Protectors of freedom and justice

[RSS]

NEW YORK — Five gold-uniformed private soldiers led by a Captain Eagle dropped onto a pier by the East River from a helicopter hovering overhead one day last month. They planted a flag, checked their weapons and began moving inland.

Monday, Mar. 1, 1982

The man who financed the invading troops, Martin D. Abrams, announced: "Military themes are back in America. The need for the military has regained the respectability it lost during the late '60s and 70s."

That is the kind of thing they do to get publicity at the annual Toy Show. Abrams is the chairman of Mego Corp., which was introducing an army-sized line of military toys called "Eagle Force."

"Makers Bent on Military" was the lead headline of Toy Trade News for Feb. 27. "Makers Back Military, Buyers Are Divided," reported the February issue of Toys, Hobbies & Crafts.

"The indications are good," said Craig Collier of Consolidated Toy of St. Louis. "During the Vietnam War people were turned off, but now they are getting over it. There's another generation of kids out there."

"Military is in resurgence because of a change in the political attitude of the country," said Mark Nuccio of H-G Toys Inc. of Long Beach, N.Y. "The government is putting more money into defense. It has a higher profile with certain tactical groups being promoted, such as ah* the maneuvers that occurred in the Middle East last year."

The military boom at this year Toy Show — aimed at that new generation of kids out there — is a facinating case study of the synergistic relationship between commerce and government in theUnited States. The toymakers are not responding to a greatly increased public demand for war toys — that's what the line "Buyers Are Divided" meant in the Toys, Hobby and Craft headline.

The manufacturers are betting that the Reagan administration'smilitaristic bent will create the market. The toymakers also see themselves as performing a national service. "We set out to develop a toy line which would capitalize upon and reinforce the renewed sense of national pride, strengnth, courage and determination sweeping America," said Abrams of Mego.

"Our military toy, then, is, we hope, going to reinforce an accepted American concept: Terrorism is wrong and should be stamped out."

Eagle Force wil be sold, like some Reagan military programs, as an anti-terrorist force. "Captain Eagle," "Goldie Hawk," "Zapper" and other die-cast metal Force members are trying to stamp out villains like "Shock Trooper" and "General Mamba."".




An old favorite, "G.I. Joe" — the soldier doll — is being reintroduced after years of retirement. Joe is also after terrorists now, villainous dolls hi the paramilitary uniforms of something called COBRA.

The television commercials will soon begin. The rhetoric will bemodeled after the talk coming out of Washington these days. "Research has shown there is a potential consumer resistance for military toys due to the connotations of war that they hold," said a Mego official, Alan Chernoff. (Editor's note: Alan Chernoff would appear on Donahue to defend the Eagle Force line) "The Eagle Force figures we are introducing are positioned not as a war toy, but as protectors of freedom and justice."

There were also a number of booklets at the show. One called "Toys Are Teaching Tools," published by the Toy Manufacturers of America, Inc., said: "Today's toys are tomorrow's adult tools, scaled-down versions of real-life objects. With them children can create imaginary lifelike situations. Toys help children to assume adult roles and to experiment with the objects, machines and technology of adult society . . .Children gain a sense of values from their toys."

So, that's what our children will be taught this year.

Mego Museum Eagle Force Gallery

Megomuseum.com- The Web's Greatest Mego Playset


More...

[samurainoir]

I know so little about this short lived toyline, but it would be a fascinating case study to see what made GI Joe RAH a hit and the factors that sank Eagle Force.

Mego were pretty much on their last legs in '82 right? And the figures were smaller and die cast.

Meanwhile GI Joe RAH seemed to hit the right notes between military/fantasy-scifi/ninjas concepts. Plus they were riding that wave of toy company financed animation. The market was already ruled by the 3 3/4" scale thanks to Star Wars. GI Joe RAH transferred the articulation and pose-ability of the original 12" Joe to the smaller format.

I do remember how critical so many folks were back then about Military toys and the fact that at one point the R-rated Rambo was marketed to kids via toys and animation. (trumping Hasbro's attempt at scoring Stallone's likeness as Rocky for GI Joe)

[bizzaro megomauler]

as usual, another great read! Thanks!

[Earth 2 Chris]

Very interesting read. I've always wondered about Eagle Force vs. RAH myself. The concepts are VERY similar, and the timing is the same.

For some reason I thought Marty Abrams was out of Mego by this point.

I've also wondered how they got Darren McGavin involved.

Right or wrong, the toy industry was right. The Regan administration did change the tide toward patriotism, and military toys sold out the wazoo. Just not Mego's.

Chris

[palitoy]

I know so little about this short lived toyline, but it would be a fascinating case study to see what made GI Joe RAH a hit and the factors that sank Eagle Force.

Actually Eagle Force was a solid seller, it just wasn't enough to keep Mego afloat. When I spoke to Bill Baron and Paul Kirchner about that era, they both painted a dismal picture of the company itself. Here's a really telling excerpt told by Paul Kirchner:

One day after I delivered some artwork to [Eagle Force Project Manager] Joey around lunchtime she offered me half of her sandwich. When I took it she said, "There--you just got paid." I thought she was joking. I couldn't believe that an operation of this size, occupying several floors in a midtown Manhattan office building, could be in such dire straits. "Hey--the lights are still on," I said to her

"Yeah, but they haven't paid the electric bill in three months," she answered.

No doubt RAH with it's comic book and heavier advertising would have been the clear winner but if Mego had have continued I bet EF would have kicked around for 3-4 years.

[Brad]

Great stuff! I have learned so much about MEGO just from reading these threads. Thanks Brian for all your hard work.

[Brad]

Hmmmm, I see I am now a "Museum Super Collector".




I have to ask, who has been looking at my PayPal account?

[samurainoir]

No doubt RAH with it's comic book and heavier advertising would have been the clear winner but if Mego had have continued I bet EF would have kicked around for 3-4 years.

In this day of "blockbusters" like Transformers, Star Wars and GI Joe ruling the aisles, I guess it is often easy to overlook that there were solid money making toys that only had a lifespan of a few years.

I was recently reading up on the Dino Riders, which in my memory was barely a blip, but apparently it was a solid hit in it's 3 year lifespan. It's simply not a huge presence these days in current collector circles. I don't really notice them at toys shows.

[Random Axe]

Wow. E.G. Marshall was in Eagle Force. He was also the president in Supermn II. He sure got around.

Scott

[AAAAA]

In 1982 a crack toy company was forced to closed its stores.
FOR CRIME IT DID NOT COMMIT/
Now wanted by adults reliving there childhood.
It survives as a collectible, If you need help, and you have the Money ,Maybe you can purchase
.......The M-Team

[nvmbrsdoom5]

Eagle Force is still one of my favorite toy lines, very underrated I think. I was really into the toys when they came out, and was disappointed when it they didn't continue on. I'd say I liked EF just as much as RAH at the time.

[generic]

I remember seeing the commercial on TV and thinking that I HAD to have them! Then when I actually saw them in the store, I was disappointed that they weren't in scale with my other figures. I got most of the figures anyway as a kid and one of the sets, but I didn't play with them as much as my GI Joes or Star Wars figures.

I think I've gone nuts with all of the Eagle Force pieces I've picked up as an adult (playsets, vehicles, kid-size weapons, USA, Canadian and French carded figures, and my favorite - The BOXED figures). I was contacted about being a consultant on an Eagle Force movie several years ago. I think I probably talked them out of doing the film when answering their inquiries.

[drmego]

GI Joe had a half hour cartoon on TV - Eagle Force did not.