
You might not know it by how much coverage Mattel/Matty Collector gets through Ectocontainment,™ there are actually other companies who create, are creating Ghostbusters™ merchandise. Which may or may not have anything to do with the 30th anniversary.
Naturally these companies show off their wares at such cons as NYCC, Chiller Theater, (well they should) and of course San Diego Comic Con. Ectocontainment™ continues its tradition of taking a look at these Ghostbusters™ products. Some were a surprise and are brand new, others we’ve known about in the last year.
Underground Toys
Underground Toys (site hasn’t updated the new Ghostbusters™ products yet) produced and sold Ghostbusters™ plushes (ie: Stay-Puft) that include a sound chip. Their plushes usually play the main theme from Ghostbusters, written and sung by one Mr. Ray Parker Jr. At SDCC 2013 Underground Toys unveiled a “no ghost” plush. No word yet about what song it will play. While “Ghostbusters” would be the obvious choice I think it would be cool if it could play Cleaning Up The Town from the Bus Boys. Of course, if the rights could be secured.
I own one Underground Toys “happy” Mr. Stay-Puft I bought at Toys ‘R Us. At 35 years old I’m not really into stuffed animals, except for the curious one. Besides collecting Ghostbusters™ I think I wanted an updated Mr. Stay-Puft plush. Really, nothing compares to my Kenner Mr. Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man plush.
Underground Toys has also produced and created Ghostbusters™ mugs. In the past their have been a “no ghost” logo, a Slimer, a Mr. Stay-Puft, and a “Who Ya Gonna Call?” “no ghost” logo mug. All 4 mugs are black. This year UT (abbreviations are cool) unveiled a Ghostbusters™ “heat reveal” mug. The “no ghost” fades into the “no” logo when the mug is hot. While this seems unique and perfect for Ghostbusters™, I think the novelty of the color heating up would eventually wear off. I could be completely wrong.
I don’t currently own the previous $9.99 USD Ghostbusters™ mugs. Depending on the circumstances I don’t know yet if I would by their heat reveal Ghostbusters™ mug.
Factory Entertainment
Factory Entertainment is newer to the Ghostbusters™ license. Their main products seem to be Shakems,™ which are like detailed bobble heads with sound. FE has been working with the ghosthead community to make Slimer and two of the Ghostbusters,™ and Stay-Puft more accurate.
At SDCC they showed off their updated Slimer and Stay-Puft Shakems.™ Stay-Puft has a swappable head. As a ghosthead I appreciate good merchandise from quality companies. I’ve never been much of a bobble head type of guy. Did I really say that out loud? I use to have both of N.E.C.A’s Slimer and Stay-Puft bobble heads. Due to their ceramic like nature, they eventually chipped or broke. In the case of NECA’s Stay-Puft bobble head, mine broke during shipping from a popular company associated with a jungle. I’m not sure what completely happened, as we approach the 30th anniversary I don’t have them any longer. 
Earlier this year at New York Toy Fair FE showed off a brand new Ghostbusters™ lunch box with thermos! I’m not sure if that was shown off at SDCC. What fan wouldn’t want a new Ghostbusters™ lunch box? If it was priced right, I wouldn’t mind one. I don’t completely remember if I had a plastic The Real Ghostbusters lunch box in the ‘80s. As a collector I bought a complete one in 2011. A complete Ghostbusters™ lunch box continues to elude me.
Diamond Select Toys
Diamond Select Toys had previously produced and created a line of Ghostbusters™ and The Real Ghostbusters™ Minimates since Ghostbusters™ 25th anniversary. Originally I didn’t collect the Minimates because basically I wasn’t able to collect much new Ghostbusters™ collectibles at the time. I’ve never owned all the original 2 pack sets. When the box sets and exclusives came up for sale through a popular auction site I bought them. I’ve liked them more then I originally thought I would. I don’t collect any of their other Minimates.
I was surprised when DST unveiled new Ghostbusters™ Minimates. In recent years they’ve made just about every character and combination. Especially from Ghostbusters™ and Ghostbusters II.™ They’ve also produced and sold Minimates from The Real Ghostbusters.
The new Ghostbusters™ Minimates have different bodies and include removable proton packs. Removable proton packs are in for 2013. As of now I’m not interested in new Ghostbusters™ Minimates with removable packs. However, as the previous figures are sold out and may be hard to find I think its great that DST are offering new Ghostbusters™ Minimates for the fan base.
DST doesn’t just produce Minimates. They also produce detailed figures for other franchises along with collectibles. Of course while they can’t make Ghostbusters™ figures anytime soon, merchandise includes Ghostbusters™ statutes, banks, silicone molds, and more!
I own a regular Mr. Stay-Puft bank, not the red “angry” version. I might eventually get one of the silicone products. I don’t currently own any of the light up statues. I think the upcoming firehouse statue which DST was showing at SDCC 2013 would be perfect for a display with a variety of Ghostbusters™ Minimates.
Also on display is the upcoming 24” Stay-Puft Marshmallow man. I believe it’s also a bank like its previous smaller versions. As I have other Stay-Pufts, including Matty Collector’s 22” foamy version I don’t really need a plastic 24” Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man that may be able to hold my pennies.
Photo Credit: SDCC
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