More characters in the Tomland Monster line continue to be discovered!
See this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350037328124
It shows the previously-known Wolfman, which has an 8" counterpart. And now, thrill of thrills, a Phantom of the Opera... suggesting there may indeed be an 8" Tomland Phantom out there as well ( as all of the Tomland mini monsters have thus far revealed 8" counterparts).
May the hunt (and wallet draining) continue!
Beast witches,
Matt Jaycox
UMA medic
Thanks for posting this Matt. It's amazing that new stuff is still being found but an 8 inch Phantom, wow.
Holy schmoly!!
Yeah, and I'm the high bidder! I hope I don't take a bath on it.
Well, if you are hitting this one I will stay out...just hit it hard! ;D It is a bad time for me monetarily anyway. Yet another bit of evidence that this Tomland monster stuff is from the UK. I don't think they made an 8" Phantom, though.
Quote from: poseablemonster on March 24, 2008, 10:36:07 PM
Well, if you are hitting this one I will stay out...just hit it hard! ;D It is a bad time for me monetarily anyway. Yet another bit of evidence that this Tomland monster stuff is from the UK. I don't think they made an 8" Phantom, though.
I doubt there is an 8-inch Phantom, but who knows when it comes to Tomland. There might be a non-glow set of 8-inch monsters that hasn't surfaced yet.
Quote from: poseablemonster on March 24, 2008, 10:36:07 PM
Well, if you are hitting this one I will stay out...just hit it hard! ;D It is a bad time for me monetarily anyway. Yet another bit of evidence that this Tomland monster stuff is from the UK. I don't think they made an 8" Phantom, though.
Why? So far all the other mini-monsters have revealed 8" counterparts. Supposedly including Dracula (although personally I have never seen a pic of it, though I have seen the mini-drac). Lincoln Made a Phantom. And Tomland was clearly influenced by Lincoln in their sculpts.
I think it is very possible, in fact even probable that they made a Phantom.
Matt
We know from a super-secret, unpublishable source that the FMOL glow series included eight monsters, and the Phantom was not one of them. But I think it's possible there was a non-glow set of second series FMOL. Just because one hasn't surfaced on the collector market doesn't mean it's not out there.
As for these little "super deformed" guys, I placed my bid as soon as I discovered the listing. Now I will watch what happens. I'll either win it or I won't.
It's interesting how elusive UK monster toys are in general. I've been wanting a set of the early 90s Toy Island electronic monsters since they came out. There was a vampire, zombie and werewolf, only released in the UK. I didn't have any UK contacts back in those pre-Internet days. I have never seen one for sale on ebay, even the UK ebay. Never saw one in Toy Shop. I've asked several UK dealers and none have ever had any. I have never seen one of these for sale anywhere. How can that be?
Are you certain that they made it to retail? If they did then it's very strange that you never saw one available on the secondary market. Even the rarest of the rare surface on eBay eventually.
Quote from: Roback on March 25, 2008, 07:54:47 AM
Are you certain that they made it to retail? If they did then it's very strange that you never saw one available on the secondary market. Even the rarest of the rare surface on eBay eventually.
It seem to me that someone had verified the fact that they were produced at the retail level. Laurie Halbritter is the person to ask about them.
The fact that the Phantom is not pictured on the Tomland "second series" cardback leads me to seriously doubt the existence of an 8" figure. The superdeformed little guys also had a skeleton in the assortment, but I doubt they made an 8" version of that one, either.
I've heard from people who remember the Toy Island figures in UK stores. They got a little bit of press in the toy magazines at the time. They were definitely out there. They just didn't seem to make it into the collector market.
Oh, I was still referring to the Tomland superdeformed figures, not the Toy Island monsters. I've never heard of them.
Does anyone have a pic of the Toy Island monsters? I'm curious what they look like.
My Mom is visiting the UK in a few weeks, I always have her poke around shops while she's there. If I have a pic of the TI guys to show her, I'll have her poke around for them as well.
