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Post by countzackula on Jan 21, 2011 16:43:00 GMT -6
Mildly surprised no one ever really talks about these, but anyone ever have or seen these guys before? Sure, you did, you just might not have remember ed you did! Kinda hard to find info on these given their "generic" nature, but these little plastic monsters from the 80s and beyond were awesome!!! I remember these usually came in plastic poly bags with cardboard headers...usually referred to (incorrectly) as simply DINOSAURS. I've seen these molds and designs used about a zillion times with many different color variations and even size variations. Yes, even materials variations...usually made of hard plastic, but I've also seen 'em done up in rubber...sometimes glow-in-the-dark. I've seen these creatures in circulation up until about the early to mid 90s. The creator of Dungeons and Dragons (Gygax, I think) famously ripped a few of these monster designs off for use in his role-playing game! He even admitted it! The so-called rust monster and Bullete were clearly inspired by these nameless beasts. Supposedly other monsters from this collection inspired other D&D enemies, but I don't follow the game mythos well enough to know for sure. Since they have no name finding info on these is tough. Then again, there probably ain't much to tell, just random monster designs by some sculptor in a cheap Hong Kong toy company we'll likely never know of...*sigh* So, anyone have a collection of these they wanna share? Anyone out there have a sample of packaging, for the sake of curiosity? Anyone know of any more obscure monsters similar to these? I was at a birthday party when I was young and some other kid won a door prize of a bag of little plastic monsters. Naturally, I the monster lover, won a freakin' R/C car!!! ARGH! Anyway, I curbed my jealousy but at least wanted to see what they looked like so I could bug my folks to find me a bag. Sadly, I never got to see the bag close up in the excitement of the party, but did remember one bright yellow Chinese style dragon in the front! I've seen some pictures somewhere at some point on the internet during my "research" so I know this bag of other monsters exists! Hope! Any help on that angle?
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billygalaxy
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Apr 26, 2024 7:49:54 GMT -6
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Post by billygalaxy on Jan 21, 2011 17:42:36 GMT -6
I have a bagged set of these with a Land of the Lost header card!
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Post by muckmonster87 on Jan 21, 2011 20:51:07 GMT -6
this one is my favorite (besides the rust monster.) i also have him in an all red version and all white version on scale with all of yours, but this one is hard plastic and stands about 4 inches tall. i've also seen the dog-like one on scale with this one. i would love to find a large scale rust monster, i wonder if they ever made one?
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Post by victoryleo19 on Jan 22, 2011 7:30:36 GMT -6
i definitely had a bunch of those! cool to see a lot of them all gathered together like that. i specifically playing with the ones that look like they are standing up with their heads turned to the side, like they were the enemies of my battle beasts and legomen
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Post by rihia2k on Jan 23, 2011 7:35:08 GMT -6
I definitely had one o' those boll-weevil parasite looking things. Probably still do somewhere, great, now I'm gonna' end up ripping my house apart looking for it! Ha.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Mar 15, 2011 13:28:49 GMT -6
I have them also! I don't remember who made them, though, since I bought them when I was a child (a child hardly notices the companies).
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Post by skullbooska on Mar 17, 2011 17:17:38 GMT -6
I saw these at a dollar store last week. They were identical to the ones i had as a kid. Hilariously, i dont think they were reproduced. They looked like deadstock figures with new. really bad header card art and bags.
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Post by countzackula on Mar 17, 2011 19:08:25 GMT -6
I wouldn't be surprised if these toy molds were still be used and passed around to this day. K-Mart's cheap-o dinosaur bags now have an old fake Godzilla in the mix. I remember seeing the little fake 'zilla around in the 80s and haven't seen it since. I was shocked to go around a corner and see him sticking out of one of the poly bags on an endcap!
I recently scored a box set of dinosaur toys with soem of the classic Hong Kong dino-monsters in it as well as some classic cheesy dinos and even some plastic dragons. I've been meaning to set some photos up of the set before I open it.
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pallidmask
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Apr 26, 2024 7:49:54 GMT -6
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Post by pallidmask on Mar 19, 2011 14:28:56 GMT -6
I have a bunch of these guys, all of which came from various flea-market trips and such. The really cool thing is the same designs are repeated in so many different styles and colors, which makes them fun to collect.
There is a boxed set of toys labeled "REALISTIC DINOSAURS" at my local RIte-Aid with a few of these figures in it. Realistic, indeed!
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Post by countzackula on Mar 19, 2011 14:28:58 GMT -6
There you go...a recent find. No date, but part of me wants to assume 90s...probably around the time of the Jurassic Park craze due to the typeface used on the box. As you can see, all the old classics are here! Some standard dinos, a few monstery guys, and even a couple of dragons. Pffff...love the whole "realistic" thing they push...yeah, right! I don't remember seein' no dragon skeletons hanging in the Smithsonian! The back shows different product...all standard dinosaurs, no dragons or monsters. Hmmm...and no, I don't think some weirdo just stuck the freaks in there. The plastic tray is shaped to hold the monster types! Now whattya know about that!
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Post by muckmonster87 on Mar 19, 2011 16:02:33 GMT -6
i have that same exact boxed set, but my dragons were in different colors. i bought it around 2003, at a rite aid. i love how only 4 out of the 11 creatures are actually dinosaurs!
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Post by countzackula on Apr 4, 2011 18:37:21 GMT -6
Here's a few friends... Pretty easy to find (as you can see). Made of hard rubber with hollowed out bellies. Seem to come in one and two-headed varieties. The winged fellas are harder to come by! As you can also see, the sculpt/mold quality is different on some.
