No matter how much time passes, the original Universal Monsters remain some of the creepiest characters to ever grace the movie screen. Heck, some of these characters date back to the days of silent film, like the Phantom of the Opera, and they are still what spring to mind immediately when we think of “movie monsters.” For generations, these characters have captivated audiences because they do one thing so very well: they carry an utterly fear-inducing presence, and to achieve that, all they really have to do is step out of a shadow and make their presence known. Machetes, chainsaws, etc. weren’t necessary — these characters were what the true visage of horror looked like, and they still carry that weight today.
This second series of Funko’s retro-styled figures contains many of the bigger names from those glory years of cinematic horror, and it was definitely the wave I was more excited to get in my mitts because all four of these characters were also part of 1980’s Remco set of Kenner-style Monster figures, so the nostalgia factor was going to be off the scale no matter what. This series seems to be a stronger offering in general than the first series because it just contains even more heavy-hitters. Not that series one was weak or anything, because it totally wasn’t, but this second series is hitting all the right notes in terms of character selection. So let’s take a look!
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Since series one and series two were released at pretty much the same time, at least at Barnes & Noble stores, it’s difficult to think of them as two separate “waves,” despite how they’re grouped on the back of the card. Regardless of their release schedules, these figures satisfy on a couple different levels: they definitely scratch that nostalgia itch, and given the historical significance of these characters, this “retro” format seems right for them. I’m not sure more highly articulated offerings would be as strong. Of course, that could be my fondness for the old Remco figures coloring my opinions, but, the point is, I’m really liking these Funko figures a lot.
Like series one, the packaging here is predictable, yet stellar. Each figure gets a dedicated card featuring their on-screen counterpart, and every single one looks completely awesome. I’m really, really tempted to pick up a second set just to keep cared (if I can find some with nice cards — that seems to be difficult), and that is not something I normally do. I love the presentation here so much.
In addition to these four figures, the Mummy and the Creature both received glow-in-the-dark variants. I spotted the Mummy variant at my local Barnes & Noble store, but I ended up passing on it, a decision I now kinda regret. It was clear, frosted plastic that looked odd considering the character, so it was an easy skip at the time. Now that I’m all-in with this line, however, I do regret skipping it just for completion’s sake. So be aware that if you hunt for these, there are variants to keep an eye out for.
Dracula
Dracula I consider to be the heavy-hitter of this line. He was always the main man to me growing up, and in media when these monsters would mix together, he always took on a leadership role, so he was the one I was most excited to see. And he does not disappoint, though I’m not quite sure how much he resembles Bela Lugosi. I am definitely a fan of his head sculpt because I think it makes for a good “Dracula,” but I don’t see Lugosi when I look at it, which is only slightly unfortunate. It is nowhere near as big a miss as the Bride of Frankenstein’s head sculpt, but it is lacking in the likeness aspect. That could just be the paint, though. Speaking of paint, the only thing that I think could improve this figure would have been a little blood dripping from his mouth, reinforcing that whole “vampire” angle. A bloody variant would have been cool too.
From the neck down, this is absolutely Universal’s Dracula. The pendant and suit are iconic, and I love the way they approached the cape — it’s just like the original Darth Vader where his arms slip through two holes and he wears it kind of like a long vest. Speaking of the cape, it’s made of quite a stiff plastic. It’s much more rigid than I expected it to be, so it isn’t quite as malleable as the old Star Wars capes. It looks great, though, so I guess that’s what matters most here.
The Mummy
The Mummy was not a figure I was excited to get because I was never the biggest fan of the movie, and I always found the character and the concept to be, well, kinda boring. The figure, however, I think is very well done and has single-handedly sparked an interest in me to check out the movie again.
The sculpt of his bandages packs a ton of detail, but when I first handled him, it didn’t look as though there were any paint apps; the figure just looked to be comprised of the colors he was cast in. I didn’t notice his ring right away, and I had no idea his eyes and mouth had some paint apps until I took that close-up pic above. The lavender color is such a subtle touch, but it adds to the figure’s presence greatly. There is also a great amount of detail sculpted into that head sculpt; it succeeds in looking like a decrepit, rotting man, right down to the sculpted texture of his skin — that’s some great attention to detail.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Dracula may have been the figure I looked forward to the most, but I really think the Creature here takes the prize for “Best in Show” for the entire line. All the detail crammed into his entire sculpt is way above and beyond the call of duty here, but it makes for a figure that is so much more than “just” a retro figure. The texture, his spine, his gills — everything was created with the utmost attention to detail. And he isn’t even just cast in a monotone green color like the Remco figure was. If you look at his torso, you’ll notice his abdomen is painted a lighter shade of green, which actually adds a good deal of depth to the figure. This is just outstanding and he is my favorite from the line, I do think.
The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom was one of the first monsters to appear on film, and this figure does a nice job of capturing that very singular visage that Lon Chaney created way back in 1925. The Phantom was always particularly creepy, and Funko nailed it with this sculpt. His hairline, the bags under his eyes, his sickly pallor, and those severe cheekbones all succeed in reproducing Chaney’s terrifying monster in plastic. He looks awesome.
The Phantom and Dracula share a number of parts: arms, legs, and cape, and their torsos are very similar as well, although one is not just a repaint of the other. They look similar enough that I think it’s safe to say this was a case of some slight retooling at work. Their individual paint apps do enough to differentiate one from the other that, despite all the similarities, they don’t feel like mere “repaints’ of each other. Releasing them in different waves may have been a better way to go, though.
In terms of scale, they are true 3.75-inch figures, so they don’t really fit all that well with, say, Marvel Universe figures where the scale varies quite a bit. They’re work better with the new Doctor Who figures in terms of size, but not necessarily in terms of aesthetic.
With two waves in the bag, I certainly hope Funko continues this line. I could name characters I want to see in this line all day long, so at least one more wave would be appreciated. I’m definitely a huge fan of these, so I can wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone with a fondness for the Universal Monsters or for figures done in the old Kenner style.