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Post by dlw66 on Mar 28, 2006 12:49:21 GMT -5
For my 100th post, I thought I'd ask this nostalgic question: As a kid, did you ever purchase anything you saw in a comic ad?
I cut out the coupon from a book in the early/mid-70's for 100 Toy Soldiers. VERY disappointing when I got them! They were about 1 1/2 inches high and flat! Not the 3D soldiers I was used to. But, for $1 I couldn't complain too much.
Other things I acquired that were advertised, but that I bought retail would include Sea Monkeys (!) and also some Marvel "statues" that were actually one-color plastic figures, about 5-6 inches in height. I believe they made Iron Man in the classic chain-breaking pose, as well as others I can't recall. There were probably 6 figures in the set, so I'd assume Cap, Thor, Hulk, and Spidey must have been in there, too. No idea what happened to these!!
Note: if you go to this link (http://actionfigures.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=actionfigures&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toymania.com%2Farchives%2Fironman%2F) and scroll down on the left, click on "Other figures" and then click on "Marx plastic figure" for a photo of the line I'm describing.
Any veterans of FOOM or the MMMS??
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Post by Van Plexico on Mar 28, 2006 20:20:41 GMT -5
Happy 100th!
I used to order stuff from... first it was called "Superhero Shops," and then later "Heroes World." They advertised all sorts of cool Marvel items in the comics, and I got most of the Mego Marvel figures from them, one at a time. Also got some of the Star Wars merchandise from them, when the movie came out. The art on their ads was horrible, but they were great at hype! I had to have it all!! (Or what little I could afford with my allowance, anyway!) ;D
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Post by Shiryu on Mar 29, 2006 8:31:50 GMT -5
Happy 100 from me too ! I'll be there myself soon hopefully  In Italy they always removed the ads, so I didn't buy anything from there (they would have been 5 o 6 years old anyway). More recently I've got hold of some original comics and I think I like the Marvel statues, but still don't think I would have bought them. |
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Post by dlw66 on Mar 29, 2006 11:54:11 GMT -5
I remember the Heroes World ads -- I believe they put out a catalog, as well. One of the things I remember in their ads were the beanbag Marvel and DC "babies". I believe my sister had Wonder Woman at one time (?).
When I was around 12 or 13, I sent away for all of the catalogs and/or lists from the various comics dealers who advertised in Marvels. Let me just say, if you could get back issues now for what they were asking then, hoo-boy!! Of course, even back then as a kid I thought they were expensive -- but I'd sure pay a couple of hundred bucks for a mint copy of FF #1 now!!
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Post by BoredYesterday on Mar 30, 2006 9:14:40 GMT -5
I had the same flat plastic army men! They were pretty cool, if you got down on the floor and looked at them from profile -- couldn't tell they were flat. I remember there were a lot of nurses, and since I was a 5-year old boy who didn't play with girls, I broke all their heads off.
I also remember the plastic figurines. I had the Iron Man, burt I think I got him through a trade with some other kid -- didn't order it from the comic.
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Post by bobc on Mar 30, 2006 11:29:13 GMT -5
I bought those damned Sea Monkeys, which, according to the ad, were tiny fish people who built extraordianary underwater civilizations.
Let's just say I proved that timeless addage "a fool and his money are soon parted."
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Post by dlw66 on Mar 30, 2006 11:50:32 GMT -5
My Sea Monkeys were so small I couldn't even see them!! I think I overfed them and killed them off in a less than a week. Whatever they were...
I always was intrigued by the ad for the live Spider Monkey. Can you imagine that thing crapping all over your bedroom?? Probably would have chewed the kung fu grip right off of my GI Joes, too!!
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Post by bobc on Mar 31, 2006 10:47:50 GMT -5
Did your sea monkeys build any advanced civilizations?
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Post by Avenger4Ever on Apr 2, 2006 22:12:48 GMT -5
Heroes World was great! I was on their mailing list and received several of their catalogs between 1976 - 1979. I did almost all my toy shopping through them. In fact I believe I spent almost every dime of allowance/chore money buying stuff from them. I actually found a couple of the old catalogs at my parents house a few years ago and was amazed at the prices for some of the items. I wish I had kept everything I bought from them. Some of the the things I owned are going for crazy prices on Ebay. The new items being produced today are far superior to the old stuff but, for me it'll never have the same coolness factor as those Bronze Age goodies from 30 years ago. Geez I feel old......
Enjoy!
