Big Frankie fans Rejoice!!!

[Phantasm]

Hooray!

Now I can finally have one of my own!

Chuck

[Monster Bob]

Many of the modelers don't care for Big Frankie it seems, but that make sense since it's a hybrid model/toy.

Hiss....Big Frankie was a kit designed for nine year old boys, not thirtysomething modellers!  Check out the old comic book ad- he was supposed to be your buddy. As a five or six year old boy (my age when he was out), I was absolutely fascinated by the old boy. I wanted him BAD, but at $4.99, it didn't happen. I still remember a department store near us that had an end cap of Big Frankies, stacked like a pyramid. It was the most awesome site for a kid, with that sweet box art. At five, I didn't fully understand what it was, exactly. A toy? A model? Sure looked cool on the box, though. Like a shrunken little man.

[Mike Scott]

After all we are talking about a figure that was originally designed to be a motorized toy

I've heard that, before, but Aurora never made any mechanical toys (that I know of). Was this going to be the first?

[fmofmpls]

Mike. If my memory serves me correctly, Big Franky was actually the brainchild of another company (a toy company) completely outside of Aurora. The concept was then sold to Aurora who had decided to turn it into a model kit thereby eliminating the mechanized movement idea. This explains the movable arms which Aurora had decided to use to their advantage with the kit being advertised as posable. I'd have to dig some for the exact details, but I do have the story somewhere.

[Mike Scott]

completely outside of Aurora. The concept was then sold to Aurora

That was gonna be my second guess.

[darkmonkeygod]

How much does the Japanese vinyl Big Frankie go for? I don't think I've ever seen one for sale anywhere.
George

I haven't seen one on ebay in years, but the last one I saw went for $250 and had no box.  They were released w/out boxes, with an illustrated box, and with that same illustrated box having a die-cut window in it.  I was told these weren't different releases, just a case of not enough boxes or time.

[Dr.Terror]

anyone have a pic???

[latex creep]

I too, missed my chance for a Big Frank as a kid. I was told I'd have to wait for my birthday with that kind of price. We went back...Frank was gone.

Terry is right, a toy designer pitched the idea of Big Frank to Abe Sikes of Aurora and the rights were sold on the spot.

I have a picture of the clay prototype that the toy designer brought. Identical to the finished product.

To me, Big Frank is the absolute ultimate. I don't know if I lionized him due to missing out on him as a kid but, I have ALWAYS loved his apprearance.

[fmofmpls]

I have a picture of the clay prototype that the toy designer brought. Identical to the finished product.

I'd sure love to see that pic Latex Creep! Pretty, pretty, please with gumdrops on top?

[darkmonkeygod]

anyone have a pic???

Jason, Andy posted on on the Show your Big Franks thread...

I'll see if I can come up w/ pix of the boxes.

[Toy Ranch]

I have a magazine around here somewhere that has a big article all about the development and production of Big Frankie.  Somewhere....

[Monsters For Sale]

Will there be somewhere we can place pre-orders?

It might encourage the producer and help him out financially on such an expensive project.

Adam

[roheimiana]

Bobby, I know of two fairly recent articles about the origins of Big Frankie. Unfortunately, it’s taken me three days to find where I misplaced them.

One is “The Story of ‘Big Frankie’” by Tom Graham in Amazing Figure Modeler, Issue #38, 2007.

The other is “Gigantic Memories” by our own Latex Creep in Horrorshow, Issue #2, Winter 2006.

[Toy Ranch]

It's the Graham article I was talking about, Chris.... and I found it!

Here are some full page scans.  If you aren't on broadband, they may take a while but are worth it.  I'm going to post links to the written pages that tell the tale, but I'm going to post a sized-down version of the amazing picture that was with the article.  It's the best monster kid retail store pic I've ever seen.  The full size is the 3rd link.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/2198352059_e002df2bed_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2199142198_f97af5a1a0_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2015/2198352153_0eee2b84df_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2198352199_21824a70c9_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2199075213_2897ffb64b_o.jpg

[darkmonkeygod]

Thank you Bobby.  What magazine and issue is this from?  Also, is it really continued on page 30?