Welcome to Dino Drac’s third annual MAUSOLEUM OF MADNESS! From now though October 31st, I’ll be posting teensy tributes to vintage valuables from Halloween’s petrifying past!

Check back every day for new updates, and get set for an eerie onslaught of everything from decorations to old advertisements to weird toys and beyond, all with a spooky slant! (You can also check out the prior Mausoleums here and here.)

#20: Ceramic Haunted House! (1980s)

You have to be careful with vintage Halloween ceramics. In a bubble, so many of them are wonderful, and best of all, affordable! It’s hardly a hot market compared to other sorts of creepy collectibles, so you might be inclined to buy a whole bunch without giving the matter much thought.

A mistake, as I’ve learned! The thing about Halloween ceramics is that they only rarely look good together, and often enough, will actively detract from one another, with their different scales and vibes.

You can mitigate that with proper spacing, but I still think it’s worth being extra choosy with these. Those cheap price tags are bewitching, but you’ll be happier if you stick with the ceramics that are inarguable knockouts. (Less Grab That Dough, more Indy picking a cup.)

I contend that this illuminated haunted house, made by House of Lloyd in the mid ‘80s, is one such knockout. It’s on the pricier side for a ceramic piece (around $30 seems to be the average), but it really is beautiful. Around nine inches tall, with great colors and details, and somehow simultaneously evocative of an abandoned church and a gift shop on Main Street USA.

Doesn’t it make you wanna drink strange tea while sitting on a stone couch?

#19: Oreo Halloween Treats! (1994)

This is a sealed package of Oreo Halloween Treats from over thirty years ago. Not really something you can plan on finding, but find them I did, and now I am all-powerful.

Back then, Halloween Oreos – the ones with the orange creme – weren’t sold in Nabisco’s traditionally-sized bags. If you wanted them, these little two-packs were the only way.

I think giving packs of toxic orange Oreos to trick-or-treaters pretty much guaranteed that your house wouldn’t get toilet-papered, right? It was like the mafia’s old protection racket, only instead of bricks and broken windows, here we dealt with eggs and shaving cream.

One thing I noticed off the bat: Compared to today’s Oreos, these have WAY more filling. Like, to the extent where I just had to run into the other room and make sure they were two-packs, not four-packs.

Nabisco sold Halloween Oreos this way for several years in the ‘90s. One Halloween, when I was a high school freshman, I had nothing to do and nowhere to go. Too old for trick-or-treating, and too Charlie Brownish for a party invite. I was sad, and probably listening to Nirvana.

We had these Oreo Halloween Treats in the house, and I survived the night by watching spooky stuff on my bedroom television, while absolutely gorging on these extra-thick cookies. Eventually, I got so full and felt so disgusting that I wouldn’t have wanted to go out, even if I had someplace to be. In a sick, twisted way, Oreos saved that Halloween!

#18: Kmart Halloween Bag! (1990s)

In truth, Kmart’s reign as Halloween royalty ended long before the chain did. Every year before its demise, its Halloween sections grew smaller and smaller – two aisles one year, one aisle the next, and barely an endcap by the final stretch.

It was a sad decline for what had once been THE place for Halloween junk. Especially in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, it’s not hyperbole to say that Halloween wouldn’t have been Halloween without Kmart. The largest stock of costumes, candies and decorations, spread across multiple aisles in what effectively became a store-within-a-store.

In a sense, the season didn’t really begin until that big family trip to Kmart. In one fell swoop – and with one full shopping cart – you’d gather enough materials to fuel your home, diet and entire life with pure distilled Halloween. The Christmas switch came from attics and tree lots. With Halloween, you needed beige tile and a Blue Light Special.

In closing, were I ever charged to remake American Beauty, I’d replace the original plastic bag with this plastic bag.

#17: Revco Halloween Ad! (1989)

The Revco pharmacy chain was a titan in its heyday, but collapsed in the late ‘90s after, I don’t know, massively overstocking honey-flavored Luden’s or something.

Before that, it spent its Halloween seasons the way all self-respecting pharmacies did – by giving equal weight to lifesaving medication and fake cotton spiderwebs.

This Sunday newspaper circular is from October of 1989. Halloween was on a Tuesday that year, which I’d actually rate as the worst day of the week for Halloween to fall on.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday are obviously positive days. A Monday Halloween sucks, but since it bookends a weekend, you can just pretend Sunday is Halloween and Monday is the afterglow. Thursday isn’t ideal, but with only Friday left to survive, you can afford to be tired and grouchy and erratically glucosed.

That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday, which are both objectively terrible options. It’s tough to say which is worse, but I’m sticking with Tuesday. A Tuesday Halloween means you still have three full days of responsibilities, and by the following weekend, all traces of the season will be replaced by cornucopias and poinsettias.

Yeah, Tuesday is the worst.

You know what’s not the worst, though? That ALF costume on the cover!

#16: Rennoc’s Electric Vampire! (1989)

This is Rennoc’s 18-inch electric VAMPIRE – often just called “Dracula” by collectors, whether that’s canonical or not. He carries a light-up skull, moves his head and arms around, and wears pants that would put him right at home in a mid-’80s pro-wrestling locker room.

