Raving Toy Maniac

Living Dead Dolls Presents Universal Monsters Frankenstein and the Bride

September 2012 - You're invited to the wedding of the century: Frankenstein and his Bride! The Living Dead Dolls present the couple that was truly made for each other (from exhumed corpses of course). Since their introduction, Frankenstein and his Bride have become one of the most popular couples in the history of the silver screen, now they become the latest additions to the Living Dead Dolls family.

Damien Glonek, one of the trio who created the Living Dead Dolls says, "Universal Monsters are the true foundation of the horror genre. Each has become a recognized character to people of all ages from all over the world and still seem as popular today as when their movies first came out. They have started out as Monsters and have become icons. When the opportunity arose to work on the Universal Monsters I was very excited to give back to the genre that I love so much."

Universal Monsters Minimates Series 3 is Haunting Toys "R" Us!

September 2012 - Halloween is still two months away, but since it's one of the greatest holidays ever invented, why not start celebrating it early? The third series of Minimates mini-figures based on the classic Universal Monsters has arrived at Toys "R" Us and http://toysrus.com, and it spotlights two classic films: The Mummy and The Hunchback of Notre Dame! Broken down into packs of two, the two-packs include The Mummy with an opening Sarcophagus, Princess Anck-es-en-Amon with Henry Whemple (a TRU exclusive!), Quasimodo with Phoebus and an exclusive black-and-white set of the Mummy with Quasimodo! Check out the in-package product below!

July 18, 2012 - Order 66 has finally been given -- it's time to send in the clones! Diamond Select's newest Star Wars vinyl bust bank is the infamous clone trooper Commander Cody, who served under Obi-Wan Kenobi until his betrayal was ordered by Emperor Palpatine. Measuring around 8 inches tall, this detailed vinyl depiction of the character is shipping to comic shops and specialty stores this Wednesday from Diamond Comics Distributors. Not only is it a great-looking bust, it's also a bank, with a slot on the back for your loose change and secret Death Star plans. It goes great with our Clone Trooper and Darth Vader banks, and is an amazing addition to any Star Wars collection!

Also available this week:

- Universal Monsters Legacy Series Box Set #1 - Previously a retailer exclusive, this set of black-and-white 7" versions of the Mummy, the Wolfman and the Creature from the Black Lagoon is now available everywhere!

May 29, 2012 - This fall will be a great season for Universal Monsters fans. Not only will Universal release eight classic Universal Monsters movies on Blu-ray for the first time, Diamond Select Toys will also be paying tribute to the origins of the most famous monsters on Earth. True, you've already seen DST's upcoming assortments of 7-inch action figures and 2-inch Minimates, as well as their new line of 8-inch vinyl bust banks, but they aren't done yet! There are still two more DST products to announce for the Universal Monsters in 2012, and they're both a blast from the past.

April 2012 - There are a lot of traditions that happen every Halloween, but Diamond Select Toys has created a new one -- 7-inch Universal Monsters action figures! DST has put out two series of Universal Monsters 7-inch figures in the past two years, and this year will see that tradition continue with five new figures due out this September!

At comic shops and specialty stores, horror fans will be able to pick up a highly detailed Metaluna Mutant from 1955's This Island Earth. With his bulging brain and claws, he conveys all the menace of the movie creature, and he even comes with the Interocitor, the device that allows humans to contact the Metalunans.

March 2012 - Get your money out of that dusty vault and shine it up nice, because Diamond Select Toys has a new place to keep your cash! Spinning out of DST's successful line of Star Wars bust banks comes the all-new Universal Monsters series! The most famous monster of all, Frankenstein's Monster, will kick off this new line of 8-inch vinyl banks -- from the front it just looks like a high-quality bust, but turn it around and there's a slot to stick your change in! Nobody will want to raid your savings when they're safe inside this resurrected giant!

Universal Monsters Minimates Series 3 Scares Up Some New Monsters!

March 2012 - As Diamond Select enters its third year of making officially licensed Universal Monsters toys, they're expanding their Minimates mini-figure line to include a new monster, as well as resurrecting a monster from the vault!

The first specialty-exclusive 4-pack due out this fall is based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Universal's first film adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel, released in 1925. It starred Lon Chaney as the abused bellringer Quasimodo, a mute, half-deaf hunchback who lives in the famed Paris cathedral. In the film, Quasimodo is coerced into kidnapping the beggar Esmeralda, which runs him afoul of the smitten Captain Phoebus. That set's characters include Quasimodo, Phoebus and the set-exclusive Esmeralda and "King of Fools" Quasimodo.

Mezco Reveals Universal Monsters: 9inch Scale Frankenstein

March 2012 - New York - Mezco proudly presents one of the world's most famous monsters... Frankenstein! Constructed by the infamous Dr Frankenstein from corpses, and resurrected by curious machines powered by a bolt of lightning, he terrorized the countryside. Now he is brought to life by Mezco's award-winning design team. This 9inch scale Frankenstein features a real cloth coat and shirt. His finely detailed body boasts ten points of articulation and is covered with scars from his assembly. Each Frankenstein is packaged in his own collector friendly display box. Since being revealed at the recent 2012 New York International Toy Fair, Frankenstein has been heaped with praise:

"...unique and dynamic..." – Famous Monsters Of Filmland

"...I will buy a set as soon as they're released... " - Bob Burns

"...impressive...I want them all..." - BattleGrip.com