About those bodies...

[EMCEtoys]

Hopefully proving that the customer is always right...

As we've mentioned in the past, as the line continues, improvements will be made. We were just authorized literally minutes ago to talk about the next iteration of the Retro Action bodies.

Now, how the Mattel fiscal/calendar/production year is organized is complex and, even if I understood it, I'm not sure I'd be at liberty to discuss details because I'm sure that we'd be in violation of some form of our agreement.

But, I'm told that there is some potential room in the "next year" (and that's in quotes because I don't want anyone here thinking that it means anything other than a moving target that covers something like a year -- so, anyone who comes back on January 1st or exactly 365 days from now and gets mad because something hasn't been changed yet automatically earns a hit on the head with a giant styrofoam prop hammer) to make some tweaks to the base body.

When we have our meetings with our clients, a good chunk of the time is spent on feedback from customers. The bodies have always been a topic of discussion.

So, at the risk of opening the floodgates, we've been authorized to pool together comments and suggestions about the bodies for consideration.

I've said before that these figures are not "made to order" but by golly this is as close as anyone will ever get with a major manufacturer like Mattel. And God bless them for being as open as they are.

So be nice, be precise and constructive and try not to turn this thread into a yelling match.

Or recommending that the team responsible shoot themselves (yeah, I heard).

And there's no guarantee that all or any of the comments will actually make it into the next version of the body.

Ready? Have at it!

[HardyGirl]

Please make the lower torsos bigger, the bodies tighter so thy can stand straight and the arms not so tight, as they are hard to move. Also, please give Wonder Woman hands more like Cheetah (the open ones just don't look right).

Thank you.

[rche]

The biggest problem that needs to be addressed is the pelvic joint. That is the weakest link and what is responsible for the odd stance and floppiness of the figures. There have been a few reconstructs illustrated on these boards where a larger pelvis from original Mego or eMCe body have been used along with the Matty torso, arms, and legs which dramatically improve the figures stance and standing ability.

For a first step, I would suggest using the existing pelvis mold that was made for the Green Arrow figures ONLY. This mold differs from the one used with the wave 1 and on figures. It has a connecting pin in the center of it with the large (female) side of the connector towards the FRONT of the pelvis. The mold for the wave 1 and beyond pelvis has the larger side of this pin at the rear (buttocks side) of the pelvis which automatically pushes the figure forward into a stooping lurch. This quick fix would make the line much more livable and play value for kiddos is better there as well.

If Mattel were to use that GA pelvis for the existing runs until any changes were made to the existing body and keep the stringing tight enough to hold the figure upright, I think you would halve the amount of body complaints right there. Then, if some sort of change were implemented for the pelvis and perhaps a mild tweak of the knee joint, Mattel would have a very serviceable 8" body to use for these lines.

thanks for listening

[Mister Kennedy]

Do away with the rubber band system. You can recreate the look of the MEGO body without the rubber bands.

[EMCE Hammer]

A retooled pelvis and torso section would be a great start. I don't know how far they want to go, but I'd start there and then move on to revamping the stringing process.

[spamn]

It's great to hear that they are interested in changing the body. Very great news!!!!

In addition to the things below, I'd like to see swivel biceps.

I'd show them the Zica body and Heroes in Action Body for good examples of Mego-like non-rubber band bodies. (They don't have to duplicate the HIA double-pinned knees, though). The rubber bands are not essential to the bodies for me.

Ok.
The upper part of the thigh need to be more like a ball, not and egg. Just look at one of Paul's and see how smooth that leg pivots up in the pelvis. That needs to be retooled. The bowlegged look can also be fixed as the pevlis and upper legs are retooled. This really needs to be done to improve the movement and stay in a fixed pose that involves the legs. The way it is tied also needs to be changed. This is not a cord tension issue. It does not matter how loose these are made. because the right leg is tied to the right arm, the leg will never flex upward to make the figure look like he is running(Flash) or squating to shoot an arrow(Green Arrow) Legs-tied across from each other. Pelvis tied to upper torso. Arms tied to each other.

Do away with the rubber band system. You can recreate the look of the MEGO body without the rubber bands.

I want to second these suggestions. The thigh needs a redesign. The pictured example with a Dr/Mego pelvis is as good as the legs look, but the hip-to-waist ratio is still a lot less masculine than I'd like in my superheroes, even on that much improved figure.

Redesigning the pelvis only may not fix that.

I'd also like to see the bowlegged design built into the knees go away.

