Anyway, there's a lot going down in the comments section and I thought I'd start with some answers.
This Year's Special order:
Fin Fang Foom – out
Cloak and Dagger – out on 20th May
Ronan the Accuser – 29th July
Sasquatch and Puck – Sept
Blob – Nov
Subscriber Specials
Definitely an interesting idea but at this stage it's nothing more. I do agree that it's good to reward the subscribers for their loyalty but I also understand that it would be slightly unfair to collectors who can not subscribe directly from us (some foreign markets) and collectors who've been with us from day one but gone through their newsagent. At the moment I believe that subscribers get a little bit of money off each special but it would be nice to reward them in other ways that don't mean non-collectors miss out and ebay sellers rub there hands. Perhaps additional gifts of plinths or binders could be done but this is something we'll have to discuss in detail here at Eaglemoss.
Frequency of Specials
I've noticed that a number of people have asked that we increase the frequency of specials. At the moment we're going to be keeping to 5-6 a year.
The reason for this can best be summed up by a phone call I received yesterday. I spoke to a collector who was considering/in the process of canceling his subscription because it was costing him too much each month. He collected Marvel and DC and basically pointed out that every month his package arrives with 4 normal figures and at least one special. With everyone tightening their belts, he simply couldn't afford this anymore. Now I know that he could cut down on specials or drop just one collection but (and I think the response to green Quicksilver backs this up) many collectors want all figures and are not happy to miss out.
The collector in question even suggested that if we kept to just 3 specials a year he'd probably keep collecting. Now I'm not suggesting we're going to drop the number of specials, but we certainly don't want to increase their numbers so that they are no longer 'special'. There's definitely arguments on both sides for specials so it's important we balance this well.
Multi-Packs
As I've said before we're still uncertain about double and multi packs. It's not entirely correct to say that Prof X. & Lilandra or Ka-Zar & Zabu were failures and that's the reason we're not doing more. One of the main problems is the increase in the cost of manufacturing since the project began. The DC collection costs £6.99 per issue compared to Marvel's £5.99, so when looking at double packs, it's not just as simple as doubling the standard price, it may need to be double the DC price. Would you be happy to pay £13.99?
The other thing is the type of double pack. A lot of great ideas have been posted in the comments section for double packs. Some people have suggested that Prof. X and Ka-Zar did poorly because of the character choice. The problem is that one of the most requested double packs is Pyro and Avalanche and personally I wouldn't consider these anymore appealing to the casual buyer. I'm not saying they are a bad choice but as one commenter was suggesting that double packs (and specials in general) need to wow people walking into Forbidden Planet, then are Pyro and Avalanche or Northstar and Aurora going to do that? Not saying they won't but maybe a Young Avengers or modern double pack would do a better job. If I announced that the next double pack was Iron Lad and Patriot I think there would be a huge uproar amongst a lot of collectors – I'd love to see the comments ;)
We need to keep a good balance to the entire collection to try and get casual buyers involved but also give the long term collectors what they want.
Over the course of this collection we've tried a number of different types of special. We've had the classic Hulk/Kingpin/Juggernaut type special, the mega specials, a movie special and the Abomination special. Each special seems to appeal to a different part of the community more and we really need to keep a good balance.
If we have a look at the DC collection we can see they've tried a few other specials such as the Batman on Bike and Superman Statue. These two specials have split the collectors right down the middle.
In short, I think it's important to try new things with the specials but not go too far away from how the collection started. Double packs are certainly a prospect for this collection and we're looking at putting more in.
New vs Old Characters
The debate on including the popular characters again in different poses or costumes is an interesting one. Of course, releasing a new Spider-Man figure and mag would ensure more sales in comic shops but from previous comments I think a lot of current subscribers would feel cheated. At the moment it's a very mixed message on this subject. It seems to me that a lot of current collectors are more interested in adding new characters than redoing old (but more popular) ones. Maybe I'm wrong (and that's what the comment section and forum is for) but it seems the majority are against repeating characters with the exception of some figures that people want redone – original Beast.
From our point of view it's important to keep a good mix of modern and old characters to ensure we get the best out of the Marvel Universe and don't alienate any collector. Just remember that the guys on the forum get to choose at least 3 characters for each extension. Last time the top four were: Spiral, Moondragon, Toad and Tigershark, so no really modern characters.
Anyway, I think that's enough ranting from my point of view, let me know what you think on the subjects, a friendly debate is always healthy.
Before I do go I'd like to leave you with the work in progress shots of Siryn (the comp winner's pick). I'll let the images do the talking.
P.S. Games workshop paints are best for the figures.
71 comments:
I would love a new character like Pixie or Dust done but if its based on poll results the modern character who did the best in the last polling was DUST!
I wud love to see DUST make the collection shes an amazing character with a fantastic look.
Personally I would rather have more characters added to the collection rather than rehashing characters that have already been made.
WARLOCK
Hint Hint.
Young avengers double pack?
YES PLEASE!!!
Better have Wiccan in it though =)
A New X-Men double pack of Rockslide & Hellion would be FANTASTIC!
Interesting post.
I like the idea of New Characters attracting new collectors - this can only be good for the collection.
I also understand the comercial aspect of Double packs needing to WOW the browsing public to do this .
Afteral a Special should be somthing 'Special' and not necessarily just a larger figurine .
