Universal Monsters but EXTREME!

[Werewolf]

If the 90s taught us one thing, it's anything can be made EXTREME. Extreme sports, extreme chips, extreme sodas, extreme Jell-O, sure why the hell not. Universal Monsters were no exception to the extremification.

That brings us to this short lived and fairly obscure line, Monster Force by Playmates. Based on the equally obscure and short lived Monster Force animated series.

The heroic monsters feature sexy cool Frank with his neon yellow t-shirt and cyberpunk jacket with upturned collar and the heavy metal Wolfman with his metallic purple pants and Ghostbuster zapper thing.

mforce1.JPG

[Werewolf]

The evil monsters

Dracula with his shiny metallic black pants, giant bug and extreme neon orange rat and hulked up Creature with new extreme spikes.

mforce2.JPG

Like most extreme 90s toys they are extremely valueless to this very day.

In all seriousness, these are pretty nice quality toys. Lots of paint and shading for the time and the stands are pretty cool. Monster Force was released in 1994 and lasted one wave. There are an additional three human figures in the line and an unproduced second series that would have included the Mummy and Shelly Frank.

[PNGwynne]

I like the werewolf, otherwise yecch.

[Werewolf]

I like the werewolf, otherwise yecch.

Ha! Yeah. I actually bought two of Dracula. I customized one by trimming off those icky looking whiskers. Couldn't stand them. Looks way better without.

[PNGwynne]

I recall seeing these at TRU and liking the diorama bases, though.

[Megotastrophe]

The title gave me a 1993 flashback. Something something, but EXTREME! It was never good.

[thunderbolt]

No Pouches??

[Werewolf]

No Pouches??

Not to worry. Monster Force has that covered. The human figures are loaded with pouches, ammo straps and buckles.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I came acros a carded figure from this line recently, and before that had totally forgotten it existed. I remember seeing the figures on the pegs and photos in Tomart's and Lee's magazines of the time. They were too far removed from the classic versions to make me want to buy them, but they are a nice curiosity in the history of Univesal Monster figures, for sure.

[tatsunokofan]

The title gave me a 1993 flashback. Something something, but EXTREME! It was never good.

G.I. Joe Extreme. Extreme Ghostbusters. Yeah, "Extreme" was more a warning label than anything else.

James

[Atomikhammer]

Playmates DOES know how to make a toy don;t they.

[KingKickass1983]

G.I. Joe Extreme. Extreme Ghostbusters. Yeah, "Extreme" was more a warning label than anything else.

James

The GI Joe Extreme show was pretty good. The toys were lacking though... in articulation mostly.

[palitoy]

This Monster Hunters line was a real "blink, and you'll miss it" thing. I was collecting modern stuff then, and I always loved monsters. I maybe saw the line once at retail, and it was the humans at a KB. I was hopping the border every two weeks at this point. Years later, I picked up the DVD of the show and put it on for my kids as I made dinner. They came running up after ten minutes and said, "Dad, this is so boring!".

[danadoll]

I kind of liked this toy line and I have to admit to being guilty of somewhat liking the cartoon too...LOL! It was a goofy 90s thing, but I do love my Universal Monsters, so this cartoon and toy line had me intrigued. I collected the whole set and even customized the Mummy and Shelly Frank figures (based on the prototype photos).

Dana