Poll
Question:
Vote for up to three of these MPC Pop-Top Horrors.
Option 1: Creature of Doom
Option 2: Executioner
Option 3: Monster
Option 4: Mummy
Option 5: Skeleton
Option 6: Vampire
Option 7: Witch
Option 8: Wolfman
Pick your favourite three MPC Pop-Top Horrors! Here are pictures of each M.I.P. from Raycastile's collection:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6862198983_0fd2a3ea22_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/6862199089_14dc941acf_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7070/6862199173_3f723dccb7_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6862199271_d145936c53_b.jpg)
More pictures can be found in this thread:
http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0)
???
The Wolfman one is the coolest!
I love the executioner because its just a super unusaul choice for a figure back then, i mean hes carying a human head and wielding a knife for cyring out loud!
and the skeleton, it reminds me of harryhausen skeletons off jason and the argonauts. if i was a kid back then thats what it wouldve been for me anyway.
and the wolfman, just an amazing sculpt, i love it.
its hard to pick really though because they are all great.
Quote from: Type3Toys on February 27, 2012, 05:17:14 PM
The Wolfman one is the coolest!
It's certainly among the very best Wolfman sculpts I've ever seen. I love the detail in his fur and the folds of his pants.
8)
I have to concur with the Executioner comments. I'm also partial to the "Creature of Doom".
I'd bet hard cash that the werewolf was inspired by the Aurora sculpt.
They're all very cool .. I voted for ~
Executioner
Witch
Creature of Doom
Wolfman has moved out to a tenuous early lead in the voting here!
cl:)
Quote from: ChrisW on February 28, 2012, 03:35:35 PMI have to concur with the Executioner comments.
So the Executioner has now moved out in front! My own votes though were as follows:
Creature of Doom
Skeleton
Witch
tynhrt
Creature of Doom
Executioner
Monster
how 'bout their names here? :o
(http://www.i-mockery.com/blabber/pics/fritos-mpc-mini-monster-gay-blade1.jpg)
LOL! Once again my favorite is any i can get my hands on. ::)
Quote from: Street Worm on April 13, 2012, 03:48:48 AMhow 'bout their names here? :o
(http://www.i-mockery.com/blabber/pics/fritos-mpc-mini-monster-gay-blade1.jpg)
Yes, it's interesting how that all transpired. MPC shrunk down the Pop-Top Horrors to 2 1/2" for use in its Haunted Hulk and Horror House sets:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/AHauntedHulk.jpg)
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/AHorrorHouse.jpg)
The enterprising fellows at MPC also carded the 2 1/2" figures in a set entitled Weird Monsters:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6862198885_d82a730ec1_b.jpg)
Leveraging the profit potential of the Weird Monsters even further, MPC sold them to Frito to be used as premiums in large corn chip packages. But the Frito management opted to sissify the names of the MPC Weird Monsters to make them more palatable to the mothers who would in all likelihood be the decision makers when it came to buying the large packages.
I've read that the 2 1/2" Weird Monsters were also marketed in vending machines. At that size though, they wouldn't fit in standard vending machine capsules so for the moment I'm dismissing that report as a misimpression until I see further evidence.
C:)
Executioner. All are cool, but a kids toy with a lopped off head is tuff to beat!
Quote from: horrorhunter on April 20, 2012, 08:51:16 PM
The only plastic monsters I like better than Palmers are MPC Pop-Top Horrors. The sculpts on Pop-Tops are freaky-from-the-pit, dude. Love 'em.
I agree. The MPC Pop-Tops sculpts have an emaciated look that is a cut more bent than any of the other figures.
8)
I never knew about these until lurking here. And I instantly recognized the witch sculpt. I still have a cake decoration from an elementary school Halloween party that uses that exact sculpt. I think it's around 3 inches tall?
Chris
The cake topper and other unauthorized repros are pictured and discussed here:
http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0)
:-\
Do you know when these were released? The spoon in the witch's hand makes me think it was inspired by the Aurora kit.
And I distinctly remember when I bought the Horror House target game set. It was a rainy Saturday, and i could hardly wait to get home and play with it. And those sculpts were genuinely spooky, especially Death and the Executioner!
