Monster in My Pocket
A multimedia franchise of collectible monsters from myth and legend.
Monster in My Pocket is a media franchise from the American company Morrison Entertainment Group, led by former Mattel senior executives Joe Morrison and John Weems. Its subject matter includes monsters and legendary beings drawn from religion, mythology, folklore, fairy tales, literary fantasy, science fiction, cryptids, and other unusual phenomena. The franchise generated trading cards, comic books, books, toys, a board game, a video game, an animated special, as well as music, clothing, kites, stickers, and many other products.
The toy line, best known for its small, soft plastic figures, was launched by Matchbox in 1990. The first run (Series 1–3) featured far fewer monsters, though the full collection across all 11 series eventually exceeded 200 monsters, most assigned a point value. The highest-value monsters in the early series included Tyrannosaurus Rex, Griffin, Great Beast, Behemoth, Hydra, and Werewolf (25 points), while Charon, The Invisible Man, and The Witch were among the lowest (5 points). Initially, the top point value was 25, rising to 30 for the second and third series; the fourth, "Super Scary," series introduced monsters worth 50 to 100 points, with no 500-point figures in the main series (500-point monsters appeared only in later special sets or foreign releases). Early figures were solid-colored, but later series added more paint until the toys became fully colored under new manufacturers Corinthian Marketing and Vivid Imaginations.
The line faced controversy in Hindu communities because the deities Kālī, Ganesha, Hanuman, and Yama were depicted as monsters, prompting public outcry from the Vishva Hindu Parishad. After the fourth series, which included Hanuman (removed from the UK release) and Yama, the company played it safe with follow-up series: Super Creepies (24 creepy-crawly monsters created by "Dr. Zechariah Wolfram" with point values up to 200), Dinosaurs in My Pocket (24 dinosaurs released in regular and "Secret Skeleton" formats), and Space Aliens in My Pocket (16 largely original aliens). Point values increased further, up to 500 in later special releases. A second dinosaur series, rarer than the third, included only four premium figures released with confectionery, numbered #223 to #226.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Monster in My Pocket
- Creator
- Morrison Entertainment Group
- Years
- 1990–
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The franchise began with trading cards painted by Jan Sheets and Jenice Heo in 1989, credited only to Morrison Entertainment Group. The toy line, released by Matchbox in 1990, consisted of small, soft plastic figures representing monsters. The first run (Series 1–3) had far fewer monsters, but the full collection across all 11 series eventually exceeded 200. Each monster was assigned a point value, ranging from 5 points (e.g., Charon, The Invisible Man, The Witch) to 25 points initially, later elevated to 30 in Series 2 and 3. The fourth series, "Super Scary," introduced monsters worth 50 to 100 points; 500-point monsters did not appear in the main series but only in later special sets or foreign releases. The toys were initially solid-colored, with later series adding painted colors.
Reader's Guide
Monster in My Pocket holds significance as a multimedia franchise that capitalized on the late-1980s and early-1990s craze for collectible toys and trading cards. Its extensive roster of over 200 monsters, each with point values, encouraged trading and collecting among children. The franchise's reach extended beyond toys into trading cards, comic books (published by Harvey Comics, written by Dwayne McDuffie, and drawn by Gil Kane and Ernie Colón), a board game, and an animated special. The controversy over depicting Hindu deities as monsters highlighted cultural sensitivities in global toy marketing, leading to name changes in later relaunches. The franchise's legacy includes its influence on monster-themed collectibles and its adaptation into various media, though information past monster #184 remains sketchy. The 2006 relaunch attempted to modernize the figures with higher detail, but the franchise never regained its early-1990s prominence.
Did You Know?
- The highest point value among early monsters was 25, later elevated to 30, and eventually up to 500 in later series.
- The franchise faced public outcry from the Vishva Hindu Parishad for depicting Hindu divinities Kālī, Ganesha, Hanuman, and Yama as monsters.
- A Haunted House playset was shown at Toy Fair 1992 but never released.
- The comic book series by Harvey Comics ran for four bi-monthly issues and featured a plot where monsters were shrunk and sent to Los Angeles.
More in Monsters in popular culture 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced