The 1993 Toys “R” Us Halloween Treat Box!
It’s October of 1993. Mom drives you to Toys “R” Us to find a Halloween costume. Too old for Lamb Chop and too bashful for Aladdin, you settle on a cheap hockey mask and a pair of gnarly werewolf gloves.
But here’s the best part: After Mom pays the bill, the cashier hands you a special Halloween sample box stuffed with free snacks!
If you haven’t read my prior articles on the subject, Toys “R” Us used to give out “R” Treat sample boxes. This happened at least ten times during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, with themes ranging from Batman Returns to Jurassic Park to summer-lovin’ giraffes.
The boxes were free with any purchase, and I was obsessed with them. The only thing better than leaving Toys “R” Us with a new action figure was leaving Toys “R” Us with a new action figure and a CARDBOARD BOX FULL OF JUNK FOOD.
But jeez, a Halloween version? That was over the top in a pinch-me sort of way. Let’s take a closer look at the contents: Read More…
Classic Creepy Commercials, Volume 19!
The return of Dino Drac’s Halloween Countdown means I get to dust off one of my favorite recurring features: Classic Creepy Commercials!
If you weren’t around for the eighteen previous installments, this is where I gush about old spooky TV commercials. I’ve spent the last six months gathering as many as I could, and I’m happy to report that you can expect at least two more editions during the 2018 Countdown!
Spooky Skeleton’s Joke Hotline! (1990)
I’ve covered a lot of old hotline ads, but this may be the best of them. Dial the number to hear an undead skeleton tell goofy monster jokes! The skeleton even offers samples of his routine, with gems like:
Q: What’s a vampire’s favorite sport?
A: Casketball!
I get that maintaining hotlines was one of the bigger get-rich-quick schemes of the ‘80s and ’90s, but I’m still amazed that anyone would roll the dice on a squeaky-voiced skeleton. Remember, this guy was competing against the likes of everyone from He-Man to the Ninja Turtles.
I don’t suspect that this was a particularly popular hotline, but holy shit was it wonderful. The idea that you were literally calling a skeleton is something I wish Kid Matt would’ve appreciated more.
Also gotta believe that some kids would’ve been terrified of this guy, even despite the Hanna-Barbera voice. Dude can tell all the jokes he wants, but he’s still a skeleton with floating bloodshot eyeballs. (Thank God.) Read More…
The Creepiest GoBot of them all!
Here’s an inordinate amount of words about a GoBots figure. I have my reasons!
Meet Creepy, one of the evil Renegades. As far as insectoid robot monsters go, he’s aces. Ghoulish purple claws, toxic green paint, and a name that would make me love him even without those things.
What makes Creepy so special — aside from the claws, paint and name — is that he was only available through a special mail-away offer back in 1985. The promotion even had its own dedicated commercial: Read More…
Pumpkin Spice Frosted Flakes Review!
Behold, my first big find of the 2018 Halloween season!
Pumpkin Spice Frosted Flakes are in stores now, and guys, they are good. Maybe even grrrreat.
I’ve never been the biggest pumpkin spice guy, but I like it when it works, and this stuff works. I figured it would, given that pretty much all of the internet reactions have been so positive.
Here’s my video taste test:
As tasty as the cereal is, it isn’t even the one I was most looking forward to this season. (Reese’s Bats, yo.) As I talk about in the vid, this is a huuuuge year for Halloween cereal in general, with a mix of old favorites and new contenders battling for shelf space. I’m so into it!
Thanks for watching the vid! Read More…