eBay Dig #13: A Nightmare on Elm Street!
Time for another eBay dig!
If you’re new to this series, it’s how I avoid spending money I don’t have on things I don’t need.
Down below: Five of the best Nightmare on Elm Street collectibles recently seen on eBay. If you’re an Elm Street fan with a thick wallet, mazel tov. Go buy yourself a scary present.
Sungold Monster “Sharp Hand Joe” Figure!
Sold by: huedezz
Sold for: $90.00
Sungold’s line of Monster action figures was the best. Released in the 1990s, the collection was more commonly found in supermarkets and pharmacies than any “real” toy store.
Several of the figures were only passingly legal. One was clearly inspired by the Toxic Avenger, but the even bigger crime was Sharp Hand Joe, an obvious substitute for Freddy Krueger. (And yes, if you’ve never believed the internet meme, certain packages really did call him Sharp Hand Joe!)
Crafted with dark skin, dungarees and a candy cane sweater, Sharp Hand Joe now ranks among the most desired of all Elm Street collectibles. This one sold for $90, which is actually kind of low for a packaged version.
Course, even better than any of the figures was the amazing package art, which looked like a Creepshow / Double Dragon crossover. If you want a closer look at the card, I wrote about one of these figures back in the X-E days.
1991 ANOES Victim Costume Top!
Sold by: shoofster
Asking Price: $115.00
WOW. In all my many years spent hunting Freddy merch, I’ve seen this baby exactly once. From 1991, it’s the official Nightmare on Elm Street VICTIM COSTUME TOP, complete with packets of fake blood and latex scar tissue. Amazing!
The idea was that you could use the fake blood to soil the shredded shirt however you saw fit. Since dressing like Freddy Krueger for Halloween required a pretty severe level of dedication, this was a fantastically clever way to crush on the franchise without sacrificing all five senses.
The seller lives in Australia, so I can’t rule out the possibility that this costume never quite made it to the States. In any event, it was licensed, and even $115 seems reasonable for what’s gotta be one of the rarest Elm Street collectibles out there.
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment Magazine!
Sold by: stellarstars9
Asking Price: $39.99
The November ‘89 issue of VideoGames & Computer Entertainment famously included this “bootleg” Freddy art on its cover, hinting at a section about the Elm Street Nintendo game.
This was a common practice for many gaming rags, and looking back, it was probably the best part of them, too. Sometimes the unofficial art looked hideous (I’ve mistaken more than one Super Mario for Danny Aiello), but other times — like here — it’s arguably better than any of the real stuff. That is one handsome rendering of Freddy Krueger.
Also, I’m not sure what’s eerier: That the art predicted a key scene in Freddy’s Dead THREE YEARS before the movie premiered, or that it says “Yabba-dabba-do” over Freddy’s crotch. Either way, cue the synth.
Dream Warriors Video Store Standee!
Sold by: 64_dingomarket
Sold for: $171.25
Oof, if only I had money and a spare room. Dream Warriors is my favorite Elm Street flick, and barring the can of mousse that kept Jennifer Rubin’s hair vertical, I can’t think of a better collectible from that movie.
This ancient video store standee is five feet of Freddy, and even the unfortunate glare from 64_dingomarket’s kitchen lights couldn’t hide its majesty.
I’ve long been a sucker for that Dream Warriors artwork. The kids on the cardboard only partly resembled the kids from the film, and I do so love the idea of a parallel universe wherein the Wizard Master traded his green lightning for a spiked mace.
1988 ANOES Trade Ad!
Sold by: audioavenues
Asking Price: $49.95
This ad was only found in trade magazines that were never available to the general public, so while the price is pretty high, it’s not like you could pull this out of some old comic book.
Meant to nudge retailers into stocking up on Freddy merch as part of the big Dream Master push, it’s more evidence of what I call the “gentrification era” of Freddy Krueger. It’s when we started to revere him more as a comedic celebrity than a plain “slasher,” for better or for worse. (Proving my point, one of my closest childhood friends actually had one of those door-length Freddy posters.)
Those shirts on the lower-right are now hideously expensive. Every vintage Elm Street shirt is. I find it unfair that someone in the position to buy a $300 t-shirt likes Freddy Krueger that much. I feel like he’s meant for people who can’t afford nicer things. Get out of my dreams, affluent horror geeks. I bet you’re in great shape, too.
Thanks for reading. If you wanna see my 12 previous eBay digs, click here.
