UNIVERSAL MONSTERS
Super7's Universal Monsters product line is an expansive collection of action figures and vintage-style novelties honoring Universal Pictures' legendary horror franchise. Spanning 3.75-inch retro ReAction figures, 12-point articulated ReAction+ O-ring releases, and premium 7-inch ULTIMATES! collectibles, the line celebrates classic creatures like Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Produced under official NBCUniversal licensing, it combines mid-century toy nostalgia with modern boutique craftsmanship.
Cronologia
Overview
Founded by Brian Flynn in 2001, boutique toy manufacturer Super7 holds an official NBCUniversal license to create high-end collectibles and retro action figures based on the iconic Universal Monsters franchise.
The line covers the full pantheon of classic cinema creatures, including Frankenstein's Monster, Count Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Positioned at the intersection of vintage pop culture homage and premium craftsmanship, Super7 caters to both horror enthusiasts and action figure collectors. The line spans multiple distinct formats: 3.75-inch retro ReAction and ReAction+ action figures, 7-inch highly detailed ULTIMATES! figures with multi-head sculpts and slipcase packaging, and vintage Halloween novelties. By blending authentic mid-century aesthetic details with modern manufacturing standards, Super7's Universal Monsters line has established itself as one of the premier modern merchandise ecosystems for classic cinematic horror.
History
The Universal Monsters line began in 2015 as a collaboration between Funko and Super7, producing 3.75-inch retro ReAction figures released in exclusive convention sets and a 2016 mass retail wave.
In 2018, Super7 brought the line entirely in-house, launching its standalone product umbrella alongside the inaugural "Boodega" pop-up store experience at San Diego Comic-Con. Over the following years, Super7 continuously expanded the property across new scales and product categories.
In 2021, Super7 introduced the 7-inch ULTIMATES! figure format, delivering highly articulated 7-inch figures packaged in collector slipcases. Between 2022 and 2024, the manufacturer expanded into novelty formats, including Super Soapies liquid bubble bottles, trick-or-treat Superbuckets, and wind-up Super Cycles tricycles. At the 2025 Boodega event, Super7 unveiled ReAction+, upgrading the 3.75-inch figures to 1980s-style internal O-ring construction with 12 points of articulation.
I PEZZI DI UNIVERSAL MONSTERS
Features
* Multiple scale formats ranging from 3.75-inch retro figures to 7-inch premium ULTIMATES! collectibles. * Standard ReAction figures feature retro 5-point articulation and classic cardback retro artwork. * ReAction+ figures feature 1980s-style internal O-ring construction with 12 points of articulation, including swivel neck, elbow hinges, knee hinges, and disk joint shoulders. * ULTIMATES!
7-inch scale figures include interchangeable heads and hands, character accessories, and premium slipcase window packaging. * Soft goods accessories on select figures, such as soft cloth gowns for figures like The Bride of Frankenstein. * Specialty packaging formats including coffin-style window boxes for select ReAction+ drops. * Vintage novelty lines constructed from varied materials, including liquid bubble bottles (Super Soapies), plastic trick-or-treat pails (Superbuckets), and soft-vinyl riders on wind-up metal tricycles (Super Cycles).
Waves & Series
* 2015: Funko x Super7 ReAction SDCC Spirit Glow Blue Crypt Set (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Wolf Man, The Mummy, Frankenstein's Monster) * 2015: Funko x Super7 ReAction NYCC Spirit Glow Green Crypt Set (Bride of Frankenstein, Invisible Man, Creature, Frankenstein) * 2015: Funko x Super7 ReAction NYCC Black & White Set (Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Creature) * 2016: Funko x Super7 ReAction Mass Release Wave (Count Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bride of Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man) * 2018: ReAction Wave 1 (Metaluna Mutant, The Wolf Man, Masque of the Red Death, The Mole Person, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon) * 2018: ReAction Wave 2 (The Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Revenge of the Creature) * 2019: ReAction "Revenge of the Boodega" Exclusives (Glow-In-The-Dark variants of Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride, Revenge of the Creature) * 2021: ReAction Wave 3 (The Creature Walks Among Us, Quasimodo, Son of Frankenstein Monster, Bela Lugosi as Ygor, Ardeth Bey) * 2021: ULTIMATES!
Wave 1 (Frankenstein's Monster, Boris Karloff as The Mummy) * 2021: Saucony x Super7 Sneaker Drop 2 (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein, The Bride, The Mummy) * 2021–2022: ULTIMATES! Wave 2 (Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon) * 2022: ULTIMATES! Wave 3 (Claude Rains as The Invisible Man, Lon Chaney as The Phantom of the Opera) * 2022–2024: Novelty Formats (Super Soapies bubble bottles, Superbuckets, Halloween Kids ReAction Series) * 2023: ULTIMATES! Wave 4 (The Bride of Frankenstein, Metaluna Mutant) * 2024: Universal Monsters Super Cycles (The Bride of Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon in Halloween Orange, The Wolf Man) * 2025: ReAction+ Wave 1 (Count Dracula with candelabra, The Wolf Man with walking cane, Creature from the Black Lagoon) * 2025: ReAction+ Specialty Drop (Japanese Clear Blue Creature from the Black Lagoon in coffin window packaging) * 2026: ReAction+ Wave 2 (Frankenstein's Monster in classic dark suit, The Bride of Frankenstein with soft cloth gown, Boris Karloff wrapped The Mummy)
Notable Pieces
* **SDCC 2015 Spirit Glow Crypt Sets**: Early Funko x Super7 collaboration sets featuring glow-in-the-dark figures packaged in thematic crypt boxes. * **Saucony x Super7 Universal Monster Sneakers**: Limited-edition footwear crossovers (2018 & 2021) featuring custom monster-themed colorways and shoeboxes. * **ULTIMATES!
Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi)**: A premium 7-inch release featuring the official likeness of Bela Lugosi with multiple heads and premium slipcase packaging. * **Japanese Clear Blue Creature from the Black Lagoon (ReAction+)**: A 2025 specialty drop featuring translucent blue molding presented in a coffin-style window box. * **Universal Monsters Super Cycles**: 5-inch wind-up tricycle toys (2024) featuring soft-vinyl monster riders and functioning bells.
Collecting
Super7's Universal Monsters line holds a unique position in the action figure secondary market by bridging retro nostalgia with boutique collecting. The availability of diverse formats allows collectors to enter at multiple price points, whether collecting budget-friendly carded 3.75-inch ReAction figures or high-end 7-inch ULTIMATES! boxed sets. A primary catalyst for collector demand is Super7's annual San Diego Comic-Con "Boodega" pop-up store events.
Low-run convention exclusives, glow-in-the-dark variants, screen prints, and cross-category drops like the Saucony sneakers regularly command strong premiums on resale platforms. Early 2015 collaboration sets and limited Boodega colorways remain sought-after grail items. Additionally, the transition to 12-point articulated O-ring construction with the 2025 ReAction+ series has generated renewed interest among classic 1980s toy enthusiasts, sustaining steady value across the secondary market.
Trivia
* Super7 launched its standalone Universal Monsters brand umbrella in 2018 through a San Diego Comic-Con pop-up event called the "Boodega." * Super7 twice collaborated with footwear brand Saucony to produce officially licensed Universal Monsters sneakers.
* The Super Soapies bubble bottle series was designed as a direct tribute to vintage 1960s Soaky soap bottles. * The 2025 ReAction+ Universal Monsters series introduced 12 points of articulation using 1980s-style O-ring internal construction.
