The year was 1974. Richard M. Nixon was President. Stamps were ten cents. $11,197, now the cost of college tuition, was most people’s salary. Star Trek fans were enjoying the show on television re-runs and at toys stores. During the 1970s, Mego was the leader in action figures and toys with movie or television themes, from Planet of the Apes to Marvel Comics. Mego’s Star Trek toys are among the most collectible items from the 23rd Century. Toys included the amazing USS Enterprise playset with working transporter or the Mission to Gamma VI environment. Mego continued to make Trek toys through the 70s including figures for Star Trek The Motion Picture. Mego closed its doors in 1983, but now these classic Trek toys are back and as good as new (because they are new).
Diamond Select brings back Mego
Modern fans know Mego from Toyfare from Wizard or perhaps Robot Chicken which feature Mego type toys. With the nostalgia for both the Kirk era of Star Trek and Mego toys, Diamond Select Toys has started a retro line of 8" Star Trek figures. These action figures are near perfect recreations of the original Mego figures. Everything from the costumes to the packaging art for the 2007 retro action figures are the same as their 1970s predecessors. Former Mego CEO Marty Abrams has been supportive of the new retro Star Trek items. Paul "Dr, Mego" Clarke has been working with DST to ensure authenticity of the figures which are being created using the original Mego molds from the 1970s.
front and back of new packaging
2 available now 4 more announced
The retro version Captain James T. Kirk and the Klingon are now available. This autumn, retro versions of Mr. Spock and the Andorian join Dr. McCoy and the Romulan. See below for comparison of the 1970s Kirk with the 2007 Kirk and the 1970s Klingon with the 2007 Klingon. Although there are some variations in color, that is actually due to the aging on the 70s version. The 1970s Aliens, except for the ubiquitous Klingon, are among the most valued because of their limited number, especially the Romulan because of its detailing. Because of how amazingly perfect the new versions are compared with the 1970s Mego toys, fans should be careful when collecting (make sure you are really getting originals when paying for originals).
Comparison with original (left) and new recreations (right)
More on the way?
Sales have been very strong according to online retailers. The original Mego line included two more crew members (Scotty and Uhura) as well as a number of aliens (some of which were actually not even from Star Trek). Mego fans have made customized versions for years of characters like the Orions or even Khan. There are rumors that should the line endure it may include these types of characters. For now Diamond Select are keeping mum on future plans for Mego retro figures, but hopefully we will end up seeing all the originals and maybe some new figures in the Mego style as well.
Minimates too
Fans looking for something unique compared with retro might enjoy the Star Trek Minimates collection from DST. These are popular two inch Lego style figures. The first series (Kirk, Spock, Scotty, McCoy, McCoy variant, Pike, and Vina) have already been released, but is sold out most places. Below are exclusive photos from Wizard World of the next 2 series of Star Trek Minimate action figures.
Minimates series 2 (available to pre-order see below)
Minimates series 3
Purchase new Mego toys
Mego and Minimates figures can be ordered now from Action Figure Express (at up to 25% off retail)
More TOS figures
These additional DST figures are available at AFX for up to 25% off retail
More Mego
Mego 1970s commercials
also check out the excellent Mego Museum
Second.
I know it’s all subjective, but when is a fan too old to TOY with the idea of buying this stuff?
They should get the guys who do Robot Chicken to make the commercials for these re-releases!
2- I know it’s all subjective, but when is a fan too old to TOY with the idea of buying this stuff?
Harry, I’m 45 and haven’t figured it out yet. Hope I never do.
This is way cool. Even better, I have a kid on the way. So, I can do the “one for baby, two for Daddy” deal. HA!
man they look great, and i have to agree with people sure make sure there getting the orignals , i mean they look exact , so i know some people will try scam people on ebay or something stupid like that . but they look cool
i want uhura!
Mego rules!!! Question though,, why are so many of the Mego Trek figures on ebay naked???? Keep Larry Craig away from our Mego figures!!!!
I had a Captain Kirk doll, but my dog chewed his leg off. And I almost choked on his little blue phaser. What I really wanted was a Mugatu doll. BRING BACK MUGATU!
PS – Mugatu screwed again!!!!!
