Ask Ken at Palisades

[frogboy4]

I'm just not worried about it anymore. I just decided to let go and have some fun with it. I have complete faith in the line and the job that Palisads is doing. This thing goes through 2005 so there has to be some surpirses saved to later. I believe that all the big guns will be released next year in one version or anothter and as long as that happens - I'm a happy frogboy.

 

[tomahawk]

letting go

i can,t agree with you more frogboy. i,m just having so much fun with all of the new muppet stuff. i'm going through a very stressful period in my life right now and these figures are giving me a little spark of happiness.RIDE THE SPIRAL.

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by frogboy4
I'm just not worried about it anymore. I just decided to let go and have some fun with it. I have complete faith in the line and the job that Palisads is doing. This thing goes through 2005 so there has to be some surpirses saved to later. I believe that all the big guns will be released next year in one version or anothter and as long as that happens - I'm a happy frogboy.

Jeez Jamie, you're letting go ? and after that great P.R job on the mega line which you championed without any thought for your own preferences or regard for small animals left lying in your wake. Ken - DO NOT BELIEVE HIM - i reckon they've seen his work and he's had an offer from Hasbro !

 

[frogboy4]

****! Nah...Haven't seen the Megas, but Ken really seems to be interested in making all the faves so it is the marketplace that will determine their future. And Ken really seems to have faith in this line so I'll make that leap and have some too. There will be 2 big guns and 2 secondary/fan faves in every line so I see there will be something for everybody. I just let go of keeping track - everything keeps changing and I think that's a good thing.

...........................2

 

[MaxGoof]

Re: Muppet Figures Re-assortment

Originally posted by The Count
Everybody seems to be campaigning for a figure of Lips in 2003. I don't think it'll happen in Series 4 because of what I already said. Series 6 won't yield to him either. Statler and Waldorf are a twosome who can't be separated. Or would you guys tolerate them in different series to make room for Lips? Also, the rest of the figures from Series 6 are involved in a game of Muppet musical chairs; where it hasn't been decided as to which two of Nurse Janice, Nurse Piggy, or Dr. Bob will go in the regular lineup and which will go in the playset. The only space I see for Lips in 2003 is possibly in Series 5 if one figure is held back for a later series. However, I think the wise move to make is to campaign for Lips in 2004, so his figure can be released in the earliest series possible.

The Count.

I agree that Lips wouldn't be a good character until 2004. Lips is incredibly minor and obscure... brushing aside a heavy-hitter or even a variation of a heavy-hitter or him so early in the line would be suicide. I think what Ken said is that in the next few assortments, two big guns would be released in variation form rather than in their regular attire, soas to save the regular version for a later wave to support more obscure characters in that wave like Lips and Uncle Deadly.

Oh well, so long as I get a really cool Rizzo in Wave 5, I'll be happy as a rat.

 

[Luke]

Well it's good that Ken has faith, refreshing in fact. I am impressed with Series 3, though some of them still lack a certain something that can hopefully be fixed from what he posted. I dunno, aside from the Chef and Scooter they don't particularly seem to have the fan impact that the first wave had but i guess that's to be expected with a debut ! I am kinda pleased with the character selections, and keeping back some of the big guns, and cutting down on exclusives for a while certainly looks like a serious effort is being made to ensure longetivity which is ultra important for any Muppet line.

While i am here, some questions for Kenneth :-

* Ok you can call me blonde but i didn't particularly get this. How comes it seems so easy and cost effective to upsize a Beaker, yet from what you posted before, a lot harder to downsize the same figure ? Would it not be a case design wise of reducing the dimensions and some of the articulation ? I guess not, but it could be interesting to explain why. Also on the mini's line, you said that they would be a lot harder to actually manufacture with extra attention needed to paint things, but on the same count you also implied that the sculpts and designs would have to be ulta-advanced and the level of colors/detail be way beyond anything done before. This seemed to put you off, and i admire your level of perfection - but personally, i think Muppet fans would be happy with something on the level of the Simpsons mini line. Extra Bells and Whistles may be needed on the Regular and Mega but personally, it would just be nice to have the mini figures to play with, especially if they were at a cost effective price. We've had fairly cheap PVC's of Muppet and Sesame characters that have had great likenesses of the characters, and nobodys complained that much. I don't think Palisades should be put off by the feeling you have to do better than even what you are doing now. If they are cheap enough and are of a good general quality people will snap them up and they could be a good bargain line - i don't think it's needed to go 'all out' and then end up with a $30 mini PVC set.

