On January 13, 2012, the first of 2012's three Friday the 13ths, Mattel launched the Freaky Fab 13 websitelink. It was an extension of the Monster High website, which focussed on expanding the Monster High expanding and celebrating the 13ths of each month. The website contained a clock that counted down to the minute how much time was left until each next 13th.
On March 13, 2013, the Freaky Fab 13 website became a redirect to the Monster High website, which from then on hosted the Freaky Fab 13 feature.link Rather than once a month, 2013 saw the updates reduced to once every three months. The 2012 content was included in the new location only as far as it remained relevant. That is, stories and interviews were kept, but announcements for books and TV specials weren't.
2012[]
January[]
January of 2012 kicked off Freaky Fab 13 with an eight-page story that touches on the origins of Monster High and the significance of the number thirteen to the school. The story is illustrated with both static and animated images utilizing the cartoon's Flash art.
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The Monster High intercom system rattled to life with an announcement from Headless Headmistress Bloodgood: In light of tomorrow's 13-13 school howliday, classes will be dismissed 13 minutes earlier today. Enjoy the rest of your day, as well as your day off tomorrow. She could hear the cheers echoing from the classrooms and down the halls as she placed her hands on each temple, gently lifting her head from the desk and back on her body. Headmistress Bloodgood's remained on her temples in a vain attempt to rub away a fraction of today's accumulated stress. It was always like this on the eve of a school howliday. Anticipation of an extra day off tended to make even the most well-behaved monster start vacation a few hours early. Today was no exception. She looked down at her list of "visitors": 10 a.m. Heath Burns and Toralei Stripe - Class Disruption Toralei bet Heath that he couldn't stay on fire while spraying himself with an extinguisher. They both won a day in detention. 11 a.m. Abbey Bominable and Cleo de Nile - Fighting Cleo demanded that Abbey step away from a sink in the bathroom because it was Cleo's "personal sink" and not for use by commoners. Abbey refused to move and instead froze the sink solid. Words were exchanged at a volume sufficient to be heard in the catacombs. 12 Noon Clawd Wolf, Howleen Wolf and Draculaura - Creepateria Disruption Howleen was challenged to a hot dog-eating contest by Clawd, with Draculaura as the judge. Clawd and Draculaura were both taken to the school nurse; Clawd due to an upset stomach, Draculaura due to having fainted in disgust at the spectacle of her boyfriend and his youngest sister consuming so many hot dogs. Howleen won 50-40. Clawd is now 0-4 against her. It was the last entry on the list, however, that proved to be the real head-scratcher. 3 p.m. Ghoulia Yelps - Absent Without Excuse Ghoulia failed to appear in any of her classes, despite being on campus. At various times, she was seen in the library, the catacombs and the creepateria talking to classmates but ignored every effort to contact her, including a direct call over the school's intercom to apper in the headmistress' office. Ghoulia didn't even have a discipline folder in which to put a write-up, and as far as the headmistress knew, Ghoulia had never missed a class on accident, let alone on purpose. She allowed herself a sigh and thought about how much easier it was for her colleagues who oversaw schools where the student body consisted of just one monster type. In those schools one had just to be concerned about normal teenage issues without the added complication of those issues spread out over so many different kinds of monsters. She looked at the list again: fire-elemental, were-cat, Yeti, mummy, werewolf, vampire and zombie. It was just a sampling of a much longer list that had all come together under the same roof to learn and interact in ways that were thought impossible before the founding of Monster High. She could still remember the grave-breaking ceremony for the school and the proclamation read before the first shovel struck earth: Whereas, through the fickle claw of fate, many well-devoted monsters have been, and daily are moved, and stirred up, to give and bestow, sundry gifts, legacies, lands and revenues for the advancement of all macabre literature, arts and mad sciences in Monster High and to the maintenance of the Headmistress and Faculty, and for all accommodations of buildings, and all other necessary provisions, that may conduce to the education of the Monstrous youth of this country, in knowledge and excellence: on this the thirteenth day of the thirteenth month, these thirteen families do so commit. It had all happened so long ago that she doubted any of the current students even realized the chance those 13 original families had taken in leaving their traditional monster schools; or how the decision to become headmistress caused her to be shunned by many former colleagues she considered friends. The kindest of them took her aside to explain how a school like Monster High would never work and how it would ruin her career. The unkind