When Trick or Treat Studios started releasing a line of masks based on the animated Scooby Doo series, I felt very nostalgic. This was one of my favorite cartoons growing up and it only made sense. Most of the creepy crawlies that were investigated were actually villains in masks. What else would lend itself so much to a mask series?
The Frankenstein mask, sculpted by Justin Mabry, is based on the mask worn by Big Bob Oakley in the episode “A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts.” My initial concerns with this series was taking a 2-D cartoon image and making it 3-D. After seeing it in person, any reservations quickly disappeared.
I have been collecting latex masks since the 1980s and for a period there, what you actually received greatly differed from the images either in a company’s catalog or website. This made buying sight unseen difficult as you were always taking a risk. Thankfully, Trick or Treat Studios is often very accurate in what they advertise and what you actually receive. All photos in this review are of the actual one that I have.
Amazing Sculpture
First off let me talk about the sculpture. Justin Mabry did an incredible job, adding nice skin texture, a detail that would never appear in a cartoon. By taking this to the next level, it creates realism that could be looked at two ways. First off, it creates a mask that may actually have been used by a villain in the cartoon. It’s creepy and believable enough to give it the impression that it would have actually worked in “A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts.” Second, even if you are not a fan of Scooby Doo, this mask is still worthy of being in any collection because of the look and quality.
Simple But Effective Paint Job
The paint work is simplistic but works. The green skin with the yellow-green eyes brings out the creepy appearance of this character. By having black around the eyes and in the mouth it sets off the perfect contrast. In the right lighting, this mask could be downright scary. The hairwork is amazing too. Fabric hair can be hit or miss depending on the character and how it is done but it works so well here.
Lastly I want to talk about the latex. The copy I have is pretty thick, which I like. This is a heavy mask which you don’t always seen in mass-produced Halloween masks. I cannot say enough good things about this mask and it has inspired me to get a few more in this series.
Make sure to check out my other entries in my MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS series.