MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS: Lunar Lynx by Zagone Studios
If I had to chose one of my favorite mask companies of all time it would be Zagone Studios, formerly Be Something Studios. This company has been mentioned many times by me in other blogs and I do not want to sound like a broken record, other than to say that I recommend them highly.
During the 80s, when I would look through the various mask company catalogs that I had, I always gravitated towards the offerings of Be Something Studios more than the rest, wanting more of their masks than any other company. I also find myself now, so many years later, having more nostalgia for this company than any other.
One of my favorites of the time was one called Lunar Lynx, that came in two versions and debuted in 1978. They both looked exactly alike except for version number two had added pink colorations. I had the original version and was always fascinated by the obvious work that went into it.
Most of their masks use fabric fur for hair and it works perfectly fine for these designs. In addition to the black hair, gray highlights were also added. The detailing on the latex part is second to none. This mask was sculpted by Bill Ystrom and the spikes around the eyes must be so difficult to get out of the mold intact. On top of that, the three-dimensional teeth are actually inside the mouth, which opens to your own mouth, providing lots of hidden breathing space.
All of my original Be Something Masks have since deteriorated, not because of lack of quality, but because they were used for thirteen years in a yard haunt I did and were out in all kinds of weather. Though they still offer many of the classics, most of my favorites, like Shrunken Head and Shrunken Skull, haven’t been available for a very long time.
I am thankful though that many of the classics that I love are slowly being released in Collector’s Editions and that is how I got the one in this blog. This mask looks just as good as the catalog picture and just as I remembered it from when I originally had it so many decades ago.
I am so glad that they kept these molds so that people can once again get them, either for nostalgia purposes or just because it’s a very cool mask. This mask is hand-crafted by Anthony Zagone and these masks are designed to last and so many of their designs are so original. When you look through a lot of mask catalogs you will often find masks that you can see were influenced from another, if not blatantly copied. I wonder if all of the undercuts in these masks are why no one has tried to duplicate them?
This mask could be used as either an alien as intended or as a possible new type of cryptid. Figuring out a costume will be easy or if you are like me now, it looks great on my mask shelf. If you would like to order this mask for your own collection, just go to the Zagone Studios company HERE.
To see other entries in my MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS, please go HERE.
~David Albaugh
