regular figures...mega sized...what about minis?

[MuppetQuilter]

(Apparently I now fall into the category of 'older adult'-- yikes! when did that happen?).

What I want from a mini line (if there is one) is a wide vairety of characters. I want TONS of Muppets out of this. And I want them in forms we couldn't get in the regular line. I don't want Dare Devil Gonzo, I want Gonzo in some odd pose or outfit. And characters we don't get anywhere else, not just Muppets that don't make it into the regular figure line, but characters that don't make it into any merchandising. Hilda, Wayne and Wanda, Uncle Deadly (though I am still campaigning for an Uncle Deadly regular fig). Frackles would be great. I don't want to see a set with Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Animal and Fozzie in it-- if all the big guns come out in one, who will be able to carry the more unusual characters? I'd like to see Kermit in the white suit he wore on the Linda Ronstad (spelling?) episode. Maybe holding some crushed flowers. Fozzie with Chuckie. Sam in the outfit he worse on the Elton John outfit, perhaps eating his hat. Maybe the gargoyle from the Debbie Harry ep.

I'm not concerned about the price, personally. The price will reflect the level of detail and number of Muppets included. A largers number of smaller sets would likely end up costing more than fewer larger sets (and probably mean fewer obscure Muppets) but fewer larger sets would likely put the minis out of some people's price range.

 

[radionate]

I don't understand why everyone is stuck on this $20.00 price either. I think $25.00 is not that much for 6 PVC characters that are going to be well done. That's only a little over $4.00 each for the PVC. That's what you would pay for most of Applause's PVC figures in specialty or cake decorating stores.

 

[beaker]

Ok...

Luke: I agree, I see the mega line affecting the regular line wayy more than any minis, as the mega line are just large replicas of the 6". To people who may think the minis would take away sales from the 6"...consider this: Unlike previous muppet figures, this line I can bet ya is not being bought by a lot of parents for their kids, or just by a lot of people. Perhaps the size, or the cost. But when you get into minis, I see a whole new mountain of oppurunity opening up, both sales and possibility wise.

My idea...5 minis, roughly between the simpsons minis and fisher price line, $12-$15. For those that remember the great Fisher Price figure line, small articulated Muppet figures can be done...now I know someone said the Simpsons minis wouldnt be as detailed as TMS...since were talking about brand new sculpts
I think itd be fine if they were as detailed as the Simpsons. I mean these arent replicas of the regulars like the megas are.
I think having no articulation would be a step back. Those Tyco 1998 Sesame pvcs are great, and sure they could make like 20 small pvcs for $25. But I would much rather have slightly larger, good quality limited articulated mini *figures*.

So...my idea is 5 to a pack, $12-$15, limited articulation 3-3.5",
maybe a few accessories(or not), themed(hence the extra collectibility), and 2 big guns and 3 obscures per wave.
I think we just might get that Pepe in tutu!(btw, I DONT think they should be to scale, as that would make Pepe super small...I think they should all be 3.5" or around no matter if its Sweetums or Robin or Pepe.

Oh and Luke...the new Heman is anime influenced, and slightly homaged of the great Ninja Scroll anime? Hmmm...That does sound interesting, I was just a little put off by the figures which packaging wise look like a throwback to the old Heman stuff(which I was never a fan of anyways back in the day)

 

[beaker]

Frogboy wrote: "The mega figures will have more articulation and possibly rooted hair, the the minis will be all new sculpts with mini set pieces such as arches"

Hmmmm, does Jamie have an inside track with Ken and knows more than he's sharing? NAW! it cant be

 

[beaker]

ok...how did this thread end up at the bottom of the page? I'll just have to make sure it stays at the top where it belongs! hmmmmmf!

 

[frogboy4]

It was said somewhere that the megas would have extra features. I am guesing what these might be but all have been talked about. Beaker just won't have a head that you can push because that would take an entirely new sculpt. These megas seem lilely to be made in a smaller number than the figures - meant for the enthusiast. Just my take. Could be wrong.

 

[ResidentLilly]

If we were to do something this , I think they should not articulate. That would set them apart from the figures a lot, and allow us to do some things not possible in the figures, and even be more true to the actual shapes of the characters, not restricted by joints.

That's IF we were going to do this, of course...

 

[Crazy Harry]

No articulation? Not even swivel shoulders?

 

[kansasteen14]

I have the Rudolph figures only they have The Snowmonster as a HUGE figure to the rest and he has articulation,but the rest dont and I LOVE them,so I wouldnt mind if the muppets had no articulation.

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
If we were to do something this , I think they should not articulate. That would set them apart from the figures a lot, and allow us to do some things not possible in the figures, and even be more true to the actual shapes of the characters, not restricted by joints.

That's IF we were going to do this, of course...

Well Ken, i really hope you guys kinda think twice about doing them then. The whole idea is that we get 'Mini Action Figures' - not plain ol' PVC's which we've had before. With all the other mini figure lines this year, all the most notable ones i can remember have been articulated. While some of the older fans who are more accustomed to PVC's may be fine with them, the hardcore collectors and the twentysomething nostagia freaks expect whats 'cool' and 'in' this year - not 1978. I am probably slap bang in your target demograph and the non-articulation just turned me right off the idea and i likely would not buy them.

I do appreciate what you are saying about improving the shapes of the characters but hang on just a sec, you are getting most of the character shapes darn near perfect on the regular line. While i agree that not articulating them would set them apart from the regular line, you can also attain this by doing different themes for the figures, packing them with arches like you said, etc etc. The only thing i see non-articulation achieving is lots of people (and toy magazines) saying that the muppet minis are the expensive ones that don't move like all the others do.

Lastly what about your moniker 'Play with it' - have you ever tried to play with a non-articulated PVC Ken ? Maybe i've just got no imagination but i'd want my Kermit Mini to be able to do a two legged leap over the swamp - not just shuffle about like Roseanne moving around McDonalds. You guys managed to lift the bar on action figures beyond the Simpsons with better accessories, better packaging, nicer designs and more articulation. I kinda wanted to see you break boundaries with the mini's too but i think un-articulated figs would be a step back for the Muppets.