In 2010, when Monster High debuted on store shelves, nobody knew little goths would emerge from their coffins. 13 years later, goths have a bone to pick!

Fangtastic Goth Collecting Story

I am an obsessive collector of many things: True Blood, Hotel Transylvania The Series, Vlad the Impaler books, and Monster High. You know, goth things! When I was young, the only one I could relate to was Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family until I could read and discover Frankenstein.

The thing is, I was born in 1985, and so Monster High came into my life when I was twenty-five. I fell in love with Frankie Stein! I know the OCD Vampire doesn’t place Draculaura first. What gives? But Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is unique, and Frankie Stein is so adorable!

Because I was building my name as a freelance artist and juggling graphic design school with art school, I had no time to collect yet. But when I became a Monster High collector, I discovered the goth collecting community, which changed my life! So, what’s the problem, you ask?

Monster High And The Fright At Hand!

Until recently, I received Monster High dolls as gifts until I would hunt for them myself. I must admit to being lucky when it came to finding rare collectables. But then I came across the official Instagram account for Monster High, and the comments revealed a sad situation.

Mattel’s Monster High team comes up with collectable dolls every year, and I am not talking about their regular waves, generation, or theme. I am talking about using their Monster High character models to recreate classics.Those classics are gender-bender 2017 Pennywise, Elvira, Frankenstein’s Monster with Frankenstein’s Bride, gender-bender Beetlejuice with Lydia and the most recent one, gender-bender Chucky with Tiffany.

In the comment section where Mattel revealed the Chucky duo doll set, people showed disappointment in the company. The complaints weren’t about the product but about how they handled their fandom. Fans of Monster High would spend hours before the release on their website with their account ready to buy their collectibles, only to be wronged by ‘bots accounts’ or reseller accounts.

Monster High’s collectables are gone before their fandom can even try to buy them. The entire shipment goes to people who don’t cherish the franchise and instead buy in high numbers to resell three times the price Mattel sells them on their website. Some lucky fans would get their limited collectibles, but most of us don’t.

Ghouls, We Have Real Monsters On Our Claws!

Goth people don’t have a wide variety of fandoms that sell special items. When something as precious as Monster High comes along, we want to be part of that world and cherish the representation.

As a kid who grew up with only one character to relate to, I know what I’m talking about. Many companies now have a limit per purchase on their website when releasing an item or a collectible. Regardless, Mattel didn’t get the memo about this option.

If they would put a purchase limit, not only would they keep those ‘exploiters’ away, but they would still sell every doll set. There is no fun in trying to buy a collectible if you release an item at midnight, and at 12:01, the items are all gone.

Mattel has to do something about those retailers because the MH fandom knows what they do. Some might resell the doll set as a whole, but many take advantage of the overly articulated dolls to dismantle them. Those people are exploiting the Monster High fandom, a goth fandom, a community that already doesn’t have many fandoms.

We Have Something Stuck In Our Fangs!

Monster High dolls are quite remarkable. We all know that, but what makes them so special? The collectables and ‘based-on’ theme sets of dolls come from the first-generation wave model. We call them Gen. 1 for short. We refer to the bigger head with thick, long hair on a relatively ‘skeleton-like’ body type.

This type of frame results in the dolls being top-heavy—talking about the head—with overly articulated joints demanding special doll display racks for their tiny waist. Because of those features that make the Monster High dolls unique, the resellers dismantle them and sell their parts separately on websites like eBay, Etsy, Marketplace, etc.

The Sacred Ghoul Rule Code About Collecting!

Any collector would tell you that taking a toy, or any item, for that matter, out of their box or original display is a COLLECTOR SIN! Collectors like me tend to have one item in perfect condition in their original display, and if we wish to touch it, we buy a ‘second hand’ one already out of their box.

However, the Monster High exploitive resellers dismantle the dolls and take advantage of the fact that they all come with something special. Mattel sells their MH dolls often with many items that make their product very detail-oriented.

