Sunday, October 26, 2025

Flopcast 703: Wookiee Torso

For our Halloween episode, we're revisiting a favorite subject: the cheapo department store Halloween costumes produced for decades by the Ben Cooper company. Kids loved slipping into their uncomfortable plastic masks and weird vinyl smocks for an evening of begging the neighbors for Twix bars. We look at superhero costumes (including some odd ones like Web Woman), Krofft costumes (you could be a Sleestak, a Bugaloo, or even Dr. Shrinker), and lots more, including the infamous Fonzie
"He-e-y!" costume. Also: The classic Universal monster movies! A brilliant new monster t-shirt from cartoonist Kerry Callen! And the new Muppet-style versions of Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula! So have a festive Halloween, kids. We recommend shivering in a pumpkin patch all night until your angry sister drags you inside.

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Show Notes

Our previous discussion of Ben Cooper Halloween costumes was in Flopcast 546. You can peruse an entire catalog from 1980 at Plaid Stallions!

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Girls could chose between Marvel's Spider-Woman and Filmation's Web Woman.

She-Hulk was extra frightening with attached hair!

For (Disco) Dazzler, alas, we only found photos of the mask.

The unfortunate Fonz...so close to greatness!

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From the world of Sid and Marty Krofft, here's a Sleestak and Sigmund.

Rival company Collegeville got in on the action with Pufnstuf and Witchiepoo!

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The Ben Cooper action figures are out of control!

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Check out Jason Young's books! (Sadly, the one we're discussing is indeed out of print.) And see Kerry Callen's fun designs at Teepublic!

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Friend of the Flopcast Matt sent us his annual Monster Cereal report. The Monsters are now Muppets!