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To say that I’m very happy that FTC exists would be to understate the actual passion and gratitude that I feel. However, the fact that this particular topic of conversation has been ongoing for years speaks to the fact that it’s much more complicated than that. As much as I’m thrilled to be able to realize so many fantasy projects employing the vast library of colorful accessories that FTC provides, I also find myself frequently irritated by the minutia of their perceived mistakes. By contrast, the affection I (and many of us) hold for Paul Clarke/Dr Mego, permits a much wider universe of credit for allowances. I think it’s fair to say that FTC is suffering from a simple PR problem. -
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Currently FTC has two different muscular bodies, fist-fighting bodies, bodies with peg attachments for custom gloves and boots, skinny bodies, female bodies, fat bodies, the China made bodies, and others with various color options. Plus you can get them in 6 inch, 8 inch, or 12 inch scales. You can buy a ton of backer cards separately, individual heads, costume pieces, and the clam shells to house them after you get done customizing. If you like the figures complete from the factory, but you want a different price option from the packaged version, they sell many of those loose. Plus they give away free merchandise for purchases from $30, $50, $100, even $500. You simply select it from their options and include it with your checkout.
I've bought a ton of product from them and while no one ever bats a perfect 10, I've been fortunate enough to be pleased more often than not by what I get. If something was wrong with my order or something was defective, the company has been hassle free in making those areas right. I think we've all been around the block long enough to know there isn't a company out there that makes the perfect figure every time in construct, licensing, or packaging. There's not something we wouldn't all fine tune if we could snap our fingers like Thanos.
Opinions come free and like the law of averages, I tend to throw out the lows with the highs and consider the actual consensus to reside somewhere in between. Like most things I think constructive feedback is welcome and helpful in assessing a product's appeal. So when someone says they didn't like the way something was made on a figure, I think it's feedback worth reading. Where that feedback loses it's value is when people feel inclined to "read minds" at the company and assume their disappointment was intended and planned because FTC "doesn't care." I've met them and it's hard not to walk away thinking they're all in because they love the hobby. You see it on their office walls, on their desks, and in the boardroom where I saw prototypes, notes, feedback, and design ideas on bulletin boards with presentations drawn out. It's not like these guys are detached business men with no actual regard for the craft and are simply here to pilfer the Mego community. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Why doesn't FTC change bands on some of their eight inch bodies? Maybe because that's not the majority feedback they get. We have allot of customizers on this forum that need bodies a certain way for their projects and the way they display their collections. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. But we also have people who are taking the heads off the new 2018 Mego bodies and putting them on different ones with adapters just for personal preference too. In addition we have people who buy the other FTC bodies for their projects to replace damaged Mego bodies (like the Hulk or Thing) or create new characters. So there's allot of variables out there that could factor into why some of those ideas have not been implemented.
But I think their offerings really speak to the idea that if you want just the figure, or parts of the figure (be it heads,clothes,accessories), or even some of the packaging, they give people allot of options to buy at the price point they desire to get what they want. And those offerings don't exist unless they're listening and trying to expand their product line to make it more inclusive to the needs and budgets of anyone who would want it.Leave a comment:
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I was on board with FTC until I bought about 20 of their figures and they were horribly cheaply made, almost knock off quality. Then they raised the prices. Those two issues did me in. I don't hate FTC, don't know them at all, and if they upped the quality and lowered the price to match what Mego 2.0 is doing ..I'd be back in. For me it's ALL about the price and quality.
I do think some people can't handle other people's opinions. Often people are called trolls simply because they are critical. Everyone's opinion is equally valid no matter if it's critical or positive. It's all about the collective opinion of the general audience or market. A company needs to know if 30% of their possible market is unhappy with their product, if they paid attention to it and adapted it would only be a win/win.Last edited by jayraytee; Aug 23, '18, 1:24 PM.Leave a comment:
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Your 66 collection is very cool, and I kind of figured you did some upgrading, which can be fun if your not spending
more money then you should to do it, did you consider restringing the FTC bodies instead of body transferring?
Either way you have a great 66 line up with the added bonus of Commish Gordon and False Face, Freze gun and umbrella.Leave a comment:
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Well, I did have to upgrade all my 66 figures (with all new bodies,added custom accessories,extra paint apps, correct apparel pieces,etc) So,What you see in that picture is not exactly what you get from FTC....But, I had a blast fixing and trying to make this the best collection it can be because it deserved to be. That said, they are still good as they are.
Also,I agree that this is the best 66 Batman toy figure line ever made. Funko blew their chance to compete with their 4" figures that lasted only one wave, which funko is typically known for. The One wave wonder toy companyLeave a comment:
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There are a few quibbles with the Batman 66 line, but man, looking at that up above, it's not only hands down the most impressive Batman 66 toy line we've ever gotten (and let's be honest we'll EVER get) but it's also probably the nicest collection of any "Mego" line. Apes was nice, Trek was good, love me some WGSH, but FTC's 66 line is probably better than any of them. The quality on them, the depth of the line, the vast assortment of available things to collect.
It's really impressive when you sit back and really examine it.
Now if only we could all get that cool Gordon figure!Leave a comment:
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The Batman '66 line is pretty great...my only complaints are as follows:
Too many silly variant versions such as Alfred as security guard, Batman and Robin tied to tables and the wave of Batman,Robin,Alfred and Penguin in bags. Yet variants that are actually cool like Jockey Penguin, Pasha Mad Hatter, Catwoman (Eartha) as Queen Bess, Eli's Mr. Freeze, Mayor Penguin, Elephant Gas Mask Riddler and Screen Test Batman are still MIA.
No Batmobile really stinks especially after the release of the great Batcave they just released. Even a '66 pimped Mego Batmobile would be nice.
The women in the line leave very little to be desired. Eartha is almost white, Batgirl is ugly as all hell with a cape that is 4 inches too long. All 3 (Catwomen, and Batgirl) have messy hair and Batgirl's hair is way too long and curly. All 3 also suffer from unplayable bodies that can't even be posed. I think these would have looked a bit better with non rooted hair too. Barbara Gordon is a perfect example of that, no messy hair. Imagine the other three in a nice realistic hairstyle that the actresses actually wore. The likeness just isn't there with the messy rooted hair.Leave a comment:
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