Man, this Winter has been rough. I haven’t talked to a single person who didn’t share the opinion that this was some of the worst weather in years. Some things, however, remain unchanged – like the fact that our beloved artists consistently crank out masterpieces to help us combat the Winter Blues. Let’s have a sampling of what has caught my eye recently:

Freddy really drummed up a killer piece here. Yeah, I know…

Rowland killed this overhaul, first of all.
The stuffing, angle, and lighting in this shot really compliments this copy.

Nik’s new Shape 78 sculpt has been on fire lately, and I’m loving the grungy look of this copy. Classy B&W shows off the contrast.

Jimmy at SpookHouse did an unbelievable job on this mask.
Everything here just looks bang-on.

You don’t see too many AHG Castles around.
What a gorgeous mask to behold, this’n.

Mike absolutely nailed the likeness of the infamous “Malone Mask” with this copy of his SL Kirk sculpt. Nasty, nasty, nasty.

That’s all for this month, Shapes, Shapettes & Shape-shifters!
Thanks for keeping Michael-Myers.net going strong.
We’ll see you next month! God bless!

-Zac Crook

After a LONG Winter, we’re back with another installment of the Artist Spotlight Series (exclusively on Michael-Myers.net). If you missed any of the interviews you can catch up here:
http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=121879

This time around, I’ve got Jimmy Falco of Spookhouse Props chatting with me. I pulled him away from a very exciting new project he’s got going on with Nikos Dresios of NAG (more on that later).

3…2…1…

Zac Crook: Jimmy, thanks a bunch for doing an interview with me. How long has it been since you started working on masks?

Jimmy Falco: First and foremost, thank you for reaching out to me for this Artist Spotlight interview! A little backstory: I’ve been dear friends with fellow artist Nick Mulpagano (Handiboy Studios) who lives locally. I would go to his shop and watch him work on masks, talk collecting, read old issues of Famous Monsters of Filmland and just be enthralled with the entire process of how these masks were created. I did this for about 10 years. In that time, I worked with him as an adviser on several of his projects, helped out around the shop and had a lot of fun. Nick has been such a good mentor who has taught me so much. I’m grateful to expand on the skills I’ve picked up throughout the years and do something I am very passionate about. As for me personally, I started working on masks about 2 years ago (2017). When I moved into my house, I only ever utilized my basement for storage. However, one day I was sorting through old boxes & uncovered a large workbench and some old shelves. I immediately started brainstorming how I could transform this space into my private workshop. I cleaned the entire space out and started tinkering with any extra masks I had laying around. I never had a premeditated idea of becoming an “artist” or “‘mask maker” within the hobby – it was solely for fun & a place where I could escape into my own little world. Well, that changed very quickly and here we are today. [Laughs] Spookhouse Props was born!

ZC: I’ve definitely had a bunch of requests to do a feature on you, so thank your customers.

Have you been interested in masks and monsters since you were young?

JF: Well, that’s great to hear! I appreciate all the support from the collectors.

I was 10 years old when I saw Halloween for the first time & it scared the shit out of me, but also – I was infatuated & obsessed. The image of The Shape lurking all around Haddonfield was just so iconic and the coolest thing I had ever seen in a movie character. That basically got me into the whole genre of horror. After that, I discovered all the Universal Monsters; makeup FX artists like Jack Pierce, Rick Baker; all the greats. I remember when I was young, I would spend hours upon hours on my parents computer looking at mask collections wishing I could have something like that some day. I never thought I’d be doing what I’m doing right now.

ZC: It’s crazy to think of all the revolutionary stuff Jack was doing back then. He pioneered so many techniques that laid the groundwork for a lot of stuff still being done today. Have you heard the stories about his bad temper? I think most of us artistic-type people are prone to that.

JF: He was very revolutionary, indeed. The Frankenstein monster makeup is something no one will ever recreate. I’ve heard the stories of Lon Chaney Jr. not getting along with him during the Wolfman makeup as he would singe the hairs on his face. [Laughs] As for artists having bad tempers – as I get older I have calmed down drastically. I just wanna have fun and perfect everything I’m doing. I wouldn’t say I have a general bad temper; I get mad if I don’t get something exactly how I want it, so that’s being mad at myself rather than working with an actor or something like that. I suppose my girlfriend gets the short end of the stick with me complaining if I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to do on whatever I’m working on. [Laughs]

ZC: God bless these partners who stick by us through all our craziness and geeky hobbies!

JF: Absolutely!

ZC: Ariel is your partner in crime, right? What role does she play in the mask work?

JF: Yes she is! Ariel is great; I couldn’t ask for a better girl. As for the role she plays in the mask work – she helps out around the shop [and] puts up with my shit. She got really involved when we decided to do a Valak Nun sculpt. She sculpted it from the ground up with some of my touches along the way. [I’m] very excited to get that finished up. We both work full time jobs and have a lot going on, so it’s hard in general to have hours upon hours of free time. Some people ask me if I do this full time, and my answer is ‘yes and no’ but it feels like every free second and moment I have is dedicated to getting something done. But to be honest, I love what I do.

ZC: Speaking of getting things done, what can you tell me about your new project with Nik Dresios (NAG)?

JF: Last year I was very fortune and acquired a very rare Kirk mask that was pressed from an original ’75 Kirk. An old Don Post Studios employee used to own the mask. It was then was sold to another collector, then another, and then finally to me. I teamed up with Nikos Dresios (NAG) and he then enlarged the mask, brought it back into clay, cleaned up the features, sculpted the Kirk eyes back in, and retooled the ears. I am very honored to be part of this project, and we are very excited to offer this to the community. The mask is titled “10/31” and will be a limited edition of 41 masks total. The first 10 get a special gift and the remaining 31 get just the mask. I will be doing all the finishing, [for] which the customer has a choice of Kirk or Myers. My plan is to have each mask to the collectors by Halloween this year!!

ZC: You’re releasing your own Kirk/Myers sculpt soon. Can you give me any juicy spoilers on that project right now?

JF: About 3 months ago I had the urge do sculpt my own Kirk/Myers – the “Jimmy Falco Kirk” (JFK). I sculpted this directly from the William Shatner lifecast. I wanted to keep a lot of the lifecast features intact within the sculpt with some adjusted features. Something basic, something simple, and unlimited I could call my own. I’ve never sculpted before so it was a challenge at first, but once it started moving it all fell into place. I’m very happy with the outcome. The mask has a look of its own and can pull off some great looks we see in the film.

