1984 in Tattoos

From the introduction of the fun and colourful Rainbow Brite and Candy Land board game, to a horror villain causing people to never want to fall asleep, here’s 1984 in tattoos.

The crime-drama television show Murder, She Wrote premiered in 1984.

“It was murder!” Murder, She Wrote x Rosemary and Thyme tattoo by @mandypantstattoos

Milton Bradley – the company behind the board game Candy Land – was sold to Hasbro in 1984.

Sparkly Princess Lolly tattoo by @goldlagrimas

In 1984 we all learned the three rules for taking care of a Mogwai when Gremlins was released in cinemas.

Colour realism Stripe and Gizmo tattoo by @paulmarino917

Cabbage Patch Kids were the must-have toy with their sales exceeding $2 billion in 1984.

Cabbage Patch Kid sipping on a pina colada while roller skating. Tattoo by @shell_valentine_tattoo

Everyone was perfecting their crane kick technique following the release of The Karate Kid in 1984.

Stylised neo trad Mr Miyagi (The Karate Kid) tattoo by @nick_sarich_tattooer

Along with its iconic theme song, Ghostbusters was released on the same weekend as Gremlins in 1984.

Bold and graphic Ghostbusters tattoo by

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in the U.S. in 1974, but it wasn’t until 1984 that the film was successfully classified and distributed in Australia.

Neo trad Leatherface and chainsaw tattoo by @millhaustattoo

At the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” won the award for Best Female Video.

Stylised Cyndi Lauper portrait @kellydotylovessoup tattooed on herself!

Originally appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #252 as a symbiote in 1984, it wasn’t until four years later that Venom was properly introduced to readers.

Carnage and Venom tattoos by

Freddy Krueger began infiltrating the minds of thousands due to the release of A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.

Colour realism A Nightmare on Elm Street tattoo by @paulackertattoo

1984 saw Rainbow Brite dolls hit the shelves and its accompanying television show hit our screens.

Care Bears and Rainbow Brite tattoo by @missmaelaroux

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