New KISS Monster Album series...

[MIB41]

Went into a local novelty store today and finally got to see both the 8 inch and 12 inch Sonic Boom Figures in person. The first thing that struck me was just how HUGE the packaging is for the 12 inch. Jeez. If you thought the backer cards were over-sized on the 8 inch...whew. They have nothing on the 12 inch. Just massive. One heck of a space killer. I liked the head sculpts on the 12 inch. I thought they had something there. But the deal killer was the hair. It's completely straight and girlie doll like on all of them. My wife was with me and even said, "Oh that hair looks like a Barbie. Why didn't they style it like the 70's figures?" The outfits looked pretty good on the 12 inch too. The 8 inch figures on the other hand had nothing going for them. Gene's head looked warped in the temple region (mold defect maybe) and Paul's head had spiked hair (AGAIN) for bangs. Eric's "Cat Man" looked probably the best, but I had no interest in that era. And Tommy just looked weird with the smirk expression on his face. But the head sculpts on the 12 inch figures showed the company is moving in the right direction. They have someone working for them now who is really bring their "A" game. But for the KISS license, the rooted hair remains a big negative for me. It just ruins whatever the sculpt has going for it and ultimately wrecks the look of the figure. It only makes sense. If you're going to give these figures rooted hair then style it so it looks correct. Why else have rooted hair unless you're going for a more realistic look? Molded hair might have been a better option here if they couldn't get it right the other way.

[megokissface]

The scale on the head looks bad but I can over look that for Sonic Boom. Im getting Gene on the 12 in scale to transform him into Destroyer Gene with customized dragon boot sleeves and a new codpiece. Im hoping a Dynasty set and Eric Carr figure will come out. It's nice to know I wasnt the only one whom missed out in the 70's on these Megoesque re-issues. I recall my mother couldnt buy these for me and I never forgot them when I held them at a local store back in 1979. It was tough to walk out without them and knowing my mom couldnt afford them because we didnt have much money. I know own about 14 of these figures with only 1 being an Ebay Gene original. The second wave were nice and I bought all the 8inch ones but skipped the 12inch...too expensive!!! Im really happy that CTVT took it upon themselves to redo them again...in spit of the later versions and their shortcomings. I guess, I'm like you since Im not interested in Tommy Thayer nor Eric Singer at all...the Thayer figures remind me of Herman Munster in Ace makeup...creepy

[mego]

For me, KISS was my favorite band as a kid. I got into 'em when I was just a wee 5 or 6 year old and it started with the cards. Before my brother and I ever knew what KISS sounded like, we knew who each member was. That's pretty brilliant marketing!!! The records followed soon thereafter. My musical tastes quickly moved beyond KISS, but their records from 1974-1979 still hold up and get the occasional spin from me today. I kinda partially follow the band's activities online out of curiosity, but haven't even been tempted to buy any of their recent albums.
The re-mego KISS dolls were a dream come true for me, because I practically lusted after these things since I was a kid. Growing up, it was difficult to even see a picture of what the whole KISS doll set looked like (before the internet age). We had Gene, but none of the others. I recall having dreams about finding all four of these dolls... that's how nerdy I was about these Despite the problems with the first and second wave, they are still pretty cool. They maintain that important throw-back look. The second set (first album series) did change the retro boot design to a molded rubber boot, which does detract from the retro-look, but they are still pretty cool. The important thing that works so well with series 1 & 2 is the heads. Those original and very recognizable heads were modified only slightly for the second wave, but there's still some noticeable distinctions. Paul's hair is more curly (best paul hair so far) and his forehead looks less awkward that series 1. Gene's is the most noticeable with the modified mouth (the tongue was removed). Ace's head has different (and far superior) hair, including some silver streaks. Peter's face paint is all new.
The Sonic Boom series head sculpts are wrong on several levels.
1. Scale. The size is a very important factor in how these figures look. The new head sculpts are far too big. Even a little too big is too big. There is no excuse for issuing a figure with scale issues.
2. Style. The new head sculpts are too detailed and attempt to be too real looking. Mego dolls are not sculpture, they are the action figure version of the real thing, which is why the original heads work and why they fit perfectly in the Mego universe. The new heads attempt to fix what wasn't broke. I do realize that somewhere down the line, new sculpt were required to accommodate the new members, but the step between series 2 and 3 is too large. The figures don't even look like they're part of the same line.
The clothing for the SB and Monster figures seems to fit the retro mold, but then again, who cares about the current line up of this band??
Since I have my four figures, I'm not tempted to but these at all. Another well done set of the original group (Dynasty, Destroyer) might tempt me, but they're gonna have to look great. As I've stated before, I'm rather sour on this company as their quality is low and prices high.

