Would You Want Neca Universal Monsters?

marsattacks666 · September 13, 2019, 06:07:25 PM

Quote from: Mord on September 13, 2019, 05:21:28 PM
NECA could easily start with an "Ultimate' Creature. Beautiful poster art box, two heads ('54 & "Revenge"), fossil arm, shackles/chains, etc. It would be a huge hit. They could follow with "Son of Frankenstein" Karloff (since '31 is done to death). Then, "Walks Among us" Creech. By that time, the Chaney lawsuit might be settled. "Ultimate" Wolfie would be awesome...'41 head, Talbot head, later Wolfman head. The possibilities are endless. Look at their "Shape of Water" figure. Tell me you wouldn't love to see the quality transferred to the Creature and others.

Mord! Blowing my mind!

Count Zachula · September 13, 2019, 06:29:17 PM

Quote from: Mord on September 13, 2019, 05:21:28 PM
NECA could easily start with an "Ultimate' Creature. Beautiful poster art box, two heads ('54 & "Revenge"), fossil arm, shackles/chains, etc. It would be a huge hit. They could follow with "Son of Frankenstein" Karloff (since '31 is done to death). Then, "Walks Among us" Creech. By that time, the Chaney lawsuit might be settled. "Ultimate" Wolfie would be awesome...'41 head, Talbot head, later Wolfman head. The possibilities are endless. Look at their "Shape of Water" figure. Tell me you wouldn't love to see the quality transferred to the Creature and others.

YES! I'm all for this. Hopefully it happens in this lifetime.

Mike Scott · September 13, 2019, 09:18:48 PM

Quote from: Mord on September 13, 2019, 05:21:28 PM
By that time, the Chaney lawsuit might be settled.

How come Super 7 is allowed to make Chaney monsters?

Mord · September 13, 2019, 09:34:27 PM

Quote from: Mike Scott on September 13, 2019, 09:18:48 PM
How come Super 7 is allowed to make Chaney monsters?

You'll have to ask them. I only come up with cool ideas (nothing practical). Though, they might have had a deal before all of this happened.

MrDark1 · September 13, 2019, 10:08:16 PM

Not going to look a gift hearse, er uh horse in the mouth. But the wonderful Super 7 card art may be some kinda loop hole.
The toy or item is either a Likeness license, or generic. The box art, or ads can picture true film accuracy, as it is just a drawing, not the actual item. This has been done before on golden age toys, like the Frankenstein rising off slab, from the 70's...(name?) It had gorgeous Karloff monster art, and looked Nothing like any film Monster I ever seen. More recently, that 6ft mecha Frankenstein Halloween thingy, also had great Karloff box art, and the figure left much to be desired!

deadonarrival · September 14, 2019, 01:12:05 AM

Speaking of the shape of water figure, here is a good review and photo gallery...
https://news.toyark.com/2019/09/13/guillermo-del-toro-signature-collection-the-shape-of-water-amphibian-man-by-neca-toyark-photo-shoot-362983

deadonarrival · September 14, 2019, 01:13:56 AM

Oh yeah, i vote yes for Universal Monsters also.

aura of foreboding · September 14, 2019, 04:57:07 AM

Quote from: Mord on September 13, 2019, 09:34:27 PM
You'll have to ask them. I only come up with cool ideas (nothing practical). Though, they might have have a deal before all of this happened.

Funko had Chaney. Perhaps it is through a sublicense that we are getting the Chaney stuff. Or, perhaps, the case doesn't impact licensing done in partnership with the Chaney Estate.

Quote from: MrDark1 on September 13, 2019, 10:08:16 PM
Not going to look a gift hearse, er uh horse in the mouth. But the wonderful Super 7 card art may be some kinda loop hole.
The toy or item is either a Likeness license, or generic. The box art, or ads can picture true film accuracy, as it is just a drawing, not the actual item. This has been done before on golden age toys, like the Frankenstein rising off slab, from the 70's...(name?) It had gorgeous Karloff monster art, and looked Nothing like any film Monster I ever seen. More recently, that 6ft mecha Frankenstein Halloween thingy, also had great Karloff box art, and the figure left much to be desired!

