Marx Monsters

[Hepcat]

Orange and (Teal)Blue are the only two original colors.  They were the only colors anyone had seen until the first repros started coming out in the mid-1980's.  The date and markings are not consistent on the bottoms of them.   The first reissued were cream colored, and then the glow ones came out.  After that they started coming in many other colors too.

Have any Mexican repros been found to this time in the original Marx orange or teal? Are there any other defining marks on the base which verify that a figure is a Marx original?

[Wicked Lester]

Hey gang.
Have not clocked in several weeks. Health issues and work.
From what I know from the  about 20 figs I have the originals do have the round stamp with the Roman numerals.
The early repros  have the same stamp except the Roman numeral has a bar across it. The later repro's (90-'s) have the circle flat and bare.
I got burned,sorta , a few months ago buying a lot of supposed all six originals. The price was high and  worked him down to about $110.00 delivered. Turns out only one was original with 5 early repro's.  All in VG+/7.5 condition. Still not a BAD buy. I CAN tell you from the 90's repro's compared to the 80's that the newer ones have a more detailed crisper mold. I have several in the vile green that I paid on avg $20 and well worth it. $20 a pop in NM condition I'll take the 90's repops all day long. I LOOVE the crazy cool colors and they seem to be harder to find than not bad originals. As far as originals in teal I have a very nice Creech I paid about $23 delivered for.

[bigbud]

Wicked Lester, thanks for the update on the figures. Gasport and several of us are still sorting out what is an original/ re-pop. Hey Lester.......a friend of mine pointed out that you might just be a very enthusiastic KISS fan......true?   Buddy

[iramency]

I love these and could kick myself for ever getting rid of my 70's monsters, showing my true age but hey, toys are great for kids and adults right?  Thanks for all the good information. I did not know they reproduced them so much.

[Hepcat]

Our motto here is "You're never too old to have a happy childhood"!

[Hepcat]

The early repros  have the same stamp except the Roman numeral has a bar across it. to be harder to find than not bad originals. As far as originals in teal I have a very nice Creech I paid about $23 delivered for.

Gasport has speculated that any orange or teal figures with the bar covering the Roman numerals are Marx figures molded and issued after 1963:

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=205.2925

What do you think?

[bigbud]

Hep, you keep the vat stirring............ You ask what we think, so here's my thoughts. Teal and orange are the only original colors of the Marx monsters, and any figure cast without MCMLXIII clearly marked on the base is a repo. I personally dislike any vintage toy being repro-d. There is still enough imagination and innovation in the world that reproducing a desirable, collectible item is, in my opinion, both lazy and done solely for financial gain (greed on the backs of true innovators).
  "But it puts a desirable figure within the reach of collectors and fans at a reasonable price".....sorry, that line of reasoning doesn't work for me. The original 1963 teal and orange figures are readily available, constantly on E-bay, and not at the escalated value of many '63 toy items. They can be identified and purchased by the careful consumer.  I speak only as a collector. If a repro Marx monster makes you happy, that's great. Just not my thing. Please don't anyone take my comments in a personal way...........I love you all...........it's your repros I hate........Ha!       Love, Buddy

[zombiehorror]

Hep, you keep the vat stirring............ You ask what we think, so here's my thoughts. Teal and orange are the only original colors of the Marx monsters,

Did you miss this post or do you just choose to disbelieve!?!?

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=1070.msg124737#msg124737

In short there is info that Marx monsters also came in Bilious Rose, Vile Green and Creepy Yellow!!

.....any figure cast without MCMLXIII clearly marked on the base is a repo.

I have a teal and orange set as well as a "vile green" Frankenstein and re-pops of mocha, cream and glow here are the differences:

Teal:  All these figures have the circled C (copyright) for Universal at the front of the base, except my Creature which also has a bar instead of MCMLXIII

Orange:  All have bars instead of the roman numerals, the Marx info is on the opposite circle (compared to my teal) on the bottom of the Hunchback, only the Creature's Universal copyright matches my teal one all the others have the circled C (copyright) at the back of the base

Vile Green:  Bar instead of roman numerals, there is residue from an old price tag sticker that matches the size/shape of stickers I have seen on other original Marx monsters (though I suppose if someone really wanted to fake that they could), the circled C (copyright) matches my orange (at the back of the base), at the very end of "INC." there are two squiggly lines/flaws (This is important remember it for later comparison!)

Cream/Uncle Milton:  The placement of the copyright info matches my teal set, the circled C is at the front of all the bases, the Marx info on the Hunchback is located on the same side as my teal

Glow/Uncle Milton:  All copyrights again match my teal set, there is no Marx info on them

Mocha:  All the copyrights are at the back of bases, Marx is in the opposite circle, all characteristics matching my orange set with the exception that The Mummy has no Marx info, this Frankenstein also has the two odd squiggles after "INC." that my Vile Green Frankenstein has

Milkier Orange: Bar instead of roman numerals and the circled C (copyright) is at the back of base

These are all the Marx Monster figures I have so they are all I can go by, if any of my teal/oranges are not original then I cannot tell the difference between their respective colors!??!