Harry, I still collect Trek stuff. As a matter of fact, my son and I “flew” my Diamond Select classic E around the house last night. Even though I collect, I still open the box and play with ’em. Otherwise, what’s the point?Although, as I mentioned on the last toy post I want more ships and equipment, I also get the uniforms, masks, and of course, vids. Upon my last divorce, my ex snatched up all my Trek stuff and dumped it. I had complete Playmates collections of equipment, also masks, unis, and some of my models (including those I made as a kid). Although I am the big winner because I got custody of my FANTASTIC son. Stuff is just stuff and he loves Trek too. His Star Wars collection is most impressive.
Star Wars geeks have WAY more to collect than we Trek folk. Not fair.
I found him!!!
http://www.megomuseum.com/startrek/mugato.html
Sweet Baby–I had the bridge playset and all the figures (except Uhura) back in the 70’s. The spinning transporter was cool and pretty real looking for a toy. Played with the set till it literally fell apart—damn plactic hindges!
With all the recalls on toys made in China, I wonder whether these guys are safe. Looks like the phasers are made just for swallowing. Don’t even want to think about lead paint, DDT, red dye #2, and whatever other 70’s materials were in the originals.
Aw hell. I still want em.
Absolutely amazing, Now thats the Idea !
How do you spell Scottie’s…errr Scotty’s name?
16-How do you spell Scottie’s…errr Scotty’s name?
He was so drunk on Aldeberon, he got a sex change.
The Mugatu is absolutely fearless! It would have to be, to wear pants that red. I love Megos to pieces … even if their “Gorn” was just Marvel Comics’ Lizard with a tan.
These figures will definitely find their way onto my Kirk/Kirk’s friends/people Kirk defeated shrine.
What IS that background music? It sounds like darth vader breathing in the background.
You can really see how commercials have changed. Nowadays they feature kids actively playing with them.
R E T R O !
– W –
* Drools *
18 -You can really see how commercials have changed. Nowadays they feature kids actively playing with them.
There used to be an FCC reg on kiddie commercials requiring the makers to show the product “as is” so as to avoid kids thinking they were getting anything more cool than it was. Personally, these look plenty cool to me.
OMFG, this is like a dream!!
I wonder now that Toy Biz is separated from Marvel (and other companies are doing action figures & toys.. Hasbro to name one), if there’s a chance of redoing the World’s Greatest Superheroes line!!! Holy Christ on a stick I would buy that
I know they can’t exactly use the term “Mego” anymore, but can’t they come up with something catchier than “Retro Cloth”? LOL
These are fun. I got Kirk and the Klingon for my Mom. She thought they were a trip.
Hey, if we can have an Alien vs. Predator movie, how about the ultimate showdown…..a fight to the death between a Gorn and Mugatu???? Now, I’d pay real money to see THAT!!!!
#24
Yeah, I occasionaly reminisce about the great days of Mego and my ultra-fun childhood playing with the WGSH, and think “man, they shoulda produced a Mugato…”
Ah… the summer of ’74, when I spent the time at Cape Cod and my MEGO
Star Trek figures crashed on the MEGO Planet of the Apes.
How’s that for cross over potential?
Chekhov, who was cast in the show only to appeal to the Monkees crowd, in the first place, should be the star of the movie!!!
I’m 44 and Yes I had the spock doll..funny I had the paser long after spock got destroyed..If I remember right, the toy store had tons of klingon dolls where as the rest of the cast seemed rare.
Klingon dolls are a dime a dozen, but give me an Uhura doll made of rubber and normal size, if you please…..oh, and a voice chip that says, “frequencies open, sir”…..yeah, that’s the ticket…………..ah………….ah……………..gagh!……..anybody got a cigarette???
I had a few of these when I was a kid, just like so many others here, and I loved playing with them. The likenesses were (and still are) very impressive and the cloth uniforms were very well made. The Star Trek line was probably the best action figure line Mego produced.
The only thing I had a problem with (and remember, I was around 7 or 8 when these toys were first out) was the color of the accessories. The phasers, communicators and tricorders were are blue, and that bothered the little me a lot. One day, a friend of mine and I decided to make them more accurate. So, using Testor’s model paint, we meticulously repainted all of the accessories in our collections. As I recall, they turned out pretty well and it made playing with the figures that much more fun!
It’s great to see these toys being made again, and who knows, if the line is successful, maybe Diamond Select will commission new head molds for the new actors. That way we can have the Zachary Quinto Spock stand proudly next to the Leonard Nimoy Spock on our display shelves.
Woo Hoo!!
cool, i want buy for my son. i was little kid same thing smile!
I love these action figures! Seeing them in the stores brings back good memories!
