FTC Limited Edition DC 2-Packs

[huedell]

I hope they start cranking them out... or something CLOSE to that.

I'm flexible... I've come to terms with the slight differences in FTCs and Mego originals... I've come to terms with being stuck with all Batman characters, and being resigned to that the first new character is the non-superheroed costumed ALFRED... but geez, the Alfred wave isn't even out yet.

If it's cool with everyone else, that's cool... but the longer the line releases are drawn out, the less faith in this line I have.... not for it's success, but for my my interest in it. Thy probably know what they're doing. I mean, I HOPE they know what they're doing.

Still, this is my take on it: If they're stuck with only Batman characters... if they need such a lag time between releases... if they need to rely on the past success of (and the consumer-attractiveness power of) a Batman variant, why not make a third wave of: Alfred, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and RC Batman?

It just seems like molasses to me.... but, I'll try to stay positive.

If opinions like this:

Bring on the Double Dukes......These guys keep bringing the goods.

are the norm... looks like I'm gonna have to wait a long, LONG time for new superhero characters.... the multiple lines will be successful, but mostly on the merit of reselling the same stuff but in different iterations, and eking out newer stuff along it, with as much restraint as possible in creating new items from scratch. Bummer (for me).

If they're so concerned about not putting any new product unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, I wonder if they'd consider selling 5 loose/unpackaged superhero figures for $110 a piece.

I'll lobby for ANY excuse to buy these.

[Vinny0026]

If opinions like this:

are the norm... looks like I'm gonna have to wait a long, LONG time for new superhero characters.... the multiple lines will be successful, but mostly on the merit of reselling the same stuff but in different iterations, and eking out newer stuff along it, with as much restraint as possible in creating new items from scratch. Bummer (for me).

If they're so concerned about not putting any new product unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, I wonder if they'd consider selling 5 loose/unpackaged superhero figures for $110 a piece.

I'll lobby for ANY excuse to buy these.

I think your a little off the mark here
They did not make these 2 packs in place of figures yet to be made.

in other words these figures were already made. Production on new figures is already in the works.

Right now you will see 66 batman next, than titans and wave 3 of batman.

The 2 waves after that you will get about 6 new characters.
I don't want to speak for ctv but those 2 wave you will be pretty happy about.

So again they did not stop production to make these 2 packs
All those figures on the back of the 2 pack cards are all pretty much due to hit in the next few years.

That is a ton of new figures - plus what ever else they have in the works.
In short save your money cause These figures are due to hit every few months at 100 bucks per wave. I know some people are getting 2 sets of each - that's 200 per wave. The way they are going they have enough characters to keep busy for the most part of a decade. You will see all the figures you want as long as the line continues to sell - so in short keep buying and we will all get the characters we want and will enjoy.

[huedell]

haha - one day we will all have to sit down have a beer and talk.

Nothing I don't like about THAT suggestion! Love both beer & toys and would love to talk shop with any toy customizer or artist!

But again I did not have anything to do with the artwork they picked (CTV) or used, I did not have a say in it.
anything he used - him and his team drew and picked out....
For the most part this is why they do not use a lot of old or original mego art - not sure they can. That's why most of the art work is new.
He just asked me what I thought of the art work he was working on.

I'm not a "packaged" guy, unless it's a very specific project... like, for example, I had Toyroom triple card classic Mego era looking customs of Doc Ock, Red Skull and Dr. Doom (by Jim Hampton, David Lee and Austin Hough)... I asked Toyroom to design a big card to look as if the one card was three SEPERATE classic WGSH Mego cards all sitting right next to each other. It's just amazing to look at it IMHO. But, of course it's all opinion, right? Well, my tastes for artwork for these cards that FTC are putting out as doubles lean towards only the vibes that fall more with in the 1976 and BEFORE 1976 era that is much of the core of the style guides that the original Mego line had.

Whether original artwork or new artwork, I'm kinda unclear on why or why not FTC is using styles that appear closer the 1980s DC artwork. Hey, whatever works... if I ever need custom artwork though, I'm going more early Bronze Age, than later (or POST) Bronze Age like some of this new FTC art seems to be leaning towards.

so at the end of the day
for the most part we all love what they are doing - so lets hope for some more great figures and more great ideas.

