Vinyl Bug Monsters

[countzackula]

Okay, hope the pictures loaded correctly...anyway....

These are tow monster bug toys form the late 80s or early 90s. I remember seeing these in a drug or convenience store and asking my mom for them. Naturally, I got a "no", but did mysteriously get them both in my Easter basket later that year (along with a large squeaking Imperial alligator).

Anyone else remember these or have any? Di d them make any more than these two?

[countzackula]

Maybe this picture will work......

[countzackula]

...oops, sorry! Here's the pic (I hope).

[countzackula]

"Lantec" might be the manufacturer...maybe. The mold around the name is very messed up and I've got horrible eyesight even with my glasses!

[muckmonster87]

that pink one is so awesome! i bet these two would look awesome with some Other World figures. you've got some really great generic stuff!

[muckmonster87]

these would make awesome steeds for Italy's Sun Insect bendy series

[knockitofftoys]

Pretty neat, I loved bug toys when I was a kid, looks like somehting that would be in those metal wire bins they had at Toys r us back in the 80's!

[muckmonster87]

not vinyl, but if this isn't a bug monster i don't know what is...

[countzackula]

Oh ho-ho! Awesome...wanted to see that guy close up...thanks for posting it! By the way...what is it made of? Plastic or rubber (a jiggler, I kinda assumed)? Also, is he hollow? I hope whatever company produced this little devil made a collection of similar buggie beasties. I would certainly love to see more.

[josha]

I agree those two in the pic a few posts back would lock ace with OW figures.

[muckmonster87]

he's hollow. he's actually not a jiggler, like i thought. just soft plastic.

[countzackula]

Huh...and no manufacturer mark or date stamp? What are its dimensions (for curiosity's sake)?

[countzackula]

Recently found one of my Grails on eBay. Was so freakin' happy, you wouldn't even understand! I don't think I ever showed these guys off on this site before, but back in the 80s I had (and still HAVE) these weird monster bug toys. One of my most vivid childhood memories (toy related or otherwise) was being in either a pharmacy or general store on Broad Street in Hazleton PA with my mom, circa 1985 or 86 and being IMMEDIATELY drawn to the bottom shelf of said store where there was a wire bin of loose orange and purple bug toys. Not just any old bug toys, but these weirdly sculpted MONSTER bugs about as big as my hand (at the time). I was so freaking enamored by them that, as usual, I pleaded for my mom to get me a pair. As usual, it was a big fat "NO". However, later that year, I received two in my Easter basket along with a big squeaky alligator! JOY! These guys were always mainstays of my toy collection all the way to adulthood. Even after a stint of me deciding to cut waaaaaaay back on my collecting some years back, I kept these. See, I had a pretty decent collection of rubber and plastic bugs in my youth. Many were lost or destroyed over time, but I always had a pretty good collection of them until some time after graduating college...I felt I had way too many toys than I could accommodate. Big mistake, but what can ya do?

Anyway, here's my booty. Not my butt, but like pirate's booty.



I often search eBay for unique old rubber or plastic bugs and such. Surprising hard to come by! Jigglers are fairly common. Seems most people want a fortune for 'em. Rubber toys and figures are always cool, but even I have my limits. Bug toys...at least unique ones (Like I just said/typed) are really hard to find amongst boring realistic and modern ones. I often don't bother looking that much. I decided to one night while chillin' with my doggies on the couch after work, and what I saw made my peepers pop! Two of the four I had known about! Good LORD!!! I had been questing for years! Now...there they were. I bid, without so much as an afterthought. They HAD to be mine...HAD TO! No one else had bid. I was on pins and needles for days, until the auction ended. Every day, after I turned on my phone after work, I DREADED the inevitable "you've been outbid" message on my fancy-schmancy Smartphone. Nothing. Thankfully, I eventually won (much to my relief). I actually feared this might end up lost in the mail by some cruel twist of fate, but NO! They came! I had them! All four were now in my possession! The two I had since childhood, and the other two color schemes were at last...all...mine.

Here's all four of the LARGO bug monsters.



As I said before, these were sold loose. No packaging. My old ones had a manufacturer mark and date underneath inside their hollow bellies, but I could never quite make it out. My "newer" ones are much better stamped. Now, these two sculpts are all I remember. Each came in two known color schemes.

