It's been mentioned on this blog more than twice that the importance of Richard Donner's Superman, starring Christopher Reeve, could not be overstated in the mind of this '70s kid. Mego's 12" Superman dropped in the U.S. market in 1978 as well, the colorful character seeming to step right out of the silver screen and into my hands. Neither of these samples are my childhood dolls, and I didn't have any other Mego Superman-related characters, but I recently found a loose sample of Jor-El in good condition at about 35% more than either of the Superman figures- a reasonable price considering what some I've seen sell for.
Both of these Superman figures are on the bulkier body released in the U.S., a thinner body and different face sculpt used on the figure Parkdale Novelties distributed in Canada and Europe the previous year. These are often referred to as Mego's 12" figures, but they are really more like 12.5". The head on this Superman was sculpted with the intention to more closely resemble actor Christopher Reeve. I'm unsure what the reason was for the difference in belt style, but my childhood figure had the fully stitched down belt. I prefer, however, the higher chest emblem placement of the other figure.
I had to replace a knee pin on the figure on the right, and there is a faint stain on the torso of the suit that I couldn't fully erase, but he looks great overall. Mego didn't put the yellow insignia on back of the cape, a minor gripe of mine, and though I could add an after-market fabric decal, I'm compelled to leave them in their original state. The figure on the left needs work on the underside seam of his shorts, and that's likely all the work I'll do in the future on these two. Nearly fifty years later and they still look vibrant and fun!
Like Superman, the head sculpt this Jor-El was based on the movie actor, Marlon Brando, and might have been a little closer in semblance than Superman. I never had this figure as a child, but I love the more comic book inspired outfit. Mego opted to go this direction with this figure, as they did with the General Zod and Lex Luthor, reasoning that the more colorful outfits better complemented Superman's bright palette.
The vinyl parts pf Jor-El's outfit are somewhat misshapen, stiffened by age, but solidly intact, and though his pants droop from loss of elasticity in the band, he displays beautifully. There are no stains or discoloration, and his paint is flawless. I paid more than average, but he's an extraordinarily clean sample. It's fun to have one that you never did in childhood!
Mego's 1978 Superman and Jor-El with their more recent 14" General Zod, New 52 Superman, and Lex Luthor. I love the newer, larger scale Mego figures, but fear we have seen the last of that scale- at least for now. I also have three Universal Monsters in this larger format, and though I don't have room to display them all year-round, I'm mad for them.
Below, Mego's 1978 Superman with their 8" 50th WGSH Anniversary Superman, 8" Classic Superman, 14" Classic Superman, 14" New 52 Superman, Mattel's Movie Masters Christopher Reeve Superman, and 8" 50th Anniversary "Fleischer" Superman...
And this post wouldn't be complete without including Mego's 12" Hulk and Spider-Man, two other childhood favorites that bring me joy to this very day. There are better articulated, more detailed, modern action figures available nowadays, but I prefer the toyetic presentation that made these dolls so attractive to children in the '70s! Link to the online Mego Museum's 12" Superheroes Gallery to read more about these- a fantastic resource and forums community!
More Later! Make Mine MEGO!