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  • Dadioche
    New Member
    • Oct 8, 2007
    • 24

    Mego Star Wars

    I often read Mego did reject the license to produce Star Wars toys in 1976. Is it really true ? Why did Mego do that ?
    Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel !
    The Power of the Toy
  • palitoy
    live. laugh. lisa needs braces
    • Jun 16, 2001
    • 59204

    #2
    I've heard different stories from different people, the only one that seems to make sense is this:

    Both the decision makers (Kublan and Abrams) were abroad when the license was presented.

    The license was presented to jr executive at Mego by a Jr executive at Fox (not through the usual channels of relationship developed through Planet of the Apes)

    Star Wars was very unattractive, it was an untested property, only backed up by some still photographs and was being offered in a timeline that would make it hard to get toys out for Christmas (Kenner missed Christmas '77, in an interview once Marty Abrams claims Mego would have made it)

    If either Kublan or Abrams had been in town, they probably would have bought Star Wars just to protect the Micronauts, they didn't pass up Sci Fi. Who this was who did reject it is controversial, I've heard several stories and actually heard Marty Abrams mumble a different name. It's sadly unimportant as I doubt anyone wants to own up to it.
    Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions

    Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
    http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

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    • PCofmisfittoys
      Banned
      • Oct 17, 2007
      • 0

      #3
      I'd glad they rejected it . Although I love the micronauts , star wars figures in the same light or even mego sized figures would not have gone so far as Kenner took it. Kenner smashed all other toy companies with there products and forever changed the action figure. I remember buying all my figures for woolworths and then Hill's department store for Empire/Jedi . Now Mego and Hill's are in the business grave yard along side " Circus World"
      I still think about that when I look at the Cloud City playset because it had a mego playset feel to it...lol

      Comment

      • chalwa
        Mego Philomath
        • Jun 8, 2007
        • 592

        #4
        oooooooooooooooo.

        Vintage Mego Darth Vader.
        Yeah.
        I swear that made my skin tingle.
        Mmm-mm-mm.

        bestest
        Chalwa AKA The Pre-Crisis Chris

        Chris' Blogs:
        The Misadventures of Captain Blog
        Comic Book Fanzines: Chain Letters for Disturbed Children


        When I am grown to man's estate,
        I shall be very proud and great.
        And tell the other girls and boys,
        not to meddle with my toys.
        -Robert Louis Stevenson

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        • palitoy
          live. laugh. lisa needs braces
          • Jun 16, 2001
          • 59204

          #5
          Originally posted by PCofmisfittoys
          I'd glad they rejected it . Although I love the micronauts , star wars figures in the same light or even mego sized figures would not have gone so far as Kenner took it.
          That's kind of hard to say really, at the time the Mego creative department had the best in the business. We'll never know because they never got a kick at the can.
          Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions

          Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
          http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

          Comment

          • megoscott
            Founding Partner
            • Nov 17, 2006
            • 8710

            #6
            I've always felt Mego wouldn't have done a good job with them based on the quality of their 3 3/4 figures, but since they never got a chance that's not fair. They might have been compelled to really innovate with such a huge
            movie.
            This profile is no longer active.

            Comment

            • jds1911a1
              Alan Scott is the best GL
              • Aug 8, 2007
              • 3556

              #7
              as has been said in other threads Mego's sculpting team was amazing even in 3" scale. I have no idea what the license cost when offered as compared to other properties but I suspect the facial molds would have been superior to early kenner (say what you will about Comic action heroes the faces look great). That said I also think the other paint ops detailing would have been lost. If Mego had that license I beleive they would have marketed and cross marketed tie in product better because they were a more established company and yes if they had bought it I think they would still be around (or merged with Hasbro). Mego bought several SCI fi properties post star wars that bombed just to "not miss the boat" that I think they would have passed on if they had star wars. Ah well the road not taken

              Comment

              • jwyblejr
                galactic yo-yo
                • Apr 6, 2006
                • 11141

                #8
                Just remember this,several toy companies took a pass on the rights along with Mego. Story goes the same thing happened with the movie itself.