Hence the PLEA - CLASSIC BLUE BEAST .
Either in a twin pack with someone else - or as a special .
It WILL sell - gurarnteed
As a twin Pack with a New character it will appeal to both new and old .
A 2nd Question
You mention the Green Quicksilver Variant .
Are there any more plans to release further variants ?
In any territory .
Am ok with the frequency of the Specials released .
Perhaps an idea to reward regular collectors could be a 1 off figurine . I can remember a coupon idea bandied about at some point .
Perhaps similar to how Newspapers do them . 5 Vouchers gets you ... Oh I don't know JJ Jameson .
7 Vouchers in Regular releases and 2 Vouchers in a Special . This way the regular collector , be they subscriber or like me has a standing order at there local Newsagent - Also for overseas collectors.
Those who 'cherry Pick' the issues they buy will 'drop on' atleast 1 coupon and might be swayed to increase the frequency of purchasing .
Just a few thoughts .
This years selection of Specials - Double Packs - has got me looking forward ... Roll on Sasquatch and Puck (seperate bases please) .
Sorry for the long post and asking for so much :)
Iron Lad and Iron Patriot - yes please! I remember raising Iron Patriot as a possibility a while back and it seemed to get some support.
Good stuff!!
Thanks for the large update and especially seeing where you guys are coming from. I for one have no problem paying the price for 2 DC Figurines for a Multipack. You guys have kept the price of singles the same since the collection started, even though it's obvious that production prices have gone up.
As for redos of already done characters, I agree you guys shouldn't really venture into doing a lot of them. But maybe multipacks would be a good idea for them as well. You mentioned blue furry Ape Beast being one that most people always mention wanting. So I'll restate the idea for a Beast/Dark Beast 2-Pack. It's a classic rivalry, and Beast getting a boost in the comics now as well. So might be a good idea.
Also.... I would love the Young Avengers started, and a Multipack would be a good idea. Though I think if you're toying with the One Special and One Regular concept moving forward (Like Sassy and Puck), maybe Hulkling (w/ wings) & Wiccan? Then Stature & Vision, and Patriot & Hawkeye (Kate Bishop). I figure you split them up this way, then you're basically sticking the couples together. I guess that means you'd have to do Iron Lad & Speed together though. So maybe it's not the best idea. But I still would love to start seeing the Young Avengers.
Additional 1 Special/1 Regular ideas.
Groot & Rocket Raccoon
The Fury & Jamie Braddock
Warlock & Cypher (Doug Ramsey)
Rockslide & Anole
Pyro and Avalanche double pack would still be awsome!
Sorry but the guy who cant afford to keep up with the collection is not my problem!
The collection has enough keen collectors that want more from this unique collection.
Specials - would like size changers to be a special,for a change rather than have them Yellow jacket regular size.
Hope EM would experiment with them starting with ATLAS.
"Iron Lad and Iron Patriot"
He's referring to Patriot of the Young Avengers. Not Iron Patriot aka Norman Osborn.
Thanks for taking the time to explain whats going on on your side. You make some interesting points with respect to doublepacks. No singular double is going to please everyone so I get that you have to have the WOW factor when selling them.
On the subject of old vs new characters I am a great believer of moving forward raher than looking back. There are obviously one or two I would have preferred slightly different (Mystique in her iconic white uniform), but if they cannot be done then so be it.
I definately support the view on the amount of specials per year.....they are just right at the moment...any more and it might just start to break me.
I am all for some modern characters like Dust, Wiccan, Sister Grimm, The Hood and Echo. It's a gamble though on whether they will still be popular in years to come or whether they will fade into obscurity. I would personally say that having a few modern ones would make sense considering they are popular in the comics right now and in the mind of potential buyers.
And finally Siryn looks amazing. You have nailed the character perfectly. She is distinct from Banshee yet still has a hint to her powers. Plus the wond effect on the cloak is top notch. This sculpt fully justifies her inclusion in the collection and I hope the guys who sighed when another x-character was included will see it was worth it.
Beast - thanks - I was a little over-excited!!
Siryn Looks Great!
Good specials line up and with Omega Red coming in 2011 the specials are going strong. Hopefully Sauron, Warpath, M.O.D.O.K and Strong Guy will happen at some point.
Modern characters deserve there spot too and none more so than Dust who is a really great character so hopefully she will be done maybe next extension?
Richard what do you think of Dust?
Mystique gets almost as many mentions as Beast of figurines that people wish were in more classic appearances. So here's an idea...
Like the aformentioned Beast/Dark Beast 2-Pack that I've been championing for a while... what about putting the breaks on the single Destiny and doing her in a 2-Pack with a classic Mystique in the white dress?
Great update, sir! Thanks a ton for taking the time out of your day to write so much about this great hobby of ours.
Thanks for the explanations, very useful and interesting to know! I agree, I think that the Specials set right now is just about right. Less would be a shame, and more would be tough on the wallet.
