Don Post Studios will always be known as one of the all-time best Halloween mask companies. In my opinion, their heyday was the 1970s and 1980s, with so many fun designs and great quality. Though they closed in 2012, thanks to Trick or Treat Studios, we can now own some of the fun designs in new versions, lovingly recreated by some of today’s best artists.
At the time that the best Don Post masks were being released I was too young to have a job so couldn’t afford them and by the time I could, many designs were no longer available. Thanks to Trick or Treat Studios, I now can add them to my collection which is very exciting.
The first one is called Erik the Phantom. Sculpted by Justin Mabry, this mask recreates the original and with only subtle differences, it is a great retro piece to have for mask collectors. The above picture is the one used on Trick or Treat Studios’ website. The picture below is the one in my collections, showing how a production copy compares to the master used for catalogs and websites.
The original Erik was sculpted by Bill Malone in the 1970s after Don Post Studios lost the licensing to their Universal Monsters mask line. This is Malone’s interpretation of a new type of Phantom of the Opera. There is just so much to love about this mask. The sculpt is beautiful and the paint job is very reminiscent of the original mask. The hair work also reminds me of how Don Post Studios did things back in the day.
The thickness of the latex is decent, guaranteeing that you will have this mask for years to come. Trick or Treat Studios has also recreated the style of the original Don Post Studios tags put on all of their masks. Trick or Treat Studios has done great things over the years and adding a tribute to Don Post Studios in one line I will be keeping and eye on!
If you’d like to order your own copy, please click HERE! Make sure to check out my other entries in my MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS series.