Creature from the Black Lagoon (37/54) - Archie Comics Judgment Day Variant Cover Limited 2nd Edition (2024)

Most folks aren't aware that the Creature from the Black Lagoon made two cover appearances on Archie comics in the early 60s: Jughead #79 and Laugh #130. Ten or so years ago, low grade copies could be found at reasonable prices. These days, when they do turn up, the prices are outrageous. Hence, I don't have either of those in my collection.

I am the proud owner of a recent homage cover variant from a new Archie horror comic, Judgment Day. Unfortunately, I missed out on the 1st edition, which was limited to 50 copies (and an additional 25 'metal' copies that were only available in a two-pack bundle), but I was able to pick up one of the 2nd edition (limited to 75 copies) for the collection.

I would be remiss not to include the original Creature cover for comparison (note the absence of body parts — thanks a lot, Comics Code!):

Here's the back of the homage variant, with a nice foil label with the statement of limitation:

And just for laughs (Laugh?), here's the Creature's 2nd original Archie cover appearance:

Be here next week for yet another oddity from my Creature collection!

Godzilla (36/54) - Super7 Stern Godzilla Pinball Machine Edition Figures (2024)

Stern just released a Godzilla pinball machine celebrating the big G's 70th Anniversary. While that may be too pricey for the majority of us, Super7 has also launched a pair of Pinball Edition figures with new paint schemes and nice, original pinball playfield card art.

I was immediately drawn to the purple-hued Mechagodzilla, and once they got me with that, I decided it wouldn't be right not to complete the pair. 

Check back next week for more from the Godzilla collection!
 

I Am Legend (37/54) - 25-copy Limited Edition lenticular Last Man on Earth Vinyl Single (2024)

Earlier this year, a company mounted a Kickstarter campaign to fund a 3D conversion of The Last Man on Earth. Naturally, I was a backer. 

At the top tier, one of the included rewards was this single-sided, 10" vinyl single of the Last Man on Earth theme. Only 25 copies exist, and one of those now resides in the I Am Legend Archive.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to mention actress Franca Bettoia, who portrayed Ruth in the film. Franca passed away on September 13th at the age of 88.

                    

Franca Bettoia 1936 - 2024

 Be sure to return next week for another item from the I Am Legend Archive!

Creature from the Black Lagoon (36/54) - Jada 6" Creature from the Black Lagoon and Exclusive Glow Variant (2023)

It certainly seems like the past several years have seen an abundance of Creature Action Figures after years of nothing. I'm sure this is in part due to the collectibles market today, but I also have to give credit to Universal's Licensing department.

Jada Toys jumped into the ring in 2024 with a 6" line of Universal Monsters, including Dracula, Frankenstein and his Bride, and the Creature (nudging The Mummy and Wolfman out of the top four spot — oddly enough they did do a Wolfman and Invisble Man, but still no Mummy?).

Jada went out of their way to accessorize the Creature, including an alternate head sculpt, a clutching claw, a fossilized claw, a speargun and a net (they're not the first to include such accessories, though considering they never make human figures to face off with the monsters, I always wonder if Dracula and his crew are supposed to use these tools against the Creature). 

The open mouthed, 'I just caught my girlfriend swimming with some scuba diver' portrait...

...and a more casual portrait.

Of course, in keeping with Creature history, a store-exclusive Glow Variant was not far behind, with the same features and accessories, just molded for a glowing good time.

 Check back next week for another item from my Creature collection!

Godzilla (35/54) - Godzilla Discovers America (1988)

I only recently heard about this book, and was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a copy at a local Flea Market. 

Godzilla Discovers America is an odd storybook with photographs of Godzilla vacationing in America. The book includes a Toho copyright, though it's hard to believe they would have approved a license for the book. 

It does feature two dozen staged photos of Godzilla at a variety of landmarks.  

Some are more clever than others, and there's an odd inclusion of Cokra — a giant cockroach.

Cockroaches aside, I give the authors credit for putting effort into the fabricating of each image. They clearly took thought, not to mention time and effort, to realize. It very easily could have been done in a much more slapdash manner, and it's a more worthy product as a result of the effort that went into it.

It makes for an odd yet interesting take on the big G as he travels from New York to San Francisco before returning to Japan.

Be here next week for another item from my Godzilla collection!

I Am Legend (36/54) - Rob Zombie Presents: The Last Man on Earth Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records (2024)

The Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter soundtrack to the The Last Man on Earth (1964), the first film adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, was first made available as an isolated audio track on the 1999 LaserDisc release of the film. That led to numerous bootleg CDs, which were ultimately made obsolete by the official Monstrous Movie Music CD release of the soundtrack (in a limited edition of 1000 copies) in 2012. It would be another dozen years before the music would debut on vinyl as part of Waxwork Records 'Rob Zombie Presents' line (which includes such classic scores as Ronald Stein's Spider Baby and Gene Moore's Carnival of Souls. 

The two-disc gatefold set features artwork by Graham Humphreys.

A four-page insert features a brief interview with Victoria Price conducted by Rob Zombie, which unfortunately provides little information related to the film. But the mere fact of having an insert is just icing on the cake. 

The real value here is finally having the music by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter on vinyl (albeit in a sickly translucent green with bits of blue in it). 

Check back next week for another item from the I Am Legend Archive!

Creature from the Black Lagoon (35/54) - Hasbro Universal Monsters 12" Signature Series Collectors Figure (1998)

There have been several high-end, sixth-scale 12" figures of The Creature from the Black Lagoon. This isn't one of those. This was a more affordable, mass-market edition from Hasbro. 

Hasbro had released a number of Universal Monsters in their signature series, those were packaged in a standard window box. The Creature is packaged in a clear cylinder with a molded (manually) rotating stand (by way of connecting the lid and base), 

Despite an oddly sculpted groin (which offered greater leg articulation), this is actually a nice-looking figure for the price. 

Be sure to check back next week for another item from my Creature collection!