                Comment

                • Dadioche
                  New Member
                  • Oct 8, 2007
                  • 24

                  #9
                  "Just remember this,several toy companies took a pass on the rights along with Mego. " Which ones ?

                  I think Mego had very innovative ideas (for example, just think about the 8'' figures, the Micronauts detachables figures, etc) and the history of the action figure would definitely have been different if Mego had bought the Star Wars license. One could think the company would still be alive and one of the first on the market ?
                  But there's no need for regrets. Kenner did a great job on Star Wars figures. My best memories of my childhood are with my Star Wars figures.
                  Well, of course, I had a Batman who always defeated the little Star Wars figs... that was a Mego 8''
                  Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel !
                  The Power of the Toy

                  Comment

                  • Dave Mc
                    Administrator
                    • Oct 20, 2002
                    • 17827

                    #10
                    On the other hand, had mego bought into it, they might still be around. Who knows? With the success of that toy line, we would have seen either 8" or 12" figures eventually, and that would have been cool as hell. Nope, I can't agree. Mego producing those figures would have been simply awesome IMO.

                    Comment

                    • Wee67
                      Museum Correspondent
                      • Apr 2, 2002
                      • 10586

                      #11
                      Its hard to say what would have happened, but the influx from a Star Wars line might have got Mego through a difficult period for them. They may have lasted until another company they had a relationship with, Takara, was ready to "roll out" their Transformers line here in the West. Or they might have finally had a hit in the electronic toy field they seemed so desperate to get itno. Who knows?
                      WANTED - Solid-Boxed WGSH's, C.8 or better.

                      Comment

                      • cjefferys
                        Duke of Gloat
                        • Apr 23, 2006
                        • 10180

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Wee67
                        Its hard to say what would have happened, but the influx from a Star Wars line might have got Mego through a difficult period for them. They may have lasted until another company they had a relationship with, Takara, was ready to "roll out" their Transformers line here in the West. Or they might have finally had a hit in the electronic toy field they seemed so desperate to get itno. Who knows?
                        It's impossible to say for sure, but that may very well had been the case. Didn't Mego have some kind of relationship with Nintendo? So imagine if Star Wars took them through to the early 80's, then they could have had a hit with Transformers (or whatever they may have called Takara's toys. Wasn't the actual "Transformers" name and story concept a Hasbro creation?) or the NES? It's all "What ifs?" though.

                        Comment

                        • ABMAC
                          User
                          • May 16, 2002
                          • 9665

                          #13
                          Hmmm… If Mego had gotten the Star Wars license.
                          1. The 3.75" figures would've sucked, with no paint on their faces and an excess of articulation. Vehicles would've been recycled Micronauts pieces with new stickers. 8" or 12" figures would've looked nice, but the lines would've contained four to six figures each. Mego would've failed anyway.
                          2. Lack of toy support would've dampened enthusiasm for the movies. Return of the Jedi would've been made as a TV movie. Industrial Light and Magic, Battlestar Galactica, and the Star Wars prequels wouldn't exist.
                          3. The Indiana Jones series would consist of at least six movies, and the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles would still be in production. All effects would be done with stop-motion and miniatures. Harryhausen would still be king.
                          4. Many Mego collectors would insist that Mego might still be in business if they hadn't passed on the Tron license.

                          Comment

                          • PCofmisfittoys
                            Banned
                            • Oct 17, 2007
                            • 0

                            #14
                            the thoughts of all that scare me...young indy continuing, really scarey. of course the SW prequels not being produced would have been wonderful.

                            Comment

                            • cjefferys
                              Duke of Gloat
                              • Apr 23, 2006
                              • 10180

                              #15
                              Originally posted by ABMAC
                              Vehicles would've been recycled Micronauts pieces with new stickers.
                              If I may take this part of your post seriously at least, I don't think there would have been any danger of that. Kenner had to have everything approved by Lucas (even back then he was in complete charge of product licensing, that was part of his deal with Fox) and I doubt that he would have accepted recycled Micronauts vehicles if Mego had the license. How could anyone argue with the logic in the rest of your post though.

                              Comment

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