Review – Mega Heroes Cyber Force Killjoy and Impact (1995)

If you saw last week’s Cyber Force review then you already know what to expect from this 1995 Mattel release. If you’re unfamiliar with the short-lived Mega Heroes line read on, but don’t forget to check last week’s review for a look at more of these toys from the nineties.

Packaging

As with the previous set (review here), the blister card art is missing the boat; there’s simply not enough awesome Cyber Force comic artwork on this package to make me happy. Also, how is that a toy set based on a comic book didn’t include a mini-comic? What the hell, Mattel execs of the nineties? You seriously missed a chance at making kids love these toys a bit more by skipping on the comic. At least we get character bios on the back of the package.

Limited Articulation, Unlimited Nineties Angst

The Mega Heroes action figures are more like toy army men than they are articulated figures, and the two toys shown here feature between one and three points of articulation. These are more like static figures with slight articulation than true action figures, but I am betting the limited joints along with the small size is what made it possible for Mattel to release so many packs of these toys at once. I know the sales certainly weren’t there to support the six sets that were released in 1995.

Killjoy

First up is Killjoy, complete with a clear plastic base so that the toy can actually stand. The only joint is a waist swivel, meaning that the toy is forever running and gunning . . . kinda like how I think of the Cyber Force comic book if I don’t put too much effort into trying to remember the comic as it first appeared in the nineties. The sculpt and paintwork are both adequate, but there’s nothing here that is so amazing that you must own this toy.

Impact

Towering over the other Mega Heroes Cyber Force toys I’ve opened, Impact has swivel joints at each shoulder and the waist, making this one of the most articulated figures in the line. The toy looks pretty good staged with the other figures in the line, but I can’t see how anything less than a full Cyber Force collection would make this stand out as impressive.

Closing Thoughts

I managed to score these toys pretty cheap a few years ago, and as I open each set I’m better understanding of why the Mega Heroes line wasn’t a success. The toys themselves are merely okay, and the brands Mattel used to launch the line — Cyber Force and Judge Dredd — were never popular enough to support the series. Maybe if the Mega Heroes launch had included something popular this would have been a success, but as it is these toys are mostly forgotten and unwanted by collectors.