Megohead of the Month – December 2011

Bill's stuff!

Welcome once again to the Mego Museum’s Megohead of the Month, where we feature a Museum member and their collection.

Museum Handle: Wee67

Real Name: Bill McFarland

Do you have a website or a blog? No

Where do you hail from? West Philadelphia

How did you find the Mego Museum? A nostalgic afternoon and a search for things Mego on the internet led me to the old RTM site.

What inspired you to join the forum? When I decided to pick up an original Mego, I started using the Museum as a source for information. That led to questions, questions led to the forums and the forums promised answers. The Museum also seemed a place where I could share in my new enthusiasm for all things 70’s. It proved a place where I could geek out and just enjoy being a kid again. I think I’ve been here almost every day since I was let in.

What is your favorite Mego line? Like many, it has to be the WGSH. The line really holds all of the reasons I got back into Mego collecting and, well, collecting things from my past in general. I loved all things superhero back in the 70’s and nothing embodied the fun of superheroes more than Megos. I couldn’t get enough of them. But, again like for many others, superheroes gave way to Atari and then girls. I didn’t give superheroes much thought for many years. Around 2000, however, I got my first Mego since I sold off my original collection back in the early 80’s. Holding that Superman brought back so many fond memories. From whatever depth I had stored my love for toys and superhero toys specifically, that single Mego pushed it all back to the surface. The floodgates were open and it’s been a great ride ever since.

Happiest Mego Memory? Probably playing with my Batman and his crew and the Bat Cave in the hallway of the apartment building I lived in when I was around 7. My best friend George would come over with his heroes and we’d stage our own adventures. The memory’s not so specific, not a single memory that is. I think it has more to do with that apartment complex in general or that time in general. By the time I was 15, I had moved 13 times.
Pretty much every year was a new school, new friends, etc. But we lived in the place for almost 2&1/2 years. It coincided with my main Mego and superhero period. I think that whole time is so intertwined Mego for me, it,s hard to separate the two.

What is the one thing you’re hunting for? Solid box heroes. A member here was kind enough to sell me his SB Supes a few years back. I had some money put aside in case one came up, but I had an opportunity to grab all the Trek Aliens MOC and I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve since began putting some money aside again in case I have a chance at one. I’d love to get a good Batman one day.

What is one item in your collection your most proud of? I guess it would be that solid-boxed Superman.

Any other hobbies, collections? I collect whatever random 70’s stuff brings back memories from my childhood- 7-11 Slurpee cups, Mead school supplies, wacky packages stickers, diener erasers, etc. I’m also an avid soccer fan and player, I love to travel and I’m always looking for new music.

Any words of wisdom for beginning collectors? I’d just repeat what so many others have advised- patience. Patience allows you to build knowledge. And that helps you identify what you want and lessens that chances you’ll get burnt on early deals. It also extends the hunt and, as we all know, collecting is all about the hunt.

Many thanks to Bill for sharing with us this month! See you in 2012 with another Mego Museum Member Collector Profile!