First introduced in the 1960s, the Creepy Crawlers Thingmaker let kids melt plastic into bugs, arachnids, and other squirmy wormy creatures. But as you might expect from a toy that could cook plastic, the Thingmaker got really hot, leading to burned fingers and the toy’s ultimate demise. So how and why did Creepy Crawlers return from the dead to fascinate and frighten a whole new generation in the 1990s? This is the story of Creepy Crawlers.
Special thanks to Matt Nuccio from Design Edge for sharing his memories of and insights into Creepy Crawlers' return to market and Design Edge/Toymax's operations!
Sources
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Interview with Matt Nuccio, October 15, 2024
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