Monster in My Pocket (MIMP) was a toy line created by Matchbox in 1990. These miniature bendy rubber figures depicted a whole array of different monsters and mythical creatures. Each monster had a point value, representing the monster’s relative power and the figurine’s scarcity, but most of us simply collected them because they looked so cool!
One of my favourite lines was the Monster Wrestlers in my pocket as I was a massive WWF fan back in the day. On my journey, I will document any of these figures that I come across and upload them here for you to see.
If you would like to join me on my journey to collecting these lines, please check out my YouTube channel or back to this page regularly (Last update 19/01/2024). I will add a photo to each of the lists to show that I have collected that figure!
Contents:
- List of Figures
- Kellogg’s Campaign
- What is the rarest Monster in My Pocket Figure?
- Other Monster in My Pocket Products
- Monster in My Pocket Milk Caps (Pogs)
- Monster in My Pocket NES Game
- Monster in My Pocket Backpack
- Monster in My Pocket Lunchbox
- Monster Mountain
- Monster in My Pocket Board Games
- Monster in My Pocket Stamp Set
- Monster in My Pocket Halloween Costume
- Monster in My Pocket Membership Club
- Monster in My Pocket Pinball Game
- Monster In My Pocket Party Pack
- Acne Studios Clothing
- Monster in My Pocket TV Show/VHS
List of Figures
Series 1
There were 48 figures in the original series of Monster in My Pocket (1990) and they came in a few different colours (and different shades of those colours). The figures came in red, yellow, green, purple, neon-green, neon-yellow, orange, violet, pink, neon orange, blue and glow-in-the-dark white.
These figures also came in a ‘secret 12 pack’ (See picture below)
Monster | Official Description |
---|---|
Great Beast An awesome, very powerful monster with many poisonous heads and wings. | |
Hydra Greek; a flying serpent. When it loses 1 head, 2 more grow in its place. | |
Werewolf A cursed man who turns into a wolf every full moon and must hunt and kill. | |
Behemoth Jewish; An outrageously huge beast which some say is the king of all beasts. | |
Griffin Medieval Europe; this beast has the back half of a lion and the front of an eagle. | |
Tyrannosaurus Rex The king of the dinosaurs. | |
Cockatrice A monster that is part serpent, rooster and bat, and can kill with its gaze. | |
Cyclops Greek; a race of giants with one eye in the middle of their foreheads. | |
Tengu Japanese; these winged beasts capture those who are in the forest after dark. | |
Triton Greek; a being with the upper body of a man, the lower body of a fish. | |
Kraken A sea creature so huge, sailors mistake it for an island and get their ships crushed by it. | |
Jotun Troll Scandinavian; children of the Norse god of frost. They cause snow storms and avalanches to trap victims. | |
The Monster Violent creature made up of pieces robbed from graves and then brought to life. | |
Manticore Persian; Has a lion’s body, human head, and poisoned spines that it can shoot like arrows. | |
Karnak Egyptian; underworld god who destroys those who violate sacred temples. | |
Coatlicue Aztec; has clawed hands and feet, eats filth, and breathes it as a weapon. | |
Bigfoot This huge hairy beast is thought to be the missing link between man and ape. | |
Baba Yaga Russian; flies in a pot to stir up storms and hurricanes to catch victims. | |
Kali Indian; the Hindu goddess of destructive forces with skin that sheds like a snake. | |
Catoblepas A beast who walks with his head near the ground. If you look into his eyes you die. | |
Harpy Greek; evil, twisted creature that can shriek to drive its victims to madness. | |
Haniver A huge head with many rows of teeth and legs. On its snout is a lure to catch prey. | |
Hobgoblin A goblin that is mischievous and plays childish pranks. | |
Wendigo Algonkian indian; a man-eater. You can become one by resorting to cannibalism. | |
Red Cap Scottish; evil goblin who lives in old ruins and dyes his cap with blood. | |
Medusa Greek; a woman with snakes for hair. Look at her and you turn to stone. | |
Goblin A very mean, distorted being who hides in dark places to scare people. | |
Cerberus Greek; the watchdog of Hades. Has 3 heads, a snake tail and snakes as a collar. | |
Zombie Dead person who has been re-animated. Used as a weapon he can’t be killed. | |
