WGSH Becomes Retro-Action!

[BlackKnight]

or do we have to wait until the 15th?

Bingo was his Name-O .

[kryptosmaster]

I think there's really too much focus being placed on the cards and sure that's an important piece of the package but it's the sum of all the parts that's become the problem here. One thing here or there is acceptable but when you promise something one way and by the time it comes out the other end it's not what you were promised or expecting then you have the right to be disappointed (or critical).
Packaging is an important part of any product. Products can succeed or fail based solely on the packaging, so there are some very valid criticisms regarding this matter. We all want something like this to succeed, but not at the expense of everything we expect or enjoy when it comes to an 8" Mego-like figure.
I don't think there's one person who is criticizing emce for their part in this. In my opinion, anything that has become negative is due entirely to Mattel's involvement in the project.
When this was first announced it was supposed to be the Mego Resurrection but so far nobody has shown me anything to prove that, other than the figure is 8" and Mego-like (CTVT, Castaway, emce, etc). They took away the hope of the Mego name; they took away the WGSH tag; they have yet to show us how these are constructed or what the final product will look like; they are making an exclusive figure when they should be releasing GA in the store(s?) along with the rest of the line and they are placing the price point too high (assumedly from early reports). They might as well have just acquired the WGSH name (and now even that is gone) and not had any emce input at all from what we've been shown.
I'm not even saying I won't purchase any of these, because I probably will. I'm just not as excited over the sum of the whole as a lot of you seem to be and there's nothing wrong with that.

Rich

[MIB41]

I think there's really too much focus being placed on the cards and sure that's an important piece of the package but it's the sum of all the parts that's become the problem here. One thing here or there is acceptable but when you promise something one way and by the time it comes out the other end it's not what you were promised or expecting then you have the right to be disappointed (or critical).
Packaging is an important part of any product. Products can succeed or fail based solely on the packaging, so there are some very valid criticisms regarding this matter. We all want something like this to succeed, but not at the expense of everything we expect or enjoy when it comes to an 8" Mego-like figure.
I don't think there's one person who is criticizing emce for their part in this. In my opinion, anything that has become negative is due entirely to Mattel's involvement in the project.
When this was first announced it was supposed to be the Mego Resurrection but so far nobody has shown me anything to prove that, other than the figure is 8" and Mego-like (CTVT, Castaway, emce, etc). They took away the hope of the Mego name; they took away the WGSH tag; they have yet to show us how these are constructed or what the final product will look like; they are making an exclusive figure when they should be releasing GA in the store(s?) along with the rest of the line and they are placing the price point too high (assumedly from early reports). They might as well have just acquired the WGSH name (and now even that is gone) and not had any emce input at all from what we've been shown.
I'm not even saying I won't purchase any of these, because I probably will. I'm just not as excited over the sum of the whole as a lot of you seem to be and there's nothing wrong with that.

Rich

AMEN...

[Werewolf]

I don't think there's one person who is criticizing emce for their part in this. In my opinion, anything that has become negative is due entirely to Mattel's involvement in the project.

Mattel has the DC license. If it wasn't for Mattel there would be no new WGSH figures. And name change on the package aside, these are new WGSH figures. From what I've read on the forums here, Dr Mego has said Marty was instrumental in getting Mattel to okay the deal and Doc was in charge of the designs. Even though Mattel is on the package you don't get much more Mego than that, in my opinion.

I'm not a Mattel fanboy and I criticise them when they deserve it, but honestly they didn't even have to do these figures. Obviously there are people working there that love Megos too and were passionate enough about the toys to make them as Mego like as possible instead of another Famous Covers type of line at best.

I understand people not liking the cards, to each their own. I just don't get this level of negativity when in less than a week a way we will be able to buy the first new WGSH figure since the 70s.

[Flynne]

Mattel has the DC license. If it wasn't for Mattel there would be no new WGSH figures. And name change on the package aside, these are new WGSH figures. From what I've read on the forums here, Dr Mego has said Marty was instrumental in getting Mattel to okay the deal and Doc was in charge of the designs. Even though Mattel is on the package you don't get much more Mego than that, in my opinion.

I'm not a Mattel fanboy and I criticise them when they deserve it, but honestly they didn't even have to do these figures. Obviously there are people working there that love Megos too and were passionate enough about the toys to make them as Mego like as possible instead of another Famous Covers type of line at best.

I understand people not liking the cards, to each their own. I just don't get this level of negativity when in less than a week a way we will be able to buy the first new WGSH figure since the 70s.

