Burger King Universal Monsters 1997

Sometimes a fast food premium or series comes along and it is so awesome it transcends it's meager 'free with food purchase' beginnings and becomes something of a legend amongst collectors. The DC Superhero Looney Tunes, Muppet Babies with ride-ons, transforming fast-foodstuffs, Deiner space aliens, and so many others are true great toys and not simply free trash that shuts the kids up for five seconds and then ends up clogging a landfill or choking a sea turtle.

The Universal Monsters from Burger King are such toys. I have known about these for years due to other collectors talking about how great they are, but honestly I've not experienced these two up close until now, and had not realized before today that they came in coffins/crates with a lever on the side for the monsters to rise from the dead and kill you in your sleep. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!

I found Dracula and Wolfman at a garage sale this weekend, and got them for fifty cents each! Complete with their crypts! I actually once had the water squirting Creature from the Black Lagoon but I don't believe I do so anymore. I do have the Frankenstein's Monster hanging around Toyriffic Central, which was given to me by Space Mason of D.I. Treasures, but he doesn't have his 'base' (which was a table with a light in it to light up his translucent noggin) - unfortunately I didn't have him on hand for the photo shoot.

The thing that makes these guys stand the test of time and elicit so much joy and praise from toy fans is that they are as good of a five point of articulation 3 3/4" action figure as you are going to find on any toy store shelf (some might even argue that they are better than many). They are classically designed and well detailed. Dracula's skin even glows in the dark!

Not to mention the coffin. It's gorgeous. I want to be buried in a coffin exactly like this, except it can say BubbaShelby instead of Dracula across the front.

Each figure pops up and the lid flies off or the doors fly open when you turn a lever on the side of the box. The figures are also removable and can pop on and off the base for playtime fun!

Obviously Dracula was, well, obvious...when I found him in his coffin at the garage sale. But I wasn't sure who was hiding in this crate when I found it (I first assumed Frankenstein's Monster. I was wrong.)

Aw yeah Wolfman! My favorite classic Universal Monster! I love this figure and his rickety crate. There's even a little pop-up tab that has a sticker with a glow-in-the-dark moon on it that rises when Wolfman comes out of the crate!

The doors of the crate are a little snug, but I suppose when you have a werewolf in a box you want those doors to hold tight!

I can't believe it took me almost twenty years to find, and find out, how groovy these ghoulies are! I can't wait for Halloween!

Random Halloween Toy Pic :: Getting To Know You

Werewolf Problems #347: Never go to the dog park during a full moon.

Random Halloween Toy Pic :: Wolfman HAD Nards

Now the only question is, Wolfman has insurance?

My intern wanted me to join in while she was playing with her Playmobil Vet set. She didn't appreciate me adding Wolman to the mix.

I think Wolfman appreciated it even less.

Imaginext Blind Bag Series 5 Werewolf (Plus Imaginext Blind Bag Series 5 Codes!)

On an out-of-town excursion I finally found the Imaginext Blind Bag Series 5 figures (at Wal-Mart). I'm about 99% positive the Imaginext Blind Bag Series 5 is a Wal-Mart exclusive series. No one has found them anywhere else (myself included.) If you can prove me wrong, let me know!

Anyways, I picked up my three absolute must-haves from this wave, and at the top of the list was The Wolfman!

Wolfman (or Werewolf) comes with a chain accessory to bind him, but you just know the villagers didn't take into consideration his increased strength once the moon is full! LUNCH TIIIIME! Yum, villagers!

Wolfman has a more sleek and hunched physique than the standard Imaginext figures, and canine-esque legs and feet too. He's simple but fun and while his expression isn't terribly sinister (perhaps he was just kicked in the nards?) he's hard to resist if you're an Imaginext fan.

Fans are in love with the classic horror figures Imaginext has released thus far; I'm on that bandwagon even though I never set out to do so. I didn't pick up Dracula when I had the chance and never found Frankenstein's Monster, so my squad is a bit lean, but I do have the Witch, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Zombie,and Mummy, not to mention a couple more from Series 5 to be reviewed soon!

If you're looking for Series 5 figures yourself, first off, you need to find a Wal-Mart. Then, you need the following codes. The numbers are embossed on the upper left back of the bags, so you have to look closely, but they're reliable and save you time over the tried-and-true squeeze method!

63 - Chinese Warrior
66 - Genie
65 - Fly-Man
68 - Crash Test Dummy
70 - Cyclops
71 - Warrior Queen
74 - Werewolf
75 - Ghost

Aroooo! Kre-o LEGO Minifigure Monster Mash(up)!

