12" Superhero questions....

[cjefferys]

I'm still trying to get a handle on the myriad of different versions of Mego's 12" heroes. I got a couple questions:

What companies in what countries released the muscle bodied version of Spidey in a box? It seems like most (or all?) of the ones released in the US were on cards. I don't recall seeing a US boxed one (other than the Web Spinning Spidey, but that's a different figure in my eyes). I found the photo below in the gallery, it's a boxed muscle body Spidey, but the caption says it's a European box. Is this true? It's hard to tell from the pic, but I don't see any other company's logo or other languages other than English.



And another pic in the Museum gallery got me thinking:



When and where was the Reeves headed Supes released on a standard, non-muscle body like this one? I've only seen the Reeves version on muscle bodies. Is this a head switcharoo or a legit variation?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jordiway]

Dont no about Spidey but Superman is very real. Thats how he was released in 1977 along with Spidey. They must have realized that body just didnt work for Superheroes and came up with the muscle body because it wasnt around very long and another thing is that I'm not sure if he was released in the U.S. or in Europe and all of the 12 inch skinny Superman and Batmans dont have the belt Sewn on they are lose and tend to rip off maybe thats probably why they started to sew them on. I have never owned one of the Kiss figures but It looks like they were all skinny bodies to me.

I wish more people here collected the 12inch figures.

[vintage spideyfan]

I'm still trying to get a handle on the myriad of different versions of Mego's 12" heroes. I got a couple questions:

What companies in what countries released the muscle bodied version of Spidey in a box? It seems like most (or all?) of the ones released in the US were on cards. I don't recall seeing a US boxed one (other than the Web Spinning Spidey, but that's a different figure in my eyes). I found the photo below in the gallery, it's a boxed muscle body Spidey, but the caption says it's a European box. Is this true? It's hard to tell from the pic, but I don't see any other company's logo or other languages other than English.

I've wondered this myself. The only two variations of this packaging I have seen are the Grand Toys box and the Harbert...possibly a Burbank Toys too(?) When did Grand Toys acquire the distribution rights from Parkdale Novelty? Perhaps the first pic is an early version still featuring the Parkdale Novelty info?

[cjefferys]

Dont no about Spidey but Superman is very real. Thats how he was released in 1977 along with Spidey. They must have realized that body just didnt work for Superheroes and came up with the muscle body because it wasnt around very long and another thing is that I'm not sure if he was released in the U.S. or in Europe and all of the 12 inch skinny Superman and Batmans dont have the belt Sewn on they are lose and tend to rip off maybe thats probably why they started to sew them on. I have never owned one of the Kiss figures but It looks like they were all skinny bodies to me.

I wish more people here collected the 12inch figures.

I knew about the first release of Supes with the comic head, non-muscular body and unstitched belt, I just never saw a Reeve's head version with that body and outfit. Maybe it was a transition piece or something?

There were no KISS figures on muscular bodies, just on the less articulated skinny bodies and on the standard bodies (and Peter was only released on the latter).

There are a few of us 12" Mego collectors here. Not many, but at least we have less competition when buying stuff.

I've wondered this myself. The only two variations of this packaging I have seen are the Grand Toys box and the Harbert...possibly a Burbank Toys too(?) When did Grand Toys acquire the distribution rights from Parkdale Novelty? Perhaps the first pic is an early version still featuring the Parkdale Novelty info?

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/zman1981/Mego%20Spidey%20Variations/42_1.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...tions/bf2e.jpg

And I notice that these two package variations also contain the non-muscular Spidey, like most boxed versions you see. Interesting....

[palitoy]

When did Grand Toys acquire the distribution rights from Parkdale Novelty? [/url]

1979.

Parkdale invented the 12" Superhero, they even have the Superman prototype at their office. The skinny bodies were distributed by Harbert, pin pin and Burbank toys in the UK.

Mego released the Muscle body heroes in '79 to the US market, Grand picked them up and the rest of the world followed suit.

Pin Pin released a comic series Superman in Superman: The Movie packaging, I don't know why.