Tag Archives: Mego

Toys, Vintage

Mego in Australia First Look! What’s coming and when you can get it!

Back in January we got word that (Marty Abrams Presents) Mego Corp we’re coming to Australia. After a multi-decade hiatus, Mego re-emerged with a swag of vintage pop-culture goodness that was bringing back fans of old and bringing in new fans into a world of 8″ and 14″ figures with licenses from Charlie’s Angels to KISS, Brady Bunch to Jimi Hendrix.

All we knew back in January was that Mego were in talks with a local distributor and that was it. Now, in early May, I’ve got your sneak peek of what Aussie Mego fans can expect and when to expect it!

While there’s been no official word on who will be distributing Mego here, Australian based distributor Headstart International were showcasing the Mego line at the Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair in March, though the Mego brand is still yet to be listed on their product line website.

So what’s coming our way? While the early waves of Mego figures don’t seem to be coming (possibly due to them being Target US exclusives) it seems we’re still in for a treat of what’s on offer. Please note, the categories listed below are 100% correct information of what is coming our way. The figures within those categories are pure speculation and are based off what is currently on offer in the US.

*8″ Mego Figures Horror Assorted: Possible inclusion – Dracula, Frankenstein, Freddy Kruger, The Invisible Man, Wolf Man and Count Orlock.

*8″ Mego Sci Fi Assorted: Star Trek based with Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock plus a possible addition of Lt. Uhura and Romulan Commander figures.

*8″ Mego Movies/Legends Assorted: Muhammed Ali, Farrah Fawcett, Bruce Lee, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Namath and Elvis are all featured here.

*8″ Mego Music Assorted: Jimi Hendrix is the only figure currently released under Mego’s ‘music’ line though we may be treated to some KISS in this line.

*14″ Mego DC Hero Assorted: The likelihood appears that the first waves of Mego’s DC Heroes (Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Poison Ivy etc) will not be coming our way, instead, it looks like we’ll be given the later wave of 14″ heroes which include Wonder Woman (New 52 Uniform), Superman (New 52 Uniform), Batman (New 52 Uniform), Black Manta and Aquaman (Classic Uniform)

*Wizard of Oz Two Pack and Star Trek Two Pack: Sadly, The I Dream of Jeanie, Bewitched and Full House double packs are not coming our way. However, the Dorothy and Wicked Witch two pack is (along with a solo carded Cowardly Lion)is plus a Star Trek Mirror Universe Spock and Kirk double pack.

The Mego Wizard of Oz Two Pack with Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. (c) Mego Corp

So now the question begs…when? Looks like the solo figures could be here as early as July while the two pack figures, we’ll have to wait a little longer for…possibly around September.

No word yet though on who will be stocking these but watch this space! Mego IS coming to Australia!

Update May 12th 2019.

Two images have begun floating around the Mego Facebook groups showcasing two single carded Wizard of Oz figures – The Wicked Witch and Dorothy.

It appears that these two figures are coming our way thanks to Australia Post who will be selling these figures via their physical stores as part of the Wizard of Oz’s 80th anniversary celebration. This release will be the first time both Dorothy and the Wicked Witch have been released on single cards since Mego’s return last year and are slight variances on the double pack due in September! No word on when to expect these though.

*This post will be updated as more correct information comes my way.

Toys

Mego Corp Gains Access to the Secret Vault of Stan Lee

Mego Corp have been keeping very tight lipped about a major announcement they were to make, causing fans of the vintage toy company to ponder just what was in store. From international distribution news to possible new licenses that involved everything from Gilligan’s Island to Melrose Place, Bionic Woman to Star Wars, we were all wondering what it could be.

And while we were repeatedly informed it was NOT a deal with Marvel (as fans were hoping for) what we did not see coming was a deal with Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment. In an announcement made today via Mego Corps social media channels, the new licensing deal allows Mego Corp to delve into the secret vault of the late Stan Lee – an untapped reservoir of never-before-seen characters created by Lee and introduce these creations to fans in the form of either 8″ or 14″ collectible action figures.

