World's Greatest Heroes! New "Series 2" Full-Page Ad

[EMCE Hammer]

I also love people who come into this thread and berate us for hashing it out and expressing our opinions. BREAKING: That's what this forum is here for!

Disagree/debate = "Berate?" Man, you guys are sensitive. Thicken up, kids!

[Mego-Amigo]

That makes very little sense. You paid $375.00 for a 40 year old toy in mint condition in a mint box. If you just wanted the figure, you could have paid a price similar to these new figures and had a vintage one. The fact that you paid $375.00 tells me you wanted an original Mego in mint shape, in the original box. And since you're stating a cheaper reproduction figure would have fit your tastes, why didn't you chase after all of the mint vintage Jokers in reproduction packaging selling for incredibly cheap prices? So I don't see the logic in dumping that kind of money since you're saying having a reproduction makes no difference to you. That not apples to apples on any scale.

It makes a lot of sense. I have a few loose Megos to enjoy for what they are but my primary collection is very high grade MIB/MOC figures. I am not interested in buying vintage figures that have been pieced together from old parts or with repro parts or packaging. I am a very picky collector that is only interested in figures untouched by human hands since they left the factory and in prime condition. That being said and since originals are extremely rare in the condition I Want them and very expensive if you find them, I am very willing to accept brand new perfect case fresh $25.00 figures over very expensive originals.

[imp]

…this survey-style enthusiasm does not necessarily translate into money on the counter when the product gets made.

AMEN.

I don't think the rules of having to lead with the flagship heroes applies. The majority of those consumers already have these characters... in spades!

Clearly you and I are of like mind on a lot of these issues. It's fun to armchair quarterback this whole thing, and time will certainly tell. Here's hoping FTC's deep pockets and theoretically low production costs allow them to leap-frog any unpopular character choices.

The common problem between the book and the figure is the price and target audience.

YEP. Plenty of folks here freaked out over the price of the book. For a long time, $25 was a hard sell. (Heck, even $20 in person at toy conventions!) At the risk of redundancy, the inconvenient truth here is twofold: The Mego collecting community is both small and… frugal (to put it nicely).

I also love people who come into this thread and berate us for hashing it out and expressing our opinions. BREAKING: That's what this forum is here for!

[hedrap]

Just my two cents... Wave 2 looks like it really only consists of Catwoman and Penguin if your looking at "new" product. Anyone who wants a "Bruce" or Dick" in those outfits can order the heads and outfits right now on the CTVT site. So Wave 2 is mostly existing stock getting recycled. And the RC Batman and RM Robin for Wave 3 will be recycled from those figures and the Batman outfits. So there is alot of shuffling of existing product in making these figures. Right now I think FTC' only risk to investment is the heads and outfits (which are pretty cheap to make). The bodies are most likely getting produced in bulk to host whatever lines they want. Be it WGSH, KISS, Dukes, "66 Batman, etc. So whatever doesn't sell, they'll just part out the heads and outfits like they're doing with those supposed "successful" KISS lines and use those bodies on a different line. Who knows how many KISS figures will now be Batman figures?

I think this be a fallback strategy on this next attempt at WGSH as well. They're probably just making so many heads and outfits and rotating stock on the bodies. For what they charge, they should be making money easily....That's likely why there seems to be so many figures being pushed for this initial line. FTC is hoping to get that overstock of unsold bodies out of their warehouse so they can start using their next shipment of bodies for these other licenses.

Exactly. That's a nicely detailed version of the FTC business model I tried to imply. They have new money locked up in the license fees and tooling, but the overhead is nowhere near as large as people are assuming.

When you look at the extraneous lines they're producing, it's an appeal to the larger celebrity doll market. Dallas, Dukes, Gilligan...they know that market size and won't have to renew the license after an initial run. So whatever doesn't sell becomes repurposed or sold in pieces. All you have to do is look at CTVT over the years to see their stock eventually does deplenish.

Having Wave 2 close to Wave 1 is meant to keep building attention in Diamond. How may times have we seen a nice, limited release with no immediate followup? So what's the cost in a Wave 3 of Superman, Clark, Supergirl and an 8" Zod, using the 12" Stamp? Fabric and one headsculpt conversion.

So if a book that covered every major superhero from the Mego universe wouldn't sell, why would repro-figures of the most common characters do any better?

The common problem between the book and the figure is the price and target audience.

What Doc understood with RA, is you have to widen the scope to get these into the hands of kids, but pricepoint is a killer.

ReMego's have the aesthetic appeal of a young-kid toy, but the price of a collector-figure. That's a big disconnect to parents, and as PNG pointed, even to people at comic stores.

To keep it Megoey, the price has to come down for parents. If not, then the design has to upgrade to ZICA. Rock and a hard place.