Rennoc was a more budget-friendly competitor to Telco. They did animated figures for all sorts of holidays, including Halloween. Most of their figures were battery-operated, used cheaper parts, and were not built to survive the decades. This ghoul was a clear exception!

Durable, dapper and plug-powered, I’m happy to report that even after 35 years, Dracula’s movement is quiet and fluid. That’s a rarity with Rennocs, which have often either lost their motion entirely, or struggle to move at half-speed while making noises like a 1980s copy machine.

Ready to buy one? Good, because they’re cheap! 30-40 bucks oughta do it. I consider this one of the best “starter figures” for anyone who wants a few of these old animated monsters without breaking the bank. He’s affordable, he won’t take up too much space, and his eyebrows look like cirrus clouds.

The trick is making sure you’re buying the right Dracula. See, Rennoc released like fifteen different animated vampire figures, and they all kinda look the same. If you’re careless, you’ll end up with a barely-functional battery-operated version.

Here’s how to know for sure: On this specific version of the Rennoc animated vampire figure, the black base is shaped like a rounded rectangle. If the base is circular, keep moving!

Wanna see him in action? Check out this video I posted earlier today!

#15: Halloween Class Photos! (1980s)

Here’s a wonderful pair of class photos from the ‘80s, where gaggles of kids proudly modeled their Halloween costumes.

Is this still a thing, even in elementary school? I’ve only ever been a father to cats, so I wouldn’t know, but when I was a kid, Halloween was huge at school. We’d march in a nonsensical parade to an audience of maybe ten parents, and end the day with a pizza party where every student was allowed exactly half of one slice.

Most of the children in these photos went with the classic mask-and-smock costumes, which were all the rage at the time. Look close and you’ll spot Mr. T, Stripe from Gremlins, a couple of Smurfs, TWO Strawberry Shortcakes, and of course, He-Man.

Halloween isn’t a school holiday, but at least back then, well, I’ll put it like this: Remember those “no show” and “no work” jobs from The Sopranos? Halloween was a “no work” job. We had to show up to school, yes, but good luck to the poor teachers who wanted us to think about math or phonics that day. Wasn’t happening!

We were there for pizza, cupcakes, the dumb parade, and a chance to wear uncomfortable, suffocating masks. I wonder if they helped shield us from the asbestos?

#14: Halloween Gliders! (1990s)

This is a complete set of “Halloween Gliders,” which I’m assuming are from the 1990s, given the garish colors. They’re spooky versions of the cheap foam gliders you’ve played with a hundred times. Put it together, toss that weird plastic cap on the nose, and your plane was ready to soar, crash, and immediately disintegrate.

These old foamies didn’t work nearly as well as the OG balsa wood gliders, but they were still good for a solid 40 seconds of bliss before you moved onto more pressing matters, like a Full House rerun or whatever the fuck.

As far as favorites go, I can easily eliminate the Bat and the Witch. It gets tougher from there. The sleek black Pumpkin with its “Halloween Express” paint job is certainly something, but would I pick it over the Ghost, who uses his wings to communicate a hilariously elongated scream? I just don’t know!

I understand that these gliders were exclusively sold out of wicker baskets at garden centers that temporarily became low-rent pumpkin patches during October. It wasn’t even worth looking for them until you smelled Miracle-Gro.

#13: Halloween Devil Dogs! (1990s)

They’ve started fanning out west, but historically, Drake’s has been a northeastern thing. If you’re unfamiliar, they’re a competitor to Hostess, with their own line of goofily-titled snack cakes.

While I’ve always preferred Hostess, I grew up in what was decidedly a Drake’s house. If my parents had guests over for coffee, a spread of Drake’s treats – from “Ring Dings” to “Yankee Doodles” – was sure to follow.

As such, I’m wildly familiar with Drake’s Devil Dogs, which are still sold today, and consist of two soft chocolate cakes sandwiched around a creme center. The cakes are dry and have a weird aftertaste, but junk food is junk food, and they went down easy enough.

For several years in the late ‘90s, Drake’s did special Halloween releases, where their normally white creme was horribly disfigured by a squirt of orange dye. That’s the spirit! Devil Dogs weren’t the only desserts to get this treatment, but they did boast the most dramatic results.

They tasted the same, but between the orange creme and the spooky wrappers, Devil Dogs suddenly became THE thing to eat while watching that Roseanne episode where Darlene had a rubber demon popping out of her stomach.

#12: Quaker Halloween Oatmeal! (1992)

Is this the best-looking oatmeal box Quaker ever released? It might be. At worst, it’s tied for first with Kids’ Choice Oatmeal, which came out a year later, and had a similar multi-flavor concept. Whoever led Quaker’s art department during the early ‘90s deserves a very late bonus.

Quaker’s “Halloween Variety Pack” included four flavors: Scary Strawberry, Spooky S’mores, Maple & Brown Sugar, and Apples & Cinnamon. Only the last two had any arguable tie to autumn, but you barely notice that when they’re all being presented by adorable cartoon ghosts.

When you see us old geeks reminiscing about the way Halloween food packaging used to be, this is exactly the vibe we’re talking about. We want boxes and bags that look like gaudy entry signs to middle school dances. We want midnight blues, arched text and generic mascots. People like me look at this box and see God.