ZC: What was the hardest part of the sculpt for you? I know keeping proportionate features can be a bitch.

JF: You nailed it: the hardest part was getting the correct proportions to line up. I would step back; look at the sculpt; see this clay face sitting on a long, skinny neck; get pissed off; and push myself to put the puzzle pieces together. [Laughs] Me and many collectors throughout the hobby have studied the Kirk for many year. You can look at real Kirks, to the best replica out there; it has to basically become the best happy medium you can express within the sculpt. Every single Kirk looked different, so having it based from the life cast, you have to maintain some of that “Kirkyness” without drastically changing it so much [that] it looses the vibe. Overly defined features, created shadows, and referencing a mask worn can bring you down the road of over-sculpting. It’s very tempting and very easy to go off the deep end by adding or changing it too much. It all has to flow – that was the most difficult part for sure.

ZC: Can we talk about your personal collection for a bit? You’ve got some really rad stuff on that wall! Is the rumor true that you’re going to give me that Karloff?

JF: Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Initially, Halloween and the Myers mask got me into the hobby. After a couple years into collecting I branched out and started discovering and appreciating the old-school monsters and all the characters of Don Post Studios. It was equally addicting as the Kirk and Myers stuff. [Laughs] And the Karloff will never be for sale – it’s one of my grails.

ZC: Every collection has some holes to fill, though, right? What are some grail pieces that you’re missing?

JF: I’ve always wanted to own a prop from the original Halloween. I think that’s any Myers collector’s dream. I’m very grateful for some of the pieces I have in my collection; many grails – my rare Frankenstein Dick Smith and direct pressing of a ’75 Kirk mask, which was used to created the “10/31”. Honored to own both. At this point in my collecting life, I’m very happy with what I have. Being more involved with the making of masks [and] doing rehaul work (I’ve been more focused on that realm), but I still snag pieces here and there. Plus my house is running low on space. It’s turned into a museum. [Laughs]

ZC: I know you’re in a band, too. You’re a multi-talented guy!

JF: Thanks, man. I appreciate that. Yes, I’ve been playing guitar and in bands since I was young: cover bands, original bands, toured the country, etc. It’s a very hard business to be lucrative within due to how the industry has changed in this day and age. Basically, if you want a career in music you have to be comfortable with struggling day-by-day, being on the road for 365 days a year, and being basically poor. That’s something I don’t want as my life right now. I own a home, [have] an amazing girl, [a] great family, [a] full-time job. Yes, [I].still get to play music and enjoy my life. I still play in a cover band every weekend and write music with my girl. We plan to get our duo moving in the near future when I’m not flooded with mask work. [Laughs] Both [are] major passions of mine.

ZC: I know exactly what you’re talking about. I’m not cut out for the road; I complain too much!

I put out an EP last year – I played everything, recorded it myself, designed the artwork, and paid to have the CD’s made up and packaged. I think I made, like, $150 total so far – not even breaking even! Venue owners have no idea how much time we put into, not only honing our skills on the instrument, but getting the band tight; spending time and money getting the right gear; loading in at the gig; fine-tuning the sound for the specific room; playing your ass off; and then loading back out.

JF: You literally explained it to a “T”.

ZC: I’ve spent a lot of time brooding and complaining to my wife about it.

JF: Oh man, it’s been a lot of ups and downs with music. You’ve just gotta find the niche that you’re happy with and [where] you’re not struggling.

ZC: Who are some of your biggest influences, music-wise? Do I get a touch of a Dimebag vibe, maybe?

JF: Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Ozzy, Zakk Wylde, Dimebag, Eddie Van Halen, Angus Young.

ZC: Angus is still highly underrated, in my opinion. He’s like Chuck Berry on coke. Well – I’m sure Chuck did coke too, but you know what I mean. But everything he did was so tasty. And Iommi’s [Black Sabbath] riffs? Untouchable.

JF: Iommi is the Godfather of metal – plan and simple!

ZC: Before we get to wrapping things up here, can you tell me if you have plans to make more masks in the future? Will we be seeing more Spookhouse Props exclusives?

JF: For future masks, Spookhouse Props plans to release a Boris Karloff Mummy Mask, a Valak Nun, and some other things we have cooking! [Laughs]

ZC: Well, Jimmy – I really appreciate you taking time away from your heavy work load at Spookhouse to talk with me and share some trivia about yourself!

JF: Thank you for choosing me for the spotlight interview! I really appreciate all the support.

The votes have been tallied and now the results of our 7th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas can finally be revealed.  Four masks from last year’s countdown didn’t make it to this one, two were in the top five last year (Trick or Treat Studios Halloween 2018 Myers mask, N.A.G.’s 2K) and one (the KHDW, Ken Hertlein/Dick Warlock mask) is a legend! The fourth mask not making it this year is the Warlock by CGP (Cemetery Gate Productions). This gave room for two old favorites to reappear in this year’s countdown as well as two exciting newcomers.  Let’s get on with it!

This year’s NUMBER TEN falls from number six last year, Handiboy Studios’ DEAD RINGER. Nick Mulpagano (owner/operator of Handiboy studios) decided to take another crack at a Myers mask using the Kirk life cast again. He had used a life cast the year before but realized he had obtained the wrong life cast (“like when Igor grabbed the wrong brain for Dr. Frankenstein.” – Nick M.). So, he tried it again with the correct life cast and better references. Nick released the Dead Ringer on the most appropriate day of 2017… Halloween! The mask released to very favorable response. In Nick’s own words, “It’s becoming my most popular mask [and has] been picked to be the official mask of 2018 Las Vegas’ Halloween celebration, “The Night HE Came to Vegas” and John Carpenter Day.”  Below is a costume shot showing the Dead Ringer in action:

Holding at NUMBER NINE this year is the “KHU” (KEN HERTLEIN ULTIMATE) mask. Ken Hertlein is responsible for (arguably) the most sought after Michael Myers replica mask in the hobby, the beloved KH/DW. He is also known for his successor to the KHDW, the KHSLE. In July 2017 it was announced that Ken thought he could improve on his first two H2 efforts and bring us the “ultimate” H2 mask.  Besides being a great Halloween II replica mask the Ken Hertlein Ultimate also has two really cool unique features.  One feature is a watermark of sorts, a skull face was added into the paint of the mask itself that is only visible with the aid of a black light.  The second feature is these masks come with a single hair from the actual hero mask used in the original Halloween and Halloween II.  Some have this hair laminated into the COA and some have the hair sealed in the neck or hairline.  I’ve heard some have one laminated on the COA in addition to having one sealed inside the mask. Pictured below is a great worn shot of the KHU by member Hybrid Moments:

