Dinosaur Dracula’s GLOOM BOX is here!
Got another surprise drop for you today! It’s Dinosaur Dracula’s GLOOM BOX, a package stuffed with creepy collectibles from the ‘80s and ‘90s that are sure to make your October feel more like October.
Dino Drac’s GLOOM BOX will run you $31 – one dollar for every day in October – and that INCLUDES SHIPPING to anywhere in the United States. (I can only ship to the U.S. – sorry!)
Included are five frightful items that nobody in their right mind would try to live without. Please note that the GLOOM BOX has nothing to do with my monthly Funpacks. This is a separate thing, and the October Funpack is coming later.
Supplies are limited! Zip to the bottom to order, or keep reading to learn more about what’s inside! Read More…
The Mausoleum of Madness, Part II!
Welcome to Dinosaur Dracula’s MAUSOLEUM OF MADNESS, PART II! Every day through Halloween, check back for another vintage creepy collectible – everything from deep cut toys to ancient store displays to at least one totally insane costume. Probably ten cereal boxes, too.
I won’t be plugging this on social media much, so you’ll have to remember to visit on your own. Maybe stick an orange Post-It on the fridge. (Yes, it must be orange.)
PS, if you missed last year’s Mausoleum of Madness, it’s over here.
#41: Frank ‘n Stuff Coupon! (1984)
It isn’t easy being a collector of Hormel Frank ‘n Stuff memorabilia. Charmed as I am by those monster-themed hot dogs from the ‘80s, there just isn’t much out there!
That’s why I was so tickled to find this old coupon. The actual product shot is smaller than my pinkie nail, but in a dead market, I’ll take whatever I can. You could write “FRANK ‘N STUFF” on a Post-It, and I’d probably buy it.
Filled with chili or cheese, the frankfurters are mostly remembered for being blazingly, dangerously hot. Seems Hormel did not fully consider the idea that the dawgs might act as beefy kilns, spiking the temp of the hidden filling to something approaching lava.
Still, even those left with permanent Frank ‘n Stuff scars concede that they were delicious, and I’ll never not love the concept of Frankenstein-influenced processed meat.
#40: Pepsi/Casper Retail Standee! (1995)
I’m writing this on October 1st, so I thought I’d kick off the month with a big one – literally. One of the largest items in the entire Mausoleum, this gigantic Pepsi retail standee celebrated the brand’s partnership with the 1995 film, Casper.
I was told it stands seven feet tall. I haven’t measured, but unless I’ve shrunk, I’d put it closer to eight feet. It’s less Kevin Nash, more Giant Gonzales. It’s also freakin’ beautiful, with art that deftly blends two of my favorite things – ghosts, and the old Pepsi logo.
Despite spending too much money for this, I’ve actually never seen the film. I probably should, given that I like Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, and have historically had no problems with Casper. Is there any Pepsi product placement in the film? Because that would get me over the hump.
Those following the Purple Stuff Podcast on Patreon might recall this cardboard monstrosity from our September bonus show, where we searched eBay for weird Halloween junk from 1995. Yeah, I was the one who bought this. It was expensive, but I had to. Look at it!
#39: Halloween Wowee Whistle! (1970s)
The Halloween Wowee Whistle was a seasonal smash before any of you were born. Originally made by Glenn Confections, I’ve found evidence that these paraffin wax whistles — essentially Wax Fangs in a more musical shape – were sold as early as the 1940s. (Other sources date them back to the ‘20s!)
While they seemed to pass hands through several companies over the years, the gimmick remained the same. This was a working whistle made from tasty, chewable wax that was sometimes marketed as “bubble gum,” even though you couldn’t blow bubbles with it, and could only chew it in the vein that one might chew the casing on Babybel cheese.
The popularity of Halloween Wowee Whistles rose and dipped many times. The ‘70s was one of their peak eras, but they were still very much a thing in the ‘80s, and even lasted through most of the ‘90s. It’s an interesting Halloween artifact in that people of wildly different ages could all have similar nostalgia for it. Your grandparents, your parents, hell, even you. Read More…