I couldn’t go this Halloween season without at least adding one Costume Catalog to the site, and this year it’s a real winner. 

The 1988 Ben Cooper catalogue shows “Smock and Mask” costumes still going full steam with the hottest licenses going like Superheroes, GI Joe and the Universal Monsters.

However, the real joy in this catalogue is all the weird and obscure licenses in here. 

1988 Ben Cooper Halloween Catalog

It’s interesting that Ben Cooper had the Real Ghostbusters and the Filmation Ghostbusters, really covering all the bases. The Little Rascals are a big surprise here, didn’t know that still played this late in the game.

Where to begin with this page? Small Wonder got a costume but “out of this world” gets a pass? That’s not fair, I wanted a Doug McClure costume.

While I think Tigersharks and Bionic Six are pretty obscure, nothing for me tops “Young Wizard” a Marvel show that very few people have seen.

I am sad to announce that some of these Universal Monster costumes never saw release. The Star Trek TNG costume choices are curious, especially Tasha Yar which seems short-sighted.

The Top Row are evergreen licenses all still available today, the bottom row is all cult favourites from the 1980s. I had no idea Sky Commanders got a costume. I barely remember that toy line.

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Barbie and the Rockers is a real step up from her usual Bride or Nurse.

Back in my day, people couldn’t see Snufflupagas (is that Greek?) and we were better off. Not to get off on a rant but that’s everything wrong with society these days! /grumpyoldmanfakerant

I swear to you, I had never heard of Dino-Saucers until the mid 2000s. No memory whatsoever, also what is a “Keyper?”

Fraggles and Muppets, I totally remember.

Aw look at l’il Peter Parker.

Loving the skirt on that Wonder Woman set, it rocks!

That Spider-Man mask looks exactly like the Ideal Captain Action Mask and below him are the two Bank Robber dudes from “Point Break!” epic movie brah!

Other Ben Cooper Posts on Plaid Stallions

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1988 Ben Cooper Halloween Catalog

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After the Adventure Team closed up shop in 1976 and Superjoe said Goodbye in 1978, the G.I. Joe name reemerged in 1982, a good deal shorter but fueled by a renewed surge in patriotism.

G.I. Joe was no longer a man but a team name, a covert group that protected the world, as we would later discover, the forces of Cobra.

In mass marketing the (very well written) toy tie-in comic with wonderfully animated spots, G.I. Joe was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s and its popularity endures to this day. 

The first concept figures for GI Joe were actually kit bashed using Mego CHiPs action figures and that articulated O-Ring construction would become the norm with the line.

First Assortment of Figures. I remember being kind of ticked Breaker had a beard, he was my favourite character in the comic. Marvel killed him off when the comic’s sales started to slag, which upset me as i recall. I bought almost every one of these and mailed away for Cobra Commander, wish I had kept them.

In Canada, Snake Eyes was changed to “Zorro” for the french speaking market.

Stuff like the Jet pack and characters like Flash added a little touch of sci fi to this military series, it was a great element.

Stuff like the Jet pack and characters like Flash added a little touch of sci fi to this military series, it was a great element.

Mobat was a great toy, it really could move..

That Marvel comic really was amazing, I kept on with it longer than the toys which i abandoned after this wave..

What a fun shot, makes for great wall paper…

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