This Week's Crass Commercialism

I have a number of bottled specimens from Miskatonic University up on Ebay this week . Low on cash? Then click on the "Things In A Bottle" label at the bottom of this post for directions on how to make your own.

Update: In response to some emails, no, these aren't showing up for folks outside the US. Because of the requirements for shipping liquids internationally I unfortunately can't mail them for a reasonable price. The fluid inside the bottles is harmless rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or propylene glycol, a moisterizer used in foods and cosmetics, but transporting either via the post is a huge hassle.





I spent the long holiday weekend camping, but later today I should have a look at making one of the definitive Mythos props- tentacles. For less than fifty cents a foot, no less!

Mercer Museum Vampire Killing Kit

Curious Expeditions has a few snapshots of the Vampire Killing Kit on display at the Mercer Museum up on Flickr.


Fake? Almost certainly. But an extremely well done fake.

Cthulhu Mystery Model

Here's another limited-run Cthulhu model kit.



The more of these kits I stumble across the more I become convinced there's some kind of curse on anyone that makes them. How else can you explain the way singular examples keep popping up here and there? I've owned a few Cthulhu idols that were clearly made from vinyl kits, but despite being intensely interested in products of that sort I've never even seen some of them for sale from a manufacturer. Only assembled and painted examples from modelers displaying their work or selling them off on Ebay.

Cthulhu Model Kits From The 60's

Artist Pete Von Sholly has a post up on his blog about a 60's Aurora-style Cthulhu model kit that almost made it into production.

"So, after THE THING (SPACE THING as they called it) kit from Dark Horse we were going to make this Cthulhu kit, which my wife Andrea sculpted. Molds and plans were made etc and then it was decided it was too expensive, wouldn't sell etc etc and was dropped and never spoken of again."

This is one of the few cases where I like a cheesy depiction of Cthulhu. That crazy, Godzilla influenced kaiju look is perfect for a product trying to capture the goofy insanity of the classic Aurora model kits. Click through on the link to read more about his experience and see a few more shots of the proposed packaging. If you think that rocks, check out the entire line-up of faux Mythos Model boxes at Morbid Monster, including these nifty examples:

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Detour Studios Edition

From Detour Studios comes this fantastically detailed Cthulhu bust.





From a little Googling around it appears this was a short-run vinyl model kit that was offered back in 2005, but I can't find much information beyond that. The host page says the kit is in 1/1 scale. Oh, what I would give for that to be true.

From Below

In case you haven't seen it yet, this "sewer monster" video has been making the rounds . It was allegedly captured by a tracked sewer inspection camera under Cameron Village in North Carolina. It may not be a monster, but it could inspire a great "Call of Cthulhu" scenario.



This article in the Raleigh News and Observer says it's a real video, but that the creature is simply a colony of bryozoans. A scientist interviewed by Deep Sea News begs to differ, saying the blobs are actually clusters of annelid worms.

Cthulhu Makeup

Flickr member "tumato4213" created this intricately detailed Cthulhu mask as a school project.



I love the milky, translucent quality of the silicone tentacles.