I quite like the idea of having some newer figures as well as some old. I really enjoyed the inclusion of X-23 and think that other new and stand out characters like DUST, WICCAN, SISTER GRIMM and ROCKSLIDE would be great additions to the collection.
woza , what a great idea , if eaglemoss placed a voucher inside the next so many issues so we could redeem those vouchers for something it would give both subscriber and non subscriber the opportunity to get the same reward.
come on down , the price is right !!
no problems for me paying an extra £2
for a twin pack special.
re-do's - i'm sure we can all wait until the end of the collection for these but in the meantime i'd love to see more variants available.
hydroman would be a good start - 2 different sculpts/poses so that we could display one as a spider man foe and one as a member of the frightful four displayed with the fantastic four.
just an idea !!
siren looks great , thanks for the sneak peaks.
is anyone wondering why we haven't had any more characters confirmed for this extension for a while ?
i am.
does this mean that in the next update we may get 3 or 4 confirmed rich ? please surprise us all with 3 new additions to this extension on friday's update.
i'm a subscriber but don't get the display stands or binders , they don't appeal to me at all.
so hopefully if we do get some kind of reward - it will be something new.
i use perspex steps to display my figurines on as this way you get more figurines in the cabinet and can see them all because they aren't all standing on one level ,
i.e - the display stand you produce. another reason puck should be on his own base - so we can see him.
i display larger figurines at the back or on the top steps of my perspex stands so that all characters are visible.
specials : i'd do something like this -
1x mega special
1x twin/multi pack
4x regular specials
i'd love more but would settle for 6 specials per year.
i think we need to start a poll regarding multi packs and let eaglemoss see which one's would be the best sellers !!
just like to end in saying thank you very much rich and the staff at eaglemoss for all the hard work they do , thanks guys and girls.
Thanks for the explanations Richard .
About " New vs old " , I understand your point of view ( even if I'm an old odiot who prefer " old "characters ...lol ) .U can try some "news" but it'll be without me ;)
Nice pics of Siryn btw( she's " old " enough for me ! lol )
And so it is done....
The Moss Men have bent to the will of Dark Deadpool.
Excellent update Richard, particularly your endorsement of multi and double packs.
Nice to see that the likes of Beast is now on board and singing from the same hymn book.
If it allows us to have multi and double packs then, as I stated 2 or 3 topics in the past - I'd pay the same as DC.
Hell I'd pay the same as DC for the regular magazines if it means the collection has the prospect of reaching 300.
To reach an accord with my blue nemesis, I will endorse the beast double pack, however I also would like to see the Original costume Captain Britain and Lionheart as a doubler too.
Richardo as you know I collect everything ... I would happily buy a special every month if I could, but I accept your decision.
Siryn simply makes me drool.... nice work.
Finally I would like to see Kate "Hawkeye" Bishop and Patriot too.
Finally, finally ....Iron Patriot from the Dark Avengers would also be a trick or treat.
Ok the top NEW characters that I think should be included are....
SISTER GRIMM (nico minrou)
DUST
WICCAN
PIXIE
ROCKSLIDE
My favorite out of those would be DUST & ROCKSLIDE.
Nice work on Siryn ;)
A great update and lots of lovely pictures! Thanks!
Good to see issues we discuss are being read and considered, and even if it isnt possible to do, its great to know our thoughts are being read.
Specials
I think you got a good balance. I think we have plenty of specials, and to be honest, I didnt join knowing there would be huge specials frequently. Too many specials would bankrupt us, so I believe 4-6 is a good number. How about not offering specials to everyone, but send emails to people on the mailing list, and then they agree if they want it, means they dont need to actively cancel any orders.
Sub Scriber Specials
I understand rewarding those who order through their newsagents etc, but maybe it says that if there is a slight discount on current specials, it isnt enough to sway these fans.
Someone suggested vouchers? It would be cool to have a collectors card and stickers, will the card with certain amount of stickers, say at least 12, send it off the EM and get something free, either a special, plinth, folder, etc. You could even save the amount of stickers, so it could be like:
12 stickers- free folder
24 stickers- free plinth
26 stickers- free figurine
It keeps everyone happy as long as they keep buying, and if they miss an odd issue, they can keep filling up their stickers with later issues as the specials will always be available.
Multi-Packs
Like I said, these things need the WOW factor and I am happy that you agree. Young Avengers, Dark Avengers, any modern characters, these would work well for modern casual fans. I dont believe every special should be some big niche character. Of course, multipacks should be to attract new fans. Would I pay £13.99? I would...but like you said, if they dont go together, if they dont warrant a multipack, I would prefer single characters cheaper. Unless something extra was thrown into the multipacks. While people want to finish teams, why cant the schedule shift towards that? I would prefer to see a constant flow of the Young Avengers knowing that each week will be a great character and one step closer to finishing the team.
New Vs Old
While the polls state the old characters are popular, I think you should question the polls. If a significant number of subscribers are on the blogs giving their views, fair enough. But I really think the people here are the diehard fans, the geekiest of the geeks (no offence guys, I'm with ya ;P) and so of course they will say they want obscure characters. Sometimes its a game to name the coolest most obscure character.
What about including a voting slip in with the magazines? Either have a list of characters (which is abit annoying when none of them you care about is on there) or include a space for the buyer to write whatever they want.
Perhaps include 2 options. One option will be a list of 20 characters or so, maybe picked by the blogs. The other list is a list of redos. Then this poll slip is in a certain magazine, the collectors cast their vote and send it to EM, and then we can have 2 sort of specials, 1 which will no doubt be an old classic character and 1 that will be redesign. What if this format was the multipack special? 2 characters voted by collectors in one collector special. Casual fans wont know its was selected by fans, maybe that can be used on the front to market it. 'Selected by fans', could inspire a noob to pick up the magazine in hope that he can influence future issues. Old skool fans wont be pissed as they get a new character, new fans will be happy they get a character they actually like. Win-win?
