MPC Monsters Appreciation Thread

[horrorhunter]

Thanks, Hep.

I'm hoping someone comes forward with some info about the KK Window Box Set. I've been following this stuff for many years, from when I was a kid in the '60s up through the Toy Shop days and into the eBay era, and I had never even heard of this version of the MPC KK playset. I was surprised to see it in that eBay auction, and equally surprised I got such a good deal considering how much those MPC King Kong Jungle Sets sell for in various stages of completion. Also, getting all those extra playset parts helped me complete my KK Jungle Set and will allow me to recoup much of the cost over time.

I've noticed that some monster fans don't appreciate the look of the MPC King Kong figure. It was modeled after the Rankin/Bass cartoon Kong. I guess they didn't see, or didn't like, The King Kong Show (1966) cartoon that ran through the late '60s. I was crazy about that 'toon back in the day, which is why I wanted the playset for Christmas. Sure, the playset is out of scale and a little cheezy, but to most fans of '60s toys that adds to the charm. It's a piece of monster toy history.. a symbol of a time Monsterkids loved, and still love to remember.

Here's a link to an earlier post with some info about The King Kong Show: http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=23458.msg437311#msg437311

A comic book ad from 1966 for Saturday morning cartoons:

[Hepcat]

Sure, the playset is out of scale and a little cheezy, but to most fans of '60s toys that adds to the charm. It's a piece of monster toy history.. a symbol of a time Monsterkids loved, and still love to remember.

Truth! And that's what it's all about anyway.

[Mike Scott]

Congrats on all your KK MPC goodness! Never saw that window box, either.

A comic book ad from 1966 for Saturday morning cartoons:

I don't think I remember a '60s "Journey to the Center of the Earth" cartoon show? I'll have to see if there's anything on YouTube.

[horrorhunter]

Congrats on all your KK MPC goodness! Never saw that window box, either.

I don't think I remember a '60s "Journey to the Center of the Earth" cartoon show? I'll have to see if there's anything on YouTube.

Thanks.

Here's the first ep of JTTCOTE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFNjFDyesFE&feature=player_detailpage

Good stuff!

Here's a couple of cartoons from The King Kong Show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLDI-cpFCD8&list=PLZs0gQed9tMQW6Izw-QyhP_SVBi2aYSjr&feature=player_detailpage

Man, someone should put together morning-long recreations of Saturday Morning Cartoons with the shows in the order they appeared in and insert '60s toy commercials which ran during those shows. Between shows they could have "Collector Breaks" showing merch from the shows and discussing scarcity, value, etc. I know there are a plethora of legal obstacles, but hell, bootleg it. Legal BS hampers too much fun these days.

[Mike Scott]

Here's the first ep of JTTCOTE:

Thanks! I do remember it, now!

[horrorhunter]

I picked up this King Kong Window Box Set (MPC, 1967) in an eBay auction a few days ago.







It was opened and the soldiers removed with the staples, but I don't think any of it was ever played with. It even included the original instruction sheet. The MPC King Kong figure is flawless, the best I've seen. I reattached the soldiers with some wire ties and it displays very nicely. MPC created some of the most beautiful toy packaging in the '60s I've ever seen. It just screams Monsterkid. I had never heard of this set until I saw it in that badly photographed eBay listing. Never seen it mentioned on the 'net or in toy publications.. nuthin'. Usually pics of everything eventually show up on the 'net and they lie just a Google search away. Heck, even pics of something as rare as a boxed Haunted Hulk show up, but I couldn't scare up any info on this MPC KK Window Box Set. If anyone has any info on it please post it or PM me. Thanks.

I messaged the seller about this playset and she replied that her husband received it as a gift from his parents in 1967 when he was 8 years old (same age I am). At least now I have some evidence that it isn't just a prototype which somehow slipped into the marketplace, according to that one bit of second hand info it was at least marketed. I messaged a few UMA members about it and so far only Monster Bob has replied, he had never heard of this version either. Thanks again for the reply, Bob. Funny how nothing has turned up on this thing. If anyone remembers it please post or PM me. Thanks.

[Mike Scott]

. . received it as a gift from his parents in 1967 when he was 8 years old (same age I am).

You're only 8

[horrorhunter]

You're only 8

At heart... and some say mentally, as well. 

I just meant that I'm evidently the same age as the seller's husband. I received the MPC King Kong Jungle Set in 1967 when I was 8 years old the same year the seller's husband received the window box set. Just an observation of coincidence.

[horrorhunter]

New pics of my MPC Monsters shelf:







Including vintage dust. 

Click on the pics to enlarge.

[Mord]

 Great collection, HH. The vintage dust only enhances the vintageness.

[Hepcat]

Mmmmmm, beautiful!

[horrorhunter]

I had this MPC Monsters shelf posted at the beginning of this thread but it looks like ImageShack is having problems AGAIN. No pics I have hosted through ImageShack are currently showing even though they show up on the ImageShack site. It's a good thing I switched to Photobucket a long time ago or all of my UMA pics would just be little "x's". The old ones may start showing up again at some point. How can a hosting site be as useless as ImageShack is so much of the time?

Anyway, my MPC Monsters are posted again, and hosted by Photobucket which has proven to be a reliable hosting site. I plan on reposting my Marx Prehistoric Mountain Playset in the Dinosaur Playsets thread pretty soon, and then I'll have good pics of that one up. The old ones keep disappearing thanks to ImageShack. Most of my other pics are through Photobucket except some monster mags, comics, and a few other things. I'm just sorry I ever wasted time and trouble with ImageShack in the first place.

[jimm]

Kong super cool... Love the window box

[horrorhunter]

Kong super cool... Love the window box

Thanks, jimm.

You know, what's weird is that it's like nobody has ever heard of that window box before. I didn't even know it existed before I saw it in that poorly photographed eBay listing. I can't find any mention or pics of it on the 'net, and nobody I've contacted about it has heard of it. The MPC King Kong Jungle Set is fairly scarce, but that window box must be really rare. Can't beat that Monsterkid MPC packaging.

[jimm]

Did the bad photos hold down the price?