Would Love to see an Aquaman and White shark remake. Along with tons of never before made mego size figures

Apparently THAT'S the plan.... and it'd be neat to take a time machine to the somewhat near future and see some of that instead of later wave teases for brand new stuff en masse, while still only getting retread stuff like triple-carded "Phantom Of The Park" KISS figures and double-carded Abraham Lincoln Hogg and Boss Hogg.

Hey.... FTC.... bring on that Abraham Lincoln Hogg/Boss Hogg two pack, but it'd be a nice gesture to see a new DC superhero before that... or (if new DC superhero releases are truly too intimidating to the corporations well-being), at least serve up a Cooter and an Uncle Jesse alongside easy-as-heck retreads (Hughie Hogg, anyone?).

[huedell]

I think your a little off the mark here
They did not make these 2 packs in place of figures yet to be made.

in other words these figures were already made. Production on new figures is already in the works.

Well, now that I know you are intimate with FTC/CTV, I'll take your word that there may be a lot more going on than what I know.
On the other hand... "seeing is believing"... and even if you actually saw finished Green Lantern etc etc figures, I'm well-aware you wouldn't be able to tell us if you did due to business concerns.
So for now I'll stay skeptical but hopeful.

Right now you will see 66 batman next, than titans and wave 3 of batman.

The 2 waves after that you will get about 6 new characters.
I don't want to speak for ctv but those 2 wave you will be pretty happy about.
That is a ton of new figures - plus what ever else they have in the works.

So far none of that announced/shown stuff has been released... that's a LOT of announced/shown product that has been in the wings combined with a lot "hope" about future waves. I saw a pic of a Green Arrow and a Superman, I think, but those seem to have been buried around here... it's a lot to anticipate, and I hope to be as happy as you say. Truth is, unless it's WGSH... or at least the Titans, I'm not interested. The '66 line is intriguing because of characters like Egghead in 8 inch. but I'm gonna need a few more '66 B-listers before I jump into that. Mattel did a great job with the '66 action figures they put out, and if CTV fizzles out on the '66 line with no more B-listers than Egghead, then I'll pass on that line.

So again they did not stop production to make these 2 packs
All those figures on the back of the 2 pack cards are all pretty much due to hit in the next few years.

To be more accurate, I never said I thought those figures were made in a "stopped" production phase brought on by two-packs production.... let me clarify by saying that, if anything, I'm hypothesizing that they haven't even started production on those Wave 4 WGSH figures, and are waiting til the last possible moment to do so.

Why wouldn't CTV do this? Release dates for Wave Four (and onwards) of the DC (straight WGSH/not Titans/'66) figs, if any, are considered so far off that those dates are quite "loose" by any standard. And, CTV's history shows that they'll retread as much as possible and are, not so much "slow" to go into further waves, but, the truth is, they've never really done a good amount of new characters for ANY property. Isn't KISS their most developed line? There's a lot of re-use there. Nuff said.

In short save your money cause These figures are due to hit every few months at 100 bucks per wave. I know some people are getting 2 sets of each - that's 200 per wave. The way they are going they have enough characters to keep busy for the most part of a decade. You will see all the figures you want as long as the line continues to sell - so in short keep buying and we will all get the characters we want and will enjoy.

But there's nothing here I want to buy yet.

I can't make myself buy things I don't want... so I have to wait to see what else comes out in the WGSH area aside from Batman Mego remakes and Alfred (nice but bland figure, released with that "milking previous clothes/easy route" mindset FTC is known for).

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

I hope they start cranking them out... or something CLOSE to that.

I'm flexible... I've come to terms with the slight differences in FTCs and Mego originals... I've come to terms with being stuck with all Batman characters, and being resigned to that the first new character is the non-superheroed costumed ALFRED... but geez, the Alfred wave isn't even out yet.

If it's cool with everyone else, that's cool... but the longer the line releases are drawn out, the less faith in this line I have.... not for it's success, but for my my interest in it. Thy probably know what they're doing. I mean, I HOPE they know what they're doing.

Still, this is my take on it: If they're stuck with only Batman characters... if they need such a lag time between releases... if they need to rely on the past success of (and the consumer-attractiveness power of) a Batman variant, why not make a third wave of: Alfred, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and RC Batman?

It just seems like molasses to me.... but, I'll try to stay positive.

I am a huge Batman fan, but I'll admit that I would have rather see them mix up the selection more than giving us basically all the possible Batman figures first, then moving onto the Superman and JLA characters.

