Captain Patch is the most curious of all the World’s Greatest Super Pirates, seeing as he’s a generic character. His other three counterparts in the line are all based on historical or literary figures and Mego certainly had more choices from those wells but for some reason, they chose to create Captain Patch.
The good Captain comes not only with a pistol but with a rifle that is unique to him. he’s one of the more colorful pirates which offsets his generic nature.
The Super Pirates were only released in these deluxe window boxes.
Each had the same painted cardboard insert and the figures were
secured to the insert with white twist ties.
The box backs feature photographs of early production samples
of the figures.
The box backs feature photographs of early production samples
of the figures.
The Super Pirates were also released abroad by Toltoys (Australia) and Marx (Europe and UK), they are thought to have been better received in those areas.
Above is a Marx Stickered Pirate box, no packaging variations exist, the box is merely stickered.
A close up of the Toltoys sticker.
Captain Patch was recycled by an anonymous toy distributor in the mid seventies to get rid of excess Matchbox “Fighting Furies” outfits. The head is a reverse of the Mego head (Meaning his eye patch is on the other eye), his body is the exact same as Captain Eagle who was marketed with spare Action Jackson outfits. For some reason he’s wearing Jean Lafitte’s duds. Photo courtesy of Bill Frost.
Captain Patch’s shirt has been reproduced by Classic TV Toys. The reproduction is not shiney as the original is, and is shorter in length. The lace near the neckline doesn’t lay centered under the chin on the repro and it is unmarked.
Patch wears brown knickers that have been reproduced by CTVT. The repro pants have a little slicker material and fit more baggy in the pelvis area. The waist band on the repro’s is sewn more bunched up and they are unmarked.
The Pirates are one of the few Mego lines that feature socks. Patch’s socks are a pink and blue striped. They have been reproduced by CTVT. The original’s have wider blue bands than pink bands and on the repro, that is opposite. The repro’s blue is darker and the pink is not as bright as the original’s. The CTVT’s are unmarked.
Captain Patch wears a black buckled shoe that can only be found on one other Mego character, Long John Silver, of course in the case of LJS, there is only one shoe. The shoe has been reproduced by CTVT. The reproduction is more glossy than the original and has a rough look about the edges. The buckle on the repro is painted white, while the buckle on the original is unpainted. The repro is marked CTV on the inside.
All of the Pirates except Long John Silver carry a style of pistol that is unique to the Pirate line. It’s a flintlock design. It has been reproduced by CTVT and is a lighter brown in color. It’s a little taller in height than an original and is marked CTV.
Patch carried a rifle that is unique to the character. The rifle has been reproduced by CTVT. The repro is lighter in color than an original and a little taller in height. The repro is marked CTV on the stock.
Patch wears a sash about the waist in the color range of the pink family. The sash has been reproduced by CTVT. The repro is shorter than an original and a much more pale pink, while the original is a much darker pink. The repro is unmarked.
Patch’s head has been repro’d by CTVT. The repro head is very accurate but made of a less firm material so it’s pretty squishy feeling. There are some very subtle differences in paint as well. The repro has a smaller skull and thinner bones painted on the head scarf. Te beard line on the repro is a little shorter as well and the lips are a little more red in color. The repro head is unmarked. It should also be noted that Matchbox Toys, in the Fighting Furies Pirate line, made a Captain Patch figure. Their version is different in almost all respect, but the head is very similar to the Mego head. The biggest difference is the Matchbox Patch has the eyepatch over the right eye instead of the left eye.