...however...

At at least two points, I began to suspect there was more to these bugs than met the eye. Once, on Littlerubberguys.com, a fellow member mentioned a mysterious set of bug men that came packed with monster-like bugs. He had pics of them...I had seen them, and never owned any. I actually thought they were Kamen Rider/Masked Rider knock offs or bootlegs. I had some odd suspicion these may be the bugs he was talking of. I later once heard a similar account somewhere else. At any rate, not too long ago, I discovered this cool blog about mini fantasy figures and saw some cool pics of the figures and one of the bugs!
fantasytoysoldiers.blogspot.com/search?q=arco+bugmen

Awesome site! Great blog! And fairly newer. I really appreciate any info this person puts up since this kinda stuff is right up my alley. Anyway, I stumbled across that blog looking for something totally different, and when I saw those bugmen, I freaked! No offense to the blogger, but they technically had no packaging sample. Some great ideas and theories on their origins, but apparently wrong. I was given some info and a pic by a certain someone via Instagram, but I shall not divulge said person's name or show their pic without their permission...but at least I know these toys are called STINGERS & WINGS!

I do hope to one day find the figures...loose or packaged and would LOVE to see the whole spread of product one day. One thing that does bug me (pun not intended) is that from the pic I saw and the one on that blog, the scorpion is clearly a simpler color pattern AND (although it's a tad hard to tell) seems slightly smaller in proportion and has a noticeable mold seam while my bug monsters don't seem to...leading me to believe that the ones that came packaged AND with figures might have been resized or whatever. I dunno. Any help or additional info on these beasties is GREATLY appreciated! I NEED MORE!!!

[irbaboon]

Glad you enjoy my blog Count.  The scorpion I have up in the Arco Bugmen post is sold cast hard plastic.  There is no cavity on the underside.  Think these bugs must have been made in different sizes with the larger ones hollowed out to save $.  I think you are correct about the one I have being a little smaller than the ones in your pictures.   You may have solved your mystery, and helped with mine, but I would still love to find the Bugmen in original packaging.  IM me on LRG if you want to compare notes.

[splitt]

Heeeey I recognize that scorpion!  Although yours is much bigger, Count, and I'm jealous.

I have the smaller Arco Bugmen scorpion (suffering battle damage) from the blog you pointed out, as well as the orange spider from that series! He's a neat translucent glowy neon, and only has four legs!
I got exceited and just ran to take pics. They are hard plastic, I couldn't find any markings either, definitely smaller (see ruler pic), and the orange spider is a little more hollow underneath than the scorpion.

[irbaboon]

Thanks for posting these pictures.  Too bad your scorpion is so beat up.  Still very cool.  You might be right about the orange spider, but I thought for sure that Countzachula's spider was the perfect match as soon as I saw his pictures.  Your spider is the right size, color and has the same green paint on the eyes. Still, it does not look like as much of a spiritual match as the Count's.  So, I don't know.  Are you certain?  Did you buy them in the original package?

I think only finding these figures in package is going to put this to rest once and for all.  I have never seen your orange spider before.  If it is not from the same set as the Bugmen, it is probably just as rare.    Thanks so much for sharing what you know.  

[countzackula]

Thanks for sharing your bugs Splitt! Those are the ones I saw carded. Them, and their little bugmen riders. I have a pic on my phone, but don't wanna share it, since it was not mine. Don't wanna do bad, ya know? Besides...I don't quite know how to get a pic on via phone...never tried!

Irbaboon, I didn't know you were the one who made that blog! I remember talking to you about these guys some time ago. I'm afraid I have no other special info on these, though. The person that showed me the pic, saw my bugs on Instagram and kindly shared. They, sadly, traded or sold it recently. They are a member here, so hopefully they'll be willing to share the carded pic. *wink*

[irbaboon]

Wow. Thanks for the confirmation Count. Sorry I ever doubted you Splittyhead. I would love to see the picture you are talking about. Please ask the owner to post it here if you have a chance. Thanks again for the information.

[irbaboon]

Count,  do you mind if I copy a couple of your bug pics for an update to my bugman post?