12" Mego Spider-Man & Hulk (1978)

Not to oversell it in any way, but this post has been a long time coming, due in large part to this pair of over-sized Mego figures being my all-time favorites, and that lifelong tether to Mego leading me to starting this blog sixteen years ago when discovering lines like Mattel's 8" DC Retro-Action and ToyBiz 9" Marvel Famous Covers. Before even Kenner's dominating Star Wars presence, Mego were among my first action figures, starting with their 8" figures in '74-'75. Getting the larger 12" Mego later on in '78-'79 was just over-the-top!

We say 12" with this Spider-Man, but he's really more like 12.75". There was an earlier Parkdale version distributed in Canada and Europe in 1977, but the American release got a beefed-up body. Each of my three samples have this body with the red torso, but the outfits have small differences- one with a shallower neck fit, one with taller boots, etc.. The middle one is the brightest/cleanest, though the stitch at his belt from front to back on the left is the most egregiously aligned of all of them. But you can't see that from the front.

I actually just got ahold of an eight inch '74 Spidey. He's on a Type 2 Mego body and may be an earlier sample in the long run of this particular action figure on account of the narrower "hourglass" design on his torso. I loved both of these immensely as a child and still do. Spider-Man was everything to a kid in the '70s, through Marvel Comics, the "Spidey Super Stories" on PBS' Electric Company kids show, and the '77-'79 CBS live action TV show. Universally Loved!

Mego improved the fit of Spidey's costume, though the color on my 1974 sample is richer, dare I say. The older head is larger, but the new band-less Mego body appears more slender- be it the tighter outfit or smaller buck.

Below, 12.75" and 8" Mego Spider-Man with my 12" Marvel Legends Spider-Man, 

the new Disney Store 8" Spider-Man, and my 9" Hasbro Origins Spider-Man...

Below, a 1978 Imperial Toy Spider-Man finger puppet I found recently- I'm 99% certain I had this at some point during childhood, which tracks having been released the same year as 12" Mego Spider-Man. And further down another recent Spider find, a "Spider-Sense" Peter Parker Happy Meal Toy from 1996...

I actually have two samples of the 12" Mego Hulk, neither with the white lab coat my childhood Hulk wore, regrettably. The second one I found is the cleaner of the two and with nicer pants. Though comically shorter than Spider-Man, this 12" Mego Hulk was such an improvement over his 8" counterpart and is, undoubtedly, my all-time favorite Hulk.

In the years prior to finding a 12" Mego Hulk, I made do with the very charming 9" ToyBiz Marvel Famous Covers Hulk. A dashing stand-in I love, but not the OG, which towers over him...

Below, 12" Mego Hulk with 9" Marvel Select Immortal Hulk, 9" ToyBiz Famous Covers Hulk, 14.5" Hasbro Marvel Legends Hulk, and 6" ToyBiz Marvel Legends "1st Appearance" Hulk...

The Bulldozer Hulk was a fast-food premium from a 1990 Hardee's Kids Meal- I found it with a She-Hulk in a pink car recently, both of which roll nicely. I have a soft spot for simple toys like this. Like the Pez dispensers, they really take me back to the Marvel Bronze-Age era of licensed merchandise we had as kids in the '70s/'80s.   

Visit the Mego Museum's World's Greatest Superheroes Gallery

 to see the figures that started it all back in 1972!

More Later-Make Mine MEGO!

Batman the Animated Happy Meal Premiums (1993)

These Batman the Animated Happy Meal premiums from '93 were a random antique mall find for under eight bucks, the complete set pictured below in a recent eBay listing:

I've seen that Poison Ivy Plant Car and remember the Riddler maybe, but I like this cheap little assortment I found. Robin and the panther accessory bring some color, and Batman and Catwoman have a clean, uniform look.

I'm not crazy about the head sculpt on this Batman, but I like his classic presentation in gray and black with yellow oval chest insignia.

Double back and check out my enormous

  Batman the Animated/New Adventures figure dump from December!

My initial thought regarding Catwoman's panther accessory was "I wonder where else was this included", but the collar matching its master's belt made it seem more like a matching part than a parts reuse from another line. Her green eyes and red lipstick are crisp!

Catwoman and Batman have screws in back; the Caped Crusader's covered by a removable cape. They both have shoulder and waist swivels, but Batman has the added neck articulation. A great pair!

