So how many figures would DC Direct need to sell?

[samurainoir]

If there is any possibility of DC Direct picking up the Retro Action line of DC Superheroes, how many figures do they need to sell to make it worthwhile for them?

With Mattel now doing stuff like Blackest Night and multiple lantern figures, DC Direct would probably appreciate a niche collector's figure like the Retro Line.

[supercrazy]

If not mistaken DC direct had thought about doing an 8 inch line but decided to go with the 13 inch line instead.

[drogge]

This actually makes sense, they could make small runs and produce a steady stream of figures. I think they would have to pay off Mattel and scale down production but it makes sense and DC Direct basically markets to collectors, which the 8 inch line falls under. Great idea.

[megocrazy]

I don't believe they've ever said an exact number to anyone.

[samurainoir]

The appeal would be that standardized bodies keep the costs lower than tooling up entire body sculpts for each new character (or multiple batman figures as dc direct tends to do).

They also might be much less shy about using emce's body, there is a precedence with diamond direct using them for trek's and apes in the direct market. Especially since doc now has his muscle body.

I really liked the 13" line and would love to see a similar treatment at 8"

[kingdom warrior]

I thought the same. DC Direct would be cool. and you know the figures would be in the stores and you'll get all the main heroes and villains done, their 13 line is proof they'll try anything........

[megocrazy]

their 13 line is proof they'll try anything........

The 13 inch license may have been the only one available or cheap enough to obtain. Smaller sizes are much more attractive to large retailers because of display ability. 8 inch size would fall close to many of the figures we see hanging in target and walmart everyday.

[The Bat]

DC Direct starting up an 8" line would be a dream come true. For one...you know they would not go for the goofy looking style sculpts that Mattel did. Just imagine the black & gray 13" BATMAN(year one)done in 8" scale. Man...that would be FREAKIN' AWESOME!

And just to be clear...Retro doesn't automatically =Goofy looking. Many of Mego's sculpts were very good(Mr.Fantastc, Green Goblin, etc..)without being silly looking. Of course others were bad(molded cowl Batman, Captain America, etc...).

[MEGO_SUPERMAN]

I dont know that DC Direct would need to pay a license fee...seeing as how they are a division of DC.....

[ovenmitt]

I am ALL for DC Direct 8" DC Retro Action figures! I even suggested this BEFORE Mattel 8" DC were announced at 2009 SDCC! Now that DC Direct's own Mego-like 13" figures (which I LOVED!) are "resting" now is the perfect time for DC Direct to continue what Mattel/EMCE started!

Would DC Direct work with EMCE? What would a DC Direct 8" Mego COST? *The DC Direct 13" figures were $100 each at the end- TOO EXPENSIVE!

I am sure DC Direct could sell 8" in the same #s as its 6" figures! I always believed Mattel's 8" DC were more COLLECOR friendly! Think of the VARIETY of 8" DC characters DC Direct could sell!

I am worried about DC Direct itself right now and the future of the company, especially, ACTION FIGURES- NONE have been in DC Direct solicits these past 2 months! Hopefully, SDCC in a month will reveal more! DC Megos MUST CONTINUE!

[samurainoir]

The 13 inch license may have been the only one available or cheap enough to obtain. Smaller sizes are much more attractive to large retailers because of display ability. 8 inch size would fall close to many of the figures we see hanging in target and walmart everyday.

But does DC Direct really have to license anything from DC Entertainment given that they are under the parent umbrella already?

They produce 6" action figures concurrently for Diamond distribution to comic and hobby stores as part of the direct market, at the same time Mattel is producing the same figures for the mass retail markets.

Both of them are even producing gobs of Green Lantern and various coloured Lantern characters concurrently as well for their respective markets. In just about the same scale.

[madmarva]

At the 2003 SDCC, DC Direct held a panel where cloth figures were discussed. Georg Brewer asked about 12.5 inch and 8 inch figures. There didn't seem to be a consensus in the room, but as we know they went with the 13 inch figures.

DC doesn't have to get a license from themselves, but DC might have sold exclusive rights to a certain size of figure to a company. If you remember way back when, DC Direct couldn't produce Superman and Batman family of figures because Hasbro had the license. The deal with Mattel must be different because both produce seemingly whatever they want.

If I were Doc, I'd be beating on DC Direct's door to at least look into the idea. But I'm guessing the figures would have a price point between $40 and $50 because of the lower production runs of DC Direct.

But if DC Direct could provide the detail of its 13 inch figures at 8 inch size for half the price, I would no doubt be in. Possibly the company could use existing head sculpts from both the 13 inch and 6 inch lines adapted (as many customizers do) to the 8-inch size.

But if DC Direct does pick up the line, i would hope it would attempt to create likenesses as close to those in the comics as possible rather than attempt to replicate what Mego would have done 40 years ago.

I do think the retro look of the line — which I have grudging grown to appreciate — hurt it with customers who were not nostalgic about mego. I mean 40 years ago as a kid I wanted the megoes to look better than they did but I didn't think the people who made them could do any better. That's not the case now.

But, with the consolidation of DC's companies under DC Entertainment, I wonder what the future of DC Direct is? Bleeding Cool reported that Georg Brewer would not be staying with DC because he would not move from the East to the West coast. Now, no company is one guy, but I've not really read any announcement of who is heading up DC Direct or whatever it has evolved devolved into.

As CCO, Geoff Johns supervises (may be too strong a word) the toy and merchandise lines, according to the job description listed when he was promoted.

Who knows DC Direct may just be executing plans that were already in the works before DC Entertainment was created and then it might disappear. Or I may be totally off on all of this. I wonder why some of the comic websites hasn't looked into this beyond the personnel reports on Bleeding Cool.

[Wasimhosen]

Armored Wonder Woman Cover Girls of the DCU statue - Another Pop Culture Collectible Review by Michael Crawford, Captain Toy
This guy mentions DC Direct is getting out of the action figure business.
Quote:
The future of DC Direct is clearly up in the air these days.
The loss of their action figures isn't going to bother me too much, since they've been dropping off in variety over the last couple years anyway

[MEGO_SUPERMAN]

In all honesty a price point of $50 for a 8 inch figure is too high....the key is to get people who DONT feel nostalgic about Mego to buy them....and $50 is too high for that. Unless you were talking about an 8 inch Hot Toys type body and detail.