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Unreleased MIMP "The Electronic Monster" - debunking a myth


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#1 theassassin

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Posted 09 May 2017 - 03:41 PM

For those interested in unreleased MIMP, there was a character called "The Electronic Monster" referenced by name in the "Sid's Bits" article of comic book #2. The figure was never released nor is there any more information known about the character/figure, or at least no further information has been uncovered so far. All we know is the name.

 

The point of this post is that I wanted to help finally debunk the longtime myth/assumption that the figure/character was something to do with the 1958 movie "Escapement" which was retitled "The Electronic Monster" for it's United States release. Putting aside the fact that MIMP wouldn't have the legal rights to make a figure based on a movie character anyway, still the rumor persists. So I have watched this movie multiple times over the last few years, and despite the US title, there is no "Electronic Monster" character in the movie. Period. All the characters are 100% human, none are robotic or cyborg in any way. The computers and electronic equipment in the movie are functional pieces of equipment only, and are just plain old box shapes with dials and switches and the odd screen. The machines are not humanoid shaped, nor do they move around or have any form of conciousness or intelligent personal interaction with any of the characters. The villains of the movie are all 100% normal looking humans in suits or other normal clothing. As are the heroes and other characters. There is zero chance the MIMP character/figure "The Electronic Monster" was based on anything in this movie. The only similarity is the name.

 

And if anyone else wants to watch the movie to see my point, some kind soul has uploaded it to YouTube. MIMP aside, it's actually quite watchable in my opinion and has an interesting story even if it's a little rough around the edges. Be aware the version here on youtube is ripped from the UK DVD edition and has some scenes cut, though has decent picture/audio quality. The US DVD has poorer picture/audio quality, though has less cuts (though still not completely uncut unfortunately). Enjoy:

 

 

Hopefully one day we will uncover some real information on the MIMP "Electronic Monster" character. What it was supposed to look like, what it was really based on, etc. Or was it simply just some kind of error made by the writer of the article, and perhaps he used the wrong name to refer to a known MIMP character (though the article proves it was not the "Frankenstein Monster" before anyone suggests that because he is listed separately in the same part). But probably we will never find out unless someone gets the opportunity to ask a person who worked on the toys or the comics. Still I hope this post is of interest to other MIMP enthusiasts who are as fascinated as I am with the mysteries of the unreleased monsters.


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#2 MudPuppetJoel

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Posted 09 May 2017 - 08:01 PM

Neat read. Hopefully, someone else here on the board can shed some additional light on the subject.


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#3 theassassin

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Posted 15 May 2017 - 05:28 AM

Also in another update, I just read the entirety of the book the movie is based on. A first edition too (published in the UK in 1956 by Hodder & Stoughton). Even though the book was never actually titled "The Electronic Monster" so the possible relevance to the MIMP character is even more unlikely. The book was originally called "Escapement" then later retitled "The Man Who Couldn't Sleep". Surprisingly the book story is very very different from the movie story, and most of the characters are different too, save about 3 or 4. But still I just wanted to let all the MIMP fans here know that again there is nothing resembling an "Electronic Monster" character in the book. No robots, no cyborgs, no monsters, just regular humans with regular clothing and regular appearance. And again the machines/computers in the book are purely functional pieces of equipment in the background, they have no personalities or personal interactions with the characters and are not human shaped or artificially intelligent or anything like that. Same as with the movie, there is nothing in the book that could reasonably be considered a recognisable inspiration for the MIMP character named "The Electronic Monster".

 

So yeh I think we can now consider the myth that the MIMP character "The Electronic Monster" is something to do with the movie by the same name, or the book that inspired it, to be completely debunked. Someone really nitpicky could perhaps claim something in the movie/book might have loosely inspired the MIMP character in an abstract and unrecogniseable way, but any fan/collector will know that wasn't the MIMP team's style. MIMP developed their figures from existing characters of myth and legend and a few from old literature out of copyright (e.g. Frankenstein's monster) , they did not create completely original characters or ones that were so loosely based on their source as to not be recogniseable.


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