Bloggiversary Late Night Creature Feature: Aurora and Penn Plax's Creatures from the Black Lagoon

Hi Woodsy,

You and Bill recently came up with a brilliant new box for the Penn Plax Creature From The Black Lagoon. This Aerating Action Monster was intended to keep the water in a home aquarium full of oxygen.

Some readers were wondering how close the Penn Plax Creature was to the famous Aurora plastic kit. Their poses are certainly very similar, although the bases are different.

A look on Worthpoint turned up several Creatures, but not all the packaging says Penn Plax, so I do not know if they are the same model or not ? Some Penn Plax have a plain rock base; and some have a larger base, with a lot of plastic marine plants.

Aurora actually did two Creature kits. The first was in 1/8th scale, and showed the Creature standing on a base, with a lizard.

This kit first appeared in 1963, and was later re-issued with Glow-in-the-Dark parts. After Aurora folded, the moulds were acquired by Monogram, and the kit has since been re-released under various brand names.

In 1975 Aurora released another line of kits, called Monsters of the Movies. This included a smaller, 1/12th scale version of the Creature.

This time he is swimming underwater. This model has not been re-issued as often as the larger 1/8th scale version.

Of the two different Aurora kits, the standing figure is the larger, in 1/8th scale, while the swimming figure is the smaller version, in 1/12th scale.

Looking at the two Aurora kits, the larger model is closest to the Penn Plax aquarium version. There seems to be some lee-way in the positioning of the arms, but the Penn Plax version is articulated in the middle, which was not a feature of the Aurora kit.

Four photographs from Worthpoint, showing the Penn Plax and Aurora models.

Don't have nightmares!

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Creature Feature: Recreating the Penn Plax Creature from the Black Lagoon Aquarium Figure

Years ago when I started buying reference books on monster toys I became aware of an iconic Sixties collectable among Creature from the Black Lagoon fans, the Penn Plax aquarium action aerating monster.

Original examples in the fantastic window box are much sought after and here's one on the Hakes auction site.

Here's a clip of it in bubbling action.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mcKS-nRVQdY&feature=shared

So beloved by monster collectors and aquarium buffs, it was re-released in 1999, in a somewhat less interesting bubble box.

With a resurgence of interest in this fishtank gill man, some astute modern toy companies have rejuvenated the Penn Plax classic in their own way.

Here's Mego's, who have largely stuck to the original box design, albeit slimmer.

And ace nostalgia makers Super 7's creature has recreated the Penn Plax big box.

Never ones to shy away from a challenge, Bill and me decided to have a crack at one ourselves! 

First, I was lucky enough to source this loose Penn Plax figure from Hong Kong for £28 including shipping on eBay. It kicked off the project well.

Next up, the box art. Bill came into his own here. We decided to adhere to the Sixties Penn Plax original, a complex window box with internal inserts! 

After researching the box and recreating the design, Bill had created a final and fabulous box art template. 

I then set about on stage three, making up the box. 

Boy! And what a job it was!

Finally, complete with a plastic window, here's the latest MoonBase International effort, our very own Penn Plax Creature from the Moon Lagoon!

Hope you like it.

Creature Feature

A big fan of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, I love this huge wall statue that's out.

I'm tempted to dip my toe in! 

Do you fancy the creature hanging over your door?

MONSTER BASE AT WILDWOOD

Hi Woodsy.

Here are some pics of my semi annual visit to the Boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ, a place I know you have visited yourself and a place we all agree is reminiscent of the eerie amusement pier in The Lost Boys!

These late Summer trips help me to accept Summer's inevitable departure and reflect on where I've been and where I'm going.

Did I buy any toys?

OF COURSE! - 

Brian F 

Monster Base NJ USA

Let's Build A Creature From The Black Lagoon Model Kit

https://youtu.be/7lhYWqOvNNI 

check this video out!! 

Wow!!!

What do you think?

MJ

South Coast Base

THE PEZ FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

Its hard to believe that back in the Sixties this non-descript box housed one of the most exciting Pez ever.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon Pez!

Look at those gills!

I found one these loose in a Leeds second hand shop years ago. I might as well have swum across that Lagoon I was so thrilled!

Would you accept a Pez from a Creature?

Pics courtesy of Hakes auctions USA.

bubbles rose from the black lagoon

The last of Universal's classic monsters,

Brian's Creature walks among us!

countdown to Halloween: monsterama creature

I like this old TV series hosted by the modern Vampirella Elvira.

This episode is about merchandise bubbling up from that go to gill-man, the Creature!

Enjoy!

Have you any creature collectables?

creature feature

On a recent trip to the crafts mega-store The Range I picked up a PEZ.

Brand new and on its card my PEZ was a minty R2D2, a gift for a family member in need of a new droid.

Buying it reminded me of one of my greatest collectables finds ever, the PEZ Creature from the Black Lagoon.

I found it in a dusty cabinet in a vintage shop in Leeds many years ago. It wasn't alone either because a Lincoln Frankenstein was hiding in a drawer too! Needless to say both monsters made their way home to Moonbase!

Diving further into The Range store I surfaced in the Aquarium aisle. I love fish tank decorations and was thrilled to see my old friends Penn Plax still bubbling along with cool modern Action-Air frogmen and skeletons.

Besides frogmen and spaceships, Monster collectors love Penn Plax too. They released a cracker ... almost a Kraken! Their own version of a fish tank Creature from the Black Lagoon called the Action Aerating Monster. A legend among goldfish everywhere this monster is one of all creature collectors' holy grails.

Checking up on the gill man I was pleased to see that the Lagoon hasn't dried up yet:

Veny's re-issued the Penn Plax monster as recently as 2013.

Have you any creatures at home readers?

*

P.S. This is the first new post I've written in a while and posted on the same day. Normally I schedule posts 2 months ahead but its unusual as it's on my new Lenovo laptop. My old trusty Compacq workhorse, known affectionately as The Toaster, which I've had for well over a decade and on which this blog was born nine years ago is sadly giving up the ghost. 

The end of an era.

RE-CREATURED

Dell The Creature

Warren's Eerie #3

Colorforms Colossus Rex

Any more Lizard men like these readers?

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Addendum

More Creature!

I Romanza di Urania, magazine cover, Italy