At NUMBER EIGHT is a mask that hasn’t made an appearance on the countdown for awhile but is nonetheless a worthy entry, the H2SM or “Halloween 2 Stretch Mask” by Bryan Hoffman of Masket Case Studios. This mask is a variation of Bryan’s HMK (Hoffman Medley Kirk mask), the face is wider and the paint up dirtier as this mask attempts to recreate the look of the hero mask as worn by Dick Warlock in HALLOWEEN II. Due to the fact that the HMK (and therefore the H2SM) originate from a real 1975 Don Post Kirk, the result is one of the better H2 masks to date.  This particular copy was finished into a Halloween II “Blood Tears” Myers by Rowland Kelly (Death Row Masks) for our member “theshape1974”:

Coming in at NUMBER SEVEN we have an old favorite making a reappearance, Nightowl/Justin Mabry’s PSYCHO.  The Psycho is one of the all-time legendary masks of this hobby that will never grow old and is one of the best selling , most beloved Myers replica masks to date. This mask was a retool of  Justin’s previous “Nightmare Man ’78”.  In essence, it became an angrier and more intense variation of its predecessor.  Seen below is my own 2007 copy:

The mask at NUMBER SIX was last year’s number two, N.A.G.’s “98 Proto Cast”. In 1998 Don Post Studios supposedly laser-scanned one of their 1975 Kirks to make a new Kirk mask.  Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this rumored scan were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. Two N.A.G. masks had there beginnings from one of these Don Post Kirk proto masks, the “75K” and the “98 Proto Cast”. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films.  Below is one of the best 98 conversions I’ve seen to date, this one was done up pure H1 for a customer by our own James Carter:

This concludes part one of the 7th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas results, stay tuned for part two (coming HALLOWEEN) for the masks that made the top five. Last year NAG’s Castle Stretch mask won the top spot, will this year be a consecutive win for this mask or will we have a new mask holding the crown?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN and welcome back to part two of our annual countdown where YOU the voters pick the top ten best Michael Myers mask replicas each year.  In part one  the masks that placed from number ten to number six were revealed. In this second and final part of the countdown we’ll find out what the top five masks are for this year.

We have a new mask debuting at the NUMBER FIVE spot, Trick or Treat Studios/Mabry’s HALLOWEEN ’78 Myers mask. Last year TOTS gave us the excellent Halloween 2018 Myers mask replica that was sculpted by Justin Mabry (along with Christopher Nelson and Vince Van Dyke) from the screen used silicon master itself.  This year Mabry/TOTS has given us a new mask that mimics an iconic look from a legendary scene seen in the original Halloween.  From Trick or Treat Studios’ website:

“The Official Halloween Michael Myers mask was sculpted by our very own VP Art Direction Justin Mabry, and is based on numerous screen shots from Halloween, specially the famous image of Michael Myers looking over the bannister ready to attack Laurie Strode.”

Not only did Justin and Chris give us a great new H78 mask, they did it for under sixty bucks.  Trick or Treat Studios definitely gave us a TREAT this Halloween, no trick here! Pictured below is a copy of the TOTS H78 Myers Mask did up nicely by Nick Mulpagano (Handiboy Studios):

The NUMBER FOUR spot (last year’s number three) belongs to Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as an already masterfully converted Michael Myers mask, straight from Justin Mabry himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely done Michael Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be customized into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask.  A nice example of the SHAT is seen below with the conversion by AHG (All Hallow’s Ghost):

NUMBER THREE this year was number seven in last year’s poll, NAG’s 75K mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios laser scanned a production pull 1975 Kirk mask in order to make a new Kirk offering. The resulting mask was the 98 Shatner. Two versions of this William Shatner mask were released, one a more expensive and detailed mask, and the other a more mass produced mask. There was also a 98 Shatner proto mask that was discovered which was an exceptional copy, retaining all of the details of this sculpt very nicely. It was from this Don Post 98 Shatner proto mask that the N.A.G. 75k was derived.  Below is a NAG 75K converted into THE SHAPE by Martin Pena:

This year’s NUMBER TWO (last year’s poll winner) is N.A.G.’s 75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween.  Our member Lawson Graves just recently got in his copy straight from NAG and is pictured below in costume:

With the 75K Castle Shape falling to number two this means we have a new mask at the top position this year!  At NUMBER ONE  for our 7th annual countdown is NAG’s PS78 mask (Phone Scene 78) . This mask was made to replicate one of the original Halloween’s most iconic scenes, the one and only “phone scene”. The PS78 is a composition of NAG’s Shape 78 mask and Nick Castle bust. The final result is another winner for Nik.  Seen below is the first one of these masks that James Carter has finished up.  He did a great job as this is absolutely pure H1 goodness.  Mark Walton is the lucky owner and I’m sure his Halloween is all the better thanks to the sculpt by Nik and great conversion by James!  Seen below are a few pics of this beauty:

This concludes our 7th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask replicas countdown, thanks for dropping in to check it out.  Next year (hard to believe it’s 2020!) should be a good year for the fans. We have Halloween Kills coming out and will likely see a couple of new Myers masks in this film.  In addition to the the new movie we never know what companies like Trick or Treat studios and our great independent artists will have in store for us.  Just like NAG’s PS78 and Justin’s Halloween 78 Michael Myers mask took us by surprise this year, it’s hard to tell what other great pieces could land on our countdown next year!

Hope to see you all for next year’s countdown and from myself and the rest of the Michael-Myers.net team we wish all of you a happy, safe and fun HALLOWEEN!

The votes for this year’s poll have been gathered and the results compiled, it’s time for our annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. Staying true to an unusual and surprising year, our 8th annual countdown offers a little bit of a shake up as well.