Chimera Greek; a fire-breathing lion with a snake’s tail and a goat head on its back. | |
Ghost The spirit of a person who died too soon. They scare the living as revenge. | |
Ogre A giant that eats people. He is scary, but stupid and easily fooled. | |
Vampire A living corpse that feeds on the blood of the living and makes them his slaves. | |
Roc Arabian; an enormous scavenger bird big enough to carry off two elephants. | |
Gremlin Small flying creatures who love to bother pilots or cause aircraft trouble. | |
Vampiress The eternal mate to the vampire, A vampiress was a vampire’s victim who now helps him. | |
Ghoul A very mean little monster that robs graves, feeds on the dead and helps the evil. | |
The Phantom A man that hides because of his disfigured face. Hurts anyone in his way. | |
Mad Scientist A crazy genius who made a potion to bring out the violence in every person. | |
Winged Panther This beast has all the strength of a panther but can also fly. | |
Mummy Egyptian; this dead person has risen to get revenge on anyone who disturbs his rest. | |
Charon Greek; a cruel, filthy old man that ferries the souls of the dead into Hades. | |
The Beast This is a knight that is now a wild beast. Can only be tamed by a woman. | |
Witch Female who practices black magic with potions, curses and spells. | |
Spring-Heeled Jack English; has eyes of flame. Can jump hundreds of feet; is a bogeyman. | |
Invisible Man A mad scientist who made himself invisible to commit crimes. | |
Skeleton Human bones which capture people as revenge. | |
Hunchback A horribly disfigured man that lives in towers and dumps hot melted lead on his victims. |
Series 2 – (Complete)
The second installment of Monster in My Pocket figures, known as Series 2, swiftly followed the debut of the original figures in 1992. This collection consisted of a mere twenty-four monsters, distinguished by their vibrant colors such as neon green (slightly deeper than the neon green in Series 1), blue, pink, and orange.
Notably, only a handful of these creatures made appearances in any Monster in My Pocket media. The packaging options ranged from a comprehensive 24-box set encompassing all Series 2 figures to 12-box assortments featuring a single 30-point monster accompanied by eleven randomly selected monsters.
This series marked the introduction of the initial 30-point monsters while eliminating the 5-point counterparts.
A noteworthy alteration took place due to protests: the Hindu deity Ganesha was removed from the majority of releases in the United Kingdom, except for the earliest ones. This modification rendered the presence of this particular monster pretty rare within the UK. In the UK, 24-packs included a Series 1 monster in lieu of Ganesha.
Series 3
Monster in My Pocket Series 3 was never released in the UK (Only USA & Canada), with the exception of Blemmyea that you could get by buying the video game. As a result, this collection is considered the rarest for us. The only way to obtain these figures was through Shreddies cereal or at Big Boy restaurants. Massive thank you to MIMP Collective for these pictures. Give them a look here
Series 4 – Super Scary
Series 4 (also known as Super Scary) of Monsters in My Pocket, are slightly larger than the original Monsters, and had more than one colour, making them look more detailed. Their standard colours are green, yellow, orange, and purple. The six 100-point monsters were made from glow-in-the-dark yellow or green rubber, distinguishing them from the lower-value monsters. There were versions of these figures that were a single colour, but these were mostly Cereal Giveaways (and are rarer).
Series 5 – Super Creepies
Tarantula | |
Black Widow Spider | |
Jumping Spider | |
Wolf Spider | |
Turret Spider | |
Crab Spider | |
Soldier Beetle | |
Soldier Fly | |
Robber Fly | |
Armoured Cockroach | |
Vampire Leaf Hopper | |
Lightning Bug | |
Eastern Toe Biter | |
Stink Bug | |
One Eyed Jack | |
Clubtail Dragonfly | |
Dog Face Butterfly | |
Horntail Moth | |
Scarface Scorpion | |
Mexican Bed Bug | |
Lady Bug | |
Horsefly | |
Cave Cricket | |
Hunchback Beetle |
Series 6 – Dinosaurs
In 1992, the Dinosaurs line, also recognized as Series 6 of Monster in My Pocket, was introduced. These figures could be acquired in packs of 2, 6, and 12, and were often labeled as “Dinosaur in My Pocket” in certain markets, primarily targeting European audiences.