(broke the word limit again)
EXTRA
How much work goes into the production of a figurine? Are there like bunches of sketches, CG renders, paintings, figurine poses, edits, special magazine illustrations? I was wondering if all the work could be compiled together in a special book or somesort. 'The Art of the Marvel Figurine Collection'. That could be a special itself. It could actually go out to bookshops, and attract new fans. I would love to have it and shell out £30. Heck, even include a figurine of Stan the Man to really sell it.
Thoughts?
Its a little hypocritical of those not wanting redos...but drooling over the prospect of Beast. I dont oppose the idea one bit, it would be great, but why cant you see that this is how others feel about other characters?
Multipacks? Appeal to new fans? Here's an idea.
BEAST SPECIAL
Classic human Beast + Classic Blue Beast
WOLVERINE SPECIAL
Brown suit Wolverine + 1st appearence Wolverine
SPIDERMAN SPECIAL
Ben Reilly Spiderman + Iron Spiderman
IRON MAN SPECIAL
Iron Man Armor MK III (Original Red & Gold) + Modular Armour (one of my faves)
BUCKY SPECIAL
Classic Bucky + Captain America Bucky
CAPTAIN BRITAIN SPECIAL
Red Lion Britain + X-Force costume
JIM LEE SPECIAL
Cyclops + Jean Grey
VILLAIN SPECIAL
Classic Doc Ock + New Green Goblin
THOR SPECIAL
New Thor Costume + Asgardian bearded Thor
ULTIMATES SPECIALS
Captain America + Iron Man
Thor + Hawkeye
Hank Pym + Wasp
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC 4
Mr Fantastic + Sue Storm
Thing + Johnny Storm
Or course, there are loads more potentials for a range like this. Imagine 1, maybe 2 or these a year instead of a large special, as not every large character needs to be made.
We get more great figures, and will give the WOW factor to the casual fans.
Dont worry, I wont ask for royalties. ;)
"What about including a voting slip in with the magazines? Either have a list of characters (which is abit annoying when none of them you care about is on there) or include a space for the buyer to write whatever they want."
They already turned that idea down, because of the fact that not everyone can subscribe. And some markets are way behind. Plus postage would be a problem. It just brings up way too many headaches.
Why would a voting slip affect non subscribers? I mean putting it in every magazine, even ones that are on the shelves. If non subscribers miss that issue, then they are not the collectors that we are aiming at.
Not everyone will cast their vote, and foreign countries wont be able to vote because its too late.
Why must that stop UK collectors getting a fun way to vote? Its something to have interaction. Members of the UK cant enter competitions and such in the US, its not an issue. I dont understand why you all tip toe over the worldwide issue. Its a UK magazine for UK collectors which is kind enough to be available worldwide. Just because foreign fans dont get 1 say doesnt make it unfair. If they are true collectors they should understand and just be happy with what they are given.
Not everyone who collects the magazines are online. So does that make online polls better? No. Market research from the blog alone is unreliable. There are what, 20-30 regular bloggers? How many subscribers actually blog? Probably not many. How many blog and know about the figurine blog? Clearly not many. I'd like the think there are alot more collecters out there, and they may not know about the website.
Maybe there should just be a leaflet directing to a special webpage where the voting can be done instead. That way, the online hardcore get their precious vote, and it opens the chance to hear from the other fans too, and maybe freshen things up hearing from a different crowd.
Great post, Rich, thanks. Lots to think about this week!
A voting slip seems a good idea to me, LAWay, although I do have misgivings (see CBR Beast's post). Yes, it excludes the foreign collectors - which is regrettable and may alienate collectors who help keep this collection going - but on the plus side it would ensure the one-person-one-vote principle was adhered to. I seem to remember there was a lot of rigged voting on the forum last year and your idea would eliminate the possibility of that happening again. Rich said today that he gets lots of conflicting signals about what we want and a reliable vote would hopefully help. Not completely convinced either way but certainly an idea worth some thought as any new way of communicating what we want to Eaglemoss should be pursued.
Also, while I disagreed with your argument that we should be aiming at the kid's market, LAWay, I am one hundred per cent behind you with your idea of variants of the major characters. I just think we need to be clearer when we talk about redone figures. Redos can be characters who have changed their appearance substantially: the Beast, Iron Man. It may also include lesser changes, like Namor (in green trunks). Or, redos can be about a better sculpt or more dynamic pose - a less "frozen" and lifeless Crystal, a more muscular Captain America, a more realistically-sized Dr. Strange. The idea of a simple resculpt seems extremely unlikely. However, a different version of the same character would be another kettle of fish entirely. Classic Iron Man and classic Captain Britain are top of my list!
It seemed to me that the majority of the voters wanted Puck and Sasquatch to be on two different bases. Will this happen or the popular will has been ignored?
if eaglemoss started putting voting slips in magazines from say issue 120 or whatever i wouldn't be able to vote in time. i am a subscriber and my last figurine that i got in the post was doc sampson where as some collectors are up to jubilee so how can it work ?
Hey Rob, glad you agree with the main characters redone idea. Maybe I havent expressed my views clearly in the past.
