Diamond Select Toys to Produce new Muppet figures and mini mates!

[Drtooth]

From what I read it's $25 for TWO figures. Kermit and Fozzie are reportedly buddy-packed. That means the breakdown would be $12.50 per figure. But because of the challenging toy market, fans have to buy both at once - that's not a bad trade-off at all.

Ah. I see. You can see where I can get the confusion from as I only see action figures above the price of 15, mostly in the 25+ ranger per figure. 12.50 each isn't bad, but it's still having to buy two at once. Some can afford that easily, some are just going to have to sit this one out.

Personally, it's not just money, but space. While I'm missing a few figures and the backstage playset, the Muppet action figure collection I have takes up quite a lot of space. I'm much more excited about smaller, easier to collect and display figures anyway. I'm actually drooling over the prospects of the Minimates and I don't even like Minimates that much. That said, I am happy for the bigger figures, and very happy we're seeing Muppet Merchandise. Don't get me wrong. I feel that I already have enough Kermits and Fozzie for the moment. But it is a boon to those who haven't been around to get the line the last time. So, I am happy for them and cautiously optimistic this series will yield enough collectible characters to keep them happy.

And why does this have to be a continuance of the previous line? I hope this is something all new. I also hope they go a different route, make them smaller and with less articulation.

Couldn't agree more, but there will be some fans that think this will be the opportunity to fill out the line of figures they missed/haven't been produced. I don't see that happening. I mean, sure, if you're missing a Gonzo or Piggy or something. But I do not see them filling out the Electric Mayhem band, the missing Pirates from MTI, or any character more obscure than Rowlf. Trust me. There will be those Muppet fans who will poopoo this entire line for daring not to go 20 series and giving us Fleet Scribbler in 5 color variants. That's how it is. NECA's Simpsons line never gave us Akira the Japanese guy who pops up as Japanese guy roles, and were completely different scale. I'm just saying, if you're missing Marvin Suggs, don't expect to see him unless the line is extremely successful.

Above all, the Palisades toy line was a special thing. It has never been done before or ever since. Too much of the Muppet collecting community refuse anything that isn't that quality or higher. I honestly want to see the other direction (like the Minimates). Smaller, collectible figures that are cost effective enough for casual collectors and yes even kids because kids buy toys too. I've been pleased with Disney's Muppets figure set, though disappointed the MMW set was the same figures (with a figure base so they actually stand up upgrade) with like 3 extra additions. Meanwhile Lion King got a massive set with such beloved characters as "third Wildebeest from the right" and "Flamingo from that one scene." A massive PVC set should have been sold with easily recognizable characters like Bunsen and Beaker. Especially since the Beaker plush sold the crap out as soon as it hit the market for TM.

 

[Hartley]

I'm very much looking forward to seeing these new figures (although I also have a big Palisades collection so personally can do without more Kermits and Fozzies - five of each is quite enough!), I do wonder, however, how easy they'll be to get here in the UK...

 

[minor muppetz]

Just a few days ago I went to Toys R Us to look at Mini Mates and Diamond Select figures in person. I don't think I saw any "Select" figures there (though I kept having trouble finding the logos for various toy companies), but I saw some mini mates and I think they looked okay. I was surprised to see that some had accessories (even if the accessories didn't seem that great, but they're not for properties I'm interested in). I wonder if the Muppet mini mates will have accessories. I could see removable hats being included for some characters, maybe instruments for the musicians (though I doubt Animal's drum set or Rowlf's piano would be too impressive).

It would be great if somebody from Diamond would join the forum, like how Ken and others from Palisades joined the forum. But that's wishful thinking. I think it's been a long time since we've had new members from any companies that made Muppet products.

With the action figures, I am slightly tempted to get that Fozzie just because I don't have the regular Fozzie from Palisades (I had gotten Vacation Fozzie for Christmas when it came out and didn't feel like having two Fozzie figures, but after I got Patrol Bear the following Christmas I regretted not getting the standard Fozzie), but then again, it will be packaged with Kermit, and I have the regular Palisades Kermit figure (and I almost considered not getting Kermit in the first place just because I already had so many Kermit toys but not much of the other characters).

