Hey gang, over the past couple of months we've been taking a close look at some of the Mego Corporations packagings for their Batman line of vehicles. All three vehicles, Batcopter, Batcycle and Batmobile were all big sellers at the time of their release. Now, for the first time, kids were able to take their 8 inch Batman action figure for a ride to the Batcave in the Batmobile with Robin at his side. These vehicles were released in very colorful cards and boxes which caught the eye of many children all across the world back during the 1970's and again today by adult collectors on the secondary market. As you can see here, both figures fit perfectly inside the car which I am sure scored big points with the kids.
The first to be released, the carded batmobile, is by far the rarest along with the most expensive of the three. Book values have this piece valued at $1200.00 while routinely selling anywhere from $500.00-$1000.00 on eBay when they do surface which isn't often. If you look carefully at the card, you will see a very detailed backdrop of possibly New York City with Penguin, Riddler and Joker facing off against the Dynamic Duo. This card has got it all for the superhero fan and what ever you do, don't let the high price tag get you down. With a little patience and a lot of drive you might be able to score one of these for a fraction of its book value. You're looking at living proof so stop reading and start hunting ( after your done reading my column that is ).
Next up we have the "photo boxed" Batmobile which is the first of two of box variations which surface quite often on the secondary market for those of you who may be interested in adding one to their collection. Just like with the Batcopter and Batcycle, these boxes came in two variations, an artwork sketch box and a photo box. The solid blue background against the white photo of the actual vehicle contrasts beautifully and with Batman and Robin driving, how can you ask for anything more? The "photo box" routinely sells anywhere between $200.00-$500.00 on the secondary market depending on condition. Needless to say, factory sealed specimens may even exceed these amounts. Not only are these vehicles sought after by Mego collectors but also by Batman collectors which number in the thousands.
Moving on to the yellow "sketch box" we see an artists drawing of the vehicle covering much of the front panel. Although less striking than the photo box, sketch boxes are actively sought after by collectors and routinely sell between $150.00-$300.00 depending on condition. The box features old school 70's artwork which is sure to catch the eye of many of todays collectors. One particular note of interest has to do with the actual size of the box. As a child, I remember these boxes to be much bigger in size than they actually are. I remember thinking to myself on the day that I obtained one as an adult that they must have shrunk in size. As with many of Megos vehicles, they fit snug inside their boxes with very little extra room. Revisit my Batcopter column for a real magic show if its a tight fit you're looking for. How they fit that Batcopter inside that photo box is a mystery I'll never figure out. lol
Our look at vehicle packaging variations continues in my next column so be sure to check back real soon. Also, for those of you with questions, you can reach me through this column at the link provided. For graphic intensive galleries of all your favorite Mego toys please visit my website at Megocentral.com. Also keep in mind that the AFTimes blogs are chugging along with lots of activity so hopefully you'll drop in to introduce yourself. Until next time, I'd like to wish everyone in the AFTimes community a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This time of year it is crucial that we remember not to drink and drive. Many of us attend numerous parties during the Christmas season so please, whatever you do, don't drink and drive. Call a cab or better yet, call a friend. It's that easy.
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