Action Figure Fans Are Losing It Over The Most Popular Toy At Toy Fair
By Gina Rathbourne / City News Syndicate
New York City- As the doors opened at the Javits Center on Saturday morning for the 116th American International Toy Fair, a swarm of reporters, influencers, journalists and celebrities rushed to the action figure aisle to catch of glimpse of the latest offerings from Mezco Toyz.
Mezco Toyz, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, hold a world record for their popular Living Dead Dolls, but it is their One:12 Collective line of super articulated, highly detailed action figures that has brought them armloads of awards and legions of rabid fans in recent years.
Following a century old tradition at Toy Fair, Mezco Toyz produces a special limited edition figure available only to attendees of the show. Not sold in stores, these exclusives fetch hefty and sometimes astronomical prices on the secondary collector market.
This year, attendees of Mezco’s 9am “Press Event” received a Gomez action figure developed as part of the One:12 Collective line. Who is Gomez? According to a Mezco staff member, he is the Mezco Toyz mascot and a secret agant of an organization known as “The Void”. He can be seen in an animated teaser released for Toy Fair on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVnmlX95VZ8&mc_cid=6e8cbc2b5d&mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D
Because Toy Fair is a trade show, it is impossible for the public to buy tickets or attend. Attendees go through a vigorous screening process and are vetted by not only the Toy Industry but the Javits Center and a private security firm. This makes acquiring a Toy Fair exclusive, from any of the companies offering them, a challenge of the highest magnitude. Toy Fair Exclusive Legos, Hot Wheels Cars, and other items given to attendees can fetch hundreds of dollars on the secondary market. After the press event ended several attendees disclosed that they had received offers of up to $5,000.00 US in exchange for their Gomez figure. Said one professional covering the event for a Philadelphia based newspaper, “As a matter of journalistic integrity I can’t sell an exclusive I received for attending an event….but it is tempting”.
Actor Michael Nathanson, one of the stars of The Punisher on Netflix, made a special trip to the event specifically to pick up his Gomez. “I knew being here was the only way to get one, so I made sure to be here” said Nathanson, “I’m taking my family on a Marvel themed Disney Cruise later today but I had to come here 1st...I mean, it’s Gomez! Look at this accessories!”. Face Off star Tyler Green concurred “His boombox is a weapon...he has all those accessories...he is amazing!”.
One Toy Fair official who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the turnout and excitement at the Mezco Toyz booth was the largest and most fervent she had ever witnessed in over two decades at the event and the hashtag #MezcoToyFair2019 was trending above any other Toy Fair related tag.
Mezco Toyz spokespeople declines to say how many Gomez figures were produced but did confirm that the number is “Crazy low”.
# # #
Gomez graphic courtesy of Mezco Toyz LLC
Photos by Dan Webber Photography