Side note: I’m not much of an oatmeal guy in general, and there are many common flavors – like peach – that I won’t touch at all. Quaker has done countless variety packs over the years, but this might be the only time where every flavor appeals to me. Thank you, random ghosts. You backed the right horses.

#11: Die-cut Garfield Decos! (1990s)

I was stunned to find this quartet of vintage die-cut decorations, which I’d never seen before. And it’s not like I’m some Johnny Come Lately when it comes to searching the internet for Garfield Halloween junk. If *I* never encountered them, they must be extraordinarily rare.

Given that they’re small, thin and one-sided, they don’t seem like things that would’ve been sold at retail by the piece. My running theory is that they were part of a multi-decoration party kit, packed with a banner, some black and orange balloons, and maybe a honeycomb centerpiece that turned Garfield’s head into a pumpkin.

Whatever the case, they look great. I’ve been trying to pick a favorite, but it’s really a tie between Dracula Garfield and Devil Garfield. Like, I think the outfit and vibe on Dracula Garfield are objectively better… but Devil Garfield is using a pitchfork to roast marshmallows. That’s a +7 coolness multiplier, easy.

You might have a different favorite entirely. I mean, I posted this photo on Facebook a few days ago, and someone was so charmed by Mummy Garfield that he politely requested a clearer photo to bring to his tattoo artist. (Not kidding!)

Okay guys, I have TWO count ‘em TWO surprise merch drops for ya today. (Well, “merch” doesn’t feel like the right word for what I do, but whatever, let’s roll with it.)

This is your limited-time chance to grab either Dino Drac’s GLOOM BAG or Dino Drac’s FRIGHTENING FLAT, or if you’re feeling extra spendy, feel free to buy both!

The GLOOM BAGS are toy-focused sacks of spooky collectibles from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and are $50 shipped.

The FRIGHTENING FLATS include a few high-value slices of eerie ephemera from the 1990s, and are $40 shipped.

Details on each are below. If you decide to order, ensure you’re clicking the button for the correct item you want! (Unless you want both, in which case, I guess just click everything?)

Let’s start with Dino Drac’s 2026 GLOOM BAG – a terrifyingly toy-focused collection of vintage monsters and mayhem. Cost is $50, including shipping. United States only!

Each GLOOM BAG inclues…

1) Two extremely rare packs of “Los Guerreros de la Basura” Basu-Razos (pogs) from the 1990s. From Spain, these are actually – get ready for it – TRASH BAG BUNCH pogs!

2) Super awesome McDonald’s Jack-o’-Lantern Ring, from the very early ‘80s. These unpleasant pumpkins were given away at the restaurants as a reward for children who chose clowns over kings.

3) Filmation Ghostbusters “Prime Evil” figure, from Yolanda in the 1980s. These were sold in Spain, and were never available in the States! The most-sought figure from the entire set!

4) Tube of Topps’s “Freddy’s Bubble Gum,” from 1989! Yes, this really happened! Keep in mind that the stickers on these can be a bit beat up, particularly on the caps. but the gum is still inside! Just DON’T EAT IT! It’s over 35 years old!

5) Random Super Monstruos figure, from Comansi in the early ‘90s. Another hit from Spain, this was a sprawling collection of specters with all sorts of weird characters. You’ll get one, picked at random! (Characters range from Phantom of the Opera to Mr. Hyde to Frankenstein to Cyclops and beyond – this collection had a lot of figures!)

6) Ultra-cute mini-sized Devil Bendy Figure, from Russ in the early ‘90s. These red rascals look pretty friendly, all things considered, but I still don’t know if you should trust them.

7) Absolutely ancient “Kong” Vending Machine Charm, probably from the early ‘80s, but possibly from the ‘70s. These largish plastic gorilla heads have a looped string attached, in case you wanted to decorate your rearview mirror with an old ape.

…and all of the above will be neatly packed into a reusable fabric pumpkin sack, AND I’ll even slide ya a mini-pack of Nerds Gummy Clusters!

Again, the price is $50, and given what it’d cost to buy all of this stuff separately, I’d say that’s a sweet deal! United States only. To purchase a GLOOM BAG, click the button below! Limited supply!

Thanks! Now let’s move onto the 2026 Frightening Flats!

Dino Drac’s FRIGHTENING FLATS are large, sturdy envelopes stuffed with just a few things, but they are really, REALLY good things! The cost on these is $40 shipped, and each one includes:

1) An official Pepsi / Frito-Lay MONSTER BASH sales brochure, never available to the general public, from 1992! This four-page (well, three and a back cover) brochure was part of a larger sales kit sent to stores to drum up interest in the famous Monster Bash campaign, where Pepsi, Doritos and Ruffles joined forces with the Universal Monsters! (“Vat… no dip?”)

The brochure features beautiful, framable artwork of Party Monster Frankenstein on the cover, some info on the promotion, and then a few glorious mockups of actual Monster Bash store displays – the “cardboard haunts” that littered grocery stores back in the early ‘90s.

Do keep in mind that the complete sales kits probably would have included additional loose pages stuffed inside. Here you’re getting the absolute best part of it. Rare as hell!!

