Palisades Mega Muppet line debuts this Winter

[beaker]

ken....is that...a swedish chef prototype?

ken...whoah, is that the prototype for swedish chef in your avatar???

also, now that we have 5" figures, and 12" figures(coming soon) any chance we could get 3'-4" figures/pvcs ala that new Simpsons theme line? For old school figure/pvc collectors like me this would be a dream come true! I know the 1997+ mcfarlane/mezco standard is all the rage, but an ode to old school would be too cool!

 

[Aerosmith]

Sweet!

 

[radionate]

I'm sorry Ken and everyone else. I will most likely get some of the larger figures, but only my absolute favorites. I have a sneeking suspicion that Kermit is sitting around because Bunsen and Dr. Teeth were short packed in a case (I believe that is the correct term). Had that not been the case, I think he would have sold better. I for one know that I didn't get him first, as I knew the good Drs. would be sold out first. I also think Piggy is sitting around as folks went for the long hair version. But they are all still fabulous.

Another thing on the large figs. Yeah, this has been done by companies before. I'm sure its something cool that you guys can produce at a lessor cost as sculpts have been done. Hallmark did this with their Kiddie Car Classics. Before you knew it, there were 4 lines of the exact same cars, all at different sizes. It blew chunks. I just don't want to see oversaturation, and large figures concern me, especially when it is just a blown up version of the smaller figures. Will I buy Beaker, only if there is a Bunsen, as they will sit in my office here at Mississippi's Muppet Labs (the only legalized marijuana fields in the country!). I just know that I would have gone ape s*** crazy had it been Sweetums or Thog or even Animal or another character not already reproduced 3 times.

Yeah you can't please everyone all of the time, but I'm still supportive. Just not my pick for figure of the year.

But I gotta tell you, I'm totally pumped about series two and three now that they are getting closer and closer!

 

[beaker]

>>>. I have a sneeking suspicion that Kermit is sitting around because Bunsen and Dr. Teeth were short packed in a case (I believe that is the correct term)<<<

I knew this would happen. some on here said people would be hot for kermit and piggy more than teeth and bunsen, but I had a feeling the more 'obscure' figures would be selling much better.
i saw that a mile away. i went to toys r us and saw about 10 kermit tuxes there. yet was wondering where the others were?
hmmm....

btw, from this: http://www.action-figure.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4924

the 14" beaker looks exactly like the 6" one! hmmmm

 

[radionate]

I was kinda hoping the bigger beaker would have a few more tricks, a la stretching legs or arms, retractable head, moving mouth, but from the pic I saw, doesn't look like it! Bummer huh?!?!?!

 

[Smig]

Hey, I'M easy to please..BRING IT ON!!!

Smig

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
You know, you can't please everybody.
I look around and see Beaker stuff selling like hotcakes. I see Kermit on the shelf all over the place. So Kermit was not the first choice for the launch of this new line.
Also, this is a large scale line of the smaller figures, so it won't be a NEW fig until the smaller figs get made. Other companies have done this before, it is not a new concept.
I guess I was kind of hoping for a bit more excitement from you guys.

The thing is, it hasn't particularly pleased anybody, and this is the most eager group of customers you are gonna get, and the people have loved absolutely everything else - people were even positive about the regular 'Miss Piggy'.

The idea that Beaker stuff sells like hotcakes is a bit misguided because ultimately the only Beaker selling on-mass is the one with the playset and i would think it's too early for you to know how thats gone. The others were variants produced in very limited quantities - it could have been Animal or Fozzie and it would have sold as well. It's true Beaker appeals to a cross-section of fans but thats usually when he's bunched together with other Muppets in shows or movies. I don't particularly think a large beaker sitting on his own in a window box is going to get people drooling openly.

Muppet fans are a choosy bunch, and the fanbase is quite limited so over-saturation happens extremely easily. The few extra points of articulation don't matter because 90% of the fans aren't hardcore figure collectors, they are crazy for the brand. These large figures REALLY needed to be something interesting and different to compliment the regular line - so characters that warrant this attention/detail and as has been mentioned, with a figure this big ones that actually do something if you push a button whether thats frown, animate or destruct etc. As it is - it's just a larger figure from the same sculpt/design which is going to bore people because they would have already seen the Beaker hype and forgotten about it, and it does nothing different yet it costs a lot more. I understand it is a way of Palisades producing more items without so much work and all toy companies do it (fair dues) but wheras your everyday Pokemon fan probably wouldn't bother too much about this, i think the Muppet ones will and it'll show sales wise.

I already think there are far too many variations of the same characters and we are just into wave 2 - to go back over wave one is a step backwards where i really think the fans want to move forwards and not have the market over-saturated. That kinda vibe could pretty much hurt the regular line as time goes on and people would hate that.

Just my ideas !

 

[tomahawk]

ken,i am excited

i am very excited to here about this new mega-muppet line. my wife and bank account on the other hand.... i think that everyone at palisades are doing a great job with all the muppety goodness.BRING ON THE 12 IN. BEAKER!!!!!!!!!(man that sounds weird when you yell that out loud,alone in your house.)

 

[towels]

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
I look around and see Beaker stuff selling like hotcakes.
...
I guess I was kind of hoping for a bit more excitement from you guys.

Mmmmmm, hotcakes!
Anywho...
I'm sorry to disappoint here, but I too would have a tough time squeezing this into the budget except for a few characters that I have a more personal connection with. With the regular line and DVDs, my Muppet funds are about tapped out. I probably won't even get any Muppet panties...
Now I hope this works out as well as it has for other companies, and perhaps the bigger figures will allow the regular line to get more attention (and better shelf space/awareness), but at the same time I hope it doesn't steal any focus from what under Ken's watchful eye (and the rest of Palisade's loving care) has been more than any figure loving dreams could have imagined.

 

[grail]

Alright, let's get a few things straight...

Let's not forget, that Palisades is a company. Yes, Ken (and Mike, and sometimes Travis) all hang out here, but they still have a job to do.

Now then, how many times have I read in here that people want Beaker. They want him without Muppet Labs, they want him both half and fully invisible, they want him blown up, they want him with retractable head...the point is, just about everyone has said that they want him. Beaker is popular with people who collect action-figures. Those are the people who will go out and BUY a 13-1/2" figure. In order to get to those figures that people in here keep NAGGING about (yeah, I want Thog too, guys, but give it a rest), they have to prove that a line of larger figures is viable.

Ken may be cool, but he's not the toy GOD...let them do their jobs. I for one have YET to be let down by them. They put out quality product, and they know what they're doing. Many of the people in here are quick to point out that they are new to figure collecting. Palisades is not. As someone else who is no stranger to the world of little plastic men, I think they're moving in the right direction.

And don't forget folks, what you see is only a prototype...no telling what changes might be made before it makes it out. Stop bellyaching.