Many toy companies talk about creating their own viable action figure properties, but few have actually been able to do so. Mezco is one of the best at creating its own properties and there are plenty of examples, such as Dark Carnival, Gangsters Inc., Tikimon, and the Living Dead Dolls, which have burned through seven successful series at specialty store venues such as Hot Topic. Pop culture shops that do well with Vertigo books should take a serious look at some of the Mezco originals, particularly the Living Dead Dolls and the company's new (public domain) Jack the Ripper, which debuts in September with a rotocast action figure of the Ripper himself and a delightfully gruesome Victorian writing case, which includes stationery, a bloody knife, quill pen and ink bottle. Mezco has been successful by primarily selling to specialty stores such as Hot Topic, Tower Records and Musicland. Pop culture retailers who don't want to have to compete with Wal-Mart should take a long look at Mezco's line.
Licensed Properties
ICv2 has already covered Mezco's line of Hellboy toys, which are due out in March (see 'Mezco Readies Hellboy Toys'), but there are a number of other licensed Mezco properties of great interest including The Blues Brothers, The Family Guy and Popeye. Mezco's eleven-inch rotocast Blues Brothers action figures should be out in late summer, while its Family Guy figures, which are a Hot Topic exclusive at first, start shipping this spring. The Family Guy line features highly detailed 6-inch action figures (plus a 12-inch Talking Stewie), which should benefit from the popularity of the Family Guy cartoon series on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
2004 is Popeye's 75th anniversary and Mezco, which has already produced two series of Popeye action figures, is back with a third series of six-inch figures launching in April. In September, Mezco will release a series of two-inch articulated Popeye figures (packed 2 to a blister card), as well as a tugboat playset, which will contain three exclusive 2-inch figures. Also shipping in September is a gorgeous 12-inch rotocast figure of Popeye in his sailor whites, which is a fitting tribute to E.C. Segar's battling gob, who will be featured in a primetime 75th anniversary animated special this fall (see 'Popeye Returns').