MEZCO
Founded in 2000 by Michael 'Mez' Markowitz, Mezco Toyz is an American collectible manufacturer based in Long Island City, New York. Known for pioneering detailed 1/12-scale soft-goods action figures and long-running horror collectibles, the company produces iconic lines such as the One:12 Collective, Living Dead Dolls, and 5 Points.
Cronologia
Panoramica
Mezco Toyz is a prominent American collectible and toy design company headquartered in Long Island City, New York. Founded in 2000 by Michael 'Mez' Markowitz, the brand grew out of Markowitz's earlier venture, Aztech Toyz.
Since its inception, Mezco has established itself as a major innovator in the pop culture collectible market, catering primarily to adult collectors, horror enthusiasts, and comic book fans.
The company gained early acclaim through stylized horror figures and cult media licenses before transforming the 1/12-scale action figure market with premium, tailored soft-goods figures. Mezco occupies a unique market position by bridging retro nostalgia with high-end craftsmanship, offering collectibles that range from 3.75-inch retro figures to 6-inch hyper-articulated figures dressed in real tailored fabric. In addition to licensing major global franchises across film, television, video games, and comic books, Mezco produces its own proprietary original intellectual properties, solidifying its place as a leader in collectible manufacturing.
Storia
The roots of Mezco Toyz extend to around 1998 with Aztech Toyz, a short-lived venture created by Michael 'Mez' Markowitz that gained cult recognition for its Silent Screamers line based on early 20th-century silent cinema. In 2000, Markowitz officially established Mezco Toyz in Long Island City, New York, expanding Silent Screamers and diversifying into horror and pop culture licenses.
A pivotal milestone occurred in 2001 when Mezco acquired manufacturing rights to Living Dead Dolls, originally created in 1998 by Ed Long and Damien Glonek. Mezco scaled the 10-inch gothic doll line globally, turning it into one of the longest-running collectible doll series in history.
Throughout the mid-2000s, Mezco broadened its scope with vinyl block figures (Mez-Itz) and slasher movie figures under the Cinema of Fear banner. In 2014, Mezco introduced the One:12 Collective at San Diego Comic-Con, setting a new industry standard for 1/12-scale (~6-inch) action figures by integrating real tailored cloth clothing and die-cast elements. By 2019, Mezco expanded further by debuting its original IP universe Rumble Society, the retro 3.75-inch 5 Points line, and the stylized Mezco Designer Series (MDS).
Linee Prodotto
* Silent Screamers (2000–2001): Sculpted action figures based on classic silent horror cinema, continuing from Aztech Toyz. * Living Dead Dolls (2001–Present): Acquired by Mezco in 2001, featuring 10-inch gothic porcelain-style dolls created by Ed Long and Damien Glonek. * Mez-Itz (2002–2010s): Block-style vinyl mini-figures based on licensed pop-culture properties. * Licensed Cult & Comedy Lines (2004–2006): Specialized figure lines for properties like Hellboy, Family Guy, South Park, The Warriors, The Goonies, and Scarface. * Cinema of Fear (2007–2009): Slasher figure line featuring iconic horror villains from Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween. * Cult Classics & TV Hits (2010–2015): Action figure releases for Scott Pilgrim vs.
The World, Earthworm Jim, Mars Attacks!, and Breaking Bad. * Vinyl & Mega Scale Figures (2011–Present): Stylized 14-inch to 20-inch vinyl collectibles including ThunderCats and Universal Monsters. * One:12 Collective (2014–Present): Flagship 1/12 scale (~6-inch) figure line featuring real tailored fabric clothing, die-cast metal parts, articulated bodies, and extensive accessories. * Rumble Society (2019–Present): Mezco's original-concept universe in the One:12 Collective format featuring proprietary characters like Gomez, Pink Skulls Chaos Club, and Doc Nocturnal. * 5 Points Line (2019–Present): 3.75-inch retro-styled, 5-point articulated figure sets celebrating classic television, movies, and kaiju cinema. * MDS (Mezco Designer Series) & Static Six (2019–Present): Stylized figures, statues, and plush collectibles combining cartoon aesthetics with horror and pop culture icons.
Licenze
* Feature Films: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, Metropolis, Universal Monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters, A Clockwork Orange, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween, Dawn of the Dead, The Warriors, Alien, Friday the 13th, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Goonies, Evil Dead II, RoboCop, Predator, Child's Play / Chucky, Batman (1989), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 Film), Reservoir Dogs, Army of Darkness, Austin Powers, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Scott Pilgrim vs.
The World, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, IT: Chapter Two, Deadpool & Wolverine, Terrifier. * Television & Animated Series: Star Trek: The Original Series, Space Ghost, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, The Six Million Dollar Man, ThunderCats, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Batman: The Animated Series, South Park, Family Guy, Heroes, Breaking Bad, Wednesday. * Video Games: Earthworm Jim, LittleBigPlanet, Marvel's Midnight Suns. * Comic Books & Graphic Novels: DC Comics (The Dark Knight Returns, etc.), Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics (Hellboy, The Goon), 2000 AD (Judge Dredd), Diabolik, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios).
Reputazione
Mezco Toyz maintains a strong reputation among figure collectors, horror fans, and pop culture enthusiasts. The company is widely credited with pioneering high-end tailored soft goods in the 1/12 (~6-inch) scale through its flagship One:12 Collective line.
By integrating soft fabric tailoring, custom engineering, die-cast components, and vast accessory sets onto a 6-inch canvas, Mezco brought a level of detail previously reserved for 1/6-scale figures to a smaller scale. In addition to technical execution, Mezco is recognized for its commitment to horror and cult fandoms. Long-running support for lines like Living Dead Dolls and Cinema of Fear earned the brand sustained loyalty from horror collectors. Furthermore, the success of its original IP, Rumble Society, demonstrates high brand trust, as collectors readily invest in Mezco's original characters alongside licensed comic book icons.
Curiosità
* The Abigail Crane and Mr. Graves two-pack was the very first Club Mez exclusive release. * Mezco Toyz evolved directly from Aztech Toyz, an late-1990s company known for figures based on early silent horror films.
* Abigail Crane from Living Dead Dolls was also produced in an 18-inch porcelain doll variant. * Company mascot Gomez serves as the central operative in Mezco's original Rumble Society universe. * Some Living Dead Dolls fans confuse Abigail Crane with the Series 1 doll Posey due to their similar facial features.
