Mego Has Some Big News!

[fun guy]

I’m not looking to get fired and sued. Especially not by a giant mouse.

okay,i realize that now!,thanks for telling me this

[TheXFactor]

I have concerns about the upcoming Marvel figures that go well beyond the exclusivity to Disney.

To the point that TheXFactor has been making, you’re selling nostalgia here. I’ll offer up a rather odd analogy:

The first two waves of Mego WGSH figures were like watching a tape or video capture of the 1966 Batman TV show that originally aired on your local UHF station in the mid 70s with all of the original commercials and station identifications intact.

With Wave 18 and 19, it’s becoming more like watching the 1966 Batman TB show on MeTV with Medicare supplement commercials. The show may be the same, but it’s a much different experience..

That's actually a perfect analogy. To run with that a bit, when TV Land first launched in the 90s they only featured programs from a certain time period and even showed nothing but old TV commercials. The same commercials we used to roll our eyes about whenever they came on when watching- say- Emergency!, but will now watch a two hour compilation video of on You Tube. Eventually though, channel drift set it and it's now something else altogether (Boomerang from Cartoon Network is an even better example).

The only reason I started paying attention back in 2018 was the nostalgia, and- truth be told- it was a bit of a stretch between Action Jackson and General Zod (Wave 1) and the 50th Anniversary WGSH figures (Waves 16 and 17). Walmart botched the back end of that though, and there's been a series of subsequent disappointment (which I'm not going to go into here) which just about sucked the life out of the whole thing for me. I'll wait for the image reveals of the Marvel characters, but if I don't see Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, The Falcon etc etc early on in the same way we got Batman, Robin, Superman, Aquaman, Shazam!, and Green Arrow, then the aforementioned verdict will definitely be in. Ditto for the missing DC characters (Myx, all five Super Gals. the Teen Titans) plus Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Mad Monsters. Not to mention the fact that the Knights, Pirates, Robin Hood, and American West lines have been all but forgotten.

(Edit) Just saw this in a different thread: "The figures will be sold in 4-packs, Mego’s Marty Abrams said in the video."

And there it is...

[TheXFactor]

Having seen an image of the first set, I believe that you will wonder why you ever were concerned.

I'm going to reserve judgement- especially if you're a Disney employee fearing potential retribution. I can understand you not wanting to share images, but I doubt you'd ever say anything negative even if you felt that way because the Marvel characters/packaging look nothing like the originals.

[wise guy]

Any word when Disney gets first set because these are ebay scalper stuff so I wan't to pre order Marvel . Atlas might appeal to me because I read the comics , but these might peg warm in stores like previous Megos ,and Walmart preorders are the worst

[CrimsonGhost]

I'm going to reserve judgement- especially if you're a Disney employee fearing potential retribution. I can understand you not wanting to share images, but I doubt you'd ever say anything negative even if you felt that way because the Marvel characters/packaging look nothing like the originals.

Haha! I’m not a Disney employee. I sculpt for Mego and have signed an NDA, that’s why I can’t share a photo. If I thought they looked bad, I just wouldn’t say anything and let whatever happens happen.

There will be an announcement soon enough and everyone will get to see how they look. I can say this: Did you like how the first wave of WGSH 50th turned out? Expect more of the same.

[PNGwynne]

Any word when Disney gets first set because these are ebay scalper stuff so I wan't to pre order Marvel . Atlas might appeal to me because I read the comics , but these might peg warm in stores like previous Megos ,and Walmart preorders are the worst

Ditto.

[PNGwynne]

TheXFactor: "...and Mad Monsters. Not to mention the fact that the Knights, Pirates, Robin Hood, and American West lines have been all but forgotten."

I doubt that any creative personnel at Mego Corp. has forgotten those lines. I think Mad Monsters has reissue potential, but the others are likely unviable for wide release due to accessory tooling costs. And what would the market for those more expensive lines be?

Of course, if that's true it probably only reinforces your opinion of the company.

[danadoll]

I'm so excited still for the Marvel figures (as long as I can get them). If they're unobtainable, then I'll be so angry.

I have no interest in the Atlas figures, unless they have any custom potential, but I really dislike going to Wal-Mart for anything. IMHO, I can't see Atlas as a sellable line, but it's their call.

I think if they did the Mad Monsters (IF Mego even ever re-does them) with Mego's new monster hands, great new paint jobs (as opposed to the old slap dash paint jobs and perhaps improved costumes?), they might be a sure hit.

Dana

[PNGwynne]

^ I'd not be against slightly-tweaked, neater paint decos, but Dracula and Mummy must wear pajamas like the originals.

