DST/ EMCE Spotlight- Captain Pike (Mego Style Figure)

Figure Name: Captain Pike
Manufacturer: Diamond Select & EMCE Toys



Captain Pike was released by Diamond Select Toys in 2011.



The Rundown: After rounding out the main bridge crew with their Sulu and Chekov figures, DST & EMCE must have felt the need to explore other featured characters for more "good guy" options in their Trek range. As far as TOS male heroes go, the next logical choice after the main crew would have to be Captain Christopher Pike. The guy had it all; Dashing good looks, a sweet laser pistol, and the ability to beat big-headed aliens. Let's take a look at how his manliness fits the Mego form...



Just like the Salt Vampire we looked at yesterday, Pike features a sturdier body than the previous DST/ EMCE Trek releases. The body is held together with screws and feels a bit heftier than before. I'm not sure why it was changed, but I prefer this newer, tougher body. I've noticed the chest on my Retro Khan has begun to split at the seams, so hopefully this new body will prevent that.



Pike features an all new head sculpt done in Mego style. I'm sorry to say it... But I am not a fan of this head. While I do see a decent Jeffrey Hunter likeness here, it looks like it's been stylized to fit a more "cartoonish" look. All of the other "new" Mego heads from EMCE (like Khan and Chekov) fit right in with the vintage figures. The Pike head looks more like it was made for Mattel's Retro-Action superheroes line, lacking the realism that made Mego's Trek releases so cool.



Unfortunately, the slightly cartoonish look of the head isn't the only problem- The head is also quite large. When I first saw the prototypes for this wave, I commented that the heads were a bit large due to them being prototypes. In most cases, original sculpts for toys are a little bigger than the actual figure due to the shrinkage that takes place in the production process. I assumed that the Pike head seen in the prototype was an original sculpt mounted on a production body and the final product would be properly scaled. Sadly, it doesn't seem that this was the case, as Pike's melon is much larger than those of the other figures.



At this point, it's going to seem like I am bashing the crap out of this head sculpt... but I have one more gripe. Unlike the other figures, Pike's skin is painted on instead of the head being molded in flesh-tone plastic. I have no idea why this decision was made, but I really feel that it adds to the cartoony look of the head. Had it been molded in flesh-toned plastic, the head would have fit a bit better with the rest of the line. Oh... and the paint doesn't match the plastic used for the body, leaving you with a Pike that looks like he's been tanning with a bag over his head. Ouch.



Okay... enough with bashing his head in. So what's good on Pike? Well, he's got a new shirt that is AWESOME! It reflects the turtleneck look of the pilots while still maintaining a consistency with the rest of the releases. EMCE did such a nice job on it that I picked up a couple of extra Pikes for...



...customs of Kirk & Spock from "Where No Man Has Gone Before"! Sure, the rank piping is a bit off, but they'll do in a pinch. ;)



Accessories: Pike includes the same belt, phaser, and communicator used on all the EMCE crew reissues. I'll bet you thought I'd take issue with them including these when Pike never used this type of equipment? Well, you'd be wrong! All the mego releases used these weapons, regardless if they used them in the show or not, so their inclusion with Pike makes perfect sense.



Even with the head issues, I am still stoked to own a Mego Pike. Do I wish he was a bit better? Sure. But the shirt rocks... and it's a freaking Mego Captain Pike! The head is going to be a deciding factor on whether you need him for your collection or not... but with most sites only offering him in a pair with the AWESOME Salt Vampire, the choice may be out of your hands. If you want a Salt Vampire, you may be stuck buying the Pike regardless if you like the head or not... and you DO want that Salt Vampire! And don't forget- DST has made it clear that the production of Chapel and Vina depends greatly on the sales of Pike & Salty. With that in mind, it may be worth trying to overlook any issues you may have with the head and just ordering the pair.

DST/ EMCE Spotlight- Salt Vampire (Mego Style Figure)

Figure Name: Salt Vampire
Manufacturer: Diamond Select & EMCE Toys



The Salt Vampire was released by Diamond Select Toys in 2011.



The Rundown: Remember that scene in "The Man Trap" where Dr. Crater is explaining how the M-113 creature is akin to the water buffalo of earth- an endangered species? Well, that's kind what it's like in the toy world too. For being such a memorable alien from the series, the good ol' Salt Vampire sure has gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to toys. No release in the original Mego line, and nothing in any of the various scales produced by Playmates (though Matt Hackley's custom gives us a glimpse at how it might have looked). And of course, who can forget this one-



Sculpted by Art Asylum for release in their last wave of Classic Trek figures, the Salt Vampire was dropped when the assortment was cut down to 4 figures. The figure lingered in limbo until DST solicited it for release a couple of years ago... only to then cancel it due to lack of preorders. *Grumble* It seemed the Salt Vampire would never grace toy shelves.



...Until today that is! Thanks to EMCE Toys and DST, we FINALLY have a Salt Vampire! Would I have preferred a Playmates or AA style figure? Sure. But for being a Mego-inspired figure, this gal is pretty sweet! Let's take a look!



