Any Photos Of Retro Heroes Wave 3 Yet?

[Meule]

Just curious to see if you are saying Dark Knight figures wouldn't fit in with the other retro heroes or if you are saying they don't fit the retro style?

If there were Matty exclusives that were Dark Knight themed or styled after the live action versions, do you think it would work? Perhaps if it had a new title instead of "worlds greatest retro super heroes" and it was "Worlds greatest retro movie heroes"?

Just wondering, because I think it could work.

Dark Knight doesn't fit in with the other retro heroes.
DK could easily be made into a Mego figure, pretty much anything can, but you can hardly call a movie from 2008 retro Therefor they'd have to create a completely new line. I dunno if they'd bother to do that since there's already a superhero line, but anything is possible I guess

[Meule]

ya just can't have too many BATMAN Figures!

On this I'll happily agree with you

[The Bat]

I think the concern over mixing 'generations' is a moot point. The style the figure is being produced in (8 inch scale with cloth outfit) is the "retro" effect. Whether the character was big in the 70's, 80's or later is really of no importance. And let's be honest folks. If Mattel makes a good Teen Titans line from the 80's are you REALLY going to split hairs over whether it was the 80's or the 70's? REALLY? I think not. Your going to grab that puppy and exclaim, "MINE!"

Excellent point....I agree!

[spamn]

Since I don't feel like there are enough loud advocates for the non 70s perspective here:

As a child of the 70s, Megos were my favorite childhood toy. However, I don't love them because I think the 70s are the pop culture peak of American society nor because Mego is irrevocably tied to those properties and my nostalgia for that time period. It goes beyond that for me: I like the 8" format, and Mego is synonymous with it. They invented it and popularized it. They own it.

I like Mego figures because I like the body design, articulation, and the 'feel' of the toy in my hand. I do not worship the cheap, goofy aspect of Mego, nor do I think any line of 8" figures have to strive for it to be a success. There is a difference between stylistic simplicity and poor craftsmanship. The Mattel figures are not without design flaws and unfortunate aesthetic choices. A lot of collectors seem to have fetishised Mego's tendency for the latter to the point where to please and appease them, a modern toy company should hobble itself and its capabilities solely to achieve this accidental aesthetic.

I am not in this demographic. If these figures were the DCU Classics 6" body scaled up to 8", complete with torso joint and 'floating ankles' I would be just as ecstatic for them. More for the improved articulation, less for some of the design aspects of those bodies.

Nor does my nostalgia for Mego figures extend to the desire or insistence that what should be made are only character designs that existed in the 70s, nor that the figures be limited by the level of detail that Mego did for their superhero line. The characters have continued to be in print, with great - some might say 'classic' and 'iconic' stories being told since the 70s. Should we spurn and shun a commercially made Retro Style David Tennant Dr. Who figure because he wasn't the 'classic' Doctor? That's preposterous. It's preposterous as well to spurn a Modern Nightwing figure because the 'Real' Dick Grayson is Speedo-suit Robin.

The attitude bugs me. There's more to the world than our childhood, awesome as our favorite TV shows, cartoons, and comic books seemed at the time. (Though I can't deny that a Retro-style Perez-suit Nightwing would fit right in with the Mego goofy asthetic. There's no way to make that suit look good, and it's high nostalgia factor).

What I want are 8" articulated figures with cloth outfits. And that's what we've got, in spades.

From my experience on this board and talking to fellow collectors, I don't think there a lot of people that share this philosphy in collecting, but I'd like my POV on the record as a contrast to a lot of what I'm reading on the board.

[MIB41]

Well said Spamn!

[huedell]

From my experience on this board and talking to fellow collectors, I don't think there a lot of people that share this philosphy in collecting, but I'd like my POV on the record as a contrast to a lot of what I'm reading on the board.

And, I agree with you spamn that all takes must be represnted.

As far as where "I'm" concerned, it's simply a waste of time for
MATTEL to make any characters/character suit designs than the
ones that existed circa Brone Agre (1970-1982 or so).

This is for no other reason than that is what I enjoy to collect
from customizers that I've comissioned figure projects with.
It may be crazy...but that's my personal stance.

I could get more detailed and complicated about other aspects
of this debate (quality of the body etc.)... but really,
if I were to sum up my desires for this line nice and neat in one thought,
it'd be that even if I have a yen for a HARLEY QUINN figure... that yen's
an exception to the rule, rather than my basic mindset which is:
"I'd like MATTEL to keep in mind that us lovers of WGSH
are MISSING CHARACTERS FROM OUR CHILDHOOD COLLECTIONS...and, can you please fill in the gaps."

They can do this and still cater kids with toy quality improvement
and Bronze Age characters both generations will recognize and/or enjoy...

...and they can cater to the newer DCU stuff every so often ala Yellow
Sinestro, Guy, etc...and, all in all they've done a great job fufilling
my desires... so I'm still pretty gung ho on the whole thing...

However,
if MATTEL loses their interest in reviving Bronze Age designs...I'll lose my
interest in the line and they, in turn, will lose my money.

[CrimsonGhost]

I really think, and obviously Mattel thinks so too, that the "retro" in retro figures applies to the style of the figure and not the license or character. Besides, the 80's were 20 years ago and that could certainly be considered retro.

I would see no problem with there being a Booster Gold, Lobo, Blue Devil, Harley Quinn,etc. I just hate the idea of limitations.

[MIB41]

You know it just dawned on me... Maybe we wouldn't be having this debate had they kept the 'World's Greatest Superheroes' title.

