Damn Microbots, YOU KILLED MEGO

[palitoy]

But what did--was it just the waning interest in superhero toys at the time? Or a deeper, pervasive mismanagement that Mego fans don't acknowledge? Or was Mego just overextended, despite successful Micronauts sales?

Yeah it was a combination of high interest loans, sinking a lot of R&D money money into things like electronic games and the legal problems that did the company in.

When Marty Abrams ran into trouble, the creative people flew out the door and buyer confidence also disintegrated. The new president was more of a bean counter according to former employees, the company began to wither.

The other problem is, Mego had no real brand assets, they were primarily licenses, Abrams was obviously aware of this as he had tried to buy Tonka in 1980. So nobody came to swoop Mego up when they fell into trouble.

BTW Micronauts were dead by 1981, they had some great years and brought Mego hundreds of millions but it starting to collapse into itself most likely because Mego just kept offering the same assortments and Rocket Tubes was a real bust.

[doctor09210]

wow
this forum got much more interesting than i thought it would get

any failed mego lines that made them loose extra cash

[MicromanZone]

[doctor09210]

these guys weren't mego
were they? at one time

[draconianguard]

Historically, Mego seemed to only take on a license that were already successful. They never really gambled with something not proven. The Wizard Of Oz, Star Trek and Marvel and DC superheroes were already well established and popular when Mego picked them up. After the Star Wars incident, things changed. Mego gambled on a slew of unproven upcoming film and television licenses like never before. I've heard a few different stories, but my gut tells me they didn't look at Star Wars as anything special.

[doctor09210]

was that 10000 bc a bad line
cause it sure was ugly!

[Figuremod73]

hey guys, dont forget the problem (and legal problems) created from the stretchable figures to....

[palitoy]

hey guys, dont forget the problem (and legal problems) created from the stretchable figures to....

I think the equating of Mego's downfall to the elastic line is really blown out of proportion. Not one former Mego employee I've spoken to has ever said that the Elastics had anything to do with the decline of the company, they were a failure for sure but that rumour seems to stem from a collector.

[PNGwynne]

Thanks for the Museum link, Microman, and the additional info Brian.

(Admittedly, I mostly use the Museum galleries.)

[Figuremod73]

palitoy, was there any licenses they were trying to aquire just before the company folded? such as a last ditch effort sort of thing?

[MIB41]

Had Mego taken the Star Wars license, you most likely would have seen a resurgence in the 8 inch format, instead of the 3 3/4 inch scale. But Kenner grabbed it and the rest is history. But it is true. Micronauts actually kept the company afloat much longer than what they would have otherwise.

[Figuremod73]

mego star wars figures would STILL be a good idea!

[MIB41]

Oddly that's the only thing Lucas hasn't done with the license!

[palitoy]

palitoy, was there any licenses they were trying to aquire just before the company folded? such as a last ditch effort sort of thing?

Thundarr was pitched but somehow failed, Mego also acquired Hill Street Blues but I guess the show wasn't toy worthy.

[ctc]

>Thundarr was pitched but somehow failed,

AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

>Mego also acquired Hill Street Blues but I guess the show wasn't toy worthy.

HAW! THey may have been worried about the age appropriateness.... although that WOULD have been around the time they pitched "Dallas" figures. Maybe the pitch came BEFORE anyone knew how dark the show was?

>Had Mego taken the Star Wars license, you most likely would have seen a resurgence in the 8 inch format, instead of the 3 3/4 inch scale.

Maybe, but 'cos of the Micronauts they might have made the same decision that Kenner did: the smaller figures make vehicles more viable. THey'd even dabbled before that with the Comic Action/Pocket Hero stuff.

Don C.