As for the voting and it excluding foreign markets...does it really matter? If someone decides to not continue collecting because they dont get to vote is simply idiotic and childish.
I dont want to keep getting in this discussion, but why cant people just let it lay that UK fans should have the say in the UK based collection? It wont affect anything, as really every character will get made, we will just be voting on which gets made first, and due to mass voting, chances are the outcome will be the same regardless.
@Madthinker - there should be a time limite, so maybe to get votes in by a month or 2 of the voting slips becoming public.
How come you are behind then? Thats abit weird.
I've been harping on about variant figures for yonks, LAWay, so we always agreed on that. I was just unconvinced about some of your reasoning at times, and that's what I was disagreeing with. Maybe I am playing the cynical old timer to your youthful, optimistic idealist. :)
Your vote idea deserves some more investigation. I'm surprised that the Mad Thinker is so far behind with his subscription. If that kind of delay is common, or the delays vary from place to place, it will make make the logistics of the mail-in voting tricky. That shouldn't mean we dismiss the idea, just that it complicates it a little. It may just mean that voting slips are sent out earlier and collected over a longer time so that everyone has time to participate. Not exactly an impossible situation to manage.
I do still flinch slightly at excluding other collectors, however. I may be grey-haired and past my best but I do hang on to a niave and idealistic sense that we're all equal in Stan Lee's eyes.
I'm not sure about the subscribers only fig, it would have to be available to people who have regular orders with newsagents as well.
I seem to remember there was a mass subscriber exodus a couple of years ago after the service got really bad and delayed for a while and since then we (myself included) switched to picking them up from the newsie every fortnight which has been a lot smoother. We shouldn't have to miss out when we've been just as loyal, I mean I have every single fig made by EM, DC and Marvel.
Rich, any chance we can see a finalised Cloak and Dagger if they're out in 3 weeks time?
"I seem to remember there was a lot of rigged voting on the forum last year and your idea would eliminate the possibility of that happening again."
No there wasn't. There was a lot of rigged voting here on the blog. That's why it switched to SHFF only for voting. And there was only a few cases of individuals attempting to cheat. Those were identified, the individuals banned, and the votes removed.
My mistake.
Oh, well, I guess that weakens any argument for voting slips then...
i'm so far behind because i keep getting broken figurines sent to me. and when i phone eaglemoss i get to speak to someone who hardly speaks any english so can't understand them.
then when i ask to pay for the next issues in advance to catch up i get told i can't and that the issue i'm on is the current subscriber issue , so how is it that others are so far ahead ?
most annoying.
my latest problem was fing fang foom mega special.
1st one was damaged so i sent back with box and magazine complete and eaglemoss just sent me another broken one but this time without the magazine and other stuff , great !!
If variant characters are made with any sort of frequency (one in ten, or more) then I'm out. I want the full set of Marvel characters, but I can't afford to pay for a lot that I don't want. I don't need 2 Mystiques, 5 Spider-Men, another Bucky (?) For me, the first figurine represents the character's history. I don't need/want two.
I really like the idea of saving up vouchers inside each issue to ultimately get a special figurine. Its like the subscriber/newsagent debate. Why reward one, when the other is just as loyal? Well, if we're saving up vouchers, it easily proves loyalty right there.
I also wanted to say thank you for such a great update today. Lots of wonderful info in there. :)
Robert,we may have to start an old-timers niave and idealistic club,though in my case it's not so much grey hair as "nae hair".
Being one of those "foriegn chappies", i cling to the hope that one day i may see a subscription service in my neck of the woods.
" I have a dream......"
I forgot something about the Young Avengers...
I really like the Young Avengers and am extremely glad to see their consideration, BUT, I've got to say that Patriot, Kate Bishop, and especially Iron Lad have got to be the weakest characters of the group. Patriot not quite as much, but still not the best character. (I like his history, but he's such an unlikable character, imo.)
I'm assuming here, but I think the most popular characters are Wiccan and Stature. The problem is that they make no sense in a 2 pack together. Stature works best with Vision, but as he's basically the remains of the old Vision and the future technology.. its pretty much the same guy. Hulkling works best with Wiccan, but the cost would have to be higher, on a 2 pack, which may turn away casual buyers...
Still, even though they don't make too much sense, maybe a Wiccan and Stature double pack is the way to go. What do you guys think?
As for repeating characters saying that we may get 1 or 2 a YEAR, surely that is ok.
We didnt stop buying comics when someone changed their costume. You dont avoid figures of your favourite characters being they are depicted in different costumes, and you dont buy just one statue or bust.
Costumes are characters in themselves. Ant-Man is different to Giant Man who is different to Yellow Jacket. They are still the same super identity. What you're saying is like not wanting to watch Iron Man because you already saw Robert Downey Junior as Sherlock Holmes.
EM may as well have released civilian Peter Parker, Hank Pym, Tony Stark, because you guys dont care about the characteristics and history of a costume, because its all the same person anyway.
Young Avengers special, Patriot is a great design and someone I want in my collection. Teams ups should be:
Patriot + Hawkeye
Wiccan + Hulkling
Iron Lad + Vision
Statue + Speed
You could put Speed + Wiccan together I guess. With people worrying about scale, remember, the rest of the characters are kids, they will be slightly smaller, so its good value getting wiccan and hulkling. Furthermore, remember we had Thing and he wasnt a special. Good times.
