More MPC page 2

The MPC Dimetrodon

Marx reissue • Marx reissue • MPC • MPC
We see again the standard reducto, the Marx 3-piece mold reduced to the MPC 2-piece one. As usual, MPC did it by offsetting the legs. Things don't look so bad on the port side of the MPC figure (that's the red one in the photo above) .... but over to starboard, we see (on the green MPC specimen, which shows up better on a monitor than the red one) ....

MPC • Marx reissue
.... that MPC managed to get the leg offset by flipping Dimetrodon's right rear leg backwards. Ingenious? Or shabby? You decide (but don't tell me, my mind's made up).

Markings - DIMETRODON (left side of tail), 7'LONG (right side of tail), 29 (inboard side of left front leg)

The MPC Kronosaurus

Marx original issue • MPC • MPC
Actually these make an inadvertently cute set, a little Kronosaurus family. However, the life cycle of Kronosaurus is speculative ... and I speculate that K. wasn't big on family life, and that there was never any such thing as a Kronosaurus family group. But no matter. The MPC figure was obviously modeled on the Marx one, subject to the usual deal of converting a figure needing a 3-piece mold to one needing only 2 pieces. But to get the gaping jaw effect, the MPC mold had to be right and left halves (rather than the more obvious option, dorsal and ventral). That in turn means that the flippers had to be offset, just as MPC did to the figures with legs. So the MPC Kronosaurus looks like it's walking rather than swimming -

Marx original issue • MPC
Empire Louis Marx fell into the same trap, at least with their box art. I really can't see Kronosaurus as much of a walker.

We see some sign of QC trouble at MPC -

The striations in the plastic on K.'s back make me suspect that the mold was too cold when the plastic was injected.

Markings - 50'LONG (left side of tail), KRONOSAURUS (right side of tail), 17 (inboard side of left rear flipper)

The MPC Megatherium

Marx original issue • Marx reissue • MPC • MPC
The Marx original is an exceptional figure, immortalizing a classic Megatherium pose. It looks like Marx had to resort to a 4-piece mold to do it. The MPC copy is, as usual, very slightly smaller and noticeably shabbier, and seems to have been made in a 3-piece mold. MPC's arms and legs are much thinner than Marx's, and the thoracic and abdominal regions are shrunk to save plastic. This ruins the whole effect of mass which is vital to the overall impression of Megatherium (he wasn't named Minitherium, and for good reason).

MPC • Marx original issue
I do like that metallic blue plastic, although I can't see it as a good fur color for any proper mammal.

Markings - MEGATHERIUM (left side of tail), 24' LONG (right side of tail)

... there's more MPC, if you can stand it ....