- Mego Ampzilla
(In our endless quest to preserve Mego history, we’ve decided to create a series of blog photo posts that showcase a rare and before now, little discussed toy on the Mego forums. )
We at the MegoMuseum don’t spend enough time talking about the Micronauts, especially considering their incredible success in the late 1970s, where their sales eclipsed the WGSH. So, it seemed a right time to showcase one of the rarer toys from the line, the smiling face of Ampzilla.
Ampzilla was slated for release in 1980 as part of a second wave of alien vehicles, the first wave consisted of the popular Hornetroid and Terraphant vehicles. Wave two was to consist of slightly smaller items in the form of Ampzilla, Sharkos (a water vehicle) and Lobstros (a fearsome Lobster/Tank).
Ampzilla’s box lists him as being from Saurion, the same planet that the Repto figure is listed as being from.
- Micronauts 1980 Catalog Page
However, 1980 would be the final year of the Micronauts, sales had been declining due to a number of factors and this second series of Alien vehicles would not see US release. However because foreign distributors such as Grand Toys (Canada) and GIG (Italy) paid with letters of credit, the toy did see production and release into those countries. They are still not easily found.
- Pocket Heroes Ampzilla
At the same time, Mego also offered Ampzilla and Lobstros (redubbed The Claw) as Pocket Heroes vehicles sets complete with figures, these were not the only Micronaut items to bleed into the Pocket Heroes line.