[megokissface]

You speak from the heart buddy! There are thousands of us that feel the same way and feel that so much has gone wrong with the mighty KISS band that we grew up with and loved. There's only so much Gene and Paul can do now and the high school gymnasium is idea is pretty clever. When I was kid I recall getting awful comments for liking KISS and now KISS is akin to Hello Kitty? I feel like those kids in the late 70's whom left because of "I Was Made For Loving You." The crazy part is that some of us arent coming back to camp anymore. I hope Simmons and Stanley dont actually attempt to replace themselves in KISS as they have mentioned before. They already are a parody of themselves and a great selfmade coverband.

[jimsmegos]

Saw some 'new' tour photos last night on facebook and I gotta tell ya... I think I've had enough of the the KISS machine. It makes me sad really. Like many here I grew up with KISS... saw them live numerous times (Asylum, Hot in the Shade, Reunion)... had a lot of fun with the magic and the music. More so the magic I think. The music was fun but honestly no albums really blown me away since Destroyer. There were still some fun tunes that they put out but nothing as complete an album as Destroyer IMO. I still would like to buy Gene and Paul a beer for all the lady fun that came from playing a cover of "Forever" back in the day. (Yes, I was a pig... but it was the hair band era, watcha gonna do?)

I really wish they would have called the make up over and done with at the end of Psycho Circus / the Farewell Tour. I really believe that had they done it that way the merchandise machine could have kept on rolling, older albums and collections could have been repackaged and re-released from now until the end of time and the guys could have road off into the sunset as Rock N Roll / Entertainment statesmen. But instead it seems more like the whole KISS machine is at best a '72 Pinto missing one hubcap, with flyers taped to the windows and a bullhorn speaker on top of it barking non stop "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Come see the greatest band in the world before the dementia sets in"

But so be it. It's their lives and creation to do with as they see fit. And I'm sure about 5 to 10 years after they do call it quits people will look back and only really care about the 70's KISS (as far as the make up goes) with everything else from the later years just disregarded and a mere 'gaff' in an otherwise entertainment power houses stellar career.

Just like Superman with no red trunks.

[MIB41]

I do want to add that I was a big KISS fan in the 70's and 80's. Loved them with and without the makeup AND with different members like Carr and Kulick. The wife and I saw them twice on their "farewell" tour and it felt like a good time for them to retire. At that point, they could still get away with it, but the cracks were certainly showing. But that was also the time when Paul Stanley got divorced and his ex-wife absolutely reamed him out of his money made from the reunion and the subsequent support he had to provide. So there will always be a part of me which believes THAT was the initial reason why they did an about-face, continued on with replacements, and started going anywhere to any place that would have them. I had also read Stanley actually gave up his stake in KISS for a period of time to Simmons while the divorce played out so future earnings could not get applied on a support basis. But whatever the reason, they quit being the band I knew and enjoyed. And where before they seem to have a standard as to what they would do, nothing is off limits now. They'll play at carnivals, put their image on Hello Kitty products, and just wh*re themselves out to whomever will have them. And when they started putting records out again, there was no market for them. As a matter of fact, sales for both those albums (Sonic and Monster combined) didn't even match what Psycho Circus sold when the band was in it's reunion mode. These days Stanley wears a BAD wig, promotes cruise shows, appears on Dancing with the Stars, and can no longer hold a vocal note due to the over-touring. I'm actually waiting for the band to go on a high school gymnasium tour and call it their "biggest tour yet". Their just a parody of themselves now. And I can't buy into that stuff. And while I'm no longer invested in their current projects, I would certainly not advocate no one else do that. These are just my opinions for myself. Music is a very personal choice. So there will never be a "right" or "wrong" reason to like (or not like) a band if it works for you. That's all that matters.

[megokissface]

Im with you on your statments as well. I dont think Gene and Paul give a sh*t about their fans! Eddy Trunk put it best when he mentioned that it was a slap in the face to have two fakes parading around in Ace and Peter's makeup to make money! It is a slap in the face when you have stood by and bought their albums,shown your love and support for 3 decades going on almost 4. Such an act pretty much tells you that Gene and Paul never had any respect for the band's legacy,history,impact and those of us who stood by. The Farewell Tour was my first and EVER KISS show and it was to me beyond a concert,it was a pilgrimage to see these magnificent guys. I will never forget that concert since I still have the ticket stubs,the confetti,the tourbook and tshirt. I just never in my wildest dreams ever imagined one day Gene and Paul would DARE to create a FAKE Ace and Peter. Im amazed Gene hasnt gone after Eric Carr's makeup to pass it of some roadie or janitor to stick behind the drumkit! Just SAD...to see my childhood heroes do such nonesense. Life is short indeed and Im happy to know Peter had beaten cancer! Long LIVE the legacy of KISS no matter what terrible stuff Gene and Paul try to do it!