I wish I had a pic, but I don't even have that. I know they were pictured in one of the magazines when they first came out. Probably Tomart's. If anyone has Tomart's mag from the early or mid 90s, take a look. It was probably around 1993-95. I remember seeing color photos. I'm surprised Tomart didn't put them in their big monster book a couple years ago.
The werewolf has a canine head. The vampire is bald. Zombie has an eye dangling on a stalk. They have fabric costumes. They make noises. Werewolf howls, vampire laughs and zombie says "Heeelp meee."
Yikes! They are now up to 260 pounds! Good Lord...
Sigh... $500 bucks for what are essentially a pair of Monster Smurfs.
Beast witches,
Matt Jaycox
I don't know who "frankenkid" is, but he got them. My high bid was $500, which was at least $250 more than I thought they were really worth. They are not in the same league as the 8-inch figures.
Frankenkid is Bryan Ain.
Is that the Brian from Hawaii?
Didn't Bryans name come up in a previous thread? He's the guy with the huge collection who is kinda private right or am I thinking of somebody else?
Quote from: Roback on March 27, 2008, 07:25:05 AM
Didn't Bryans name come up in a previous thread? He's the guy with the huge collection who is kinda private right or am I thinking of somebody else?
Yes, his name came up the last time we were discussing rare Tomland figures. He has the only carded "second series" Tomland Monster that I know of.
Okay, you've all seen Oceans 11 or 12.
Now we know the mark.
We can do this.
It's just gonna take some planning and plastic surgery for me to go from Character actor to leading man...Ray, start learning how to hide in a suitcase!
We're bustin those Tomland Monsters ot the mainland!
Wait a sec, someone might think I'm serious...Ray, get out of that suitcase!
Bryan bought my Frankenstein Speaker so many years ago.
He certainly has a great collection.
Yes, he really does have an incredible collection. He's been hardcore about monster toy collecting for many years. Bryan is the kind of collector that puts his collecting alongside the basic needs for life, like food, clothing, shelter, etc. In fact, he will go hungry for that special piece if he has to. He's way more into it than most people that I know.
How did I get suitcase detail?
Quote from: gracebuster on March 27, 2008, 11:07:22 AM
Okay, you've all seen Oceans 11 or 12.
Now we know the mark.
We can do this.
It's just gonna take some planning and plastic surgery for me to go from Character actor to leading man...Ray, start learning how to hide in a suitcase!
We're bustin those Tomland Monsters ot the mainland!
Quote from: raycastile on March 27, 2008, 09:45:34 PM
How did I get suitcase detail?
Lightweight and easily portable?
This is my first post here but it was another Tomland thread that brought me here in the first place so I guess this is an appropriate place to say hello.
I've followed Tomland figures for years, although until recently mainly the 3 3/4" variety. There are a few of the 3 3/4" figures that exist that appear to be from series they do not feature on the cardbacks of, so that isn't always a 100% guide.
Oh, and hello.
I was talking to a collector the other day who told me he has a Tomland Monster coloring book. He said it says Tomland on it and that it has panels of Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Dracula, Mummy, and Phantom of the Opera. That would give hope that an 8" Phantom from Tomland does exist.
I'd have to see this book to believe it's not the familiar Mark Savee coloring book.
Quote from: raycastile on March 31, 2008, 01:10:45 AM
I'd have to see this book to believe it's not the familiar Mark Savee coloring book.
That's what I thought he might be referring to. If that's the case, there are a lot of other monsters in there, too. Maybe he could send you a pic? If it is a Tomland Monster book, that is pretty big news.
He might share a pic some day, I dunno. This is a very advanced collector who is extremely knowledgable and while without seeing it, it could be the Savee book, he said he had never seen another one and he sees as much or more than any of us on a regular basis. Hopefully someday we can get a peek at it.
Oooh...the Tomland plot thickens! What if there was a little marketing push in the UK that included the 8" figures and the book? Interesting...very interesting. Keep us informed!