We live in an age where it’s profitable for Funko to produce retro-style figures based on “The Goonies” and there’s actually demand for Gentle Giant to create a $2600 life-size Kenner Darth Vader figure, so it was only a matter of time until Marvel cashed-in on the nostalgia train. That time is now, and the lucky company looking to strike a nostalgic nerve is Diamond Select Toys! Coming this summer from Diamond Select–the Marvel Retro Spider-Man 8″ figure is now up for order!

The Mego Official World’s Greatest Superheroes line of 8″ figures is one of the most beloved classic toy lines of the 1970’s, and also one of the earliest lines of Marvel action figures. While the figures (obviously) pale in comparison to what we’re used to today (poor Human Torch in his flaming pajamas!), many adult collectors have fond memories of the vintage Mego Marvel figures.

It’s for those collectors that Diamond Select Toys has devised their newest branch of Marvel collectibles: the Marvel Retro 8″ figures! The line will begin with an 8″ Spider-Man Retro figure, which will tentatively be followed up by Retro Iron Man, Retro Captain America and “Retro” Wolverine. Wolverine was never produced by the Mego Corporation, so he’ll be an all-new figure in the style of the 70’s Marvel Mego figures.

The target audience for this particular product line is definitely not me. Though I feel about a million years old, I hadn’t even been born yet when Mego was in business. Any need I had for 8″ Marvel action figures was fulfilled by the legendary Toybiz Marvel Famous Covers figures in the 90’s (which, of course, were inspired by the old Mego line).

That said, I can definitely see where this new-and-improved Mego Spider-Man reproduction would light up the faces of a lot of older collectors–and the new alternate clothes and parts to convert the original Mego Retro Spider-Man into Peter Parker or a more accurate modern Spider-Man 8″ figure will even appeal to those who already have the vintage Spider-Man Mego action figure!

Diamond Select Toys is limiting this 8″ Spider-Man Retro figure to just 3,000 pieces produced, and I think that’s a smart move. There’s a very limited niche market for this $80 (yes, $80) Mego-style Amazing Spider-Man figure, and if DST made a ton of this figure it could quickly turn the Diamond Select Retro Marvel line into a catastrophe.

The Diamond Select Retro Spider-Man 8″ figure is now available for pre-order and is scheduled to ship in October 2014. 3000 pieces may still be a bit much for this particular Retro 8″ Spider-Man figure–we’ll find out based on how fast pre-orders for this Spidey sell out.

What do you think of this new retro-style Marvel line of 8″ figures, Marvel collectors? Is this kind of throwback Spider-Man toy the kind of thing you’d like to add to your collection, or are you spoiled by the level of detail and authenticity in today’s Marvel action figures?