Excatly!

[jwyblejr]

Where you read that at ?
Still looks Like a Lighter gotta Hold of the Card to me .

"Retro-Action " ... I dunno,.. Doesn't really sound like it has any Staying Power..., sounds more like a Phase or a Limited Edition line ... Just my Take.

Maybe it's me but the card pictured in the first post doesn't look as "worn" as what was first pictured.

[BlackKnight]

Maybe it's me but the card pictured in the first post doesn't look as "worn" as what was first pictured.

The Pic is further away Dude.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

For those who like to display, I can see where the disappointment in the card art could be coming from, but I think the artist deliberately tried to make the extra negative space and the simple text look like it was a cut and paste job from the 70's. I'm looking forward to having a Green Arrow that the kids and I can play with and not worry about it. If that is a success, then I'm happy

[huedell]

Mattel has the DC license. If it wasn't for Mattel there would be no new WGSH figures. And name change on the package aside, these are new WGSH figures. From what I've read on the forums here, Dr Mego has said Marty was instrumental in getting Mattel to okay the deal and Doc was in charge of the designs. Even though Mattel is on the package you don't get much more Mego than that, in my opinion.

I'm not a Mattel fanboy and I criticise them when they deserve it, but honestly they didn't even have to do these figures. Obviously there are people working there that love Megos too and were passionate enough about the toys to make them as Mego like as possible instead of another Famous Covers type of line at best.

I understand people not liking the cards, to each their own. I just don't get this level of negativity when in less than a week a way we will be able to buy the first new WGSH figure since the 70s.

They are far from "the first new WGSH figure since the 70s" IMO.

This new line represents a huge compromise with DC and/or Mattel
just to be able to release something simillar to vintage WGSH.

You can mention heavy hitting Mego-name-manufacturers
Doc Mego and Marty Abrams were involved
but it means nothing if the figures aren't what I was hoping for
regarding the "Mego treatment" ...which is basically the treatment given
to the EMCE TREK and APES lines...as in mostly replica-types with some
new characters added in.

Like someone said above...I still may BUY the figures and I may even
use parts of them for customs---

but there are going to be many of us who are disappointed at some of the
choices being made for these figures...be it the name or the packaging
or the figures themselves.

That being said...why would myself or anyone else not wish for this line to
be a smashing success...let's hope it is....as it's a cool idea for a new line...
albeit just not what I was hoping for.

[ctc]

>I see tons of complaints here and in other threads

I think part of that comes from the idea that a fair number of collectors don't want new figures; although they THINK they do. What they really want is the old feelings they had finding a new character, or a new line. It manifests as a want for new figures, but the 8 year old self filled in a lot of the blanks when they got the originals and the old self can't. And THAT manifests as the way relatively insignificant factors (IE: the cards) becomes a big headache.

Don C.

[saildog]

What if the tweeks (packaging and branding) that Mattel has made turn out to be something that makes these things sell through the roof?

We can speculate, but until the numbers are in we just don't know if this is a bad decision. I'm not going to begrudge anyone an opinion on this, but the things being *****ed about may be just what makes this line sell in a mass retail environment. They may be what appeals to a broad range of consumers (and that is what they are after) and if they haven't hit on it yet, let's hope they search for what will. We want these to appeal to the kiddies because the buying in that age range will keep the line alive. All that aside, what you are looking at is what "might" be on Matty Collector. We won't know for sure until it hits and even that is an exclusive....aimed at us. What we see on the peg in TRU might be completely different and if it isn't what you wanted, let's hope the packaging is EXACTLY what the kids want.

Point being, we have our perspective...they have "Marketing Folks". Let them do what they need to do to make this be a big hit and for the short-term, trust that they want this to sell (why wouldn't they do everything they could to make this a hit?...they want to make money, after all.) and they are doing what they think will make it sell. Because if it does, we might get to see some of the figures we wished would have been made "back in the day".

Reserve judgment for the day when the numbers are in. You are guaranteed a Green Lantern....hope like hell this succeeds so you can hold a (insert your dream figure that Mego didn't produce here).

Forty year old Men will only buy so much of their own accord. Late Twenty-Something Men, who wouldn't know a Mego from their own arse-hole, will buy anything to make their kids shut up.

[palitoy]

>I see tons of complaints here and in other threads

I think part of that comes from the idea that a fair number of collectors don't want new figures; although they THINK they do. What they really want is the old feelings they had finding a new character, or a new line. It manifests as a want for new figures, but the 8 year old self filled in a lot of the blanks when they got the originals and the old self can't. And THAT manifests as the way relatively insignificant factors (IE: the cards) becomes a big headache.