just never talked to her again. Those first years weren't easy though, and each 13-13 anniversary brought a needed time of reflection and re-commitment to the ideals of Monster High. Perhaps it was due to the very success of these ideals that the howliday had turned from one of solemnity and remembrance to one of light-hearted celebration. So tomorrow there would be the traditional 13-13 parties with catacombs cake, the exchanging of number 13-themed gifts and a 13 percent OFF EVERYTHING sale at the maul. No monster even questioned why there was no 13th month anymore or why 13 was considered such a lucky number at Monster High. It just was. Maybe that's why she she hadn't even received a card or a simple "Happy Anniversary Headmistress!" today. She allowed herself to wallow in self-pity for a few more moments and then finally said out loud, "All right Bloodgood, head up. You didn't take this job for the recognition, after all." She straightened her desk and called for Nightmare, but there was no response from her faithful companion. Usually she was at her side before the headmistress finished calling her name, but not today. She called again. Where was she? "I hope Nightmare hasn't gotten into the creepateria produce cooler again," she thought as she stepped from her office. Down the hall, she saw a familiar figure shuffling into the gym. Ghoulia? Well at least she would figure out that mystery today. She walked briskly down the hall toward the gym doors. Ghoulia was exceptionally bright but not exactly quick on her feet, and the headmistress knew she could easily catch up to her. When she reached the gym doors and tried opening them, she found, to her dismay, they were locked. Now her irritation turned to anger. She pounded on the doors. "Ghoulia, open these doors this instant!" The headmistress heard the locks click on the doors and when she jerked them open with more force than she intended, she found herself facing a gymnasium of filled with students, teachers and parents. A large banner printed with "13-13" and "Happy Anniversary!" stretched across the top of a stage set with 13 chairs each occupied by a student from one of the original families. With her appearance, the whole assembly stood and began chanting. "Bloodgood, Bloodgood, Bloodgood!" She quite literally almost lost her head and had to place a steadying hand on it to keep it in place. Ghoulia, Frankie and Lagoona and several more students helped escort her up onto the stage and to a podium set up with a microphone. A chant went up, "Speech-speech-speech!" For perhaps the first time in her unlife, she was completely at a loss for words. So many stories, so many memories-they all rushed forward so quickly that all she could manage was, "Thank you." It was enough for another standing ovation from the crowd. The headmistress didn't quite know what to do next, but Frankie came to the rescue by stepping up to the mic and quieting the crowd. "We had a scary-hard time keeping you in your office today while we set this up, and we're hoping that all of those who volunteered to provide the distractions to keep you there could maybe... get a pass on detention?" Headmistress Bloodgood did her best to look serious but couldn't maintain the charade and pronounced all offenders pardoned. Then Ghoulia presented the headmistress with a dragon leather-bound scrapbook filled with paintings, pictures and personal notes starting with the first class at Monster High and continuing through the present one-with plenty of room for additional entries. Clawdeen and Cleo gave her a new pair of riding boots with the number 13 set in rubies; that the two of them had designed the boots together without a fight was a testament to their respect for the headmistress. The original 13 families also gave her a brand-new saddle for Nightmare, emblazoned with the Monster High crest. Then every monster headed to the creepateria to continue the celebration with catacombs cake and punch. Later that night, as the headmistress fell asleep with the shadows of the day's events creeping through her mind, she reflected on how lucky she was to be celebrating another 13-13 anniversary at Monster High. |
February[]
February the 13th saw the announcement of the fourth edition of the 'Signature' line, featuring Jackson Jekyll, Robecca Steam, Venus McFlytrap, and Rochelle Goyle, as well as their pets Crossfade, Captain Penny, Chewlian, and Roux. Of these, the three girls were new faces. Robecca and Venus debuted just a day earlier at Toy Fair 2012, but Rochelle was kept a secret specifically for a reveal on the 13th.
The February 2012 update ties into the August 2012 update, as the latter announced the new book series, Ghoulfriends, which casts Robecca, Rochelle, and Venus as the protagonists.
March[]
In March, the trailer for "Escape from Skull Shores" went up. The TV special would premiere on April 13, 2012, though the March updated noted this to be only true for the USA. Along with the trailer came a flyer promoting Skull Shores as the ideal vacation destiny, laced with thinly veiled warnings Skull Shores may not be the safest place to go to. A full-image version of the flyer was uploaded on Tumblr on the day Ëscape From Skull Shores" aired.