The Salt Vampire features a similar body to the other DST/ EMCE style reissues; I say "similar" because this one feel a bit more solid and is held together with screws. Regardless, it features the same range of movement found in vintage Mego figures. The challenge is getting this body to hold a pose though. Without the aid of a stand, you're pretty much stuck with a straight stance on your shelf. That's the name of the game with "retro-action" though, so I'm not surprised or disappointed by it.



To replicate the furry body of the Salt Vampire, EMCE went with a fuzzy white oversuit (which is almost definitely what Mego would have done as well). The fur is a bit more subdued than it is on the packaging shot and on the prototype, but I think it looks just fine here. Not entirely screen accurate, but since these are replicating Mego-styling, a little artistic interpretation has to come into play.



Since you don't want your M-113 Creatures running around all nekkid, the figure includes a burlap-sack-toga-thingy. It's a separate piece from the fuzzy suit, and attaches around the figure through a snap in the back. Oh... I should also mention that the fur suit attaches through a single snap as well, which has a tendency to pop open when you pose her. What a floozy.



The body includes a few newly-sculpted pieces to finish off the Creature's look. First, there's the wonderful sucker hands! EMCE did a FANTASTIC job on these! There almost a little too nice for Mego style... but who cares! They ROCK!



And speaking of things that rock- Check out that noggin'! A face only a mother could love! Well, a mother and Dr. Crater. Oh, and Dr. McCoy. And Uhura. And Crewman Darnell. And maybe Sturgeon and Green, but we don't know that for sure. So, yeah... it's a really good sculpt- maybe the finest of the "new" Star Trek Megos.



Accessories: Nada. It's not like you need any though. Well, maybe a jar of salt would have been nice.



It's been a long time coming, but we finally have a Salt Vampire figure! While Mego figures may not be everyone's cup of tea, this is one of the finer efforts in that style. And with no other possibilities in the foreseeable future, this one may be worth picking up to fill the void. At a retail price of $19.99, you may be a bit hesitant to throw down the scratch for her... but I wouldn't wait too long. Remember what happened to the water buffalo?

Mego/ DST Combo Spotlight- Captain Kirk

Figure Name: Captain Kirk
Manufacturer: Mego Toys Corp. (Original), Diamond Select & EMCE Toys (Reissue)



Kirk was released as part of Mego's initial wave of Star Trek 8" figures.



The Rundown: I've covered a lot of Kirk figures here in the past 2 years. Playmates, Art Asylum, Diamond Select, Ertl, Palisades, and even Galoob (yuck)... If you're doing a line based on Classic Star Trek, the one character that absolutely MUST be made is Kirk. He is the mainstay essential to a complete collection (although I personally believe Spock and McCoy are just as necessary). Well, today we take a look at the grand-daddy of Kirk figures: The Mego 8" Captain Kirk figure!



It's tough for me to imagine what it was like for a kid watching Star Trek during its original run. As a child, most of the shows I loved had toylines tied to their existence. G.I.Joe, Transformers, Star Wars, Masters Of The Universe... all of my favorite movies and television programs had a large assortment of toys with which I could create my own adventures. Not so with the original Trek. True action figures of Kirk & crew didn't materialize until the mid-70's, with Mego stepping up to the plate and producing an entire range of toys based on the syndicated show (and also seemingly the animated series). Of course, Kirk was an obvious choice for the initial series of 8" action figures...



Unless you're a Morg living on the surface of Sigma Draconis VI for the past 35 years, you are probably familiar with the style of Mego figures. Mego used the buck system before there was such a thing as the buck system- Essentially using a standard body type and outfitting it in different ways for different characters. The body is held together with rubber bands, allowing for a large range of movement.



The only truly unique aspect of the figure itself is the head... but what a head it is! I love this sculpt! It's a great blend between actual Shatner and the animated version of Kirk. The sculptor really nailed Kirk's bravado here with the slight smirk on the face. Hide your Barbies, because this Kirk is just oozing with machismo...



For the time and the price point, the outfit is very nicely handled. Kirk has the correct number of rank braids on his sleeves, and the black collar is actually a separate section of cloth instead of being just colored that way. The only real issue I have is with the delta shield. Much like the Mego superheroes, the symbol is just a small sticker stuck to the chest. I understand that there were certain limitations back then though, so this can be chalked up to a product showing its age.

So overall, pretty awesome Kirk figure... but something puts this one slightly ahead of the pack. A feature missing from most other Kirk figures. A characteristic synonymous with Kirk...



That's right baby. This Kirk can go shirtless. Bask in the manliness.



