Who Made the Best Mego Like Figure?

[bobws]

LJN - I bought the whole SWAT Team and the accessory packs for each guy so they had holsters and pistols as well as rifles. and the SWAT Van Before I ever bought my first MEGO. A left over peg warmer Mr Spock.

[LonnieFisher]

I'd say Neca.

[palitoy]

This thread just celebrated its 15th birthday. Next year it can drive.

[clemso]

thanks man, you got any photos. I guess I was stymied becuase I've never seen a Black Danny Dare before.

Are we talking a black Action Danny Dare? It's amazing the range of stuff that has been discovered since this thread was posted in 2019.

[B-Lister]

As a fan of Popy, I'm going with them.

[tllgn]

Didn't finish.they we're ok.however I hated the color on the figures .to orange. .and the legs were stung weird.they would twist around.i use to.retie them the mego way.the likeness on some were ok some did not look at all like the actors.the vehicles were fantastic as we're their accessories.that were sold separately.si I would go with ljn.however wee win figures of the Bible series used teen Titans bodies.and those figures were great..the Bible greats series used ljn style bodies.although they we're good figures.they were still strung the same

[tllgn]

I had some of those lines figures from the time.

[JediJaida]

Me too.

[PNGwynne]

Dang, I want that Police Girl.

[Confessional]

Well, 3 weekends later… here's some my Tong pics for reference including a collage of webgrabs:

[Confessional]

Sadly most of the old online resources for the elusive company that Tong Industries Co. was, as well as my contacts down under, have disappeared over the years. When I started collecting oddball apes, I started with Tong just because they seemed the hardest to find. Like others have mentioned, that led to discovering that Tong made many figures that were well-made knock-offs, sold primarily in Australia and others in Asia and Europe. It's worth noting the clothing and accessories were often better quality than the figures they riffed-on, and the unique bodies held up well and are surprisingly easy to work on.

Like South America, Central America, and Mexico, it seems that Australia didn't have a toy collecting culture until the late 20th C, so there isn't much in the way of preserved documentation, catalogs, etc., or perhaps no one has shared it with the world yet. [your trade publication gives me hope!] I was always trying to find some cool advertising that showed the whole Tong universe of figures, but never have.

I knew there was black figure because about 15 years+ ago I found a single Tong hand/wrist-combo in a dingy lot of broken parts and accessories… back then I'd do just about anything to track down a Tong boot or rifle. What's supercool about that trade ad is that it shows the head too. I've never found/seen one before, only several versions of the BJ/DD (Soldiers and Astronaut) heads, Action Apeman, Indian, Cowboy/Sheriff, etc.

I'll take some pics of what I still have over the weekend and post-'em-up here for reference. I'm sure there a few other old MM members that have/had rare Tong, maybe we can piece together a new reference page.

[palitoy]

There's at least 3 or 4 body colors, 4 or 5 heads, and clothing/accessories packs including cowboy, karate and a couple different soldiers.

thanks man, you got any photos. I guess I was stymied becuase I've never seen a Black Danny Dare before.

[Neutron X]

There are many great pieces but I have to say AHI for the Creature alone! I had the 1st Issue AHI Mummy and a buddy had Frankenstein I remember them having epic battles.

[newlyknighted]

Is EMCE toys eligible? I love their Trek and Monster releases.
If not, give me the Lincoln toy company. The Lincoln Frankenstein's Monster was the one monster I had as a kid that terrorized my Mego super guys and super gals. I loved him, and still have him on display.
Special nods to Playmates Toys I collected as an adult for the Star Trek 9" series, and Gabriel Toys for my childhood Lone Ranger and Tonto.

[PNGwynne]

Ooh, Remco Monsters . Now those I did collect.