Crafted from durable molded plastic, the Dinosaurs came in an assortment of colors including dark green, yellow, violet, brown, and orange, all adorned with painted details. Their point values spanned from 55 to 150 points, marking a decrease compared to the preceding series.
While most of the figures represented genuine dinosaurs, the lineup also encompassed various non-dinosaurian prehistoric creatures.
In a departure from Battle Cards, the Dinosaurs in 2-packs were accompanied by Fact Cards, offering information about each creature’s size, weight, and era of existence. A comprehensive set of Fact Cards was made available to collectors.
Subsequently, the series was reissued as the Secret Skeleton Dinosaurs. These variants featured a reactive pigment layer that revealed a rudimentary outline of each creature’s skeleton when wet. Some enthusiasts commonly refer to these as Series 6b.
Series 7 – Space Aliens (Complete)
This series was one that I completely forgot about, basically, they went in a completely new direction and instead of basing the creatures off of legends/myths, they created aliens!
There were only 16 figures released in this series and the really cool thing about these figures is that they had heat-reveal panels on their back that once you pressed them with your finger, it would reveal the value of the figure!
Space Dinosaur | |
Floyd the Android | |
Blaster of the Universe | |
Full Moon Freak | |
Nova Scorcher | |
Jumbo Jupiter Junkeater | |
Laser Blaster | |
Asteroid Attack Android | |
Venus Booby Trapper | |
Creature from the Black Hole | |
Meteor Monster | |
Star Scorpion | |
Saturn Scumsucker | |
Sun Poisoner | |
Martian Maniac | |
Radioactive Uranium Rodent |
Wrestlers in My Pocket
With the massive popularity of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Monster in My Pocket decided to release a line of figures called Wrestlers in My Pocket to ride the wrestling train once the main Monster in My Pocket line ended. This series contained a total of 45 monsters as well as some accessories that you could get too! There was also a Kellogg’s campaign with this line. If you would like to view the price guide for Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket, please click here!
As part of this series, you also had:
Tarantula Stretcher.
Training Weight
Monster Cup
Podium
Colour Variants
There were some variant colours for the wrestlers, however some of them required you to send away via mail order, taping a 50p coin for postage (Such a great and exciting concept). Below is from the back of the packs that you could collect and send away. The two tag team figures were Toad Thrasher & Gizzard the Lizard in their black outfits.
Kellogg’s Campaign
Monster in My Pocket leaped into popularity with marketing campaigns with Kellogg’s. You were able to find these figures inside your cereal. Why don’t they do that anymore? That was the best part of breakfast!
Here are some scans of the packaging to give you an idea of what they looked like:
Wrestling Accessories
The Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket accessories got really impressive by the end of the line. I wasn’t lucky enough to own these as a kid, but collecting them as an adult seems just as satisfying.
Grappling Billboard
This unique accessory was unlike anything I have ever seen with a line of miniature figures. When you were setting up your match, you could put the wrestler’s cards up on this board so that everyone is aware of who the main attraction was! (You can see a closer video of this piece here). Below is a sample of what the cards look like.
Monster Wrestler in My Pocket Wrestling Ring
If you were going to create an accessory for the Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket line, the very first thing to make would be an EPIC wrestling ring! The theme of this ring is just fantastic and fits in line with their brand really well!
Monster in My Pocket Tattoos
Nothing screams 90s nostalgia to me much more than those awesome temporary tattoos that you got in your childhood! You still get tattoos these days, but they seem to lack the cool factor that the old-school tats had!
Monster in My Pocket was so popular in the 90s that it would have been a mistake not to have temporary tattoos!
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket Soap
To me, this might be the weirdest Monster in My Pocket product that existed. It was popular to create cartoon bubble bath in the 90s, but a bar of soap? Regardless, I love weird so this is a tick in my book!
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket Comic/Annual Book
I’m sure most of you reading this will know just how amazing comics were in our childhood. I used to love reading through the Beano and Simpsons comic books and the best parts were the freebies that came attached to the comics! (Usually was plastic toys or sweets).