At NUMBER TEN is Nighowl’s PSYCHO. This is one of the best selling and most beloved Myers replica masks the hobby has seen to date. The Psycho mask was a retool of Justin Mabry’s previous “Nightmare Man ’78”. In essence, it became an angrier and more intense variation of its predecessor.  Seen below is member “bramabull71’s” Psycho 81:

This year’s NUMBER NINE is Handiboy’s DEAD RINGER. Nick Mulpagano (owner/operator of Handiboy studios) decided to take another crack at a Myers mask using the Kirk life cast again. He had used a life cast the year before but realized he had obtained the wrong life cast (“like when Igor grabbed the wrong brain for Dr. Frankenstein.” – Nick M.). So, he tried it again with the correct life cast and better references. Nick released the Dead Ringer on the most appropriate day of 2017, HALLOWEEN! The mask released to very favorable response. This copy belongs to our member “Sufferingone”:

Moving up to NUMBER EIGHT on this year’s countdown is the  “KHU” (Ken Hertlein Ultimate) mask. Ken Hertlein is responsible for (arguably) the most sought after Michael Myers replica mask in the hobby, the beloved KH/DW. He is also known for his successor to the KHDW, the KHSLE. In July 2017 it was announced that Ken thought he could improve on his first two H2 efforts and bring us the “ultimate” H2 mask. Besides being a great Halloween II replica mask the Ken Hertlein Ultimate also has two really cool unique features. One feature is a watermark of sorts, a skull face was added into the paint of the mask itself that is only visible with the aid of a black light. The second feature is these masks come with a single hair from the actual hero mask used in the original Halloween and Halloween II. Some have this hair laminated into the COA and some have the hair sealed in the neck or hairline. I’ve heard some have one laminated on the COA in addition to having one sealed inside the mask.  Below is my own copy:

The mask at NUMBER SEVEN is the legendary KHDW mask. After Dick Warlock portrayed Michael Myers in 1981’s Halloween II, he kept the mask he wore in the movie along with the knife, boots and coveralls. Sometime in the year 2000 he commissioned the very talented artist Ken Hertlein to try and recreate this iconic mask. The look of the mask’s paint, texture of the hair, eye cuts, spatial relations of the features, mask size and all other little nuances of the hero mask were all taken into account. The result is one of the best replicas the hobby has seen to date. Here is the number 26 copy that belongs to member “Little Micky Myers”:

Last year’s top mask lands at NUMBER SIX this year, N.A.G.’s PS78 (Phone Scene 78) mask.  This mask was made to replicate one of the original Halloween’s most iconic scenes, the one and only “phone scene”. The PS78 is a composition of NAG’s Shape 78 mask and Nick Castle bust. The final result offers up a very nice “Castle stretch” style mask.  Our very talented James Carter did the one below up for a lucky member of the community:

This concludes part one of our countdown. Part two of the countdown will be posted on Halloween and reveal the masks that made the top five.

The post 8TH Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 1 of 2) first appeared on MICHAEL-MYERS.NET.

Welcome back for part two of the 8th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown.  In part one the masks that made the bottom half of this year’s poll were revealed, in this second and final part the top five masks will be counted down until we get to this year’s top spot.

Number Five this year is N.A.G.’s 75K mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios were giving the go ahead to release a new Shatner mask.  The common theory has been the new mask was made by laser scanning an original 1975 KIrk but I have seen compelling argument to believe it was actually created from using an old 75 Kirk production mold. Two versions of the new Shatner mask were released, one a more expensive and detailed mask and the other being aligned with what you would typically expect from a mass produced offering.  There were also a few 98 Shatner proto masks that were discovered.  These protos were superior to the two released versions as they retained all of the details of the sculpt very nicely, in effect becoming the closest thing to an original 1975 Kirk. It was from one of these Don Post 98 Shatner proto masks that the N.A.G. 75k was derived. Seen below is a 75K did up by Jimmy Falco of Spookhouse Props:

Staying at NUMBER FOUR is Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. Justin Mabry himself not only did the sculpt but also the paint, eye cuts and hair on the copy below:

At NUMBER THREE is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween.  Freddy Loper did the customization to this one:

Moving up to NUMBER TWO is N.A.G.’s 98 Proto mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. Two N.A.G. masks had there beginnings from one of these Don Post Kirk proto masks, the “75K” and the “98 Proto Cast”. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films.  This particular copy was finished up by Rowland Kelly:

AS 2020 has been full of surprises the countdown has a little surprise of its own, this year marks the first time someone OTHER than Nik (N.A.G.) or Justin (Nightowl) has won the top spot. At NUMBER ONE is the ID mask by James Mangrum. In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Well James, mission accomplished! Huge congratulations on being the winner of this year’s poll. It’s always great to see a fantastic new sculpt spark the excitement of the community and you certainly have did that very thing and did it well.  Pictured below are a few shots of member Sheriff Brackett’s proto copy:

The year 2020 has been one like none of us have ever seen before. Who would have thought at this time last year that soon wearing masks in public would not only be considered normal but even ENCOURAGED? We were ahead of the curve on that one! I know that this virus has really changed all of our lives this year and it hasn’t been easy to deal with. Many things that we all love doing has either been changed in the way we can do them, been delayed or cancelled altogether. Halloween events have not been spared this fate. Yet, in the end there is still one old adage that holds very true: “life is what you make it”.

We still have a great community with some of the absolute best Halloween masks available on the planet. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. We are getting a rare “blue moon” for Halloween AND we will be setting our clocks back one hour the next morning…giving us all an extra hour of rest after enjoying our favorite holiday. So break out those orange, green and purple lights and get the jack ‘o lanterns carved and lit. Put on your favorite Halloween movies and dress as vampires, witches, ghosts and MYERS. Enjoy this Halloween to the fullest! Thanks for being part of the Michael-Myers.Net family and for joining us in our yearly countdown. Have a fun and safe Halloween and take care of yourself and families and come back next year for our annual countdown!

The post 8TH Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 2 of 2) first appeared on MICHAEL-MYERS.NET.

Halloween is once again upon us and so is our annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown.  The votes from our members have been counted and the results are in, the masks that landed at spots ten through six are listed below .  The results for spots five to this year’s number one will be listed in part 2 of this countdown. 