[MIB41]

Oh so true. And these boards have plenty of "supporters" who talk a big game but never actually come through. "I'm going to buy every single item the very first day, no matter what they put out! I don't care! I'll buy everything!" These are the same people who chime into a Marketplace thread juuuuust AFTER the seller confirms the item is sold, "Oh, good score! I totally would have bought that if I had seen it first."

Yeah. Okay. Whatever.

You speak the truth brotha! If there's one universal reason why companies can not stay afloat in the Mego marketplace, it's because this survey-style enthusiasm does not necessarily translate into money on the counter when the product gets made. I've lost count of how many times people went goo-goo over a prototype only to rake it over the coals when the actual product came out. Or to just say, "meh" and move on. It's with that perspective, I certainly have come to understand the value of pre-orders and why some companies decide to make (or pull) product based on those numbers. That's why I'm still not sold on just how "vast" this Batman '66 crowd really is. That too could be another red herring. It's hard to fathom so much merchandise getting made for what amounts to an untested license in this demographic. This will be further tested by what FTC does with this WGSH experiment. Personally I think they would have been better served to have gone after the hard-to-get figures instead of falling into that nostalgic trap of making the most common ones like Mego did when they started the line. You can't duplicate that first experience. When Mego put out Batman and Robin, that was a first. These days it's predictable. And since this is aimed towards a specific demographic not involving third graders, I don't think the rules of having to lead with the flagship heroes applies. The majority of those consumers already have these characters... in spades!

[rjm118]

I think everyone should chill and see what happens, obviously these arent super expensive to make by FTC since they have many of the parts already available, the true test will be in sales. If theres even a slight demand, we may see waves of different characters and characters never released by Mego.

Im not thrilled with wave 2 but Catwoman(oddly enough) was one of the Mego's I remember most vividly so Im looking forward to her and the Penguin, I never was interested in the Secret Identities and already own repro ones but we need to support the line in order to see more made.

[Scousebadger]

Oh so true. And these boards have plenty of "supporters" who talk a big game but never actually come through. "I'm going to buy every single item the very first day, no matter what they put out! I don't care! I'll buy everything!" These are the same people who chime into a Marketplace thread juuuuust AFTER the seller confirms the item is sold, "Oh, good score! I totally would have bought that if I had seen it first."

Yeah. Okay. Whatever.

Hey, people will be people.

No-one ever said we made any sense

[imp]

You can reproduce that toy from 1974, but you can't reproduce that 1974 marketplace. Which is what IMP has been talking about. He made a top notch, quality hard back book buried in huge pics of the classic WGSH. A wet dream for us hard core fans. But guess what? Nobody bought it.

Oh so true. And these boards have plenty of "supporters" who talk a big game but never actually come through. "I'm going to buy every single item the very first day, no matter what they put out! I don't care! I'll buy everything!" These are the same people who chime into a Marketplace thread juuuuust AFTER the seller confirms the item is sold, "Oh, good score! I totally would have bought that if I had seen it first."

Yeah. Okay. Whatever.

[MIB41]

I just paid $375.00 for a case fresh MIB Mego Joker. About three weeks later I read that FTC has acquired the rights to reproduce Mego Batman characters and the Joker will be in the first wave for around $25.00. Had I known this I personally would have saved my $375.00 and put it on the entire line of FTC Mego WGSH repros. I could care less about how valuable the originals are now or will be in the future. I only care about having the exact same figures I had as a kid in some kind of nice packaging to display and enjoy. I know of other friends on this forum that feel the exact same way. Not everyone here has the money or is willing to spend it if they do on high grade originals. I know I am in the minority here but I for one am very happy that Figures is producing the exact same figures that Mego did. Now I can have all of them case fresh new without having to spend thousands of dollars on them as I have done in the past.

That makes very little sense. You paid $375.00 for a 40 year old toy in mint condition in a mint box. If you just wanted the figure, you could have paid a price similar to these new figures and had a vintage one. The fact that you paid $375.00 tells me you wanted an original Mego in mint shape, in the original box. And since you're stating a cheaper reproduction figure would have fit your tastes, why didn't you chase after all of the mint vintage Jokers in reproduction packaging selling for incredibly cheap prices? So I don't see the logic in dumping that kind of money since you're saying having a reproduction makes no difference to you. That not apples to apples on any scale.

[garfoot]

I just watched an old Mego commercial on YouTube and got excited for this line to be released.

[garfoot]

I just paid $375.00 for a case fresh MIB Mego Joker. About three weeks later I read that FTC has acquired the rights to reproduce Mego Batman characters and the Joker will be in the first wave for around $25.00. Had I known this I personally would have saved my $375.00 and put it on the entire line of FTC Mego WGSH repros. I could care less about how valuable the originals are now or will be in the future. I only care about having the exact same figures I had as a kid in some kind of nice packaging to display and enjoy. I know of other friends on this forum that feel the exact same way. Not everyone here has the money or is willing to spend it if they do on high grade originals. I know I am in the minority here but I for one am very happy that Figures is producing the exact same figures that Mego did. Now I can have all of them case fresh new without having to spend thousands of dollars on them as I have done in the past.

