Tomland Morlock card variations, am I missing any?

[Roback]

I spoke to a fellow UMA about this about a week ago but I thought I'd run it by the board to see what everybody else thinks. To the best of your knowledge, would you say these four card variations are it for Morlock or are there others that I am not aware of.

[fmofmpls]

Greetings Robert. I'm not sure about the variations, but I am sure that's about the ugliest looking mug I've ever seen that's showing on your computer monitor! 

Nice collection of Morlocks by the way!

[poseablemonster]

Cool bunch of Morlocks.  There is speculation that the glow figure may have been released on the second series FMOL carback, but I've never seen one to verify that.  To my knowlege, you have the known examples right there.  Maybe Ray might know more here?

[Toy Ranch]

Really nice group you have there! 

[Roback]

Greetings Robert. I'm not sure about the variations, but I am sure that's about the ugliest looking mug I've ever seen that's showing on your computer monitor! 

Nice collection of Morlocks by the way!

Hey, thanks guys. I appreciate your thoughts. I figured if anybody knew it was you guys. As a matter of fact, I spoke to Ray on the subject last week. He seems to agree that these four card variations are probably all that were released with exception to the possible FMOL card that has yet to be confirmed. Now obtaining them was another story entirely. What an adventure it turned in to trying to obtain a couple of these cards, especially the glow card. Let's just saying that it included a lot of nail biting. It seems that once these glow cards go in to a collection they rarely come out. And Terry, after years of coming here ( just found my 1st year UMA pin ) I just discovered the Flickr folders. Talk about drooling on your keyboard. Some of the images that I just saw are simply breathtaking. That's a great little resource in that format. Are those the same folders over in the Photos section of the old UMA site or are they different?

[darkmonkeygod]

Hey Robert, Good to 'see' you over here at the new UMA digs!  All I've got a little bit of fact to ad to the Morlock mythos, along with some questions and some conjecture.

These are packaging variations you probably know about, but if I weren't aware of them I would want to be, so I figured I'd write 'em up:

The Star Raiders non-glow card was released in Itay with the same blue background/spaceships/planetoid graphics as the U.S. Tomland cards under the name Guerrieri Galattici (Galactic Warriors in English) by either Newgioco or Newgioco Roma (gioco being a combination of the Italian word  giocattolo - 'toy' in English - and the English word company, Roma the native name for Rome, opening the possibility that it could be the city the company was based in rather than part of the company name).  Capital GC inside a square with cut back corners is their trademarked logo.  GC produced 16 of the figures if their card back is to be believed, all with the same names as their U.S. releases.  I've seen a number of them, including Oov (the Fly) and Tago (the Yeti).  Italy had some very interesting laws regarding importation, which is why we see so many toys with Italian only on the package. As far as I know, the figures are the exact same as those on U.S. cards.

The Famous Monsters of Legend Morlock was released on at least two distinct cards: one as you have pictured, packaged for sale at Kresge stores - with printed 97¢ price tag and Kresge text at the bottom - and circular peg holes. The other with 'Combex' as a logo in the lower left, no printed price tag (which results in a cleaner, more desirous look for my taste) and 'bar with a half circle at the top' peg holes. 

My questions:  I've seen Kresge carded FMoL packages with typeset descriptions of the monsters on the back of the card and have never seen the back of a Combex card.  I've been told by more than one collector that they've seen FMoL figures with blank card backs, but no one has ever correlated it with the credited production company.  I've also been told of Kresge cards with no price or a higher price printed in the price area.  Anyone know anything about these matters?  Also, has anyone ever seen a FMoL with 'Tomland' (or any other releasing co.) on the card?  I would love to know the story of how these figures came to be produced, and what their year (or years) of release are.

The conjecture:  I think the Morlock was released as a glow figure on a FMoL. I was once told by a non-collector that he had several of the monsters in glow as a kid and recounted vividly that they were "Famous Monsters figures".  I dismissed this as misremembered, especially when he spoke of having a Frankenstein.  Ten years later and I reconsider after the loose Frankenstein and the carded Fly turn up. 

Anyone know if the glow FMoL cards have anything on the package back, and what the releasing company is listed as (if any)?

There's a buncha words about monster toys. 