* Promotion :- Bringing this up again. I really think that at some point between now and the debut of the new Muppet show it would be cool to get Henson involved in some promotion for these Muppet figures - seeing as they have done more for much, much less. I know you said many opportunities have been missed because your promotions dude got fired from the head honch - but is there anything the fans can do to get something in the works for you - like writing fanmail@henson.com saying these new palisades figures are tops, but none of my friends have heard about them yet. It would be cool to see Gonzo on TV mentioning the figures and how hot they are ..... yada yada yada ! If keeping the harcore collectors AND the hardcore fans into the line is so important to ensure the life of the line, it would doubly help it by ensuring the average joe (possibly a big retro fan) also knows that these exist. So far he/she would have to stumble on either TRU or a comic shop if they weren't an informed net user.

* Mega Line :- All the Osbourne figures will have voice chips in the bases, not playsets. How cool would it have been to have had the voice chips in the bases for the Mega line - i know that you have been into the licensing problems and expenses for this kind of feature and its not easy or cheap, but seeing as the figure is premium price anyway might it not have been a worthwhile thing to add or look into? The problem a lot of people have with the Mega line is that it's the same old figure just larger - there needs to be something extra to mke them want it. Seems to me having large display piece figures that talked might well have been the perfect opportunity if the voice thing wasn't so hard to get sorted !

 

[frogboy4]

luke

I think the Beaker Mega is quite resonably priced and it really can't compare the Osbourne figures to this line because they are a whole different product altogether with an entirely different strategy and contract. I can see what you mean, but that may make these Megas too expensive and from the sound of it around here, fans aren't even very passionate about the idea. Heck - I'd buy them either way, but these Megas will have more articulation and features than the regular series.

About the minis - I get some of your point. They don't need to be that great, but I think the arches and the packing aren't going to make the PVS sets more expensive in the long run because the same arch design will be replicated for each series so it may only be a plus. The reason for a different sculpt is that since they are PVCs and not articulated, Palisades may want to put objects in their hands and do more interesting poses with them than the standard figure. Also change their outfits and what not. That's the only way these minis make much sense to me.

 

[Luke]

Hey Jamie,

I've not heard a lot about these but i thought the WOS mini line did have some basic articulation ? Am i wrong on that. PVC is a totally different thing here in the UK - can they not make smaller figures the same matierial as the larger figures ? I totally agree with you on the arches and things. With the mini's i would probably be up for anything that keeps them as cheap as possible - thats pretty much the only way they'd get picked up and sell well with so much other cool stuff out there.

As for the Mega - i agree the price is ok (maybe even a little high because its on par with the playsets which people will probably much rather have) but if the voice could have been done for that same price point, while keeping the extra detail but scrapping the extra articulation (and fans will care less about the articulation unless it actually does something worthwhile) it might have been cool. Ken was saying that they'd have to go back and license voices from puppeteers families and things making it harder and more expensive but nowdays, all of the main characters are done by puppeteers employed, and on contract with JHC so may not be that hard. Look at the Playstation game 'Muppet Racemania' - sold at a fairly low price, had a bunch of the puppeteers do all of the characters (even obscure ones). It went down really well - Ken - whats the difference here ?????????

 

[radionate]

Originally posted by Luke
Hey Jamie,

I've not heard a lot about these but i thought the WOS mini line did have some basic articulation ?

They do. Very limited, but most do.

 

[Blinky]

Not a question...

...rather I just wanted to Thank Ken and Mike and Peter.

I recieved my package today and the `Surprise` you spoke of certainly was that. I am continually amazed by how much you and the company has tried to accomodate us (the collectors) I hope you all realize how much we appreciate it.

I hope you have fun, as much as possible, in San Diego.