Name: Cat Gough - aka SlipperyLilSuckers CM: Any Personal Info you are willing to share: (married? Kids? Pets? Occupation? Where from? Other hobbies,/Interests?).
CG: I have an adorable girlfriend, Laurie, who I am totally crazy about. I have a 17-year-old cat, Frankie, and a 7-year-old dog, GraceMax. I like playing Playstation games and enjoy photography. I am also into Astrology and all kinds of New Age stuff.
CM: How did you get started collecting mego?
CG: I started off with an AJ, followed closely by a Superman when I was about 6-7. All of my toys disappeared from storage while I was living overseas and around 2000 I randomly found a Superman on Evilbay...from there my sickness grew and I knew I had to collect 'em all.
CM: What is your favorite original mego figure and line?
CG: Superman and AJ are my favorites, and WGSH and AJ stuff are my favorite lines, though I have really gotten into monsters over the last couple of years.
CM: What is, in your opinion, the biggest "hole" in mego's original lines. (what figure or figure line is missing that should have been done).
CG: Apart from the obvious (Star Wars, Flash) I would have liked to see more Superman villians, and a few more female figures. And, I wish they had done Catwoman more like Julie Newmar's look. I think the Mego Catwoman is just weird.
CM: What motivated you to start customizing?
CG: I saw what others were producing, was impressed, and wondered if I could do it myself. Anthony McElveen really encouraged me in the beginning.
CM: What was your first custom?
CG: My first custom was a 12" Phantom. I hate sewing, but stuck with it and was impressed with myself that I made it so well fitting you could even see his nipples (cheeky grin). I made every bit of it...even spent days with a piece of sandpaper removing hair from some old figure. These days I would do it in two minutes with my Dremel. I made the throne with packing foam and hot glue. StarWing (also pictured) was my first 8" custom.
CM: How did it come out? (looking back on it now)
CG: The paint on StarWing looks kinda rough...back in the beginning I painted everything with toothpicks, but I still have a soft spot for her.
CM: What have you done/learned that has improved your customizing skills?
CG: To have patience and pay attention to the small details. I also use a binding material before I paint on resin heads, and varnish when I am done to strengthen the paint and make sure it sticks and won't chip and flake if you drop it. (or play with it). Most importantly, I have learned from others and really appreciate the friendly and encouraging atmosphere created by the Custom Mego community.
CM: What areas of customizing is your strongest points, or favorite things to do?
CG: I like painting, sort of bringing a head to life. I always try to make my customs as Mego-like as I can and I also try to make as much of the figure as I can...feels more like my own work then.
CM: What resources make it easier for you as a customizer? (is there a source for parts? Information? Etc. that aids you more than anything else?).
CG: Definitely my Dremel-like tool. I like to read tips from other customizers and learn from their experiences and expertise. Laurie Halbritter has taught me a great deal and has been a great source of encouragement too. I have learned to make molds and cast stuff so I can make what I want for myself. I have also learned to make stuff with molten white metal.
CM: What is your favorite custom you've done and do you think it's your best work? If not, what do you think is your best work?
CG: Probably my favorite is Automan...even though I have never seen the show and I couldn't find a picture of the rear of the costume anywhere. I like how he glows in the dark. Anya Romanov from the Playstation game Stolen is another favorite.
CM: Why do you choose the projects you choose?
CG: I make whatever takes my fancy at the time.
CM: What are your favorite customs others have done and why?
CG: I have so many favorites I wouldn't know where to begin. The head on my Dorian Gray, sculpted and painted by Polyester, has to be one of my favorites because it is such a work of art. Usually when I blow up pictures of my customs I can see errors, but in this case, the greater the detail... and the larger the picture, the more amazing it gets.
CM: What is on your "to do" list in the near future?
CG: I am going to do my favorite cartoon character, Space Ace... a little known character by the creator of AstroBoy. I am also looking forward to doing a custom Hugo (Master of disguise) and think I have finally found the right head. Learning to sculpt is another thing I plan on doing.
CM: How do you think customizing affects the mego collecting hobby?
CG: I think that customizing makes the hobby more interesting because even stuff that has been done before comes out fresh through the eyes of each customizer. And it's something to do when you have been a good Megohead and Collected 'Em All.
CM: Any tips or words of customizing advise to new customizers?
CG: It's a good idea to spend a little extra on paintbrushes...if you use lousy ones, your paintjob will reflect it. Also, a wonderful tip I recently learned from Laurie is to have a little spray bottle handy of water while I am painting to replenish the moisture in the paint to maintain a smooth consistency.
CM: Do you sell custom figures or parts? If so, why?
CG: I have sold a few figures, but I usually just ending up giving stuff away because that makes me happier.
CM: What does your family/friends think of your mego custom work/hobby?
CG: My family and friends think it is great that I have something that brings me joy and a sense of accomplishment. They know I will never grow up.
CM: Thanks for your participation Cat!
CG: I love the Museum and feel privileged to be a member. I have many wonderful friends here and for that I am very grateful.