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So, I think it's pretty inarguable that Mattel's Retro-Action line is oriented at collectors. It appeals on a nostalgic level mainly to older collectors who are familiar with the old Mego line, but if Mattel expects this line to be a lasting success, they need to take into consideration some things they seem to have not considered.
1. Price Point - If one thing kills this line, it will probably be the price point. When Megos came out, they were like $2 and Star Wars figures were like $1. I know times have changed, but $2 in the late 70's was a far cry from $20 today. Further, I walked into a Toys R Us express today, and they had raised the price from a couple days ago from $19.99 to $21.99. They actually put another sticker right over the old price sticker. That's exactly what this line needs - to have its prices raised. Give me a break. These things FLY off the shelves at $9.99, and I'll bet more parents would buy these for their kids at that price, too, and more stores would be willing to carry them. Are these really that expensive to produce? Does Mattel really need that much of a profit that these can't always be priced more reasonably?
2. Card Condition - If these figures are collector-oriented, which they are (appealing to collectors, placed in the "Collector" aisle at Toys R Us, etc.), and the price point is at a level that Mattel expects collector's to pay, I expect to get an absolute mint, gorgeous, top-dollar package if I'm paying top-dollar cost. However, almost every package I see has damage on it. It could be from store conditions, but I would wager it has to do with the shipping conditions. First, the hang tag has been popped, then the bubble might have a small crush at the bottom, the edges of the card are all bent, etc. I walked into a Toys R Us tonight, and literally every single Sinestro and Luthor (about 5 of each) all had damaged cards. If you're asking me to pay $19.99 or more per figure, I expect to be getting a brand new, perfect condition package. This is a collector product, and the retro-packaging is part of the sell. I expect to get collector-level product for the collector-level price I'm paying. I don't know if there's a way to make the packages more durable or mark the cases they come in "Fragile" or what, but right now, I'm not thrilled. I still don't have a Luthor or Sinestro for this reason.
3. Card Design - Does anyone know why these cards are so much wider than the original Mego cards? Is it a copyright problem? Is it a legal packaging design requirement? You'd think stores would want smaller packages so these take up less shelf space. I think they would also be more accurate on narrower cards, no? Really, I wish these came in the old-style boxes. Maybe one day...
4. Chemicals - I really hope these figures don't have color-changing problems like Mego's Mr. Fantastic head or Removable Cowl Batman's head. For those collectors, such as myself, leaving these mint on card, if I ever did decide to open my Batman in the future, I hope his head won't be blue. Already, on some of the figures I've seen, there's some kind of minute, clear liquid beading/droplets inside the bubble. Has anyone else noticed this or is it an isolated incident on a few of the figures I've seen? It makes me wonder what on Earth it could be and what it will mean for the figures' future.
Sorry for the rant, but I really loved Megos, and this line is pretty cool, but it could be better pretty easily, and I worry that Mattel is going to run it into the ground like it did with DC Infinite Heroes, where they expected people to pay the same price for those figures as you would for a G.I. Joe or Marvel Universe figure which had better sculpts, more accessories and twice the articulation.
Anyone have any similar thoughts or concerns, or am I being an unreasonable consumer?
1. Price Point - If one thing kills this line, it will probably be the price point. When Megos came out, they were like $2 and Star Wars figures were like $1. I know times have changed, but $2 in the late 70's was a far cry from $20 today. Further, I walked into a Toys R Us express today, and they had raised the price from a couple days ago from $19.99 to $21.99. They actually put another sticker right over the old price sticker. That's exactly what this line needs - to have its prices raised. Give me a break. These things FLY off the shelves at $9.99, and I'll bet more parents would buy these for their kids at that price, too, and more stores would be willing to carry them. Are these really that expensive to produce? Does Mattel really need that much of a profit that these can't always be priced more reasonably?
2. Card Condition - If these figures are collector-oriented, which they are (appealing to collectors, placed in the "Collector" aisle at Toys R Us, etc.), and the price point is at a level that Mattel expects collector's to pay, I expect to get an absolute mint, gorgeous, top-dollar package if I'm paying top-dollar cost. However, almost every package I see has damage on it. It could be from store conditions, but I would wager it has to do with the shipping conditions. First, the hang tag has been popped, then the bubble might have a small crush at the bottom, the edges of the card are all bent, etc. I walked into a Toys R Us tonight, and literally every single Sinestro and Luthor (about 5 of each) all had damaged cards. If you're asking me to pay $19.99 or more per figure, I expect to be getting a brand new, perfect condition package. This is a collector product, and the retro-packaging is part of the sell. I expect to get collector-level product for the collector-level price I'm paying. I don't know if there's a way to make the packages more durable or mark the cases they come in "Fragile" or what, but right now, I'm not thrilled. I still don't have a Luthor or Sinestro for this reason.
3. Card Design - Does anyone know why these cards are so much wider than the original Mego cards? Is it a copyright problem? Is it a legal packaging design requirement? You'd think stores would want smaller packages so these take up less shelf space. I think they would also be more accurate on narrower cards, no? Really, I wish these came in the old-style boxes. Maybe one day...
4. Chemicals - I really hope these figures don't have color-changing problems like Mego's Mr. Fantastic head or Removable Cowl Batman's head. For those collectors, such as myself, leaving these mint on card, if I ever did decide to open my Batman in the future, I hope his head won't be blue. Already, on some of the figures I've seen, there's some kind of minute, clear liquid beading/droplets inside the bubble. Has anyone else noticed this or is it an isolated incident on a few of the figures I've seen? It makes me wonder what on Earth it could be and what it will mean for the figures' future.
Sorry for the rant, but I really loved Megos, and this line is pretty cool, but it could be better pretty easily, and I worry that Mattel is going to run it into the ground like it did with DC Infinite Heroes, where they expected people to pay the same price for those figures as you would for a G.I. Joe or Marvel Universe figure which had better sculpts, more accessories and twice the articulation.
Anyone have any similar thoughts or concerns, or am I being an unreasonable consumer?
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