MASTER REPLICAS @ Toy Fair 08

[MuppetCaper]

I highly doubt we'll ever see factory samples. Proto 2 and 3 are being disected in China now. Once costs are ironed out at MR, I imagine they'll probably put him up for pre-order using this one as their sample. Just like Gonzo, we won't know for sure until we actually get him.

Knowing how beat up Trav has been on these boards, I'm sure he'll iron out every possible problem there may be with Fozzie.

MR has to show Disney a factory prototype for approval before anything goes up for preorder. MR has never used one of Terry's prototype as far as I know to sell a product. If that was possible, then Gonzo would have been sold out in a week. I am sure that when MR gets there final product out for preorder, it will be from the factory, and that will be the version we will be seeing being made.

 

[Rowlfharris]

MR has to show Disney a factory prototype for approval before anything goes up for preorder. MR has never used one of Terry's prototype as far as I know to sell a product. If that was possible, then Gonzo would have been sold out in a week. I am sure that when MR gets there final product out for preorder, it will be from the factory, and that will be the version we will be seeing being made.

Yes, that’s why I'm bringing the point up now at this early stage. Because there seems to be this jump from really nice Terry proto's, to Disney-approved factory product with flaws, at which stage it goes up for sale and the factory churns that version out.

It basically means that Disney, being the ones deciding what gets the green light, is not discerning enough to appreciate what should or shouldn't get approval. I'm sure MR and Travis would be as fussy as we are, but Disney seems to be clueless on details about the Muppets.

That’s not trying to bash Disney, its just what happens in a Mega-Corporation of that size. The people signing off on things are more likely to be executives or accountants than artists or fans.

(sorry OT) Speaking of Disney, why have they decided to make www.muppets.com (Disney XD) locked out for non-USA IP addresses? Nobody outside the US is permitted to access the site; Why not?

 

[Luke]

It basically means that Disney, being the ones deciding what gets the green light, is not discerning enough to appreciate what should or shouldn't get approval. I'm sure MR and Travis would be as fussy as we are, but Disney seems to be clueless on details about the Muppets.

This i've heard is true, they don't seem to have much of an idea (as yet), although i bet they have (or will have) some Henson people who can consult, but they do seem to be passing stuff easily likeness wise but not material (as obviously they know about that stuff, just not Muppets). Not to say that Henson didn't pass some awful stuff too, but they were VERY picky about the higher end collectors stuff. I think Ken put some of the notes for the figures up on his site and they were so detailed.

As for Disney XD being locked out, its the same for all Disney brands. Its for copyright/country release schedule reasons - some countries have their own versions of XD.

 

[Muppet Loverr]

They need to start making PUPPETS!

 

[frogboy4]

They need to start making PUPPETS!

I have a hard time with the idea of anyone fronting a few hundred bucks owning an official Muppet puppet. I kind of draw the line there. I know that most of us around here would treat it respectfully, but I don't think others would do so. It's fine doing a smarmy parody with a half-a**ed or home crafted puppet, but not with one that looks so real. As a Muppet fan I'd want them, but feel that Muppet puppets would fall into the wrong hands. The YouTube garbage alone would sadden me.

And it could weaken the brand. I think Disney has it right on this. Wasn't the original idea for Kermit to be a puppet? I heard that he appeared that way at one of the ToyFares years ago.

 

[MuppetCaper]

I totally agree. I just think it is too risky and taboo. I mean, I would not want my creations (if I was Henson) to be original copies all over the world. As a artist and craftsman, if I knew that I created something that was my own, and another company comes in and makes copies of my original work, I would be really mad. There are just some things that should be the artist own work and personal. I am happy with just owning the photo puppets in all respect to Mr. Henson.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I totally agree. I just think it is too risky and taboo. I mean, I would not want my creations (if I was Henson) to be original copies all over the world. As a artist and craftsman, if I knew that I created something that was my own, and another company comes in and makes copies of my original work, I would be really mad. There are just some things that should be the artist own work and personal. I am happy with just owning the photo puppets in all respect to Mr. Henson.

So, are you saying we shouldn't own Picasso prints or lithographs, or recordings of songs, because those are both copies of original artistic works.

If the owner of the property makes or authorizes to be made copies of said property, well, that's commerce. That's one of the ways that artists or property owners make money.

To me, it's silly to worry about what a few rotten apples are going to do. If someone really wanted to make a horrible video using Muppets, the resources are already out there. Look at that guy that sells his replicas on e-Bay and Amazon. I wish they'd license real puppets just to shut that guy down.

 

[beaker]

Im not sure what in the world is up with creating an expensive high end market Electric Mayhem figurine set out of polystone...a set that will probably be like 100 dollars. Why not just make a version of the prototyped Electric Mayhem muppet minis?

And this is going to upset a lot of people, but I'll say it...

I've been an avid Muppet fan since the early Reagan era.
Ive seen virtually every image that JHC used the posable Muppet photos in, from 70's posters to 1990's paraody calendars to Milk ads.

And uh...those replicas dont look anything like what we see in photo posable Muppets. They look like stuffed toys.

Which leads me to wonder: Maybe JHC or Disney or whomever didnt want *exact* likenesses, and so there was a point to not make the faces look like real real Muppet likenesses.

Master Replicas has been wonderful in helping to re-excite the Muppet community where Palisades had to bail...

But upon looking at photos of these four Muppet replicas close up and from all angles...I just dont see the resemblence to the what we see in the calendars, posters, ads, Muppet Magazine covers, trading cards, etc

 

[MWoO]

You really can't call these stuffed toys. If you had one in hand you'd know.

Some people take bad pictures and it makes them look bad, but look at some of the better pics and you'll see these are replicas. Some people on here made Animal look spot on and Kermit as well and yes even Gonzo, despite the nose.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I've been an avid Muppet fan since the early Reagan era. Ive seen virtually every image that JHC used the posable Muppet photos in, from 70's posters to 1990's paraody calendars to Milk ads.

And uh...those replicas dont look anything like what we see in photo posable Muppets. They look like stuffed toys.

I've been a Muppet fan since long before you were born. I think Master Replicas' Kermit is BETTER than some of the overstuffed posers that Henson Co. used. I've always hated those. And that Fozzie poser from Muppets Take Manhattan is horrible. I can't stand to look at it.

So, I take issue with your very premise. The real posers are all over the map as to likeness. I think these measure up and surpass some of them.

Even Gonzo, who I've been very vocal about disliking, is certainly no stuffed toy. Expensive toy, maybe, but I wouldn't call it a stuffed toy. It's lightyears ahead of any other Gonzo product ever made.

If you've seen any of Anthony's (KermieBaby47) pictures, I don't see how you can claim they don't measure up.