SIAP...Mattell Toy Guru says RA line is over...

[Type Two]

I don't mean to be insulting, but...don't get me started on this ToyGuru guy. Someone else said "Typical Mattel" to blame the fans, but it is really "Typical Scott 'ToyGuru' Nietlich" to blame the fans when a line fails. Jerk.

Edit: change "line fails" to "line is inexplicably terminated."
As Col. Potter used to say on "MASH": Horse pucky.

[jimsmegos]

Bottom line IMO is that Mattel could care less about the smaller genre collector and more focused on the mass market consumer. Too bad for them however considering that the world has changed. It's an 'on - demand" world ( meaning smaller / fragmented markets ) so unless they can figure out the next level of direct marketing they are screwed. Honestly I thought they had that with the matty collector angle.

with that said I think someone saw the writing on the wall but someone else came along and said that existing models were the proper course. Well, they goofed that too. Am I angry. Sure, but only because they won't simply take responsibility and instead blame the fan base. As a matter of being a baby about it I'm going to modify all of my blog reviews to reflect my thoughts.

Sure Mattel played along but like someone else said, their heart wasn't in it.

[ctc]

>unless they can figure out the next level of direct marketing they are screwed

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Mattel deals with runs in the tens of thousands, and they've got a good lock on several big house brands. It's surprising they tried the RA stuff at all, considering the market is comparatively small. As for their heart not being in it.... I don't think it COULD be, considering the numbers they normally deal in.

To that end, I gotta applaud their effort. The bodies were kinda.... er.... off; but again, I can understand their wanting to keep it all "in house" and not go with the already proven Doc bods. If it DID take off, they wouldn't want the become beholden to someone else, or tempt the chance of getting sued for infringement. (Not that they would, but with the big companies it's always easier for them to go whole cloth and/or completely buy everything rather than risk dealing with little guys.)

Don C.

[MIB41]

Andy Covalt (CrimsonGhost) has been CIA quiet about all his work on
Retro Action. In fact, he and Dave Mc helped us get the Green Arrow
and Green Lantern prototypes done to show DC and Mattel as
proof of concept.

SWEET WORK ANDY & DAVE! Well I can certainly go on record as saying I have all of the Retro Action heroes with doubles or more with some characters. I have four Green Arrows all boxed and sealed, three Green Lanterns, three Flash, two Superman, two Batman, two Shazam, and two Aquaman. It's been a great ride and WELL worth it. My collection looks better for it. And a big piece of the Mego universe is now fixed.

[Nostalgiabuff]

I loved the line and am seriously sorry to see it gone. I still need 3 too.......i wish they had gotten them distributed better because i would have bought multiples too.....i just don't wnat to have to buy online and pay shipping on top of the cost

[Sandman9580]

While the ways of Mattel are mysterious to me, I try to focus on the main thing. They got made. That is light years more than what I thought I could expect from a modern giant toy company. To everyone involved, thanks for your tireless efforts.

[DocDrako]

Customer fault or not, we're sorry to see the line end in my house. My son and I loved the Retro Action figures. To us they were toys, not collectibles. Were they designed how I would have made them? No. But I bought every one I could find in the stores for my son and I. Problem was, I couldn't ever find them. I guess I could have gone the eBay route, and now I'll have to in order to complete my son's collection (and mine as well.) I bought them to play with my son, and for that reason they were awesome figures. Now we're moving on to the other ReMegos that are readily available in stores. My son even wants Venture Bros figures and he doesn't even watch the show. He just likes the toys. They're Megos to him and that makes me smile.

Rock on, ReMego makers!

[Ivaniski]

SIAP...Mattell Toy Guru says RA line is over...

It surprises me that anybody likes the Flash...that is an absolutely hideous head sculpt.

Nothing a little bit of Plastic Surgery (Pardon the Pun) can't fix by Virtue of the old Dremel tool......Sorry guys i'm a "Perfectionist" when it comes to my figures.
Instead of Jimmy Durante as the Flash, now my Flash looks more like Barry Allen is in "Da House."

Mattel Flash after RhinoPlasty....3/4 look....

Profile look.........

[garagesale]

I'm just looking foward to the next big retro outing, whether it comes from Mattel or whomever. Mego-style will never die.

JamesD

[jetzjungle]

Not of fan of the rhinoplasty!

I really dig the Retro Flash sculpt with the huuuuge shnoz! It gives him a distinct character! He looks really weird and insecure after the operation!

[drogge]

Just why the heck does Mattel proclaim, sold out if they are doing poorly?

[drmego]

I think the line got the go-ahead because of an executive that liked megos.
At the end of 2010, it was announed that he was leaving Mattel to go to
a job at a major retailer. That was around the same time the attitude
changed towards the line.

Maybe it was just a coincedence but I think we lost our patron and
the line was considered somebody else's idea using up budget that
could go to other projects.

I can't honestly say that Toy Guru was against this line. He was
always friendly and positive about it when we spoke.

[jetzjungle]

Confused!

Are you still in communication with Mattel or has there been no discussions for awhile?

[GoldBlade6]

I'm just really sick of toy companies starting Mego-like lines and then quitting on them before we get tons of them. I've gone through the Hasbro offerings, both DC & Marvel, Famous Covers and now the Retro-Action. I'm kind of sick of having to switch formats. I just want a permanent, uniform line. How hard is that? Do it or don't, but if you're going to do it, do it seriously.

[livnxxxl]

I think the line got the go-ahead because of an executive that liked megos.
At the end of 2010, it was announed that he was leaving Mattel to go to
a job at a major retailer. That was around the same time the attitude
changed towards the line.

Maybe it was just a coincedence but I think we lost our patron and
the line was considered somebody else's idea using up budget that
could go to other projects.

I can't honestly say that Toy Guru was against this line. He was
always friendly and positive about it when we spoke.

That is a real bummer! Thank you for the clarification though Doc.