[generic]

My 2 cents:

Most of the main figures I've complained about Mego never having made are being addressed in this line: Lex Luthor, The Flash & Green Lantern were the top three on my list.

I really like the fact that The Legion of Doom has been represented as well as they have - all but one villain from the first 3 waves were members of The Legion of Doom!

I was surprised to see Black Manta, but since he's from The Legion of Doom, I think it's awesome that they made him. The Wonder Woman / Cheetah combo is also a great choice for me. Since I've always wanted a Flash and since Captain Cold was one of my favorites (plus he was in The Legion of Doom), I'm REALLY looking forward to Wave 3!

I understand the choice of Two-Face for the Batman villain (since he wasn't made by Mego and was in the last movie), but I would have preferred Scarecrow (he was in a recent movie, he was in The Legion of Doom, & Mego didn't make him). However, I also understand that he isn't as popular as Two-Face, so the decision made sense even though he wouldn't have been my first choice.

Personally, I'm not as excited about Wave 4. I've never been a Derksied fan, but I do think it's great that there is a Martian Manhunter since he's truly a main character in the JLA (and for the record, I like the green suit - it's very Mego!) I also think Shazam and Black Adam are very well done and look cool. However, these aren't as high on my personal list as more Batman characters and the rest of The Legion of Doom would have been.

Personally, these are the characters that I would want to see in Wave 5 and on:

Poison Ivy
Batgirl
Scarecrow
Solomon Grundy
Bizarro
Brainiac
Giganta
Gorilla Grodd
Toyman
Riddler
Joker

Regardless of what else is coming, I just hope that Wave 2 does well enough for Wave 3 to hit the shelves. But even if I don't see a single figure past the ones I already have, at least I now have a Lex Luthor and a Green Lantern to go with my Megos!

[SciFiGuyLA]

spamn - Well said and I totally agree. I've always thought of Retro Action referring to the style of figures and not the specific choice of characters. I prefer "classic" character choices (70s/80s) but I have absolutely no problem with more modern characters/costumes either.

On the other hand, it's too early to panic. The only "modern" characters they've introduced so far are the 2 GL Matty exclusives. But that's the purpose for exclusives, isn't it? Interesting variants and character choices that don't quite fit into the main line.

[Zatarasson]

"Since I don't feel like there are enough loud advocates for the non 70s perspective here..."

Perhaps, but the non-70's folks are pretty enthusiastic and vocal.

One thing I'm seeing with the non-70's folks, and this could be wrong...but it seems like you folks would prefer that Batman figures completely dominate the line, with lots of modern batman characters. I just couldn't disagree more. There are TONS of Batman figures out there, in virtually every style imaginable. Why should this line also be taken over by Batman? I understand that Batman fans have a lot of enthusiasm for that character and his rogue's gallery, but I'd hate to see the Mego retro line become just another Batman line. There have been Barbie Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn figures already. Of the Barbies released, Batman characters dominated that line. Ironically, it was the Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn Barbies that were the peg warmers (especially poor Poison Ivy...there were always tons of her on the left, all by her lonesome).

I want to see more characters than just Bat characters. I'd also like to see them make more seventies characters before they start going modern. There are tons of characters that Mego never got to make, and I'd like to see some of those first. What this line offers is a chance to get characters other than the same modern Batman characters that dominate virtually every single other toy line. Let's get some of the characters we didn't get in the seventies (and early eighties). Batman characters will always be there. If you want a modern Batman toy, there are literally no end to the possibilities. The same with Green Lantern. There will be tons of modern GL characters available, either because of Blackest Night/Brightest Day or the upcoming movie. why should this line also give over to those very same characters? Can we please have one line for people who want something a little different?

[PNGwynne]

Look, I doubt anyone wants a retro-Penguin more than I, and other Batman Family, too. Batman may be what sustains this line...but over-exposure will kill it just as surely. (Batman:Animated, anyone?)

And at the expense of Brainiac, Grundy, Hawkman, Plastic Man, etc.?--Heck , no!

If they can balance assortments to sustain interest, great!

Part of the problem is the large gallery of Bat-Foes--who to pair them with?

I'm of about the same mind as huedell about the era inspiring releases (I'd say 1970-to pre-crisis 1985), but Matty has already blown that with GL set.

I think that at least one Bat-Family pair per year is needed...

Let's consider:

Robin & Joker

Batgirl & Penguin

Huntress & Riddler

[PNGwynne]

I wouldn't mind a golden-age/Year One-type Batman (black & gray, original emblem) if ot would ensure another foe like ScareCrow or Ivy.

But all-black Burtonesque or armored? Yechh.

[Meule]

Look, I doubt anyone wants a retro-Penguin more than I, and other Batman Family, too.

I think that at least one Bat-Family pair per year is needed...

Let's consider:

Robin & Joker

Batgirl & Penguin

Huntress & Riddler

Yes, yes and yes

[EMCEtoys]

Just curious to see if you are saying Dark Knight figures wouldn't fit in with the other retro heroes or if you are saying they don't fit the retro style?

If there were Matty exclusives that were Dark Knight themed or styled after the live action versions, do you think it would work? Perhaps if it had a new title instead of "worlds greatest retro super heroes" and it was "Worlds greatest retro movie heroes"?

Just wondering, because I think it could work.

I should clarify -- my wish is for a "Dark Knight Returns" Milleresque figure. I don't know how we'd be able to pull off a Christian Bale style figure with all that neoprene without it looking goofy.