2) A genuine 1994 Spooky World brochure, celebrating “America’s horror theme park!”

Even if you never visited Spooky World, you’ve probably heard of it. In the ‘90s, they were one of the country’s main haunts, and attracted big names like Tom Savini and Kane Hodder. In fact, they even released a whole VHS tape to show off their petrifying prowess!

These brochures include several full-color photos of their haunts and attractions, and they will zap you with nostalgia even if you’ve never heard of the place before today. Each comes with an original Spooky World coupon sheet, which was packed with the brochures way back when.

3) A sealed pack of Kool-Aid’s famous GHOUL-AID drink mix, from 1996! Its debut year! Needless to say, thirty-year-old Kool-Aid is NOT FOR CONSUMPTION, and you should consider this for collectible use only!

Ghoul-Aid is one of the totem items of my entire internet history, and I’m thrilled to be sharing these packets with you! You can make a strong argument that it’s the single best-looking packet in Kool-Aid history, with its gnarly fonts and that vampiric Kool-Aid Man. What a treasure!

There will probably be some bonus art floating around your envelope, too! Again, the cost is $40 shipped. United States only. Limited supply! To purchase one of Dino Drac’s FRIGHTENING FLATS, click the button below!

Thanks, all! Whether you pick the GLOOM BAG, the FRIGHTENING FLAT, or both, everything will ship this week!

I tend to ship fast, so please ensure that you’ve included the correct shipping address when you order! Enjoy the ghoulish goodies, everyone!

On the eve of September, we’re ready to drop a highly Halloween-appropriate episode of the Purple Stuff Podcast. As for the subject matter, well, picture the Oscars, staged from HELL!

It’s the Horror Hall of Fame II! This syndicated television special from 1991 was a sequel to the original Horror Hall of Fame, which we covered years ago. The second edition was just as stuffed with celebrities, corny cheese, fog machines, and a particular reverence for a genre that wasn’t getting a whole lot of respect from outside its bubble.

While we couldn’t tackle everything that happened on the two-hour broadcast, this latest episode definitely hits the highlights – like Richard Moll giving a posthumous award to Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price namedropping Child’s Play 2 like it was no big thing.

Live from Universal Studios Hollywood! Hosted by Robert Englund and the Crypt Keeper! Tons of canned crowd noise! This baby has it all.

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

…which is also available on Apple, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

…but wait, there’s more!

Our pal Lincoln rescued this obscure television special from the depths of a dusty VHS tape, and he was generous enough to let us share the whole thing on YouTube! That video features the entire two-hour broadcast, with the original TV commercials and all! (We talk about some of those on the podcast, too. Hard not to, when the TV spot for the Nightmare VCR game ran 37 thousand times!)

As a reminder, the Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where we drop an exclusive bonus show every month. Join now and you’ll hear the exciting tale about us playing glow-in-the-dark Ghostbusters frisbee. (And get immediate access to our back catalog of nearly 100 bonus episodes!)

Thanks, all! The Halloween season is here! Let’s make the most of the next two months, because we’ll sure miss ‘em when they’re over!

Oh yes, it’s that time of year again! As is tradition, Dino Drac’s Eerie August Funpack kicks off three full months of ALL-SPOOKY boxes, each filled to the brim with ghoulish goodies that will make your Halloween season awesome.

Subscriptions are currently maxed out, but I have just a few August Funpacks left to sell on an individual basis. Skip to the bottom to grab one, and I’d suggest being quick about it, because the Halloween boxes are the most popular ones I do, and they always sell out fast!

As usual, the cost is $25, and that somehow includes shipping, even though the USPS now charges 400 thousand dollars to mail a letter. How do I do it? Magic, dark magic.

I’m very happy with how the 2026 Eerie August Funpack turned out, and I think you will be, too. It’s scary, it’s surprising, and it has a little bag of bat-shaped pretzels. Let’s see what’s in the box…

Leading the charge for August is this beautiful beast! From Super7 in 2019, you’ll each get a case-fresh, still-packaged Masters of the Universe GRIZZLOR ReAction figure!

In the 3.75” scale that us ‘80s kids grew up loving, you might be wondering why a He-Man action figure is in a Halloween Funpack. Uh, look at him. Dude’s a freakin’ werewolf! With demonic yellow eyes and a big bat on his chest! I don’t just “think” he fits – I know he does!

These figures are in impossibly clean packaging, and they are absolute untouched deadstock. (And what gorgeous packaging it is! Like a page from some demented storybook.)

Considering their original retail price, plus what many sellers now charge on the collectors’ market, I can confidently state that $25 shipped for a box including Grizzlor *and* a bunch of other stuff is one hell of a Halloween deal!

Next up, you’ll each receive ONE of these two fabulously frightening Scratch ‘n Sniff Retro Stinky Stickers packs, from Trend Enterprises. Evocative of the same stickers Trend released in the ‘80s, these are fresh packs with pronounced scents! (You’ll smell ‘em even before you find ‘em in the box!)

Firmly Halloween-themed, you’ll either get a pack of Bewitching witches with a licorice scent, or a pack of Swooper bats with a mysterious “cave” scent. Each pack contains two sheets, so you’ll get a total of 24 odorous decorations for your Trapper Keeper.

