Creepy Crawlers - ToyMax Revival

ToyMax Revival

After lying dormant for more than a decade, the "Creepy Crawlers" brand was given renewed life in 1992, courtesy of a New York-based company called ToyMax. With much stricter safety regulations in place, the new version of the Creepy Crawlers set re-introduced the metal molds and earlier Plastigoop-type formulation, but now utilized a lightbulb-powered "Magic Maker" heater, with a heat-triggered door that remained closed until the mold had cooled sufficiently to be handled safely (in theory, anyway). The name "Magic Maker", as well as the new oven design, were borrowed from an earlier 1980s-era toy that melted clear colored plastic granules to form sun catcher window decorations. The ToyMax "Creepy Crawlers" set introduced a whole new generation of kids to the fun of making their own rubbery bugs. Over the next five years new mold designs were released as well as new mold packs. Apparently Mattel, the originator of Creepy Crawlers, had let its trademarks lapse, for many of the original Mattel concepts were revisited, such as "Creeple Peeple", "Mini-Dragons", "Eeeks" (ToyMax changed the spelling), and "DollyMaker". Numerous licenses were also employed, resulting in mold designs featuring such diverse characters as Bugs Bunny, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Batman, and The Mask. The new formula Plasti-Goop was released in an impressive array of colors, and several creative varieties, including

• Glow In the Dark Plasti-Goop
• Scented Glamour-Goop
• Glitter Glamour-Goop
• Stretch Plasti-Goop
• Metallic Plasti-Goop
• Color Change Plasti-Goop
• Plasti-Steel (Rigid -Goop for use in toy car bodies)
• Eraser Plasti-Goop.

Toward the end of the ToyMax run, the oven was redesigned to incorporate a fold-down hinged door, and requiring less at-home assembly. Releases of new mold packs became more and more sporadic as the line simply ran out of steam. In 1997, a wave of molds (and a new oven set) based on the second Jurassic Park film, and an original line of "Mutant Squad" Plasti-Goop-based figures (three of the six advertised "Mutants" were never released) heralded the end of another era of "Thingmaking", and the beginning of a third period of hiatus. In 2001, ToyMax tried again, with both a "Creepy Crawlers" and a "DollyMaker" line, but this revival was very brief, and ToyMax closed their doors.