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Fri 30 Apr 2010 |
 One of the things I enjoy in observing the toy industry, especially some of the smaller players, is watching a given companies product improve by leaps and bounds.
There’s a lot of reasons for this happening.
Sometimes it is as simple as a new person being brought on board to oversee your product lines. Perhaps this person has different sensibilities, or higher expectations. Maybe the company decides it’s willing to invest more capital into the overall toy making process. It could be new equipment, new designers, or new sculptors. It could be a lot of things. But, we on the outside looking in may never know what it is exactly that turns things around.
Many years ago, while I was at RTM, I wrote an article about how JAKKS Pacific was improving their product (specifically regarding their WWE lines) by leaps and bounds from where they started. I remember JAKKS first WWE line. It was pretty bad. The figures had little to no resemblance to their real-life counterparts, and generally appeared to be carved from soap. They were bad. Near "Milk Dud-head Phantom" bad, if you get the reference. But then something changed and so did the product. Everything got better. Likenesses. Sculpting. Articulation. Creativity. And this was just before they got into "Real Scan" and really changed the face of licensed products…literally.
Looking at the industry now I find myself having a similar feeling about Florida-based Jazwares, Inc.
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Thu 29 Apr 2010 |
What’s old is new again!
You know, as much as I rag on Scott Neitlich (ToyGuru) for his efforts on the Justice League Unlimited action figure line, I have to give him the ultimate props on what he’s done with DC Universe Classics. This line is what the Super Powers line could have been had it lasted, say, as long as Star Wars did and produced 100+ figures instead of the 34 that SP eked out in 3 years back in the mid-1980′s.
If there’s one thing I respect, it’s passion. Scott and the Four Horsemen have translated their passion for Super Powers into action and not only re-created all (the rest are coming, folks) of the characters that Kenner came out with, but they also have applied that same vision to making the line that Kenner might have produced if they started development in 2007 instead of 1982.
I know a lot of you will hate this idea, but I’d absolutely LOVE them to make a Quadrex, Shockwave, or Silicon in DC Universe Classics. A lot of the proposed Wave 4 characters have already been produced (Man-Bat, Vigilante, Blue Devil, Bizarro, John Stewart, Deathstroke), as well as some of the new deluxe "Power Plus" line that would have debuted in 1987 (Zan, Jayna). Their passion certainly fuels mine in collecting DCUC, and it spills over into the other characters in that line. Case-in-point :
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Wed 28 Apr 2010 |
The 17th Annual International G.I. JOE Convention returns to Providence, R.I.
with Special Guests, Contests and Thousands of Rare and Vintage G.I. JOE Figures!
Saturday, May 1, 2010 – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 2, 2010 – 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Rhode Island Convention Center
One Sabin Street, Providence, RI
(401) 458-6000
Adults: $12; Children 5-12: $8; Children 4 and under: Free!
See thousands of vintage action figures on display and for sale; diorama contests;
meet toy designers; seminars; panels; convention exclusive figures and more than
$1,000 in prizes available!
For all the details, visit their site: GI Joe Convention 2010
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Wed 28 Apr 2010 |
I posted a blog a year ago with my Top 10 (well, 11 really…I snuck Stegron the Dinosaur Man in at the last minute!) picks for Hasbro’s 4" Marvel Universe line. Boy, was I off. Way off. Here we are, a full year later and I am a solid 0 – 11.
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Tue 27 Apr 2010 |
So as Toy Story 3 was approaching, Disney/Pixar unveiled various new characters and one in
particular caught my eye: The Insectaloid Warrior Twitch!
So does MAN + INSECT indeed equal AWESOME? Read on!
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Sat 24 Apr 2010 |
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Posted by SuperFriend :: Comments Off
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 The newest DC event is Brightest Day. The preview issue came out last week. It looks good. I’d like to see DC actually follow through with this basic idea. Its been way too dark and gloomy at DC for a long time.
Seven or so years ago, Dan Didio came on board at DC Comics. Mr. Didio stated in an early interview that he wanted to change the nature of the DC Universe. At the time, Didio felt that if a superhero walked into a bar in costume that people would welcome them with open arms and buy them a round of drinks. Instead, Didio felt that people should respond in fear, for the only reason a hero would show up in costume is that trouble was about to hit the fan. I agree this is more realistic, but I like the other idea better, kind of like a bunch of buddies going out after a long day of work to celebrate.
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Fri 23 Apr 2010 |
Evergreen.