Many many thanks for a super interesting and informative post, Richard. I was ecstatic to see you giving consideration to multipacks and how best to formulate them.
THE KING OF MULTIPACKS
I've been asking for multipacks
ever since I joined this blog, and I hope it will be my contribution
- that we will get multipacks and that they will prove a huge commercial success for Eaglemoss.
YOUNG AVENGERS, PLEASE!
I think EM should give serious consideration to a Young Avenger multipack. Ideally it should be 3 figurines. There's something powerful about 3 characters together, and it's the perfect formula for any subsequent thematic multipack (eg. Warriors Three). But if it has to be a 2-pack, then please go for Hulkling and Wiccan. Hulkling should be sculpted in metamorphing mode, with wings, beastly arm and claws, and blond hair blowing in the wind.
I promise I'll buy 4 packs!
Bagman, this getting older lark is no fun.
First of all the hairline starts to recede and you think, "It's nothing to worry about. Prof X is completely bald and an empress of a galactic empire still hit on him." Then the remaining hair turns grey and you think, "Ach, it's fine. Reed Richards has grey hair and he's married to a yummy mummy." Around this time the beard also turns grey and you think, "Relax, man! Odin managed to rule Asgard and get up to all sort of shenanigans with a grey beard!" Then the gut starts to expand and you think, "Hey, the Blob can fight the X-Men to a standstill and he's a fat git."
When you get to the last comparison, that's when you know you're in trouble.
Robert, maybe we need a figurine thats the size of the Blob, bald,grey beard with the Invisible woman on the left and Lilandra on the right!!! Instant multi-pack!!!
Do you think E.M. would go for it?
Wouldn't be the worst idea I'd heard on here...
I'm ecstatic that you've decided to enter Sasquatch and Puck into the collection as a double-pack but please don't put them on the same plinth like you have with Cloak and Dagger. I think someone has mentioned it before but when dispaying the figurines Sassy will most likely be on the back with his size and all and if Puck is next to him he won't be visible :(
Talking of Cloak and Dagger if I remember rightly you delayed them because you weren't completly happy with the sculpt, has there been any changes made to it??
As for old vs new, I'd love a mixture of the two. Like many people have said Dust or The Hood would be great.
Great update Rich any chance of a Extension update or a sneak peek next week :)
All great things must come to an end so i am cancelling my subscription after five happy years and i think the last subby pack i recieve will be one of my all time favs Crimson Dynamo and Enchantress.
The reason for cancellation is because i have a pretty low pissed off threshold.
The first Fing Fang Foom i recieved was just a box of rubble and i fully understand about breakages in transit and never blame EM for them. What i cannot tolerate however is being taken for a mug.
My replacementFFF arrived today and it is an absolute bloody disgrace. It is in one piece although there are a couple of subtle clues that all is not as it seems. Firstly there is a thick film of dust on the base, secondly a 5p chunk of paint missing from a wing but this is my absolute favourite the wings have been glued on by an idiot. this is a damaged return that has been botched together and sent back out, Quite why your returns dept thought i would be over joyed to recieve this shite is beyond me!.
Re: Redo Figurines.
Maybe Eaglemoss should consider a sister line to the main collection featuring new sculpts and such. They really need to do new magazines. But they could maybe do a small recap/update on the characters and use the rest as a poster book? It could be called something like.. "Marvel's Most Wanted" or whatever. Figures that could be included:
Black Costume Spider-Man
Beast (Blue Ape w/ Speedo)
Captain America (Bucky Barnes)
Captain Britain (1st Appearance)
Iron Patriot
Wolverine (Brown Costume)
They could even do Specials:
Archangel (Blue/Pink w/ Metal Wings)
Correction:
"They really need to do new magazines."
Should read:
"They don't even really need to do new magazines"
Saw to hear that Ted. I say keep trying, would be a shame to lose a subscriber due to one special. Maybe be worth asking for a refund and picking it up in a comicbook shop.
To Beast. lol How did you slip that one up. :P
I like the idea of the revisiting, but thats kinda what I have been saying. Although making another series of magazines? Cant see it happening. All you guys saying you would prefer new characters, then why would they buy it just because its a new magazine? Introducing the redos into the current series is no different.
I think redos should be kept for specials. These things are special and shouldnt be a number of the collection.
Maybe they should be their own series of specials, and we have to agree whether or not we want to receive them or not like other specials in the collection.
That why disgruntled collectors dont shell out for the redos, other fans get the characters they want in the appearances they want, and it will appeal to the casual fans in comicbook shops.
Thanks Rich for the great update :)
As for re-dos, I would much much rather have characters that haven't been done. The only reason I would buy redos is if it's the only way to keep the collection going. I mean, the fun of this collection is getting to characters that were never made before as a collection.
Oh and thank you so much for the Siryn pictures :) I feel like the luckiest guy ever. And its nice too see what's the process of the character's sculpt.
Oh and for specials, I loove this year's list! As for next year, bring on Strong guy and Mojo :)
Thanks for the great update, im quite happy with the amount of specials we get but would be willing buy more. Not too interested in exclusive figurines for subscribers as dedicated collectors like me would miss out. I would prefer to get new characters before variants of ones we already have, to make the collection as large and diverse as possible. Please make Howard The Duck.
Great to hear from Max. I think the photos of Siryn should have appeared with a photo of Max's grinning face when he first saw the images!
