Weird choices in the WGSH line

[Earth 2 Chris]

I've just been thinking about some of the odd choices Mego made in the WGSH line. Besides the blaring figure omissions (Flash, Green Lantern, Luthor, Dr. Doom), they did make some odd design choices. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the WGSH line, and Mego in general, and this is not meant to bash the line in any way, but I've always wondered about the following:

1. Superman: Why no actual "s" curl? It's more of a "c".
2. Aquaman: Pointed ears?
3. Batman: That funky shaped "oval". What shape is that, anyway? And why no shadow on the cowl? I'm betting the Captain Action Batman mask influenced that.
4. Robin: Why the spit curls? Robin hadn't had those for 8 years by the time Mego started WGSH. I'm guessing the Captain Action Action Boy suit influenced this as well. And why a yellow belt? Barring some mis-coloring jobs, Dick Grayson's belt was always black with a yellow/gold buckle. And why so tall, esp. if this is meant to represent the younger, Boy Wonder Robin?
5. Captain America: The obvious lack of white sleeves and red gloves, simulated or oven-mitt. The mitts were probably left out so he could hold his shield.
6. Penguin: Where's the umbrella?
7. Riddler: Why the Batman belt? My son noticed this just the other day and thought I had put a Batman belt on Riddler and painted it purple.
8. Wonder Woman: Where's the lasso?
10. Hulk: Why or why is he so short?
11. Shazam/Captain Marvel: If they are going for a simplified cape, why not white instead of yellow. The cape is predominantly white.
12. Green Arrow: If you are going to give him flesh colored sleeves, why not screen print his long archer gloves on. It would seem that the extra material for his incorrect glove cuffs would be costlier.
13. Wonder Girl: Why blue boots? Why not comic-accurate black?
14. Speedy: His uniform is completely backwards. At that time (and on the TT packaging) he had completely bare arms, and pants. Not bare legs, and long sleeves!

This is just off the top of my head. Any other weird choices you can think of on the existing figures?

Chris

[jwyblejr]

You forgot Catwoman. Why that outfit? Made no sense whatssoever. And painted eyeballs on Iron Man? I don't think I've seen Tony's eyes when he wears the Iron Man helmet. Only on really close ups.

[toys2cool]

all good points Chris,I always wondered the same thing.One that I hate is why not give Mr.Mxy real boots, but my biggest thing was the Trek Aliens,they look nothing like the originals

[Earth 2 Chris]

You forgot Catwoman. Why that outfit? Made no sense whatssoever. And painted eyeballs on Iron Man? I don't think I've seen Tony's eyes when he wears the Iron Man helmet. Only on really close ups.

Catwoman I can understand. That was her current costume. She'd had it just about as long as Green Arrow had his new costume. It only lasted about 1 more year after that, but it was what she was wearing at the time the figure was produced.

As for Iron Man, well, Batman, Robin, and Green Arrow had eyeballs too, and they never did in the comics. I think Mego just took the more realistic approach with the eyes. And Iron Man did have a nose on his mask at the time (very short lived).

Chris

[huedell]

As far as accessories for the WGSH go---the concept is stellar----
I mean, c'mon, what kis WOULDN'T have wanted WW to have a lasso or
Penguin to have an umbrella?

Thing is, it seems Mego was really flying by the seat of their pants
with their econmically geared decision making process---seems the more
the years went on, the more elbow room they had for upgrading the figures,
not just with accessories, but in every way

What was the run? From 1972-1977?

Too bad the years were not a bit more expansive----I'm sure we woulda
seen some cool stuff designwise-----sure, they nixed the removable masks
---but look at the designs of figures like Isis, Green Arrow and Kid Flash---I
think they were progressing quite well with design by the time the line was
cancelled (I always thought the removable masks, glasses etc were quite
cumbersome anyway and needed to be redesigned if they were brought
back)

[batmanmc]

the shazam cape im guessing was because they wanted to use an existing material and color on hand like robins.

[cjefferys]

One that I hate is why not give Mr.Mxy real boots

Luckily, kids in Mexico didn't get screwed in that department. Well, the very few who actually bought a Ledy Mxy at least. :wink_y:

[The Toyroom]

Also:

5. Captain America: Cap's boots are wrong...they should've had the cuff at the top (not red Superman boots)
11. Shazam/Captain Marvel: Captain Marvel's boots are incorrect too...they should've had the cuff at the top too (not yellow Superman boots)

[Earth 2 Chris]

5. Captain America: Cap's boots are wrong...they should've had the cuff at the top (not red Superman boots)
11. Shazam/Captain Marvel: Captain Marvel's boots are incorrect too...they should've had the cuff at the top too (not yellow Superman boots)


How'd I forget those. Poor Captain America. With his costume inaccuracies, and his straight-from-the-optometrist-eyes, he is WGSH's most maligned figure.

