Well, thanks to the Topps partnership, I'm officially out.

[PNGwynne]

Ten thousand? Hasn't the Mego benchmark usually been 4-5 thousand collectors? Has the resurgent Mego Corp doubled the community?

[sprytel]

The 9" Playmates line never made Worf in his yellow uniform. They made one in his Klingon armor and one in his DS9 uniform. If Mego wants to release a retail version of Worf, it is not hard to imagine them doing one of those.

Alternately, I have no idea how well the TNG line has been selling. I suppose it is entirely possible that Mego has looked at the sales for Picard, Riker, Data, Q, Borg, pre-sales for Geordi... and determined the sales aren't strong enough to support a retail release. If so, given the choice between releasing Worf as a Topps Exclusive and just letting the line die, I'd choose the exclusive.

Either way, this whole "if I can't have all of them, what's the point" debate doesn't make sense to me. I'm sure we all suspect the TNG line will skip Troi and Crusher (not to mention characters like Yar or Wesley). The original Mego line didn't have Sulu or Chekov and we somehow lived.

I find the whole theory that Mego could sell 10k of these at retail, but is intentionally choosing to sell 2k of them via Topps, pretty ridiculous. I may miss out on a few that I would have liked to own, but I'm just happy these figures are getting made at all.

[enyawd72]

Personally I don't think we would see some of these figures produced at all if not for the Topps deal. I do feel for our fellow collectors in Canada about the high shipping prices though.

I agree with you on some, but not heavy hitters like Shazam, Spock, etc.

[Mego-Amigo]

Personally I don't think we would see some of these figures produced at all if not for the Topps deal. I do feel for our fellow collectors in Canada about the high shipping prices though.

[enyawd72]

This will be the last I will post about this. I think this video is well done and it isn't whining at all. This is just a really frustrated passionate collector that Mego has just basically alienated and LOST AS A CUSTOMER. Don't know if he is a member here on the forum...but I have to congratulate him on how well he conducted himself in the video and how he basically laid it out there for Mego to see that it's not going to be just him that has basically said "See Ya" You tick people off like these exclusive deals have done this will be what makes the whole thing implode. And right now there is no way of fixing it with out screwing someone : The collector that thought they were getting a figure that was super limited or the passionate collector that will give up completely because they won't be able to get the figure without paying scalper prices. Only way to do it is what Playmates eventually did with boxes that were numbered and then the excess figures of the same figures with no numbering that ended up in "Dump Bins" for $5 each. Watch the video, it's only 15 Minutes long:

This is spot on. I cannot wrap my head around the fact they made TMP Spock an exclusive. Good luck selling the rest of the bridge crew in stores. Same with making Worf and exclusive and Geordi a regular release? WHO is making these decisions?

[TRDouble]

I doubt there’s 10,000 collectors.

LOL! That's the first thing I saw and thought the same thing.

All I will add to this thread is that the retail landscape and the collector's mentality has changed a lot over the years, so it's not really far to compare to the Playmates Seven of Nine fiasco. There was a time when we had specialty toy stores like Toys R Us and Kay Bee Toys. Then there were stores that carried many items that also catered to the collector, like Media Play, GameStop, Electronic Boutique and to a degree, Borders Bookstore. The toy aisles at Walmart and Target were robust, and K-Mart and Ames still had enough of a market to get the latest toys.

Now? FYE still exists from the ashes of Media Play, and there is a decent selection of collector items. Same with GameStop, but with a much smaller and shrinking footprint of collector items. And both stores have more Funko POP! than anything else.

Toys R Us? Gone. Kay Bee Toys? Gone. Borders? Gone, and Barnes & Noble is mostly Funko and junk, so they did not fill the void. K-Mart? Basically gone. And even before the pandemic, the toy aisles at Walmart and Target weren't what they used to be, even though they try to have their little collector areas. Now they can be bare for months.

Toy manufacturers had to find a way to get items into customers hands because the retail outlets were shrinking, The loss of Media Play helped kill a lot of small niche companies. Sideshow Toys went from selling figures for well under $100 at Media Play to selling direct and through online e-tailers for $150 and much more. Funko is EVERYWHERE, even 7-Eleven, yet you can buy some of their items from their website. Even a giant like Hasbro sells directly to the consumer items that you can find at Target and Walmart, and independent stores like BBTS and Mego Museum-sponsor Entertainment Earth. But Hasbro also sells exclusives that you can only get from THEIR website. Same with Funko, who also has many retailer and e-tailer exclusives; good luck getting the all.

I suspect Mego could do the same, except it has been said that they don't want to sell direct. So instead, they have partnered up with another e-tailer to create online exclusives, like a lot of other toy and collectible companies. It's not perfect. The shipping to Canada is an issue. Topps could probably do better with shipping costs in the USA too. Topps Mego figures are available every Monday for a week, with a limit moved from 2 to 5 per person. Hasbro and Funko have exclusives that are available until they are sold out... except, sometimes they sell out within seconds of going live. If you are lucky enough to nab one, you nab it and pay shipping, then go back in to grab lesser items... and pay shipping again. Anyone here who has collected over the years has heard, if not experienced, the fun of MattyCollector.

