Back in the summer of 1993, the Fleer company was owned by Marvel Comics, and they were promoting their upcoming Halloween lineup. For today’s post, I’ve selected a fun Fleer Halloween trade ad from that year and I’m going to share a few highlights from it — putting a special focus on Fleer’s classic novelty candy container treat — Mr. Bones!
First up, here’s the ad in full:
Fleer – Halloween holiday trade magazine ad – 1993
Over the years, I’ve managed to pick up a few of the pieces featured in this ad, though there are a few more I’m still hunting for (I’m looking at you, Fleer’s Korn Heads).
Fleer – Korn Heads and Mummies and Deadies – isolate from 1993 trade ad.
Now here’s a great Halloween-themed cellophane tube of bubble gum I picked up a few years ago – Bloodsuckers!
Fleer – Blood Suckers – Stains your mouth RED – Halloween bubble gum balls package – 1990’s
The whole bubblegum as “staining your mouth red” also appeared to be the hook for Fleer’s Bucket O’ Blood:
Fleer’s Bucket ‘O’ Blood
Here’s another piece I’ve been fortunate enough to add to my collection – Scare Crows!
Fleer – Scare Crows – Fruit-flavored candy – 1990’s
Next up is my Mummies and Deadies box. I wasn’t sure what this candy was when I first found this unopened example a few years ago. But I would learn upon receiving it that Mummies and Deadies was an early 90’s repackaged version of Fleer’s classic treat, Mr. Bones:
Fleer – Mummies and Deadies candy bones – Mr. Bones – candy box – 1990’s
Mr. Bones was first produced and sold by Fleer in the late 1970’s. I was a fan of Mr. Bones as a kid as they were simply the coolest candy containers you could find – neat little coffins and candy pieces that could be assembled into a skeleton. Here’s one I assembled from old Mr. Bones candy pieces:
Fleer – Mummies and Deadies candy bones – Mr. Bones – candy skeleton – 1990’s
Now, here are an assortment of the Mr. Bones pieces I’ve gathered over the years:
Fleer – Mr Bones display box scan – 24-count display box – 1970’s
Fleer – Mr Bones – 36-count display box – restoration file – 1970’s
Fleer – Mr. Bones candy display box – 1970’s
I had acquired that 24-count Mr. Bones box because I ultimately wanted to be able to set up a box for display. However, the original was in such bad shape that it simply wasn’t going to work.
The following year I was fortunate enough to gain access to an intact 36-count box in great condition. I set out to scan and digitally restore it, and from that digital restoration, create a reproduction of the box to display my original plastic Mr. Bones containers in. Here are the results:
Mr Bones reproduction display box with original coffin candy containers
Finally, here are the various colors of Mr. Bones coffins I’ve come across over the years. Fleer first sold Mr. Bones starting in the late 1970’s and was still shipping them into the early 1990’s. Over the years, they likely mixed up the container colors, but I can’t say for sure which came first and when each color came out. Eventually, I’d like to try to figure it out. Here they are:
Fleer’s Mr. Bones coffin colors assortment.
And that’s everything for today’s post. Tomorrow I should have something a little different for you — so stay tuned.
See you next time!
Happy Halloween Kiddies!!
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Today’s post has been part of CollectingCandy.com’s Countdown to Halloween. To check out other sites celebrating Halloween all month long, check out the official Halloween Countdown site.
Is that Bert from Sesame Street on the Korn Heads package? 🙂
I loved Mr. Bones candy when I was a kid, along with the similar garbage can, locker, and fire hydrant candies. I must not have been too bright as a kid, because I never knew you could actually assemble a full skeleton out of the pieces. Or I just couldn’t wait to eat it.
the first ones that came out in new York while I was in grade school ( iam now 50 years old 2017) where the red ones all in one box.that was from like 1975-1977 the reason I remember was that there was a candy store right across the street from p.s. 145 in manhattan nyc and my father used to work there so after school it was my privilege to go and help stock up the candys.after a few years right before 1980 they started with the all lime green ones they came in at the same time a new candys came in the munchy mummies that where all green also.so I just out them together in the same display.my big mistake as a lot of kids started bitching that they got mummys instead of mr bones. at this time the garbage pail kids stickers can sticker book came out and right before the end of the summer 1980 they started to mix the colors up.this I remember vividly as my candy diet consisted of mr bones mummies jolly ranchers which was their main competition and the lemon heads I still have he cavities to prove it. it messed up my mouth but I would do it all again I used to love those candies and trade them in school for comics and other candies.i even traded my then girlfriend matilda to go on a school dance date with Freddie over a whole box of lemon heads like 30 boxes.the candy store never got enough of those as they sold out every Friday after noon as soon as the trucks came in.