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ENJOY THE RUSTIC COMFORTS OF A TROPICAL PARADISE VIRTUALLY UNSCRATCHED BY MONSTER CLAWS! Are you drowning in a sea of vacation choices; treading water as you try to scare up enough bones to howliday somewhere...special? Then imagine an island, miles from nowhere yet close enough to haunt your every waking moment. No, it's not just a nightmare--it's Skull Shores! What? You say you've never heard of a place called Skull Shores? Well, that may be because those who find us like to keep our location to themselves.In fact, most can barely see themselves leaving at all. Now you may be asking yourself, "Why would that be? If it's so great wouldn't monsters who've been there want to tell every fiend they know?" Only if they are the kind of monster that would go about shouting out the location of a secret gold mine! By now you are probably thinking, "What makes Skull Shores so special?" Well, a complete list would scarely fit into the pages of this brochure but here is just a partial offering of what you can expect: STAFF ACCOMODATIONS FOOD ACTIVITIES |
April[]
On the 13th of April, in preparation of Back and Deader Than Ever, the last book of the Monster High series, which would be released on May 1st, the 13th chapter of Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way was released: "Chapter 13: Occupy Mall Street". This chapter would also be included in Back and Deader Than Ever. The chapter deals with Ghoulia Yelps, Sloman Mortavitch, and Heath Burns trying to organize a protest to get their friends back to Salem before Ghoulia herself would have to leave. The chapter prominently features Ghoulia's scooter, which would be released in Late April, and her special scooter outfit, which would be a "Toys"R"Us" exclusive released in Late June.
"Chapter 13: Occupy Mall Street" was erronously said to be the 13th chapter of The Ghoul Next Door in the update. The actual second 13th chapter was released a few months later by Little, Brown and Company.
May[]
The Freaky Fab 13 update of May brought along the announcement of the partnership between Monster High and WeStopHate, a movement that strives to end bullying by promoting self-respect. It was founded by Emily-Anne Rigal because of her own experiences with bullying. The Freaky Fab 13 update included a short movie of Rigal introducing her organization, herself, and Grimmily Anne McShmiddlebopper, a Monster High character based on her that would star in a special webisode on July 19th. Included in the update were three pages of simple activities to promote one's own self-respect, which would be featured in June too.
June[]
June was a continuation of May, once more paying attention to the partnership between Monster High and WeStopHate. The three activity pages were featured again and this time formed the main event. The only new element of the June update was that the mirror activity was performed by Garrett Sander, Rebecca Shipman, and Natalie Villegas and the results uploaded.
It is not unimaginable that the somewhat lackluster June entry was a result of the premiere problems plaguing "Friday Night Frights", which was originally to air on July 13, 2012. If a Freaky Fab 13 update was reserved for "Friday Night Frights", it would have been cancelled and another created in little time, which would explain the status of the June entry.
July[]
The July Freaky Fab 13 entry's content was twofold, covering both the announcement of "Ghouls Rule" and the start of San Diego Comic-Con International. An extended trailer for the TV special of over seven minutes was released in preparation for the franchise's first stand-alone DVD release in October. In addition to the trailer, the SDCCI diaries for Scarah Screams and Hoodude Voodoo were uploaded so that even those not attending Comic-Con could get to know the two "new" characters.
August[]
The August update is more or less linked to the February update and follows on the April update. The month's Freaky Fab 13 content was a promotion of the second book series, Ghoulfriends, with the release of the first book, Ghoulfriends Forever, taking place on September 5, 2012. As part of the promotion, an introduction video, an introduction post on the writer, and the first two chapters were uploaded.
The new book series' main stars are Robecca Steam, Venus McFlytrap, and Rochelle Goyle, all three new characters who were introduced during Toy Fair 2012 and through Freaky Fab 13 of February.
September[]
On September 13th, the trailer for the second Monster High video game, Skultimate Roller Maze, was released. Uploaded along with the trailer was a diary entry written by Ghoulia Yelps, detailing her experiences with SKRM and her journey in becoming a referee of the sport.
