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Anthony Bialy's avatar

These figures seemed like a throwback to an era that for kids felt like a mysterious and authentic horror movie era. Now, they're a throwback to a throwback.

Retroist's avatar

Well-said. They felt oddly out of place at the time. When we got our hands on them, we weren't even sure how to work them into our action figure play.

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Oct 21, 2025
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Retroist's avatar

These feel like a last hurrah as we moved into the 80s. Where we were finally embracing and building mythology around our new monsters. In a perfect world, Remco would have continued with different waves of monsters all at the same scale.

Mark Castillo's avatar

I've recently become a fan of the Universal Monsters. This was a great history insight to the toy company that gave them life back then! It made me feel like I was envisioning an episode of The Toys That Made us.

NECA did something similar with their Universal Monsters figures with the glow in the dark feature, and making their own Monsterizer to go with them. All are a tribute to those classic Remco figures. I'm sure those original vintage figures (like so many others) are rare to come by these days.

Retroist's avatar

Thanks! I rarely spot these vintage ones in the wild and when I do they go for prices that make my head spin. I have been very happy with the more modern Universal Monster toys though. Which they would do more.

Mark Castillo's avatar

You’re welcome! Those, and so many others. The ones I see that also go for insane prices are the original vintage Star Ways toys and the Masters Of The Universe toys. To think those toys, including the ones you talked about here, were only a few dollars back then is nuts.

Yeah, the Universal Monster toys they do now are great. I have the colored versions of Dracula and Frankenstein, and the glow in the dark retro Mummy, all from NECA in 7-inch scale. I also have some of the ones Jada Toys did in 6-inch scale too.