Monster Scenes: The Most Controversial Toys of a Generation

Released in 1971, Monster Scenes was intended to be a series of interactive monster models for kids to build, pose and play.

Dr. Frankenstein's Lab Playsets

Today we are taking a look at McFarlane Toys' Dr. Frankenstein's Lab Playsets from Series 1 & 2. These sets were released in the late 1990's and each featured a diorama and 2 character figures.

Monster Scenes Comic Covers

I've been a bit busy over the weekend, so for today's post I'm going to post some EC-like comic covers I made using the Monster Scenes models.

   

Plaid Stallions : Rambling and Reflections on '70s pop culture: Aurora Monster Scenes Store Display!

Enjoyable article featuring a vintage 1970s Monster Scenes store display! Thought I'd share:

Photo credit: Plaid Stallions

Plaid Stallions : Rambling and Reflections on '70s pop culture: Aurora Monster Scenes Store Display!: We've got an incredible treat this Friday before Halloween in the form of this incredible Aurora Monster Scenes store display , cour...
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Monster Scenes: Scary Christmas

The Monster Scenes Gang wishes you a very Scary Christmas.

Monster Scenes: Latest Updates

I don't know about you guys, but I never truly complete work on a model, I just finally abandon working on them after a while. Sometimes I find myself getting a model out and working on it again. This happened recently with my Monster Scenes models. I did a bit detail painting today, along with a couple of additions... A sign and little hanging shelf for Dr. Deadly's library of lurid medical books.

Monster Scenes: Collection Completed

After Dencomm acquired the rights to the name "Monster Scenes," the company licensed Moebius Models to begin re-releasing the Aurora Monster Scenes kits. Using the original tooling, six kits were initially released including Dr. Deadly, The Victim, Frankenstein, and The Hanging Cage. Later the license for Vampirella was worked out with Dynamite publishing allowing for the release of her model. However, without the tooling for Dracula and Jekyll/Hyde it seemed there was nothing else left to release.

Repaints and a Big Score

Monster Scenes models have been the focus for the past couple of weeks as The Dungeon and Animal Pit models were recently brought out and assembled and painted. Afterwards, all the old models were added to the new ones to create one big scene, seen in the previous post. While setting up, it was determined that some of the older models were in need of some attention.

One Big Monsterous Scene

I completed The Animal Pit. All of the models have been brought together to form one large scene. The paint job on the big zap generator and the pain parlor control panel have been overhauled from the light blue that was used originally to a more aesthetically pleasing aluminum.

Doctor Deadly's Dungeon Laboratory

I have made a diorama of Doctor Deadly's Dungeon Laboratory for all the Monster Scenes models.

The Weird World of Aurora

In 1971, a model company called Aurora was struggling. They had made a good name for themselves with awesome kits based on classic monsters, dinosaurs, and the like, but sales were waning, so they decided to up the ante with what was arguably the most offensive and shocking toy sets ever marketed to kids.

The snap together kits featured Frankenstein, Dr. Deadly, and Vampirella, which wasn't that outrageous, but they came with an array of torture devices and a figure cleverly marketed as "The Victim" that caused an uproar.

The centerpiece of the campaign was an ad which ran in DC comic books and Warren comic magazines of the era.

Taking the form of a comic strip, the ad details Dr. Deadly sending Frankenstein and Vampirella (sporting a camel toe, no less!) out for “a girl victim for the experiment.” Frankenstein chuckles?!