The Secret Identity sets were on my Christmas list in 1974. I stared at that page in the Ward's catalog for hours. Sadly my parents were not able to order the sets in time for Christmas and after that they had already slipped into the ether. It wasn't until Figures Toy company created their versions nearly 40 years later that I was about to fulfill that lost Christmas wish. Today (Dec 2 2022) I pi-cked up the Mego 50th Anniversary Batman and Robin from a local Walmart. In 1972 I got the original Batman with removable cowl, but the Robin I got along with him was the Robin with the painted on mask. I remember making my own Robin mask and using my mom's nail polish remover to take of the painted mask. Only problem was it took off Robin's eyes too. So my Robin was the Stevie Wonder of Boy Wonders.

Why is Clark wearing a cowboy hat? This is a cool set. They should have done a Bruce Banner figure.

My cousin had the Wards catalog and I remember seeing them. My mom, who was usually indulgent of these things wouldn't go for it tho. She already had an account with Sears & JCPenny and said she wouldn't open one with Wards (which was the only one the 3 that didn't have a store in town. The closest was 65 miles away) just for what she called "a scheme." LOL! I never forgot them though!

Traditionally, Clark Kent's hair is drawn differently than Superman in the comics. Clark's hair is parted on the other side, and he doesn't have the spit curl. Not every artist does it, but it was also done in the Christopher Reeve movies.

Nearly 5 decades later, us collectors are still irked by "store exclusives".

Sorry to have missed it live; Great Video! Top Shelf! Always enjoyable, Great Work!

I was born in 81 a bit too late for this generation of figures.Thanks to this channel and a friend however,i have become increasingly interested in this era, and will probably start a universal monsters collection when im moved. Thanks Brick!

The Batman changing mask version was highly prized by me.😝👍♥️

This one was a barn bunner!! Loved it.

Although I always say I've accepted that I will never own this set, I still secretly hope I'll somehow come across them one day for a great price.

I've mentioned before that I found a set of Mego Superheroes that were exclusively mail ins? I had gotten the first two, Kid Flash and Aqualad, then I got the Speedy and Wonder Girl figures.. I had always wished for a Flash Mego back in the early 70's. This was my only shot at one. I only remember I got it from New York, I think. This was back in 1974-75? Again I'm not 100% sure of the when and where. But they were cool.

Prior to late 1988, I'd never heard of the MEGO secret identity figures, let alone the Removable Cowl and Removable Mask versions of Batman and Robin until I acquired this beautiful hardback book called Greenberg's Guide to Super Hero Toys, and boy did I learn a lot!! I was actually shocked or stunned to learn that the Secret Identity figures were merely just the heads and the clothes. Initially, I bought the repros of Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Clark Kent from Dr. MEGO and later on, I bought the FTC versions. I'm happy with them, and I know I can easily buy a repro of Peter Parker if I want to, which I eventually will. I like the idea of having the secret identities of the heroes in action figure form. Great video!! And BTW Brick Mantooth, I just subscribed. 😀😀

I've always wondered about why they didn't produce alternate outfits for their licensed lines, like Trek, Apes, and the capes. It feels like a fairly easy money maker. It made less sense for some capes (Superman, WW), but the ones that relied on gadgets like Batman and Iron Man should've gotten some "special missions" suits. And Kirk had a different outfit every 3rd episode.

Do you remember on the Mego board when that guy discovered a hidden auction for all of the sets still bagged? He got them for a song and a dance. Crazy!

Seeing the Shazam head, unexpectedly, on another figure confirms my belief that it was the best looking super hero that MEGO did.

The secret Identity set was what made them different

Wow! Never knew this set even existed and I grew up with Mego. 😳

Based on that hat, Pimp was definitely Clark's REAL identity He definitely was able to keep Lois under control

My Aunt worked for Wards during 1970-1999 when they closed. The Secret Identities set did not sell well at all during Christmas 1974 and as a result the warehouses dumped the unsold sets to the stores over Winter 1975 where they were instantly put on clearance. My guess was whatever didn't sell were either sent back, or just trashed and written off as a loss.

I did get an original Dick Grayson outfit - but the other outfits are so standard that I am happy with reproductions of them. A business suit is not hard to make in China today.

Great great video! Glad to know more history about the four

I never knew about these until I joined the Museum in 2007. I never even heard of Montgomery Ward until 1992 when I was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA. Odd that they didn't also use Peter Parker as Billy Batson since it was the Shazam head and the "same" clothes that Billy wore in the comic books. In regards to the heads, I never had a problem removing a head. Getting the head back into the torso was always a problem for me. I eventually would get them in with the help of a butter knife.

