Why, Penguin, why? (And Mxy too)

[Action Martin]

Any idea why Penguin and Mr. Mxyzpltk didn't get removable hats like Green Arrow, the Wizard of Oz, the Merry Men, the Super Pirates, etc.?

[PNGwynne]

Economy, probably. Besides, Mr. Myzptlk's hat would never stay on the way it's sculpted, if it was a separate accessory.

Mego got better--more detailed, more extravagent--as they went along: Green Arrow is on of their best and really deluxe when you compare it to earlier figs. The same goes for Oz & the Knights. I suspect Mego wanted to get the Foes out as quickly and inexpensively as possible.

Maybe Brian Holcomb has some insight on this? He mentions it in passing in his book.

IMO, I love the Penguin just as he is. And I've always been a defender of the much-maligned Mxyzptlk figure.

[Action Martin]

But there was only a year difference between Penguin (1974) and the Wizard (1975). Not too sure about the Merry Men, Westerns, etc. It's a shame that K. G. Byrd didn't come with a removable tophat.

[MegomanJess]

No Idea but I'd love to see China versions that had removable hats. I'd have to buy them both.

[david_b]

Just looking at the Penguin face/head sculpt and the roundness of it, I could never see how a hat would have even stayed on.

I'd suspect a much longer face would have been considered, but it wouldn't have kept with the most commonly seen image of him. Again, we're talking 1973 here.. ,near to the initial marketing/distribution of this new superhero toy concept (i.e., the era of the oven-mitt gloves...), so getting the product out quickly was essential.

[LadyZod]

I wish Boss Hogg had had a sculpted on hat.

Less accessories for a little kid to lose!

[kryptosmaster]

Just think of how much money you're saving by not having to track down a Mxy or Penguin hat today!
LOL!!!
You know they would be like hen's teeth if they were an accessory.

Rich

[megoscott]

They could have done a hat with a post in it, like Thor's helmet. That was smart.

But it's also a scale thing. Top hats always look too big on these guys. If you notice, the Penguin's hat is actually smaller than the top of his head.

I do love both figures as they are.

[jwyblejr]

Besides,how often did you see those guys not wearing their hats?

[vulcan2074]

I Love the Original way they were done. They Look Super Cool
Sammy

[Action Martin]

Besides,how often did you see those guys not wearing their hats?

Same can be said of Green Arrow and Thor.

[wayne foundation 07]

Thats so deep thinking there,never thought about before.I think it would've been cool if the hats could've come off.Really added the effects of the battle,Batman punches Penguin,POW and he falls and hat goes flying off.I guess that would have been another thing they should have fixed in the later years.

[LadyZod]

Hey now, the Penguin and Mxy are the Indiana Jones of the Mego world. No matter WHAT they get into, fights or hijinks... they NEVER lose their hats.