MINDstyle to make 25th Ann. Fraggle figures!

[matleo]

Did you notice the scale between the doozers and the fraggles. Also, even being that they are heads, how do the busts seem to compare in ratio to the Fraggles and one another?

It is very cool you got to see these up close!

Ovbiously they're all a bit cheated. I would say Sprocket and Marjory are actually pretty close in scale. Pa's head, I think, is shrunken down a litlle. Figure the blocks the characters are on are about 1 inch and a half or so on each side. So they have to fit on those.

The doozers are scaled up slightly but not bad. If I can make a comparison, the fraggles and the 3 busts are all about the size of Rizzo from the Palisades line. The doozers were about the size of the larger Java Muppet.

of course ALL this is a based on a hazy memory of stuff I saw a week ago.

 

[Foodie]

only the larger guys are bust-like. The doozerd and the fraggles are both full figured.

and the reason I can make those images out so well is cause I saw them last week. But I think even still in that pic you can make out marjory and Pa pretty.

Coolness. A friend of mine got sent to Toy Fair a few years ago because of his job. He got to see the Sababa Mokey & Traveling Matt. I dunno why he couldn't take pictures. He may not have been allowed as I've never seen pictures of those prototypes anywhere. He did snag me some neat flyers though.

 

[matleo]

hey gang,

just got a response to the email I sent to the Mindstyle rep last week. Here are a few answers for you.

Hello Matthew:

Thank you for your email. Individuals like you that help make producing collectibles enjoyable. Too often, may are quick to jump the gun without even knowing the facts. We have not released any information to the media or any sites. Basically, we wanted to generate interest with the buyers at Toy Fair and only then, carefully plan the launch of the Fraggle Rock anniversary series. As our licensed products are distributed worldwide by Dark Horse, all media will be handled by their company once a release date is scheduled.

Your concern of the letter blocks is a balance of creative and business. As everyone well knows, even the Muppets and other Henson properties were not well supported at retailers after the initial releases. Yet, the figures were amazing and some of my favorites. In this case, the only way for the series to come to 3D vinyl life is to gain support at retail. The current trend which would enable the figures acceptance in the more specialty market is to have them blind boxed and with the blocks that would allow collectors to buy not only the characters but the letters to spell say their name or a word. In no way is this to distract from the figures or the property. Yet the reality of it all is such a property will only gain wider acceptance to new audiences by meeting the current marketplace.

Surely we have strongly considered the best way to meet both true Henson fans and the new vinyl toy market. We thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts and share those of other board members. The cost for the sculpting, painting, molds and production require a somewhat large minimum quantity for the project to make good business sense as such a series could not be produced any other way. It should be noted that much of what we do are as collectors, yet we are faced with the challenge of delivering the product to new audiences. The fans and loyalty is tremendous and respected. By the way, the figures were always removable from the blocks which are an added feature. The blocks were just a platform. The basis of vinyl toys are something that allows collectors to do just that, collect them all!

Based on such great fans, we will do two things:

First, we will release the figures in sets with a window box without the blocks. Without question, this should meet the request of true Henson fans. The limited edition sets will be made available at conventions, comic book shops and the customary collector stores.

Secondly, the figures with the blocks to spell and create words will be released individually at specialty and vinyl stores to meet that demand of a new audience. Consider this; many people buying the figures today have not even seen Fraggle Rock so in this sense, new fans will buy the figures because of the character and collectible factor.

It should be noted that the cost to tool and produce such quality limited edition figures are extremely expensive. We try to balance creative with business to ensure such a wonderful series will make it to retail.

Should there be any further questions or ideas, please feel free to contact me.

Best,

MD Young
Co-Founder

MINDstyle

And there you have it. That's why there's no pics form Toy Fair. That's why the letter blocks and that's how they're packaging them. I like that they're going to be doing them as a set minus the blocks.



--Matt

 

[RustyDog]

First, we will release the figures in sets with a window box without the blocks. Without question, this should meet the request of true Henson fans. The limited edition sets will be made available at conventions, comic book shops and the customary collector stores.

Secondly, the figures with the blocks to spell and create words will be released individually at specialty and vinyl stores to meet that demand of a new audience. Consider this; many people buying the figures today have not even seen Fraggle Rock so in this sense, new fans will buy the figures because of the character and collectible factor.

Hmmm.... does that mean that the varients will only come in the blind boxed release? other than that sounds good, and it makes me feel better about the figures.

 

[Luke]

Fantastic news Matt, I'll be buying these.

 

[frogboy4]

I am so happy there is now official word (with a personal touch) from MINDstyle. I have felt shut-out of their Dark Crystal assortment for many reasons (their new gelflings do look good, but I'll pass in favor of NECA's potential future offerings).

Maybe the fans here or at ToyFare were heard and maybe there have been some internal issues at play. I still think there were other non-fan collecitibility avenues to pursue rather than using letters - that's a particularly sore topic with fans who know why Jim ended the show when HBO wanted part ownership and to turn it into a letters-and-numbers learning program.

It's great that the longtime Fraggle fans aren't being ignored and will have beautiful vinyl sculptures of the Fraggles and many other characters! I really think MINDstyle is playing it safe right now (and that is smart) but will come to see how lucrative this property can be. Ultimately I could see a full-bodied scale Sprocket and maybe even whole Gorgs down the line. Just my guess, but I think it is very possible.

Thanks for the news!

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

The set is going to cost allot I already know it.
I may pass on these if they don't meet my standards as to what a toy should and shouldn't be.

 

[Luke]

I still think there were other non-fan collecitibility avenues to pursue rather than using letters - that's a particularly sore topic with fans who know why Jim ended the show when HBO wanted part ownership and to turn it into a letters-and-numbers learning program.

Yeah the letters thing is my only criticism, i can see the reason for it, but still, blindboxed, people might need to buy 26 (or more) just to spell their name. If they were just in window boxes i could see the casual browsers doing the letter thing but not blindboxed. I still would have said doozer stick parts that formed a tower or small pack ins of lots of mini doozer repaints to build an army.

 

[beaker]

Told you I wasnt nuts for saying Mindstyle made sure noone took pictures of the Fraggle figures

Letter less Fraggle boxes with a window=excellent. So good to have an official word

Hopefully Mindstyle will feel confident in their work to let the world see these things soon

Oh, and you can bet this will be one of many Fraggle Rock merchandise items to come out in the next year or so

 

[Redsonga]

*Hee* I am going to have fun with those blocks if I get enough of them. The photo ideas with with my toys and fraggles are already swimming in my head :3