Vintage Mego 1: Introduction and Gateway Mego Discussion

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Welcome to Vintage Mego, a bi-weekly discussion of Mego toys produced during their “Golden Age” also known as our childhood. This week’s installment serves as an introduction to the series and also, a discussion of your “Gateway mego” the action figure that saw you become a collector. Tell us us what your “Gateway Mego” was…

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[palitoy]

I decided to take a break from "Mint off Card" and go back to my roots a little and chat about vintage again. Robyn crafted that awesome logo.

Still like the new stuff but I grew tired of the "Over the top" negativity sometimes associated with it (my last review some guy just flat out told me i'm wrong and a shill for Mego, guess I can't just like something) and well, only one of the company's featured ever really seemed to care. To sum up, it wasn't making me happy, so i went for something that would. It was really nice to hear from all the folks who said they enjoyed the series, i appreciated that.

So I'm going to do this, "History of Mego" shorts and Toy-Ventures. The open call for "CustoMego Creations" submissions is always open to anyone who cares.

Thanks for watching, a second episode will follow this week. Until then, I'm scaling back my online time, so see ya!

Brian

PS please give it an upvote on youtube if you like it, I have two ex-members who downvote everything i do because they're such well adjusted humans.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It was great Brian, I really enjoyed it!

Chris

[palitoy]

Thanks Chris, appreciate it, glad you liked it.

[Mego Newbie14]

That was pretty cool. I enjoy learning about the past of Mego. And thank you and anyone who’s helping you with this series and mint off card.

[newlyknighted]

I love Zantor. I'm glad to see other Space:1999 fans here on the Museum. I always enjoy your content in your videos Brian, whether new or vintage. I hope you feature more of your Space:1999 collection soon.
By the way, I credit your Mint off card segments, and Steve's customs for getting me into the 14" line. They are really cool. Thanks for the Friday newsletter as well. It's always a treat!

[Wee67]

Even though Zantor was not my gateway Mego, your story gave me the same nostalgic warmth I got when I held my first Mego as an adult collector. It was Superman, but I'm not sure I can credit him with leading me back to Mego. In fact, the figure that did wasn't even a Mego.

An artist I used to work with rotated a different figure on his desk every week. I'd challenge my nerd knowledge trying to identify the character it (with passing success) but I specifically remember commenting that his Matrix Neo figure was more like a tiny statue than a toy. It only moved at the shoulders, waist and hips. I told him about these gloriously articulated figures I had as kid made by a company called Mego. I loved them and they dominated my childhood so I'm sure I waxed a bit nostalgic. He suggested I should check out this relatively new site called "eBay."

I remember being overwhelmed by the search results "mego" returned. With each picture, I started to feel again the same excitement and simple joy childhood me felt with each new figure. After several failed attempts to win my favorite character, Batman, I decided to throw a bid for a Superman. I won. Even now, I can remember how it was to see those bright colors, feel whatever material the cape was made from and see that definitively-for-me sculpted head. His cupped hands looked just as sill when I put his arms and body into flying position. I loved him.

Slope slipped down!

[alex]

Enjoyed, actually also listened to it on FB, always great to hear a story

[Mikey]

Man, I love this video and can't wait for more -- I only wish it was longer

I can happily listen to this kinda stuff for a long time

My gateway Mego was a MIB Shazam.

Was collecting vintage lunchboxes and was doing some on phone trading (look it up kids)

Lady REALLY wanted my Magic of Lassie lunchbox …. I had gotten it for almost nothing and had no interest in keeping it in my collecting.

She had no lunchboxes for trade but she did have a MIB Shazam Mego.

I was like, hmmmmm (not really wanting it, but thinking it might have retrade potential)

When he arrived I was hooked ---- All my old Mego Memories came rushing back into my head

As a matter of fact it was that Shazam that helped turn me into an ex-lunchbox collector

He's EVIL I TELL YA !!!

[EmergencyIan]

That may be my favorite video, so far. Before I watched it, I was going to say WGSH Batman and Robin, but I’m not sure if they count since those were the first two Mego’s I had ever collected. I’m not sure exactly what got me back into them as an adult since I had many fond memories of different Mego figures from different lines. On top of that, I’m not certain what my first figure back into Mego was. I believe it was T1 Shazam, which I never owned as a child, but always wanted (really just wanted any WGSH Shazam).

- Ian

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Awesome video, Brian! When I was a kid, I think Mego's different offerings were hard to resist. I had different adventures with 8 inch figures, bend n flex, and comic action heroes. As an adult, it was the Ben's book with all of those minty pictures, the discovery at the museum that people made customs, and the re-release of the Treks by EMCE. Kirk's are like potato chips to me....you can't have just one.

[VintageMike]

Awesome video! My gateway Mogo had the Spider-Man, and through thick and thin, I still have him. Since the WGSH line was being cut as I got I old enough to request figures I ony saw select WGSH growing up. As a spidey gan I DESPERATLY wanted a Green Goblin. Getting a loose one as an adult remains one of my highlights as an adult collector. The kid in my screamed "finally!" when I got it. While hero offerings were sparse that didn't stop from getting whatever Megos I could usually tied into my favorite shows. Fonzie, Bo & Luke Duke, and most of the Trek crew were in my childhood collection. Also I remeber findinga MIB Iron Man at the Meadowlands flea market was a particular treat.

[PNGwynne]

I really enjoyed this video, it captured the sort of content that has always engaged me the most on this forum: that sharing of personal experiences of toy and pop-culture nostalgia. I love it when someone discusses a toy they loved, a Hallowe'en costume, or some childhood picture of Christmas or a birthday.

What made me a Mego collector? Probably two things, beginning when I was a child. First, buying an RC Batman with the birthday money my aunt gave me. It was beloved and certainly made me want more. The other: The many Christmas catalogues my mother received. We did not shop a lot or have many shopping options, so those books were pored over and served as inspiration for many future Mego purchases.

[josephcardone]

This is awesome !

I had a friend who had the first edition McCoy and Scotty (no idea why he only had these 2). I thought they were great and starting watching the TV show because of the figures. Lol

My first Mego was Captain Kirk. He is still my favorite. At the time I felt gypped since he didn’t have the same face paint (no painted lips) and if I remember he was a type 2.

[glimpy]

I'm glad you're taking on this project!!! I simply love this vintage talk!! Let's keep this going full force ahead!!! Awesome job Brian!!!