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[Captain Awesome]

I feel the decision to do the Secret Identity figures was a well thought out and pretty good decision by FTC. Evidently, someone there knows that originals are scarce and also knows that the repros will sell. The other figures will sell because of people like me who don't have the originals will buy them. Now, having said that, if the quality issues are still there, then yes, they may loose some business...BUT they also know that they can sell the figures and people will be willing to swap out bodies, or whatever the case may be. I'm sure they have A LOT of money tied up in these licenses and I'm sure they've done their homework and not just goin off half cocked on these. Either way, I'm in for the duration cause I'd like to see the line succeed...just like I did with the DC Retro Action figures even though I despise those bodies. That's why they're all on repro bodies now. Problem solved...

[megocrazy]

Not picking on you, just offering up some personal views.

I feel the decision to do the Secret Identity figures was a well thought out and pretty good decision by FTC. Evidently, someone there knows that originals are scarce and also knows that the repros will sell.

Actually the same figures have been available for years, for roughly the same amount. Most long time collectors that would want these already have them in their collections. Any target sales outside the Mego collecting community would probably not associate any of the sculpts to any version of those characters that exists either in comics or TV.

The other figures will sell because of people like me who don't have the originals will buy them. Now, having said that, if the quality issues are still there, then yes, they may loose some business...BUT they also know that they can sell the figures and people will be willing to swap out bodies, or whatever the case may be.

Other than the Riddler, C7-C8 condition loose versions of the originals can be had for about $15 more than these will cost. Less for Penguin. Unless it's Benbarb's. Granted some have repro parts and are not new but they are original and will surely hold their value better than remakes IMO. Now if new characters get made that will be different, I would not have an issue paying that price point for either the Romero Joker or the Price Egghead, especially after seeing the intended sculpts. King Tut, Freeze, TV accurate Catwoman, I'm in, but I personally couldn't pay $25 for a repro Batman when I could probably get a nice loose original one for similar money. I found a fairly nice Batman that sold on ebay for $18 with repro gloves and emblem. Even the Riddler is not outrageous. I found several in the $60 range which is just over double the price you'll pay for the new one.

I'm sure they have A LOT of money tied up in these licenses and I'm sure they've done their homework and not just going off half cocked on these.

That hasn't necessarily been their track record. They had money tied up in previous licenses, though arguably probably not this much, but their quality was horrible. No idea how the KISS figures are selling, but I'm sure the license was not cheap and loose heads and suits are already selling individually on their site, leading me to believe 1 of 2 things, low sales or bad bodies that are yielding surplus accessories. If a body swap becomes a necessity like the Mattel figures, add $5-$10+ onto the cost depending on what option you choose. That seems just too pricey to me to yield enough sales results. Not to mention they have to battle their own bad history which they created themselves.

[rlkrefft]

I ordered Penguin and Catwoman. I will admit I would hope they make purple dress Catwoman at some point, I would buy her for sure, but this one will do. As for the company...I wish they would stop focusing on all these silly build a action figure of yourself ads they pop up all over Facebook and Twitter. I mean you have great major licenses now, focus on these and move away from the minor league stuff a new company just out of the water would be making. I am not gonna deny after seeing endless promotions from Figures Toy Co about these make your own action figure, then hearing all the bad things from you guys, it does give me some concern. If this company was really interested in being taking more seriously I think it's time to move away from custom action figures and cheap cocktail umbrella accessories. I mean you guys have the Batman 66 license now. Your in the big league now so act like it. If you want to be taken as a serious company don't sell cocktail umbrellas and promote custom action figures over Batman 66, Dallas, Dukes etc. Just my opinion.

[MIB41]

I ordered Penguin and Catwoman. I will admit I would hope they make purple dress Catwoman at some point, I would buy her for sure, but this one will do. As for the company...I wish they would stop focusing on all these silly build a action figure of yourself ads they pop up all over Facebook and Twitter. I mean you have great major licenses now, focus on these and move away from the minor league stuff a new company just out of the water would be making. I am not gonna deny after seeing endless promotions from Figures Toy Co about these make your own action figure, then hearing all the bad things from you guys, it does give me some concern. If this company was really interested in being taking more seriously I think it's time to move away from custom action figures and cheap cocktail umbrella accessories. I mean you guys have the Batman 66 license now. Your in the big league now so act like it. If you want to be taken as a serious company don't sell cocktail umbrellas and promote custom action figures over Batman 66, Dallas, Dukes etc. Just my opinion.

