Mego Museum interviews Anthony Balasco of Figures Toy Company

[ovenmitt]

2014 is Gilligan's Island 50th anniversary and Dukes of Hazzard's 35th! Time to celebrate! I am glad Gilligan will be 8", too! I hope the set sells well so we get other 5 castaways! 12" Dukes look great, especially cannot wait to see Daisy and 8" Dukes!

[actjac01]

Super Tremendously Awesome News! I just don't know how else to put it.
One of the best interviews I've read in awhile!
Very excited about Figures Toy having the entire DSU license and that the manufacturing will be done in China!
And playsets and vehicles and things not made before, all based on our support? WOW!
I never remember Mattel making this quite of verbal commitment upfront the way Figures Toy has.
I'm completely 'jonsing' over this! Figures Toy Co. is certainly "talking the talk."

[BATMAN89]

I finally got to read the interview this morning.
It seems too good to be true, but yet so exciting that Mego is finally back. By that I mean that new figures could be rolling out just like in the 70's!
It's so awesome!
I know we had that with Mattel, but these will be on actual Mego styled bodies.
I can't wait to see it happening!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Vinny0026]

This is going to be huge! I really hope the mix it up per wave. I would love to see 2 old figures with 2 new figures per wave. so thats 100 a pop per wave - and if each wave is every other month or so it will be very do-able for me. I really want to see figures never done before. But the remakes are great as well so my kids will have their own set to play with. Can't wait until the first wave hits!

now if they can lock down HB as well it will be a dream come true. Space Ghost, Blue Falcon.

[garfoot]

This has serious potential if done right. I think we finally have a company that gets it. I think the first 8 figures or 2 waves should be reissues of Mego originals, then the 2 old and 2 new for future waves would be an awesome assortment for the fans. I get goosebumps just thinking about a Space Ghost or Blue Falcon Mego style figure. I hope they can obtain the Marvel rights from Disney in the future to make figures of Spiderman, Avengers and all the rest.

[Timothy2251]

I'd be down for a 2 old characters/repros and 2 new characters right from the get go. This way, everyone wins - folks who just want new characters to plug holes in their collections can just get those figures, folks who never had the original figures in the first place can buy the repros, and the "Collect 'Em All" crew can snatch up each wave in one shot ($25 a figure isn't that bad, all things considered, and if Figures continues their Flash-fast shipping, it's a no-brainer).

[JediJaida]

Compared to the triple digits that Hot Toys and others tend to charge $25.00 is a STEAL!

[garfoot]

JediJaida you are right, I just shelled out $300 for a 12" Luke Skywalker from Hot Toys. These are a great bargain for $25 each!!!

[ovenmitt]

$25 is VERY REASONABLE for a fully articulated CLOTH costumed figure today! Hope this is price or lower for Figures other 8"!

[MIB41]

JediJaida you are right, I just shelled out $300 for a 12" Luke Skywalker from Hot Toys. These are a great bargain for $25 each!!!

I'm sorry. That's not an apples to apples comparison. Jeez. It's comments like this that just kills me. Because sellers see this and think, "Oh we can charge more! They're comparing our price points with high end collectibles. We have room to grow!" These are replica's of $3.00 figures from 1973. Let's at least act like we understand the concept of inflation and the value of a product. These guys are making a REAL nice profit at $25.00 a pop with the volume their putting out. Plus they are the highest priced company on this scale with the worst reputation for quality. And you want to compare them to Hot Toys? Insanity. Weren't you just gripping about some unfounded concern you might have to pay "scalper prices" for an Oscar Goldman figure you can currently buy 20% less than these figures? And your kneeling at the throne here? I smell a company plant.

[garfoot]

My point being was that I have seen people complain about the $25 price point on these items. Having a business degree I understand the concept of supply and demand. I wasn't comparing high end collectibles with low end 8" figures. I was just saying that in today's market I think it is a fair price at $25. I know Figures needs to make a profit with these to stay in business. Besides, I don't think a comment made by some unknown guy on Mego Museum will sway their price point at all. The only thing that will do that is how many they sell, and if the cost of making these bad boys goes up in the future. But I do agree with you that they are making a handsome profit on these.

[SpaceAgent]

FYI, according to inflation calculators, an item that cost $3.00 in 1973 would cost $15.29 in 2012.

[MIB41]

My point being was that I have seen people complain about the $25 price point on these items. Having a business degree I understand the concept of supply and demand. I wasn't comparing high end collectibles with low end 8" figures. I was just saying that in today's market I think it is a fair price at $25. I know Figures needs to make a profit with these to stay in business. Besides, I don't think a comment made by some unknown guy on Mego Museum will sway their price point at all. The only thing that will do that is how many they sell, and if the cost of making these bad boys goes up in the future. But I do agree with you that they are making a handsome profit on these.

Absolutely. I have a business degree as well. And one thing I can say with complete certainty is there is not enough reasoning utilized in this hobby. This industry gets tested all the time. Just a couple of years ago people were blowing smoke about $20.00 a pop for the retro heroes from a big company like Mattel. Even though two-man companies like Castaway were making a ten fold better figure for the same price at a considerably smaller volume. And yet here we are just a short time later and the new price norm has now jumped 25% ??? What besides gas prices does this? It's another price point test on the market. Guess what? In another few years, it will jump another 25%. They'll be $30.00 then. The "specialty" figures already are. So at some point, as a consumer, you have to vote with your wallet. That's why I support the smaller guys like BBP. They make a comparable product at a better price point. And because they are priced better, I buy MORE product. Fair price at $25.00? I'm not so sure. My problem here is people vote with their childhood memories. Mego made CHEAP figures. They were priced cheap too. $3.00 back then equates to $15.29 today when adjusted for inflation. This company's price points are nearly 70% above the inflation rate. All I'm saying is it doesn't have to be that way. This industry suffers because there is no consumer voice that demands some price controls on this stuff. So its only going to keep going up and up. Mark my words. The $30.00 price tag is coming. And at some point people will look around and say, "Hey we're getting ripped off." Maybe it will take $50.00 before they do it. But at some point, hopefully, people will wake up and ask for a product that reflects the price being asked. Nostalgia only lasts so long. And my fear is companies like this will destroy this hobby. They'll price them right back into oblivion.

[Iron Mego]

Do we have to go over all this again? Good grief.

[ovenmitt]

I was looking foward to Sideshow 12" DC Comics figures but the $189 price on the 1st figure Joker ended that! Remember when Sideshow 12" like Universal Monsters, James Bond cost $40 each?! And Star Wars began at $50 each! So that is why I think $25 is a good deal for 8" Megos in 2013. I did not collect Figures 12" KISS for $60 each but I will gladly pay that for 12" Batman TV, Dukes, and DC if that happens!