UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

12-Pack (Front)

12-Pack (Back)

I mentioned in the last Epilogue that I was hopeful I would be receiving some MUSCLEMANIA 12-pack pictures.

I received them from Chris (instabella0501 on Instagram or GoreVidalMeaty on LRG). And I was absolutely blown away. Previously the only two pictures of the 12-pack looked as if they had been shot through a Vaseline filter. And it was only the front and back of the box. No additional details were known.

Chris has provided the best documented example of the MUSCLEMANIA 12-pack every shared online.

Getting to see the 12-pack as it might have appeared on the shelf during the 80’s is fantastic. If, as a child, you saw this 12-pack, then you might prefer it to the 10- or 28- M.U.S.C.L.E. packs. It’s much more colorful and really spotlights the figures more effectively.

It feel like Select understood the appeal of M.U.S.C.L.E.’s 4-pack and converted it to a larger package.

It seems reasonable to assume that kids didn’t care about Select’s numerous claims on the front of the package. It may have been cool to convert the pack to a wrestling ring (which is what Chris did to his second 12-pack). But it seems unlikely that they would have wanted washable erasers.

However, this seems like a great experiment for Dr. M.U.S.C.L.E..

The back of the 12-pack is equally, if not more, exciting than the front.

All of the 24 MUSCLEMANIA figures are shown. Did Select consider the back of the 12-pack their poster?

Select claims, “Over 100 different figures available!”

With only 24 known MUSCLEMANIA sculpts collectors can wonder if additional sculpts were planned. However, it seems unlikely because of the costs associated with producing new sculpts. It seems far more likely that Select was considering the different colors to represent the over 100 versions of the 24 sculpts.

A Master Set of MUSCLEMANIA figures appears to be impossible. But maybe the documented versions shed some light on the 100 versions.

Very conservatively, the first twelve MUSCLEMANIA figures are all available in six colors. This would result in 60 different combinations. The remaining twelve figures, again conservatively, appear to be available in four colors. This would result in 48 different combinations and a total of 108 different color/figure combinations. Did Select consider their “Master Set” to be 108 figures?

Below are some very detailed pictures of the previously undocumented sides of the 12-pack box.

When Chris originally sent me the pictures I asked, “Is there another tray? Did it break or something?”

His answer was a simple, “No.”

Select only created a tray that held four figures (it appears that it holds eight, but it is two “4-trays” next to each other). The remaining figures were simply thrown into the box. The only detail he could not remember was whether the four extra figures were in a bag or loose. Given what is known about Select both options seems completely plausible.

A huge thank you is owed to Chris. The pictures he shared are the best and most complete that have ever been seen. Arguably this might be the single greatest MUSCLEMANIA collector moment ever.

If you have any figures, 4-pack, or 12-pack pictures to add to the archive, then please email a high-resolution picture to the University of M.U.S.C.L.E.. Please take the picture on a white background. Thank you!