Super 7 "Official Universal Monsters Thread"

[fearliath]

The main problem with playsets - the large size means more cost to produce it, and is there really a market for it?  We're already paying $20 for the tiny figures alone.  How much plastic would go into making a 3 foot long boat?  So, what, about $100-$150 minimum cost?  Is there really a market for a boat for this film?  Plus the figures?  Creature already made, but add the girl and the hero to save her - that's an additional $40.  So somewhere around $200 for the set.  Not like a Jurassic Park playset that would appeal to a much larger audience and therefore more can be produced thus cutting costs. 

Nice idea, but I think it's unlikely it will come to fruition.

Well, that's all accurate, but Super 7 ask for Holy Grail suggestions. I gave it to them. I'd pay a crap ton for a Rita playset in 1/18 scale. No, they wouldn't be able to sell 20,000 of them, and that's why it would cost so much. Holy grail.

[MonsterBaker666]

I gave them suggestions for figures.  I figure it's more likely they'd produce them that bigger toys. 

[BRICK]

I suggested that they do UM playsets when I stopped by their San Diego store back in 2019 (and followed it up with a couple emails). So far, nothing!

[Dr.Terror]

Super 7 should have prefaced with "whats your 80s toy holy grail" because thats all Super 7 seems to care about anymore are "hey...remember the 80s" stuff.

They arent going to make UM playsets because the UM dont really make them money.

[MonsterBaker666]

Super 7 has done some other stuff not from the 80s - Great Garloo and Mars Attacks come to mind. 

BUT let's face it, us older monster kids who grew up in the 50s. 60s are dying off.  The market is getting smaller.    The old Universal monster films and even the AIP films aren't shown on TV like they used to be.  They were everywhere when I grew up in central Jersey - we had them on Chiller Theatre and Creature Features.  We had the 4:30 movie which had theme weeks of monster and sci-fi films.  Now days we're lucky to find them showing up on Svenghoolie.

Hmmmm...horror hosts...how about ReAction figures of Vampira and Zacherle??

[Dr.Terror]

Super 7 has done some other stuff not from the 80s - Great Garloo and Mars Attacks come to mind. 

BUT let's face it, us older monster kids who grew up in the 50s. 60s are dying off.  The market is getting smaller.    The old Universal monster films and even the AIP films aren't shown on TV like they used to be.  They were everywhere when I grew up in central Jersey - we had them on Chiller Theatre and Creature Features.  We had the 4:30 movie which had theme weeks of monster and sci-fi films.  Now days we're lucky to find them showing up on Svenghoolie.

Hmmmm...horror hosts...how about ReAction figures of Vampira and Zacherle??

I think there will always be new fans of the Uni Monsters and Im sure they'll always make merch.     A bunch of 80s Slasher fans now collect them etc.... But never another "Monster Craze"    We kind of got another the last decade, but its for Slashers and 80s horror. 

But.....there is no nostagia for monsters with younger fans, and thats what S7 currently banks on.  ☹

[aura of foreboding]

Good thing the monsters were a big part of the '80s and '90s toy experience then! 

[fearliath]

Good thing the monsters were a big part of the '80s and '90s toy experience then! 

I think there is 100 times more monster merch now (at least) than in the 80's. Growing up the only monster stuff I remember existing were the Remco mini monsters, Imperial monster set of 4 and some madball looking monster balls. That was it. In the early 90's there was a minor resurgence but nothing like now. I would wager more kids know who the Creature from the Black Lagoon is now than a kid from the 80's. None of my friends knew who the Creature was. Most of my kids friends do.

[marsattacks666]

Monster, endless and goodness

[aura of foreboding]

I think there is 100 times more monster merch now (at least) than in the 80's. Growing up the only monster stuff I remember existing were the Remco mini monsters, Imperial monster set of 4 and some madball looking monster balls. That was it. In the early 90's there was a minor resurgence but nothing like now. I would wager more kids know who the Creature from the Black Lagoon is now than a kid from the 80's. None of my friends knew who the Creature was. Most of my kids friends do.

Probably. 

There were so many knock-off Universal Monster toys in the 80s and 90s, though. Telco Motion-ettes...  Masks... Mighty Max..  And toys used to stay on the shelf a lot longer then... and there were far fewer options than there are now.  The '90s was 100% a far better decade for the Universal Monsters than the '80s.  I mean between Pepsi and Pogs...  Dude...  Great times.  But S7 can't say the Monsters aren't nostalgic.  And I don't think they are.  I think WE are saying they are saying this, and I'm not sure why.  Yes, they seem to be dwindling down their monster offerings, but they have already done a lot with the license.  Not as much as I would like, and we're still missing things like more Soapies...  But I hope we get one last good burst of monster goodness from them.          

[Dr.Terror]

The Remcos were the last true monster toys that saw any kind of devotion from kids, and even that wasnt much compared to other toylines.
The fact that the 80s didnt have the style guide puts it above the 90s.

There is tons more merch from every property these days.

A few weird kids will play with monsters instead if whatever the hittest toy or fad is...80s 90s, 2000s etc....but it will never have the cultural impact on as many people as the 69s/early 70s monster craze. 

Thats the nostalgia Im talking about,    Uni Monsters will never have that like Gi Joe, Harry Potterm or Pokemon does for more recent generations as a whole.

[aura of foreboding]

I understand.  But I still don't see where people are getting off saying S7 isn't interested in the monsters anymore because of "nostalgia."  That is where I'm confused.  They just probably don't think there's a lot more to do with the property...   

[MonsterBaker666]

No Universal Monsters at Comic Con 2022 (well, except the glow Creature in a box).  Some Godzilla stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRSwSRa8J4Q

[fearliath]

No Universal Monsters at Comic Con 2022 (well, except the glow Creature in a box).  Some Godzilla stuff.

There is a reason Super 7 isn't doing monster stuff at SDCC. Give it a month or 2 (closer to Halloween but not NYCC) and I'm confident we'll see Super 7 is still very much interested in the Universal Monsters.

[marsattacks666]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=abQcjjdSOaM