I always loved how MEGO nailed the sculpting of the character’s faces… and other companies, including Art Asylum, still can’t quite get it (by comparison).
I wish I still had my figures my Enterprise playset. Mine were sold in a junk sale whem I was 15 to help pay for a high school orchestra trip to a music contest in Chicago. If I had just kept them, I’d still have one of my most cherrished toys and my orchestra still would have gotten to Chicago.
I always aspired to get the aliens. My parents were not rich and pretty frugal, so I had just managed to acquire all of the Starfleet characters when I got too old for them.
Am I crazy, or was there a Cheron? (Bele/Lokai)
“The likenesses were (and still are) very impressive. The Star Trek line was probably the best action figure line Mego produced.”
A fiend of mine sculps masters used by a toy company to make molds. If mego was like the company my friend works for, the artist had to dig up his own source material. For example, my friend once had to do a collectable figurine of the main character from the movie “Nightmare Before Christmas.” The company did not provide him with a copy of the movie or any photographs. The Star Trek figures were probably the best because in the days before video rentals and the Internet, Star Trek was easy to get images from.
anyone still got their ERTL Star Trek III figures ? I used to have em as a kid – all bust up now though..
http://www.ikestoys.com/images/toylines/StarTrek3people.jpg
they were better than TMP ones anyway..
Star Trek figures like the mego ones and TMP and Trek III ones were a novelty way back then – now it seems like you can get every character in every uniform they ever wore – and they look freakishly close to the actor….its just for the uber fans now…
I might one day buy a Kirk and Khan from TWOK but thats it…
I love all you people talking about those action figures with so much devotion. That’s the real thing. Keep on filling your shrines with them!
Ok, I do cherish the Mugatu, too, but what I really want is a HORTA. How about that?
This is really going to devalue the originals for the poor collectors who have shelled out big bucks in the past. They’ll never be able to resell theirs for very much now.
I had some Lost In Space bubble gum cards from the 60’s which were quite rare. They were worth about $30 each or something like that at one time. Then a re-issue came out a few years back and now they’re worth a dollar or two.
Such are the hazards of collecting for profit! Which I don’t, it’s for my own enjoyment.
I had the bridge playset, which I recall had little cardboard ‘slides’ that could be placed in the main viewer depending on what mission you were recreating. The only figure I had was Spock, which I augmented by ‘borrowing’ Ken dolls from various kids in the neighborhood to fill out my crew. It was little daunting to overcome having a crew of Spock and four homogenous humans, but a child’s imagination is a powerful thing.
#39 That bridge playset was awesome! I still have one boxed up, complete with the cardboard viewer screen slides (which had pretty bad art, to be honest!). Had to love the “transporter,” which was this knob you spun and then the figure in there would appear on the back side of the bridge.
The 70’s were a great time to be a kid…
Iowagirl (#37),
If you REALLY want a Horta figure, all you have to do is leave a small plate of spaghetti and meatballs out on your kitchen counter for a few weeks. It may even start moving around on its own. :-)
Buckaroohawk (#41),
I appreciate your creativeness and imagination! But will I be able to mindmeld with this Spaghetti-Horta and will there be offspring?
#42 “will there be offspring?”
That depends on how well you and the plate of spaghetti and meatballs hit it off…
There was a Cheron, and a big-headed Talosian that looked nothing like the Keeper… also some generic alien called a Venusian or something…
#43
Don’t forget, I already have a mission! But, nevertheless, as IDIC should not remain merely a high-sounding word – let’s give it a try…
Snake – I have all the Trek III figures unopened – I was going to throw them on ebay at some point but I found out they are going for a couple of bucks each so I decided to keep them.
just an image in my head: a tholian fighting a saurian while a melkotian and an excalbian are watching… and the m-113 creature would also be nice…
Wow, the memories.. I had the three Enterprise dolls (er, action figures) and the transporter when I was a kid. Great stuff.
Wow, it would appear that a nerve has been struck. Quick, let’s open a toy store and make a mint off of ourselves.
Oh, wait a minute. That wouldn’t work. We’d be too busy playing with the toys to open the doors.
#38
Sell your collection??!!! Are you crazy? Mine! Mine!! MINE!!!
It’s obvious the Megos were made to represent the way the characters looked in the 70’s, as witness the Mugatu’s flared red trousers and green blouse. Very glam. IIRC, he was a big part of the Studio 54 scene at that time; Diana Ross, Jerry Hall and others were often spotted snorting Neuralian nose candy off his horn.