In my opinion...

[LonnieFisher]

...Mattel is killing the Mego memory and market.
I had lots of people see my Mego figures at a toy and collectible show this weekend. Most thought they were the new(dead-in-the-water) Retro-action figures. So, opposite all the opinions that the lame Mattel body wouldn't affect the sales of the figures, the overwhelming negative comments about them say otherwise. The line died because they look goofy, the thighs are too bulbous and they wouldn't stand on their own. Not one positive comment about them. I overheard a lot of the comments and they weren't made to me. Just people talking about the Retro-action figures. Now people think negatively about the original Mego figures. (I really hate that the community demanded on calling the trash Mattel figures "Mego"!! Now Mego has a bad reputation and word-of-mouth is spreading it.)
It really made me sad that there were a lot of uncomplimentary comments about my Mego figures.

[Teemu]

The Mattel retro bodies do suck,but Mattel had to do it their way!

[megalomaniac001]

That is sad to hear. We really need to see new collectors take up our hobby if it is going to continue to thrive. Hopefully collectors will see the great offerings available in this format. In some ways hearing this makes me glad Retro Action died. On the other hand, I think the body Mattel used was 90% of the problem. Hunched over figures, floppy legs and thunder thighs. Makes you wonder if Mattel had used a better body if the line would still be going strong?

[LonnieFisher]

That is sad to hear. We really need to see new collectors take up our hobby if it is going to continue to thrive. Hopefully collectors will see the great offerings available in this format. In some ways hearing this makes me glad Retro Action died. On the other hand, I think the body Mattel used was 90% of the problem. Hunched over figures, floppy legs and thunder thighs. Makes you wonder if Mattel had used a better body if the line would still be going strong?

If it had a better body and less goofy faces, it would probably still be selling strong!

[Toyman_Chris]

If it had a better body and less goofy faces, it would probably still be selling strong!

The faces were horrible.

[deputypowell]

Okay. I for one think that they were a little goofy and this is what makes them fun today. If you want realistic you should go for Sideshow quality. I like the goofy look. Why do you think Kubricks, Lego figures, and other goofy figures sell so well? I need that kid quality in my toys.

Stick with your hobby. You just heard a few negative comments. Nothing more.

[megojim]

Respectfully disagree . . . . Mego stands on it's own for the era it dominated and to those of us that collect the figures for nostalgia's sake. The toy biz these days is too fickle for any line to take off in that manner. Were the figures a little sub-standard I think we'll all agree on that but who would have ever thought we would hold a "Production Flash" in Mego fashion? I choose for my glass to be half full . . .

[MIB41]

I don't think Reto-action hurt anything having to do with Megos. You might ask yourself whether this crowd would have said the same thing if you had nothing but authentic Mego's at your table. The Mego community is a small, but vital lot. I don't believe it truly spills over into the average neighborhood of kids though. I believe it's fairly limited to those of us who grew up with them and our kids who pick it up from watching us. I applaud the efforts of those who have tried to recreate that 70's experience. But the days of it being a huge market remain tied to the past. Mego has a niche in the marketplace, but not on the scale that other toys enjoy.

[GoldBlade6]

"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" <-- Worst line ever. Sorry, this thread just reminded me of that line. Please, continue.

[johnmiic]

The failure of the line has more to do with distribution, price point and character choices. They couldn't be that goofy = undesirable because Bats and Supes as well as many in the early waves sold out and are hard to find. People are buying up the later waves online and the Matty Collector exclusives are selling briskly. You can't tell the figures have leg problems by looking at every one of them on the blister card. Even so, the ones that had obvious problems sold out too.

Sinestro and Luthor are still warming many pegs here in NY and if they were cheaper I think they would sell. The sculpts on these 2 guys are as good as any Mego from the old days. Many of the sculpts in the line are very good. I would theorize that Luthor sits around because regular customers don't want to pay much $$$ for a bald guy figure. Sinestro has a great sculpt and is downright evil looking. He might sell more if he was cheaper & GL figures were on the pegs with him. Darned if that goofy, defective, unwanted GL figure isn't a dependable sell-out, all the time.

If Mattel had been smart they would have done what Mego would have done in the `70's: pull the Luthor and Sinestro and change the costumes. Re-purpose them and send 'em back out into the wild. The Justice League cartoon revitalized Luthor time and time again: The Evil CEO, The Mad Scientist, The Super Villain, The Convict, The Soldier of Fortune, The Leader of the Legion of Doom. All these versions of Luthor are easily recognizable and DC fans would probably buy any number of these variants. Mattel just isn't quick on their feet to think of this and implement it. Having molded figures has spoiled them.

[HardyGirl]

I think it's awful that some people are STILL complaining about how bad this line was now that it's gone. Paul and others worked very hard to try and bring the magic that was Mego back to us. Sadly it didn't work. And I'm sorry that people who are not in the know thought that Mego were RAH figures, but that's no reason to get down on the efforts to restore Mego to the masses. Get over it and get on with it. Sheesh.

[raider5gt]

^^^
I quite liked the RAH figures,i thought what Paul and the others did and are still doing is great for the hobby,hats off to them for all their hard work,the GL line was my favourite,along with the Apes but really,i liked them all.If some people did not like the Mattel bodies,then swap em out like a few people did.

Just my 2 pence in olde english money.

[thunderbolt]

I personally loved the look of the line, nice and old school Silver age looking DC Heroes.

[ScottA]

I enjoyed everything about the line except the distribution. I never saw Wave 2 or 4 at my TRU (and I still don't have Wave 4). But everything else was fine once the bodies were fixed. I will miss it.

[Toyman_Chris]

My only negative comment was that I didn't like the faces on the majority of the figures. However, that had not kept me from carrying the line in both of my collectibles stores. They sold/sell well. I would carry them again. I could be wrong, but I don't see the line being completely "over".