Marx Monsters

[zombiehorror]

Edited my previous post and removed yellow...for now.  I got my Frankenstein today and he is lime, here he is with the teal & glow versions.

[michblk]

LOVE that bottom photo-- it's a Creature chorus line!

I bet they would make a great synchronized swimming team!

BK   

[Toy Ranch]

I've seen that "milky" orange before, but it's always been when they were painted.  Indeed the paint seems to affect the plastic, or they were made in different plastic only for the paint set.  I've had 40 or 50 of the originals over the years, but only the painted ones have been different.  I've seen the darker blue when they had been painted, as Richard mentioned, as well.  Since only the ones that had paint on them have been seen (so far) as darker, I'm going to say it's a reaction with the plastic and paint.





With and without flash...

[Toy Ranch]

Also if anyone knows, what is the chance of finding a Phantom with mask still in hand?  My first two Phantoms (teal & the later glow version) I bought didn't have the mask and I didn't even realize he should have a mask until I bought my dark orange one-my new dull orange figure has his mask as well!

The Phantom with Mask unbroken is the hardest to find, even though the Phantom is pretty common as these go.  The mask broke in the bins before they left the store in many cases.  You can find them, but there is usually a battle when one comes up.  Expect to pay $50 or more for one with an unbroken mask.  The broken mask Phantoms outnumber the intact mask Phantoms about 10:1.

[zombiehorror]

Just got these in the mail today, I'm sure a lot of you guys spotted this auction as well!!  The best I can describe the color on these is mocha-I placed an Uncle Milton cream color Wolfman in the picture for comparison.  I'm not sure when these were manufactured but they all have a "Made In Mexico" sticker on the bottom.  I do notice on these that the quality of the mold is greatly degraded:

Frankenstein's left fingers are nubs, his neck bolts look like tumors in his neck.
The Wolfman's left middle finger is a nub, his left pinky to is gone, he has a lot of burrs throughout.
The Hunchback's left fingers again seem nubby when compared to the original.

The overall figures have squiggles throughout (looks like worm trails) instead of the more cloth like texture of the originals.

[Toy Ranch]

That's the color of the first reissues of these that were ever done, but the early ones that I had didn't have the flashing issues like those in your pic do, so I dunno...

[zombiehorror]

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead!!  I had an extra beige Wolfman (missing a pinky) that I'm going to throw up on Ebay in a month or so.  I was going to put him up plain but decided to go ahead and slap some paint on him.  I'm surprised my pictures even turned out since the display on my camera was broken by one (I think the wife and I know the culprit) of my daughters.  As with most amatuer photographers I failed to capture alot of the detail but I'll try again once I've completely finished him.

Basic paint scheme~went with yellow shirt and grey paints


Shading~can't really see alot of the shirt detailing from the photos and I went a little heavy on the pants but I redid them over and over with one color with no results so I said screw it, shadows are supposed to be dark


Detailing~I wanted nasty-dirty-bloody


Still have to paint the base and then it'll be done.  This was actually the second time I had to paint him because when I was almost finished with him earlier my daughter (the same one suspected of breaking the camera) decided she wanted to paint a monster.  I gave her an extra glow Creature to paint and she seemed quite content slapping color after color on him.  I went into the living room to talk to my wife for a minute and she decided my paint job on the Wolfman needed some work so I had to wash him off and start again.  My first attempt was the usual white shirt-blue jeans which I kind of wanted to change anyway so no big deal, I wished I'd have gotten a photo of that paint job though.

[graveghoul]

There is an issue of PLAYSET MAGAZINE that did an article on the Marx monsters, in it they said Bill Lemon did the sculpts. These guys have the dirt on the Marx company. Go to back issues www. playsetmagazine.com

[zombiehorror]

There is an issue of PLAYSET MAGAZINE that did an article on the Marx monsters, in it they said Bill Lemon did the sculpts. These guys have the dirt on the Marx company. Go to back issues www. playsetmagazine.com

Thanks for the heads up, I just had to pick this up.  But I'm more confused by this than anything else?!!?  First of all this wasn't much of a cover story, more like a cover blurb, a very short 2 page piece with more pictures than anything else and yet still worth it to me.  There is this confusing sentence in the article;

"Other colors have been found, including some of the wild fluorescent ones listed in the 1964 catalog were apparently not made."

What?!?!  The colors were found but not made, oh okay that makes perfect sense!??!  Did they mean to say, "....that were apparently made.".

Also they do say that Bill Lemon was the sculptor but didn't someone in this very thread say Bill himself said he did not sculpt these?  Anyone know just how reliable Playset Magazine's info is?!?

The coolest Marx Monster item in the story is the 1964 Marx catalog listing for the Cinema Creatures which mentions 3 colors, none of which are the teal or orange we all know today.



Also take not of the 10"x24" window streamer in black and fluorescent color.  Anyone remember seeing one of these or more importantly know of one existing today?

Now going back to the Marx only came in teal and orange discussion, sometime last year I came upon a website; http://www.jeffs60s.com/ were he has this picture and the following comment posted;


"These Universal Monsters were my favorite plastic figures. They sold for ten cents apiece, but soon went up to a whopping nineteen cents. They came in bright, flourescent colors and I used to just stare at them for hours. I do mention these on my school page. I also tried painting them like models and ending up ruining them. So, off to Newberry's toy basement to buy another set."

