Tex Willer, the heroic ranger who is also leader of the Navajo Indians (thanks to marriage) has been a best selling comic in italy
since 1948.
The Mego Tex Willer Figure is a clever reuse of existing Mego parts, such care is taken in the presentation that it doesn’t really show.
His head was also used for Removable Cowl Batman , Bruce Wayne and the Mystery Pilot, the hat, belt and outfit pattern were recycled from the American West line (albeit the colours on everything are different). .
The Mego Bruce Wayne Sculpt got around!
The Tex Willer packaging is some of Mego’s finest work, like a lot of foreign product it not only carries the Baravelli Logo but the
Mego logo as well.
Holy Cow Dept: Courtesy of Super Collector Rudy Zerbi we have the original Tex Willer Box art as drawn by Galep. Truly one of the
cooler discoveries of the last ten years. Many thanks to Rudy for sharing this wonderful piece of Mego history.
Tex Willer’s pants have been reproduced by Classic TV Toys. The reproduction pants are packaged with an opening and snap in the front. The originals don’t have the “fly” design and the opening is in the back. The biggest difference is the material. The reproductions are made of a velvet type material where the originals are a simple heavy material. The reproductions also fit more loosely. They are unmarked.
Tex’s shirt has also been reproduced by CTVT. The original shirt is a brighter yellow, and made of a nylon type material. The repro is made of a more standard cloth. The pockets on the repro are smaller and the collar and cuffs are larger. The repro is unmarked.
Tex, being a snappy dresser, sports a western tie. The tie has been reproduced by CTVT. The big difference here is edge fraying. The reproductions fray’s along one side where the original does not. Otherwise it’s difficult to spot and is unmarked.
Tex Willer wears a hat that can be found in the Action Jackson Western set. The hat has been reproduced by CTVT. The reproduction is darker in color, more brown where the original has an organish tint. The repro is a little rough around the brim, not as smooth as the original and is marked CTV on the underside of the brim.
Tex wears the same double gun holster belt as Wyatt Earp in the Western line. The repro holster is darker in color where the original is a little reddish in color. The holster belt features leg straps which break easily on the original. The original straps are very round compared to the reproductions, which are fairly flat in shape. You’ll find some flashing on the repro belt and it is marked CTV on the back. Tim Mee reproduced the belt for it’s western line during the Mego era. It is a vintage reproduction made with the same mold and materials. It is almost identical in every way to an original holster with maybe a slight color difference. Just a touch more on the red side than an original.
Tex wears vinyl belt under his gun holster belt. It is the same belt found in the Action Jackson Safari set. The belt has been reproducted by CTVT. The reproduction is a darker brown, with a much bigger belt buckle. The repro belt buckle has a round shape on one side that isn’t present on the original. The repro is unmarked.
Tex Willer carries two pistols of the same style as the rest of the Willer gang and many of the Western characters. The pistol has been reproduced by CTVT. The detail on the reproduction isn’t quite as sharp as on the original and flashing is evident. Some are marked CTV on the gun grip and some are unmarked. Tim Mee reproduced the pistol. This is a vintage piece, reproduced during the Mego era. Same mold, just in gray instead of chrome. Otherwise it’s identical.
The western boot worn by Tex can be found on Buffalo Bill from the Western Line. Western AJ also has these boots, but they are a lighter, caramel color brown. They have been reproduced by CTVT although it get’s a little weird. The Tex Willer characters and Buffalo Bill wear the same brown colored boots. For some reason when CTVT reproduced these, they created different colors. The reproductions found on the Willer guys are a much darker brown than the original’s. A much closer color can be found on the Buffalo Bill reproduction. Both colors are a little more narrow and a little taller. There is flashing evident on the reproductions and they are unmarked.
Mego used the Bruce Wayne sculpt often, and once again they use it here on Tex Willer. The Batman head has black eyes with white spots and copyright information on the back of the neck. The Bruce Wayne version is the same with no copyright info. The head was also used for Tex Willer. He has black eyes with no white spots and no copyright information. Again, the head was used on the Mystery Man. This time with blue eyes and no copyright info on the neck. Finally the head sculpt was used on Jet Jungle (not pictured here)and had white hair. Both DM and CTVT made reproduction heads. Each factory made repro head is a touch different. The biggest difference is the overall shape of the head. DM’s is a little wider at the top of the head than an original and made of a firmer material and is marked DM on the back of the neck. CTVT’s is a little more squat, not as long as the original, and made of a softer, more squishy material. CTVT have made two versions with black eyes, one with white dots and one without. Both are unmarked.