AHI World Famous Super Monsters

In the mid-1970's, AHI (aka Azrak-Hamway International) produced a small line of action figures devoted to the classic movie monsters Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolfman, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. These are considered some of the best 'pre-modern' action figures devoted to these characters.

Similar to Mego's popular superhero figures of the time, AHI's line, called Official World Famous Super Monsters, were 8" in height and sported similar body and head configurations. This was no accident, as AHI was one of a handful of toy manufacturers who were attempting to leech off some of Mego's spectacular success in this area of the toy market.

The Frankenstein, Mummy, Wolfman, and Creature figures were licensed from Universal Studios; that company owned the Creature outright, and held copyright over the specific designs of the other three monsters (though not the characters themselves, since they are in the public domain). Thus the AHI figures resemble the 'classic' movie versions of these characters, more or less. The Dracula figure, however, was unlicensed, and thus does not resemble any specific screen incarnation of the King of Vampires.

The line existed between 1973 and 1976, and in this time there were several modifications of both the figures themselves, and their retail packaging. The backs of the hanging-card packaging, curiously enough, resembles the artwork for Aurora's Glow In The Dark series of monster models, although they are not outright copies. The fronts of the cards are very similar in design to Mego's hanging card packaging, which, again, is no mistake.

Mint, packaged versions of the AHI monster figures can command high prices today, particularly the Creature, which is in particularly high demand.

AHI would go on to produce a number of other monster-themed toys and items during this period.