Mr. Fantastic was introduced in the last wave of 8″ WGSH figures in 1976, he is one of the very last new characters made available to the series.
Mego introduced the character in a now famous toy fair reel that stated Mr. Fantastic had the power of Invisibilty(!) Probably better to misinform than to have children try and stretch the figure apart.
Despite this, the figure itself shows how much Mego had matured; the head sculpt is exceptional and the figures boots and gloves are miles away from the oven mits of the early figures.
He was released on 1975 and 1979 US cards as well as window boxes, but like all Fantastic Four figures is most commonly found on 1979 Pin Pin French cards which were widely distributed at a discount in the early 1980s. Sadly, it is these figures that suffer from vinyl migration in the heads, AKA zombie disease.
Mego was at it’s zenith in 1976.
Mr. Fantastic Box Art (Fantastic Four Feb 1967) King Kirby himself had a hand in the creation of the Fantastic Four box.
PinPin Card
Here is Mr Fantastic on his US 1975 marked Card (the left) and on his Pin Pin (France) 1979 card (the). Mego had an overstock of inventory meant for France that was eventually dumped into the US market often mistaken for Canadian issue (they’re not!) These shots were courtesy of Dan (Dumbldor). The 1979 US card at the bottom is tough to find in any shape.
In Italy, Harbert just placed an Italian language sticker over the US Mego cards and boxes until they eventually produced their own line of cards. Below is a nice set of those stickers on their own, cards and stickers are courtesy of Dan.
I think “La Torcia” and “La Cosa” sound really cool.
Mr. Fantastic’s gloves have been factory reproduced by Doctor Mego. The reproductions are very accurate although a little more glossy, and a little thicker plastic. The reproductions are unmarked.
Mr F’s black boot is basically a factory cut down black hero style boot and is the same boot worn by Star Trek’s Cheron and sometimes found on Hutch from the Starsky and Hutch line. This cut version of the boot has been reproduced by EMCE Toys. It is a factory cut down version of the Doc Mego black hero boot and is stamped with the DM mark on the bottom. The reproduction is taller than the original, is thicker and more glossy. Uncut black hero boots have been made by both Doc Mego and CTVT. These reproductions can be hand cut down by the user to create an almost factory reproduction of the Mr. Fantastic boots. Doc’s reproductions are a little more glossy and a little thicker plastic. DM’s are a little thinner up from the ankle which is more noticable when cut for Cheron than when used as a hero boot. CTVT are closer in shape, but also a little more glossy. The Doc Mego boots are marked DM on the bottom, and the CTVT boots are unmarked. The picture includes a photoshop crop of what the reproduction boots look like cut flat. Also included in the picture are original black hero style boots which are often cut to create “original” Mr. Fantastic boots. The black hero style boots are found in the Action Jackson Fishing set and also on some Planet of the Apes Dr. Zauis figures. The AJ/Zauis boots tend to be less glossy than the Mr F originals.