[megokissface]

As much as I have loved KISS I fully agree with your statement 100%. The KISS Army now is divided,weak and fragmented by the dillusion that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are the sole owners of KISS' once rich history and legacy. You get criticized by fans that will sadly argue with if you disagree with Gene and Paul sad direction of the band both artistically and image wise. I altogether stopped buying any of their new albums,stopped attending their concerts and lost a great deal of respect in the last few years due in part because of the merchandising and their scams. I doubt that anyone could have afforded a $4000 coffee table book. I feel sad for the overpriced meet and greets,cruise trips and sillyness just to see Gene Simmons,Paul Stanley and two complete frauds wearing Ace and Peter's makeup. It got to be a sad spectacle to see them trash Peter and Ace but not make bones about using their likeness to make money. I still buy the figures here and there however, I buy shop my support for Ace and Peter by buying stuff from their websites. It's so sad to see Gene and Paul end KISS this way.

[noelani72]

...It's a travesty how much these individuals prey on their fan base. $1,500.00 for ONE person to attend a meet & greet for fifteen minutes? $4,500.00 for a coffee table-sized book? $1500.00 to $3,000.00 for one person to occupy a room on a "KISS" cruise....

I see both sides of you guys and agree in both courts....but you hit the nail on the head for me...you just beat me to putting it into text.
KISS is one of those things that is in my heart...I didn't get into KISS until 1986 (8th grade) and I got Rock-n-Roll Over on vinyl.
But crap like those Meet-n-Greets...does KISS have ANY idea how bad that stings true fans who've stuck by their side for three generations?
I have a mortgage, car payments, insurance, dr bills, make a middle-class wage (if such a thing even exists anymore) and I still stick by their side.
Sure, i see all the marketing nonsense and roll my eyes - but it's a brand.
I was just thinking the other day that I hope KISS doesnt think they can keep going after Gene and Paul...this ain't some Menudo act who can just replace members.

Despite knowing what I know about KISS, behind the makeup - my heart will still break when any of the original four die.
It'll be an Elvis kind of thing for me...it will bother me.

We only had money a couple years ago to see them in concert - and Paul just has no voice left...
If they retired today, we would accept it.
They're just embarrassing themselves anymore it seems.

time to go put on some old vinyl and reminisce about the way it was.

[MIB41]

I think KISS has only one motivation and that is to make money. And they do it in a very unapologetic way without regard for quality or the lasting impact that brings to their name. They overstate, mislead, and otherwise manipulate the consumer solely for the purpose of validating their existence so they can continue selling product. This practice has fragmented the fan base for years. And from my perspective, it's the band that should be under the spotlight of ridicule, not the fans who fight amongst themselves. When fans get into the minutia of how the band operates, it's a pointless discussion. Because it's all predicated on your own personal justification (or gullibility) to buy into what the band says in a public forum. You're likely to find more common ground between opposing opinions about abortion than what two KISS fans can drum up.

KISS constantly prop themselves up as marketing gurus and "lecture" both media and fans on what is 'wrong' with the industry; why they 'know better'; and why everyone should follow they're example on how to "get rich". It's all complete BS. They have no more credibility than the typical con artist on television at 2 AM trying to sell "undervalued" real estate. It's a travesty how much these individuals prey on their fan base. $1,500.00 for ONE person to attend a meet & greet for fifteen minutes? $4,500.00 for a coffee table-sized book? $1500.00 to $3,000.00 for one person to occupy a room on a "KISS" cruise? And there's an additional $225.00 (per person) for taxes? And these idiots get in front of the camera and brag about it while putting their base down at the same time? There's probably no license holder in the marketplace today that has less respect for the consumer than KISS. So who's in the band, why, or for what imagined purpose other than to collect a paycheck is not a rationale I entertain. I just know you have two spokesman who will say ANYTHING about themselves or others (in a positive or negative connotation) to advance their agenda for making money. THAT is the end game. KISS cares little for who is liked or why within the band. But they will help spark that debate. Because it's all an attention getter that might make you wander out and buy their product. "Old KISS", "New KISS", whatever. They don't care. As long as you've found justification to open your wallet.