Every Dino Drac Funpack includes a 5×7” cardstock mini-poster, but to kick off the spooky season in a big way, this month you’re getting THREE mini-posters!

All neatly tucked into a super vintage Halloween treat bag, from Hallmark!

The triple dose of eerie art includes a Telco Devil Motionette, the “Spiders” arcade game from the ‘80s, and an ancient Halloween ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. Whether you frame them or just use magnets to stick ‘em to the fridge, they are sure to make your home feel 30% more haunted.

This month’s main snack is only Halloweeny if you squint, but hey, one of my favorite things about this season is how so many things become part of it when you squint.

On that note, you’ll each get a ghoulish grape Joray Fruit Roll, in a rich purple color that will remind you of stormy nights, or maybe Mortal Kombat II. While schematically similar to Fruit Roll-Ups, these are SO MUCH BETTER, and absolutely worth the expense.

I’ve included different flavors in long-ago Funpacks, and they’ve always gotten rave reviews. I know you’re gonna love these!

Oh, and I’ll also throw in a teensy bag of Halloween pretzels, because the season just isn’t complete until you eat little salty crunchy things shaped like bats.

And hey, how about some frightening filler? Inside each Eerie August Funpack will be an unused “Vampire Nuggets” box from Burger King’s Halloween offerings last year, a pack of Shrek 2 album stickers from Panini in 2004, and a very vintage “Muslin Crow” – basically a little black crow doll meant to be used as the start-point in a crafts project.

Note: I have a few variations of those crows in the mix. Smaller ones with their original Walmart tags from the late ‘90s. Larger ones with no tags, but from the same time period. Just assume you’re getting some kind of fabric crow, and don’t sweat the details.

Rounding things out, you’ll also get this month’s Funpack Newsletter, 2×2” sticker, AND an exclusive essay that will never be reprinted on the site.

This month’s extra-wordy essay names five vintage Halloween decorations that will absolutely change your life. (If you’ve been following me on social media these past few months, you know that vintage Halloween junk has become my life’s biggest plot point.)

So yep, you’ll get everything above, carefully packed into a box strong enough to withstand a run-in with a monster truck, shipped to your door for $25 shipped!

Subscribers: You are all set! All subscriber boxes were shipped between Friday and Monday, and are already on the way!

If you’re not a subscriber but still want this box, I have a *very* limited number to offer on an individual basis. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever! Click the button below to grab one, while supplies last!

New orders will ship within 24 hours. Thanks, everyone! We still have September and October’s all-spooky Funpacks to go, and maybe another surprise or two. Keep your eyes peeled!

They’re baaaack! Dinosaur Dracula’s ENVELOPES OF EVIL have returned! This is my eighth time putting together these macabre mailers, full of creepy collectibles that no self-respecting ghoul should be without.

The price is $40, and that includes shipping to anywhere in the United States, in a sturdy, large envelope that is so unbendable, even Giles Corey would be impressed. Included are several higher-end haunted knickknacks that would surely cost quite a bit more if purchased separately!

For the record, this NOT the Funpack, but just something extra I do during the Halloween season. The August Funpack launches later this month, but brother, that one is practically sold out already. If eerie ephemera from Castle (Dinosaur) Dracula is what you seek, this might be the best way to get it!

These are obviously in limited supply, and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. Zip to the bottom to order one, or keep reading to learn about everything trapped inside the eighth Envelope of Evil!

You’ll each receive this fairly enormous vintage pack of Three Dimensional Halloween Stickers, likely from the late ‘80s, but certainly no later than the early ‘90s. These come from an era when Halloween stickers were as essential to a good season as jack-o’-lanterns or fun-size Snickers.

Each beautiful package includes a dozen strange stickers, which run the gamut from classically Halloweeny (a pumpkin-headed scarecrow) to fetchingly bizarre (a devil-horned ghost opting to cook itself in a fiery cauldron).

Do note that I have a few different sheets in the mix. They’re all in this same oversized packaging, but the exact twelve stickers may vary. As for the stickers themselves, some packs are traditionally puffy, others more prismatic. You’ll love ‘em!

Okay, now this is special. You’ll also get a sealed pack of Pepsi’s “Party Monster” collector’s cards, from 1992! (If you want an idea on how special these are, just know that the before-shipping eBay price on these is $10 and up!)

In the midst of their mega-successful Universal Monsters Halloween promotions of the early ‘90s – typically tied to Doritos as well – Pepsi decided to produce a gorgeous set of collector’s cards that put Dracula, Frankenstein and the gang in the same “party animal” getups made famous by the 12-pack Pepsi boxes.

I’m not entirely sure how these packs were distributed, other than that it wasn’t a retail thing. I’m guessing you had to be in the right store at the right time, and buy the right amount of Pepsi. In any event, they’re easily some of the nicest trading cards I’ve ever seen – glossy, colorful, and with truly incredible art.

You’ll get a sealed pack with your Envelope of Evil, and since the entire set of six cards is in every pack, that’s all you’ll ever need!

Next up is something that technically isn’t Halloweeny at all… unless you count the cover, which is so damn ghoulish, I feel completely justified about including it.