But the bottom line is we're going to get all the figures we want, over the next SEVERAL years. Looks like FTC is setting up for a killer Fall. A Superman wave, and they have confirmed Green Arrow is coming later this year and that they have been working on Flash and Hawkman for a while now.

The best time to be a Mego fan was in the 1970s. The second best time is today.

[samurainoir]

I'm a tiny bit frightened to see what they do with Star Fire. That character on a Mego Teen Titan body could be really bad.

I with thinking the same thing, but hopefully it will give us base parts like a good head and suit that we can modify onto a Yvonne or Matty female body. I'm really wondering if they go with the "flesh suit" route on Starfire... I'd likely take a pass on that depending on how good a "Perez-like" sculpt they can get on the head and crazy rooted mass of big hair. I really think CTVT needs to develop their own updated female body, but they don't really seem to be on the innovation curve when it comes to bodies like EMCE or CaW/Zica.

To me Cyborg seems to be an even tougher character to pull off. I would love to see molded cybernetic limbs over shiny metallic cloth booties and gloves for example.

[PNGwynne]

I have reservations as well about later TT waves being released as 7" figures.

Regarding Cyborg, I've seen good 8" versions here with screened suits and silver Iron Man boots & gloves that were very WWMD.

[huedell]

But the bottom line is we're going to get all the figures we want, over the next SEVERAL years. Looks like FTC is setting up for a killer Fall. A Superman wave, and they have confirmed Green Arrow is coming later this year and that they have been working on Flash and Hawkman for a while now.

The best time to be a Mego fan was in the 1970s. The second best time is today.

That makes a nice bumper sticker slogan, but without the figures, I just don't "feel it"...this slow-going on the WGSH branch of FTC's stuff accentuates that this is the worst time for me (personally) to be a Mego fan. How long is it going to take to reach a goal that Mattel blasted out of the gate with? And I'm supposed to trust that this slow-going is a sign of their being careful? They have no other proven lines that lasted more than a few waves without a good amount of reuse (KISS).

And whether I'm focused on my own collecting personal goals or not... I'm gonna be skeptical of this WGSH-resurgence line of being nothing more than a fizzled-out tease whose only contribution to the "Mego WGSH redux" is the Bat characters, possibly the core Titans and possibly Green Arrow, Supes and few strays.... with one of the few new figures being good ol' Alfred the butler who serves an actual superhero.

If they ACTUALLY come through with a notable amount of WGSH waves, then the best time to be a Mego fan will be in 2016. And the second best time will have been the 70s---as far as I'm concerned.
^^^That's MY take on this quite familiar mantra being repeated the last few months.^^^

[Vinny0026]

Personally - I love the Alfred figure and other that might be made, Jimmy Olsen, Lois lane etc..
I hope to see these non hero figures thrown in every few waves.

[Krypt0nite]

I'm very excited to see all the characters on the cardback. One question---where are the Legionnaires?

[thunderbolt]

That makes a nice bumper sticker slogan, but without the figures, I just don't "feel it"...this slow-going on the WGSH branch of FTC's stuff accentuates that this is the worst time for me (personally) to be a Mego fan. How long is it going to take to reach a goal that Mattel blasted out of the gate with? And I'm supposed to trust that this slow-going is a sign of their being careful? They have no other proven lines that lasted more than a few waves without a good amount of reuse (KISS).

And whether I'm focused on my own collecting personal goals or not... I'm gonna be skeptical of this WGSH-resurgence line of being nothing more than a fizzled-out tease whose only contribution to the "Mego WGSH redux" is the Bat characters, possibly the core Titans and possibly Green Arrow, Supes and few strays.... with one of the few new figures being good ol' Alfred the butler who serves an actual superhero.

If they ACTUALLY come through with a notable amount of WGSH waves, then the best time to be a Mego fan will be in 2016. And the second best time will have been the 70s---as far as I'm concerned.
^^^That's MY take on this quite familiar mantra being repeated the last few months.^^^

Show a little patience, its been less than a year since they announced the DC license and they already have two waves of Batman figures out and should have the 66 first wave, Titans and wave 3 of Batman within a month for sale. Maybe they are smart enough to not oversaturate the DC market and break the customer's wallets?

[huedell]

Personally - I love the Alfred figure and other that might be made, Jimmy Olsen, Lois lane etc..
I hope to see these non hero figures thrown in every few waves.