I really like the idea of a sister collection that will give us variants, CBR Beast. I'd definitely buy it as there are loads of different versions of popular/ major characters that we haven't seen. Unfortunately, it kind of flies in the face of what Rich was saying about over-stretching people's finances. Of course, we could just cancel the DC collection to help out those silly folk who buy both Marvel and DC figures! :)
Anywho, much as I prefer the idea of an additional collection, probably our best hope of seeing variants is within this collection. Maybe it will happen a few years down the line when sales dip as characters become more and more obscure. I'd love to see a Recorder figure but even I can't see him selling more than black costume Spidey or any of the other variant figures you mentioned...
wow. considering no extension character announced this week thats a good update. always nice to know why some things are done.
nice to know the special order for this year. surprised omega red not out this year so i'm assuming he'll be january 2011. makes sense to have odin next year as well to tie in with thor movie in may. so up to 4 more specials next year up for grabs. who would people like to see? my ideal 2011 specials would be
omega red (jan)
lockjaw (mar)
odin (may)
northstar/aurora (jul)
terrax (sep)
sauron (nov)
being selfish i'd have madame web but head over heart says its a bit early for her yet. maybe in 2012. also on the subject of specials i think that 5/6 a year is about right.
i've subscribed from the beginning and i will do til the collection ends. personally i'm not fussed about subscriber exclusives. as others have said it could potentially alienate non-subscribers and completionists abroad and i think that getting a few quid off the specials is enough of a bonus of subscribing. we don't want EM to give away too much and start losing money on the collection causing it to end prematurely.
i love the idea of multi-packs. anything that gets more characters in sooner is fine by me. however they're done i'd buy them. but think northstar/aurora should definitely be tested as a dual single double pack to see how they go, even if priced at £13-99. considering their intertwined history it just makes sense to have them together.
new characters, old characters i want them all. as long as it's balanced, gives a good representation of the MU in its entirity and the character has had an impact in the storylines.
would love to have some resulpts eventually. don't think it's time just yet but if an occasional resculpt of an a-list character ensures the collection goes on longer i'm for it. don't think we'll need them until around 240 - 250 though. if they do come i'd like 90s rogue, white costume mystique, white costume storm, archangel, beast, marvel girl jean grey and blue/yellow costume cyclops
No-one commented on this idea, so I am going to bump it.
What about an 'Art of the Marvel Figurine Collection' book?
Pre-production and production sketches of a character, pose, look, costumes etc, CG renders, paint tests, paintings and illustrations, the inspirational images, sculpts of the figure and any changes that were made like posing, edits, work in progress shots, illustrations that were made especially for the magazine all compiled into one book.
The book could go out to book shops, and thus attract new buyers, as well as just being an awesome art book.
Would many subscribers think this is a good idea?
Personally, I find the background stuff interesting and would welcome it in the magazine but I doubt I would shell out for a book on it. Interesting idea, though, LAWay.
"Costumes are characters in themselves. Ant-Man is different to Giant Man who is different to Yellow Jacket. They are still the same super identity. What you're saying is like not wanting to watch Iron Man because you already saw Robert Downey Junior as Sherlock Holmes."
But those two ARE different characters. That example is closer to "characters by the same artist" or "figure by the same sculptor." Henry Pym is one of my top 10 favorite superheroes, and no, I don't see a difference from Ant Man to Yellowjacket, etc. Its ONE character to me.
LAWay, I kind of like how we balance each other. We're about the same age (24 and 26) but disagree on every single issue that's brought up on these blogs. It's like I have an evil twin (or you do...) ;)
Anyway, I will (finally) agree to your point that resculpts of A-listers would help get casual buyers hooked (like a #1 Avengers when they plan to go back to original numbering in a couple years anyway.) I don't like it, and would consider dropping the collection, but I agree with you.
Haha, an evil twin. :P
People are thinking more with their hearts than their heads. You want niche obscure characters which have never been created before. Which is great. But with the economy, something has to give, and there will come a point when collectors will stop caring when there are characters they havent heard of.
I propose a small sacrifice of 1 or 2 specials a year that are redos. If people are threatening to quit over such a small decision that would, if anything, help EM continue the series longer, then not only are people being incredibly stupid, but also very childish and illogical.
The collection never stated that EVERY marvel character would be created. It stated "All Marvel’s greatest characters will appear in the collection." What we have received has been very generous with the dedication EM has shown Marvel fans. Instead of hanging up the collection after they did all the big stars, they are catering the collection to incorperate the lesser characters.
If you cannot show the same level of dedication to EM after all they have done, just because they think about releasing a few redos, then I question your loyalty and marvel fan status. This aint just to you John, it goes out to everyone.
What happened to 'Make Mine Marvel'? Whatever EM decide I'll go along with, I love the Marvel universe, but I am not satisfied by having just one spiderman. The history spiderman has, it is an insult to not only the character but his creators.
And would you seriously complain if producing redos meant that the series got further extensions because of it?
Regarding my RDJ reference - "But those two ARE different characters." Arguably so are different costumes. How can you not say that original Bucky is not a totally different character compared to winter solider, and likewise with bucky captain america?
Seriously, when you received a figurine, how many times have you looked through the magazine and thought 'i wish they did that costume instead?' Were all the old school fans really happy with the astonishing xmen cyclops? Wouldnt you all prefer the 1st appearance x-men?
how many times have you complained about the posing not reflecting the character? Wouldnt you prefer to see a ben reilly spiderman in a crouched, more spindly pose?
