You didn’t need to be in a movie theatre to follow The Resurrection and Unstoppable Rise of the Modern Horror Movie. You could have witnessed it on toy shelves if you were paying attention.
While horror was never a stranger to the toy aisles, the late nineties into the aughts saw a renaissance as the kids that were raised on The Real Ghostbusters toys started having their own disposable income. Even the stuff of nightmares makes money if it’s marketed right. What started off as one or two pegs in 1996 has grown to full-blown horror sections in stores 30 years later. Let’s take a look back at some of the important points along the way.
McFarlane Toys Movie Maniacs Series 1 (1998)
The line that started it all for modern horror toys, and they did it with a literal murderers’ row: Leatherface, Freddy and Jason. All three of these figures still hold up for what they are: statues with limited articulation.
McFarlane Toys in 1998 was all about the aesthetic and artistry. Todd didn’t want things like articulation getting in the way of a good sculpt, so if it wasn’t going to look good articulated, it wasn’t getting articulated.
The end result was some really great-looking figures of three horror icons. Additionally, there was Eve and Patrick from Species II. Todd has made a lot of figures over the years. Those were two of them.
Clive Barker’s Tortured Souls (2001) and Infernal Parade (2004)
Todd McFarlane is always up for a good collaboration, and when you’re good at making grotesque figures, you surround yourself with people who love making grotesque creations. Enter Clive Barker.
Barker created six characters for Tortured Souls series one and wrote a novelette that was told in full if you collected all six figures. While not directly tied to any previous Barker creations, the characters drew heavily on Hellraiser’s cenobite designs. Tortured Souls went on to receive a second wave, as well as a giant-sized 12-inch line of figures.
The Infernal Parade graced us with a sideshow of freaks, curiosities and the least clothed figure I’m aware of. Mary Slaughter, a pierced, near-naked sword swallower, isn’t something I ever remember seeing on store shelves, but I can’t imagine it was well received by parents. I’m not here to kink shame, but the fact that this was made is absolutely bonkers.
McFarlane’s Monsters (2002)
McFarlane’s Monsters has covered a lot of ground over the years. The first line featured the McFarlane spin on the Universal Monsters. From there, we got notorious figures from history like Jack the Ripper and Billy the Kid. Then we toured the Twisted Land of Oz and read some Twisted Fairytales. With each release, the toys were amped up with the over-the-top character designs. McFarlane’s Monsters culminated with McFarlane’s Twisted Christmas. This answered the question of what would happen if Santa Claus were a Clown from Spawn wearing a gas mask and Wolverine’s claws. Don’t ask. Only Todd understands.
Funko Pop! Movies (2011)
It’s hard to remember a time before Funko Pops. 2011 opened the floodgates, and the world would never be the same. Funko built a universe full of franchises all sharing their now-famous aesthetic. It allowed Jason Voorhees to share a shelf with Dorothy and Toto. Horror was officially safe for work. No cubicle would be off limits from the likes of an HR Approved Beetlejuice or Michael Myers. The first 6 figures in the Movies line of Pops were all horror-themed.
Pops are inexpensive and have been mass-produced on a scale that our environment will surely pay for at some point in the not-too-distant future. Andy Warhol famously said that in the future, everyone will have their own Funko Pop of themselves. Did you forget that it was Bob from Accounting’s birthday? Good thing 7-11 carries exclusive Bob from Accounting Funko Pops right next to the bloody Art the Clown and Squidgame Season 2 Funkos.
