MEGO COLLECTOR'S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
|
|||
|
|
|||
| CUSTOMEGO | GALLERIES | HOME | FAQ | FORUMS | SEARCH | CONTACT | LINKS |
MEGO COLLECTOR'S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
|
|||
|
|
|||
1. Mego Company History - The Action Figure Era
Mego (pronounced Mee-Go) began as a small toy manufacturer in the 1950's, but didn't get into the Action Figure market until 1971. They tapped into the market trying to cash in on the success of Hasbro's GI Joe. They opted for a smaller, less expensive toy. They settled on a new design, the result was 8" of drastic plastic: Action Jackson! Soon after, Mego licensed the rights to various comic book, television, and movie characters, all to varying degrees of success. Their largest mistake, however, came from not licensing a property. In 1977, they were offered toy rights to a little known film called "Star Wars." Kenner Toys ultimately got the rights, and a toy legend was thus created. Mego continued on, and tried to copy the success of Kenner's Star Wars line by introducing figures in both the 3 3/4" scale and the 12" size. None of this seemed to matter, however, and Mego eventually went bankrupt in 1982.
Mego's legacy, however, remains as a symbol of a once dominating toy company. Any child who came of age in the 1970's will remember owning a Mego or two, and if not, then they certainly had friends who did. There's no way to know for sure how many Megos were made, but the number must be staggering. Some estimates put peak annual production at 12 million units. Even halving that number is astounding, considering the 8" figures were in production for over 10 years. That 60 million Megos.
So where the hell
are they?
On-Line Reference
Mego Mailing List
The best resource for news about Mego action figures is the Mego E-mail Forum. This is a group of collectors sharing information, helpful hints, and resources for Mego collectors. Every Wednesday is Flea Market day, when buying, trading, and selling of Mego toys occurs. This list is exclusively for Mego toys.
To SUBSCRIBE: E-mail mego-request@s1.net, with 'SUBSCRIBE' in the body
Mego Web Sites
Toy Sites with Mego Section - Classified Ads
Don Thompson's "The Big Red Toybox"
Tomart's Action Figure Digest Index
Other On-Line Sources
The Raving Toy Maniac Page by Eric G. Myers
EBAY On-Line Auctions
Reference Books
Mego Action Figure Toys with Values
Written by John Bonavita. $19.95 ©1996
This well researched book has history, stories, photos and values for all Mego action figures. It covers rumored product lines, as well as never produced prototypes. This is the #1 book available for Mego collectors. It is available through Old Forest Press, Inc. Autographed copies are only $20.
Mego Toys - An Illustrated Value Guide
Written by Wallace M. Chrouch $15.95 ©1995
This is a smaller volume than the Bonavita book, with fewer photos, most taken from Mego catalogs.
Published by Collectors Books
P.O. Box 3009
Paducah, KY 42002-3009
GI JOE and Other Backyard Heroes
Written by John Marshall
A nice book that covers many toy line, including our beloved Megos. Good photos, helpful text.
These magazines may not always feature articles on Mego toys, but most will have ads that do. Always examine a sample issue or two before subscribing.
A bi-monthly newspaper that is, essentially all classified ads. This is the #1 source for buying and selling toys, including Megos. Ranging from the big dealers, to individuals, there are deals to be found in every issue. Alternating issue contains articles.
A slick, glossy magazine that focuses largely on new collectible toy, as well as the requisite ads from all the big dealers. Past issues have dealt with Megos, including #5 (Batman); #9 (Alter Egos); #12 (Teen Titans); #14 (Wizard of Oz); #17 (Mego Super Heroes); #18 (Star Trek)
Tomart's also publishes a number of collectors books, including their 3 volume Encyclopedia and Price Guide to Action Figure Collectibles that lists all the Mego lines.
Toy Trader Magazine
Lee's Action Figure News & Toy Review
Another slick magazine that features a price guide each month. The price guide, however, is updated from dealers, who have everything to gain from inflated prices. Be very wary of using this as your sole price reference. Notable back issues include: #2 (Star Trek & Micronauts); #4 (Super Heroes); #23 (Buck Rogers and The Black Hole); #35 (Superman)
They also published a Guide to Collecting Loose Figures. Volume 2 photographically shows the entire Teen Titan and Super Hero Lines, and the accessories that should be with each figure.
Toyfare also publishes a price guide, so comparison is recommended. Toyfare tends to take a lighter approach to toy collecting, and offer such features as "Twisted Mego Theater" and Mego Customization articles.
Old Forest Press sells video tapes of old Mego commercials. There are currently 2 volumes available.
MEGO COLLECTOR'S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
|
|||
|
|
|||
| CUSTOMEGO | GALLERIES | HOME | FAQ | FORUMS | SEARCH | CONTACT | LINKS |