For the month of June we feature the work of customizer Eugene Gyori – aka Magyar1964
Name: Eugene Gyori – aka Magyar1964
Any Personal Info you are willing to share: (Married? Kids? Pets? Occupation? Where from? Other hobbies or interests?)
EG: I’m originally from New Jersey but have lived in Vermont since I was 5. I do martial arts, epee fencing, I’m an amateur magician, I bowl and I love ice hockey – watching, not playing. No current pets and I’m single – Hi ladies.
How did you get started collecting Mego?
EG: While I got my first Megos ( a T1 Superman & RC Batman ) when they were first coming out in the early ‘70’s I never had many other then the original 8 and sold off most of them a few years ago. Then I discovered the Retro Super Hero line and the EMEC Star Trek re-release along with the CTVT re-releases, found the Mego Forum and the rest is history – along with a chunk of my wallet. So, even though I’ve had Megos for almost 40 years I’ve really only been a collector for about a year and a half to two years.
What is your favorite original Mego figure and line?
EG: I only had some of the figures from Trek & WGSH and even though I’ve acquired all the characters I had the most fun with Superman and Batman. Favorite line would have to be Star Trek, I’d just discovered Star Trek and having figures to play with was a dream come true. I also love the Neptunian, he was the only alien I ever owned (other than the Klingon.)
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?)
EG: Not sure, maybe Flash and Green Lantern or the X-men.
What motivated you to start customizing?
EG: I wanted characters that weren’t commercially available and seeing all the great customs in the Museum forums inspired me and made me want to try my hand at it.
What was your first custom (and do you have a pic)?
EG: That’s an interesting question. I remember, around 1980, taking my Wonder Woman putting her in Tarzan’s bodysuit with Uhura’s boot and making a 1 piece bathing suit and head piece out of red felt to turn her into The Scarlet Witch – I was and am a HUGE Avengers fan. I didn’t do anything again until the early 1990’s when I turned Barbie into Vampirella and Shi. Then I didn’t do anything until a little over a year ago after getting into the collecting and seeing the greats customs in the forums. I started with some Trek stuff which led into female super heros that had dress-like outfits.
How did it come out? ( looking back on it now)
EG: I was pleased with how things turned out.
What have you done/learned that has improved your customizing skills?
EG: Following patterns, I had never worked from a pattern before.
What areas of customizing are your strongest points, or favorite things to do?
EG: I don’t really know what would be considered my strong point, my weak one is I can’t sculpt worth beans.
What resources make it easier for you as a customizer? (Is there a favorite source for parts? Information? Etc… that aids you more than anything else?)
EG: CTVT & Doc Mego – between them you can find anything you need to make a custom and the clothes patterns on the Mego Museum are invaluable. Also finding out about liquid stitch has made a lot of things easier. And I have to give a big THANK YOU to Brian Leitner – he has been a great source for heads for me and an inspiration.
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?
EG: My favorites are Krypto, Zatanna & Firestorm with Firestorm being my best work. I also think my JSA as a group looks great.
Why do you choose the projects you choose?
EG: It’s just what ever character I’m interested in having and then if its part of a group I look at making the rest of the group, like with the JSA. I didn’t originally start out to make the whole JSA it just sort of grew out of doing a few figures to start with.
What are your favorite customs others have done and why? (If there is one- for example, Leitners Catwoman, David Lee’s Ghost Rider, etc…)
EG: I’ve enjoyed seeing all the custom on the forum, there is some outstanding work being done that is way beyond what I can do and seeing it is inspiring.
What is on your “to do” list in the near future?
EG: I have a green girl that needs some clothes and I can’t decide if I want to make her into the She Hulk or an Orion slave girl – I might have to get another body and do both. I also want to do a pre-Crisis Earth 2 adult Robin.
How do you think customizing affects the Mego collecting hobby?
EG: I think it’s great. It gives people a chance to expand on what they already have.
Any tips or words of customizing advice to new customizers?
EG: Yes, take your time and you CAN do it. I never thought I’d be making the stuff that I am so if I can do it you can to. If anyone told me a year and a half ago that I’d be doing the customs that I am I’d have told them they were crazy.
Do you sell custom figures or parts? Why or why not?
EG: I have only sold my custom Krypto and some screen accurate Mego scale Classic Star Trek insignias that I’d done. There are others that sell outfits and I didn’t feel mine were anything special. Also some of mine that might be of interest to other weren’t that easy to accomplish and I’m not sure if I could repeat the process on regular basis.
What does your family/friends think of your Mego custom work/hobby?
EG: Not many people really know about it but those that do think it’s great. My mother can’t believe what I can do – we’re not a sewing family.
That’s a wrap – thanks for taking the time to chat with us Eugene.
EG: You’re welcome – I’m honored to be named a Customizer of the Month.
