For the love of AHI Monsters...

Monsters For Sale · November 13, 2011, 08:08:45 PM

I've always thought that the subtler differences in plastic and rubber casts was likely due to less exacting quality control. A lot of the minor differences could simply be due to not maintaining a constant temperature from batch to batch. It would affect overall shape and sharpness of details in all the figures.

This is more clearly evident in re-pops of items such as plastic gumball charms, Marx monsters, Mold-A-Rama figures, masks, etc.

It would account for some items looking oh so close, but not quite the same.

Haunted House · November 20, 2011, 06:37:59 AM

Hello all, speaking of AHI figures; I wasn't sure if I should put this in "Weekly Finds", or here. But I settled for here. I recently picked up this Wolf Man, and it must be either an AHI or a Lincoln. I believe it is a later AHI, as the body is basically "flesh"-colored rather than the brown.

Wasn't it the earlier AHIs that were brown, with the hairy chest?

Here is his back, it only reads "HONG KONG". I thought it had AHI and a date somewhere on the back, but they must not have?

And here is my AHI collection thus far

I love these guys!

Mark

marsattacks666 · November 20, 2011, 10:01:17 AM

Nice Wolfman

RedKing · November 20, 2011, 05:18:01 PM

Beautiful AHI collection!!

marsattacks666 · November 21, 2011, 12:42:48 AM

Quote from: RedKing on November 20, 2011, 05:18:01 PM
Beautiful AHI collection!!

I agree

raycastile · November 21, 2011, 04:21:06 AM

That Wolfman is from what was probably the final release of the AHI monsters (though the cupped-hand versions might have come afterward). No one is really sure. But that final series, on what I call "style C" cards, did not have an AHI copyright. Not on the package or the toy. They were obviously made using AHI molds and printing plates. But did AHI put them out? Did some other company get hold of the molds? Who knows.

Wich2 · November 21, 2011, 11:20:59 AM

Betcha they're "under-the-table," but by AHI. Legit companies have sneaked grey market stuff out the back door before.

Or, you could be right that the Chinese manufacturer cranked out a "midnight run" for some other jobber.

Haunted House · November 21, 2011, 05:42:40 PM

Quote from: raycastile on November 21, 2011, 04:21:06 AM
That Wolfman is from what was probably the final release of the AHI monsters (though the cupped-hand versions might have come afterward). No one is really sure. But that final series, on what I call "style C" cards, did not have an AHI copyright. Not on the package or the toy. They were obviously made using AHI molds and printing plates. But did AHI put them out? Did some other company get hold of the molds? Who knows.

Great info Ray, thank you! So did I guess correctly then; the earlier "legit" AHIs did have the dark brown body, hairy chest and more printing on the back? (Does anyone have a brown one that they'd trade for, or sell, btw?) And thanks everyone, for the compliments!

poseablemonster · November 21, 2011, 06:33:59 PM

Not necessarily; there were several distinctly different body types used on the AHI figures. The one you mention is an earlier body type, but not the only legitimate AHI body type.

1975 · December 05, 2011, 02:48:00 PM

A lot of AHI stuff seems to have been copied either after or during production, my friend collects the superhero items and he has a dozen or more of the aftermarket parachute dolls that clearly aren't licensed. Some of them are from the late 1980s.

marsattacks666 · April 25, 2021, 11:40:46 PM

Quote from: Toy Ranch on January 08, 2008, 03:13:17 AM
I was going through my parts pile today and found some more AHI's that I thought I had sold. Then I looked over at my collection AHI's and realized I have many more of them than I should, but the idea of selling any of them makes me wince. I found a Mego Frankenstein head and noted that the head is the same as the head on the Mego I have in my collection, but all the AHI's are a little different.... even beyond the sculpt differences, there are drastic paint and costume variations that make all of them unique. I took some face pictures of my Franks and Dracs and here they are...

From top left across the top:

Green hands facing forward AHI Frank
Jointed Wrist/Hairy body AHI Frank - head looks slightly different
Green hands facing side AHI Frank - This one came carded from Japan and the card came loose in the mail. Bright shirt!

From bottom left across bottom:

Green hands facing forward AHI Frank - Folk Singer Outfit
Flesh hands facing side AHI Frank - totally different head
Flesh hands facing side AHI Frank - This one was mine when I was a kid and I still have it!

And the Dracs...

Top row are all jointed wrist/hairy body figures.

Bottom row are a 1st issue and a 2nd type/red body.

There are so many different types of AHI, it's almost like they made each one by hand, and I guess they did paint them that way... anyone know why there were so many changes to the bodies, heads, hands, and costumes?

These photos help. I have Frankie, top row, left.