 When I was just a little ghoul my father took me to my first Skultimate Roller Maze match. I do not know if it was the speed of the game or the skill of the skaters or even, dare I say, the unpredictability of how each team reacted to the objects encountered in the maze but I became an instant fan. After the match I got my "We're #1" finger autographed by both teams. I still have it hanging up in my room. I loved SKRM so much that my father took me back several times that year and he even allowed me to look through his collection of SKRM cards, each of which came in its own protective case, of course, and I memorized the stats and names of all the greatest players...yes, yes the names and stats of the not so great players too. I watched old films of the great teams from the past like the '27 werewolf team that went undefeated and the '56 gargoyle squad that had their wins taken away after it was discovered they were cheating. Eventually I went from being a just fan ghoul to getting certified as an official SKRM referee. I know that many monsters cannot understand why a ghoul would be so interested in a sport that not many ghouls play but that is the great thing about sports. Any monster can play if they have the ability and want to work hard enough to perfect that ability. Even for those of us who may not be big enough or fast enough – hah- or strong enough we can still enjoy watching the competition. It is part of being myself, being unique and being a monster. Now if you will excuse me I have a match to referee and possibly an autograph or two to collect. |
October[]
The Freaky Fab 13 entry of October detailed the designing of the Ghouls Rule dolls with designer Chris March and interviews of the Ghouls Rule characters about their costumes.
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As Monster High student bodies prepare for the howliday of all howlidays – Halloween – we thought who better to turn to than costumer extraordinaire Mr. Chris March. A fierce friend and fan of Monster High, the star of Project Runway and Bravo's Mad Fashion recently took to the streets of New York's fashion district to share with Frankie and Draculaura (and all you ghouls) where he gets his freaky- fabulous inspirations. Read on to see what Chris had to say and when it comes time for you to celebrate All Hallow's Eve, don't forget to just Be Yourself. Be Unique. Be a Monster! MH: What makes YOU freaky fabulous? MH: What are some great things everyone has lying around the house that can be turned into a quick Halloween costume? MH: What makes Halloween such a spooktacular time of year for fashionistas? MH: What are your three must-dos for creating the most freaky- fabulous costume of them all?
MH: What is your go-to "accessory" when designing costumes? MH: What's more important -- the hair or the shoes? Wanna know what Cleo de Nile, Clawdeen Wolf, Draculaura and Frankie Stein have planned for their Halloween costumes? Keep reading! MH: As an aspiring fashion designer what do you like about Halloween? MH: I'm not sure that was the answer our readers were hoping for... MH: Wait! We didn't mean... MH: Oh my, well you certainly seem to have it down. That whole fang thing was a nice touch. MH: No, no it was quite effective. Let's change the question. Where did you get the inspiration for your costume? MH: Sounds intimidating. MH: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions about Halloween. MH: We've noticed that about you. So can you tell us about what Halloween was like when you were a little ghoul? MH: Wow that is really creepy cool. So did they ever recognize you? MH: Uh... MH: Indeed. So will you be doing that again this year? MH: That's fangtastic. What are you going as? MH: Of course...can you describe the inspiration for your costume? MH: ... MH: So we've been talking to some of your ghoul friends about their Halloween costumes. Would you be willing to share a little bit about yours? MH: Okay then. Can you start with where the inspiration for your costume comes from? MH: No problem. MH: Do you need to go? MH: That's great-now about your costume. MH: One more... Frankie: Are you okay? Frankie: Positive? Frankie: Oh you poor thing. You probably don't want to hear anything about my Halloween costume then. Frankie: Okay so first of all I'm taking a page from my mom's book of style and doing some serious hair piling. Frankie: I'm going totally conductive with the rest of the outfit. Frankie: It is! It's all metallic blue, black and silver. I mean it really looks like I'm pulsing with power which considering that I run on electricity is not far from the truth. Frankie: I know right? Frankie: Oh my ghoul yes! It's going to be voltageous! |
November[]
November brought in the trailer for "Scaris: City of Frights", which would be released on March 3, 2013. Special attention was paid to the debuts of Skelita Calaveras and Jinafire Long. Additionally, four pages of Scaris: City of Frights-themed tips to spend as well as get through the holidays were released.
December[]
The final month of 2012 was dedicated to the memories, divided into thirteen parts of the year gone by. The thirteen memories were dedicated to:
- C.A. Cupid
- "Why Do Ghouls Fall in Love?"