A4E
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 3, 2006 7:30:24 GMT -5
Welcome, A4E! I was just in your neck of the woods this past weekend, attending some Final Four festivities!
Anyone remember what a Mego went for retail? I know the 12" GI Joes were affordable, because I had three or four. Man, those guys now go for around $30, I think...
By the way, on my toy shelf I have displayed (among tons of Marvel Legends and other assorted stuff I've accumulated through the years) the Mego versions of Spider-Man, Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Conan, Batman, Robin, Thing, Human Torch, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Hulk and my favorite -- Kid Flash!
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Post by Shiryu on Apr 3, 2006 9:32:10 GMT -5
Sorry, it's probably a silly question but... what's a Mego version ?  |
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 3, 2006 10:25:29 GMT -5
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Post by Avenger4Ever on Apr 3, 2006 15:41:24 GMT -5
Hi Doug, Hopefully you got out before the tornadoes hit yesterday. The mid-section of the state was under storm warnings until late last night. The original prices circa the 1977 Heroes World catalog was $4.19 + .49 shipping & handling. Some of the same figures new in box are now going for $400 - $1000.00!!! Yikes! I had almost a complete collection of the Mego figures at one time. Ah, if I knew then what I know now.  Kid Flash was a cool figure. I had Speedy as well. I passed on Aqualad though. I really liked the Thor figure. He was one of the better designs and a big favorite of mine. BTW, here is another really nice Mego website: www.megomuseum.com/Enjoy! Brian - A4E |
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 3, 2006 20:10:13 GMT -5
We got out of Indy around 9 am Sunday, only to arrive back in the Chicago area for some weather action all night!
Any good comic shops in the Indy/suburbs area?
Best Mego story ever: if you had them from the beginning, you might recall that they were originally held together with thin pieces of elastic. I had many of the figures I listed above, and played with them constantly. As a result, they started to come apart as the elastic wore out. I was really put out, because even back then, $4-5 times 10-12 figures would be a lot of money. So, my mom put all of the pieces and accessories in a shoebox, wrote a nice letter of explanation (she didn't, however, include a photo of me, the heartbroken child). About a month later we received a huge box -- Mego replaced every figure with a brand new one, carded!! It was like Christmas in July, baby!
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Post by Avenger4Ever on Apr 3, 2006 20:56:05 GMT -5
Great Mego story! I was rough with my Megos. More than one had to have reconstructive surgery(I.E. a replacement rubber band to hold it together). We never thought to send them back. Sounds like Mego had a wonderful Customer Service Dept. We have two comic book chains here in Indy. The oldest is Comic Carnival. They've been around for about 31 years. They have 4 stores around town. They don't have a website but, here is the Yahoo info for them: local.yahoo.com/results?fr=dd-local-more&stx=comic+carnival&csz=Indianapolis%2C+INThe second chain store is Downtown Comics. They have been around for about 12 years. Here is a link for their website: www.downtowncomics.com/I like both stores but, Downtown Comics has a real nice store Downtown on the Circle. If you get a chance sometime check them out. BTW, do you have any suggestions for Chicago area comic stores? The family and I are headed up sometime in June to see the King Tut exhibit and I would like to check out some stores. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Brian - A4E |
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 3, 2006 22:33:41 GMT -5
I was just on the Circle Saturday listening to some grunge band with too much bass -- the Virgin Billionaires, I believe. My 6th-grader got a headache from the noise and the smoke so we kept moving! I probably walked right by that shop.
I don't get to the city too much for comics. There's a nice chain in the south suburbs called Amazing Fantasy that I'm somewhat loyal to (we have a shop in the town where I live, but half the time I don't get my pull list right, so I don't feel like I owe too much to them). AF has a great sale right before Christmas each year -- I usually treat myself!
My big thing each year is Wizardworld Chicago. My sons and I have a great time on the Sunday taking advantage of the deals.
Back to retro toys, I also had a Lone Ranger 12" figure whose hand broke not 10 minutes after I got him home. No such luck getting him fixed. I think I just "wrote it into the story" about some accident he had...
OK -- Marx plastic statues, Megos, GI Joes... anyone have the superhero model kits with the comics/instruction books?
Also, what songs do you remember listening to as a kid whilst you played with your cool toys? For me it was "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and "Rocket Man" by Elton John and "Muhammad Ali" -- don't know the artist!
