The Mad Scientist Monster Lab from Mattel, Inc. in 1986, allowed users to “make disgusting, gross monsters…then sizzle the flesh off their bones!” The set included a plastic Monster Vat, plastic monster “Bones”, Green Monster Flesh, and Secret Froth formula for Dissolving Monsters.
It was a unique toy to be sure, but I can’t tell you just how unique. I got to be in its presence once at my grandmother’s house. Stevie the Tyrant was there and had brought the Monster Lab with him, but as usual, I wasn’t allowed to actually play with his toys, just watch him play with his toys.
But it did appear to be really cool to put the skeleton together, mix up the crap that would become the monster’s skin, and then dunk it in the stuff that would make it fall off the bones.
Now with a toy like this, I can’t really blame Stevie the Tyrant for not letting me play with it. I mean, he only had so many packs of all the stuff it took to make this magic with, and letting me have a turn would have robbed him of a turn later on. It’s not like this was a G.I. Joe figure or something that he could get many more hours of play with later. The fun of this thing was kind of finite. But regardless, I still would have loved to try my hand with it.
Even though I desperately wanted it, it was a no-go with my mom. Any kind of toy she thought could make a mess was a very tough sell, and when she examined this one in the store, she said absolutely not., and thus ended my chances of owing a monster lab of my own.
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