10 Monster Toys That Need to Make a Return!
John Squires
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It’s not all that uncommon for toy companies to re-release or make new versions of popular toys from the past to satiate the desires of nostalgic nerds like ourselves. In fact, it’s something that’s been happening more and more often in recent years.
Just to give a couple examples of what I mean, Hasbro recently released a line of Jurassic Park toys, done up in the vintage style of their original line, and 90s gross-out icon Doctor Dreadful even made a triumphant return not too long ago, unleashing a whole new batch of gooey and disgusting drinks and experiments. Yum. Snots.
But though it’s not uncommon for toy companies to dip into the vault and exhume the rotten corpses of vintage treasures, it’s still not nearly common enough. Here are 10 horror-themed toys from the past that I’d love to see Herbert West inject with his special green serum and bring back to toy shelves!
BOGLINS
The mid-late 80s saw a surge in horror movies starring cute but vicious little monsters; Gremlins in 1984, Ghoulies in 1985 and Critters in 1986. Mattel capitalized on the craze in 1986 with Boglins, hand puppets that seemed more like props taken from the set of the next rubber monster movie than mere toys. Made of thick quality rubber and featuring a mechanism inside their anal cavity that allowed you to move around a set of eyeballs, Boglins brought the loveable monsters from the movies home, and young boys delighted in using them to scare the daylights out of their sisters and grandparents. Further elevating the must-have factor, each Boglin came in a box that was fit with plastic cage bars, just daring you to let the rubber monsters loose.
After a partnership with Kellogg’s in 1989, Boglins reached the pinnacle of their success, and a whole slew of off-shoot products were spawned from the line, including Aquatic Boglins and even miniature Boglins that came packaged in slime-filled toilets!
A company called Action GT did dig up the Boglins back in 2000 for a short return to the spotlight, but they haven’t been seen or heard from since. Quite frankly, I consider that a crime against humanity. We need our Boglins, and we need them NOW.
MY PET MONSTER
Released in 1986, the same year that my mom released me into the world, My Pet Monster was the be-all end-all doll for boys – a colorful and whacky monster friend that was far cooler than any of the kids at school. A fairly large doll with bright orange breakaway shackles, which could be worn by monster or child, My Pet Monster is hands down one of the coolest toys ever made, a doll that still to this day puts a huge nostalgic smile on the faces of adults the world over.
Shortly after the release of the doll, My Pet Monster was given his own oddball feature film, as well as a short-lived cartoon, which ran for only one season. In 2001, the furry blue monster with no name was re-released in a deluxe 22″ talking version. And then, as quickly as he returned, back to Monster Land he went.
Kids these days seem to be getting back into monsters, and with Mattel’s popular Monster High dolls filling that desire for girls, I think the boys need a little monster friend of their own. My Pet Monster, the world is a better place with you in it, and I think it’s time you make your long awaited return to our lives and our hearts. Break those shackles, big guy, and come back to us.
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