So it's not just Mego "screwing over the collectors". All the companies do it. Some better, some worse. Someone is going to get ticked off. I was ticked off when I got the Mattel DCUC Wonder Twins, but Gleek was only offered to attendees at SDCC. I was ticked off last year when Funko offered a Black Lightning POP! on their website only and it sold out in seconds. I stomped my feet, ranted online (about the Gleek), then moved on. Funny thing was, someone started selling Gleeks online; they were bootlegs from China, but I didn't care, and I got one. Earlier this week, Funko re-released the POP! Black Lightning, but with powered up eyes. The box will be different too, but that's fine with me, as I just want what's inside. It doesn't always work out that way -- if the Topps uniformed Worf never sees the light of day again, I get why people would dump their existing Mego TNG figures, seeing them as always incomplete.

I don't think anyone is totally "fine" with these things. But the toy collecting landscape has changed and everyone is doing these things, albeit a little differently. I still question the selection of Worf (and I don't work for Mego; maybe sales and pre-sales of TNG figures are soft), but we might not have a Mego Kor or Ra's Al Ghul if not for the Topps deal. I might not have Marvel's Hellfire Club, if not for Hasbro Pulse. And until recently, I wouldn't have had the coolest Halloween display at my job without MatteyCollector and their Ghostbusters line.

[Blue Meanie]

This will be the last I will post about this. I think this video is well done and it isn't whining at all. This is just a really frustrated passionate collector that Mego has just basically alienated and LOST AS A CUSTOMER. Don't know if he is a member here on the forum...but I have to congratulate him on how well he conducted himself in the video and how he basically laid it out there for Mego to see that it's not going to be just him that has basically said "See Ya" You tick people off like these exclusive deals have done this will be what makes the whole thing implode. And right now there is no way of fixing it with out screwing someone : The collector that thought they were getting a figure that was super limited or the passionate collector that will give up completely because they won't be able to get the figure without paying scalper prices. Only way to do it is what Playmates eventually did with boxes that were numbered and then the excess figures of the same figures with no numbering that ended up in "Dump Bins" for $5 each. Watch the video, it's only 15 Minutes long:

[Liu Bei]

So Mego ticks off 10,000 collectors or more (Sorry Canada) to make those 1000 Topps collectors happy??!!?? Does that make sense??!!?? It sure as hell isn't a way to do business and KEEP that business. And on the point that you will see these down the road but slightly different...Then it isn't the same figure that was offered to Topps now is it.

No, it isn’t. But if collectors get upset because a phaser was a different color, or the packaging had a slight variant, well, then quite frankly the fault lies with the collector, not the manufacturer.

I have a problem with exclusives if it’s a situation where the figure is never offered to the general consumer. If they want to do a limited run, and then release a similar figure to mass market with different accessories, packaging, or color scheme, I’m more than fine with that.

I think the shipping issue is a legit grievance. But the argument there should never be exclusives ever under any circumstance I can’t agree with completely. But, as I said, these figures will be available to the public, so it’s a moot point.

[CrimsonGhost]

I doubt there’s 10,000 collectors.

[Blue Meanie]

Guys, most if not all of these figures will make their way to retail. They may not be exactly the same as what you’re seeing now (Taylor, for example, will almost certainly go to mass retail in his astronaut suit), but they will make it.

Mego isn’t going to spend the amount of money it takes on sculpting and molds just to sell 1,000 figures on Topps’ website.

The biggest problem with collectors is this “got to get them all and got to get them now” mentality. Be patient. I promise these things will hit retail, even if it’s just different packaging.

So Mego ticks off 10,000 collectors or more (Sorry Canada) to make those 1000 Topps collectors happy??!!?? Does that make sense??!!?? It sure as hell isn't a way to do business and KEEP that business. And on the point that you will see these down the road but slightly different...Then it isn't the same figure that was offered to Topps now is it. Seems to me this is preying on the "Collectors Mentality" and taking in 2 times what the figure would normally be at retail. If everyone is fine with that then all the power to you. I know I don't have a tree that rains cash every Monday. Even Marvel Legends pace themselves better than Mego has and they have WAYYYYYY more characters that they can do then Mego does. But this has been the problem from the get go. Again, for another topic altogether.

[Spyweb007]

Guys, most if not all of these figures will make their way to retail. They may not be exactly the same as what you’re seeing now (Taylor, for example, will almost certainly go to mass retail in his astronaut suit), but they will make it.

Mego isn’t going to spend the amount of money it takes on sculpting and molds just to sell 1,000 figures on Topps’ website.

I believe this also, there are a lot of details that Mego, or any company really, cannot reveal about future plans. I think the people at Mego have a good idea of what we as consumers want and do listen to our feedback, but can't always spill the beans even if they have a plan to satisfy our concerns.

