That title isn't click bait, it really did take seven years to finish this custom. My goal was to make a Ghost Rider figure that looked like it was made by Mego in the 1970s, as close as I possibly could. I am very happy with the results.
1976, JCPenny Christmas Catalog photo.
There was no Mego figure I wanted more as a kid, or an adult for that matter, than Ghost Rider. I had been wanting to make one for a long time, and decided I needed a printed suit, so contacted Austin (megowgsh) and commissioned a suit, which turned out awesome. That was seven freakin' years ago!
Then came the problem of the head, which is the reason this took me so long to finish. I was never happy with the heads I planned to use. I first sculpted one, and cast it, and decided I wasn't happy. I then bought a more modern style one on eBay and began modifying it to look more vintage, but ultimately decided I wasn't happy with that one either. I did like the CTVTs skull head, but there were issues that kept making me overlook it. I didn't like that it had fangs, and figured if I tried cutting them off, it would just make a hole in the super soft vinyl head. The vinyl also posed the problem that it would be difficult to sculpt flames onto. I did like some of the customs I had seen using the modern Marvel Legends flames, but that just wasn't vintage enough for me. I just don't see Mego doing that in the 70s. So the figure ended up in constant limbo.
Three years ago I was determined to finally get this figure done. I then also decided I was going to make his motorcycle. I bought a beater CHiPs bike, painted it red, and made some stickers for it. I then contacted Anthony (Toyroom) to purchase a Ghost Rider figure box, and also to commission a Ghost Rider motorcycle box. I gave him a few suggestions of what I wanted, and he knocked it out of the park! I was really psyched when it arrived. So, BAM, the Ghost Rider motorcycle was done. I was still not happy with the head situation though, and again the custom GR figure ended up in limbo, and I never shared the motorcycle, because I looked at it as a package set. Wasn't going to share one, without the other.
Then, a couple weeks ago, I decided to look for a different head, or idea for one. I had one of those CTVTs skeleton figures, and figured I would try cutting out the fangs and see if it would work, and how it would look. After all, I could get another skeleton head for $2 if I ruined it. Well, the fangs cut away, and it looked great once I repainted the mouth. I then came across a Ghost Rider custom that Paul (LaserMego) had made (back in 2014) that used some yellow vinyl flames that he made. I loved the look and thought it looked VERY vintage and was the best vintage Mego GR flames I had seen by far. So I contacted him to see if he had one available. I also asked if he could make an orange flame a bit smaller, so I could use both and get more of a GR flame effect, and HE DID! I finally had my GR head and flames!!!!
Then it was a matter of his collar and hands. I fabricated his collar out of material cut from a CTVT cape, and painted his hands. The rest of the recipe is a vintage Mego body and CTVT boots.
Whew, that was long, but I had to tell the story and give credit, where credit is due. I hope you like the custom!
Again, big thanks to these Mego Museum custom legends, for without whom I could not have gotten the perfect Mego Ghost Rider I have wanted all my life.
megowgsh
The Toyroom
pmwasson
You guys are the best!
1976, JCPenny Christmas Catalog photo.
There was no Mego figure I wanted more as a kid, or an adult for that matter, than Ghost Rider. I had been wanting to make one for a long time, and decided I needed a printed suit, so contacted Austin (megowgsh) and commissioned a suit, which turned out awesome. That was seven freakin' years ago!
Then came the problem of the head, which is the reason this took me so long to finish. I was never happy with the heads I planned to use. I first sculpted one, and cast it, and decided I wasn't happy. I then bought a more modern style one on eBay and began modifying it to look more vintage, but ultimately decided I wasn't happy with that one either. I did like the CTVTs skull head, but there were issues that kept making me overlook it. I didn't like that it had fangs, and figured if I tried cutting them off, it would just make a hole in the super soft vinyl head. The vinyl also posed the problem that it would be difficult to sculpt flames onto. I did like some of the customs I had seen using the modern Marvel Legends flames, but that just wasn't vintage enough for me. I just don't see Mego doing that in the 70s. So the figure ended up in constant limbo.
Three years ago I was determined to finally get this figure done. I then also decided I was going to make his motorcycle. I bought a beater CHiPs bike, painted it red, and made some stickers for it. I then contacted Anthony (Toyroom) to purchase a Ghost Rider figure box, and also to commission a Ghost Rider motorcycle box. I gave him a few suggestions of what I wanted, and he knocked it out of the park! I was really psyched when it arrived. So, BAM, the Ghost Rider motorcycle was done. I was still not happy with the head situation though, and again the custom GR figure ended up in limbo, and I never shared the motorcycle, because I looked at it as a package set. Wasn't going to share one, without the other.
Then, a couple weeks ago, I decided to look for a different head, or idea for one. I had one of those CTVTs skeleton figures, and figured I would try cutting out the fangs and see if it would work, and how it would look. After all, I could get another skeleton head for $2 if I ruined it. Well, the fangs cut away, and it looked great once I repainted the mouth. I then came across a Ghost Rider custom that Paul (LaserMego) had made (back in 2014) that used some yellow vinyl flames that he made. I loved the look and thought it looked VERY vintage and was the best vintage Mego GR flames I had seen by far. So I contacted him to see if he had one available. I also asked if he could make an orange flame a bit smaller, so I could use both and get more of a GR flame effect, and HE DID! I finally had my GR head and flames!!!!
Then it was a matter of his collar and hands. I fabricated his collar out of material cut from a CTVT cape, and painted his hands. The rest of the recipe is a vintage Mego body and CTVT boots.
Whew, that was long, but I had to tell the story and give credit, where credit is due. I hope you like the custom!
Again, big thanks to these Mego Museum custom legends, for without whom I could not have gotten the perfect Mego Ghost Rider I have wanted all my life.
megowgsh
The Toyroom
pmwasson
You guys are the best!
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