Ask Ken at Palisades

[beaker]

I wish someone would put the 12 minute behind the scenes featurette with Joe the Armadillo online for everyone to see...I totally understand people writing off KSY and not wanting to pay the $20 for it or $5 Blockbuster rental. But I cannot tell ya how top notch, sharp, and endlessly cute Joe the Armadillo is.
For that matter...yeah, was Mo Frackle created just for that Family Feud thing? After 5 days of seeing him, he really became one of my new favorites.

I really hope JHC can bring back, at least in some capacity be it cameo walktrhough, etc: Joe the Armadillo, Digit, Leon, Mo Frackle, and other JHH characters.

As for the Bad Andy thing, I was just kidding. I think he'd be an interesting addition to the cameos, as would Flat Eric...though the debate over their membership in Muppetdom goes on.

 

[The Count]

Luke, Hear my Voice...

Luke, you can stop your psychiatrist visits and finally rest easy now that your long national nightmare is over. In a thread started by fellow Muppet jauggernaut Beaker, called "S5 Planet Koozbane?" over in the Muppets section of Palisades' forum, Ken dropped a bombshell. Guess they sped along the remaining stages of trauma: balance, depression, and acceptance, when dealing with the issue of the Series 5 playset. If you'll recall, the Electric Mayhem bus playset and Janice figure were severed; pushing the bus back into the planning stages, while the Janice figure gets its individual release in Series 5. Well, in a similar move, the Planet Koozbane set has been nixed. However, Ken says that the Koozbane or Reporter Kermit figure will be released as a retail-exclusive at the same time as Series 4! He hints that the lines may become integrated by a total of five figures in their regular lineups from here on out. The reason for such an assesment is that the Swedish Kitchen and U.S.S. Swinetrek playsets will be the only ones sold next year; the kitchen in the spring of 2003 possibly after S3 sees the light of day, and the SwineTrek in the fall of 2003 long after S4 and smack between S5 and S6. Hope this cheers you up and hope you have a great week.

 

[ExodiaTF1]

Hello everybody i am new, so excuse me if this questions been asked but when will the naked rowlf be coming out? well thanks for takin the time to read this bye

 

[Wander McMooch]

I'd love to see figures based on the Jim Henson Hour Muppets -- Digit, Lindy, Ubo, Wally, Zondra, etc. I don't know...I understand why they would be overlooked, they're pretty obsure...but they were part of the final show that Jim Henson was personally involved in.

Hey, I just thought of something -- if Sweetums sells well, what are the chances of a big Muppets assortment with Thog and Doglion?

 

[Luke]

Re: Luke, Hear my Voice...

Originally posted by The Count
Hope this cheers you up and hope you have a great week.

Yeah i read that Count, but no it certainly doesn't cheer me up - it's really not good news for Palisades or Muppet fans. I didn't think that Koozebane was a strong playset but i didn't wish for things to be nixed because of lack of support and things like that. On the upside i guess an obscure playset being released could have really put the nail in the coffin rather than people at least getting some sets in the future, and also i'm sure 'Reporter Kermit' will be a great seller for them and it means more people will also get the mini Koozebane base and enjoy that wheras they might not have parted with the cash for the actual playset.

TRU pulling out of the line is obviously a big let down for the Palisades guys as they were one of the biggest customers but hopefully they can pull things off for us all - the actual figures do seem to be selling well or at least are being propped up by two niche groups (Muppet collectors and Figure collectors) supporting the line.

 

[Zack the Dog]

TRU pulling out of the line is obviously a big let down for the Palisades guys as they were one of the biggest customers but hopefully they can pull things off for us all -

but they were selling so well! that dosen't make sense! i have to read this Palisades message board, all the info is givin out there and just talked about here, therefore making me think that untrue rumors are starting when they are not...or sometimes are.


Zack,

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by Zack the Dog
but they were selling so well! that dosen't make sense!

I guess being on a Muppet forum with lots of fans can give a decieving impression as we make a lot of noise but there are really very few of us - something like action figures and especially playsets that cost loads to sculpt, develop and produce really need a wide consumer base from the general public but it seems they won't hand over $25 for a playset (and i would think MOST Muppet products) even if it's great. It shouldn't be a reflection on Ken and Palisades work, more on the state of the Muppets and how the general public feel about them, kinda good for an $8 nostalgia hit but no longterm commitment.

Maybe the fans could get together and help things a bit - Ken mentioned that he has tried to get Henson to promote the figures and get other licensee's to join together and do some cross-promotion with the Muppets (maybe some appearances either in the media or publicly) but no joy. If the fans were to get together and write or have some kind of campaign maybe Henson might feel it's worth putting the Muppets out there to support the line.

 

[Zack the Dog]

Luke

what's sad is that everyweek i check the sunday news paper for ad's for the Muppet figs in the Toys R us catalog, but they are never there, i don't know if that's TRU's call or what? for one thing i thought they sell way to fast anyways that by the time someone sees the paper the figs would already be sold out!

that's a shame though, i feel bad about the playset.

 

[ResidentLilly]

It is not Henson's responsibility to promote the action figures, and they actually do quite a lot to help us, so I don't think a letter writing campaign would be the best thing, although the help is appreciated. Ultimately it is up to us as a company and sites like these and others and any grass roots marketing you all do, like introduce your friends, family to the product.

The reason you don't see us in a TRU catalog or some place like that is because TRU charges a LOT of money to get in that catalog. Money we don't have in the ad budget for a line with a production run this small. (And by small I mean in comparison to Barbie and stuff that you usually see in the circulars.)

Luke's right...in the scheme of things the Muppet line is a small spec in the toy world. It means a lot to you and me, but to Joe Q. Average maybe not so much. But like I said on the other board, it is not really a reason to panic...the very reason we decided to readjust the line is BECAUSE we want it to succeed...and to do that here you just have to go about it differently than a Simpson's or Star Wars or He-Man line, that's all. Plans are still on the table to keep going, and that is what we are doing. Heck, Series 7 is on the drawing board and Series 6 is almost fully sculpted...the commitment is there to continue full force.

 

[Zack the Dog]

The reason you don't see us in a TRU catalog or some place like that is because TRU charges a LOT of money to get in that catalog. Money we don't have in the ad budget for a line with a production run this small. (And by small I mean in comparison to Barbie and stuff that you usually see in the circulars.)

Oh i see now, your right, i would rather Rowlf come with that wonderful piano you guys made rather then the money spent to show one small photo of him in the sunday paper.


Zack)Rowlf the,Dog.