It is the holy grail of the toy industry. Finding a property that remains both popular and viable in the marketplace even when there is no media support.
Every year there is a flurry of movie licensing as toy companies scamble to catch lightning in a bottle and, hopefully, find the next Star Wars. Almost every movie based toyline fizzles out either while the movie is still in the local multiplex, or shortly thereafter.
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Fri 23 Apr 2010 |
Add-on and accessories for your existing toys are a hot and growing trend!
(One I’m happy to say I’m part of!)
So read on to find out just what kind of add-ons and gear you can get for your collection!
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Thu 22 Apr 2010 |
As was previously reported by a very dubious source, this week marks the Wooden Anniversary of Action Figure Insider. (No really, it’s wooden! Look it up! Jason Lenzi told me! Seriously!). To celebrate this wonderous occasion, we (yeah, that damn Lenzi again…taking all the credit for himself) thought we’d do something different with our blog privileges, and interview co-founders Daniel "JuliusMarx" Pickett and Jason "ToyOtter" Geyer. I picked Jason because he was the one guy left after Lenzi chose Daniel. Dammit! I mean, awesome!  Actually, Jason and I go back a good 15 years or more, and I consider him a good friend. The "home away from home" that Dan and he have created here at AFi is someplace I’ll always be.
I tried asking the tough, probing questions that the discerning readers of AFi wanted to be asked. Actually, I used the same questions that Lenzi came up with for Dan…they really made sense to my lazy disposition. Anyway, a very very Happy 5th Anniversary to Action Figure Insider! Here’s to the next 5 years being even better! Now…on to Mister Jason Geyer!
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Thu 22 Apr 2010 |
 Those were the exact words I heard from the mouth of a boy who couldn’t have been more than ten years old Monday evening. I stopped by Big Lots after reading that collectors were finding wave 11 25th Anniversary/Modern Era G.I. JOE figures at some of their locations. After picking up two Cobra Eels, Matt Trakker, and Airborne from their selection of JOEs, I walked around the toy aisles a bit to see if there was anything else interesting. When I circled back to the action figures, this kid was looking through the G.I. JOE pegs. That’s when he complained about not being able to find Snake-Eyes.
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Wed 21 Apr 2010 |
If you haven’t already noticed, this week marks the Wooden Anniversary of Action Figure Insider. (No, really, it’s wooden. Look it up. Luckily it’s not the third anniversary: leather). And to celebrate and contribute a bit more, I thought I’d do something different with my blog privileges, and interview co founder Daniel Pickett. I picked Pickett, ’cause he’s the guy that first got in touch with me all those years ago, asking if I’d like to be on a SDCC panel. And it’s been a beautiful friendship ever since. I tried asking the tough, probing questions that the discerning readers of AFI wanted asked. Let’s see if I succeeded. Either way, Happy Anniversary from me to Action Figure Insider! Take it away Daniel! :
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Sun 18 Apr 2010 |
Once Kenner’s Star Wars kicked open the door to action figure Nir(and, eventually, Nerd)vana in 1977, there were three non-licensed lines that defined and dominated Aisle 7C in the 1980s. But, once and for all, after all the different permutations and relaunches, which is our favorite?
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Sun 18 Apr 2010 |
 I love the Batman Brave and Bold show. The lighter tone of most episodes males me happy. The fact that Cartoon Network has changed the showing frequency so each episode is only aired once makes me unhappy. I’ve missed two episodes since this decision. CartoonNetwork.com now has the Shazam episode up, so I was able to finally watch it. I am concerned that a lack of airing will drive demand for the toys down, causing the line to end an early death. I am looking forward to the Shazam toy which might be coming for this line.
Let’s take a look at the first toy I bought for this line, Blue Beetle’s Bug. This ship is great because of its tie to Blue Beetle II, Ted Kord. The show even did a flashback which showed Ted working with Batman.
The ship breaks down like this. Body. Six legs, which are actually 3 pairs of identical pieces. Pincers with launcher and missile. Oh yeah, and a figure of Blue Beetle in an off color scheme. That bothered me for a while, but I put up with it due to how cool the vehicle is.
 
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Sat 10 Apr 2010 |
Over the last few months we’ve seen a lot of new lines go the Mego route.
My question is this:
Is there really is a huge untapped demand for figures in this format or is it driven by the fact that manufacturers can produce these type of figures relatively cheaply and still ask for a relatively high retail price?
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