Monster Trading Cards

[horrorhunter]

Spook Stories is a popular set from Leaf. Dated 1961, they weren't distributed until '62. Photo fronts with funny captions and silly jokes on the back meant they followed the common monster card formula. The photos are from Universal and Hammer flicks. There are 144 cards in the complete set. The second series, 73-144, are scarcer than the first. The first series is called Spook Theatre on the wrapper, and the second series wrapper is Son Of Spook Theatre. There are also several stickers which are REALLY scarce. The exact number of stickers is unknown but it is believed to be around 48. My cards 1-9 are pictured below, front and back.





http://monstermagazineworld.blogspot.com/2011/12/this-was-fear-that-was-spook-stories.html

Box:


1st Series Wrapper:


2nd Series Wrapper:


http://thewrapper.tripod.com/spookstickers.html

[michblk]

I have both series of Spook Stories and a series 1 wrapper.   I am in search of a 2nd Series wrapper.

BK

[horrorhunter]

Famous Monsters cards were sold as a 64 card set through Captain Company ads in the backs of Warren Magazines. It features B&W photos of mostly AIP monsters along with some weird illustrations on the fronts, bordered by orange or red. The backs are Captain Co. ads. I can hear Jim Warren now-"Screw these corny jokes! Let's put our own ads on the backs!"  Ever the huckster. Anywho, this isn't the greatest monster card set but it holds a fond place in collector's hearts for the ads as much as the pics. These came out in 1963. Here are pics of my cards 1-9, front and back.





http://www.lostwackys.com/monster-cards/famousmonsters.htm

[horrorhunter]

Topps' Shock Theater is a fun trading card set featuring photos from Hammer films bordered in bright red on the front, with joke captions. The backs have Shocking Laffs and a description of the front picture. The US test set came out in 1975 and has two #17 cards and no # 47 card. The UK set, Shock Theatre, came out in 1976 and has two #47 cards and no #17 card. It is believed this was done to sell more cards since kids would think they didn't have a full set. The UK set has 50 cards, and the US test set has 51 cards. Here are cards 1-9 from my UK set.



Backs:


http://horrorpedia.com/2012/11/20/shock-theatre-hammer-horror-trading-cards/

UK wrapper:


http://thewrapper.tripod.com/shocktheater.html

[Mike Scott]

Famous Monsters cards were sold as a 64 card set through Captain Company ads in the backs of Warren Magazines.

Several cards in the set featured photos of kids in their own amateur makeup, taken from some early FM makeup contests.

[horrorhunter]

Several cards in the set featured photos of kids in their own amateur makeup, taken from some early FM makeup contests.

That's pretty cool. No wonder I couldn't place them. And there are a few weird looking drawings as well.

[Mike Scott]

And there are a few weird looking drawings as well.

Some of those might be amateur art sent into the mag? I'll have to see if I can spot any of the in the letters dept.

[Hepcat]

I'll start us off with the first....

Huh?!

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=13334.0

[Mike Scott]

Huh?!

Well, it's hardly the first time we've had two threads on the same topic, especially when the other one has been inactive for a year.

[horrorhunter]

Huh?!

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=13334.0

I was referring to the Jack Davis You'll Die Laughing set being the first monster trading card set. I did a search for "monster trading cards" in the topic and no threads came up covering the sets in general. I had forgotten about the old thread or I would have started posting there. Calling the old thread "showcase your monster cards here" didn't describe the subject properly, which is the reason it didn't show up in my search. "Monster cards" could refer to different types, like lobby cards or vending machine display cards. The old thread had been unused for awhile and I just forgot about it.

I have dozens more monster trading card sets that I have been meaning to post for some time. It's a fair amount of trouble posting this stuff- scanning cards, doing the research to make sure you have all the details right, hunting links and pics, etc. There doesn't seem to be much interest here for this. Even the old thread which was pointed out to me (after I had already posted several card sets) died around a year ago. If so few people are interested in this it's hardly worth the trouble to continue. I guess I'm done here.

[Mike Scott]

If so few people are interested in this it's hardly worth the trouble to continue.

There may be only half a dozen people who have posted, but there are 196 Views, so there are more people interested than you think! 

[horrorhunter]

There may be only half a dozen people who have posted, but there are 196 Views, so there are more people interested than you think! 

Maybe. I'm just sorry I missed the old thread. I hate to jump threads like that. Bad form.

[Hepcat]

I have dozens more monster trading card sets that I have been meaning to post for some time. It's a fair amount of trouble posting this stuff- scanning cards, doing the research to make sure you have all the details right, hunting links and pics, etc.

Don't I know it! Cards are a pain to scan.

There doesn't seem to be much interest here for this.... If so few people are interested in this it's hardly worth the trouble to continue. I guess I'm done here.

Huh? This thread's only been up for one day. Moreover when you post a couple of pages of stuff all at once, you actually overwhelm other posters and deter them from participating. After all, what else is there to say? That's why I think it makes good sense to spread out info and post additional info at steady intervals in a new thread.

I'm just sorry I missed the old thread. I hate to jump threads like that. Bad form.

You didn't miss it. You actually seemed to rather enjoy posting in it at the time! But since I didn't/don't have anything further to post in that thread (and neither did anybody else it seems), we might as well kick start the topic with a new thread. It'll give me an excuse anyway to dust out my old pics!

[horrorhunter]

You didn't miss it. You actually seemed to rather enjoy posting in it at the time! But since I didn't/don't have anything further to post in that thread (and neither did anybody else it seems), we might as well kick start the topic with a new thread. It'll give me an excuse anyway to dust out my old pics!

I just meant that I missed catching it in my search. It was really my fault as I should have done a more extensive search before embarking on an ambitious thread. After I checked your link I remembered posting in it briefly. The reason it slipped my mind before is because I got in on the tail end of it and really only commented on a couple of other posts. If I had posted any of my own cards maybe it would have registered with me better. My bad.

I'll continue with more postings later. I think you're right about my having posted too much too fast. Maybe others will contribute and we can fire up the old Monsterkid trading card subject again after it's unfortunate hiatus. 

[Mike Scott]

I hope someone is able to post a scan of Frankenstein Sticker #22. I've only see the original art posted at Norm Saunders' site.