At NUMBER TEN we have a new entry to the countdown, Death Row Masks’ “H1SM” (Halloween 1 Stretch Mask). This mask is one of the replicas that can claim direct lineage to a real Don Post Studios’ 1975 Captain Kirk mask. Due to this lineage it captures nicely some of the features of the Michael Myers hero mask seen in John Carpenter’s classic HALLOWEEN . Below is a recent H1SM finished up and looking ready for mayhem:

At NUMBER NINE this year is the N.A.G. (Nikolas Art Gallery) “2K” mask. This limited mask is simply known as the 2k as this was the actual cost for the mask upon its release. Ten sets of the 2K (ten Kirks and ten Myers) were originally released followed by five sets of a retooled 2k. The 2k offers great detail in the sculpt and hair similar to that of a real 75 Kirk, making it one of the favorite Myers mask replicas for serious collectors. Seen below is member Roderick Tan’s copy finished by James Carter:

This year’s NUMBER EIGHT is an old favorite of ours, Nightowl/Justin Mabry’s legendary mask replica THE PSYCHO.  This is one of the best selling and most beloved Myers replica masks the hobby has seen to date. The Psycho mask was a retool of Justin Mabry’s previous “Nightmare Man ’78”. In essence, it became an angrier and more intense variation of its predecessor.  Below is my own copy of the Psycho mask variant ’81 version:

Moving up to NUMBER SEVEN (from number eight last year) on this year’s countdown is the  “KHU” (Ken Hertlein Ultimate) mask. Ken Hertlein is responsible for (arguably) the most sought after Michael Myers replica mask in the hobby, the beloved KH/DW. He is also known for his successor to the KHDW, the KHSLE. In July 2017 it was announced that Ken thought he could improve on his first two H2 efforts and bring us the “ultimate” H2 mask. Besides being a great Halloween II replica mask the Ken Hertlein Ultimate also has two really cool unique features. One feature is a watermark of sorts, a skull face was added into the paint of the mask itself that is only visible with the aid of a black light. The second feature is these masks come with a single hair from the actual hero mask used in the original Halloween and Halloween II. Some have this hair laminated into the COA and some have the hair sealed in the neck or hairline. I’ve heard some have one laminated on the COA in addition to having one sealed inside the mask.  Below is Caleb Croft’s standout copy:

This year’s NUMBER SIX is the legendary KHDW (Ken Hertlein/Dick Warlock) mask. After Dick Warlock portrayed Michael Myers in 1981’s Halloween II, he kept the mask he wore in the movie along with the knife, boots and coveralls. Sometime in the year 2000 he commissioned the very talented artist Ken Hertlein to try and recreate this iconic mask. The look of the mask’s paint, texture of the hair, eye cuts, spatial relations of the features, mask size and all other little nuances of the hero mask were all taken into account. The result is one of the best replicas the hobby has seen to date. Below is weana0815 doing a full costume KHDW pic showing off this masks’ greatness nicely:

That’s if for the first part of our countdown, part 2 which will reveal the top five spots will be revealed soon!

Welcome back for part two of the 9th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. In Part One the masks that made the bottom half of this year’s poll were revealed, in this second and final part the top five masks will be counted down until we get to this year’s top spot.

The mask landing at NUMBER FIVE (dropping from number three last year) is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween.  James Carter did the fantastic customization to this one:  

NUMBER FOUR (for the third straight year) belongs to Justin Mabry/Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. Below is my own copy, I love the subtle details of this mask as it exemplifies the “no emotion” description of The Shape.

At NUMBER THREE for this year’s countdown is last year’s number two, NAG’s 98 Proto Cast Mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. NAG secured one of these proto masks to create some of his best known Myers mask replica offerings, one being the the 98 Proto Cast. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films.  Below is another James Carter conversion that belongs to member MastaBonaPi:

A new entry to the countdown, the NUMBER TWO spot this year belongs to Handiboy Studios’ “13” mask. Nick Mulpagano (artist/owner of Handiboy Studios) told me this about the inspiration to create his 13 mask:

My inspiration was to sculpt Michael Myers….not a Michael Myers ”mask” and not a Kirk, using what (I think) is the most iconic Myers look – the novel cover and the h4 painting of that picture, as my main references. This is the mask I have always wanted for myself, but never found. It is unlike every other Myers mask, yet, IS Michael Myers. I think that’s why it strikes a chord with so many people.

This one has definitely did just that Nick, DEBUTING on the countdown at number two is pretty impressive!

Below is one of these great “13” masks in all of its glory:

At NUMBER ONE for this year’s countdown is the “ID” mask by James Mangrum. Last year James became the only artist outside of NAG and Justin Mabry to claim the top spot of our countdown, this year he became the only artist to claim it twice with the same mask.  The ID mask is a ground up sculpt that attempts (successfully) to capture the essence of the hero when worn by Castle, not just a mask to capture the look of a specific scene.  

 In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Below is a shot of the ID mask (as it comes straight out of the box from Mangrum) showing it’s simple and effective likeness to Castle wearing the hero in John Carpenter’s classic HALLOWEEN.

With the ID mask Mangrum has created the most excitement we the Myers mask collectors have seen in years.  It’s hard to top a ground up sculpt that so effectively captures the essence of Myers, very well done James and a huge congratulations for being at the top position two years in a row!

This concludes our 9th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replica countdown. I hope everyone has a great, fun, safe and SCARY Halloween 2021! 

Welcome to part two of the 10th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. In Part One the masks that placed ten through six were revealed, for this second part let’s find out which masks made the top half of the countdown as well as discovering this year’s winner!

At NUMBER FIVE is N.A.G.’s PS78 (Phone Scene ’78) mask. This mask was made to replicate the look of the hero mask during an iconic scene in the original HALLOWEEN, the one and only “phone scene”. The PS78 is a composition of NAG’s Shape 78 mask and Nick Castle bust. The final result offers up a very nice “Castle stretch” style mask. Below is the PS78 finished by the very talented James Carter:

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This year’s NUMBER FOUR spot belongs to Justin Mabry/Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. The pic below is a CREEP mask that was customized by Freddy Loper:

The mask landing at NUMBER THREE is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween. Here is a great shot of a nicely converted Castle Shape:

Barely missing the top spot at NUMBER TWO is Handiboy Studio’s “13” mask.

Nick Mulpagano (artist/owner of Handiboy Studios) told me this about the inspiration to create his 13 mask:

“My inspiration was to sculpt Michael Myers….not a Michael Myers ”mask” and not a Kirk, using what (I think) is the most iconic Myers look – the novel cover and the h4 painting of that picture, as my main references. This is the mask I have always wanted for myself, but never found. It is unlike every other Myers mask, yet, IS Michael Myers. I think that’s why it strikes a chord with so many people”. 

