Monsterwax Spookshow Trading Cards Series 2

 Trading card company Monsterwax is back again with a sequel to their fantastic Spookshow trading card series from 2012. You can see my review of those here.

As before, they took to Kickstarter to make this series happen and I was thrilled to be part of it. And just like last time, I wouldn't be content with just the base set of cards so I ponied up for the Delux Master Set!

So what did I get for front row seats?

League Post - Hake's Auction 212

The League of Extraordinary Bloggers has teamed up again with Hake's Americana & Collectibles for this week's assignment. These fictional shopping sprees are always one of my favorite topics. There are always so many interesting pop culture items to pick and choose from. Even without these assignments, I can spend way too much time just looking at everything and dreaming I have a house big enough for all these treasures!

It also doesn't hurt that Hake's will pick a random blogger to win a $100 credit with them!

 

Set of four Monster Cereal Rings

Expected: $200 - $400

The first thing I selected was a set of four Monster Cereal rings. The other two were Boo Berry and Fruit Brute. I had a Boo Berry one as a kid so getting a set of them would be pretty neat. The character images are actually lids that open to reveal a small compartment that you can put something very small in. Hake's says their last set sold at $275 and it looks like this auction is already gone from the time I put my list together!

Mysterymen of America Prototype Ring

Current: $138 Expected: $100 - $400

Yes, it's those Mystery Men from the movie, which was based on comic characters. I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise but I love the retro pulp look of the ring. As you can see, it was made in 1992.

The Shadow Secret Society "Magic" Glow in the Dark Member's Button

Current: $300 Expected: $400 - $700

Sticking with the pulp theme, I picked out this Shadow button from 1939. It'd be pretty cool as just a regular button but it even glows in the dark!

 

Spookshow Window Card Trio

Current: $100 Expected: $200 - $400
I am completely fascinated with the whole spookshow thing. Nothing today comes close to the sensationalism used to advertise these midnight monster movie shows. They often had live entertainment like a magician or psychic to warm up the crowd. Sometimes the movie monsters would "jump off the screen" and roam the theater!

Shogun Warriors Boxed Figures
Current: $220 Expected: $200 - $400
I had a few of these as a kid and the bigger 24" ones too. Even though these guys are only around 5" they're mostly die-cast. These bots are heavy, man! Plus, most of them came out before they passed that "no more rocket firing toys" thing so they have real firing weapons! They were featured in the syndicated Force Five cartoon I used to watch after school. There were 5 shows, a different one airing each weekday.

Star Wars Micro Collection: Bespin Freeze Chamber Boba Fett 4-up Unpainted Hardcopy Prototype
Current: $1000 (no bids!) Expected: $2000 - $5000
Saved the best for last! For those that aren't up on their action figure production, a 4-up is an initial design prototype that is four times the size of the normal figure so they can get all the detail on it. But considering that this is from the Micro Collection series, which were mini-playsets, the prototype itself is only 5.5" tall. I've always wanted to have some kind of Kenner prototype in my collection and I'm one of those Boba Fett fanboys, so this would be an amazing piece.

Here's what other League members have their eyes on
Nerd Life of Mine likes sci-fi and superheroes
Megos, movie posters and comics at The Toy Box
Toyriffic goes batty!

Head over to Cool and Collected to see all the participating blogs.

League Post - Return to Hake's

For this week's League of Extraordinary Bloggers assignment, we're going shopping again! 

Go on a fictional shopping spree at Hake’s current auction #209 to make your collection a little more amazing. 

Surprisingly, I didn't find a lot to get excited about this time around. Sure, I wouldn't say no to any of the vintage Star Wars toys, especially that Early Bird Kit with the double-telescoping Luke figure (it's not as dirty as it sounds, really!), but those would be more for displaying in their sealed glory than anything else.

 If I'm adding to the collection, it has to be something special. 

Countdown to Halloween Day 27 - League Post: Tradition

 

The assignment from the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is brief and to the point this week

  

This is Halloween! This is Halloween! What are your Halloween traditions?