You’ll each get a never-read, uncirculated copy of – and bear with me here, it’s a long title – The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #16: Book of the Dead Edition! Whew. This comic book was released in 1987, which is about the only thing it has in common with Moonstruck.

I loved this series of comics as a kid, and still do. Actually, they’re less “comics” and more like encyclopedias about comic book characters. Page after page of character histories, covering people you know and people you’ve definitely never heard of. This was a loooong series from Marvel, but this issue specifically dealt with characters who were – at least as of the 1987 publishing date – dead as doornails.

The cover is just to die for, and that scene extends to the back cover, too. The copies I’m including may have minor wear, but they are totally uncirculated old store stock, and have never been read by anyone! (You’ll be able to tell by the smell. Woof! These pages have clearly not seen fresh oxygen in forty years.)

Each issue will be bagged and boarded, for extra protection!

And then we have this! You’ll get a sealed pack of Kool-Aid’s famous GHOUL-AID drink mix, from 1996! Its debut year! Needless to say, thirty-year-old Kool-Aid is NOT FOR CONSUMPTION, and you should consider this for collectible use only!

Ghoul-Aid is one of the totem items of my entire internet history, and I’m thrilled to be sharing these case-fresh packets with you guys! You can make a strong argument that it’s the single best-looking packet in Kool-Aid history, with its gnarly fonts and that vampiric Kool-Aid Man. What a treasure!

And, for the record, the contents of these packets are still nice and loose, not all gross and “chunky.” (Not that it matters, because again, you should not drink this! Just admire it from afar!)

I had some of these leftover from a recent Funpack, so if you missed ‘em the first time, here they are for the *last* time! These are nine-inch cardstock reproductions of a classic Doritos/Pepsi Dracula store standee from the 1990s, which revealed the Count’s true diet of soda and chips.

That standee costs a fortune nowadays, so you can consider these little (but not TOO little) die-cut repro postcards the next best thing. They really do look fabulous – bright colors, perfectly cut, and printed on THICK cardstock that’ll keep them from bending if you lean them upright!

And finally we have some frightening filler! You’ll each get two packs of Toxic Crusaders album stickers, from Panini in 1991. These were meant for official Panini sticker albums, but I think a marble notebook cover will work in a pinch.

Oh, and since a Halloween offering wouldn’t work without candy, I’ll also throw in a fresh White Mystery Airhead, because nothing pairs better with monster cards and old comic books than the sweet, sweet flavor of, uh, white mystery.

So yep, you’ll get everything shown here, carefully bagged and boarded and trapped in a rigid mailer, sent directly to your door for $40 shipped!

United States only, please!

Once these are gone, they’re gone forever! There will be no restocks!

If interested, click the button below to purchase the Envelope of Evil. They will ship out within 48 hours of your purchase!

Thanks so much, all!

With this post comes two very good pieces of news. One, the Purple Stuff Podcast is now back on schedule, with its official “July” show actually dropping in July. (July 31st, but July all the same!)

More importantly, as of today, we’ve now entered the podcast’s HALLOWEEN SEASON. Get set for several months of spooky shows and macabre mayhem, starting with this:

Hear me out, because this’ll take a minute to explain. People’s Drug was a Mid-Atlantic pharmacy chain that neither Jay nor I had any exposure to, but I got my hands on some old October newspaper circulars of theirs, and like many pharmacies in the ‘80s and ‘90s, that place was HALLOWEEN CENTRAL.

On the latest episode of The Purple Stuff Podcast, we’re diving deep into the 1990 People’s Drug Halloween circular, which was absolutely loaded with nostalgia bombs. Everything from costumes to horror movies to that old ghost-shaped Snickers candy bucket. If you’re anywhere near our age, trust me, this will HIT.

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

…which you can also find on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

But wait, there’s more! We’ve also scanned all of the Halloween-related pages from that circular, so you can ogle them along with us! Just you try to look at those colorful pages and not feel something. It isn’t possible!

This episode might not have an obvious hook for Pavlovian engagement, but we’re really proud of it, and if you’re into Halloween memories that aren’t at all surface level, I think you’re gonna dig it. It’ll make the summer feel like autumn, I promise ya!

…but wait AGAIN, because there’s STILL more!

For those of you who subscribe to the Purple Stuff Podcast over on Patreon, we’ve ALSO just dropped this month’s bonus show, where we’re looking at ANOTHER old People’s Drug Halloween circular!

On the bonus show, we’re tackling the *1989* version of their Halloween circular, which has a whole different assortment of haunted bric-a-brac. Between the main and bonus shows, you’ve got over two full hours of petrifying Purple Stuff!

Thanks, everyone! Enjoy the show(s), and get set for three straight months of Halloween hijinks. For maximum impact, light a pumpkin candle and find your rattiest blanket before listening. Thunderstorms optional, but encouraged.

Dino Drac’s July Funpack is here, and actually, if you’re a subscriber, it’s already on its way to you! Many have already been delivered! (Better to ship early and post late than the other way around!)

Subscriptions are currently maxed out, but I have just a few extras that I can offer on an individual basis. The Funpacks are $25, and that (somehow) includes shipping to anywhere in the United States. Zip to the bottom if interested, and cross your fingers that I have any left!

