The Mausoleum of Madness!
Welcome to Dino Drac’s Mausoleum of Madness! Here you’ll find daily drops of creepy collectibles from my personal collection, all never previously seen on the site. Everything from eerie ephemera to terrifying toys. There are some major gems waiting to be featured here! Updated daily through Halloween!
#10: Wendy’s Play-Doh Fingles! (1989)
Wendy’s is making a play to be the star of the 2024 Halloween season, but this isn’t the first time they’ve danced with the devil. Back in 1989, they gave out these super cool Play-Doh “Fingles” sets!
This was a collection of plastic molds that let you create creepy Play-Doh finger puppets. Each set came with one mold and a can of glow-in-the-dark Play-Doh. (I know it was non-toxic, but as the former east coast champ of Play-Doh eating, I gotta wonder if the glowing version was less safe than the regular stuff.)
There were six molds in all, including a cat, pumpkin, ghost, bat, witch, and then one only referred to as “monster,” who kinda looked like a bloated vampire. He was special to me.
Kenner was desperately trying to make this Play-Doh “Fingles” concept work at retail, so they really invested in these samples. The winners were, of course, kids who preferred square beef patties over Chicken McNuggets.
#9: Monster Catch Game! (1988)
Easily one of my weirdest finds, here’s a spooky spin on the classic magnetic fishing game that we’ve all played a million times. The setup and mechanics are the same, but in this edition, the fish are all UNDEAD ZOMBIES, which swim in a literal POOL OF BLOOD that’s called – get this – “EVIL DEMONS LAKE.”
I’m not making that up. A sticker on the base literally says it. EVIL DEMONS LAKE!
Loving the contrast between the happy-go-lucky boy, and that ominous line of text near his head. “CATCH MONSTERS FROM THE GRAVE!”
Where did this thing come from?! I guess whoever made it saw how flooded the “magnetic fishing game” market was, and reasoned that the only way to stand out was by adding gore and necromancy.
#8: McD’s Treat Certificates Sign! (1998)
This double-sided die-cut sign once hung from the ceiling at McDonald’s, to promote that year’s books of Halloween Treat Certificates.
I still say that those certificates were some of the best things a trick-or-treater could get. They diversified our loot, and they guaranteed us future trips to McDonald’s. In a sense, Halloween wouldn’t really end until we cashed those suckers in.
In the certificates’ earliest days, a small soda was the common freebie. When I was a kid, it was more typically sundaes, pies or McDonaldland Cookies. This version, from 1998, upped the ante with complimentary fries.
PS: If you don’t remember the green guy, that’s Iam Hungry, one of McDonald’s less-successful mascots. He was basically their version of that furry thing from Honeycomb Cereal. Read More…
Purple Stuff: Werewolves & Wolf Creatures!
The Purple Stuff Podcast is howlin’ into the Halloween season with a jumbo-sized episode that’s many (full) moons in the making. Prepare yourselves for eight great WEREWOLVES and WOLF CREATURES from all walks of pop culture!
Now, this being us, it’s definitely not a list of the most well-known werewolves. If you wanna see The Wolf Man, turn on Turner Classic Movies. If you wanna hear about John Saxon wearing fake back hair and eating mice, listen to The Purple Stuff Podcast.
Me and Jay from Sludge Central have put together quite a hairy haul for this episode, which covers everything from movies to toys to completely forgotten episodes of long-ended syndicated TV shows. You’ll love it!
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
…which you can also find on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.
As a reminder, The Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can grab exclusive bonus shows every month. We’re doing all-spooky shows over there, all season long!
Stop reading here if you’d rather be surprised, but if not, here’s a list of links that’ll help you learn more about our assorted wolf picks!
1. Superboy “Werewolf” Episode!
2. Coors Light Beerwolf!
3. Tales from the Crypt: Werewolf Concerto!
4. My Mom’s a Werewolf!
5. Dr Pepper’s Little Red Riding Hood TV Spot!
6. Tyco’s Gorzak!
7. Hornby’s WereBears!
8. Tales from the Darkside: Family Reunion!
Thanks so much for listening, and for sharing the show around! We’ve got some killer stuff in store for you on the podcast this season. Stay tuned!
Oh, and PS: I know this is around when I usually start Halloweening on Dino Drac. I just need a few more days to catch my bearings after a truly trying month. Hang tight… the fun stuff is coming!
Dino Drac’s Eerie August Funpack is here!
Dino Drac’s Eerie August Funpack is here, and as is tradition, it kicks off three straight months of ALL-SPOOKY Funpacks! These are always the most popular boxes I put together, and I’m very happy with what’s in store!
Please note that subscriptions are currently closed. If you want one of these beastly beauts, zip to the bottom of the page to see if I have any spares left to sell. They’re $25 each, including shipping. I have very few left, and these typically go quick, so apologies in advance to anyone who misses out. I wish I had more!
The Eerie August Funpack is all about the fine arts – music, painting, and Spooky Nerds Ropes. Keep reading to learn about everything in this month’s box! Read More…
Purple Stuff: Blockbuster Video in 1994!
The bold blues, the stench of popcorn, and the telltale hum of fluorescent lighting. Are you ready to take a trip back to you-know-where?
In the latest Purple Stuff Podcast, we’re using our time-bending powers to visit Blockbuster Video in 1994!
No, really, that’s what this episode is about. Join me and Jay from Sludge Central as we ride our bikes to VHS heaven, argue over what to rent, do some people-watching, and relive the entire experience of the Blockbuster Video chain from its mid ‘90s heyday.
While people like us obviously preferred the mom-and-pop video stores from earlier in our youth – and often criticize Blockbuster for doing them so dirty – the chain was still a huge part of our collective childhood, and we spent many, many, many nights stomping around its thin carpets, looking for our weekend entertainment. It was fun as hell to do it again!
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
…which is also on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.
As a reminder, the Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can grab exclusive bonus shows each and every month. We’re entering the spooky season now, so if Halloween is your thing, there’s no better time to join. (And yes, when you do, you get immediate access to our back catalog of over sixty bonus episodes!)
We hope y’all dig our virtual trip to Blockbuster Video in 1994. Thanks so much for listening, and for sharing the show around! If you have any specific memories of the chain – even if they’re just about the giant gumball machines – feel free to share ‘em in the comments section.