That was very informative. Loved the Mark Huckabone $2, 000 story. The best part of the video (IMO) was hearing how you acquired these hard to find figures. Excellent video!

That was a fun episode, fantastic run down on these.

I never actually had the 'Secret Identity' figures, but i had the outfits for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. You could buy the outfits by themselves without a figure, and the Dick Grayson outfit came with an unmasked head so you could change Robin's head. I think i might at one time have had Clark Kent's outfit [those glasses sure look familiar]. I had the original BatMan figure with the removable cowl, but i had the painted mask Robin.

I had a Batman with removable mask when i was around 5 yrs. old and remember it vividly. I don't know what happened to it but would love to get my hands on another one. Yep! I'm old.

That was really interesting, thank you. I never ever knew about these figures beforehand, but thanks to your brilliant talk, I do now. Just fascinating!

Such an amazing set. The way you got them is so crazy. I wish I was that lucky!

Fascinating as always--thanks for this!

Damn, 1974? I wasn't even talking yet so I totally missed these... But I am happy to know about them! Great vid!👍 😃

I don't know if there was a Superboy mego (if there was, then this Superboy fan was jipped, because I never had one), but If I'd known about these, I'd have used Peter's cloths, Clark's glasses and put on Superboy as young Clark and used Dick Grayson in Superman's costume as the Boy of Steel himself. Oh well (sigh), no complaints. The '70s was fun enough as is.

My mom always ordered from Montgomery Wards, I had all 4 of these, loved them

They ww is creepy yet awesome great video

Shoutout to vintage mego and Brick mantooth from Harlem Nyc !!!!

Thanks for sharing! Great episode!👏👏👏

Peter is awesome with his “skinny”jeans

Never knew these versions of the characters existed 😳

I had the Clark Kent/Peter Parker set and I was always perplexed by the color change of the Parker set.

Identity Secret World Greatest: Mad Monster Series 1 and 2 please.

If only Wonder Woman had gotten this treatment or any other things to expand her in the Mego-verse.

I got my Bruce Wayne and my Dick Grayson the same time I got my first Batman and Robin. At this point I don't remember if it was at my birthday or Christmas as I was seven at the time. My gut tells me I got them and a Batmobile for my birthday and then a Bat-Cave and Joker and Penguin for Christmas. I still have all of them except the Batmobile which was played with to death. By the time I got my Spider-Man, Peter Parker was no longer an option. And I always hated Superman.

Wow! That was a walk down memory lane! Only...why's the Bruce Wayne figure shorter than the Dick Grayson one...?

Pleasant surprise!

Those were interesting, it kind of highlighted the limits of the Mego interchangeable system with things like glasses & masks, the heads don't really support that but hats fit okay. Do think they could have included more accessories, of coarse Peter Parker should have a camera. ;)

Didn't they also have a set from the 2002ish time of both Superman and Batman with a collapsible head into the chest to have the cowl or something like that?

Awesome as always 👏 My grandmother called it monkey wards I have no idea why. Does anyone know 🤔

i only knew of spidey's parker outfit. cool!

Nice glasses, Clark.

The Peter Parker figure used the Shazam head as Peter. Wish they had used a different head.

Do you have any knowledge as to why the widows peak on Peter Parker is a lot sharper and more pronounced than Shazam? Thanks

Thanks for covering this super-rare Mego set Brian 😳 As a non-Mego collector, i was only marginally aware of their existence, so it’s nice getting the full backstory 😁 And your pickup of these gems was amazing, once-in-a-lifetime type of score, i’d reckon 😎👍

Great video Thanks for the education Brother. Neat'O 😀👍❤🌎🎉🎉🎉🎉👏👏👏👏🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉💯💯💯💯💯

I have them,never thought i would own them.I do need an original Dick Grayson head to complete my set.i have a RM Robin head on my set

That's a secret episode 4 sure :)

The power of bellbottoms

I have a set of the FTC remakes. I’m happy with them. Buy what you like, right?

I watched the rutles film and I thought it was hilarious

Clarks hat looks like a cowboy hat

So you're just not going to comment on what's going on with Peter Parker's pants? 🤔

Clarks hat looks like a Cowboy hat

I am suprised Action Jackson and The Fighting Yank were not more successful . I thought the 8" size was the best style of action figure . Bar none

Ngl if these came out in 78 or later then Bruce banner would be part of it

Poor Peter Cameltoe

Man, you think Bruce Wayne could afford a tailor! That suit is so baggy!

Is it me, or does "Peter" resembles Mel Gibson?😆