This summery box is the last one before the Funpacks embark on their annual three-month all-spooky sojourn. The Halloween boxes ARE COMING, but for now, let’s enjoy these last rays of plastic sunshine. Here’s what’s inside:

As cool as this obviously is at first glance, trust me, it’s twice as special as you think! You’ll each receive a vintage McDonald’s Mayor McCheese Fast Macs car, from 1984!

Now, an important history lesson. The Fast Macs – pull-back cars featuring McDonaldland characters – were famously given a national release in 1985. Those are the versions most people remember. But they were also regionally test-marketed in 1984, with a different style of packaging.

This is one of the cars from that earlier regional release, and also the BEST one. See, three of the four cars from the ‘84 release – Ronald, the Hamburglar and Officer Big Mac – were repeated in 1985. But our hero Mayor McCheese was replaced by Birdie in ‘85. That means his Fast Mac was only available in 1984, and far fewer kids ever had one!

Because of that, Mayor McCheese is the rarest of the Fast Macs, and it’s not uncommon for eBayers to list one of these cars for more than you’re paying for this entire Funpack!

Your toy will arrive still sealed on its original card, pulled straight from an ancient factory case. The bubbles have yellowed with age, and the cards may have light storage wear, but overall, as far as Mayor McCheese Fast Macs go, these are as good as they get!

Since most of you will likely try to resist opening up that valuable Fast Macs car, I thought I’d give you a toy you could feel better about actually playing with.

You’ll each receive one of these 2.5” Super Mario mini-figures, released by Jakks in 2022. They may be on the smaller side compared to traditional action figures, but Mario really knows how to *work* this scale. Adorable figures!

I have three different styles, and you’ll get one at random. In the mix are Super Mario, Fire Mario, and Ice Mario. (I’m old enough to have no idea where Ice Mario comes from, but I love his revered color scheme all the same.)

These figures are bright, shiny, and capable of delivering immense joy to all who hold them. Prepare yourselves for marvelous Mario-fueled vibes.

For this month’s snacks, you’re getting a one-two punch. First is a four-pack of Dubble Bubble Cotton Candy Gumballs, which really DO taste (and smell) like cotton candy, for a Proustian hit of summer vacation nostalgia.

You’ll also receive a generously-sized pack of Blue Diamond’s “Mike’s Hot Honey” Almonds, which are delicious. I don’t know how or why “hot honey” became such a fad flavor, but you can’t disagree with the results. These are legitimately GOOD.

Oh, and for funsies, let’s throw in a vintage pack of ProSet MusiCards, from 1991! Featuring the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Vanilla Ice and Janet Jackson, it’s a set full of pop star rookie cards sure to delight and amaze.

NOTE: While all official subscribers will receive this pack, I’ve since run low, so if you buy one of the extras, just note that you might get a different vintage trading card pack, unrelated to anything that would’ve been on MTV.

Rounding things out, you’ll also get this month’s exclusive 5×7” cardstock mini-poster, featuring a scan of my ultra-rare box of Keebler’s Mini Middles, which were basically tiny-sized Magic Middles. Joining it is this month’s 2×2” sticker, starring an old Ninja Turtle popsicle.

Then there’s the July 2026 Funpack Newsletter, plus an exclusive essay that will never be reprinted on the site. (This month’s essay is about my old family vacations to Wildwood, New Jersey, and how I desperately tried to kill time before our evening visits to the boardwalk.)

So yep, you’ll get everything shown above for just $25 shipped, packed carefully in a super-sturdy box!

If you’re already a subscriber, you’re all set! Your Funpack is already on its way!

If you’re NOT a subscriber but still want this box, I have a few left to sell on an individual basis. Click the button below to grab one, while you can! Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

Thanks so much, all! Looking forward to starting the trio of Halloween Funpacks next month. I have such sights to show you!

According to social media, the Halloween season officially began on July 5th! That’s probably a stretch for some, but we’ll take any excuse to gab about Halloween III: Season of the Witch for an hour.

The latest Purple Stuff Podcast is finally here, and this one is SO up our alley. With an assist from our pal Lincoln, we’re diving into a November 1988 television broadcast of Halloween III, exactly as it aired on our beloved local station, WPIX!

We’ll tell you about our favorite parts of the film, get into some trivia, compare the TV edit to the theatrical cut, and even discuss some of the old commercials that aired during the broadcast! It’s a terrifying tour de force!

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

…which you can also find on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else you listen to podcasts!

I can’t speak for Jay, but this episode is so special to me. Halloween III, on WPIX, in the late ‘80s? UNBELIEVABLE!

As a reminder, the Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can grab an exclusive bonus show every month, and gain immediate access to our immense back catalog of nearly 100 bonus episodes! If you’ve only ever listened to our free shows, there’s SO much waiting for you in there!

Oh, and you can watch that video to get a sense of what it felt like to watch Halloween III on WPIX, and see all of the commercials we talk about on the show. Thanks again to Lincoln for donating his wonderful find, and we hope y’all enjoy hearing us dish about one of greatest threequels ever!

Dino Drac’s June Funpack is here, and I’m arguing that it’s summer in a box. Even if my idea of “summer” involves Jason Voorhees and the Ninja Turtles.