Best,

Shannon

[Roback]

Good one Shannon, the Guerrieri Galattici type card slipped my mind. It makes sense that the Morlock would have been released on this type of card. Since we are all in the picture posting mood, I thought my next two points would be fun to talk about.
First off, I was always amazed at how both Tomland and Lincoln carded Monsters fit in to those tiny mailer boxes. My Glow in the Dark Rot, Morlock and Lincoln carded Dracula shipped inside these mailers and despite the way the card had to be bent in order for it to fit inside, I was expecting the crease to be much worse than what it is not to mention bubble seperation from possible stress.

slightly curled Dracula card



Interesting questions regarding the card backs Shannon. Hopefully somebody here will be able to shed some light on them for us.


Calfax card back



Famous Monster of Legend card back



I don't know about you guys and gals, but after years of hunting down certain items I like to savor the moment when I finally find them. One aspect of this has to do when the item actually arrives at the house. One would think that I would open it as soon as it arrives but I hate to rush. I want to milk this moment for all that it's worth.  What I do instead of rushing is to wait until after dinner, after we clean up, gather everybody around the tabel and then open that sucker up. Dubbed the " opening ceremony ", I proceed to open that package like a surgeon would operate on a brain tumor. Before you ask, yes, I do receive the hairy eyeball from family members along with their wondering if I went off my medication.    I don't care though, I'm having fun and that's all that matters.

studying the package before me like it contained the crown jewels.




The look on my face says it all. Now how in the hell did they fit this card inside that tiny box without it getting destroyed?

[poseablemonster]

 
Anyone know if the glow FMoL cards have anything on the package back, and what the releasing company is listed as (if any)?

Shannon

I've been told for certain that the FMOL cardbacks have the same type of line art as the star raiders, and yes they do have images of Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy and Frankenstein in the assortment.

[raycastile]

All of my FMOL cards are Combex and they do have the legends on the back.  Andy, I guess you're in contact with either the owner of the carded glow Mummy or glow Fly.  As long as they are sharing information, can they give us a complete rundown on which characters are pictured on the back?

[poseablemonster]

Yes, I just spoke with the owner of that figure, and all 4 monsters from series one are pictured in line-drawing form, along with the 4 monsters I mentioned.
YETI
FLY
MORLOCK
CYCLOPS
DRACULA
WOLFMAN
MUMMY
FRANKENSTEIN
and before you ask...I already tried to get a pic and there is NO chance that is going to happen.

[raycastile]

So no Sasquatch?  Drat.  Thank you for the information.

Yes, I just spoke with the owner of that figure, and all 4 monsters from series one are pictured in line-drawing form, along with the 4 monsters I mentioned.
YETI
FLY
MORLOCK
CYCLOPS
DRACULA
WOLFMAN
MUMMY
FRANKENSTEIN
and before you ask...I already tried to get a pic and there is NO chance that is going to happen.

[darkmonkeygod]

Yes, I just spoke with the owner of that figure, and all 4 monsters from series one are pictured in line-drawing form, along with the 4 monsters I mentioned.
YETI • FLY • MORLOCK • CYCLOPS • DRACULA • WOLFMAN • MUMMY  • FRANKENSTEIN

Super cool Andy, thank you.  That is the owner of the Mummy, right?  The lucky fiend with the Fly didn't turn up, did he (she)?  If yes, I'd love to know if that seller, zeus928 who is based in Hong Kong, gave any other info about it. 

Best, and thanks again,

Shannon

[Roback]

That's fantastic info Andy. Thanks for checking it out for us. Just for fun, what do you think a FMOL glow card would realize on the secondary market if one were to appear? Do you guys remember what the Mummy and Fly sold for? I think many of us would take a second mortgage to have a chance at owning one of these. I feel that the card art is superior when compared to series 1 and that's really saying something since they are amongst my very favorites.

[raycastile]

Certainly the glow card art for the Fly is superior to the first series version.

That's fantastic info Andy. Thanks for checking it out for us. Just for fun, what do you think a FMOL glow card would realize on the secondary market if one were to appear? Do you guys remember what the Mummy and Fly sold for? I think many of us would take a second mortgage to have a chance at owning one of these. I feel that the card art is superior when compared to series 1 and that's really saying something since they are amongst my very favorites.

[raycastile]

I didn't even see the carded Fly on ebay.  When did that happen and how much did it sell for?  As for the carded Mummy, I think that collector has owned it for a number of years.

Super cool Andy, thank you.  That is the owner of the Mummy, right?  The lucky fiend with the Fly didn't turn up, did he (she)?  If yes, I'd love to know if that seller, zeus928 who is based in Hong Kong, gave any other info about it. 

Best, and thanks again,

Shannon