From today’s press release, “With Stan’s vision, I always told him that I’d follow him anywhere,” says Marty Abrams, co-founder and CEO of Mego Corporation. “It’s with great responsibility that I can carry on his one-of-a-kind creations and reveal the characters that he had envisioned. I have tremendous pride in showcasing the work of a long-time friend. Our nostalgic action figures of Lee’s conceptions will now introduce new memories with more characters originated by Stan.”

The news however has had a very mixed reaction from Mego Corp fans from those excited to see new characters from the mind of Stan Lee to those confused as to why Mego would risk on such a license, just as they make their comeback, on characters that no one has heard of or have the backing of a cult following / fan base.

Mind you, this is not the first time Mego Corp have delved into left-of-the-middle licenses that left fans scratching their heads. Last month, among the announcements of new Star Trek, DC and Pop Culture Legends figures, they announced a new line of Impractical Jokers 8″ figures based on the hidden camera reality comedy series that airs on TruTV.

That said, new Mego, in whatever format is still welcome!

Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment is a multimedia company founded in 2001 by Stan with his friend and business partner Gill Champion, its president. The company has been and will continue to be the guardian of Stan Lee’s legacy, and is excited to roll out new projects and adventures Stan had been working on.

New figures from the Mego/POW! Entertainment announcement are due later in 2019. And as for the news of Australian distribution talked about recently, there is still no official word.

Toys

Toy Company Mego Eyes Australia for 2019

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The toy company that ruled the toy isle in the late 70’s with their lines of 8″ Star Trek and DC superheroes action figures along with their iconic 12″ dolls of Farrah Fawcett and Cher is making their way back into Australian stores this year after almost four decades.

Mego was one of the hottest toy companies way back when to the point that in 1976, their first release Cher doll became the highest selling doll that year beating out Mattel’s powerhouse Barbie, but all the glory came crashing down when the company passed on an offer to nab the licence to (a then unknown) Star Wars and followed that up with a shift towards electronic and robotic toys that saw the company sadly file for chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1982.

In the years between, prices for vintage Mego items have soared with collectors forking out huge bucks to fill in the gaps of their Mego collection. Vintage boxed dolls of Charlie’s Angels star Jaclyn Smith can rise as high as $400aud while those 8″ DC Heroes, in mint boxed condition, can see prices rise into the high thousands.

Mego’s vintage 12″Jaclyn Smith doll released in 1977

But, jump forward to 2018 and Mego Corporation is alive and well with Marty Abrams back at the helm announcing an exclusive deal with Target US that would see Mego figures back on the shelves for the first time since the late 70’s with licences for classic pop culture favorites including an I Dream of Jeanie double pack, Charlie’s Angels, Charmed, Cheers, a Full House Stephanie and DJ Tanner double pack and various original series Star Trek characters along with releases of classic monsters such as Frankenstein and Dracula. Add to this a brand new 14″ line with DC hero action figures for Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman and Mego Corp are well and truly back in the market leaving fans of classic pop culture wanting more!

Mego’s classic line of 12″ celebrity dolls including Cher, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith that were hugely popular in the late 70’s and are a highly sought after collectors item almost 40 years later (and one i’d love to see make a return this year!)

With the Target/Mego deal ending this year, it allows for Mego Corporation to begin looking for worldwide distributors with Mego confirming that they are in fact hammering out a deal with an Australian distributor meaning we will finally see Mego in Australia in 2019.

Mego confirmed they will be coming to Australia via a comment on the Instagram account of Australian vintage/modern toy collector Modern_Retro_Collectables

Their recently announced fourth wave of figures includes an 8″ ‘legends’ series that sees Muhammad Ali, Farrah Fawcett and Marilyn Monroe (among others) immortalized in plastic along with a retooling of their 14″ DC superheroes which will see Wonder Woman and Batman in alternate costumes.

There’s no official word of yet as to whom will be stocking Mego, when we will see them or the price point but watch this space as Mego hinted at a huge announcement coming Wednesday (Thursday our time) that may reveal more. Watch this space!