The MH dolls have themes like creepovers meaning sleepovers, sweet frightening meaning sweet sixteen; and so on. To make those themes special, the dolls come with accessories like backpacks, beverage bottles, head accessories, coffin phones, pets, and more. But each doll has its unique set because they are a specific type of monster with a predetermined personality.

Monster High dolls and sets don’t come in the average packaging. They tear apart what makes those dolls unique. Those resellers take those dolls entirely apart and then take advantage of collectors. 

It’s part of what makes them special. Their packaging can be a coffin, a trapeze, or a three-fold box, and they do it that way because it’s part of the display. They come perfectly done! But those exploiters do not care about that.

The Gothic Nostalgia Of Monster High

Aside from the Hotel Transylvania franchise, which didn’t come out with many items in numbers or supply, there are few fandoms for goths to enjoy. Some of us do enjoy toy collecting because we didn’t have any goth ones as children. Monster High changed that and turned that goth quality into an empire.

Monster High dolls are unique. Each one of them is because, like us, they have personalities. Ghoulia Yelps is a zombie and the nerdiest in her high school, get it? She’s a zombie with a big brain! Meanwhile, Draculaura is a Transylvanian vampire with an obsession with romance. The heart represents her, and a vampire dies with a stake to the heart, get it? Each of them comes with their story.

I believe this hurts the fandom because those resellers don’t care, but we do. Mattel doesn’t understand that we would buy their products. We want Monster High to keep going and keep coming out with new collectables. We don’t want our fandom to die.

Monster High was part of our lives for thirteen years, and the fandom allowed it to grow. The reason for MH to still be standing is that goths are loyal people. We are protective of what we like because it’s important to us. MH came out with a new series and a live-action movie because thirteen years later, the fandom is still healthy, but for how long?

Why Don’t You Put A Stake Right Through My Heart?

Earlier, I talked to my friend Kasey and brought up the subject of Monster High. I mentioned the fandom’s anger, and she had a good point. Some of those resellers allow some to repair the dolls for their children.It’s true. Not the entire MH fandom is made of collectors. Some are parents buying toys for their children. But many people sell their MH dolls’ parts, clothing, accessories they find, etc. 

The OOAK craze is also about buying used Monster High dolls to strip off their paint and ‘bleach’ their hair to create an entirely different character. I get that, and I am not upset about it at all! However, the exploitative resellers are increasing prices for the Monster High collecting market. What used to be a thirty or forty-dollar doll is now double the price on reseller websites. 

The moment a doll comes out, it’s gone. Websites like Amazon, Toys ‘R’ Us Canada, Target, Walmart, etc., can’t ever order enough. Mattel should know by now that it is a disgrace!

It is so hard for collectors to find a place to buy our favourite Monster High dolls. Even the Gen. 3 that came out in 2023 are impossible to find. Because the MH dolls are so intricate and come with many accessories in special shaped packaging, those make them more expensive. We don’t need those exploitive resellers on top of it all.

My Last Few Frights About This Daymare!

Recently I saw the new Gen. 3 for the sleepover theme and wanted Frankie Stein and Draculaura. I also enjoyed the look of Abbey Bominable, and since she’s from a northern country and my favourite season is Winter, I wanted my first Abbey doll. I was so excited!

When I went on the first website, they were out of stock. I looked at third parties, and the price was triple her official retail price. I went on to another website, another, and another. All of them were out of stock.

I’m a stubborn vampire, and I was lucky the Toys ‘R’ Us website at least had the sleepover Frankie Stein and Draculaura dolls. Abbey is gone. Who knows if any retailers will have her back in stock? She’s one of those MH dolls that are beloved but manufactured in lesser numbers.

Mattel should be ashamed of themselves for allowing ‘bots accounts’ and exploitive resellers to buy their entire stock. Those people open many different accounts on eBay, mainly, and sell some parts here, the nude half-missing appendages doll there, the clothing on here, and the accessories over there.

This monster celebration turned into a ‘walk of shame’ monster mess. It’s not fun anymore. I hope Mattel will realise how special Monster High is to some of us and change its policy for buying its MH merchandise.

In the meantime, be unique, be proud, be a monster!
Abbey