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Post by slm2024 on Apr 4, 2011 23:02:25 GMT -6
love that baby blue with pink spray and yellow with pink spray 2-headers! if you got doubles of those color schemes, let me know.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Jun 1, 2011 12:54:20 GMT -6
In the "Realistic Dinosaurs" box, the grey mammal with a trunk once existed: it's a MACRAUCHENIA. Macrauchenias lived in South America along with Glyptodons and megatheriums. Here is a reconstitution: As for the rhinoceros-like mammal we see underneath, it's called a UNITATHERIUM. Discovered in the Uinta mountains, in USA.
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Post by countzackula on Mar 27, 2012 14:43:22 GMT -6
Here's a set I got a hold of about a week or so (-ish). It's from your classic bag with cardboard header set of plastic figures. The set is called "Cretaceous Times" and passed off as dinosaurs...but look close to see the monsters within! Oh...and, uh...made by some company called NMP. Made of solid plastic with minimal facial paint apps. Each is about three inches tall or long. Seven in this set, but wonder if more of these types exist...OR if they ever came in other color schemes. Very much in the vein of the old Hong Kong dino monsters back up in the first post. Me likey! Don't worry...I have some close-ups! BEHOLD!!! Enjoy.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Apr 3, 2012 13:41:27 GMT -6
I see you have lots of wonders... Where exactly did you get this last set?
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theformlessone
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Apr 26, 2024 7:49:54 GMT -6
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Post by theformlessone on May 2, 2012 4:55:01 GMT -6
In Germany those dinosaurs were packed in way smaller boxes. If I remember correctly some were sold by Simba Toys.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Sept 19, 2012 13:32:13 GMT -6
They are great... I wish I could find them in some flea market or garage sale.
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Post by rihia2k on Sept 19, 2012 18:17:20 GMT -6
I was in cheapy store the other month, and quickly combed the toy aisle, for some reason I picked up a squishy dino-lizard thing. They usually just say 'Made In China' - but this one said 'Imperial'! I had no idea Imperial were still going strong, they even vamped up there logo, it's more of a playful comic sans font now. Go Imperial!
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Post by bowheadwhale on Sept 22, 2012 7:46:55 GMT -6
I was in cheapy store the other month, and quickly combed the toy aisle, for some reason I picked up a squishy dino-lizard thing. They usually just say 'Made In China' - but this one said 'Imperial'! I had no idea Imperial were still going strong, they even vamped up there logo, it's more of a playful comic sans font now. Go Imperial! Yes, Imperial still exists! Only, they changed the logo since the death of Fred Kurt, the father of the company, in 2003. Today, his son took over.
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shootingstarnight
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Apr 26, 2024 7:49:54 GMT -6
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Post by shootingstarnight on Sept 27, 2012 17:42:46 GMT -6
If you go to the Toys R Us clearance section they usually have a lot of these figures. Nice collection to have & relatively cheap to purchase. Interesting photos as well Thank you countzackula
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Post by bowheadwhale on Sept 29, 2012 13:09:18 GMT -6
If you go to the Toys R Us clearance section they usually have a lot of these figures. Nice collection to have & relatively cheap to purchase. Interesting photos as well Thank you countzackula Anyway, I'm glad I already have the grey Uintatherium as well as the grey Macrauchenia! I even have this Macrauchenia also in brown!
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Post by figuremod73 on Sept 29, 2012 14:31:13 GMT -6
I like the dragons that are currently being sold at Dollar Tree, I just wish there was alot more variations instead of the three.
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Post by rihia2k on Sept 30, 2012 9:10:27 GMT -6
Yes, Imperial still exists! Only, they changed the logo since the death of Fred Kurt, the father of the company, in 2003. Today, his son took over. Wow, that's fascinatin', thanks for the info, Bowhead! (I need to do some research now) Makes me feel better about picking up the '85 Imperial Dino (Styracosaurus?) I've passed it up a few times at thrifties and flea markets in the past, I prefer larger fantasy lizards usually, but this one gives Mini-Huk a bit of reach (he needs it). Attachments:
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Post by bowheadwhale on Oct 2, 2012 12:58:20 GMT -6
Yes, Imperial still exists! Only, they changed the logo since the death of Fred Kurt, the father of the company, in 2003. Today, his son took over. Wow, that's fascinatin', thanks for the info, Bowhead! (I need to do some research now) Makes me feel better about picking up the '85 Imperial Dino (Styracosaurus?) I've passed it up a few times at thrifties and flea markets in the past, I prefer larger fantasy lizards usually, but this one gives Mini-Huk a bit of reach (he needs it). Imperial company was founded by Fred Kurt, a survivor from concentration camps of World War 2. He said he wanted to bring fun and pleasure after this period of sadness and suffering. The emperor's crown logo has remained until around his death in 2003; the logo has been changed into a duke's crown when his son took over. Today, we can still see Imperial toys in stores. Personnally, I own a rubber Manta Ray filled with plastic beans, by Imperial, which I bought in 2010.
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Post by defzombie on Oct 2, 2012 16:32:54 GMT -6
Cool thread Count, I used to have those dinos and monsters. I know I for sure have a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops, and a Brachiosaurus(spelling? lol) made by imperial. I find them at thrift store here too.
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Post by defzombie on Oct 2, 2012 16:33:33 GMT -6
Oh and those rubber two headed dragons I have 2 of them. One from a thrift store when I was a kid and one My dad found in a parking lot years ago! I still have them
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Post by bowheadwhale on Oct 3, 2012 12:55:59 GMT -6
Oh and those rubber two headed dragons I have 2 of them. One from a thrift store when I was a kid and one My dad found in a parking lot years ago! I still have them Do you mean you have one in double, or you have two different-looking ones?
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Post by defzombie on Oct 3, 2012 18:33:46 GMT -6
Two different ones, a green one and a tan one both awesome
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Post by defzombie on Oct 15, 2012 15:45:02 GMT -6
found these at a Thrift store.
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