Quote from: ChrisW on April 23, 2012, 12:17:07 PM
Do you know when these were released? The spoon in the witch's hand makes me think it was inspired by the Aurora kit.
Ray Castile says the Pop-Top Horrors were first issued in 1964:
Gallery of Monster Toys (http://thegalleryofmonstertoys.com/60swing/60smainpage.html)
What year do you think you bought the Horror House Target Set?
;)
Hello,
It's my photos of the large 8 figure Pop-Top Horrors carded set and Unbreakable Weird Monsters carded set on Ray Castile's website. I have most of the figures carded and loose. The Pop-Top Horrors originally came in three colors (orange, yellow, purple) and the smaller "unbreakable" Weird Monsters originally came in four colors (black, orange, green and purple). Glow sets of the Weird Monsters were issued later and were probably re-strikes from original molds, possibly pirated (but not necessarily) in the 1970s. I also have the two-fer sets of Pop-Top Horrors, there were four sets of those (though the pix on Castile's website are not mine). There is also a HORROR PIRATE SHIP (I have an example) but I'm unsure what it may have originally been called. I have been slowly selling my monsters on eBay (I sold most of my jigglers in July). I plan to list many MPC, Marx, Aurora, AHI, IDEAL and other monster toys in September and thought you all might like to know. Any interested persons are welcome to email me!
I think I may start with these three this weekend as I already have pix:
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/MPCPOPTOPTRIO1sz.jpg)
Yeh, these are the oddballs with their TOPS POPPED and SWAPPED!!! :D
Quote from: Allhallowsday on August 21, 2012, 08:23:40 PMThe Pop-Top Horrors originally came in three colors (orange, yellow, purple) and the smaller "unbreakable" Weird Monsters originally came in four colors (black, orange, green and purple).
Good info! I was wondering whether those were the only original colours.
There's a lot more discussion about the MPC figures in this thread:
http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0)
;)
Hey, thanks Hepcat, I've replied over there, too.
Good! You're welcome to post here even when you don't have anything to sell you know.
;)
Quote from: Hepcat on August 21, 2012, 10:16:08 PM
Good! You're welcome to post here even when you don't have anything to sell you know.
;)
Oh, I know that, I'm just not used to this forum. I belong to Badmovies.org and very familiar with that forum's style.
Thanks!
Here's a link to a REPRO (not identified as such) at Buy-it-now on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-POP-TOP-HALLOWEEN-WITCH-BATTY-BERTHA-5-INCH-BLUE-/200797579606?_trksid=e11014.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D221108588452%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1506595015215451603&_qi=RTM839990 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-POP-TOP-HALLOWEEN-WITCH-BATTY-BERTHA-5-INCH-BLUE-/200797579606?_trksid=e11014.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D221108588452%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1506595015215451603&_qi=RTM839990)
Here's a link to a good buy, probably an original orange skeleton (it is hard to tell from just a photo, as repros come in many colors):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140711898356&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140711898356&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en)
Top Rated Seller? By whom? Ebay for the fees he generates? That's a ridiculously high price for a repro.
:o
Here's all of my loose MPC Pop-Top Horrors. I have all three colors except no yellow witch, and I had zero luck finding a complete vampire with matching head, each one I found had had it's head popped and swapped, so I have a purple vamp with orange head, a yellow vamp with purple monster head, a yellow monster with yellow vamp head (different dye lot than the yellow vamp body) and a black repro vamp:
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/MPCloosefiguressz.jpg)
Here's some of what I'll be listing probably September 16 a Sunday night:
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/MarxPalmerMPCloosefiguresFORSALEsz.jpg)
So Executioner has moved out in front. Here are the leaders now:
Executioner 12
Creature of Doom 10
Wolfman 9
cl:)
jumping in to vote.
GAY BLADE is a hoot and my favorite. sissyfied or not.
I think the names are fun and clever, although I get you like the original concept of the pop tops, but I think the Frito's give away names were inspired by the Weird-ohs and Rat Fink names. Also, my favorites!
the wolfman my second fav and then the mummy.
Quote from: hugohernandez on February 20, 2013, 06:45:26 PMI think the names are fun and clever, although I get you like the original concept of the pop tops, but I think the Frito's give away names were inspired by the Weird-ohs and Rat Fink names.
I think you could be right!
