Ask Ken at Palisades

[Zack the Dog]

well ya don't need ta yell at me, it was only a suggestion and i understand why it wouldn't work now! hmmmp

no, just kidding with you Jamie now that i think more about it it would be fun this way and getting more characters out in diffrent forms.

Artie gave a great way of putting it!

 

[MuppetQuilter]

One of the problems with MT was the lack of promotion. Brian Henson has commented that ABC did not promote the show and despite assurances that they would pitch it to adults, it was mostly viewed by kids. Parents would turn it on to babysit the kids, but it wasn't a show designed for kids. Moving it around the schedule sure didn't help matters.

Shows aren't given time to find their footing very often. Used to be a show could muddle through its first season, improve a bit in the second, and really take hold in the third-- now they're cancelled after a few episodes.

But I digress.

The mixed line is going to be fun! We have so many more choices now-- do we want the traditional TMS suited Gonzo or the more recent yellow suit Gonzo with Camilla painted on his tie? Or maybe Dickens Gonzo or MTI Gonzo. Or how about all those Gonzos?

And one more surprise to come....

Oh, and a point of order, this goes back a few pages to the comments on SST figures, Sesame Workshop owns the rights to the Sesame Muppets. CTW is nolonger with us, they rechristened themselves Sesame Workshop a while back.

 

[frogboy4]

I think we have been toyed with about Gonzo enough already. LOL. Get it, "toyed"? Bad joke even for Fozzie. I think It's time for the regular purple tux Gonzo. There will likely be a tux Gonzo anyway and this is a way to get the repaint easily in there - good for Palisades, good for us. Just a win/win all around. I would like the MT modern Gonzo too. Maybe in 2004? Although this leads to the question - what version of Mega Gonzo would you like to see? MT, Purple Tux or Daredevil. Maybe even Prince of Plunger?

 

[Joe]

Originally posted by MrTheFrog
Lets say a casual Muppet fan, we'll call him Joe, goes into the store...

I'm a casual Muppet fan now? lol (feels special)

I'm glad things are going the way they are, I think this way there will be much more variety in the "Jim Henson's Muppets" line and it will go on for a lot longer than people think and from the people I've talked to(in real life), they fit your description of the average collector.

personally I'm a bit burnt out with the simpsons, I really don't want another six versions of homer, I mean I'm gonna get them anyways because then my collection wouldn't be complete(not that it is anyways(darn Toyfare exclusives that no one told me about) but it's more buying them because I have to than because I want to (don't get me wrong, there are exceptions, moe's tavern, maude flanders, pajama burns..., but after seeing the muppets, I'm just not as impressed with them)

and I can't wait for the PVC figures, more stuff to decorate my computer with!


This is another 3 am posting brought to you by the letters J, O, and E, and also the number 7

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
I think this is the best overall strategy for the line.

I totally agree Ken, but i can see why the fans worry. Obviously you have come 'onboard' in a boom period, but the anniversary ends soon, and we've got the sale coming up that could leave the 'Mupps' out of the spotlight for a bit or worse, in total limbo, and the new 'Fox' show's chance of success isn't a given. From the fans experiences over the last ten years i can't blame them for getting the 'get all the good stuff as quick as possible' jitters even though they DO have faith in the line AND the Muppet brand, just possibly not so much in the corporate factors that can't be controlled but could well influence how things go.

I definitely agree with your plan and strategy though, it's the way you guys should be going as a company with faith in it's product and if anyone can do it, it's you guys because you have momentum, and also the action figure collectors into the line too so you aren't entirely dependant on the Muppets.

Mixing in the movie characters into the line is a good move, but it might have been good to introduce this gradually and make the non-drastically themed costumes first. MT Rizzo is great because he's not that much different from how we see Rizzo now, but Sam Arrow (while being a great character and great choice) will as Zack said, stick out from the rest of the line slightly wheras if you had gone with something from the original 3 movies first it may have been a little subtler. That said doing Sam gives you the chance to really show off what you can do theme and accessory wise, and an obscure character to mail in for is also a great idea - do i hear anybody else saying PENGUIN !!!!!

 

[matleo]

Re: Now The Skinny...

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
OK, so we are now able to make versions of the characters based on the six movies and Muppets Tonight. .........

There is still a third...but that will have to wait. It's a small thing really, so don't freak...but it is VERY cool

hey Ken, is this a hint??? "small thing"??

--Matt

 

[ResidentLilly]

No that's not a hint...

 

[Phillip]

One thing to keep in mind for those concerned about balance and some figures "sticking out like a sore thumb", as the future series are announced you'll see more balance to the line and how characters from particular movies or shows serve as a compliment to one another.

 

[GWGumby]

Hey Ken,

I've seen this question posted before, but haven't seen it answered. What was the inspiration for "Vacation Fozzie?" Is there a specific Muppet Show or other reference to him dressed that way? I like the idea, and am curious as to where it came from.

I'm also happy at the announcement of the extension of the Muppet Licencse as well as the PVC characters. My only dissapointment is the push-back of major characters I was looking forward to. But we've already discussed why it's a better move and I agree that it's best. I also think that working with the movie licenses is a good thing since up until recently they were the only place to see the Muppets. Even though I used to watch the Muppet Show when I was a kid, my real familiarity with the Muppets is through the movies since I've owned videos of them for years. It's only been through the recent release of the Time-Life DVDs that I've got to revisit the Muppet Show episodes. But since those DVDs weren't heavily promoted or sold in stores, most of the public still won't know about them.

 

[Jackie]

Electric Mayhem bus!!!! BOO-YA!