Here’s the deal! Subscriber boxes have already been shipped, and subscriptions are maxed out. I do have a very small number of spares left to sell on an individual basis, so if you’re not a subscriber but still want one, zip to the bottom to see if there are any remaining!

As always, the price is $25, and that includes shipping to anywhere in the United States. A pretty great price for what I consider a higher-end Funpack. Let’s see what’s inside…

Oh hell yeah, it’s another banger cassette from my friends over at Terror-Vision! You’re getting a sealed, factory-fresh score to Jason Lives, on audiocassette!

Friday the 13th Part VI came out in 1986, but these babies are brand new, perfectly playable, and just LOOK so cool. We had these made with a movie-appropriate purple cassette shell AND cassette case, which I believe is a color combo Terror-Vision has never released before!

With that slick Jason Lives art, these are gorgeous decorations even if you never play them…. but you probably should, because the movie has a killer OST. Each will be placed in a padded bubble bag for extra protection in transit!

Since we’re already hanging by Camp Crystal Lake, let’s gather around the campfire for my latest collab with the always-awesome House of Wax Melts!

This time, you’re getting a generous three-ounce Toasted Marshmallows Wax Melt Set, with six break-off cubes for multiple marshmallow marathons. House of Wax Melts never misses, and I can confirm that these smell exactly as they should – very marshmallowy.

(Even the coloring is correct. They really do look like toasted marshmallows!)

I’ve been saving these for a long while, and even though this Funpack certainly didn’t need the value boost, it just felt like the right time to use them. You’ll each receive ONE of these vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prismatic stickers, from the very early ‘90s!

It’s a IYKYK thing, but I’ll clue you in. These were distributed in vending machines back then, but the artwork was very clearly cribbed from the old Hostess Ninja Turtle Pudding Pie wrappers. (In fact, these stickers were originally supposed to be packed WITH the pies.)

Now, these are true vintage stock, so not every sticker is in perfect shape – some have wear to the backs, or a light ding here and there. Still, given that it’s not uncommon for eBayers to charge $10 per sticker, it’s one hell of a bonus item for this Funpack!

You’ll get one of the four Turtles, picked at random. I’ve placed each sticker in a plastic top loader for protection, too.

I wanted this month’s snacks to match the box’s vaguely summery theme, and I think these fit the bill?

You’ll get a small pouch of Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts, and a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. If you don’t agree that these treats scream “summer,” then at least admit that they scream “two-star hotel vending machine at 3AM.” Which is also one of my preferred vibes.

Then there’s this month’s exclusive 5×7” cardstock mini-poster, which beautifully replicates the vintage packaging for TMNT Crunchabungas, a mostly-forgotten junk food that was essentially pizza-flavored Honeycomb Cereal. Joining it is this month’s 2×2” sticker, featuring the hella obscure Good Humor Ghoulie popsicle!

You’ll also get this month’s Funpack Newsletter, an exclusive essay about the feral cat I’ve been feeding, AND a pack of Desert Storm trading cards from 1991. (If you weren’t paying attention when those came out, everyone was convinced they’d be worth a fortune someday. As it turned out, everyone was wrong.)

So yep, you’ll get all of the above, nearly packed into a crushproof box that I promise costs more than you think, shipped directly to your door for a flat $25!

If you’re already a subscriber and you wanna stay that way, do nothing! You’re all set, and your Funpack has already shipped!

If you’re not a subscriber but still want this Funpack, you can order one by clicking the button below, while supplies last. I only have a few left! It’s $25 shipped, and only available in the United States:

Thanks, all! (And remember, the triple dose of Halloween Funpacks begins in August!)

Okay, so this latest episode of the Purple Stuff Podcast is a few days late, but when you see what a monster is, I think you’ll forgive us. We’re headed back to Eternia!

Just before the new live-action movie hits theaters, we’re revisiting the halcyon days of MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE! This is a sequel to an episode we published over ten years ago, but this time, the cuts are way deeper.

Join me and Jay from Sludge Central as we tackle eight weird and wonderful things from He-Man’s heyday in the ‘80s. Everything from the toys to the cartoon, to live events, fast food promos and more! There is SO MUCH HE-MAN in this episode, you’ll get tanner just by listening.

Click here to listen to the new episode!

…which is also on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

As a reminder, we’re also on Patreon, where you can grab exclusive bonus shows every month, and gain instant access to our immense library of past bonuses. (If you’re starting to get that Halloween itch, our latest one looks at spooky collectibles from 1996!)

We had a blast recording this one. Maybe even a Rio-Blast. If you’d like to learn more about the subjects discussed on this latest pilgrimage to Grayskull, follow the links below!

1) He-Man vs. Superman Comic Book!
2) Burger King Kids Meal from 1987!
3) Create-a-Character Action Figure Contest!
4) Nestle Quik MOTU Instant Winner Game!
5) The He-Man and She-Ra Power Tour!
6) Masters of the Universe Meteorbs!
7) Here, There, Skeletors Everywhere!
8) Insane Toy Display at a Mall in 1986!

Thanks so much for listening! If you’ve got any cool He-Man memories you feel like sharing, drop ‘em in the comments. You have the power!