Toy Beauty - Mattel Retro Action Superman

A keen eye might note that while this is the RA Superman, I've replaced that oft maligned Mattel body with the far, far superior ZICA one with, well...Super results. Much better proportions and a more natural musculature help him to look alot more heroic and even make those completely disproportionate boots look more normal. I strongly urge anyone who has any of the Retro Action figures to order a few ZICA bodies and see the difference. I hope to do a more thorough analysis in the future. Also apologies for the long layoff, busy season at work and 10-12 hour work days can make Jack a dull boy...

Toy Beauty - Magnemo Love Edition

 

Left to right: Baron Karza, Mego U.S.A, 1977; Totila, GIG Italy, 1985; Microman T401 Cerberus, 1975 Takara, Japan; Wiscid, GIG Italy, 1985; Koutetsu Geeg Robo, Takara Japan, 1998 (re-issue)

Many of the luckier collectors my age played with Mego's Barzon Karza or Force Commander when they were kids back in the 70's, but who would have thought that all these years later we'd be discovering more cool variations of the basic magnet construction.

One of the more interesting finds I've come across in the internet age are the Fantanauti line from GIG Italy. Basically an inventive substitute for Mattel's uber succesful He-Man line of the mid 80's, not quite bootleg but to my limited knowledge never saw distribution out side of Italy. The line seems to be made up of two humanoids and two vehicles, all utilizing magnet joints making them completely compatable with the other similar Mego, Takara Magnemo action toys. And the most amazing part, they are in scale with the new Mattel MOTUC toys, were the Four Horsemen perhaps inspired by these toys when they decided on the size of the Classics line? Who knows, if I ever bump into them at a Con, I'll be sure to ask if Totila may one day join the line.

Another great figure is Jeeg, based on a popular cartoon series and created by Go Nagai, originally released in 1970 by Takara, they were kind enough to reissue him in 1998 after prices for the original were shooting through the roof. Pretty much the same body used for Karza with a new head and much more colorful palette, this is easily one of my all time favourite toys.

Takara also released Magnemo toys in the smaller Microman scale in 1975. I recently picked up this sample with no previous knowledge that it even existed. Despite being a bit too small to swap parts and a tad rusty, he's a really great piece.

The coolest thing about these toys is the ability to exchange parts enabling you to make your own fun concoctions. I'm a bit too old for that part and definitely keep the pieces with their original owners, but it's nice to imagine a kid on Christmas morning with a few of these making his own imaginative and bizarre creations.