8" Buck Rogers Line Announced

ZICA Toys is excited to announce its first official foray into the world of licensed collectibles with an all new, highly articulated 1/9th scale line of action figures based on the fantastic television movie and series, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. This indelible incarnation of the original hero of tomorrow debuted in 1979, starring Gil Gerard as William “Buck” Rogers. Buck was the last astronaut to pilot a deep space probe. During a freak mishap he was hurdled 500 years into the future. When he awoke he found himself in a strange new place surrounded by gorgeous disco-dancing spandex-clad aliens. With his blaster, a babe, and a robot buddy at his side, he used his 20th century wit to defend the innocent and bring evil to justice.

Characters planned for the first assortment are Buck Rogers, Hawk, Killer Kane, Tigerman and Draconian Guard. For the first time ever these figures will be made in the 8” style and scale that was hugely popular in the 70’s. By keeping the retro style and incorporating a more modern body design, the line is sure to please both vintage and modern collectors alike.

ABOUT BUCK ROGERS: In 1928, Buck Rogers blasted off in the pages of John F. Dille’s National Newspaper Service syndicate. Dille called on author Philip Francis Nowlan and artist Dick Calkins to develop his ideas of the future into a never before seen style of comic strip. Buck Rogers, like Rip Van Winkle, would awake to find himself in a strange new world filled with robots, rockets, and ray guns! Over the last 80 years Buck Rogers has been in Two Network TV Series, One Feature Film, One Feature Film Serial, 12,061 Daily Comic Strips, 1839 Sunday Comic Strips, 139 Sub-Strips and has sold in 40 Countries in 18 Languages, 400 Newspapers, and 1500 Radio Shows. 2008 marks the return of the future with new collectibles, books, comics, video games, and feature film projects! For more information on new Buck Rogers products, visit www.inthe25thcentury.com.

ABOUT ZICA TOYS: Since 2005 ZICA Toys has been behind the scenes of select toy projects in the designer toy, figurine, and comic-book world. With a passion for retro design and an eye for quality, ZICA is set to create new collectibles that hearken back to our collective childhoods. Look for Buck Rogers and more licensed collectibles at zicatoys.com.

Visit the Mego Museum Buck Rogers Gallery.

Celebrity Dolls: Cameos Of Our Culture

NEW YORK - If the $3 billion toy business is a "crap shoot." as Marty Abrams savs, he's on a winning streak betting that kids would rather dress a sexv superstar than change diapers “ After all," says the youthful entrepreneur, "toys are cameos of our culture " So even as the dogwoods are blossoming, Abrams is launching an advertising campaign for Christmas buyers featuring - you guessed it — Farrah Fawcett-Majors and Fonzie and Cher and Tennile and other hot show biz characters While many tov manufacturers soured on the idea after the market was glutted with Batman toys in the late 1960s. Abrams has built the family business into a $70 million a-year enterprise with celebrity dolls In the past six years his Mego International Inc has climbed from about 100th on the list to seventh among the country's largest toy firms.

The only companies that really got hurt licensing ( contracting for celebrity dolls) were those that over-licensed."
Abrams said Last vear his Cher doll was the top seller in the industry. For her part Mrs Cher Bono Allman collected a cool $1 million in royalties from Mego. Abrams said But Abrams won't divulge his contract
Terms “It varies from star to star," he said "It's a crap shoot, anyway," he added.

Fawcett-Majors, as well as the others will remain at the top of the heap long enough to sell as mans dolls as she did pinup posters (five million) last fall.

"We have to keep our fingers on the pulse of pop culture." he said "I'm continually watching TV and reading the show business publications The media continually creates new fads new idols "

Abrams' instincts are reflected in his showroom 40 floors above Fifth Avenue where this season's real life stars such as Starsky and Hutch share shelf space with science fiction’s King Kong, Wonder Woman and characters from Star Ti ek. Noting the boom in citizens band radios. Abrams was quick to come out w ith a line of toy trucks and microphones built around a character called CB McHaul.


There is a Diana Ross doll and Muhammad Ali, aimed at the black market.


