More Mego
News
 NEW MEGO BOOK OFFERS PEEK AT NEW RARITIES,
PROTOTYPES
A highly anticipated new book focusing on Mego toys
and written by a longtime collector and Mego expert is already making news several months
before its scheduled release.
The collector/dealer, in conjunction with a popular
action figure rag, is working furiously to compile what is reputed to be the new bible for
Mego fans. Included in the book will be pictures of just about everything Mego released
during its "Golden Age" of the 1970s, including Dinah Mite and Action Jackson,
Planet of the Apes and other TV and movie lines, Sonny and Cher and other celebrity dolls,
and, of course, superheroes from Marvel and DC. The book will also contain pictures of
never before seen rareties and prototypes.
The Big Bombshell
Almost since their release as a 1974 Montgomery
Wards exclusive, the secret identities (or alter egos) -- 8" representations of Bruce
Wayne, Dick Grayson, Clark Kent and Peter Parker -- have been the Holy Grail of Mego
collecting. The four alter egos were only available in mailer bags...or so everyone
thought.
One of the big bombshells of the book will be a
photo of a carded set of Alter Egos. With a set of regular Alter Egos selling in the range
of $4K to $6K, imagine what a carded set might bring!
No further information is available on the carded
Alter Egos at this time...you'll have to buy a copy of the book to see the picture.
Other Tidbits
Rumors continue to swirl about other possible
revelations this book may contain, including photos of Mego rareties like the newly
discovered European exclusive12" Mighty Mightor, a Wizard of
Oz Flying Monkey mint in the original box, sculpted prototypes of such characters as the
Lou Ferrigno Hulk (see sidebar) and such obscurities as the C.B. radio fad inspired C.B.
McHaul action figure line.
Definitely included will be an updated history of
the Mego toy company, with an insider look by none other than Marty Abrams.
The book is expected to be released in the fall or
winter of 1999, but may be delayed. |
Are we going to have to scramble to buy
yet another set of Alter Egos?
(Illustration courtesy MMB)
| Mego
Con 1998 Mego collectors and
dealers gathered in Toledo, Ohio this past Labor Day weekend for the first Mego Con, a
celebration of all things Mego, including Micronauts.
Among the special guests at the show were Marty
Abrams, the former president of Mego, and head sculptor Ken Sheller. (I wasn't clear if
this meant he was the sculptor in charge, or if he sculpted heads). Included in the
festivities were presentations by Mr. Abrams and Mr. Sheller, an active dealer room, and a
view of a special Micronauts prototype which was intended as a convention exclusive, but,
unfortunately, was never produced.
The highlight of the show was when Mr. Sheller
displayed some of his sculpts. The crowd gaped at the sight of very rare prototypes of
unmade Mego products, including an incredibly cool Lou Ferrigno Hulk likeness which was
intended for a 12" Hulk, and a Bill Bixby likeness which was slated for release as a
Montgomery Wards exclusive to follow up their modest success with the Alter Egos
exclusive. Also shown were two prototype heads for the unproduced Logan's Run series.
Unfortunately, no still photography of the
prototypes was allowed (or has been leaked), due to an exclusive agreement with the author
of the upcoming Mego book.
Grrr. We want Hulk toys! |
|