Good thing his shield really flies!!!

Chris

[chalwa]

How'd I forget those. Poor Captain America. With his costume inaccuracies, and his straight-from-the-optometrist-eyes, he is WGSH's most maligned figure.
Good thing his shield really flies!!!
Chris

Y'know, I realize they were flying by the seat of their pants and a lot of these odd costume/accessory choices can be attributed to finacial reasons(they did criss-cross parts, ala Falcon's hands) but speaking personally, just having the darn things was enough for me.
These were the first real attempt to satiate the fantasies of superhero-loving kids. I didn't care about the lasso (although my 12" did have one later on.) or the umbrella. I was just happy someone was making 'em in any decent form.
God bless my inner 12-year old.
And yours too!

bestest

Chris

[ABMAC]

4. Robin: …And why so tall, esp. if this is meant to represent the younger, Boy Wonder Robin?

Mego only HAD one body when Batman and Robin were released. Better a tall Robin than no Robin.


6. Penguin: Where's the umbrella?
8. Wonder Woman: Where's the lasso?

How many WGSH had accessories at all? Captain America, Green Arrow, Thor, Conan, Tarzan, and who else? It wasn't like now when every figure has to have a carrying case for all his signature gadgets and doodads.


10. Hulk: Why or why is he so short?

So they wouldn't have to make the box wider.


11. Shazam/Captain Marvel: If they are going for a simplified cape, why not white instead of yellow. The cape is predominantly white.

They already had yellow cape material and yellow elastic from when they made Robin. Besides, a plain white cape on Captain Marvel looks awful and gets dirty easily.


12. Green Arrow: If you are going to give him flesh colored sleeves, why not screen print his long archer gloves on. It would seem that the extra material for his incorrect glove cuffs would be costlier.

He was already the most complex figure made at the time. Screenprinting would've added more expense.

[batmanmc]

i was and really am glad to just have megos. i ike talking about what if mego did this or what would have been cool. mike

[theressa]

......

[Meule]

And this one......why not paint Penguins top hat purple? They had the paint already mixed :angry:

Because Burgess Meredith was the only one who had a purple hat, most other Penguins (either in the movies, cartoons or the comics) had a black hat

[MegoNinja]

another note is that Mxyzptlk is not meant to have pants, as strange as that sounds! Im guessing that they didn't want to do this so that they didn't have an action figure that was a mad imp with no pants!

[Earth 2 Chris]

I hope the spirit of this thread wasn't misunderstood. I LOVE my Megos. Did as a kid, do now. If they didn't exist my childhood would have a big gaping hole in it. But over the years of gathering these figures up, these are just some of the questions that popped into my head. It's these weird idiosyncracies that help make Mego interesting, and set them apart from their later, slicker Super Hero action figure brethern.

Chris

[toys2cool]

I hope the spirit of this thread wasn't misunderstood. I LOVE my Megos. Did as a kid, do now. If they didn't exist my childhood would have a big gaping hole in it. But over the years of gathering these figures up, these are just some of the questions that popped into my head. It's these weird idiosyncracies that help make Mego interesting, and set them apart from their later, slicker Super Hero action figure brethern.

Chris
nuh i understand what you meant,It's good to wonder why? and what if :grin:

[megojim]

The answer to all of these question is a simple matter of production cost and the fact that the design team really didn't know the characters.
Besides . . . we still bought em right? . . . . some of have bought two or three times over :biggrin: I think this is one of the endearing facets of Mego figures.
-jim

[kingdom warrior]

As a kid all those points never mattered to me......I loved Captain America as a kid had him three different times never once cared that he wasn't correct and actually wouldn't have my Cap any other way.

Green Arrow Mego is IMO perfect.

If Mego existed now sure I would want my figures a bit more accurate but I know the figures would cost more also. Dc Direct 13 inch figure line is proof of that.

[chalwa]

another note is that Mxyzptlk is not meant to have pants, as strange as that sounds! Im guessing that they didn't want to do this so that they didn't have an action figure that was a mad imp with no pants!

Hahahaha!
Now that is funny! If I had to do it over, that'd be my screen name:
Mad imp with no pants!

Been called worse.
Heh.
I Love it.

bestest

chris

[Airdave817]

I think all of the details and quirks of design are what make the Megos so unique. I like the figures that I've been getting from DC Direct. I like the Alex Ross figures because they look like they've come right off the page. I like the Justice League Animated figures becuase they're all based on the maquettes. I have the mini-maquettes, the figures and the metal figures all on display on a shelf.

But there is just something about Batman and those goofy, oversized oven-mitt gloves that is just so cool. The same with Robin. I think that it is interesting that they didn't base the design on either Adam West, Burt Ward or the current comic book images, but images from - what? - the '50's?