Clearing out the attic is a dangerous game. The main concept is that you’re supposed to get rid of stuff. Unfortunately, the amount of nostalgia-themed rabbit holes you can fall down are endless. I’ve found plenty hobby stuff up there to create an entire series about. I’d like to start though, with Monster in My Pocket.
I think I discovered Monster in My Pocket around the same time as I discovered Games Workshop and Citadel Miniatures. It was the early 90s. Probably around 1991/92. It’s not hard to see why I fell in love with both. They’re actually quite similar in many ways.
Here’s the full haul of Monster in My Pocket figures I salvaged from the attic. The multi-coloured ones I still think of as “the new ones”, even though they probably came out about 1994! The newer Monster in My Pocket – in my opinion – weren’t as good as the old ones. Does that sound familiar?
There was a real character and charm about Monster in My Pocket. I loved the aesthetic, and the individuality of each figure.
I also used to own the Monster in My Pocket sticker album and collect the stickers. My grandad would bring me home a couple of packets after his work on a Saturday. It’s a different topic altogether, but there’s nothing quite like the smell of a freshly opened packet of stickers.
There was inevitably going to be a crossover between my Citadel Miniature and Monster in My Pocket hobbies. Here, you’ll see one I attempted to paint as a kid. I remember he was called Ogre, because I used to pronounce his name “Orgy” and I always wondered why my mum found it so amusing.
I also created some terrain with another figure. I glued it to a bottle top and painted it gold. I’m sure this was many years on, when I started collecting lizardmen.
Monster in My Pocket also suffered from “scale creep”. I didn’t like the newer ones, and found the blobs of different colour a bit… rubbish and pointless, I guess. But then again, I was used to leafing through copies of White Dwarf where I’d see some of the best painted miniatures in the world. I must’ve just thought “if you’re going to paint them, paint them properly”.
I still don’t know whether to stick them on Ebay or not. As I say, the point of pulling loads of stuff down from the attic was to actually get rid of it. But I’m quite attached to these little guys. I’m actually thinking of making up a couple of Open Combat warbands with them. This could be a great way to start playing miniature wargames with my nephew.
And the two sea creatures on the left here, how good would they be in a Man O’ War, or some similar sea-based game?
Right, that’s it then, it’s settled. I’ll keep the Monster in My Pocket figures.
There’ll be plenty space in the house once my wife divorces me and moves out!
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I love Monster in My Pocket! I spent time overseas after high school so my collection was boxed up or gotten rid of. Nostalgia is so comforting that I’ve been looking for these guys everywhere. My recommendation is to keep these guys forever but if you do need to get rid of them, please let me buy these from you. They will go to a collector who still plays with MIMP with my boys.