Should FTC have accepted Mego Marvel license even under the $80 sets restrictions?

[ovenmitt]

We heard the Mego Marvel license was shopped around to FTC but FTC passed because of the $80 sets restrictions.

Should have FTC accepted Marvel license anyway would they have done better job with the sets and maybe that would allow other scales like 1/4 18" Mego Marvel figures?

[Boy_Wonder_1978]

Would love to have seen the Marvel stuff done.

[TRDouble]

No. It's a bad deal because, no matter how well they are done, not everyone wants all three of a repro, a modern or a civilian figure.

Not to mention that they are one figure sets with additional heads and costumes. Maybe FTC could have costed it out better to include three full figures (if the license allowed for it), and that would make it easier to sell off the figures you don't want, but I still think the first issue of the three types of figures is the biggest pre-production problem with this license restriction.

And we still don't know if the 18" figures are a success yet.

[ovenmitt]

Well, will FTC ever have another chance at Marvel under better conditions of the license?

Only reason Sideshow got 12" Marvel cloth costumed figure license is because those are $200+! $230 for Deadpool! Right.

[Brown Bear]

$80 is a big investment when really you only get one complete figure with parts. And I agree with TRDouble, most folks don't actually want all 3 figures.

[wise guy]

Marvel really is dumb if they can't see this because I am paying around 80.00 dollars for 3 seperate carded figures from FTC.
The whole idea of 1 Body and remego, modern, and secert identity(Capt Action style dress up) is lame and shows they did'nt learn from Toy r us
choking on Capt Action outfits. 4 carded figures for around 100.00 makes way more sense and shows why I am buying tons of FTC toys
and only 2 spideys, and 1 cap set .

[enyawd72]

^BINGO. It's pretty sad when you have someone like me who is TEN TIMES more a Marvel fan than DC, yet I'm spending all my money on DC figures because Marvel can't seem to get their head out of their *bleep*.

FTC needs to approach Marvel again with some sales figures to compare against what Diamond is putting out. Maybe THEN the light bulb will finally come on.

[MIB41]

That's a bit of a baited question since I'm not interested in pitting businesses against one another. Personally I'm just not interested in a $80.00 set for one figure and accessories regardless of who makes them. In my eyes it's not competitive regardless of how they choose to justify it even with the adjusted pricing. It's not a custom or limited produced item. It's a mass produced item (by Re-Mego standards) that is honestly over-packaged for presentation. That being said, I hope those who DO invest, enjoy them and get what they had hoped. It's become a hobby full of options, so it's fun to be able to pick and choose the things we want. This particular range of price points is just not for me.

[enyawd72]

That's a bit of a baited question since I'm not interested in pitting businesses against one another. Personally I'm just not interested in a $80.00 set for one figure and accessories regardless of who makes them. In my eyes it's not competitive regardless of how they choose to justify it even with the adjusted pricing. It's not a custom or limited produced item. It's a mass produced item (by Re-Mego standards) that is honestly over-packaged for presentation. That being said, I hope those who DO invest, enjoy them and get what they had hoped. It's become a hobby full of options, so it's fun to be able to pick and choose the things we want. This particular range of price points is just not for me.

What you say is true, but in the end, the restrictions imposed on this license will ultimately doom it to fail, and Marvel will have no one to blame but themselves. If they insisted on an $80 price tag, that's FINE. Let the manufacturer figure out what to include in the sets. Honestly, they'd have been better off to just put two COMPLETE reproduction and/or vintage style figures in each set. Reissue everything Mego did and sprinkle in some NEW vintage style characters. Spider-Man with Green Goblin, Thor With Loki, Cap with Red Skull. I'd have gladly plunked down $80 for those instead of one reproduction figure and two outfits I have no interest in.
Now, if the line fails, it's going to send the message to Marvel that there's no interest in the Mego format itself, which isn't true, it's their EXECUTION of it that's the problem.

[ovenmitt]

AMEN! Everybody who is buying FTC Mego DC will buy Mego Marvel, too! I LOVE your idea of 2 COMPLETE Mego Marvel figures ALL the originals and NEW 2-packs! I'd pay $80 too even though it's still steep! Include classic Marvel comic book for each character like Toy Biz Marvel Legends to help justify price! $25 singles are still the way to go!

SDCC is less than a month away. We will know the fate of DST/EMCE Mego Marvel sets then! The Thor set is supposed to be solicited this month June if not before SDCC the writing's on the wall.

[Mechanicat]

Wise Guy,

You are not really considering how toy licensing works. Marvel has a master toy licensee who's rights include action figures, and this is Hasbro. The deal between Hasbro and marvel is huge. I am guessing, but I doubt the re-mego deal is literally worth 1/10,000th the money that the Hasbro deal is worth to Marvel. To slice these figures off of the Hasbro deal, they need to create a situation that has absolutely no chance to seem competitive to the Hasbro deal, from Hasbro's perspective. They don't need this deal at all. They would be being "really dumb" to do anything to contractually jeopardize the Hasbro deal. This is a super-small market, by toy standards.

[hedrap]

No way, no how. FTC has already devalued originals by mass releasing an inferior product of the same WGSH characters, ad naseum. I've never understood how the very people who've kept this brand alive support 1:1 repros. I can understand a one-time release, like Doc did with Trek, but the constant repackaging has no benefit. If anyone beside Doc should get a shot at Marvel, it's NECA.

Overall, the EMCE/DST approach is close to correct. The only major change I would do is make the Mego repro parts the BAF.

[megomania]

What does Mickey have to say about this? Was it brought up in a board meeting?

[drogge]

The 80 dollar restriction was a poor business model, there is no logic to it. It must have been based on profit margin, or return per figure. I see the sets EMCE released are selling well below 80 dollars. I am happy with what EMCE has put out so far, I hope for some more announcements. I wonder if FTC will be able to acquire Marvel in the future? FTC has it's hands full as it is...

[thunderbolt]

What does Mickey have to say about this? Was it brought up in a board meeting?

something about a surprise or mysterious I bet.