Halloween around the Dex household usually starts ramping up at the end of September. Even though Halloween may be on the shelves since August (which I dislike) it's right around my birthday when I start getting in the October mood. Getting a Halloween themed cake, and sometimes gifts, doesn't hurt.

The first weekend of October is when the decorating starts. Outside, we have a variety of Peanuts/Snoopy flags and signs in the yard. And one very large black cat, who is always a hit in the neighborhood, especially with the kids.

Then it's on to the inside. A few years ago I found these great vintage-style masks at WalGreen's for a buck each. Unlike the vintage ones, these are made of foam instead of rigid plastic. I haven't seen them carry these since I found them which is a shame. I was hoping they'd do different designs every year. These get hung on the doorway from the living room to the kitchen. I taped strips of black fabric behind the eye holes to make them a little creepier.

One of my other favorite decorations is this Jim Shore vampire statue.
He stands about a foot tall and has some nice scenic detail inside his cape.

I had a lot of fun experimenting when taking photos of him.

And then there's this little guy, who is about 6" tall.

One of the things I look forward to the most in October is the Feast of Flesh. It's a really crazy night of live music, horror burlesque, zombie costume contest and a classic horror movie. Words just can't do it justice!

And of course, I love going to Salem in October when tourist mode is set to max. On the weekends there is a street bazaar and as it gets closer to Halloween, more people are walking around in costume, day or night. There's plenty to do all month long! Here's a few pics from my travels so far, you can see more on Flickr along with my pics from 2011.
I plan on visiting tonight so I'll probably have even more pics in the next few days!

The person on the left is preaching the Good Word while the witch is mocking him.
Gotta love Salem!

Of course throughout the month, I'm also shopping for cool new Halloween stuff and watching as many horror movies as I can.

And then it's Halloween! We will usually stay at home until about 6:30 for Trick or Treaters. My stepdad dresses as Freddy and terrorizes the neighborhood during this time. Then we head into Salem and walk around for a few hours. A good portion of the downtown area is closed to vehicle traffic because there are so many people in town. My stepdad usually stays on Liberty St, which is a high foot traffic area and people take pics with him all night. I prefer to walk around and spook people. My biggest problem with my costume is that I can't take photos of other people in costume. There are a lot of great ones!

So that about sums up my October. What are other Leaguers up to?
That Figures recommends some good movies
Talk Star Wars to Me has a funny step by step for DIY costuming
Branded in the 80s has some great stuff going on

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that have their porch lights on by clicking below. 

They're waiting for you! 

Monsterwax Spookshow Cards & Giveaway

I don't remember how I first heard about the Spook Show poster trading cards from Monsterwax but I do remember ordering them as soon as I found out about them.

Spook Shows are something that have fascinated me for many years. The closest I got was a showing of Monsters Crash the Pajama Party where they had "monsters" come out of the screen, run around the theater and grab a girl out of the audience and run off with her. They also handed out Faint Checks and had a lovely girl dressed as a nurse (a classy 50s style nurse, not a Halloween slutty nurse) "just in case."

If you're not familiar with what a Spook Show is, here's the copy from the Monsterwax site:

Ghosts! Monsters! And macabre magic! They were all part of the traveling Spook Shows.

During the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, daring magicians opened movie theaters at midnight with the express purpose of "scaring the yell" out of their audience. For a $1 or less, thrill seekers witnessed black magic, gruesome illusions, and the "black out"-- when glowing spirits flew overhead and the crowds ducked in terror. Then the horror flick would begin... assuming the entire audience hadn't already fled the theater in panic!

If you were among the millions who experienced this incredible fright of fancy (and especially if you didn't), then you won't want to miss the sheer horror of Spook Show-- a new series from Monsterwax.

Box bottom.
Only 500 boxes made, each is numbered in the bottom right corner.

Read on to win some Spookshow cards...if you dare!