So I wrote him asking about it, figuring he was getting Marx Monster confused with Nutty Mads in his fuzzy monster memories. And here was his reply;

"Hi Erin,

Thanks for your question, it's a good one. The colors that I can recall were a sort of neon. I had some figures that were orange and some that were a bright pink color. I always kept re-buying them, but I did get a hunchback that was blue one time, and also a green one. Right now on ebay, somebody is selling them one by one, and they're all green. The bright colors may have been a special issue for a time, but I can recall them vividly.

I did have a green set, and I've even had the teal ones. They also came in blues, and for a short period, I believe in the mid-90's, they were re-issued in gray. I loved Marx toys, they were the best. Thanks for stopping by!"

His memory would certainly match the description in Playset magazine of the other colors, then again maybe he read the article and just infused the info with his own Marx Monster memories?!?

[graveghoul]

Playset magazine is pretty much 99% correct. I was into playsets and figures for a long time. PM has the scoop as they interview retired Marx employees. One thing you have to know about Marx is they had many color variations when a product came out. Yes the GRANTS bin monsters were sold in orange and teal {I can still remember the day Mom bought them in 1965} they were most likely a Grants exclusive and sold to them only in those two colors. While a mail order store got theirs in another color scheme. When it comes to colors and collecting headaches Marx will give you them!!! I can write you pages on Marx variations in toys. I think when you picked these to collect you just scratched the surface.

P.S.
I don't know if you are collecting only originals or the reissues also. but on ebay there are reissues being sold for high prices and the owners don't know if they are reissues or original. Most ones on ebay that are glow, silver, off white are reissues.

[zombiehorror]

Playset magazine is pretty much 99% correct.  PM has the scoop as they interview retired Marx employees. One thing you have to know about Marx is they had many color variations when a product came out.

I just can't believe no one is jumping on this thread?!?  Long time monster collectors here contend that Marx monters only came in teal and orange period.  Maybe they think this whole discussion is a bigfoot/Loch Ness issue!?  I know Marx did alot of other colors for other figures but again most here only believe Marx monsters came in teal and orange!

Yes the GRANTS bin monsters were sold in orange and teal {I can still remember the day Mom bought them in 1965} they were most likely a Grants exclusive and sold to them only in those two colors. While a mail order store got theirs in another color scheme. When it comes to colors and collecting headaches Marx will give you them!!! I can write you pages on Marx variations in toys. I think when you picked these to collect you just scratched the surface.

The "Grants bin" monsters were also sold in Aldens catalog as a set with paints as shown in a previous post earlier in this topic.  I wrote Playset magazine about this color issue and they did say they themselves have seen these figures well at least the yellow and green.  The only difference being the plastic is of the softer type where as reissues are harder.  But what they didn't answer was; "Where are all these other colors?!!?".  I wish they had an idea of how many of these other colors were produced.  Why do you only see teal and orange?!!?  I mean obviously these other 3 colors must have been a limited run and maybe only sold in certain areas of the country.

P.S.
I don't know if you are collecting only originals or the reissues also. but on ebay there are reissues being sold for high prices and the owners don't know if they are reissues or original. Most ones on ebay that are glow, silver, off white are reissues.

Right now I haven't added any new ones but I'll definitely be on the look out for the other 3 original colors.  I'm also interested in getting as many of the Mexican reissues as possible, I do love that silver set!  I currently have full sets of teal, orange, mocha, glow (carded and loose), cream and a mib Monster Studio from 1991.

And lastly a picture I posted earlier of my lime green Frankenstein that I thought was a reissue even though the Ebay seller listed it with an original Phantom saying both figures were from 1964.  But now after seeing and discussing this with you as well as Playset magazine I now present as an original

1964 MARX FRANKENSTEIN IN VILE GREEN

[Herr Vogel]

This thread has inspired me to start collecting the Marx figures.  I think the hunt is what's appealing to me.  It seems like a never ending search, which will keep my interest for many years to come.  I remember these as a kid, so I must have had 1 or 2 of them at one time.

I just picked up my first one - the Glow Frankenstein (I do think I will only collect the Frankenstein monster for now).  I have a long way to go, but thanks for the inspiration - this will be fun, or aggravating...

If anyone has any extra Frankenstein figures for sale, let me know.

[Mike Scott]

I've been reading the thread. Thanks for posting the information from Playset! Sure would like to see that window streamer!

[graveghoul]

This is a great thread Zombie. I love the Marx monsters!!! I just got a reissue mummy yesterday for painting. the only thing is I modified his right eye to give it a more closed  look. The other colors might be scarce because they might have been produed in canada,or the uk. I know with other figures they came in different colors in canada. There are many Marx mysteries. There was a few days ago on ebay a person selling a blue monster. It had all the markings on the bottom but no date. He claimed it belonged to a Marx employee.

[Wicked Lester]

I just can't believe no one is jumping on this thread?!?


And lastly a picture I posted earlier of my lime green Frankenstein that I thought was a reissue even though the Ebay seller listed it with an original Phantom saying both figures were from 1964.  But now after seeing and discussing this with you as well as Playset magazine I now present as an original

1964 MARX FRANKENSTEIN IN VILE GREEN

That vile green Frank is a thing of beauty. I would love to collect the other color variations including the Mex repros tho I don't like the silver or glow. I painted the creams. Some of these take forever to find and are out of my price range  .