Harold Shull, Art Director for Mego Toys in the 70s

[Brown Bear]

Wow, welcome aboard sir! I'm a HUGE fan of your work. Just amazing.

[AcroRay]

@ tilign, I had painted the portrait of Cheron before the sculpturing had been done. I think Ken (damn, I forgot his last name) had done that one. He was our main sculptor.

I think that sculptor would have been Ken Sheller.

[samurainoir]

Mr Shull, I'm a big fan of your style of hand painted illustration and feel its a huge shame that photographic compositions have really pushed that style away from the regular mainstream in everything from packaging to advertising and even movie posters, book illustrations and magazine covers.

I've noticed in your portfolio that you have embraced digital. How did you find that transition?

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Ground zero for so much pop culture greatness!

I love stories like that, too. Thanks for pointing out the MM interview, too Scott.

@ Hal, I'm a Marylander, too Go O's.

[callistofreak]

WOW!! I can't wait to hear more of your stories.
Can we have your address, we'll all come over.

[Brad]

WOW!! I can't wait to hear more of your stories.

Me too!


Welcome Mr. Shull and thank you for taking the time to share some great MEGO history with us.

[CreativeHal]

Thank you again for your kind remarks about my art. I have been very busy so I will try to post some comments and stories as I have the time.

Here's one for you that I still have trouble believing but since it happened to me - I know it's true.

One day when I was the Art Director of Mego Toys, Marty Harrison called me into his office and asked me to locate an artist for a new board game that Mego was going to produce. it was going to be called "Roots" after the very popular TV series. I decided on Joe Kubert because I thought his style and technique would be perfect for what I had in mind. Well after making contact by phone (We didn't have cell phones back then, only dial ups.) Joe came walking into my office later that week. Once the remarks about how much I loved his work were over, I led him out to an empty desk in the Art Department and explained what I wanted him to do. I wanted a collage of all the characters around the border of the box and in the center of the package at the bottom, I wanted a couple in a wagon full of their belongings being pulled by horses.

I explained to him that I had a luncheon to attend and I shouldn't be gone more than an hour and a half. I was gone for approximately 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes. When I arrived back at the Art Department, Joe was gone. I walked through the art Department asking everybody where he went. When I finally arrived at one of the girl's desks that was located in front of my office, she said that she had seen Joe walk into my office carrying an illustration board.

I went into my office, took off my coat and saw on my desk a fully drawn and inked scene that I had described to Joe. It was perfect in every way and it only took him about 1 hour to do. Incredible!! So, anytime you hear someone bragging about how great Joe was and is, just say, I know what you mean. Also, I might add, he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and is more interested in what you do than talking about his art.

[torgospizza]

Thanks for sharing that, Mr. Shull--excellent story! I've loved Joe's art since I was a five-year-old almost four decades ago, but I've loved your art for almost that long, too! Kubert and Russ Manning were both huge influences on me as a kid, as different as their styles were.

[samurainoir]

Looks like there are some Micronauts prints of Mr Shull's artwork available for purchase here...
Nemesis 1 Painting by Harold Shull - Nemesis 1 Fine Art Prints and Posters for Sale