When a star is hot she or he gets a full compliment of accessories. To dress Cher in the styIe to which she is accustomed. for example, there are 32 different costumes There is a vintage sports car with Cher's ex-husband and TV partner. Sonny Bono, at the wheel. Figuring that Farrah's sunstreaked hair is her top asset Mego has a bust of the beauty so that little girls can wash and comb her hair They may even apply lipstick and makeup and false eye lashes. "It's somewhat of a status svmbol to be a doll," Abrams said.

May 1977

Mego's Superheroes lead pack in Windy City Sales

Canadian Comic Action Heroes Spider-Car

Really neat foreign variation today, courtesy of Mark Schmidt, it's the Canadian Version of the Mego Comic Action heroes Spider-Car which is drastically different than it's US counterpart seen below:

For more on these figures, please visit the Mego Museum Comic Action Heroes Gallery:

Broadway Joe Namath and his Mod About Town Wardrobe

Chris Johnson submitted this awesome 1971 Wards spread for Joe Namath and his super funky wardrobe. You can check it out at the Department Store Catalog Archive. Watch for a Joe Namath section coming soon to the Mego Museum.

Action Jackson Goes Vroom Vroom

Cool update to the Mego Action Jackson Galleries today, thanks to the help of Scott Arendsen, Rob Chatlin and Tom Ligotti. It's the ever elusive Formula Racer and it's mysterious Australian counter part, the Green BP Racer. Be sure to check out the rest of the AJ gallery, it's some of the coolest stuff Mego made...

Meet Spider-Man, the Wicked Witch and Cornelius the Ape at Gold Circle!

There is just so much to love about this vintage Mego store appearance ad, like the word Shaboom and the use of Aquaman and Tarzan in the toy ad. Below are some of the pieces of paper you would get from such an appearance.

Spidey would hand these little fliers to kids, fortunately kids saved them!

Lucky Apes kids would get this, a signed picture of Caesar acting as Cornelius, a McDowell is a McDowell to mego....

Mego Greatest American Hero Gallery Updates

Today we've got an indepth look at a Ralph Hinkley production sample figure from the Greatest American Hero line of toys. What makes this one different is that he's an earlier production sample, lots of big pictures and history about this neat figure.

Mego Museum Greatest American Hero Gallery

Mego Mad Monsters Display Box

New to the Mego Mad Monsters Gallery is a sweet original Mad Monsters display box complete with boxed Frankensteins, from the personal collection of Mark Huckabone. Click on the image for a larger view.

More Updates shortly!

The Mego Museum Raffle Sticker

Scott made this beauty of a sticker featuring the European exclusive Jousting Horse in conjunction with our bandwidth raffle this weekend. Every person who buys a ticket, gets one of these and a secret surprise sticker (say that fast).

Mego Meet Raffle You don't have to atten Mego Meet to win or get a sticker.

Mego Meet starts tomorrow....

Mego Meet "Kit Bash" Contest

Cast-A-Way toys has come up with a fun promotion at this year's Mego Meet, the "Kit Bash" contest.

The rules are simple: Make it at the show! Whatever you get from the Meet dealer room is fair game. No sandbagging with stuff from home, this is to see what you guys can do on the "fly". So bring your ideas, and any other construction materials and tools you'll need, but that's all! Cast-A-Way will bring some paints, and brushes for those who forget, but if you need specialized stuff bring it with ya.

The prizes: Up for grabs is "Red Italian version Phantom", store credit, "one off" custom parts etc (don't worry we'll have that all ready for the winner)... but best of all the chance to call yourself "CHAMPION"Is it in you?.... will you rise to meet this challenge?... Do you have what it takes? Let's find out...

Read More at the Mego Meet Forum

Mego Meet is this weekend.

Some of the offerings at this weekend's MegoMeet

Folks are showing off some of their wares early this year at the Megomeet Forum. Hang on to your waller, here is just a sampling of what will be available this weekend:

Romulans by Azrak

Vintage Mego will be in abundance thanks to folks like Blue Meanie, these type two monsters won't last long nor will this beauty of a mego Superheroes display card:

Here is Mego Spidey's Megomeet display, bet it looks even better in person!

Here is the box for this year's exclusive figure Doctor KromeDome, ignore that webslinger, box creator Mike just put him there for show.

Boss is bringing some of his custom creations to the show like this lovely Superman.

Forget Matt Murdock, the Knock Knock Toy Company will have a different Dare Devil available...

Check out the Mego Meet Forum for more

Megomeet Official Website