This has been batted around, but I want proof from someone in the industry (like Shannon) that this is a real thing and companies are actually doing this today. It's a hard sell for me. The Spirit Frankenstein came with the Universal license and the Karloff deal inherent with it. The figure was just a poor sculpt. I know, almost with certainty, that the license to use the actors' likenesses (Karloff, specifically) does not translate to use in commercial ventures (like partnerships with Pepsi and Candy companies), which is why the generic monsters are still very much a thing. However, if this print use license deal that has been alleged to exist on here is a real thing, why wouldn't all companies take advantage of it? HORRIFIED, I'm looking at you.

Lazarus · September 14, 2019, 07:01:02 AM

They're weird about licenses. I asked if they'd consider doing Monster Squad figures, since that would give them access to all of the classic monsters in some form in a single license, and probably cheaper than the classic stuff, and they'd probably only have to license Dracula and Frank's likenesses. Maybe a bride if they did them. Randy said they were too obscure. Personally I think monsters are monsters, and they'd probably sell better than that Devil's Backbone figure did.

Subatomic_Matt · September 14, 2019, 02:40:31 PM

Universal Monsters and/or Monster Squad would be IDEAL!

Jason, Freddy, etc. are neat to watch but it's the classic monsters that I like having toys and stuff of. Well, then and Godzilla!

marsattacks666 · September 14, 2019, 02:50:54 PM

Monster Squad!

Hopefullygoodgrammar · September 14, 2019, 03:19:58 PM

I'd be down for an Ultimate Kharis, with the Tom Tyler and Chaney heads, some alternate arms and maybe a base with the Tana leaf tripod.

Count Zachula · September 14, 2019, 04:48:10 PM

Quote from: Lazarus on September 14, 2019, 07:01:02 AM
They're weird about licenses. I asked if they'd consider doing Monster Squad figures, since that would give them access to all of the classic monsters in some form in a single license, and probably cheaper than the classic stuff, and they'd probably only have to license Dracula and Frank's likenesses. Maybe a bride if they did them. Randy said they were too obscure. Personally I think monsters are monsters, and they'd probably sell better than that Devil's Backbone figure did.

Monster Squad has become a Cult Classic these days. Definitely on par with Night of the Creeps (same director and NECA even did a figure for it). I could see Super 7 doing Monster Squad figures, but NECA would ideal for them.

MrDark1 · September 15, 2019, 04:52:26 AM

aura of foreboding, not sure if I can sell you on it, as you stated the Spirit figure came with the Karloff license, and legal printed credit...perhaps for the box art only. At the time I posted that Sara might need to keep a close eye on Universal, as they seem to be up to old tricks again.

As for the certainly that the Monster License is not to be used with Pepsi, or Candy companies etc, I do recall a rather recent TV spot for Honey Nut Cheerios. The honey nut bee and the Karloff monster from Bride footage selling the cereal. Also, a spot with the Classic Monster looking Karloff-ish (kudos Rick Baker) selling Twix candy bars...

aura of foreboding · September 15, 2019, 05:29:41 PM

Quote from: MrDark1 on September 15, 2019, 04:52:26 AM
As for the certainly that the Monster License is not to be used with Pepsi, or Candy companies etc, I do recall a rather recent TV spot for Honey Nut Cheerios. The honey nut bee and the Karloff monster from Bride footage selling the cereal. Also, a spot with the Classic Monster looking Karloff-ish (kudos Rick Baker) selling Twix candy bars...

But when were these ads? I don't recall them anytime in the past 20 years. The Karloff-Universal deal was struck about a decade ago. I think the Karloff deal pretty much put the nail in the coffin for Universal using her father in such advertising. That's why the generic monsters were used in the recent (not really, though) Pepsi/Lays Promotions. I believe that is why the generic monsters still exist. When you license through Universal, they still offer the generic monsters to you, as seen through the calendar, but the Karloff likeness (which Hallmark and American Greetings has) is also offered, I'd imagine for not that much more. When DST got the Monsters license, they got the Karloff likeness included. They had to do separate licensing for Chaney. I'll be interested in seeing if Chaney and Universal come to a similar deal as Karloff or if they go the way of Lugosi. When is this Chaney lawsuit supposed to end anyway?