Topps Shock Theatre Trading Cards

October 31, 2015 By Mantooth In Uncategorized 3 Comments

I’m not a huge gum card guy but Monster cards are an obvious exception that’s why this set of cards sent in by Matt make me smile, I’ll let him explain:

Given the fact that the great Christopher Lee passed away this last year, I could think of nothing more fitting than this for my final Halloween item-- a superb bit of 70s monster goodness: Hammer Horror trading cards from Topps released in 1976!

Yes, believe it or not, Topps released a set of Shock Theater trading cards based exclusively on Hammer films. I am not a huge trading card guy, but I go gaga for monster cards, and these are some of the best.

Comprised mostly of stills from "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave", "Horror of Frankenstein", "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed," "Taste the Blood of Dracula," "Scars of Dracula," "Dracula AD:1972", and "The Satanic Rites of Dracula," feast your eyes on some of the most gory cards ever marketed to 70s kids, complete with Cracked Magazine style jokes:

Close up of some cards. Completing a set of these is an expensive proposition, but well worth it.

Here are a pair of card backs with jokes on them… Shocking Laffs indeed!

Thanks Matt, now I’m off to Ebay!

Tags: 1976, christopher lee, gum cards, halloween, hammer, horror, topps

About The Author

Mantooth

AKA Brian Heiler author of "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" and co-editor of "Toy-Ventures Magazine". Co-Host of the "Pod Stallions" podcast. Host of the Brick Mantooth Youtube channel, painter, designer, writer, mental health advocate, toy collector, Mego, and Mego Knock-Off enthusiast. I have large feet, ADHD and I live in Canada. Talk toys, not others.

3 Comments

J_D_La_Rue_67 on November 1, 2015

Thanks Matt, we had nothing like that here, and I could really have used it as a kid.

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Tom on November 11, 2015

I knew I'd heard that gag before. https://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/1057039.jpg

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Anonymous on May 23, 2016

I remember one of these, maybe from the 1970s or 1980s!

The card had Christopher Lee, I think, glaring at some leading lady. He asks her, "Why did you call me a cannibal(?)", and she replies, "because you look SO FED UP with people!" *rimshots* Bah-dum-dum-dum!

;D

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