The Incredible Shrinking 31 Days of Toy Terror: The Mummy from Universal Studios Monsters by Jack in the Box

   Want some frights with your shakes? Then let's jump in and take a look at some good old fashioned fast food fright with a look at the Mummy from the 1999 Universal Studios Monsters promotional event at Jack in the Box. Yes, you heard me right: Jack in the Box! Most everyone is familiar with the famous Burger King Kid's Club Universal Monsters from 1997 (NECA even did a tribute to them), but you don't hear much about the Jack in the Box Universal Monsters promo. In fact, they did two promos: One in 1999 and another in 2002. I actually have a funny anecdote about that promotion, but I'll save it for later this month (*wink*). So, Jack in the Box with the Universal Monsters in 1999? What's the deal? Did they miss out on the Star Wars: Episode I License? Well, yeah, but 1999 was actually a big year for the classic Universal Horror license as the remake of The Mummy was released (and is still freaking awesome), there was a rerelease of the most prominent films with new documentaries included, and Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights 1999 features two haunted attractions based on the characters: The Mummy, based on the film from that year, and Creature Features, featuring the classic characters. There are six figures in the set (The Mummy, Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man, the Phantom, and the Creature, all of which can be seen at Chris Does Comics) and I do have them all, but I picked the Mummy. He wasn't in the Burger King set and he's a pretty clever little toy. Ready to break an ancient curse and check out the Mummy? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 4 1/8ths inches

Articulation: Wind up activated gears on base.

Accessories: Sarcophagus

Year of Release: 1999

Original Retail Price: Included with a Jack's Kids Meal. Not sure how much they were, but in 2001 they were $1.99.

The Positives:

(Please sing to the tune of Shane McMahon's entrance music by Naughty by Nature)
* "Here comes the Mummy! 

Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy; Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!"

OK, enough of that. Yes, here is the Mummy. He's a solid plastic figure with no traditional articulation, but he definitely looks not just like a generic Mummy, but like the Universal Monsters Mummy. He's got bandages that are mostly neatly wrapped, though a few are falling out of place, and his arms are still loosening up. His hands and head are a darker green, which really works and differentiates him from your standard mummy that's completely wrapped up by bandages. 

* I initially was one hundred percent sure that this was meant to be Boris Karloff's Imhotep, because who else would they base it off of? At the above mentioned link, Chris proposes that it's actually based on Lon Chaney Jr. as Kharis from 1942's The Mummy's Tomb. Honestly, I can see that. I can see both Karloff (the hair makes me think Imhotep) and Chaney (the eyes and mouth). Maybe the sculptor tried hard for a blend of the too to appeal to more fans? Or maybe we're all projecting here based on a plastic Happy Meal Jack's Kids Meal toy that's 25 years old? At this small scale, it's not bad, that's for sure.

* Here's a shot of the Mummy/ Imhotep/ Kharis from the back and I'm pleased to say that  Jack in the Box didn't cheap out: This guy has bandages all the way around. Yeah, he does have unsightly screws, but what do you expect for $1.99 or less? If you were chowing down on a cheeseburger and slurping a soda while playing with this guy, you might not have cared what he looked like from behind? Well, I do, and I'm glad he's wrapped all the way around. 

* Now, just as the Mummy included with a kid's meal, I'd be happy. But being that this Mummy includes a sarcophagus? Shazam. He's now next level. This thing is really cool. It's large and quite well sculpted. It can also lay flat or be stood up. This isn't the first Mummy in a sarcophagus that I've owned (I've had the Taco Bell Goosebumps Wrappin' Mummy from 1996 since I was a kid) but this one is definitely the best. 

* The bottom of the sarcophagus not only has some very cool hieroglyphics but it also has the logo for The Mummy. Not only is the detail on this really nice but the plastic has a marbled texture that makes it look really funky and cool, like it's aged stone or weathered metal. 

* The hieroglyphics and other details even go down the sides of this piece. Pretty impressive!

* There's a little lever on the side which is used to wind up the Mummy's action feature. Pretty clever that it was made to look like a scroll of papyrus. Maybe this is meant to be the Scroll of Thoth?

* Above is a video supplement showing off the action feature: The Mummy walks out of his tomb! Yes, I had to help a bit (maybe the surface of my desk was just too smooth) but once he got moving it's a really cool effect. Not only does he move but the "gears" under him move up and down a bit, making him shuffle in an eerie way. You can actually "wind him up" with the door closed by pressing in on the scroll and rotating it, thus winding him up. It's clever and well designed. 

   Whether you're convinced that this is Imhotep or Kharis, this is still a pretty darn fine toy of the titular Mummy. Decent likeness for a 25 year old kid's meal toy from Jack in the Box plus a cool action feature really makes this stand out. It's been quite a few years since the Universal Monsters had a true push to endear them to kids, hasn't it? Target has some cool stuff out this year like play dough and those foam bath stick on figures, so maybe we're getting close to a renaissance again, especially with Universal Studios' Dark Universe section of the Epic Universe Park? This is an Epic fast food trinket and one of the less celebrated Universal Monsters toylines. I'm going to try to look at a few more of these this month, but if there's interest I'll make sure to check out more this month and in months to come. 


   If you're looking for more of the Mummy, specifically Imhotep, I've reviewed the Universal Monsters Select The Mummy, the NECA Mummy (Black & White) and Ardath Bey, the Mummy from Pop Mart's Universal Monsters Alliance, the Toony Terrors The Mummy, the McFarlane Monsters Mummy Playset, the Mummy ReAction figure, the Funko POP! Imhotep #1082 and Bedtime Bear as the Mummy #1628, the Big Bucket of Monsters Mummy, the Mummy from Mezco's Tower of Fear, and the mummy included with the Mighty Max set "Mighty Max Conquers the Palace of Poison."