(http://www.i-mockery.com/blabber/pics/fritos-mpc-mini-monster-gay-blade1.jpg)
Names like
Bony Tony,
Few Manchew,
Batty Bertha and
Harry Scarey were certainly a lot more imaginative not to mention tongue-in-cheek than MPC's original monikers.
:)
I voted for the Executioner, Vampire, and Witch!!
I voted for Creature Of Doom, Executioner, and Witch. I'm fortunate enough to have a full set packaged in 2-packs and a full set loose.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img834/4858/jsjw.jpg)
I remember using that Creature Of Doom as a figure to represent a giant magic/mechanical construct in a fantasy role playing tabletop game called Fantasy Hero back in the '90s. The other figures were 25mm (about an inch to represent man-size) and the Creature Of Doom towered over them and rained down destruction like a natural disaster. I used many of my old monster toys and dinosaurs back in my gaming days. Now they all rest on my shelves as monsterkid trophies, and I never tire of looking at them.
Great MPC display Horror Hunter. my top 3 are Wolman, Phantom/Vampire, and Frankenstein....
I agree! Horrorhunter's display is a pleasure to behold:
(http://imageshack.us/a/img834/4858/jsjw.jpg)
His is probably the best and most extensive MPC Pop-Top collection on this forum.
8)
every time i run into pop tops they are busted to crap and the dealers still want too much for them
Same old, same old. Everybody's heard of the prices fetched by MIP specimens and they think theirs in whatever condition is a close enough approximation of mint to fetch a similar price.
::)
Hmmmmm. It seems the Executioner is a big favourite here but hardly anyone likes the Mummy.
:-\
For those of you still unable to make up your minds, here are a couple great pictures Street Worm took of his MPC Weird Monsters:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%203/Pop-Top-01_zpsckl7k3jr.png)
Vampire - Creature of Doom - Wolfman - Witch
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%203/Pop-Top-2_zps7dbcpjbv.png)
Monster - Mummy - Skeleton - Executioner
8)
I think my vote for the worst would be the Vampire. Sculpt looks like a grumpy old guy from a Nursing home in a cape. :P
I agree. The Vampire is the worst of the lot. The ones I like best in order are now:
Wolfman
Monster
Witch
Creature of Doom
cl:)
Quote from: Wicked Lester on April 14, 2015, 08:17:02 PMI think my vote for the worst would be the Vampire. Sculpt looks like a grumpy old guy from a Nursing home in a cape. :P
Cool! Like any and all of us in a few years.
;)
Quote from: Wicked Lester on April 14, 2015, 08:17:02 PM
I think my vote for the worst would be the Vampire. Sculpt looks like a grumpy old guy from a Nursing home in a cape. :P
Like Monster Bob pointed out awhile back, the MPC Vampire seems to be based on Chaney's Phantom Of The Opera. It's labelled as "Vampire" by MPC, but it does look like the Phantom.
(http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/24600000/The-Phantom-of-the-Opera-1925-the-phantom-of-the-opera-24690962-1256-1600.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6862199271_d145936c53_b.jpg)
Quote from: horrorhunter on March 27, 2017, 03:15:16 PMLike Monster Bob pointed out awhile back, the MPC Vampire seems to be based on Chaney's Phantom Of The Opera. It's labelled as "Vampire" by MPC, but it does look like the Phantom.
Yes, indeed it does!
cl:)
Here's a picture of a much coveted set of all eight of the Pop-Top Horrors on the card on which they were originally issued in 1964:
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/MPC_POP_TOP_HORRORS.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
:)
Quote from: Hepcat on January 17, 2021, 10:49:47 PM
Here's a picture of a much coveted set of all eight of the Pop-Top Horrors on the card on which they were originally issued in 1964:
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/MPC_POP_TOP_HORRORS.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
:)
I had one of the 8-packs (and several 2-packs) as a kid back in the mid '60s...a kid who decimated all of that gloriously monstrous packaging. :'( I have the 2-packs now, having bought all 4 at the 2001 Monster Bash, but I haven't seen an 8-pack offered for sale in all these years since. I fear the price the 8-pack would fetch now would be well beyond my responsible purchasing power anyway, though I might raid the savings and say "to hell with being responsible" if an 8-pack was offered. >:D