The legend of AHI Mummy Bend em's

[darkmonkeygod]

since it caught several peoples attention, here is a close up of the "smirk" on my perfect mummy.

Thank you. That is truly just too cool. Now I gotta find a smirking AHI Mummy Bend 'Em! Of course, as poseablemonster points out, no two are alike.

I have often wondered about the production of these toys, and where they were made over there in Hong Kong...what happened to all of the molds and production machines?  How many Super Monsters were made?  How many workers and what was the production on a good day?  Can you imagine if we could find the manager of the factory and interview him?  Yes definitely I have wondered what ever happened to those production molds, is it possible they were thrown away??  They must be somewhere.  I would be interested to hear anyone's opinions or thoughts.  

Oh yes. I've actually had dreams of clambering over dusty pallets in forgotten warehouses and finding cases of AHI releases, of touring factories in Hong Kong and seeing dusty production samples in odd colors on a shelf in an under lit office and having the occupant relate the tale and pull old transparencies and hand cut rubyliths and chormalins from flat files, or finding out who did any of the design or, the ultimate, the illustration or sculpting for ANY of the products. I hold quite a desire that someone in some way related to the production will some day notice that a small but fervent grouping of people GREATLY love the work they did in the early '70s and come forward with any info at all. Obviously, I'm rather into the 'anothropology' of toys and other objects - if you'll allow me the juxtaposition - that's why it's great to hear from someone who was buying these off the shelf at the time! I've got many a question and some small bits of info to share - mostly just leads to follow up - and will get around to hitting you up for more info as time and your willingness permit. In the ATL again now and crazy busy for the weekend, but next week...

P.S. Besides the danger it posed and the loss of live that occurred, I was really disheartened by the high category storm that hit Hong Kong, Taiwan and China last month, as it was the worst in 50yrs, potential washing away just that much more of the long cold trail. That and the economic down turn which has closed so many factories. Isn't it funny that I really do view those things (in part) by how they relate to monster toys? OK, gotta sleep, I have to interview Mike Mignola and Helen Slater among others (!?!) in 7hrs, and then see if I can find any monster toys!

[AHI Creature]

Since it is too hot to sleep, I thought I would add a bit to the discussion...thanks to everyone who has contributed to this important topic.  I hope anyone with a Mummy bendem will add a photo, or interesting story.  One photo that would make this the definitive AHI Mummy bendem discussion would be the photo of the carded Mummy from the photo gallery, I think it is also in Ray's Gallery of Monster toys.  Could someone find and post that, or can I post it?  

[raycastile]

Here is the carded Mummy photo:



I like how it uses the Aurora artwork.  I don't think any other Bend 'Ems card does that.

[darkmonkeygod]

Here is the carded Mummy photo:

Cool, looks like that's one of the examples with the blob on it's right arm rather than the protruding bandage that I mentioned earlier.

I like how it uses the Aurora artwork.  I don't think any other Bend 'Ems card does that.

I think the Kong is aped (I slay me!) from the Aurora box art, but with an airplane replacing Fay Wray. The Dracula is based on the Jack Palance inspired Count that Gene Colan created for Marvel Comics' Tomb of Dracula comic book series, but I've never taken the time to source the 'inspiration' (looks similar to Giant-Size Dracula #2, but think there's a far more direct reference). The Wolf Man also looks to be a Marvel lift, perhaps from one of Mike Ploog's Werewolf By Night issues, but I dunno. The Creature is from the standard PR still methinks. The Frankenstein's Monster is the oddest yet, depicted wearing the vest from "Ghost of...", something that would be made as a statue in the '70s (Esco?) but not become a figure that I'm aware of until Sideshow's release in the late 90's.

[Mike Scott]

Could someone find and post that, or can I post it?  

You can post pics from the Gallery by using the URL under the pic (with the image link code).