Universal Monsters seem to be getting some love again

[Anton Phibes]

Ok, Trick or Treat Studios has a license. It includes 12 inch figures, masks, pins, props, statues, and busts

Iron Studios has an upcoming Universal Monsters statue line in production that are about Aurora scale

NECA has a 7 inch Ultimates license forthcoming

Super 7 has the retro 3 3/4 inch figures, and some novelty items

Could Universal finally have gotten with the program and realized these are viable properties in need of the exposure they deserve? Could this be a resurgence in quality items not seen since Sideshow's debut so long ago? Seems like it to me.

I am excited.

[darkmonkeygod]

Ok, Trick or Treat Studios has a license. It includes 12 inch figures, masks, pins, props, statues, and busts

Iron Studios has an upcoming Universal Monsters statue line in production that are about Aurora scale

NECA has a 7 inch Ultimates license forthcoming

Super 7 has the retro 3 3/4 inch figures, and some novelty items

Could Universal finally have gotten with the program and realized these are viable properties in need of the exposure they deserve? Could this be a resurgence in quality items not seen since Sideshow's debut so long ago? Seems like it to me.

I am excited.

And Mego is releasing 8in and 14in retro-cloth. Lots o' monsters headed our way.

[Anton Phibes]

And Mego is releasing 8in and 14in retro-cloth. Lots o' monsters headed our way.

Those "Spinsters" are cool too, and are Universal. Seems Uni is going to give us some stuff on every collector's varying radars.

[TheMadScientist]

I also enjoyed the Funko Mystery Minis from a couple years ago, and the Horrified board game. I'm definitely happy that there has been an uptick in merch recently.

[Dr.Terror]

Every few years there is a big wave of stuff because of new licensing deals etc...

[Sir Masksalot]

The love was always there but who could afford to pay the licensing fees?

[the ugly insect]

As I said in another post there is always a steady stream of licensed Universal Monsters merch and I feel like it's been like that since the late 90s. I'm getting to the point where I actually dread the news of new merchandise because of money and space- in recent years I've really had to be a little more discerning about what I purchase because there's just so much stuff- obviously the ToTS masks and now this Neca line are no brainers, but with a lot of stuff it just doesn't make the cut anymore.

It's the same with the films themselves, as a physical media collector with over 4000 dvds/blu rays I can't think of too many film series that have gotten as many re-releases going back to the VHS days to DVD and blu ray like the Universal Monsters. I always see a lot of lamenting on this site and some others about a "diminishing fan base" for the monsters and whatnot, but one would not draw that conclusion from all the film rereleases and sheer amount of licensed crap that is produced year in and year out. Somebody's buying this stuff or they wouldn't keep cranking it out.

[horrorhunter]

As I said in another post there is always a steady stream of licensed Universal Monsters merch and I feel like it's been like that since the late 90s. I'm getting to the point where I actually dread the news of new merchandise because of money and space- in recent years I've really had to be a little more discerning about what I purchase because there's just so much stuff- obviously the ToTS masks and now this Neca line are no brainers, but with a lot of stuff it just doesn't make the cut anymore.

It's the same with the films themselves, as a physical media collector with over 4000 dvds/blu rays I can't think of too many film series that have gotten as many re-releases going back to the VHS days to DVD and blu ray like the Universal Monsters. I always see a lot of lamenting on this site and some others about a "diminishing fan base" for the monsters and whatnot, but one would not draw that conclusion from all the film rereleases and sheer amount of licensed crap that is produced year in and year out. Somebody's buying this stuff or they wouldn't keep cranking it out.

Good points.

I've gotten very selective regarding UniMon merch as well. I bought some of the TOTS masks, and NECA does good work so those are possibilities, but it takes something really impressive to get me to shell out these days. Honestly, how many toys and other merch do we need of the same characters over and over. I'm a big physical media collector too, but Uni has gotten the last greenback out of me for the same movies over and over.

At this point I'm much more interested in merch of characters I enjoy from other sources, like Hammer, Eurohorror, and other cult classics that haven't been blessed with abundant merch. We've gotten some good stuff over the years from companies like TOTS, Distinctive Dummies, customs peddlers, bootleggers, and boutique DVD/BD companies like Arrow, Severin, Shout (Scream) Factory, Criterion, etc. And, I get more excited about that than the same character collectibles being rehashed over and over.

I still love the Universal Monsters, and always will. But, I don't have to keep stacking up more merch of the same characters to enjoy the movies and the considerable amount of UniMon stuff I already have. Space is a real issue as well. I prefer a more varied collection representing different characters (and types of items) that I like rather than boxes and boxes of merch representing the same characters and items. Nothing against collectors who specialize in just a small group of characters (or even one character for that matter), but that approach doesn't bring me the most joy collecting. I appreciate variety in my monster collection...some UniMon, some Hammer, some Eurohorror (Naschy, Amando de Ossorio, Bava, etc.), some Kaiju, some Mexican, and much more from the vast world of genre movies and collectibles. It keeps the collection fresh and entertaining year after year.