[Liu Bei]

Well, I'm late to the party. I just learned about this Topps exclusivity. I learned about Worf and was going to order. Then I learned about the Kor and TMP Spock I missed. I am disappointed and frustrated right now. I'm somewhat considering if I even want to bother with Mego Trek figures going forward. I was going to go ahead and order Worf, but now I'm thinking of just skipping it, cancelling my orders at BBTS that haven't come in yet, and just calling my Mego Trek set complete. It just doesn't seem worth it to have to mess around with this Topps store which I'd otherwise have absolutely no reason to ever shop at beyond arbitrary Mego exclusives.

Time for some reflection on my part and what goals I have for my Mego Trek figures going forward. I already have the core TOS crew, and was only lukewarm on getting the TNG crew anyway. I have my TWOK Kirk, Spock, and Khan like I always wanted. I've now missed one of my key absolute MUST HAVE figures in Kor. If this is the business route the company wants to go with, then I need to ask myself if I have any real desire to continue.

Guys, most if not all of these figures will make their way to retail. They may not be exactly the same as what you’re seeing now (Taylor, for example, will almost certainly go to mass retail in his astronaut suit), but they will make it.

Mego isn’t going to spend the amount of money it takes on sculpting and molds just to sell 1,000 figures on Topps’ website.

The biggest problem with collectors is this “got to get them all and got to get them now” mentality. Be patient. I promise these things will hit retail, even if it’s just different packaging.

[LonnieFisher]

I love all the negativity. Such a good time to be a Mego collector...

[Gabriel]

Well, I'm late to the party. I just learned about this Topps exclusivity. I learned about Worf and was going to order. Then I learned about the Kor and TMP Spock I missed. I am disappointed and frustrated right now. I'm somewhat considering if I even want to bother with Mego Trek figures going forward. I was going to go ahead and order Worf, but now I'm thinking of just skipping it, cancelling my orders at BBTS that haven't come in yet, and just calling my Mego Trek set complete. It just doesn't seem worth it to have to mess around with this Topps store which I'd otherwise have absolutely no reason to ever shop at beyond arbitrary Mego exclusives.

Time for some reflection on my part and what goals I have for my Mego Trek figures going forward. I already have the core TOS crew, and was only lukewarm on getting the TNG crew anyway. I have my TWOK Kirk, Spock, and Khan like I always wanted. I've now missed one of my key absolute MUST HAVE figures in Kor. If this is the business route the company wants to go with, then I need to ask myself if I have any real desire to continue.

[Blue Meanie]

Sorry if this comes off as a rant, because it isn't meant to, but I really have to vent my disappointment at the Topps partnership, and how
the exclusivity of it has already ruined it for me in less than a month.

Hear me out...

I've collected a majority of the new MEGO figures, primarily the Universal and Hammer monsters, Star Trek, modern horror, and DC, with some one-offs like Rocketeer and Willy Wonka.
I currently own around 60 figures, and the plan was to get started on the Apes and Ultraman series.

I was eagerly awaiting picking up Cornelius, Zaius, Caesar, and Ursus, but with the announcement of Taylor and Zira being Topps exclusives, now I'm not going to bother.
Why? It's pretty simple. Though I try to keep up with stuff as it comes out, life happens, so it's not always possible.

This past couple weeks my car's engine caught fire, my wife's car needed repairs, and we had to fix our central air, which cost us a total of almost $3,000. Because of this I had to skip the Topps DC and Trek figures.
In the past, this would never be an issue, because if I had to skip picking up any new Megos, I always knew I could still get them several months later for pretty much the same price as new.

That has now all gone out the window. Resellers are already taking advantage of the exclusivity of the Topps partnership and selling the figures for ridiculous prices on eBay. As much as $69 each.
I can't afford to keep up with that, so as a result, I'll be buying a lot less than previously. I like complete sets of characters, and if I can't grab the main characters from certain lines, I'm not interested in picking up the rest.
I could have probably skipped Black Adam, but Shazam was a must, as was TMP Spock. Same with Taylor. These are key characters that should never have been offered as limited exclusives IMO.

I firmly believe doing so will eventually kill interest in collecting certain lines as people are unable to complete them.
Going forward I'll only be collecting the Universal and Hammer monsters, because I just can't keep up.
That means I'll likely sell off 60-70% of what I've already bought.
So much for "collect them all"...it was fun while it lasted.

PREACH! I've been saying this since the Pulse deal. You want to KILL any toyline, do exclusives. One other thing that should be mentioned is this : If I was a seller like Frank Wojo or any of the other "Big Time" Mego sellers that are basically doing ALL OF THE LEGWORK for Mego...I'd be SUPER ****ED. Mego is basically cutting their noses off to spite their face. These sellers have been getting figures into people hands, because Megos Marketing is THAT BAD, and they basically got the FU from Mego because they can't even offer these figures to their customers. I'd say they should get together a union...but we know how much Marty doesn't care for unions. If you don't know that story just google Brentwood Warehouse Lawsuit Mego and see what comes up 6th article down from the top.

It's sad to see how much potential they have yet they can't do Market Research, or don't want to do Market Research, with all the new TV series based on Indy Comic Book Characters etc. Forget about Marvel and DC...but that is for another discussion.