 

[los]

Is $25 too much to ask for Kermit or Fozzie if you don't already have one and have an extra figure to giveaway to a new Muppet fan or introduce anyone to the Muppets?

 

[jvcarroll]

There's really no advantage for a toy company to pick up the license just to fill out a preexisting collection. That's simple economics. The collectors interested in that should commission a sculptor to do those pieces. Expensive, but that's the way it goes.

Making these smaller would help with the space issue too. I'm kind of ready for some change.

 

[Drtooth]

There's really no advantage for a toy company to pick up the license just to fill out a preexisting collection. That's simple economics. The collectors interested in that should commission a sculptor to do those pieces. Expensive, but that's the way it goes.

Indeed. But you know that some of the fanbase won't feel that way. I don't see this replacing the last line nor do I see it as an opportunity to fill in obscure characters collectors of the previous line wanted to see but were never made, or ones that were that they just never managed to buy. I'm actually pretty happy for this line, as it's Muppet merchandise and it's also for those who for some reason weren't around when the last line came out over 10 years ago.

That said, I hope we can avoid the dance of expecting way too much out of this line. We're going to have fans list figure possibilities up to series 15, with the most obscure characters only the diest of hard fans would want. Then if they're not made, the fanbase is going to blame everyone for it, except for the possibility that things weren't meant to be. Most of us were like that back then. I think the more reasonable thing to do is cautious optimism for the line, hope it does well, but not holding out for "Background Muppet that has only one iris from Any Old Iron."

 

[jvcarroll]

Indeed. But you know that some of the fanbase won't feel that way. I don't see this replacing the last line nor do I see it as an opportunity to fill in obscure characters collectors of the previous line wanted to see but were never made, or ones that were that they just never managed to buy. I'm actually pretty happy for this line, as it's Muppet merchandise and it's also for those who for some reason weren't around when the last line came out over 10 years ago.

That said, I hope we can avoid the dance of expecting way too much out of this line. We're going to have fans list figure possibilities up to series 15, with the most obscure characters only the diest of hard fans would want. Then if they're not made, the fanbase is going to blame everyone for it, except for the possibility that things weren't meant to be. Most of us were like that back then. I think the more reasonable thing to do is cautious optimism for the line, hope it does well, but not holding out for "Background Muppet that has only one iris from Any Old Iron."

I still don't understand this pessimism. This is what it is and that's wonderful in itself. Diminishing that because it's not something else is useless.

Some fans want all sorts of unreasonable things. Heck, I want a robot ninja Kermit that's also my butler and I'd like him at a price point under $400. That's not going to happen and it's not particularly noteworthy either.

 

[Drtooth]

I still don't understand this pessimism. This is what it is and that's wonderful in itself. Diminishing that because it's not something else is useless.

What pessimism? I have the full support of this line. I'm just saying, there's going to be part of the fanbase that are either going to judge this line based on the last one, or think this is going to be some continuation when it isn't. And then there's going to be part of the fanbase saying "We're going to get [insert painfully obscure character here, I'm tired of making that joke] in series 20!" and then complaining that the line didn't get past the fourth or fifth wave. That's stuff that happens because it has. I totally was one of those people back in the last line, actually.

Cautious optimism not because it's Muppets. Cautious optimism because no one really buys action figures anymore. I'm happy we're getting Muppet stuff at all.

 

[DarkCrystal]

Hi guys,
Wow, this new action figure line sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!
What effect to you think it will have on the now-cult Palisades collection as far as value and rareness go? Not that the financial value of the palisades matters to me, more the cult aspect of it. Do you think this new range will try to imitate the Palisades line in detail and size? Let's hope they do a whole range of unmade-by-Palisades characters to make this new collection really worth the excitement!
I'm sure the Palisades will always remain a special range but personally I am excited to see what this new collection will be like!
Let's hope for some Fraggle Rock and perhaps even a Skeksi or two..??..??

 

[muppetlover123]

Can't wait