Now this Robin on his wind-up cycle was a treat- zips around in an uncontrollable fashion that made any video shot on my modest table underwhelming compared to its remarkable pull. Wild kid! I like that they made the front wheel green, but it's hard to see. 

And finally, Happy Meal Robin on his cycle with my Kenner Turbo Glider Robin 

and Spin Master Batman Forever Robin...

More Later- Make It FUN!

Brave & The Bold Happy Meal Premiums

I have many of the Batman: The Brave and The Bold line, styled after the animated show that aired on Cartoon Network from 2008 -2011. It had been awhile since I posted on my collection of these, but I had started picking up loose figures recently, including some of these McDonald's Happy Meal premiums. There were smaller figures without articulation offered, and larger figures with action features released in another, separate wave. I've posted on two other Brave and The Bold fast-food premiums in the past, Blue Beetle and Plastic Man- both of which were super fun!

 

I loved how the show stylized Green Arrow in his Silver-Age outfit, with red boots and gloves- in April I posted on the 9" Green Arrow that Hasbro produced in 1999 wearing that outfit, circle back and check him out:

Follow the Super-DuperToyBox on Instagram!

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Amazing Spider-Man 2 Happy Meal Premiums

My dear Mother has a connection at the local McDonald's back in the hometown, and has taken to securing any superhero related toy premiums for me, such is the case with the latest Amazing Spider-Man 2 Happy Meal toys. She knows I love Spider-Man, one of the first comics I read, and a character I had many toys of as a small child. Some things never change! I was able to catch the recent film on my birthday weekend, and while I feel they tried to cram a little too much into it, there were a lot of great "Spidey" moments that captured the essence of this youthful hero quite well. I really enjoyed it!

*Electro & Spider-Man Light-Up Figures

*Spider-Man Spinning Top and Activity Book w/stickers

*Wind-up Crawling Spider

*Collector Cards in Spider-Man Tin and Spider-Car

*Spider-Man Mask

This was a fun series any boy or girl could enjoy! Thanks to my wonderful Mother for always thinking of me- she always makes my birthday fun! Be sure to check out my post/video on the Beware The Batman Happy Meal toys she gave me this past holiday season!

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Beware The Batman Fast Food Premiums

You may remember my post on the Mattel Beware The Batman figure back in October- while there have been a lot of complaints about the show, I've actually enjoyed what I've seen. I've even gone so fr as to by a couple of the new comics title inspired by the show. My mother has a connection at the local McDonald's restaurant, and scored some of the Happy Meal toys as stocking stuffers for me- check out the video!

More Later- Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman: Blue Beetle Fast Food Premium

It was this Brave & The Bold Blue Beetle I was really looking for on eBay when I found the Plastic Man I reviewed in my last post, a Happy Meal toy that would be hard to beat and may very well be perfect. That said, I've been on a Jaimie Reyes kick lately, and this little action figure amused me greatly. I got mine mailed to my door for five dollars, more than the cost of the Happy Meal with which he was included, but I saw him selling for as much as ten bucks. 

I've said before that the Happy Meal toys have surprised me with their relatively good quality, this one even cradled in a tray like regular action figures are, his wings bagged separately. Yes, he's simple, but no Cracker Jack top. Check out my video:

Blue Beetle's wings snapped right on and I was up and flying! By pumping his left leg inward, the wings are engaged through an internal lever. He won't blow your hair back with awesome wind power, but the mechanism works well enough, and is an appropriate, fun action feature. For whatever reason, his right leg has a swivel joint at mid-thigh, which doesn't offer any real, additional posing options. It's nice, but I'd have preferred a neck swivel. He does have shoulder articulation however, which is more than we could ask for and adds a lot to this fun toy. He also looks great, with a relatively complex deco for a Happy Meal toy-  even has the trademark yellow highlights in his buggy, red eyes!  His shiny, dark body contrasts nicely against his translucent, light blue wings. His vivid coloring and chunky styling made him great fun to photograph!

 Happy Blue Beetle in my Brave & The Bold Cosmic Crawler, a new favorite toy of mine...   :)

Happy Meal Blue Beetle with the 5" B&TB Blue Beetle that came with the Cosmic Crawler- they look very much alike, styled after Jaimie's character in the animated TV show:

And finally, Happy Meal Blue Beetle with Happy Meal Plastic Man- two amazing fast food premiums that impressed me with their play-ability and action features:

More Later- Make It FUN!