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket wanted to cash in on this trend and set out to create what they thought would be an instant hit, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. The issues were really rushed and as a result this short-lived comic only lasted 3 issues!
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket Jigsaw
What better way to keep the Monster in My Pocket kids focused and doing something that is more educational than battling their figures? Well, slapping your favourite brand onto a jigsaw of course! A massive thank you to our friend Keith Harrison who shared this awesome photo of the monster truck puzzle with me, I love the artwork!
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket – Manic Attack
Manic Attack was a Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket board game that involved tiles and tokens! Not a lot of these items are available, but if I get hold of one of them, I’ll share with you how the game works!
Monster Wrestlers in My Pocket Sticker Book
Wrestlers in My Pocket Prototypes
With a massive thank you to Olly Speed, we have an amazing set of photos of the prototypes for the Wrestlers in My Pocket series. Some of the ideas you can see inspired the released figures!
The Monster Sport Stars
Slam Dunk | |
Full Back Drac | |
Angry Oddity | |
Scrumdown | |
Completely Batty | |
Spooky Sprinter | |
Werewolf Slugger | |
Tony The Referee | |
The Big Dipper | |
Abominable Snowboarder | |
Hard Puck | |
Howlin One |
Ninja Warriors in My Pocket
Monster Ninja Warriors in My Pocket was a collection of seventeen monsters that emerged in 1996 as a continuation of the prosperous Monster Wrestlers line. Produced by Vivid Imaginations, these creatures entered the markets of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Distinguished by their construction from robust rubber, these figurines set themselves apart within the Monster in My Pocket series by being equipped with separate weapons that fit snugly in the figures’ grasp.
Each monster carried a dual-point valuation, comprised of a Warrior Skill assessment for the monster itself, coupled with a Weapon Power assessment for the accompanying accessory. Unlike the previous series, the aggregate points value was not imprinted on the monsters. Instead, the series capitalized on the prevailing Pogs trend by incorporating Power Caps in each package, revealing the points breakdown on the rear side. The cumulative points span ranged from 30 to 100 points.
The figures were made available in packages containing four or eight units. Additionally, two playsets were launched, each containing exclusive monsters: the ‘Twist-a-Fist’ set showcased Kung Fu-Neral and Shogun Slasher, while the ‘Crunch Punch’ set featured Sayonara Sucker and Bigfoot Kickboxer. The concluding monster, Karate Sid, could solely be procured through mail order, necessitating tokens from the packages. Interestingly, Karate Sid was a reimagining of #8, Kung Fu-Neral, rather than an entirely distinct sculpt.
1. Franken Ninja | |
2. Sumo Stomper | |
3. Rotten Hood | |
4. Skeleton Samurai | |
5. Dirty Hari Kari | |
6. Mohican Warlord | |
7. Eye-Do-Jujitsu | |
8. Kung Fu-Neral | |
9. Shogun Slasher | |
10. Sayonara Sucker | |
11. Terror Dactyl | |
12. Fear Wolf | |
13. None Chuck | |
14. Bigfoot Kickboxer | |
15. Cyber Samurai | |
16. Ninja Vulture | |
17. Karate Sid |
2006 Series of Monster in My Pocket
The latest series of Monster in My Pocket, known as the 2006 relaunch or “2nd Generation,” was introduced in July 2006. This revamped series showcased 48 redesigned monsters, presented as detailed figurines with really cool painted finishes.
Unlike previous versions, these figurines did not have a stamped points value. However, each monster’s total points value could be found on its corresponding collectible Game Card. Additionally, a concealed bonus points value was accessible using a decoder light, which utilized a UV beam to reveal invisible ink. This bonus value was intended for use in the card game. The monsters were now categorized into 8 groups based on shared factors and characteristics (The Beasts, The Humanoids, The Ancients, The Winged, The Maniacs, The Dead, The Ghosts & The Sea Monsters). MEG created the series, which was distributed in the UK and Ireland by Corinthian Plc.
Unlike earlier releases, the distribution of the figures was no longer random, as all sets were visible and the same figures all came in the same sets.
Although the UK line comprised a complete set of 48 monsters, three specific ones—Phantom #42, Grim Watcher #36, and Ghost #37—were never made available in the UK or South American markets.
