Ever since I saw the Quatermass Experiment as a kid, I've loved aliens and monsters with huge brains and tentacles. Such classics as Fiend Without A Face and The Trollenberg Terror fascinated me (besides scaring me witless). These were real aliens, not like the animal headed creatures that sci fi is so fond of lately (don't get me started on Guardians of the Galaxy...), without reference to humanoid or animal shapes, they were 'different' and scary.
Since then, I've found the odd toy featuring an octopoid or brainy alien and just this week, got a cheap Lego Turtles toy, with a Krang minifigure. Molded in a single piece, Krangs' bright pink body just reminded me of Terence Cunos' beautiful illustration for Wells War of The Worlds in 1970s mag Tell Me Why.
To go with Krang, I also have 3 Stinkhorn figures from Bluebird Manta Force, a neat rubber pencil top octopod and the daddy of them all, Teachers Pet 'Sandy', as seen resting on my seven year old head in the back garden in Liverpool, displaying my monster collection!
They were the days..
I'll give you ten bob and a bag o' kali for everythin' on your table mate!
ReplyDeleteWow! You have a full-crown Kingly Critter. That green fat guy next to him - the rubber vending toy with one arm up, one arm down - what/who are they?
ReplyDeleteKing Crater is a bit of a pretender to the throne, he's original 1970 vintage, but his crown is a modern repro. As to the green fat guy - thats a tale in itself, check the latest blog posts for more info!
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