Personally, I too, love the Alfred figure. But it's not that easy for me to "just" love a figure without seeing my future with the line. I gotta wonder why I'm the only one bummed that he was the "bone" thrown...in a whole year of releases time....as to add-ons for the WGSH line.

For, I love the Alfred figure, I'll add that: "In a hypothetical world where Scarecrow or Poison Ivy (or scads of other more interesting characters) were made first (or released alongside Al), I would've not only loved the Alfred figure, I would've also shut up about the letdown of him being released as the first new WGSH add-on figure, and the ONLY new add-on figure in his wave too."

Bring on new WGSH #2... please don't let it be Perry White. Even Lois Lane or Jimmy Olsen would edge out the butler.

[huedell]

Show a little patience, its been less than a year since they announced the DC license and they already have two waves of Batman figures out and should have the 66 first wave, Titans and wave 3 of Batman within a month for sale. Maybe they are smart enough to not oversaturate the DC market and break the customer's wallets?

I "like" this train-of-thought... but I'm not so sure how much wallets are at risk (so, is it prudent to call them "smart"?)... it's just that I've been led down this road before. And let down big time (Retro-Heroes). And it was even WAY more character selection before it disappeared. Since then, I hit upon all the requisite Bronze Age DCUC... including DC Directs that compliment the line, including Alfred from the DC Direct HUSH set.

I sold off certain DC character customs because the DCUC stuff really filled the void... but if factory-made stuff by FTC does the trick to get me back into DC Megos, then I'm there! I just don't know at what point I can rationalize coming back in.

All I see right now are promises and re-packs. Mego Bat-Family and Alfred.

I'm holding out hope, but it's looking realllly SLOW right now. And "slow" plus "FTC's track record" makes me really uncomfortable with truly celebrating this inarguably cool resuscitation of DC MEGO WGSH.

But, it is (to reiterate) inarguably (in my book) cool they're giving it a shot.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

That makes a nice bumper sticker slogan, but without the figures, I just don't "feel it"...this slow-going on the WGSH branch of FTC's stuff accentuates that this is the worst time for me (personally) to be a Mego fan. How long is it going to take to reach a goal that Mattel blasted out of the gate with? And I'm supposed to trust that this slow-going is a sign of their being careful? They have no other proven lines that lasted more than a few waves without a good amount of reuse (KISS).

And whether I'm focused on my own collecting personal goals or not... I'm gonna be skeptical of this WGSH-resurgence line of being nothing more than a fizzled-out tease whose only contribution to the "Mego WGSH redux" is the Bat characters, possibly the core Titans and possibly Green Arrow, Supes and few strays.... with one of the few new figures being good ol' Alfred the butler who serves an actual superhero.

If they ACTUALLY come through with a notable amount of WGSH waves, then the best time to be a Mego fan will be in 2016. And the second best time will have been the 70s---as far as I'm concerned.
^^^That's MY take on this quite familiar mantra being repeated the last few months.^^^

Personally I think there's no satisfying some of you. I mean if you had told us even a year ago that we would already have 2 waves of near-prefect WGSH Mego replicas and were weeks/days away from getting a Batman 66 wave and TITANS not only near perfect Mego replicas of existing characters but new ones like Alfred, Gordon, Hawkman, Flash, etc etc etc, I think everyone here would have said it would be a dream come true. Yet there's so much hand-wringing here that it's honestly hilarious to read it.

Oh they are taking too long to make them! Oh they are making them TOO FAST...quality will suffer! I want to see more figures, when will they announce something besides Bats?!? No, they are announcing too many figures, they'll never make them all!

Good grief, seriously guys. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. The really funny/sad part is that when we are sitting here in August having had another 3-4 waves of figures out by then there will STILL be people complaining. About....something.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

Personally - I love the Alfred figure and other that might be made, Jimmy Olsen, Lois lane etc..
I hope to see these non hero figures thrown in every few waves.

Alfred is perfect, and it sounds like they are working on a more 'serious' sculpt for the new Batman and Robin figures that will match his sculpt. Hopefully something similar to the head sculpt for the 12" magnetic figures.

I suppose they decided to focus on Batman WGSH figures first because they want to focus on the 66 line early. But I don't think they are going to get maximum excitement for this effort till they break into the Superman and JLA figures. If they do that and stay on a consistent schedule of releasing a new wave every 1-2 months then it will be perfect.