Cyclops | |
The Beast | |
Centaur | |
Ogre | |
Cerberus | |
Gremlin | |
Werewolf | |
The Monster | |
Bigfoot | |
Red Cap | |
Vampire | |
Hobgoblin | |
Hydra | |
Tengu | |
Manticore | |
6-Armed Sorceress (Kali) | |
Haniver | |
Charon | |
Griffin | |
Harpy | |
Roc | |
Winged Panther | |
Cockatrice | |
Catoblepas | |
Windigo | |
Monkey Man | |
Vampiress | |
Mad Scientist | |
Squarefoot | |
Mad Gasser | |
Zombie | |
Mummy | |
Skeleton | |
Grim Reaper | |
Headless Man | |
Grim Watcher | |
Ghost | |
Invisible Man | |
Siren | |
Poltergeist | |
Boogey Man | |
Phantom | |
Swamp Beast | |
Triton | |
Kraken | |
Loch Ness Monster | |
Bishopfish | |
Leviathan |
What is the rarest Monster in My Pocket Figure
Jotun Troll with Star
Hands down the rarest Monster in My Pocket figure is the elusive Star Jotun Troll. Featuring a star on its back, this figure was a prized gem, The reason this is so rare is that when you found it, you would send it in to get a mystery grab bag of Monsters in My Pocket toys! With staggering odds of 1 in 10,000 packs, the Jotun Troll remains a mysterious legend. Little is known about its exact numbers, adding to the mystique. This rare find continues to spark the curiosity of enthusiasts, making it a true masterpiece for those seeking the pinnacle of Monsters in My Pocket figures.
The cost of this figure isn’t quite known as there has never been one for sale (It seems that only 3 or 4 have been discovered). There was however a fake toy sold on ebay for over $800!
How do you know if your Star Jotun Troll is fake? I hear you ask! Apparently, the fake version only had the star on the back instead of the 20-point value being included.
Above is a picture of the rarest figure (thanks to littleweirdos.net) and
Spaghetti-os Figure
There was also a line that was exclusively available in the USA via spaghetti-os, but the number of these figures is much more common than the star Jotun Troll.
The Spaghetti-os rare figures were only available if you sent away tokens from the cans to redeem your figure. The figures were a red/orange colour which is pretty fitting for the spaghetti-os brand!
Regional Releases
Some series were only released in specific regions, making them extremely rare in other countries. An example of this would be series 3. This series was only released in USA & Canada so for collectors in the United Kingdom, these would be considered very rare.
Another example of this would be the 2006 series of Monster in my pocket. 3 figures were only released in Australia, New Zealand & South Africa making them very rare indeed! (Grim Watcher, Phantom & Ghost)
Karate Sid
Karate Sid is part of the Ninja Warriors in My Pocket series. This figure was only available by mail order when you collected enough tokens from the back of the packs.
Other Monster in My Pocket Products
Kids just couldn’t get enough of Monsters in My Pocket! It was so popular that they were able to expand their product range to include accessories, comics, and other fantastic spin-offs.
Super Scary Howlers
Monsters in My Pocket Super Scary Howlers were 5-inch figures that were released alongside the Series 4 Super Scary range. There were 4 monsters available in this line (Vampire, The Monster, Swamp Beast, and Werewolf) that had light-up eyes and sound effects when the button was pressed!
The Werewolf’s sound was a howl, the Vampire an evil laugh, the Monster a growl, and the Swamp Beast a grumble. Each figure was sold separately, in a blister pack.
Monster in My Pocket Stickers and Sticker Book
As with most franchises in the 90s and 00s, sticker books were the in thing. I think that most of us at some point or another were drawn in by the allure of the sticker book! I’m sure there is a lot more on the list, but the main two were the Pokemon stickers and Scottish Premier League (Don’t judge, I was a kid growing up in Glasgow).
Monster in My Pocket Diary
Before the true dawn of the digital age, diaries were your own personal version of social media, noting down what happened that day, your plans to play at on the slides and anything else that popped into your little brain at the time!
