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Maybe we could only hope.
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I saw zero hope in that statement. It also speaks to the whole eight inch marketplace. Essentially what he said is what many of us have feared. The market for Megos is simply not big enough to justify creating another license to do them. And boy did he make me feel old when he suggested these collectors are starting to 'die off'? Really? Who here is Medicare age? And even so, being in your 50's is not a death sentence. Sheeesh!
He made a really good point though when he said the best days and hopes for that scale were back when Toy Biz and Playmates were adoring the shelves with that kind of product. I tend to agree with that with regards to distribution. Whatever your opinion of the figures being an inch taller, they still catered to the same marketplace (plus a new generation of kids). And actually it still remains the most successful run in all the attempts made to date. So I don't know if Lucas and Co. (plus Hasbro) want to venture into something like that which will only service a select group of people that apparently don't show up enough when prompted.
That was a tough interview to read. But that representative basically said what many of us were already harboring inside. It clearly speaks to the early demise of large production efforts (like Mattel's Retro line) and smaller efforts as well. Our niche in the marketplace is very small. And it seems the current generation of kids/collectors only want those little plastic painted figures over a cloth eight version. Personally I don't get it. But then again I didn't grow up playing with 3 3/4 inch 'Joes' and watching He-Man and the Smurfs. I guess that is considered the current 'older but relevant' collector who is spending right now. It's a generational thing.
Last edited by MIB41; Oct 3, '11, 12:13 PM.Comment
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So who is this guy? Is he connected to Hasbro? Or is he a fan who
follows all the news?Comment
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Yeah, as much as I may not like it, I do think this person's overall views on Mego-like figures may be correct. I know we've seen an awesome amount of re-Mego'ed lines, but I still feel like many of today's toy collectors are focused on the 80's. We are getting older and and are financial focii are changing- houses, kids, etc. And yes, the high-end, packaged stuff will also be in high demand, but it feels like some of the loose stuff has leveled off (if not got cheaper). Just as the 3 & 3/4" figures replaced 8" back in the day, it feels like the same thing is happening in the toy collecting circles today.WANTED - Solid-Boxed WGSH's, C.8 or better.Comment
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sounds like fan opinion to me.
If Lucasfilm can license goofy statues with silly 70's sayings on them, they can market an 8" figure.Comment
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Yeah, even if that guy is just offering an opinion and has no actual insider perspective, there is still a lot of truth to what he says. Although I'm still laughing at his "dying off" comment. Clearly he's very young to think we're THAT old. I look at it like this - If an eight inch Star Wars figure is ever to become a reality, it will be because Dr. Mego (Paul) went after it. He's on the front battle lines pushing to keep this scale alive. And he seems to have the proper people in his corner to make things happen. The day he gives up is the day this line reaches it's ultimate demise. Until then, I dare say we will be more cult than commercial for this scale of figures. I don't like it like that, but that seems to be the indication based on the small distribution of new product.Comment
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i may be the exception to the rule. i grew up mostly in the '80s but i think the stuff from the late 60's and 70's are real cool to. much better than a majority of whats out now (thats a opinion of course)
i think that marketing has just been less than ideal.....Comment
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He siad we need to make some noise about a Star Wars Mego, can we do that?"Hang on Lady... We go for a RIDE!" - Shorty to Willie Scott.Best movie line from Indiana Jones & the Temple Of DoomComment
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I can make lots of different noises.Comment
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>The market for Megos is simply not big enough to justify creating another license to do them.
Yeah; ESPECIALLY Star Wars. Even the diehard collectors seem tired of buying ANOTHER Vader. (Subjectively speaking....)
>And even so, being in your 50's is not a death sentence.
No; but "dying off" doesn't just mean dropping dead. (Although that IS getting to be a concern.) It also includes collectors losing interest, finishing collections, moving on. It's like the hubub over Marvel and DC's comics; how many oldsters do you find saying things like "I'm SOOO done with this!"
After a certain critical mass, catering to the old school fans doesn't make fiscal sense. Sure, you can argue "but it's the OLD fans who cultivate the NEW fans!" which is true, to a point. Kids find their own things; much to the chagrin of their folks. After that certain critical mass the template usually shifts enough that the nostalgia is two generations removed, and the influence wanes. (How many of us care about the rising tide of Power Rangers nostalgia?)
>It clearly speaks to the early demise of large production efforts (like Mattel's Retro line) and smaller efforts as well.
I think the 8" figure isn't doomed. They may never be mainstream (at least not in our lifetimes) but there's enough niche demand that small companies can cultivate an audience. And like the genius of the original Mego 8" figure, there's enough existing TOOLING that a smaller company doesn't have to fire up production from scratch. Mix and match, like Mego did.
Don C.Comment
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Although they were 6" rather than 8", Takara of Japan offered a selection of SW figures that are still among the most desirable with fans (though mostly for their rarity as opposed to accuracy, etc.). The point is, there is a precedent: SW figures in more or less the scale we're describing have been made and remain highly collectible. If nothing else, an argument could be made for revisiting/expanding that line in a retro move, but at a slightly larger size to allow for greater detailing and compatibility with other product.Comment
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Great points! And make no mistake. I think there can always be a niche for this market, no doubt. But I believe the days of walking into a store and seeing pegboards lined with 8 inch figures will not happen again unless the latest generation embraces them. Star Wars has recently been picked up by Hot Toys which has never had a high distribution. But their quality is legendary. Of course we're really talking apples and oranges in comparing them to Megos. But if enough noise is made, perhaps we could get their attention and thus bring that new generation into our camp. Just as Star Wars was the death of the 8 inch figure in the 70's, perhaps Star Wars could resurrect the format today. I would be willing to make noise!Comment
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>But I believe the days of walking into a store and seeing pegboards lined with 8 inch figures will not happen again unless the latest generation embraces them.
Or the NEXT generation.... or the one after that. Entertainment; toys included, is based on the idea of novelty, and there's a limited amount of permutations out there. Eventually SOMEONE will hit with Mego-styled figures.... or something similar. We might be dead by then, but it'll happen.
>we're really talking apples and oranges in comparing them to Megos.
Maybe; but it's possible someone will follow the same reasoning Mego did back in the day and re-invent the 8" figure: super-detailed figures like the 12" ones, but smaller so's to save on cost.
>perhaps Star Wars could resurrect the format today.
Hmmmm.... it's an exciting idea, but I suspect the something that brings back the 8" format to the mainstream would be something completely new, something you couldn't get in any other format. I think (for a while, anyhoo) Star Wars is kinda played out.
Don C.Comment
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