The 13 mask definitely hits the mark Nick was trying to accomplish as is evident in this pic of the mask:

We now have reached the NUMBER ONE spot…or should I say SPOTS?  For the first time in the ten year history of our countdown we have a TIE at the top spot.  This year’s number one is a tie between NAG’s 98 Proto Cast and the ID mask by James Mangrum!

WINNER 1: NAG’s 98 Proto Cast– 

In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. NAG secured one of these proto masks to create some of his best known Myers mask replica offerings, one being the the 98 Proto Cast. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films. Below is an example of how accurately this mask can capture the classic Michael Myers look:

WINNER TWO:  James Mangrum’s ID mask –

Two years ago James became the only artist outside of NAG and Justin Mabry to claim the top spot of our countdown, This year he became the only artist to claim it three with the same mask.  The ID mask is a ground up sculpt that attempts (successfully) to capture the essence of the hero when worn by Castle, not just a mask to capture the look of a specific scene.  

 In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Mangrum really hit pay dirt with this sculpt, it is one of the best original sculpts to accurately portray the look of Michael Myers.  Below is a perfect example of how good this mask really is, picture taken by member Caleb Croft:


Big congratulations to both Nik Dresios of Nikolas Art Gallery and James Mangrum for their countdown topping masks!  These two masks are very welcome additions to our wonderful offerings we’ve been lucky enough to have in our hobby. A special thanks to all of the artists who have made our hobby so much more fun through their hard work and talent, and a special thanks to all of you as well for participating in this countdown over its ten year course.

I’ve enjoyed doing these countdowns over the years and I hope you have too.  Everyone have a fun, safe and SPOOKY Halloween!

The votes for this year’s poll have been gathered and the results compiled, it’s time for our annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. Staying true to an unusual and surprising year, our 8th annual countdown offers a little bit of a shake up as well.

At NUMBER TEN is Nighowl’s PSYCHO. This is one of the best selling and most beloved Myers replica masks the hobby has seen to date. The Psycho mask was a retool of Justin Mabry’s previous “Nightmare Man ’78”. In essence, it became an angrier and more intense variation of its predecessor.  Seen below is member “bramabull71’s” Psycho 81:

This year’s NUMBER NINE is Handiboy’s DEAD RINGER. Nick Mulpagano (owner/operator of Handiboy studios) decided to take another crack at a Myers mask using the Kirk life cast again. He had used a life cast the year before but realized he had obtained the wrong life cast (“like when Igor grabbed the wrong brain for Dr. Frankenstein.” – Nick M.). So, he tried it again with the correct life cast and better references. Nick released the Dead Ringer on the most appropriate day of 2017, HALLOWEEN! The mask released to very favorable response. This copy belongs to our member “Sufferingone”:

Moving up to NUMBER EIGHT on this year’s countdown is the  “KHU” (Ken Hertlein Ultimate) mask. Ken Hertlein is responsible for (arguably) the most sought after Michael Myers replica mask in the hobby, the beloved KH/DW. He is also known for his successor to the KHDW, the KHSLE. In July 2017 it was announced that Ken thought he could improve on his first two H2 efforts and bring us the “ultimate” H2 mask. Besides being a great Halloween II replica mask the Ken Hertlein Ultimate also has two really cool unique features. One feature is a watermark of sorts, a skull face was added into the paint of the mask itself that is only visible with the aid of a black light. The second feature is these masks come with a single hair from the actual hero mask used in the original Halloween and Halloween II. Some have this hair laminated into the COA and some have the hair sealed in the neck or hairline. I’ve heard some have one laminated on the COA in addition to having one sealed inside the mask.  Below is my own copy:

The mask at NUMBER SEVEN is the legendary KHDW mask. After Dick Warlock portrayed Michael Myers in 1981’s Halloween II, he kept the mask he wore in the movie along with the knife, boots and coveralls. Sometime in the year 2000 he commissioned the very talented artist Ken Hertlein to try and recreate this iconic mask. The look of the mask’s paint, texture of the hair, eye cuts, spatial relations of the features, mask size and all other little nuances of the hero mask were all taken into account. The result is one of the best replicas the hobby has seen to date. Here is the number 26 copy that belongs to member “Little Micky Myers”:

Last year’s top mask lands at NUMBER SIX this year, N.A.G.’s PS78 (Phone Scene 78) mask.  This mask was made to replicate one of the original Halloween’s most iconic scenes, the one and only “phone scene”. The PS78 is a composition of NAG’s Shape 78 mask and Nick Castle bust. The final result offers up a very nice “Castle stretch” style mask.  Our very talented James Carter did the one below up for a lucky member of the community:

This concludes part one of our countdown. Part two of the countdown will be posted on Halloween and reveal the masks that made the top five.

The post 8TH Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 1 of 2) appeared first on Michael Myers.

Welcome back for part two of the 8th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown.  In part one the masks that made the bottom half of this year’s poll were revealed, in this second and final part the top five masks will be counted down until we get to this year’s top spot.

Number Five this year is N.A.G.’s 75K mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios were giving the go ahead to release a new Shatner mask.  The common theory has been the new mask was made by laser scanning an original 1975 KIrk but I have seen compelling argument to believe it was actually created from using an old 75 Kirk production mold. Two versions of the new Shatner mask were released, one a more expensive and detailed mask and the other being aligned with what you would typically expect from a mass produced offering.  There were also a few 98 Shatner proto masks that were discovered.  These protos were superior to the two released versions as they retained all of the details of the sculpt very nicely, in effect becoming the closest thing to an original 1975 Kirk. It was from one of these Don Post 98 Shatner proto masks that the N.A.G. 75k was derived. Seen below is a 75K did up by Jimmy Falco of Spookhouse Props:

Staying at NUMBER FOUR is Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. Justin Mabry himself not only did the sculpt but also the paint, eye cuts and hair on the copy below:

At NUMBER THREE is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween.  Freddy Loper did the customization to this one:

Moving up to NUMBER TWO is N.A.G.’s 98 Proto mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. Two N.A.G. masks had there beginnings from one of these Don Post Kirk proto masks, the “75K” and the “98 Proto Cast”. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films.  This particular copy was finished up by Rowland Kelly:

