COLLECTION CORNER!!

[zotzcoin]

I think Dave Ayres may be the DPS person to add the extended neck to that Phantom.  It looks like his sculpting style.  I'm not sure if I'm guessing or remembering...?
Nice looking Newman Phantom in the above pictures!  I've always liked that version.

[Sir Masksalot]

I'm not sure if I'm guessing or remembering...?

As pertains to DPS legend and lore, I'd rate your guesses over most anyone else's.

So it's the "prototype makeup", not the screen-used final? That settles some of the confusion.



There exists a companion piece to this Cagney Phantom, said to be even more rare.
Portions of it may have been incorporated directly onto DP's retail version of the
"Calendar" Hunchback. Thank goodness someone bothered to preserve such artifacts
from Universal's old makeup department >

      

[Sir Masksalot]

I've had a long history with this mask, dating back decades when I owned one of the early 1970s originals >



Nowadays I'm quite content with the RetroRubber reissue which came out in 2002 >



I actually got a second copy so I could wear one and archive the other >



We're fortunate that the mask got reissued during Verne Langdon's lifetime.
He supervised the entire project and even co-signed the certificates >

[Josh]

Nowadays I'm quite content with the RetroRubber reissue which came out in 2002 >



I actually got a second copy so I could wear one and archive the other >



We're fortunate that the mask got reissued during Verne Langdon's lifetime.
He supervised the entire project and even co-signed the certificates >

That Kelly Mann re-issue looks amazing. I have one of last years wearable re-casts of an original, but would love to add a KM Zombie one day.

[marsattacks666]

Love it.

[Sir Masksalot]

On reaching the dealers' room at Monsterpalooza 2017, I made a beeline for the "World of Verne Langdon" table >



My pre-ordered copy of their new Dr Druid mask was ready for pick-up and waiting to work its sinister magic on me.

               

The only marking on this mask is the music label which issued the original record album way back in 1973 >



I wish Verne Langdon could've lived to see the addition of this incredibly creepy character to his canon of fine collectibles >

      

It didn't come cheap ...  but the good stuff never does. Rarely has a convention purchase brought me greater satisfaction.

[jupiter2]

Wow! That Dr. Druid is absolutely incredible!

[Hepcat]

It didn't come cheap ...  but the good stuff never does. Rarely has a convention purchase brought me greater satisfaction.

Congratulations!

[marsattacks666]

Awesomeness.

[Anton Phibes]

OOOHHH! Can I play? I love Verne Langdon stuff. Esp. Zombie! I have a Whitehead cast from an original, and a Justin Mabry that was once owned by Sandy Collora and is inscribed to him on the inside flap and signed by Mabry, the original Creepy and a few other thingies.

[Sir Masksalot]

Collectors who've seen this excellent book probably recognize its cover art as depicting
a Distortions alien mask from the early 1980s >



I scored a first edition CREETON way back then, reportedly cast from the master mold >



Said mold was beset with problems from the start but were ultimately mended, the character
becoming a great favorite of its creator Ed Edmunds and collaborator Jordu Schell.

[Sir Masksalot]

I only ever owned one of the masks pictured on this page. Can you guess which one?



According to Lee Lambert's book, Ed Edmunds was disappointed with his SYCRON character.
However, I think it's one of the scariest aliens he ever created! I got mine in June 1982,
first year of issue >



It was catalogued for another two years afterwards, then vanished until being resculpted for
Distortions' "Resurrection Series". To me, it never needed any such makeover. That original
version is quite horrific enough.

[Sir Masksalot]

Continuing on this Distortions jag, we have FANTASMIGORIA, an improbable cross between
a cow skull, a pterodactyl, and Giger's Alien >



Last catalogued in the 1980s, I scored my first one (seen above) in June 2008. Ten years later
I got a copy from the metallic edition created exclusively for attendees of MaskFest >

       

This and the Sycron are hardly more than fossil skulls. 'Makes me wonder what a "fleshed out" version of each would look like.
That might make for an intriguing new mask series from Distortions ...

[Sir Masksalot]

Can't get enough of those Distortions. Back in the early 1980s they secured licensing to market
wearable products from the sci fi classic ALIEN. The T-shirt was just amazing >

       

I kept mine hanging in the closet for decades, then transferred it to a box.
'Wouldn't want the Chestburster to slither away >

      

Around the same time, full sized castings of the adult ALIEN mask were also catalogued >



For this edition, I'm not sure if Distortions had the original mold or made their own
from the screen-used stunt head shown here >



I barely had room for it in my small apartment but it was fun having Giger's ALIEN
looming over me for a while >



Today only the T-shirt remains but there was a time long ago when, along with Don Post's Facehugger,
I had all three ALIEN forms in my collection >

       

[jupiter2]

What a great post, Sir Masksalot! Thank you.

I wanted that facehugger so badly when it came out! Never had the opportunity to own one, though.