Man was an Entertainment Earth exclusive.

Funky ReAction Mummy Glow in the Dark

Funko ReAction Invisible Man Transparent Variant

Available on Amazon

Creature from the Black Lagoon Glow Variant

available on Amazon

Universal Monsters 2017 SDCC Glow Set

available on Amazon

Where to Buy Funko ReAction Universal Monsters Collection

These figures are available near and far, so the real goal is finding them at the best price. They have been in the market long enough that they are widely available on secondary resale sites like eBay, but prices have increase because they are still available at retail prices in most stores. This makes it a buyers market for these figures.

EntertainmentEarth

Has most of the figures in stock at $9.99 each
Amazon is a good place to find these through third party sellers
and Ebay of course!

Amazon offers a full set of figures:

8 figure set includes Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolfman, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Phantom of the Opera, Bride of Frankenstein, and the Invisible Man
Numerous sellers competing on price, with lowest being $75.48 shipping included ($9.44 per figure) See all Amazon listings here.
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EBay

Good availability of the Mummy Glow-in-the-Dark Variant starting at $14.99

Best Price I’ve found on the Clear Invisible Man Variant — listed at $9.99 with 7 in stock

Lots of Glow Creature variant figures as well, starting at $19.99

Summary

While I appreciate that modern toy collectors have gotten used to incredible like-like sculpts, the fact that this line is inspired by 1970’s and 80’s toys is central to the design style. My Han Solo figure from Kenner didn’t really look like Harrison Ford in 1978 and I didn’t care; I loved it completely and totally.

I think the ReACTION line would have missed the mark if the figures were too realistic. They certainly wouldn’t have been as retro, so I’m fine with the less-then-realistic sculpts. In short, I think Funko nailed these figures.

My favorites are pretty much in line with my favorite monsters; The Creature and The Wolf Man were the two “must-own” figures for me. I was surprised by how much I liked the Invisible Man too. So far, those are the only three I’ve purchased, but this review has me re-considering the variants, at lease for the Gillman and Invisible Man.

These are priced really well. So well, in fact, that I got my kids a couple of the figures to open and —gasp– actually play with!

As a child of the 1970’s, who owned the original Kenner Star Wars figures, these bring back waves and waves of nostalgia. As an adult vintage monster toy collector, I love how these figures fit right into my collection. I don’t tend to buy many modern monster toys or collectibles, simply because I focus my limited collecting budget on high-grade vintage pieces.

So thumbs up on the figures from me all the way around–design, price, packaging — Funko nailed it. And with the recent announcement of the ReAction Jaws and ReAction Gremlins series, looks like we’ve got lots to look forward to from Funko ReAction.

Let me know your thoughts– do you like the retro style of the Funko ReAction Universal Monsters line or do you prefer the more sophisticated style of modern collectibles?

Monster Toys

Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Winner

April 30, 2015 georgemcgowan Leave a comment

And the Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Winner is….

Diamond Select Creature from the Black Lagoon

Specs:

7-inch-scale
16+ points of articulation
Sculpted by Jean St. Jean
2 variations: Toys R Us exclusive (simpler, above-water base) and Deluxe variant available through Previews to Collectible Stores (underwater base)
Retail Price: $24.99

Deluxe display base

Features a skeleton and an undersea rock formation:

Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Winner Diamond Select Creature Underwater Base — image copyright 2015, Michael Crawford

Packaging:

Select-style display packaging with spine artwork:

Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Winner Diamond Select Creature from the Black Lagoon in Blister Pack — image copyright 2015, Michael Crawford

This one got my vote in this year’s Rondo Awards, if only because I love all-things “Creach.” Regardless of my personal bias, Diamond Select continues to up their A-game with their outstanding collection of the Universal Monster action figures at quite reasonable prices.

It’s a win-win for modern toy collectors of classic monsters. Here’s a well-done video review from Outside the Box Reviews highlighting this action figure in great detail. Check out their Youtube Channel for more reviews like this one:

Being a new action figure, and not a limited edition piece like some of the other nominees, the Creature is readily available at your favorite collectible or toy shop. I included links and current pricing to some of the shops I am an affiliate for below:

Entertainment Earth:
Order Universal Monsters Creature from the Black Lagoon Figure from Entertainment Earth!

Ebay

The best prices I found were @ Ebay where this toy was listed in numerous auctions with prices ranging from $15-$30.
Click this link to see current auctions on eBay: Diamond Select Creature from the Black Lagoon

Amazon

Good selection available at Amazon at regular retail price too: Diamond Select Creature from the Black Lagoon

Diamond Select Toys

Of course, you can also buy this right from Diamond Select for retail price of $24.99

Congratulations to Diamond Select and Jean St. Jean on winning the 2015 Rondo Award for Best Toy– this is an outstanding modern toy of one of the most classic monsters and I’m thrilled to have this in my Creature Collection.

I’ll continue to profile this year’s nominees for Best Toy in my next post — did you vote for this one? If not, which one got your ballot? Share in the comments below.