AS 2020 has been full of surprises the countdown has a little surprise of its own, this year marks the first time someone OTHER than Nik (N.A.G.) or Justin (Nightowl) has won the top spot. At NUMBER ONE is the ID mask by James Mangrum. In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Well James, mission accomplished! Huge congratulations on being the winner of this year’s poll. It’s always great to see a fantastic new sculpt spark the excitement of the community and you certainly have did that very thing and did it well.  Pictured below are a few shots of member Sheriff Brackett’s proto copy:

The year 2020 has been one like none of us have ever seen before. Who would have thought at this time last year that soon wearing masks in public would not only be considered normal but even ENCOURAGED? We were ahead of the curve on that one! I know that this virus has really changed all of our lives this year and it hasn’t been easy to deal with. Many things that we all love doing has either been changed in the way we can do them, been delayed or cancelled altogether. Halloween events have not been spared this fate. Yet, in the end there is still one old adage that holds very true: “life is what you make it”.

We still have a great community with some of the absolute best Halloween masks available on the planet. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. We are getting a rare “blue moon” for Halloween AND we will be setting our clocks back one hour the next morning…giving us all an extra hour of rest after enjoying our favorite holiday. So break out those orange, green and purple lights and get the jack ‘o lanterns carved and lit. Put on your favorite Halloween movies and dress as vampires, witches, ghosts and MYERS. Enjoy this Halloween to the fullest! Thanks for being part of the Michael-Myers.Net family and for joining us in our yearly countdown. Have a fun and safe Halloween and take care of yourself and families and come back next year for our annual countdown!

The post 8TH Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 2 of 2) appeared first on Michael Myers.

Halloween is once again upon us and so is our annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown.  The votes from our members have been counted and the results are in, the masks that landed at spots ten through six are listed below .  The results for spots five to this year’s number one will be listed in part 2 of this countdown. 

At NUMBER TEN we have a new entry to the countdown, Death Row Masks’ “H1SM” (Halloween 1 Stretch Mask). This mask is one of the replicas that can claim direct lineage to a real Don Post Studios’ 1975 Captain Kirk mask. Due to this lineage it captures nicely some of the features of the Michael Myers hero mask seen in John Carpenter’s classic HALLOWEEN . Below is a recent H1SM finished up and looking ready for mayhem:

At NUMBER NINE this year is the N.A.G. (Nikolas Art Gallery) “2K” mask. This limited mask is simply known as the 2k as this was the actual cost for the mask upon its release. Ten sets of the 2K (ten Kirks and ten Myers) were originally released followed by five sets of a retooled 2k. The 2k offers great detail in the sculpt and hair similar to that of a real 75 Kirk, making it one of the favorite Myers mask replicas for serious collectors. Seen below is member Roderick Tan’s copy finished by James Carter:

This year’s NUMBER EIGHT is an old favorite of ours, Nightowl/Justin Mabry’s legendary mask replica THE PSYCHO.  This is one of the best selling and most beloved Myers replica masks the hobby has seen to date. The Psycho mask was a retool of Justin Mabry’s previous “Nightmare Man ’78”. In essence, it became an angrier and more intense variation of its predecessor.  Below is my own copy of the Psycho mask variant ’81 version:

Moving up to NUMBER SEVEN (from number eight last year) on this year’s countdown is the  “KHU” (Ken Hertlein Ultimate) mask. Ken Hertlein is responsible for (arguably) the most sought after Michael Myers replica mask in the hobby, the beloved KH/DW. He is also known for his successor to the KHDW, the KHSLE. In July 2017 it was announced that Ken thought he could improve on his first two H2 efforts and bring us the “ultimate” H2 mask. Besides being a great Halloween II replica mask the Ken Hertlein Ultimate also has two really cool unique features. One feature is a watermark of sorts, a skull face was added into the paint of the mask itself that is only visible with the aid of a black light. The second feature is these masks come with a single hair from the actual hero mask used in the original Halloween and Halloween II. Some have this hair laminated into the COA and some have the hair sealed in the neck or hairline. I’ve heard some have one laminated on the COA in addition to having one sealed inside the mask.  Below is Caleb Croft’s standout copy:

This year’s NUMBER SIX is the legendary KHDW (Ken Hertlein/Dick Warlock) mask. After Dick Warlock portrayed Michael Myers in 1981’s Halloween II, he kept the mask he wore in the movie along with the knife, boots and coveralls. Sometime in the year 2000 he commissioned the very talented artist Ken Hertlein to try and recreate this iconic mask. The look of the mask’s paint, texture of the hair, eye cuts, spatial relations of the features, mask size and all other little nuances of the hero mask were all taken into account. The result is one of the best replicas the hobby has seen to date. Below is weana0815 doing a full costume KHDW pic showing off this masks’ greatness nicely:

That’s if for the first part of our countdown, part 2 which will reveal the top five spots will be revealed soon!

The post 9th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 1 of 2 ) appeared first on Michael Myers.

Welcome back for part two of the 9th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. In Part One the masks that made the bottom half of this year’s poll were revealed, in this second and final part the top five masks will be counted down until we get to this year’s top spot.

The mask landing at NUMBER FIVE (dropping from number three last year) is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween.  James Carter did the fantastic customization to this one:  

NUMBER FOUR (for the third straight year) belongs to Justin Mabry/Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. Below is my own copy, I love the subtle details of this mask as it exemplifies the “no emotion” description of The Shape.

At NUMBER THREE for this year’s countdown is last year’s number two, NAG’s 98 Proto Cast Mask. In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. NAG secured one of these proto masks to create some of his best known Myers mask replica offerings, one being the the 98 Proto Cast. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films.  Below is another James Carter conversion that belongs to member MastaBonaPi:

A new entry to the countdown, the NUMBER TWO spot this year belongs to Handiboy Studios’ “13” mask. Nick Mulpagano (artist/owner of Handiboy Studios) told me this about the inspiration to create his 13 mask:

My inspiration was to sculpt Michael Myers….not a Michael Myers ”mask” and not a Kirk, using what (I think) is the most iconic Myers look – the novel cover and the h4 painting of that picture, as my main references. This is the mask I have always wanted for myself, but never found. It is unlike every other Myers mask, yet, IS Michael Myers. I think that’s why it strikes a chord with so many people.