I completely agree with you, I have always wanted the WGSH figures I owned as a child. I am married with 2 boys and don't have the money to spend hundreds on 1 figure. I was thrilled to learn of Figures remaking these Megos again. Like you, I don't mind if they're originals or not, I just want to display them in my office. It's about the memories more then resale value. I want Figures to make all the DC Megos again, and don't care what assortments they make first. If we only get 20 figures so be it, but I will support this line until the end. In the end I am just happy to have some of my childhood toys again to share with my kids.

[Mego-Amigo]

I just paid $375.00 for a case fresh MIB Mego Joker. About three weeks later I read that FTC has acquired the rights to reproduce Mego Batman characters and the Joker will be in the first wave for around $25.00. Had I known this I personally would have saved my $375.00 and put it on the entire line of FTC Mego WGSH repros. I could care less about how valuable the originals are now or will be in the future. I only care about having the exact same figures I had as a kid in some kind of nice packaging to display and enjoy. I know of other friends on this forum that feel the exact same way. Not everyone here has the money or is willing to spend it if they do on high grade originals. I know I am in the minority here but I for one am very happy that Figures is producing the exact same figures that Mego did. Now I can have all of them case fresh new without having to spend thousands of dollars on them as I have done in the past.

[HardyGirl]

As a person who knows very little about the comics, and who's knowledge is mostly on 60s Batman, and both Filmation series, here's my take:

I think FTC wanted to have all of the Fab 4, Batman and Robin and SI Bruce and Dick for 2 reasons:

From a collectors standpoint: There may be a lot of people who never had the SI figures, and having Batman, Robin and the Fab 4 are just essential.

From a kid's standpoint: If the collectors, (or even just the folks who will say, "Hey I remember those as a kid"), get their kids into these, it adds to the play value of Batman and Robin having the SI Bruce and Dick and the Fab 4. The other figures when they come, are secondary, (MY opinion, don't jump on me!).

I'm sure there are those who will disagree, (so what else is new?), but even though I don't want any of Wave 2, (I already have a Mego Pengy, and I only like the Julie Newmar Catwoman, and don't really care about the SI guys), but I'm glad these figures are available to whoever may want them. It's great to see Retro alive and well, and I really do hope kids will get into these. (I know, but I can hope)

LONG LIVE RETRO REPRO FIGURES!

[MIB41]

Just my two cents... Wave 2 looks like it really only consists of Catwoman and Penguin if your looking at "new" product. Anyone who wants a "Bruce" or Dick" in those outfits can order the heads and outfits right now on the CTVT site. So Wave 2 is mostly existing stock getting recycled. And the RC Batman and RM Robin for Wave 3 will be recycled from those figures and the Batman outfits. So there is alot of shuffling of existing product in making these figures. Right now I think FTC' only risk to investment is the heads and outfits (which are pretty cheap to make). The bodies are most likely getting produced in bulk to host whatever lines they want. Be it WGSH, KISS, Dukes, "66 Batman, etc. So whatever doesn't sell, they'll just part out the heads and outfits like they're doing with those supposed "successful" KISS lines and use those bodies on a different line. Who knows how many KISS figures will now be Batman figures?

I think this be a fallback strategy on this next attempt at WGSH as well. They're probably just making so many heads and outfits and rotating stock on the bodies. For what they charge, they should be making money easily. And while it's fun to see someone taking another stab at the WGSH line, let's be honest. You can reproduce that toy from 1974, but you can't reproduce that 1974 marketplace. Which is what IMP has been talking about. He made a top notch, quality hard back book buried in huge pics of the classic WGSH. A wet dream for us hard core fans. But guess what? Nobody bought it. Sure. Most of us here bought them up and celebrated them on the day it came out. But this forum does not a marketplace make. So if a book that covered every major superhero from the Mego universe wouldn't sell, why would repro-figures of the most common characters do any better? Plus I guess for me the bigger question is, who from that original marketplace doesn't already have these? And those who have come along since then have likely already picked these characters up. In addition, with so much interest in the '66 Batman line, why would anyone want to sink $25.00 plus into figures that have been easily available in it's vintage form?

I think that nostalgic feeling will burn out real fast after a couple of hundred dollars wasted on common figures. So I doubt this line will blaze any new trails in sales. I think FTC is simply following the Hasbro business model from the 40th Anniversary Joes and using overstock to make new product. That's likely why there seems to be so many figures being pushed for this initial line. FTC is hoping to get that overstock of unsold bodies out of their warehouse so they can start using their next shipment of bodies for these other licenses. There's no telling how many people will be getting a tightly strung Mego Batman in a permanent "I gotta pee" stance.

[powersthatbe]

in my opinion,frank gorshin's riddler was the number one villian on the adam west show.he was even in the first episode.