RETRO TOYS
The Mego Retro Toys line (originally launched as Mego's 8-inch action figure line) is a foundational action figure series created by Mego Corporation. Defined by standardized 8-inch posable plastic bodies and tailored fabric costumes, this line established the modern blueprint for licensed pop-culture, superhero, and entertainment collectibles.
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Overview
The Mego Retro Toys line refers to the flagship 8-inch action figure format produced by Mego Corporation, originally developed under company president Martin 'Marty' Abrams.
Constructed around a standardized 8-inch articulated plastic body with interchangeable components and tailored fabric clothing, Mego positioned the line as a versatile, affordable standard across mass retail.
The format served as the home for broad pop-culture licensing, bringing comic book superheroes, sci-fi franchises, classic cinema, horror monsters, and real-world celebrities into a uniform action figure scale.
History
Mego Corporation was founded in 1954 by D. David Abrams and Madeline Abrams as a dime-store toy importer. In 1971, Marty Abrams took over as president and pivoted the company toward licensed 8-inch figures, starting with the military adventure line Action Jackson (1971–1974).
Mego achieved massive success between 1972 and 1983 through ground-breaking licensing deals, launching the World's Greatest Super Heroes line with DC (1972) and Marvel (1973), alongside major franchises like Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and celebrity dolls such as Cher.
However, after famously passing on the Star Wars license in 1976 and facing subsequent market shifts, Mego filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1982 and ceased operations in 1983. The format was later reproduced through licensing intermediaries EMCE Toys (2007–2016) and Figures Toy Company (2014–2018). In 2018, Marty Abrams officially resurrected Mego Corporation, launching 'Marty Abrams Presents Mego' to produce updated 8-inch and 14-inch retro figures across modern and classic licenses.
I PEZZI DI RETRO TOYS
Features
* Standardized 8-inch plastic figure body designed for cross-character part compatibility. * Fully posable multi-articulated framework allowing varied dynamic display poses. * Tailored real fabric costumes worn over the plastic figure bodies.
* Detailed molded vinyl/plastic head sculpts capturing licensed comic, screen, and real-life likenesses. * Character-specific accessories such as weapons, capes, and specialized gear. * Vintage-style window box packaging and blister cardbacks. * Modern relaunches preserve the retro aesthetic while introducing updated articulation and head sculpt fidelity.
Waves & Series
* 1971–1974: Action Jackson (Military & Adventure Line) * 1972–1983: World's Greatest Super Heroes!
(DC Comics starting 1972; Marvel Comics starting 1973) * 1974: Secret Identity Line (Civilian alter-egos: Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, Dick Grayson) * 1974–1975: Mad Monster Series (Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy, The Wolf Man) * 1974–1976: Star Trek: The Original Series & Animated Series Assortment * 1974–1977: Planet of the Apes Film & TV Assortments * 1975: The Wizard of Oz & Tarzan * 1976–1977: Cher, Sonny & Cher, Space: 1999, and Our Gang / Little Rascals * 1976–1978: Starsky & Hutch * 1976–1980: Micronauts (Licensed from Takara Microman; tied into Marvel Comics series) * 1976–1982: Comic Action Heroes (3.75-inch DC & Marvel line) * 1977: Muhammad Ali (9-inch line), Farrah Fawcett, KISS Band Figures, and CB McHaul * 1977–1978: Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Doctor Who (UK Release) * 1979–1981: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century * 1979–1982: Pocket Super Heroes (3.75-inch re-releases), Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and The Black Hole * 1981–1982: CHiPs & The Dukes of Hazzard * 1982–1983: Eagle Force (2.75-inch die-cast military figures) * 2007–2016: EMCE Toys Reproduction Assortments (DC Comics, Star Trek, Universal Monsters) * 2014–2018: Figures Toy Company Retro 8-Inch DC & Wrestling Figures * 2018–2024: Marty Abrams Presents Mego Relaunch (DC 50th Anniversary WGSH, Marvel 4-Packs, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Modern HorrorCinema, Cult TV, Tokusatsu) * 2024: Atlas/Seaboard Comics Limited Assortment (Hands of the Dragon, The Grim Ghost, Devilina, The Phoenix) * 2025–2026: Disney Store Exclusive Marvel World's Greatest Super Heroes Avengers 1975 Reproduction 4-Pack & Expanded Universal Horror Assortment
Notable Pieces
* **1972 WGSH Batman**: The foundational superhero release that inaugurated Mego's long-running DC Comics line. * **1973 WGSH Spider-Man**: The flagship Marvel superhero figure that helped establish Mego's dominant market position in comic book toys. * **1976 Cher Doll**: A pop-culture phenomenon that became the #1 selling doll in the entire toy industry in 1976.
* **1977 KISS Action Figures**: Iconic 8-inch rock band figures that remain among the most recognizable celebrity collectibles of the era. * **1974 Mad Monster Dracula**: A classic piece from Mego's original horror line, representing their entry into monster figures. * **2025 Disney Store Avengers 1975 Reproduction 4-Pack**: A modern retro release containing reproduction 8-inch figures of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk with a commemorative coin.
Collecting
The Mego 8-inch figure line holds a central place in action figure collecting as the originator of standardized licensed 8-inch figures. Collectors value original 1970s Mego releases for their historical significance, nostalgic charm, and distinctive fabric outfits.
Pristine vintage figures—particularly those complete in original window boxes or unpunched cardbacks—command high prices on the secondary market due to the fragility of 1970s rubber bands, body joints, and cloth elements. Superhero figures from the World's Greatest Super Heroes line and music icons like KISS remain top grail pieces. For modern collectors, reproductions by EMCE Toys and Figures Toy Company, alongside Mego Corporation's official 2018 relaunch, provide accessible ways to collect vintage-style sculpts and new character additions.
Trivia
* Mego famously turned down the option to produce toys for *Star Wars* in 1976, a decision widely cited in toy history preceding their 1982 bankruptcy. * In 1976, Mego's 12-inch Cher celebrity doll surpassed Barbie to become the top-selling doll in the United States.
* The official *Micronauts* comic book series published by Marvel Comics (1979–1986) was directly based on Mego's licensed toy line. * Mego's ubiquitous 8-inch standard body was originally developed in 1971 for an original military action figure named Action Jackson.
