12" Mego Spider-Man & Hulk (1978)

Not to oversell it in any way, but this post has been a long time coming, due in large part to this pair of over-sized Mego figures being my all-time favorites, and that lifelong tether to Mego leading me to starting this blog sixteen years ago when discovering lines like Mattel's 8" DC Retro-Action and ToyBiz 9" Marvel Famous Covers. Before even Kenner's dominating Star Wars presence, Mego were among my first action figures, starting with their 8" figures in '74-'75. Getting the larger 12" Mego later on in '78-'79 was just over-the-top!

We say 12" with this Spider-Man, but he's really more like 12.75". There was an earlier Parkdale version distributed in Canada and Europe in 1977, but the American release got a beefed-up body. Each of my three samples have this body with the red torso, but the outfits have small differences- one with a shallower neck fit, one with taller boots, etc.. The middle one is the brightest/cleanest, though the stitch at his belt from front to back on the left is the most egregiously aligned of all of them. But you can't see that from the front.

I actually just got ahold of an eight inch '74 Spidey. He's on a Type 2 Mego body and may be an earlier sample in the long run of this particular action figure on account of the narrower "hourglass" design on his torso. I loved both of these immensely as a child and still do. Spider-Man was everything to a kid in the '70s, through Marvel Comics, the "Spidey Super Stories" on PBS' Electric Company kids show, and the '77-'79 CBS live action TV show. Universally Loved!

Mego improved the fit of Spidey's costume, though the color on my 1974 sample is richer, dare I say. The older head is larger, but the new band-less Mego body appears more slender- be it the tighter outfit or smaller buck.

Below, 12.75" and 8" Mego Spider-Man with my 12" Marvel Legends Spider-Man, 

the new Disney Store 8" Spider-Man, and my 9" Hasbro Origins Spider-Man...

Below, a 1978 Imperial Toy Spider-Man finger puppet I found recently- I'm 99% certain I had this at some point during childhood, which tracks having been released the same year as 12" Mego Spider-Man. And further down another recent Spider find, a "Spider-Sense" Peter Parker Happy Meal Toy from 1996...

I actually have two samples of the 12" Mego Hulk, neither with the white lab coat my childhood Hulk wore, regrettably. The second one I found is the cleaner of the two and with nicer pants. Though comically shorter than Spider-Man, this 12" Mego Hulk was such an improvement over his 8" counterpart and is, undoubtedly, my all-time favorite Hulk.

In the years prior to finding a 12" Mego Hulk, I made do with the very charming 9" ToyBiz Marvel Famous Covers Hulk. A dashing stand-in I love, but not the OG, which towers over him...

Below, 12" Mego Hulk with 9" Marvel Select Immortal Hulk, 9" ToyBiz Famous Covers Hulk, 14.5" Hasbro Marvel Legends Hulk, and 6" ToyBiz Marvel Legends "1st Appearance" Hulk...

The Bulldozer Hulk was a fast-food premium from a 1990 Hardee's Kids Meal- I found it with a She-Hulk in a pink car recently, both of which roll nicely. I have a soft spot for simple toys like this. Like the Pez dispensers, they really take me back to the Marvel Bronze-Age era of licensed merchandise we had as kids in the '70s/'80s.   

Visit the Mego Museum's World's Greatest Superheroes Gallery

 to see the figures that started it all back in 1972!

More Later-Make Mine MEGO!

Mego Stan Lee

I want to say this figure dropped in Spring of 2021, with a light-yellow sweater, but I picked up this red sweater variant from an eBay seller at a deep discount. There was an earlier Mego Stan Lee released in 2020 without the web-spinning hands as well. I have been looking at him for years wondering how he'd fit into my purely DC Mego figure collection, but after I got ahold of the Disney Store Mego Spider-Man & Arch Enemies 4-pk, I felt he'd finally have some Marvel friends to pose with.

Below, Mego Stan Lee with my Marvel Legends Stan Lee ...!

Now that I have an official Mego Spider-Man in my collection, 

Mego Stan Lee will always have a trusted ally! Excelsior!

More Later- Make It FUN!

Batman the Animated Happy Meal Premiums (1993)

These Batman the Animated Happy Meal premiums from '93 were a random antique mall find for under eight bucks, the complete set pictured below in a recent eBay listing:

I've seen that Poison Ivy Plant Car and remember the Riddler maybe, but I like this cheap little assortment I found. Robin and the panther accessory bring some color, and Batman and Catwoman have a clean, uniform look.

I'm not crazy about the head sculpt on this Batman, but I like his classic presentation in gray and black with yellow oval chest insignia.

Double back and check out my enormous

  Batman the Animated/New Adventures figure dump from December!

My initial thought regarding Catwoman's panther accessory was "I wonder where else was this included", but the collar matching its master's belt made it seem more like a matching part than a parts reuse from another line. Her green eyes and red lipstick are crisp!

Catwoman and Batman have screws in back; the Caped Crusader's covered by a removable cape. They both have shoulder and waist swivels, but Batman has the added neck articulation. A great pair!

Now this Robin on his wind-up cycle was a treat- zips around in an uncontrollable fashion that made any video shot on my modest table underwhelming compared to its remarkable pull. Wild kid! I like that they made the front wheel green, but it's hard to see. 

And finally, Happy Meal Robin on his cycle with my Kenner Turbo Glider Robin 

and Spin Master Batman Forever Robin...

More Later- Make It FUN!