Don C.

I've been thinking along the same lines, it's not just the toys but the experience and man, that's not easy. It's like defining utopia.

[VintageMike]

I've been thinking along the same lines, it's not just the toys but the experience and man, that's not easy. It's like defining utopia.

Yes! I think I can explain a bit deeper though. There are people that say they want "new" figures, but wthat they really want isn't new at all.
What they really want (I would include myself in this in case anyone thinks I'm throwing stones) is too see something that was taken away brought back to life/continued. The Trek/Apes figures are a great example. The new figures can placed aside the old and they fit right in, even the cards. This new line is more of "based on" scenario. Which means if you put an original Mego hero next to one of these retro ones it will be apparent they are from different lines and that "kid feeling" isn't there because the new figure doesn't invoke the memories.
As far as catering to collectors there's something I don't think has been mentioned here. A company like Mattel isn't just looking to sell to us. As Doc himself said at the last Mego Meet there's only so many of us. Mattel wants to reach a wider audience than us even if "retro" is in the name and will do what they think they need to (right or wrong) to make that happen.
Aside from the card, there is way everyone can win with the figures.
Say you like the Luthor but don't like the new body. You can pop off the head, take off the outfit and put them on a Doc Mego body and you've got "your" figure the re-Mego you really want. That's probably what I'll do.

[WannabeMego]

Wow...am I the ONLY one that is glad that my brother & I get to share this with my son?!

...a glimpse/piece of our past and what it felt like to have, hold, & play with one of these.

Sure he can play with the Spider-man or Superman that Berto gave him or even the King Arthur or Galahad Paul (Hulk) gifted to him...

...BUT...

This is a NEW experience we can BOTH share!!!

...and to even THINK that we're (The Mego Community) the ONLY or MAIN audience is ridiculous...does ANYONE REALLY BELIEVE that there are enough of us for Mattel to even consider investing all their time, effort, & resources...come on...seriously?!?!?

It's beyond us folks...it HAS to be in order for it to succeed.

[MIB41]

>I see tons of complaints here and in other threads

I think part of that comes from the idea that a fair number of collectors don't want new figures; although they THINK they do. What they really want is the old feelings they had finding a new character, or a new line. It manifests as a want for new figures, but the 8 year old self filled in a lot of the blanks when they got the originals and the old self can't. And THAT manifests as the way relatively insignificant factors (IE: the cards) becomes a big headache.

Don C.

Hmmm. It's called nostalgia. Why does an original carded or boxed Mego cost substantially more than a loose one, EVEN if the figures are in identical shape? The shelf experience. That's the reason why anyone collects. Any artifact that holds personal value for you carries a certain emotional weight which governs what you do with it. There's no difference between holding a boxed RC Batman or playing an old record, if the end result envokes memories you cherish. So yeah, we want to have that shelf experience again, only in an actual toy store like we did when we were kids. That was the only "experience" we had left to enjoy again...AND WE WERE SO CLOSE. The package is part of that process - Hasbro understood that with GI JOE and enjoyed huge success with all THREE generations of Joes. EMCE got it right and they found incredible success. So why is Mattel diluting the formula down to a "retro" package that looks like it belongs in Big Lots? If your going to do it, do it right.

And exactly what kind of economy does Mattel think we're living in right now? Look at what Mattel 'Megos' will be sharing peg space with - 12 inch GI Joes ($9.99); Marvel action figures ($8.99); Star Wars action figures ($7.99). DC Universe figures ($10.99). And then throw in the multitudes of Brave and Bold Batman figures and playsets and then... over THERE...by themselves sit Mattel Megos - $19.99 EACH. Yeah, parents will shut their kids up for some things, but not $20.00 for one figure in this economy when they KNOW they'll want another one next week. No, they'll turn to the smaller figures where they get more bang for their buck.

Hey I want this line to succeed. But I've watched toy lines and Mego-wanna-bes rise and fall through the years. Price points are a big deal with action figures on a toy rack where mom and dad shop. And Mattel will need to get in line with what they share shelf space with if they want to be noticed. There have been enough mego-like figures through the years, that seeing a new one at this point will hardly wow the parents or kids that much. And if Mattel is producing that much product they need more than the collector to make this line work anyway. Oh well...Mattel is going to do what they want to do. I see us getting a second line (but probably not at TRU) and then it will begin to thin out into online specials and that will be the end of it.