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Post by Van Plexico on Apr 4, 2006 14:10:46 GMT -5
About the funniest things ever: TWISTED TOYFARE THEATER collections. They (The WIZARD guys) take Mego action figures (and others) and make cartoon strips using them. Here's the Amazon link for Volume 1. Seriously, they're hilarious. makeashorterlink.com/?H104458EC |
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Post by Avenger4Ever on Apr 4, 2006 15:26:51 GMT -5
Twisted Toyfare Theatre is a hoot! I notice they use a lot of Spidey figures, since he is one of the more commonly available figures. I'm sure some very serious Mego collectors have heart attacks when they see some of the destruction done to the figures during the strips. A4E |
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Post by Bored Yesterday on Apr 25, 2006 16:40:32 GMT -5
There are several ads in the mid-1970s Marvels for stickers. They come in an assortment of several of Marvel's most popular heroes. Did anyone get these? I used to always pick out my favorites. The ad shows some kid sticking these adhesive stickers on his wall.
Also, I'm seeing the Halloween costumes for Spider-man, Captain America, and Hulk. Anyone? Anyone?
Also, the poseable cardboard figures. You could choose between Spiderman or an ape from Planet of the Apes.
I have a lot of nostlagia for these ads, but never ordered the toys. I'd love to get ahold of the 1976 Marvel Super Heroes Bicentennial Calendar that I"ve seen advertised. It featrues Marvel characters in historical scenes from the American Revolution. Sounds great.
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 25, 2006 19:12:04 GMT -5
I still have that Bicentennial calendar!!!
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Post by BoredYesterday on Apr 26, 2006 8:35:45 GMT -5
I still have that Bicentennial calendar!!!  ***gulp*** Avengers related scans please. |
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 26, 2006 9:05:21 GMT -5
I will see what I can do in the next day or so. I also have the 1977 one with a great Perez (I think) take on the battle with Kang from #8.
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 26, 2006 22:24:27 GMT -5
I have scanned the Avengers images from the 1976 and 1977 calendars. Now if someone could just tell me how to imbed them in a post, I'd be most appreciative!! I can't see how to do it -- I copy the images, but there is no paste function that I can find when I right-click in the reply box... Help me, someone!!
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Post by Shiryu on Apr 27, 2006 9:04:59 GMT -5
All right: first go to www.imageshack.us and host it, then take the code it gives you and paste it in here. I suggest you paste the "thumbnail" code if the picture is really big. That means we have to click on it to see the full size, but doesn't slow down the forum PS, you can't paste a picture on the internet You can only host it somewhere and paste it's code. PPS: imageshack is free and doesn't require registration. To use it click on "browse", select the picture from your pc and click on "host it". |
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 27, 2006 9:16:37 GMT -5
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I should have the images up for you guys by tomorrow morning (assuming I don't run into any trouble).
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 27, 2006 11:14:16 GMT -5
Oh, and by the way, I did know that I couldn't "paste" onto the Internet. However, since a message board works similarly to e-mail, and since some types of e-mail do allow the pasting of artwork, I assumed that I could do that here. Live and learn, I guess!!
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Post by Bored Yesterday on Apr 27, 2006 13:57:36 GMT -5
Thanks for going to all the trouble to share.
This might explain why I can't file my taxes by pasting my 1040 on the IRS home page. Learn something everyday.
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 27, 2006 14:02:02 GMT -5
Doesn't that glue muck up your monitor?? ;D
After I did the scans last night I had the calendars laying on the computer desk. My 14-year old son, who is semi-into comics saw them laying there and just had a blast looking through them. Each day of the month had a character or creator noted -- really a lot of fun. I have four of the Marvel calendars from the late 70's and a couple of DC ones. I really hope I can get these pictures up for you guys -- if I can, I'll try to post a few more shots. There's a great Buscema page with Thor and Loki squaring off in the 1977 Marvel Memory Album.
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Post by dlw66 on Apr 27, 2006 17:51:27 GMT -5
Hey, I think I have this figured out!! If you want, I can get another couple of pages -- anyone interested? This is an image of the Bicentennial calendar page, by Jim (Madman) Mooney.  This is from the 1977 Marvel Memory Album calendar, and features the art of George Perez in a scene from Avengers #8.  |
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Post by Bored Yesterday on Apr 27, 2006 23:00:29 GMT -5
Those images are treasures. Keep the calendars safe, dlw66 -- don't let the commies ge them, whatever you do. The first one's on my desktop now, and the second one is in the kitty.
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***gulp***