[TheXFactor]

I’m not looking to get fired and sued. Especially not by a giant mouse.

Haha! I’m not a Disney employee. I sculpt for Mego and have signed an NDA, that’s why I can’t share a photo. If I thought they looked bad, I just wouldn’t say anything and let whatever happens happen.

Which means that- on way or the other- you'd have to ultimately answer to Disney.

There will be an announcement soon enough and everyone will get to see how they look. I can say this: Did you like how the first wave of WGSH 50th turned out? Expect more of the same.

Except the original packaging, apparently. And yes, it does make a difference.

[TheXFactor]

TheXFactor: "...and Mad Monsters. Not to mention the fact that the Knights, Pirates, Robin Hood, and American West lines have been all but forgotten."

I doubt that any creative personnel at Mego Corp. has forgotten those lines. I think Mad Monsters has reissue potential, but the others are likely unviable for wide release due to accessory tooling costs. And what would the market for those more expensive lines be?

Of course, if that's true it probably only reinforces your opinion of the company.

I remember reading- in more than one place- that those lines were actually far less expensive to produce due to the fact that there weren't any licensing fees since the characters were in the public domain. Plus given some of the questionable choices included in the early Waves (Brady Bunch, Charmed, Married With Children, Cheers, The Facts of Life, Full House, Impractical Jokers) that turned into peg warmers, I think that lines like the Knights, Pirates, Robin Hood, and American West would have sold much better by comparison. Especially when the line of figures was (once again) being called Mego and marketed towards people like us who are still online talking about a 50 year old company as well as actively collecting merchandise from it.

I also think that Mad Monsters would have cost far less to reproduce than the licensing fees paid to Universal for using the specific likeness of their monsters. and that includes Mego using the original Gray Morrow artwork. So yes, I do believe that these five figure lines- regardless of a 2018 or 2025 release- would have a market of interested buyers who would purchase them.

[CrimsonGhost]

Which means that- on way or the other- you'd have to ultimately answer to Disney.

More likely Mego, I was having fun with the giant mouse thing. And that would be for a leaked photo, I can say my opinion without worry.

So are you saying you didn’t like the packaging of the DC 50th WGSH?

[PNGwynne]

X: You're correct about the vintage Legends (so to speak) lines being unlicensed which was less expensive, but that cost saving was shunted to new & increased accessories. In fact, IIRC, at least the knights were considered deluxe figures and sold for more than other lines--so likely not "far less expensive". Also, those lines didn't have lengthy production runs, and Mego didn't take advantage of reusing that tooling.

The Target releases were not deluxe figures with lots of unique accessories. One can see cost-cutting everywhere on the costume details and the general rule has been one accessory. DM has pointed out that he was only able insist on a top hat accessory when its reuse was justified. Modern production costs are very different than the mid '70s. Just prototyping knights would be very expensive. And what if they were exclusives--per your earlier comments, that would be another blow against them.

I love the lines you mention, I've collected them aggressively. CTVT reproduced them very poorly in India and they took years to sell out, even parted out. But those have appreciated, so who knows how reissues might do. I would buy them, but... The deluxe GI Joe figures did not lead further, and there are many more RAH fans and collectors than the few thousand die-hard, aging fans & collectors of the Mego format. Monsters seem evergreen, but Star Trek & POTA have struggled to support new figures--so I can see why Mego Corp might be hesitant with Legends.

I welcome any quality Mego reproductions, and I want them to be accessible just like you do. But I don't feel entitled to them or disappointed with Mego that they don't yet exist. (And, I'm not saying you do, either.) And, I already have concerns about WGSH 50th--that's concern enough IMO. Mad Monsters might be the best, cost-effective foray into another classic reproduction line, to test the waters.

[scott metzger]

THe thing is, the legends lines didn't do that well back in the day, as compared to things like the heroes, Trek and apes Thet means the nostalgia buyers for those are likely a much smaller group to begin with. Now, there's collectors who didn't buy them who developed a fondness for the lines later, but those folks are more likely to have already assembled the originals or gotten some of the existing repro items. I think it's going to be a hard sell to Mego to produce those. Mad Monsters might have a better shot, as I believe they did a bit better in the day and monster/horror is one of the modern categories that seem to sell well.

[wise guy]

Walmart has Atlas first 4 on pre order at $ 29.97 each which is too much for these . I will pay that much or more for the Marvel Disney figures.
I might get one or two Atlas figures if they show up in stores but the female has a pleather costume .