Monster in My Pocket Milk Caps (Pogs)
Milk Caps (Also known as Pogs) was a game where you stacked cardboard circles and dropped a heavier ‘slammer’ onto the stack with the intention to cause as much chaos and send them flying. The player keeps any face up milks caps and the face down pieces are re-stacked for the next players turn. The winner was the person with the most caps at the end!
Monster in My Pocket NES Game
Monster in My Pocket released an awesome platformer game on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1992. The complete in box version of this game is quite expensive as it came with an exclusive figure called Blemmyes!
The game had mixed reviews with some people finding the gameplay boring, but I thought (and still do) think it was a lot of fun to play!
Monster in My Pocket Backpack
I wasn’t quite lucky enough to have owned this treasure in primary school (And didn’t know anyone who did), but I’m sure that whoever did have this was seen as the king of cool backpacks!
Monster in My Pocket Lunchbox
What school bag would be complete without an awesome lunchbox and thermus? Well don’t worry, Monster in My Pocket had you covered with this awesome red set!
Monster Mountain
Monster Mountain was and is the ultimate display piece for anyone who collected Monster in My Pocket! This awesome item came with stickers for each of the monsters and enough space to display every single different monster in the series!
Monster in My Pocket Board Games
There were a few different board games released from the Monster in My Pocket line. Board games were a staple for Christmas presents each year so it made sense that there would be a few different games to give the kids something new to play!
Monster Clash Board Game
The Monster Clash board game (1991) came with 12 Series 1 figures: purple Bigfoot, yellow Kali, red Catoblepas, green Harpy, green Cerberus, red Zombie, purple Chimera, yellow Ghost, purple Mummy, yellow Charon, green Witch, and red Spring-Heeled Jack.
Game includes 12 monsters, 2 castles, 2 volcanoes, 2 spinners, 2 dungeons, 2 launcher / catapults, 1 21″ x 30″ play board, 2 balls.
Monster Showdown
There isn’t a lot of information about this 2006 series game, but in essence, this was a card game.
The game came with two figures, eyeball decoder light, 24 power game cards and the game platform.
Each of the figures came with their own set of cards, so basically you chose which monster you wanted to play as and tried to beat the other player.
Return of the Dinosaurs Board Game
The Monster in My Pocket Dinosaurs had their very own board game too, called Return of the Dinosaurs.
Monster in My Pocket Stamp Set
Arts and crafts are still really popular with kids these days, but there was something awesome about the stationary and kits that you could get in the 90s, this item is a window into some of the cool items you could get at the time!
Monster in My Pocket Halloween Costume
Although I don’t think this product was available in the UK, across the pond, you were able to dress up as the Windigo with this official Monster in My Pocket costume.
Monster in My Pocket Membership Club
If you were cool enough to be a member of the Monster Club, you would sometimes get exclusive little items such as the below:
Monster in My Pocket Pinball Game
If you grew up before the 00s, you will probably be very familiar with this kind of game. Usually you would get them in party bags or lucky bags. the idea of the game is to flick the ball up and land it in one of the scoring areas! We were easily pleased back then…
Acne Studios Clothing
Thanks again to our friend Keith Harrison for bringing this clothing collab to my attention (and for bagging the cool hat!). Acne Studios done a Monster in My Pocket clothing collab in the spring of 2020 featuring a load of cool clothing items including hats, t-shirts, jumpers and socks!
Monster in My Pocket TV Show/VHS
Monster in My Pocket had a short-lived comedy Cartoon show although wasn’t overly popular with the masses, deserves a watch for anyone who loves Monster in My Pocket!
The story is relatable to collecting the monsters in real life! In summary, the Invisible Man was the Jailer to Monster Mountain where all of the bad monsters were imprisoned. Vampire, Medusa, and Swamp Beast attempt a jailbreak by shrinking themselves, but accidentally shrink the whole prison too!
The Invisible Man, Werewolf, Frankenstein, and Mummy try to recapture these monsters on the run, but come across challenges because they are still really small!
Here is some pictures of the VHS
Monster In My Pocket Party Pack
Have a birthday party and don’t want the hassle of making your own mediocre party bags up? Well, Monster in My Pocket has a solution! The Monster in My Pocket Party Pack includes 10 packs of figures!