“You could buy them at any novelty store. Nobody tried to name him. He just became the Not Man.” The story of the ’80s toy which accidentally became Anthrax’s iconic mascot
A palm-sized rubber novelty toy from a mid-1980s collection unexpectedly became the enduring mascot of American thrash metal band Anthrax, appearing on tour merchandise, album covers and even a band member's tattoo for decades. The story illustrates how a chance discovery in a Boston shop, rather than any deliberate branding exercise, shaped one of heavy metal's most recognisable visual identities.
In 1985, toy company Heartland released a set of four grimacing rubber-faced "Monster Toys" that could be contorted by hand; that same year Anthrax released their album Spreading the Disease. Singer Joey Belladonna and guitarist Scott Ian recalled spotting one of the dolls in a novelty store and adopting its face for shirts, videos and artwork, with drummer Charlie Benante later having it tattooed on his arm. The character was never formally named but became known simply as "the Not Man" after a phrase guitarist Scott Ian recalled a childhood acquaintance using in the mid-1970s.
- A 1980s novelty rubber toy became Anthrax's mascot by chance.
- Nicknamed "the Not Man" after a friend's old catchphrase.
- Featured on album art, merchandise and Charlie Benante's tattoo.