[huedell]

We have a difference of opinion Huedell. It no more makes you an 'authority' on the band, than it offers insight into who I am or what I think of the band. You can believe what you want. That debate is probably best served for second graders on a KISS forum. Go buy these dollies and "educate" those kids about the latest and greatest KISS business model. I doubt anyone above the age of 7 could take you seriously.

Well, no one UNDER the age of seven would understand a "spiteful" act because you have to be a bit wiser regarding that. However, I am sure there are MANY seven
year olds (and younger) that don't know OR care who Peter or Ace is because all they care about is a kitty cat and a spaceman (and godspeed to them).

I never claimed I was an "authority" on KISS or their business model... however, you are correct in that we we DO share a difference in opinion... mostly that it is my opinion that two 60-somethings have a lot of other tasks and motivations in their lives to make merchandise decisions other than with with the mindset of a spiteful second grader.

Funny thing though. Many KISS fans would say that you, MIB41 would be very well onto something with your ideas. But I think that says something more about the hot-blooded KISS fanbase than it does about logic.

I do also believe that the KISS fanbase, with these second-grade scenarios flying fast when a new "dollie" is released do more to spread such negative mindsets and behavior whatever the case on how KISS do business. It just sets a bad tone. It's no wonder KISS is THE premiere "man-child band" on the planet because the WWF-minded fans keep the embers going through all eras.

It's a shame and it drives me away from KISS in many respects.

[MIB41]

KISS fans like yourself seem to take things in a spiteful nature in these cases. I wonder why that is. It's a business move to incorporate Tommy/Eric over the old guys as full-blooded KISS members and the new albums as "legit" KISS albums, not a spiteful move by a couple of second graders. Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant by the "rub" thing?

We have a difference of opinion Huedell. It no more makes you an 'authority' on the band, than it offers insight into who I am or what I think of the band. You can believe what you want. That debate is probably best served for second graders on a KISS forum. Go buy these dollies and "educate" those kids about the latest and greatest KISS business model. I doubt anyone above the age of 7 could take you seriously.

[megokissface]

iT SEEMS YOU GUYS HAVE FANTASTIC POINTS! I dont see them selling as much product with Eric and Tommy's likeness because really, does anyone want those two? The answer is, HELL NO! The quality is not very good,the costumes on Sonic Boom are absolutely horrible except for Gene. I am getting Gene as the 12inch ONLY to transform him into Destroyer Gene by changing his codpiece and making Dragon Scale boot shields. His head is pretty huge for a doll though but I can live with it. Having Monster released so soon was a mistake. The album didnt do that great no matter what some people are saying. I work at a record shop and we only sold about 9 copies which is PATHETIC! My manager didnt even bother ordering more and was listed now as a special order item by coorporate. If all the buzz is correct and the Dressed to KILL figures are sculpted by the legendary Farrow, then I will find a way to get the 12inch figures. I have seen his rock figures and his work is simply stunning,true breathtaking works of arts! If CTVT bothers to make nonmakeup KISS figures then that will destroy the toyline because KISS has ZERO appeal to anyone without makeup as a toy. If CTVT toys continues this way then the only upside will be having them drown in unsold KISS dolls at rock bottom prices. If that happens I will buy multiples and make the damn costumes myself from scratch. The only thing that I dont understand is the following: Where in the world did CTVT come up with Gene blood splattered variants? Did they open the products to slap some paint on them? This would require them to open the clamshells and do this by hand....very puzzling to me.

[huedell]

The problem is mom and dad aren't likely to shell out $300.00 for a set of 12 inch KISS figures. Even still, the kids are more of the plastic action figure generation. So I doubt they would find much interest in these retro styles. I think this was just another rub Paul and Gene wanted to make on Ace and Peter so these figures had to be part of the deal with CTVT. They likely thought KISS collectors would buy them up. I'm not seeing anyone rushing out to get them.

KISS fans like yourself seem to take things in a spiteful nature in these cases. I wonder why that is. It's a business move to incorporate Tommy/Eric over the old guys as full-blooded KISS members and the new albums as "legit" KISS albums, not a spiteful move by a couple of second graders. Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant by the "rub" thing?

[MIB41]

Little kids of KISS fans that go to current KISS concerts are essentially centered as fans around the current (Sonic Boom/Monster) band, so I imagine that's the angle they're taking with this decision.

The problem is mom and dad aren't likely to shell out $300.00 for a set of 12 inch KISS figures. Even still, the kids are more of the plastic action figure generation. So I doubt they would find much interest in these retro styles. I think this was just another rub Paul and Gene wanted to make on Ace and Peter so these figures had to be part of the deal with CTVT. They likely thought KISS collectors would buy them up. I'm not seeing anyone rushing out to get them.