Oh crap... I was so focused in getting Kirk's shirt off that I almost forgot this was a combo spotlight! If for some reason you don't want to track down an original Mego, DST and EMCE toys are your huckleberries! For the low suggested retail price of $17.95, you can get yourself a brand spankin' new Mego-style Kirk figure! He's pretty close to the original, with just a couple of minor differences-



Most notably, the shirt on the reissue version of Kirk is much brighter than his original. The delta shield is the same separate sticker style as the original (mine has apparently just lost its luster over time...). While a loose original Mego Kirk will run you about the same price as the reissue, you may want to snag one of these as well. With both Mego-style Sulu and Chekov only being available as reissues, you'll need this Kirk to have all the uniforms in the same matching shade of yellow.



Accessories: Both the original version and the reissue include a phaser and communicator, plus a belt to holster them on. I'm a sucker for weapons' holsters on figures, so I've always been a fan of the Mego "landing party" belt.



If you don't own a Captain Kirk Mego, shame on you. Even if you aren't a fan of the Mego style, every Trek toy fan should have one of these in their collection for sheer historical significance alone. Well, that and he is just plain awesome. You can find nice loose examples fairly cheap (owing to the fact that the figure was produced in pretty large numbers back then). Watch out for that symbol though! Or if the shirt is missing the delta, just chuck it and let Kirk's pecs out to play. You won't regret it... and neither will your female figure collection.

Mego/ DST Combo Spotlight- Mugato

Figure Name: Mugato
Manufacturer: Mego Toys Corp. (Original), Diamond Select Toys (Reissue)



Mego released this Mugato as part of it's second assortment of Star Trek Aliens 8" figures. (sorry, no packaged picture for ya...)

The Rundown: It's time to get groovy with the hip cat who makes all the ladies swoon... Mr. Mugato- err I mean Mugatu- I mean Gumatu- Ah, nevermind. Let's just look at him in all his late 70's glory!

First, a look at the "Mugato" from "A Private Little War":



...and now Mego's version:



Wha!? What happened there!?! How did the Mugato go from an albino gorilla with spikes to the disco-lovin' dude we see before us? Seriously, this figure is such a HUGE departure from the original look that it reigns supreme in my eyes as the whackiest of all the Mego aliens, even knocking out head-scratchers like the Gorn and Talos.



Things seem to start off well at the head, with a somewhat decent likeness to the mask used in the show. He's got the big head horn and some white fur, but the bright orange color used here funks it up a bit. For some reason, he reminds me of an orange creamsicle. That actually improves my thoughts on the figure, as I do love orange creamsicles.



As your eyes pan down the figure, you are met with this sweet green shirt that all the fashionable Mugatos are sporting this year. Emblazoned across the chest is a nice black v-pattern design accentuated with reddish orange circles. Oh, and he's wearing a belt. Yep, that makes sense.



Perfectly coordinated with his shirt are the Mugato's bright red pants. Since the Mugato is normally a creature stalking hapless natives in wild terrain, the color choices would seem quite bold- but that's what the Mugato is all about: Boldness. You may have also noticed the fringe hanging from his sleeves and pants. Whether this is meant to be his fur or merely another decoration to his outfit is a mystery lost in the minds of the Mego design team, but my money is on the latter. Finally, we reach the feet. While the foot design used here doesn't seem accurate, it is at least a cool mold... I just wish they had not manufactured them in orange.



Something to watch out for if you pursue an original- The black plastic used in the belt leaves a funky stain around the midsection. I'm sure there are ways to get the stain out, but if you'd rather not deal with it there's always...



...The Diamond Select Reissue! There are a few noticeable differences here, like the slightly darker shades of material used on the outfit and the change in quality of the chest decoration, but overall it makes a nice placeholder for the original. In fact, I actually prefer the orange used on the reissue as it looks a little more like "skin" than the original.



Accessories: Aside from the outfit, the Mugato only includes his black belt. The original version is pictured up there, the reissue version lacks any kind of buckle embellishment.



So there ya go. The Mugato is one STRANGE figure. His rarity puts him pretty high on most Mego Trek collector's wish lists, but the sheer insanity of his design moves him into the oddity category for most "standard" collectors. I can't say I'd recommend this one to most folks due to his sometimes high secondary-market prices, but the reissue offers a good affordable alternative for folks that may want to add this hipster to their displays for a little bit of flashy funk variety. I mean, what other Trek figure can pull off this kind of pose and make it seem perfectly natural-



Answer: None.

-James

For Those That May Not Have Seen Them Yet- Upcoming DST/ EMCE Mego Style Figures!

So there wasn't much to see at Toy Fair this year in the way of Trek stuff. DST showed off the Enterprise B, a REALLY nice Klingon Bird Of Prey, and a Klingon Disruptor (along with a few already released items). For me though. the most exciting announcement was the addition of 4 new figures to the DST/ EMCE Mego-style figure line! Feast your eyes on Captain Pike, Vina as an Orion, Nurse Chapel...and the SALT VAMPIRE! Woo hoo! Oh, and please keep in mind that these are EARLY prototypes, so the heads a re a bit large and the skin tones don't quite match yet. (Thanks to an anonymous contributor for the photos and my buddy Scott for alerting me to them!)

















-James