[EMCE Hammer]

The whole idea is to make the body actually move better, not just stand at attention without flopping over.

Sure, if we can have both. But if we have to choose, I'd make them stand and revamp the stringing. If they would go as far as to incorporate your additional leg ideas, icing on the cake.

[The Bat]

Ok, first get rid of the "thunder Thighs"(they look awful). Second, maybe do away with the Elastics altogether...and have the Waist & the Legs Ball-jointed? That would solve the looseness problems.

[ODBJBG]

Keep the torso and arms.

Completely redesign the bottom half. The legs should be straight, not arched. Removing the rubber band system would ideally bring on other collectors and open the market as well. By putting out a "Mego" body that doesn't need the rubber bands, you would offer a more poseable body that fits the style that the fans crave.

Swivel arm above the elbow wouldn't be bad either, but it's less of a priority than anything below the torso.

[Meule]

The whole idea is to make the body actually move better, not just stand at attention without flopping over.

Actually, I'd be happy with just that

[Boywonder0]

I personally think that the Mattel Retro Action body torso, arms and pelvis aesthetically look great. I'll definitely keep that look. But the legs, man, that is another story... Thighs look too big. The other major problem with the legs is the knee articulation... It is currently slanted (skewed). It should have been horizontal to the plane the figure stands at and should not exhibit any sort of angle to that plane. Combine these two major flaws and you have the undesirable and unwanted "bowed" legs look. Mattel, why don't you tool the Retro Action body legs after your Big Jim body legs? These are great and these are your design as well. As a matter of fact, a re-scaled Big Jim body without the rubber arms and with a neck pluggable torso would have been the perfect Retro Action body.

Since the odds to fully re-tool a new body is almost none, I am pretty sure that you would be "improving" the current one. So I want to really stress the following: Please understand that the pelvis fully determines the figure standing and pose capabilities. But as it is right now, it is non functional. There has to exist friction between the pelvis and legs and also between the pelvis and torso in order for the figure to hold a posture. Currently there exists none. Even Mego has molded "rough" surfaces or spikes at these joints to address this issue. Since no friction exists between the parts the elastic bands will be pulling two pieces that will slip and never hold in place.

My feedback to Mattel is thoroughly documented and illustrated in thread entitled: Mattel Retro Action Body - Repair Tutorial - Mego Talk.

[SeattleEd]

The design is fine other than just shaving down those thighs that give the figure a bow-legged appearance and making the pelvis out of some soft thick rubber or vinyl that will give friction to the plastic torso so as to keep it from moving around.
Or keep the legs and make the pelvis a little bigger to match the symmetry of the shoulders and thighs but still make the pelvis from a soft thick rubber or vinyl.

A body part would need to be re-tooled so easier to focus on pelvis only.

Thanks for the bringing back the line.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I agree with the others who suggested getting rid of the elastic all together. I actually like the design of the bodies, but as others have said. There is nothing to hold the torso to the waist and the hip joints to the pelvis. Having a solid connector should theoretically solve the looseness.

[tllgn]

just make them emce bodies,forget about the red tape

[Orion1]

Well if you are looking for constructive criticism then here you go:

1) I would like to see swivel arm biceps so figures like Green Arrow can actually hold their bow properly and Superman can be posed with his hands on his hips.

2) I do not mind the Muscular Thighs on the Heroes it makes the figure look more Super Heroic please don't replace them with skinny "chicken legs" Also the sculpted musculature of the Torso and rest of the body is a great looking Super Hero form.

3) Fix the floppiness of the lower legs connected to the torso. The Legs should be strong enough to support the figure in a standing upright position and tight enough to allow the leg to be posed in a 90 Degree straight out kicking pose while fully clothed without the leg falling down like a rag doll. The original T2 Megos, Castaway Body, EMCE, and ZICA are able to achieve this. If you had to forgo the elastic base design to achieve this then do it.

5) I would like to see improved character logos on the chest symbols of their costumes that do not crack or peel off right out of the package. A sewn on patch of some sort like Hasbro utilized on their 12 inch DC Super Hero line would be an improvement.
6) I would like to see an improved quality of the Spandex/Lycra used for their costumes. EMCE and Classic Mego toys utilized a heaver/thicker T-shirt grade material that is of a much higher quality and durability.

7) I would like to see double sided pleather used to make the colored cuffs on the figures arms. This would eliminate the ugly white seam visible on figures such as Batman.

8) If this is supposed to be a Retro Design line then I would like to see the Classic DC Comics Oval used on the front of the card.