Vintage Mego Fist Fighting Superheroes

[RSS]

Introduced in 1975 by Mego as an attempt to get that “Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots” money, the Fist Fighting Superheroes by Mego were a worldwide phenomenon that created many variations in the United Kingdom and in Mexico. This episode of Vintage Mego talks about the US versions of the Fist Fighters but also takes…

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[PNGwynne]

Good overview and nice to see the Ledys. I have mixed feelings about these: I was never fond of the action feature, but I had a new Batman, and Joker & Riddler for the first time due to this release. IIRC, I also received the Batlab and Jokermobile that year--good times!

[Avenging Robot]

Maybe I'm overthinking this, but Mego was trying to get Moms to buy what they saw as the same figure all over again (in Canada and the US). It was never going to be a home run sales wise.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Great video, as always! I've always thought Curt Swan drew the US packaging on these. He may very well have worked for Continuity on these, because he picked up some Power Records work, and those were handled by Continuity often as well. This cover in particular looks like a tryout for the boxes.



Chris

[palitoy]

Great video, as always! I've always thought Curt Swan drew the US packaging on these. He may very well have worked for Continuity on these, because he picked up some Power Records work, and those were handled by Continuity often as well. This cover in particular looks like a tryout for the boxes.

Actually Mark Waid corrected me on this today as well, it may have been done through DC as Mego's art director at the time was Sol Harrison's son.

[TrekStar]

I am wondering if the mego FF were more successful, if they would have made another batch of heroes for 76?
like say Iron Man, Thor and bad guys like Green Goblin and Penguin.

[PNGwynne]

I think there's next to no chance for new tooling and Penguin. Spectulation about a wave 2 is interesting, considering the Palitoy FF.

[TrekStar]

I think there's next to no chance for new tooling and Penguin. Spectulation about a wave 2 is interesting, considering the Palitoy FF.

I forgot Penguin was on a fat body, so a FF Penguin most likely wouldn’t have happened, but I am a bit surprised that Lizard was made as a FF and not the Green Goblin too, since he was Spidey’s #1 enemy.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Actually Mark Waid corrected me on this today as well, it may have been done through DC as Mego's art director at the time was Sol Harrison's son.

Hey, if you've got to be corrected by someone, why not Mark Waid?

Did he think it was Curt Swan that drew these? I'd love to have some confirmation on this, or any of the Mego packaging art we think we've sussed out over the years.

Chris

[Palifan]

Really enjoyed this episode Brian, especially as these FF figures are the ones I went for as a set )although there's no chance I'll get to pick up one of those sweet LL ones).

One thing i wanted to mention was that the back of these costumes differ from the regular releases to allow for the button on the back. I can't remember if this is true for all of the releases but it's certainly on a few of them.

Thanks as ever for taking the time to put this out, always something to look forward to each week

Ian

[Wee67]

At the beginning of the commercial, only Batman's motions look like fighting. The Joker looks like he's dancing, Riddler looks to be running and Robin seems to be having some sort of seizure.

I am wondering if the mego FF were more successful, if they would have made another batch of heroes for 76?

I have to assume they would have made more if the line was a success. Every company wants to get as much out of a product lines as possible. And Mego seemed to be in constant search for another way to get money out of the WGSH line.

[Nostalgiabuff]

I remember in the early 80's finding the FF at a closeout store. we got Batman, Robin, Joker and Riddler. I still have the Joker but he is the only survivor

[ScottA]

That was awesme. I'd love to get them boxed and carded and the Ledys.

[The Nawd]

As a kid I had gotten the Fist Fighter Robin to replace my old regular Robin that I had managed to brake. At the time the FF version of him was all my mom could find on short notice without going to every place in town that had decent sized selections of MEGO figures.

[CrimsonGhost]

The boxes are what makes these so beautiful to me. I love the artwork, especially on the Riddler box, with Riddler punching out Robin! I had FF Robin as a kid, as at the time I really didn’t like the gimmick, I just wanted a regular one. I certainly like them better now!