Sideshow Collectibles Universal Monsters Series 1: Toy Review
Chamber of Chills Toy Review #3
So today we’re taking a look at one of my favorite toy lines ever made — Sideshow Collectibles’ Universal Monsters Series 1.
While the McFarlane Movie Maniacs I talked about earlier were some of the first horror figures I ever picked up, these Sideshow ones were the first real monster figures that hooked me. I still remember seeing them for the first time at Toys “R” Us. They were around fifteen bucks each, which felt like a fortune at the time. But I scrounged up enough cash from somewhere and walked out with all three. I knew right away they’d look perfect next to my stack of Universal Monsters VHS tapes.
A lot of collectors talk about buyer’s remorse after spending too much on collectibles. Not me — not with these. These were worth every penny. Let’s break them down.
Frankenstein’s Monster (1931)
We’ll start with the big guy himself, Frankenstein’s Monster from the 1931 classic. Whoever Sideshow hired to sculpt this thing absolutely crushed it. The face is a dead-on match for Boris Karloff’s look — all the small details are there. Karloff famously removed a bridge in his mouth to make his cheeks sink in, and you can actually see that in the sculpt. That’s dedication.
The accessories are simple: a torch, some chains, and shackles. Nothing fancy, but it fits the character. Each figure also comes with a cool display base that lists the movie title, actor, and year of release.
Sideshow would later add three more Frankenstein-related figures in the line — Karloff in Son of Frankenstein, Elsa Lanchester’s Bride of Frankenstein, and Bela Lugosi’s Igor. But this first one is still the standout.
Frankenstein’s Monster gets 4.5 out of 5 tombstones.
The Mummy (1932)
Next up, we’ve got Boris Karloff again — this time as The Mummy from 1932. Normally, I’d say maybe mix it up with a Dracula figure instead, since Lugosi’s way more iconic. But man, this figure is so good that I don’t even care.
It’s probably the most detailed sculpt of the bunch. The bandages actually have a realistic texture, and the paint job gives it that ancient, dusty look. The accessories are fantastic — you get a broken tablet, the Scroll of Life, and the box to store it in. The scroll is made from real paper and fits perfectly in his hand. Like the others, it comes with the standard display base listing all the details.
Honestly, it’s one of the best representations of The Mummy ever made.
The Mummy gets 5 out of 5 tombstones.
The Wolf Man (1941)
Last up is The Wolf Man from 1941, played by Lon Chaney Jr. Now, this one’s tough because Wolf Man is my favorite Universal Monster — but this figure is my least favorite of the set. Not because it’s bad, but because the other two are just that good.
The sculpt itself is great, full of small details that capture Jack Pierce’s classic makeup perfectly. It comes with a bear trap and the silver-headed cane, both of which fit the character nicely. The base matches the others, with the movie info and all that.
My only real gripe is the pose. The figure stands in that tiptoe stance Lon Chaney used in the movie. It’s screen accurate, but it makes the figure lean over time. I actually owned two of these, and both eventually broke off the peg stand because of it. It’s a cool idea that just doesn’t work well for displaying long term.
The Wolf Man gets 3 out of 5 tombstones.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Sideshow’s Universal Monsters Series 1 is a killer set and was my gateway into monster collectibles. These aren’t meant to be played with — they’re display pieces, and they look amazing on a shelf. The sculpt work, paint, and presentation all hold up decades later.
Even with The Wolf Man’s stance issue, I’d still recommend this line to any classic horror fan or figure collector.
Final Score: 4 out of 5 tombstones.
Frankenstein and The Mummy are nearly perfect. The Wolf Man might not get taken down by silver, but he does get taken down by a bad pose design.