I know you voiced that your info was just your opinion but I'm just offering up some comparisons and oddities like my teal Creature (which matches my other teals) having a bar instead of roman numerals?!!?  I offer anyone to check this info against their monsters and see what differences/similarities we come up with!

[Hepcat]

Are there any Marx Universal monsters other than these:

Frankenstein
Wolfman
Mummy
Creature
Phantom
Hunchback

[zombiehorror]

Are there any Marx Universal monsters other than these:

Frankenstein
Wolfman
Mummy
Creature
Phantom
Hunchback

No; Although there have been two fan made Dracula's, this one from Chris Ecker (1990's);



And this one conjured up right here by some of the fine folks at the UMA;

[bigbud]

I know you voiced that your info was just your opinion

Did you miss this post or do you just choose to disbelieve!?!?

Yep, just my opinion, and I'm sticking by it. If a vile green Franky has the MCMLXlll in the circle I'll be a believer. Again, only my opinion; to modify the Marx metal molds for their figures by covering the MCMLXlll would be costly and done for a very specific reason. My belief is that it was done to distinguish a figure produced in 1963 from a figure done at a later date. I "choose to believe" that Marx monster figures produced in 1963 carry the distinction of being called original........................     Buddy

[zombiehorror]

Yep, just my opinion, and I'm sticking by it. If a vile green Franky has the MCMLXlll in the circle I'll be a believer. Again, only my opinion; to modify the Marx metal molds for their figures by covering the MCMLXlll would be costly and done for a very specific reason. My belief is that it was done to distinguish a figure produced in 1963 from a figure done at a later date. I "choose to believe" that Marx monster figures produced in 1963 carry the distinction of being called original........................     Buddy

I suppose if you want to call Marx figures from 1963 the only originals then you would be correct as the Bilious Rose, Vile Green and Creepy Yellow ones are from a 1964 catalog listing (and I'm sure there where teal and orange sets made after 1963 by Marx)!  The plate cover up could be due to the popularity of these figures and the thought that they would/could be produced for years to come so a bar was simpler (more cost effective) than changing the roman numeral for each consecutive year.  Certainly even Marx Nutty Mads made in 1964 are still considered original Nutty Mads!??

[Hepcat]

If a vile green Franky has the MCMLXlll in the circle I'll be a believer. Again, only my opinion; to modify the Marx metal molds for their figures by covering the MCMLXlll would be costly and done for a very specific reason. My belief is that it was done to distinguish a figure produced in 1963 from a figure done at a later date. I "choose to believe" that Marx monster figures produced in 1963 carry the distinction of being called original....

Should I understand that you would therefore not regard Marx production of these pieces in say 1964-65 - if Marx did indeed produce another run(s) - as "originals"? So you would therefore require not only Marx production but Marx production verifiably from 1963 to earn the "original" label?

[Hepcat]

In short there is info that Marx monsters also came in Bilious Rose, Vile Green and Creepy Yellow!!

I have a teal and orange set as well as a "vile green" Frankenstein and re-pops of mocha, cream and glow here are the differences:

Teal:  All these figures have the circled C (copyright) for Universal at the front of the base, except my Creature which also has a bar instead of MCMLXIII

Orange:  All have bars instead of the roman numerals, the Marx info is on the opposite circle (compared to my teal) on the bottom of the Hunchback, only the Creature's Universal copyright matches my teal one all the others have the circled C (copyright) at the back of the base

Vile Green:  Bar instead of roman numerals, there is residue from an old price tag sticker that matches the size/shape of stickers I have seen on other original Marx monsters (though I suppose if someone really wanted to fake that they could), the circled C (copyright) matches my orange (at the back of the base), at the very end of "INC." there are two squiggly lines/flaws (This is important remember it for later comparison!)

I take it that you've not yet seen a Bilious Yellow or a Creepy Rose Marx figure yourself?

[zombiehorror]

I take it that you've not yet seen a Bilious Yellow or a Creepy Rose Marx figure yourself?

Nope!  My guess is that these alternate colors were extremely limited even in the 60's and may have only been regional offerings?!

I got to looking again at the Marx monsters I do have and noticed another oddity; On the backs of some of my monsters there are circles, sometimes one sometimes 2 obviously having something to do with the manufacturing process?!?  The oddity about it that these marks are not consistent on the orange or teal figures, nor are they consistent on the repros, some have them, some don't?!?!  Could there have been more than 1 mold for each monster?  They did have 12 factories worldwide could the monsters have been manufactured in more than one plant, accounting for differences in even original Marx monsters?