What you are threatening to do, is quit over the a character that has not much history, appearances or impact on the marvel universe, because a proposal, an idea of honoring characters and creators who have worked on establishing and evolving them for 50 years, characters that without them Marvel would not exist.
With loyalty like that I am surprised EM doesnt quit on us, especially if people are going to be so bloody petty.
Hi all,
Love the update Rich and the fact that you take so much time to keep us all informed on new trends and input from your side.
As I read through ther posts I am seeing a reoccuring trend that I would like to address. Having a reward voucher is a great idea however for many collectors non UK based such as myself I rely on my store and Ebay to find my figures. Would a voucher in the magazine be redeemeable for overseas buyers. We are many and deserve the same oppurtunities as UK residents.
I purchase both Marvel and DC figures and at this point up to date on both sides so my investment in this collection is probably more than regular subscribers as I relay on Ebay to get caught up. Please don't leave us in the Dust. My little jab for a character to make the collection. Again I'm not alone.
Anyway thanks for listening and I look forward to next Fridays update.
Paul, glad you are a dedicated collector and I can see your concern. While you could collect vouchers buying from eBay, shipping to the US I imagine would be difficult and costly. Somehow we get free delivery in the UK...its unbelievable.
But to ship these lead figures to the US, EM would probably lose money sending out single issues like that.
Of course, you still have eBay. Alternatively, you could swap your voucher with someone in the UK who has the figurine, so that they could reclaim another figure. A cheaper way to work around it. Since EM dont do subscription in the US, I wouldnt expect them sending individual items to collectors. But I could just be talking nonsense.
The Black Widow figure is ugly and smaller than others.
I think Eaglemoss should make use of the new Iron Man movie and bring us another one.
I agree with you there SHIELD. Our Black Widow looks like Scarlet from the GIJOE movie.
I would love to see a scarlett Johansson version in the collection. I dont think the collection has really quite captured the attractiveness of some of the characters with their looks or poses.
Rich,
Thanks for the in depth update. It's really cool to have more background on EM's decision making practices and and I loved seeing the sculpting process on Siryn.
The specials list is fantastic and I am thrilled to know that Sasquatch and Puck are on their way to my house in September! The specials list for the year is pretty darn awesome all the way in my opinion and I really [leased with your choices. (Naturally I'm still hoping for a Northstar & Aurora two pack - but I'm still a happy cowboy).
Your comments on old versus new characters was very interesting - while given a choice between two specific characters I would almost always pick the older one (because I've been around so bloody long), don't for a minute think that I and others like me who are older collectors would not be happy with new characters too. I am a Marvel fan. So bring 'em on - old and new. In fact, there are many newer characters on my want list, Dust, Rockslide, Anole, the Hood, Wiccan, Hulkling, Patriot, Stature and so on. I just can't help getting nostalgic over the Defenders, Champions, Soviet Super Soldiers, Alpha Flight, Serpent Society, Squadron Supreme, Invaders, Wrecking Crew, the Maggia and other great classic teams and characters.
Looking forward to Friday and hopefully your next reveal.
It would be nice to get another post tomorrow but I won't be too bothered as we had a fantastic one on Monday.
That said, if there is a post on Friday I'd like some hints about the top secret project that's been mentioned. The only thing I can think of is the chess set that was talked about some time back and I doubt that's it. Have we had any hints that I missed (or forgot)? Has anything been revealed on the forum? Most importantly for me: is it Marvel-related?
I don't really expect any clues from Rich. Still, I would like him to at least tell us how long we will have to wait before we find out what he's up to.
Are you guys voted in the special poll yet?
Heres the result so far.
Lockjaw 27
Sauron 24
Odin 18
Mojo 16
MODOK 15
Strong Guy 14
Atlas 12
Warpath 12
Dragon Man 10
Hulkling 8
Nice to see ATLAS and WARPATH straight in the top 10.
if i'm wrong please tell me but are warpath and hulkling really special material ?
If people are that fond of him, a Hulkling/Wiccan double would be perfect. :)
Where are these 'special polls' and 'forums', i thought you just meant on this blog. :s
"if i'm wrong please tell me but are warpath and hulkling really special material ?"
Warpath is 7'2" tall. So yes.
Hulkling is rather tall in his full Hulkling form and has a massive wingspan. So yeah, he'd make sense as a special.
LAway
Go to the superhero figurine forum,join and thats where you will find all the official polls that EM will go on.
superherofigurineforum.com/
first off i'm not keen on re-do's, my thoughts are that once they have been done thats it, i'd rather have characters that have not been done before.
secondly i'm in favour of a token reward scheme for people that buy every issue, wheather it be through subscribeing or like myself through a newsagent.
i would however be more in favour of re-do's if they were done as the rewards for the loyalty scheme.
just an idea, but it would mean that re-do could be done without adding them to the main collection
Hi
Just found this site, not sure why, I found the Eaglemoss site ages ago!
I see that you have Spiral on the list for the future, which I look forward to, but surely Longshot should be there too? And maybe a special of Mojo and Major Domo? This may have been put forward before, but like I said, newbie. Just my two penn'th
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/yooooop/st_170_22-1.jpg
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