The custom market will always be a niche they cater to in order to sell off excess inventory from unsold product so they can re-purpose bodies for new licenses. That big promotion should tell you how much back inventory they're currently growing. Lots of unsold merchandise warming stock shelves. Had they priced themselves more competitively and managed the quality upfront , they wouldn't have all of these workarounds in place. Plus some of their strategy is off kilter. The KISS line could have been a huge seller had they invested early in a good base line of figures and then just added new outfits as costume sets. They would have made good money with minimal overhead. All the money their spending on different heads for different lines, just raises their debt load and burns out buyer interest because of the repeated need to repurchase the whole figure. That's too much financial load on the consumer. Selling the various eras as costume sets means they would have tapped into a considerably bigger consumer base. People would have mopped up the costume sets because of the improved pricing it brings. Plus the diehards who want individual figures for each era could have purchased the base figures multiple times. This strategy sells off their product and at a much higher profit margin than what they're currently doing trying to sell 8 and 12 inch figures for $25 and $70.00 a pop. They're marketing and pricing strategies are too skewed to diehard fans instead of the broader base of consumers who can buy more with a variety of price points. It's not just what you sell, but how you sell off your inventory for a profit that makes you successful. They make it too hard on themselves (and their consumers) by chasing that profit on the initial sales which prices them above their competition and deflates their accessibility to growing their customer base.

[hedrap]

The custom market will always be a niche they cater to in order to sell off excess inventory from unsold product so they can re-purpose bodies for new licenses. That big promotion should tell you how much back inventory they're currently growing. Lots of unsold merchandise warming stock shelves. Had they priced themselves more competitively and managed the quality upfront , they wouldn't have all of these workarounds in place. Plus some of their strategy is off kilter. The KISS line could have been a huge seller had they invested early in a good base line of figures and then just added new outfits as costume sets. They would have made good money with minimal overhead. All the money their spending on different heads for different lines, just raises their debt load and burns out buyer interest because of the repeated need to repurchase the whole figure. That's too much financial load on the consumer. Selling the various eras as costume sets means they would have tapped into a considerably bigger consumer base. People would have mopped up the costume sets because of the improved pricing it brings. Plus the diehards who want individual figures for each era could have purchased the base figures multiple times. This strategy sells off their product and at a much higher profit margin than what they're currently doing trying to sell 8 and 12 inch figures for $25 and $70.00 a pop. They're marketing and pricing strategies are too skewed to diehard fans instead of the broader base of consumers who can buy more with a variety of price points. It's not just what you sell, but how you sell off your inventory for a profit that makes you successful. They make it too hard on themselves (and their consumers) by chasing that profit on the initial sales which prices them above their competition and deflates their accessibility to growing their customer base.

I am in total agreement with all of this.

I've never understood why they, of all companies, didn't realize the build-a-figure potential.

And bypassing shelfspace negates cumbersome ant-theft and visibility packaging.

[Hulk]

I'm glad they are burning through repros for three series, because if you guys tell me they can do three waves of repros in a row where the quality is up to par, then I'll be happy to purchase some of their new stuff, which ultimately is all that really interests me.

[Cosmicman]

I have about 5 or 6 complete original and custom Batman and various Robins along with the Bruce, Dick, Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler and Joker. I may pick one up to see what it looks like and compare it and see if it is worth to buy more Batman and Robin figures to add to my swarm of army of Batman figures but I'm probably going to sit on my hands until I see something a little more interesting like perhaps a Aquaman repo that looks good (mine still looks good but is little old to take out of the box and pose him around.)
I never had any faith when Classic TV Toys first came out but next to Dr. Mego I have spent nearly a grand just buying clothes, heads, boots, and of course the KISS figures because they have finally fixed their problems and found away to sell stuff worth buying. I'm just hoping that this happens with these DC reproduction pieces and we do see a nice Batgirl maybe or someone new like a Two-Face or Scarecrow (if we're just talking Batman club.)