I made this Werewolf minifigure by tossing a Kre-O Cityville 'Kreon' head on a LEGO minifigure body.

Does that make him a cross-manufacturer surgically-altered freak in addition to being a werewolf?

Oooh SPOOKY!

Cycle of the Werewolf :: Countdown to Halloween 2013

Last year during Countdown to Halloween 2012 I was able to present the Stephen King/Bernie Wrightson Creepshow graphic novel. This year I present another King/Wrightson collaboration: Cycle of the Werewolf:

Cycle of the Werewolf is a short novella with a handful of amazing illustrations. Originally published in 1983, this Signet copy was printed in 1985. And even though it is a larger sized trade paperback, it is indeed a paperback, so Goodwill only charged me a dollar for it.

One of these pictures alone is worth that dollar! And there are twelve full color illustrations, not to mention the black and white ones that bumper each 'month' or chapter.

Cycle of the Werewolf is a quick but wonderfully Halloweeny fun read. Taking place over the course of a year, it chronicles one werewolf's attacks on a small town each time the full moon appears. And the illustrations by Bernie Wrightson are absolute eye candy! I have no idea if it is still in print, but if you can find it, I recommend it!

Come on get involved until the Mystery Micro-Figures is solved!

Character Building have now released their Scooby Doo Micro-Figures in the US!

Sadly, the only way to get Scooby or Fred or Shaggy thus far is to buy the larger building sets (like a Mystery Machine and a haunted castle.)

Conversely the only way to get Daphne and Velma is in the blind bagged Mystery Micro-Figures Series 1 set.

It is my experience with 'Character Building' is that there is no code or other packaging hint as to what you are getting inside. These things are true mysteries!

Fortunately my 'squeeze method' skills are finely toned, and I was able to find my favorite gal, Velma!

What can I say, I dig a chick in glasses!

Velma translates pretty well into mini figure form. I gave her the magnifying glass that came with the Lego Sherlock Holmes and it really finishes her off nicely.

One mystery has already been solved with this minifigure...she's not wearing anything under that skirt! Sorry, no pictures, even I have standards.

I picked up two figures when I found these at Toys R Us for $1.99 each (Cheap!) The other figure I got is The Wolfman!

The Wolfman is pretty cool for a werewolf (which are always cool!) so I am glad I got him. Unfortunately I was squeezing for the Ghost Clown! My squeeze method skills aren't as finely honed as I thought they were after all.

Now let's solve the final mystery and remove that mask to see who The Wolfman really is...

VELMA?!?!?!?!

Wolfman Leonardo :: Countdown to Halloween 2012

AROOOOOOOOOO! Werewolves of...the New York sewer system!

This is Wolfman Leonardo, part of the first TMNT/Universal Monsters Mash-up series (there were two series, for those of you keeping score) that we'll be looking at all this week! I have all of Series one and one from Series two to share with you, five figures in all. SPOOKY!

Wolfman Leo is my second favorite from series one. I like the fact that, as ridiculous as these figures are, this could actually happen - Leonardo could be changed into a werewolf just like anybody else, right? So this figure fits just fine into normal Turtle continuity in my eyes.

I received all these figures in a trade with jboy of Revenge From the Cosmic Ark, and I believe they are all complete. Wolfman Leo comes with some sort of dog headed bone stick (a chew toy maybe?), a bone handled sword, a trap and a gun - I really like the fact that not only do these figures come with themed weapons based on their monsterous appearance, but they also come with weapons to defeat them (one hopes the gun is loaded with silver bullets!)

Another thing that makes these toys tops is that they have glow-in-the-dark paint apps! Wolfturtle has a glow-in-the-dark shirt and claws/teeth/eyes. GROWL, daddy-o!

Tune in for more Universal Monsters/TMNT all this week...unless you are too scared!

Upcoming Lego Themes!

I've already reported about the upcoming Lord of the Rings themed Lego sets, and we all know about the Avengers themed sets due for release this summer (when the big blockbuster hits I assume,) but I was quite pleasantly surprised to learn about Universal Monsters themed sets coming soon!

EDIT: Actually, it appears these will be part of a new series called 'Monster Fighters,' and sound like they will be a Monster themed Ninjago-esque series. Cool!

And here's your first look at the Fellowship of the Ring. These look like so much fun!

Finally here's The Incredible Hulk and Captain America from the Avengers releases coming this year. The thought of Marvel vs. DC battles that can be created and waged in Lego form has me all giddy!

Info from London's Toy Fair 2012 via That Figures via ComicBookMovie.com