DC Universe World's Greatest Superheroes Hal Jordan / Green Lantern Figure

I could not believe the effect it had on me as I stood before this brand new, carded figure hanging on a peg at Toys R Us. I was back in the Montgomery Wards where my mom worked in 1975. I was just six years old again, and my biggest problems were how to reach that Mego waaaay up there and how to convince mom I'd really die if I didn`t have one.Things don't seem so trouble-free these days, but that's all right. The World's Greatest Super-Heroes are back, thanks to Mattel's Retro-Action line, a nostalgic re-do (sort of) of Mego's amazing series of eight inch action figures ( they are NOT dolls, dangit!!). Thirty-plus years ago, GL, his nemesis Sinestro, and the vile Lex Luthor were not included. Mattel has corrected Mego's woeful oversights with this wave, and they've done it right. While making some changes and updates, they've really captured the looks, feel, and spirit of the beloved, iconic line.While featuring removable fabric outfits and plastic accessories, the figures are not as detail-rich as some of the more modern lines. But they sport an innocent, whimsical, simple playfulness that is just irresistible. Purists will carp that the bodies are different, and so they are. The posing is not as crisp and tight as I remember, but the figures are a bit more stout. The craftsmanship is good, and the memories are intoxicating.Speaking of intoxicating: every true Mego fan remembers that sweet, magical smell of fresh vinyl that seemed unique to Mego. It was the smell of "new", the aroma of the promise of adventure and fun. Well, I haven't cracked my new Retro-Action figs out of their cards yet (and I may never do so), but if I do, and if Mattel got the smell right, I think I'll be right back in `75 all over again. At least now I can reach the pegs.

In the 1970's, the MEGO Corporation created a line of 8" clothed action figures entitled "World's Greatest Superheroes". Today, Mattel has attempted to tap into that established nostalgia with their own line of 8" clothed DC action figures.The first series of "Retro Action DC Super Heroes" includes Superman, Lex Luthor, Sinestro and the subject of this review, Green Lantern. The concept behind the hero/villain pairing is excellent in theory, however the villains have proved to be remarkably less popular than their heroic counterparts, leaving many Sinestro and Lex Luthor figures hanging on Toys R Us shelves without much hope of going anywhere save for the clearance end cap (or apparently TJ Maxx).Green Lantern suffers from the same basic issues that have plagued every figure in this assortment to date. First, and most importantly, the base body shared by all the figures is effectively defective. Mattel has attempted to update MEGO's "stringing" articulation, where the legs and torso are literally held together by string. Unfortunately, the string is not strung tight enough, so the legs hang loose, making posing the figure nearly impossible.The arms are not held together by string, but instead use the modern ball-joint system utilized by most current action figures, and therefore do not suffer from the same looseness as the legs and torso joints.The torso also tends to hunch or lurch forward, even when the figure is still packaged. This is troublesome, because even MOC collectors will be disappointed by Mattel's efforts.In addition to the trouble with the body, the costume also suffers from a few issues. Most apparent is the stress marks that immediately appear on the chest emblem. As you move the figure and put stress on the Green Lantern symbol, you will notice cracks appearing. Once the cracks appear, there is nothing that can be done to remove or fix them.The costume is also made of a material that tends to catch on your hands, especially if you have rough hands or unmanicured nails.It's not all bad for Retro Action Green Lantern. The head sculpt is quite good and if you are able to remove his head without ripping the peg, transplanting the head and costuming onto a superior 8" body (including the original MEGO body, a 30 year old toy that trumps Mattel's current efforts) will result in a much improved figure.There has been some chatter about Mattel releasing future series of Retro Action on an improved body, but there has been no confirmation of this. There has also been some discussion about the future of this line - with series 1's villains clogging pegs at Toys R Us and series 2 showing up at Toys R Us Express stores and discount stores like TJ Maxx - the line may not be around long enough to see the improved body.

I used love these Mego-style toys and to find one with Green Lantern is awesome! I am so glad I bought this!