Weirdness at the Dollar store

[scarymonkey]

The other day I was killing some time at a dollar store in a local mall when I saw something very odd. In the toy section, there was a bag of plastic dinosaurs with what could only be a Rust Monster! Unless there was a dinosaur with antennae and that wierd forked tail, it was an exact replica of a rust monster from 1st edition.

How did something like this happen? Did some guy at this Chinese toy company mistakenly think that the monster manual was an encylopedia of dinosaurs? Or was it an inside joke?

Anyway, this isn't the first time I've seen a weird toy like this. I distinctly recall having a little plactic toy that was an exact model of the Bulette. This was in the mid 70's (yes, I am an old grognard). Either someone made a toy to look like the D&D monster or Gygax created the monster based on this toy.

Has anyone else seen weird toys like this?

 

[Mark]

Welcome, scarymonkey!

(...from one old grognard to another...)


Can you post a pic of this find?

 

[Moleculo]

i remember haveing that exact toy when i was small. maybe it was a sign?

 

[Alcamtar]

The rust monster, bulette, and other were originally cheap plastic toys back in the 1970s, probably purchased from a dollar store. Gygax and friends looked at them and said, "cool, we need stats for these guys".

You have apparently found the toy that inspired the monster.

Let's hope that someone bought the original molds and these guys are back in production! I'm gonna check out my local dollar stores...

 

[Stone Angel]

Welcome to the boards! Yeah lately I have seen a couple of weird toys. This summer I went to a guitar show at the State Fair grounds and they had some flea markets so I decided to browse. In one been they had some old toys, he man, gi-joes, and some no name action figures, low and behold there was a small tree like figure with tentacles that could pass for the new editions Roper or an older editions "Sheep in wolves clothing" I think thats what it was called. Weird

 

[Fast Learner]

The rust monster, bulette, and other were originally cheap plastic toys back in the 1970s, probably purchased from a dollar store.

No, they were probably purchased at a dime store, as we called them then.

(Or even a five and dime.)

And yeah, plastic toy first and D&D monster second.

 

[scarymonkey]

Can you post a pic of this find?

No, I wish I would have bought it now. If I see it again, I will.

 

[scarymonkey]

The rust monster, bulette, and other were originally cheap plastic toys back in the 1970s, probably purchased from a dollar store. Gygax and friends looked at them and said, "cool, we need stats for these guys".

Thanks for the info!

Ahh, those were the days. Buying plastic monsters for a dime. The local toystore carried stacks of Avalon Hill wargames and this new game called Dungeons and Dragons.

 

[Vargo]

I remember something about this.

I'm pretty certain it was somewhere during the early 2nd edition days that somebody started releasing D&D action figures - I remember a fighter and I do remember the rust monster - but I don't remember much else about it...

Ring a bell to anybody?

Hmm - might have been near the last release of the Basic D&D ruleset. Damn, I'm getting so old, I can't keep this stuff straight anymore.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I have the rust monster, still use it as a mini for large creatures.