Early Invisible Man Merchandise

[YoungestMonsterKid]

Is there even any? Seriously, no models, masks, toys... was he even considered a Universal Monster in the 50's through 80's?
Just a questions. If anyone has any ideas as to why there was little to no merch or if they have any pictures of actual merchandise to share of him here would be the place.

[Anton Phibes]

Perhaps manufacturers considered it difficult to sell the idea of a dude in bandages and a smoking jacket or overcoat to children, so it wasn't worth paying a license for said character?

[YoungestMonsterKid]

Perhaps manufacturers considered it difficult to sell the idea of a dude in bandages and a smoking jacket or overcoat to children, so it wasn't worth paying a license for said character?

But the Hunchback seems like a way harder character to sell (Ugly Renaissance Man) yet they did him pretty well. But now in the present it's the opposite. I guess they don't won't to sell a disabled man as a monster.
This whole subject also takes me to the Bride. She wasn't really marketed until the 90's yet Aurora did a whole model of her. I get her more though. She had like five minutes of film history.

[Anton Phibes]

You're probably right about The Hunchback. If you'll notice there were a lot of manufacturers that would avoid Dracula in the 60's. Soakies, Marx, Mon-stirs, Anchor Hocking glasses, etc. I am not sure why---but I think it was because he was more human in appearance....and drank blood. Someties marketers come up with weird ideas.

In the 70's..Human Torch was replaced by Herbie for fear of kids lighting themselves on fire to copy his powers.

[Mike Scott]

If you'll notice there were a lot of manufacturers that would avoid Dracula in the 60's.

Probably because of Bela Jr.

Earliest known Invisible Man collectible. Feb. 1934

[YoungestMonsterKid]

You're probably right about The Hunchback. If you'll notice there were a lot of manufacturers that would avoid Dracula in the 60's. Soakies, Marx, Mon-stirs, Anchor Hocking glasses, etc. I am not sure why---but I think it was because he was more human in appearance....and drank blood. Someties marketers come up with weird ideas.

In the 70's..Human Torch was replaced by Herbie for fear of kids lighting themselves on fire to copy his powers.

Dracula was gotten rid of because of the Lugosi likeness lawsuit.
H.E.R.B.I.E. being made to prevent kids lighting themselves on fire is a complete myth. He was created for the cartoon because (at the time) the people making the cartoon didn't have the rights to the character of the Human Torch.

[The Red Death 30]

It is an interesting question.  The monster craze in the 60s was very inspired by the Shock Theatre package, which definitely included THE INVISIBLE MAN.  As a "monster kid" in the 70s and 80s, I never once thought of him as part of that iconic lineup though because he was never included in marketing.  By then, though, neither was Hunchback, much.  There was still a lot of UniMon merchandise in the 80s, and it never seemed to include either Hunchback or Invisible.

I would guess that the rise of the Bride has something to do with feminism (for lack of a better way to put it).  Once upon a time, toy manufacturers would never even have considered that a girl may want to play with monster toys and the ongoing thought was that boys didn't want to play with female figures.  Look at the classic action figure lines and there's usually just one token girl.  My memory seems to remember though that most of the Pepsi, 7-11, etc merchandising in the 80s on always included the Bride.  I would imagine that at some point toy companies realized that they could sell her to female monster fans.  My wife loves my toy collection, but doesn't buy much herself.  When she does, though, it always tends to be Bride merch.

[YoungestMonsterKid]

It is an interesting question.  The monster craze in the 60s was very inspired by the Shock Theatre package, which definitely included THE INVISIBLE MAN.  As a "monster kid" in the 70s and 80s, I never once thought of him as part of that iconic lineup though because he was never included in marketing.  By then, though, neither was Hunchback, much.  There was still a lot of UniMon merchandise in the 80s, and it never seemed to include either Hunchback or Invisible.

I would guess that the rise of the Bride has something to do with feminism (for lack of a better way to put it).  Once upon a time, toy manufacturers would never even have considered that a girl may want to play with monster toys and the ongoing thought was that boys didn't want to play with female figures.  Look at the classic action figure lines and there's usually just one token girl.  My memory seems to remember though that most of the Pepsi, 7-11, etc merchandising in the 80s on always included the Bride.  I would imagine that at some point toy companies realized that they could sell her to female monster fans.  My wife loves my toy collection, but doesn't buy much herself.  When she does, though, it always tends to be Bride merch.

Yes, the Bride seemed to replace the Phantom in the main six line. And I guess Invisible Man replaced the Hunchback, and The Phantom Replaced Mr. Hyde. or something

[Wicked Lester]

While the I.M didn't look monstrous he was way worse than any of them. Remember the train derailment he caused and how giddy he was at killing scores of innocents?
At minimum a monster in mind and SUPER villain all the way. Frank and Creach just look much cooler.

[YoungestMonsterKid]

Frank and Creach just look much cooler.

Am I the only one who thought he looked super cool in his get up?
Plus the same Super Villain idea could be said for the Phantom and yet he was an instant monster in merchandise. I guess the Phantom just has the awesomeness of like 20 Invisible Men. It seems like Universal always knew Invisible was a monster. They had him meet Abbott and Costello for crying out loud. That's the defining monster moment.

[Haunted hearse]

Dracula was gotten rid of because of the Lugosi likeness lawsuit.
H.E.R.B.I.E. being made to prevent kids lighting themselves on fire is a complete myth. He was created for the cartoon because (at the time) the people making the cartoon didn't have the rights to the character of the Human Torch.

I didn't care for Herbie, and I asked one of the creators of the show in the 1970's at a comic book convention in Los Angeles, and was told it was because of the whole fire thing being a danger to the kids.  However, he may have just said that since there were legalities regarding the character, which had to do with a proposed pilot film for the Characters being done by Universal. The pilot was unrealized, and maybe they just didn't want fans of the series at the time it wasn't because they couldn't use the character, but rather they had made a decision for the good of the children.

[YoungestMonsterKid]

I didn't care for Herbie, and I asked one of the creators of the show in the 1970's at a comic book convention in Los Angeles, and was told it was because of the whole fire thing being a danger to the kids.  However, he may have just said that since there were legalities regarding the character, which had to do with a proposed pilot film for the Characters being done by Universal. The pilot was unrealized, and maybe they just didn't want fans of the series at the time it wasn't because they couldn't use the character, but rather they had made a decision for the good of the children.

Yeah, the article (single article that I found so you could easily still be right) says that employees may have lied for PR benefits

[Monsters For Sale]

Sexism seems evident in the choice of female monsters.  Not even a monster in her own right, "The Bride" was more of a victim than a monster.

I think a better choice would have been an active monster like Dracula's Daughter.  She never got the respect I thought she deserved.

[Gory Glenn]

This whole subject also takes me to the Bride. She wasn't really marketed until the 90's yet Aurora did a whole model of her. I get her more though. She had like five minutes of film history.

As did Karloff's Mummy and look how iconic that character/image is.

[Gory Glenn]

In the 70's..Human Torch was replaced by Herbie for fear of kids lighting themselves on fire to copy his powers.

You're probably right about that.