Cryptozoology Action Figures
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on March 22nd, 2006
Bigfoot and Mothman and Nessie, oh my! Do you have any? Huh, huh, do ya? What’s in your collection?
There have been some pretty cool cryptozoology action figures over the years.
The Mezco Cryptozoology series were anticipated for quite some time before being eventually released. Supposedly, they were delayed due to negotiations over the licensing of a videogame that was to feature their likeness. I don’t know if the videogame was ever released or not. The figures, when finally released, were much smaller than they were originally touted to be. The figures were released in 2003 and are now out of production.
I have the Bigfoot figure. But the Jersey Devil…
and the Mothman were both pretty lame, in my opinion, and I never purchased those two.
The Loch Ness Monster figure was never released, as far as I know.
The Accoutrements Bigfoot action figure is pretty cool. It has footprint stamps and a stamp pad so you can create your own Bigfoot tracks. It is available through their retail outlet, Archie McPhee.
The coolest Cryptozoology action figures that "never were", were to come from Nevermore Creations. Maybe that was a premonition of things to come, or not, as the case turned out to be.
The line was called the "Legendary Monsters".
Click image for full-size image
The concept artwork was cool.
Series 1 consisted of MoMo, the Missouri Monster.
The Chupacabra, sorry Loren.
The Jersey Devil.
And the Mothman.
These figures were to be released Fall of 2001, but were beset with delay after delay and eventually were scrapped. I received several of the catalogs for the figures from the president of the company, R. Todd Broadwater, but shortly after that their website went down, his email address was no good and the phone was disconnected. I know that Loren was talking to him as well, and may be able to shed additional light here.
I know at one point, there was talk of a tie-in with the Mothman figure and the Sony Pictures film "The Mothman Prophecies".
Series 2 of the figures was to include the Dover Demon, the Yeti, the Flatwoods Monster and the Loveland Frogmen.
The prototypes were sculpted by toy and model sculptor Bill Mancuso. Photos of his sculpts can be seen on his website.
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Update
Cryptomundo reader MMTHPOOLGHOSTCAMPR’s comment reminds me that I own both the Shadowbox Collectible Bigfoot and Yeti. You will have to pardon my forgetfulness. All of my Bigfoot action figures are presently out on loan to the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio for the Bigfoot in Texas? exhibit.
Shadowbox Myths & Legends Bigfoot (1996)
Shadowbox Myths & Legends Yeti (1997)
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
I have the Bigfoot figure from Mezco, which comes with its own footprint, and it’s pretty awesome. It’s sitting on top of my computer tower, hands upraised in a scary pose. It’s the only one I have.
2-3 yrs ago I stumbled onto a “Yeti” figurine in a factory outlet store. It came in a box with a snow drift background along with a scroll filled with info on the “Yeti” including Eric Shipton’s famous “Yeti” photograph.It is made by Shadowbox Collectibles & is dated 1996 & stands 8″.
I think you can view it at skeptiseum.org. I bought mine for 99 cents plus tax. I put a Santa hat on it at Xmas & a present on his hand.
During the summer of 2001, I saw (at the studio in Hollywood) the prototype Mothman figure by R. Todd Broadwater. But the makers of the Mothman movie deep-sixed any involvement because they decided soon thereafter to take another direction, and did not want any “concrete” representation of the Mothman to be associated with the motion picture.
In October 2001, I was being filmed for the companion documentary, with John Keel, in New York, and the figurine was supposed to be flown in from LA, to be there, for us to hold and discuss. Instead, the message came from corporate headquarters, “no” figurines, nothing from Nevermore was to be in Search for The Mothman (found on the DVD Deluxe version of The Mothman Prophecies). You will see in the background of my interview on that doc a sizable black owl statue with red eyes that Mark A. Hall bought in WV and gave me. That’s the only “prop” in that doc, and it was purposedly used subtly behind me. But nope, no Mothman figurines were ever endorsed for the movie or for use in any of the publicity.
Nevermore Creations, I believe, collapsed under the weight of no tie-in, due to all of their development expenses, without any broadbased production and distribution – or endorsement.
Hi Craig! I believe the mezco loch ness monster figure was released-I think I saw it on the rack at a lone star comics(when I bought my bigfoot figure). I like the many cryptozoological action figures here in the USA, but you might want to look at some of the Japanese goodies out there. Several companies produce them, and they usually come with some candy! (Some of those I showed to you last Sunday, when you and your wife came to visit)They tend to have a more traditional look or are based on famous crypto photos. Hey-I know of a really cool bigfoot model made right here in Texas! Later, Yarri
Sad, I’d love to have that Nevermore Jersey Devil. I actually went looking for the Mezco Devil (He’s interesting enough), but could only ever find Bigfoot or Mothman. There was a Japanese series of miniatures that featured a Jersey Devil based on the picture accompanying the account of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Evans of Gloucester City, NJ on January 19, 1909 (My favourite), and I happen to have that one. Would love to have seen an artist’s take on the Loveland Frogmen too. Shame Nevermore is nevermore.
Were do u get this sweet shizzle!?
I don’t really like the Nessie one, looks too much like an eel.
Never seen one of those before.
I am a Chupacabra freak, and the one on the website looks much better.
Hey, when did these things release? Because, I never saw any of these.
Go Chupacabra!
The Jersey Devil is really cool. I want one D:
I think I found that “Todd Broadwater” dude on Facebook. I sent him a message; waiting to hear back. But I would LOVE to have one of those MoMo the Monster action figures (I’m from Missouri, natch). Does anyone know of any OTHER MoMo the Missouri Monster action figures that were ever produced?
Thanks,
kopper
St. Louis, MoMo
I would swear I saw the Nessie figure in a Toys ‘R’ Us years ago, but maybe it was just the picture on the back of another figure. I remember thinking “Since when is Nessie a narwhal?” (OK, it doesn’t look THAT much like a narwhal. But it also doesn’t look anything like a plesiosaurus, which I think would be closer to the traditional interpretation.)
But what I really want is that Loren Coleman action figure who is doing battle with the Jersey Devil!
I got the Mezco Bigfoot (2 of them) and a Mothman, did have a chance at the Jersey Devil but the lady that had it was a satanist and wouldn’t part with it.
The Mothman is definitely somewhat of a disappointment, looking nothing like what a bulk of the descriptions state, the same was said of the Loch Ness Monster and may have been why they didn’t go ahead with it.