Of all the classic Universal Monsters, perhaps the most creative and innovative was the Gill-Man, created for the big screen rather than being based on any classic horror novels. Though he starred in the fewest movies of any of the main monsters (three in total) beginning with Creature From the Black Lagoon, his amphibious appearance and full-body costume became instantly iconic. Many years later, Guillermo del Toro would even win an Oscar for his cinematic homage to the creature in The Shape of Water.
Open for Business
Gill-Man has seen many toys over the years, including several action figures by NECA and even a Ninja Turtle mash-up. How many of them, however, have had the ability to open up and reveal his innards? That feature’s all Super7. Their 11-inch tall Super Cyborg figures pay tribute to the Shogun Warriors of old, and typically feature robots and machines (like Megazords) that open to display their inner mechanisms. Gill-Man is a rare organic character for the line — but he still opens up anyway!
Remove his face, chest, and right hand to reveal skull, bones, and a slowly digesting fish carcass in his guts, suggesting our amphibious friend swallows them whole. Are those lungs in his chest in addition to the gills in his neck? You figure it out!
With seven points of articulation, he can strike menacing poses. With a price tag of $125, he’ll menace your budget. But how many figures will you ever own where you can crack open the chest to see its innards? The Gill-Man has guts…do you? Even if you’ve seen all his movies, and those inspired by him, you’ve never really seen this side — inside, that is — of the creature.
Check out some official images below and see if this creature belongs on your shelf today.