Trader Verne's Zombie mug question

Shortly I meet with the Trader Verne Family Trust to discuss doing an authorized reproduction of his famous Zombie mug per the family's request. Do you think that this is a project worth pursuing? I know that originals fetch a lot of $ due to their rarity but do you TC people think this design has the "legs" to hold-up to a 500 piece run?

image courtesy of ooga-mooga.com / zombielee

I love creepy stuff so that would fit in fine with my collection of Halloween and weird stuff.
I bet Halloween Town in Burbank would carry that mug. http://www.halloweentownstore.com/

I like it.

I would sure think so. For whatever reason, zombie stuff (movies, games, clothing, etc.) seems to command great public interest right now. Regardless of it being a "tiki" mug, I think many will like it just because it's a zombie.

[ Edited by: kenbo-jitsu 2014-01-28 16:11 ]

I would definitely buy one, seeing as how I rally DO like the strange, macabre monster stuff.

I've always loved that design... I'd be overjoyed to add it to the weirdo/zombie/skull/monster mug shelf...

--Pete

I will go on record as "Me not Likey!"
also looks more like Karloff in The Mummy.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2014-01-28 17:53 ]

I would if it was an exact copy and not a stylized one.

On 2014-01-28 17:51, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
I will go on record as "Me not Likey!"
also looks more like Karloff in The Mummy.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2014-01-28 17:53 ]

I think it looks more like Christopher Lee from the Hammer version of the Mummy — and even more like Lee's Frankenstein's Monster with that hair — but I dig the mug in any case and would love to put it on my shelf.

I can see that Sunny&Rummy, yes it also resembles Christopher Lee's Mummy.

Not my thing, i'm not into monsters or zombies, but if you were able to sell 500 of any of the recent 'hulabilly' designs then i don't think you have any problems selling 500 of these.

I'd get one if it looked like that.

Jeff btd

On 2014-01-28 19:19, hiltiki wrote:
I would if it was an exact copy and not a stylized one.

Hear, hear!

I believe the original mug was sculpted by my friend Kelly Mann & was based on the Verne Langdon Zombie mask briefly advertised in the old Famous Monsters of Filmland magazines in 1973. It's a neat mug! I like it.

Right on the mark Enchanted Tiki Guy

i like it.

Cool. Now what we need is a Forrest J. Ackerman mug!

Is it April 1st already? :wink:

I'm a big fan of Verne Langdon's work, and I would totally buy one.

Holden Yes! please make this mug! I've wanted one of these really bad for years.

Verne Langdon was the legendary force behind the early days of Don Post Studios. He helped create some of the most iconic monster masks of the 60's including the Universal Studios monsters. Every monster kid on the block would drool over the advertising photos of masks in Famous Monsters, Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella magazines. Always trying to convince mom and dad to cough up enough money so that he could buy at least one of these bad boys.

Also, Verne loved tropical cocktails and tiki culture including Exotica music. Check out Trader Verne's Tiki Lounge from the link below and you'll see his very own version of a Zombie and Navy Grog cocktails along with his original music "Sippin' A Navy Grog".

http://www.vernelangdon.com/page5.html

If you search the weird world web you can find plenty of fans of Verne Langdon and his creations. So, I would say that there's plenty of proof out there that Verne's Zombie Tiki Mug has crossover appeal from the Tiki community to the Monster Mask community.

To add my two cents worth, It would be nice to see these made in a ghoulish green glaze like the color of the original mask. Also, please include a printed card with Verne's Zombie recipe like the original.

-Darrin

Hate to be "that guy," but shouldn't this be in Beyond Tiki?

Well it looks like this is appealing to the "Monster" fans
now if you made a "Vampirella" mug, I could dig it.

Ahh, yes, Monster—right up there with Marquesan as an important tiki influence.

Not so much, but there are definitely horror & monster fans here on TC
but historically speaking, not Tiki.

Lots of other people in the forums probably like sports as well, but does that mean it should go under General Tiki?

Since this is Holden's (Tikifarm) thread, I would say
he knows what he is doing & what is Tiki, it will stay remotely on subject
i.e. new TikiFarm mugs.

This thread is at the nexus of Tiki, Booze, and 60s/70s Monster Mania. . . Pretty much my sweet spot!