- "Escape from Skull Shores"
- San Diego Comic-Con International
- Rochelle Goyle
- Robecca Steam
- WeStopHate
- Venus McFlytrap
- "Ghouls Rule"
- Skultimate Roller Maze
- Skelita Calaveras
- Jinafire Long
- Don't Fear The Year
The thirteenth entry wasn't so much a memory as an announcement of a new section on the Monster High website, which featured a countdown calendar, a resolutions activity, and a promise for a new webisode on the 31st of December.
2013[]
March[]
In the wake of Toy Fair 2013, the March entry promoted the 2012 Design Lab and the 2013 Color Me Creepy Chamber playsets. For the Design Lab, an instruction video, starring Garrett Sander and Rebecca Shipman, originally uploaded for Comic-Con 2012 was re-uploaded. For the Color Me Creepy Chamber, a brand-new instruction video was uploaded, this one starring Glenda Chiu, Javier Meabe, and Shine Kim.
June[]
June's Freaky Fab 13 technically started on the 6th. At that date, the first "We Are Monster High" music video debuted. It was meta-presented by Catty Noir, who ended the music video with a note that there'd be another one coming up to which fans could contribute. On the 13th, Mattel officially announced a contest for a spot in the second "We Are Monster High" music video. Fans had to imitate the moves taught in a choreography video by Chachi Gonzales, record it, and send it to Mattel before the end of Comic-Con 2013. The best entries of various countries would be featured in the music video.
September[]
September saw the release of the second "We Are Monster High" music video, its contents the result of the competition started in June. The contest was international, with one winner chosen from the following countries: Mexico, Italy, France, United States of America (two winners), Spain, Poland, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Greece, and Portugal.
December[]
Despite ostensibly being meant for December, the fourth Freaky Fab 13 update of 2013 arrived in November. Specifically, a banner calling attention to it went up on the 13th of November, but it led nowhere and it was taken down soon. The banner returned on the 26th and this time led to three "Frights, Camera, Action!" trailers, one of which the one from San Diego Comic-Con International 2013, two of which new. Along with the trailers also came short write-ups for the characters set to debut in the TV special: Clawdia Wolf, Elissabat, Honey Swamp, and Viperine Gorgon.
Tonight's black carpet boovie premiere has been filled with ghostly glamour but one particular mystery monster gets our vote for beast dressed. Who is this mystery monster? All the Ghostly Gossip knows is that she arrived at the premiere with Draculaura, but we weren't able to score an interview. Whoever this mystery monster is, she looks a whole lot like our beloved D-Lo and she totally owned the black carpet with her haunting presence. Her drop-dead gore-geous black and deep purple haunt couture dress and mysterious entrance has peaked the Ghostly Gossip's interest.... We'll report back about this mysterious new ghoul when we go behind the screams to find out more!
Screamwriter Clawdia Wolf is rocking the black carpet in this tribal prep lurk, mixing graphic tribal prints with some scholarly flare. "I studied screamwriting in Londoom, which is fangsolutely undead with fashion," the scary-cool scribe told the Ghostly Gossip. Now residing in Hauntlywood and working as a boovie screamwriter, Clawdia is living her scream, but she never strays far from her pack. "My brother and sister are here at the premiere tonight with me."
The Ghostly Gossip caught up with a Hauntlywood newcomer from New Goreleans you all should keep your eyeballs on. This up-and-coming filmmaker, Honey Swamp, made her black carpet debut tonight. "I'm thrilled to have the privilege of being here on the black carpet with Hauntlywood's beast and brightest," the gentile swamp monster told us. "It's like a scream come true and so inspiring!" While she may exude beauty and Southern charm, Honey's got brains to boot! Rumor has it this gifted cinema-togre-pher who screams of working with directors like SoFeara Gorepola has some serious potential!
Spotted! Hauntlywood's most sought-after makeup artist, Viperine Gorgon, made a rare appearance of her own tonight, showing off her own BoHo monster-chic style. Known for her work transforming stars like Veronica Von Vamp into glamorous boovie stars, she is rarely seen without her freaktacular palette of makeup and a can of scarespray. Her lurk tonight is a shimmery pink ensemble. "My hair took a little longer than usually to do tonight," she shared with us. "Just as I got it sssscarily styled, one of my vipers poked its head out and my spooktacular 'do needed a do-over. But we made it and are ready to rock this Hauntlywood party!" |