This one has definitely did just that Nick, DEBUTING on the countdown at number two is pretty impressive!

Below is one of these great “13” masks in all of its glory:

At NUMBER ONE for this year’s countdown is the “ID” mask by James Mangrum. Last year James became the only artist outside of NAG and Justin Mabry to claim the top spot of our countdown, this year he became the only artist to claim it twice with the same mask.  The ID mask is a ground up sculpt that attempts (successfully) to capture the essence of the hero when worn by Castle, not just a mask to capture the look of a specific scene.  

 In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Below is a shot of the ID mask (as it comes straight out of the box from Mangrum) showing it’s simple and effective likeness to Castle wearing the hero in John Carpenter’s classic HALLOWEEN.

With the ID mask Mangrum has created the most excitement we the Myers mask collectors have seen in years.  It’s hard to top a ground up sculpt that so effectively captures the essence of Myers, very well done James and a huge congratulations for being at the top position two years in a row!

This concludes our 9th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replica countdown. I hope everyone has a great, fun, safe and SCARY Halloween 2021! 

The post 9th Annual Top Ten Myers Mask Replicas (Part 2 of 2) appeared first on Michael Myers.

Welcome to part two of the 10th annual top ten Myers mask replicas countdown. In Part One the masks that placed ten through six were revealed, for this second part let’s find out which masks made the top half of the countdown as well as discovering this year’s winner!

At NUMBER FIVE is N.A.G.’s PS78 (Phone Scene ’78) mask. This mask was made to replicate the look of the hero mask during an iconic scene in the original HALLOWEEN, the one and only “phone scene”. The PS78 is a composition of NAG’s Shape 78 mask and Nick Castle bust. The final result offers up a very nice “Castle stretch” style mask. Below is the PS78 finished by the very talented James Carter:

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This year’s NUMBER FOUR spot belongs to Justin Mabry/Nightowl’s SHAT/CREEP mask. There are two available versions of this mask, the CREEP version comes as a completely finished Michael Myers mask did up by Justin himself. With its ghastly white paint up and solid quality, this is the best option for many people who want a very nicely finished Myers replica mask ready to wear right out of the box. For those fans who would rather have the mask in a Captain Kirk form (or for those who like to send a Kirk mask to be converted into a Michael Myers by the artist of their choice) the SHAT (short for Shatner) mask is offered. Both of these masks are of excellent quality and have great detail whether you are looking for a Kirk or a Michael Myers replica mask. The pic below is a CREEP mask that was customized by Freddy Loper:

The mask landing at NUMBER THREE is N.A.G.’s ’75K Castle Shape mask. To make this replica, Nick used two of his previous masks. He placed a pull of his 75k mask inside one of his H78 molds then foamed it (the foam expanded the pull) to create this uniquely shaped offspring. It is called the “Castle Shape” mask because it has a vertical stretch built into the mask to emulate the look of the hero mask when worn by Nick Castle in the original Halloween. Here is a great shot of a nicely converted Castle Shape:

Barely missing the top spot at NUMBER TWO is Handiboy Studio’s “13” mask.

Nick Mulpagano (artist/owner of Handiboy Studios) told me this about the inspiration to create his 13 mask:

“My inspiration was to sculpt Michael Myers….not a Michael Myers ”mask” and not a Kirk, using what (I think) is the most iconic Myers look – the novel cover and the h4 painting of that picture, as my main references. This is the mask I have always wanted for myself, but never found. It is unlike every other Myers mask, yet, IS Michael Myers. I think that’s why it strikes a chord with so many people”. 

The 13 mask definitely hits the mark Nick was trying to accomplish as is evident in this pic of the mask:

We now have reached the NUMBER ONE spot…or should I say SPOTS?  For the first time in the ten year history of our countdown we have a TIE at the top spot.  This year’s number one is a tie between NAG’s 98 Proto Cast and the ID mask by James Mangrum!

WINNER 1: NAG’s 98 Proto Cast– 

In 1998 Don Post Studios apparently went back to an old 1975 Kirk production mold to make a new Shatner mask. Unfortunately the resulting run of masks produced from this project were a bit of a disappointment. However, a few proto masks surfaced and proved to be far superior in look. NAG secured one of these proto masks to create some of his best known Myers mask replica offerings, one being the the 98 Proto Cast. With lineage to the hero the 98 protos have a great likeness to the Myers mask we see in the first two films. Below is an example of how accurately this mask can capture the classic Michael Myers look:

WINNER TWO:  James Mangrum’s ID mask –

Two years ago James became the only artist outside of NAG and Justin Mabry to claim the top spot of our countdown, This year he became the only artist to claim it three with the same mask.  The ID mask is a ground up sculpt that attempts (successfully) to capture the essence of the hero when worn by Castle, not just a mask to capture the look of a specific scene.  

 In James’ own words:

The initial idea behind “The ID” mask came about when I came to the conclusion that all of the scenes that involved the Castle stretch were all about 95% identical. After reaching that conclusion I decided to use every angle of that Castle stretch as a reference. If my conclusions were correct, putting all of that reference together would create a very accurate representation of the hero mask being worn by Castle in ‘78. So with that said, the mask wasn’t designed to replicate any one single scene but rather a generalized Castle stretch. Considering this was my first real attempt at sculpting the hero mask, I quickly learned that any of my personal preferences or biases about its appearances had to be abandoned. Rather than trying to eyeball proportions or details, as I would in sculpting past replicas, it turned into a process of precise measurement and continuous refinement. The subtlety of the mask along with its strange ability to seemingly transform under different types of lighting made it a far more challenging replica than my previous works, such as “His Unlucky Day” and the “Son of Man.”

Mangrum really hit pay dirt with this sculpt, it is one of the best original sculpts to accurately portray the look of Michael Myers.  Below is a perfect example of how good this mask really is, picture taken by member Caleb Croft:


Big congratulations to both Nik Dresios of Nikolas Art Gallery and James Mangrum for their countdown topping masks!  These two masks are very welcome additions to our wonderful offerings we’ve been lucky enough to have in our hobby. A special thanks to all of the artists who have made our hobby so much more fun through their hard work and talent, and a special thanks to all of you as well for participating in this countdown over its ten year course.

I’ve enjoyed doing these countdowns over the years and I hope you have too.  Everyone have a fun, safe and SPOOKY Halloween!

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