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Best modern Megos?

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  • kidgravity
    New Member
    • Mar 9, 2010
    • 13

    Best modern Megos?

    Hey guys!

    I'm getting back into collecting Megos pretty actively for the first time in many years, and I'm mainly interested in vintage stuff, but I'm also intrigued by the more accurate reissues that have popped up in recent years, which I'm starting to think about collecting too, just to make things more affordable.

    But: I'm picky. I've only bought one reissue so far, but I'm really pretty impressed with it in terms of accuracy to the original: the Classic TV Toys Ivanhoe Super Knights figure. That being said, I've notice a lot of the reissues are made of noticeably different materials, with a different look in terms of texture and feel, and I'm noticing some varying degrees of quality with the bodies of the figures as well, which is all a sticking point for me. I want to be able, more or less, to mistake these for the real deal.

    My questions for you guys are: which of the various companies doing reissues are doing the best, most accurate work, in your opinion? Which company's bodies are closest to the real thing from the '70s, in terms of quality and consistency? Is one of the newer companies the 'gold standard' when it comes to new Megos? Is anybody just making junk I should avoid altogether?

    Classic TV Toys? Dr. Mego? EMCE? The new Marty Abrams Presents stuff? Are there more companies I don't know about? What do you think?
  • PNGwynne
    Master of Fowl Play
    • Jun 5, 2008
    • 19444

    #2
    Collector's opinions, taste, and preferences vary widely on new Mego-style figures. If you like CTVT's Ivanhoe, which was produced in India, you'll probably like their newer China-produced offerings. Some of Doc's stuff is excellent, and he is behind Diamond Select, Emce, and new Mego Corp as well--there have been some good Star Trek and Planet of the Apes repros, as well as pop music and monster offerings.

    Bear in mind that modern materials are not equivalent to vintage, and also many collectors tweak or rework new Mego-style bodies to their preference.
    WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

    Comment

    • palitoy
      live. laugh. lisa needs braces
      • Jun 16, 2001
      • 59200

      #3
      Yeah, it's tough to say if we'd all see eye to eye on what is best, they all have good points and interesting licenses. My go tos are generally Mego Crop Star Trek and Monsters, FTC animated characters and whatever cult thing NECA is doing. Although the NECA stuff doesn't totally jive with the vintage aesthetic.
      Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions

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

      Comment

      • sprytel
        Talkative Member
        • Jun 26, 2009
        • 6539

        #4
        Originally posted by kidgravity
        That being said, I've notice a lot of the reissues are made of noticeably different materials, with a different look in terms of texture and feel, and I'm noticing some varying degrees of quality with the bodies of the figures as well, which is all a sticking point for me. I want to be able, more or less, to mistake these for the real deal.
        They don't make 'em like they used to. Or, perhaps more accurately, they can't make 'em like they used to. New manufacturing techniques, safety regulations, etc. pretty much guarantee that any reproduction figures will be slightly different than the originals.

        Comment

        • palitoy
          live. laugh. lisa needs braces
          • Jun 16, 2001
          • 59200

          #5
          I think Paul Clark told me recently that a lot of the clothing for the WGSH were made from the same stuff they made tracksuits out of back in the 70s.
          Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions

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

          Comment

          • ODBJBG
            Permanent Member
            • May 15, 2009
            • 3143

            #6
            Some stuff is better, most stuff is worse, but no stuff is identical.

            I've mentioned this before, but I can buy a vintage Action Jackson that's been put through the wringer and most still hold up and pose fine today with no fabric bleeding onto the body, no bands breaking, etc. I can buy a brand new Mego from pretty much every company and run into the aforementioned issues right off the card.

            FWIW, my favorite Mego of the new Type 3 body is still probably the knockoff Universal Monsters they did. Lime green Frankenstein, Wolfman and Bela Dracula.

            Comment

            • kidgravity
              New Member
              • Mar 9, 2010
              • 13

              #7
              Thanks for the feedback, guys!

              I have no illusions that the newer stuff will be identical to the vintage stuff; despite the fact that I would be thrilled to find a line of brand new reissues that are indistinguishable from the originals, I'm cool with the realities that prevent that from happening.

              More than anything I guess my hope is to find figures that are less inclined to have defects (i.e., figures that don't stand well, or figures that deteriorate quickly -- for example, I've watched some reviews on YouTube which make me think some of the Figures brand reissues feel and look a little cheap, which seems like a consistency/quality control issue from my anecdotal experience with the Ivanhoe reissue I'm so pleased with).

              Like a lot of collectors, I'm mainly looking to have a good representation of the toys I had as a kid (or the ones I *wanted* to have), so I'm seeking out affordable options to reach that goal. I'm still going to be focused on buying the vintage stuff, but the older and rarer they get, the more I think about reissues and/or frankenstein-ing vintage parts with new ones, soo I'm on the lookout for the best/most convincingly 'vintage' stuff I can get.

              I'm an artist for a living, so I may consider customizing as a route toward completing my collection, too, if that's the easiest way to get there -- if I can't find a satisfactory reissue of some figure, maybe repainting its head would do the trick.

              I suppose I'm just trying to get a good sense of what's available these days, and how crazy a goal it would be to cobble together another 30 figures or so before I'm in my eighties, ha ha.

              Comment

              • ODBJBG
                Permanent Member
                • May 15, 2009
                • 3143

                #8
                I should just chime in, FTC has come a LONG way since their repro Ivanhoe. Lots of people have issues with FTC, but you'd do better to compare to something more recent IMO before writing them off one way or the other.

                Personally I would recommend the Type S body to anyone who wants to pose their Mego figures around beyond just sitting in a box. They cost a bit more, but are really nice. FTC makes them now I guess, but they bought the tooling from others who designed it and used to produce it.

                Comment

                • kidgravity
                  New Member
                  • Mar 9, 2010
                  • 13

                  #9
                  Thanks! I'm actually really happy with my Ivanhoe, because to my eye it's close enough to the original and doesn't scream "reissue."

                  And yeah, I'm curious about the Type S figures, but at the same time I'm almost exclusively interested in vintage stuff, less dynamic poses and all.

                  But!

                  If the construction is especially good on them, and they display the same as the old bodies, I may be interested in going that route.

                  Comment

                  • scott metzger
                    Persistent Member
                    • Jul 9, 2007
                    • 2088

                    #10
                    I have to say the Cowardly Lion from actual Mego was an incredibly well done figure. I was very impressed by the costume work.

                    Comment

                    • kidgravity
                      New Member
                      • Mar 9, 2010
                      • 13

                      #11
                      Originally posted by scott metzger
                      I have to say the Cowardly Lion from actual Mego was an incredibly well done figure. I was very impressed by the costume work.
                      It's really beautiful! But I'm more interested in the original, because Mego is a nostalgia trip for me, and as nice as the new ones look, they don't feel like 'real' Megos to me (no offense to any fans of the new stuff intended).

                      Still, it was very exciting to see the brand return a couple years back.

                      Comment

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