246 replies to this topic

[TheHSBR]

yeah It seems the fan base has shrunk to a point where you need to just focus on basics.... in fact I actually think it may have shrunk to a point where entire casts of any show but TOS just don't sell. Part of the problem sounds like CBS is over valuating the various franchises for licensing purposes. I don't know that DS9, VOY or ENT will ever have the popularity it did while it was actually on TV to support licensing of action figures or many other collectibles. TOS was always unique in that regards, where it garnered more fans year over year in syndication.

Anyhow, to that point I wonder if DST will have to look at this line as a pure specialty item where they try and release sets such as "The Captains of Star Trek" as a 5 figure set... then you would think of it a collection of captains... not entire crews/casts

I think the only real hope we have of this line being "resurrected" is if DST can get a better contract where CBS gets less cash up front to produce these toys. Ive always noticed that SG1 and BSG get a better selection of newscuplts, characters, etc because i think a lot of the star trek production dollar goes right to cbs before a figure is even made. Thats just my observation and supposition and is based on no real facts.

[bgiles73]

I just read in the latest Q & A DST Chuck pretty much generalized that an end to 7" figures is coming. I wonder if a scale switch is a possibility or just an all out cancelation. 3 3/4" doesn't look like too much of a possibility with whats been happening over at Playmates Toys either. It doesn't look good for figures from DST. Read it here:

Andy Kinnear

Hi Guys, here go

[reverie]

I think the writing's been on the wall a long, long time. I do believe that particular statement was aimed at Stargate, but I think it pretty much applies to BSG and Trek beyond the next wave already in production now. I think we Sci-Fi/action figure fans are out of luck in the near future.

[bgiles73]

I think the answer is vague enough that it might be hinting to all DST's scifi lines. Marvel characters on the other hand are a prooven money maker. Since Hasbro is concentrating more on the 3 3/4" line, of course DST would be foolish to drop the 7" Marvel Select lines or Marvel Minimates for that matter. DST Chuck seems to be a fan of the sci-fi lines that they produce, so it is probably with a heavy heart that he'll announce those lines cancelations. The same thing couldbe said for Playmates Toys, Pat Linden. Sci-fi just isn't a drawing factor for young boys these days and collectors aren't enough to keep these lines going.

[TheHSBR]

Sci-fi just isn't a drawing factor for young boys these days and collectors aren't enough to keep these lines going.

This couldnt be further from the truth.... Star Wars, Transformers, plus you could probably argue Ben Ten and other cartoons all fit this category. The stuff that isnt doing well like BSG, SG and Star Wars all have niche markets, not much exposure outside their fandom, and basically not enough people to support even a collectors based line. Sci-Fi is strong among the young boys demographic, just not the brands we talk about round these parts.

As for the Q&A, I think we will continue to see pieces but out here and there for Trek but I think we will never see an entire wave. Ive looked at SG being dead for a while and BSG is right behind.

[bgiles73]

I stand corrected. I was meaning the Sci-Fi lines that DST have licenses for. Sadly DST Chuck has shown an interest in doing a line of figures for Classic "V" and the current series, I doubt there would be much retail support. Transformers and Ben 10, I didn't really consider their sci-fi angle since Transformers had a toy line before there was any movie or cartoon. Truth be told, many of Marvels comic book lines have origins in sci-fi, so, yes boys have been, and always will be drawn to sci-fi. I just wonder why that isn't working for the sci-fi we all live and breathe here?

[TheHSBR]

Well DST in specific doesnt do figures for that age group and when you rely solely on collector's with limited distribution you really need the source to be in the limelight. Both Stargate and BSG have a much smaller presence on TV, both basically relying on various spinoffs to keep it alive. I think its a shame DST didnt get to do anything regarding Trek 09 because it might have given them a bit of a boost in the sales dept. At the very least it gave them an opportunity to move the reissues into TRU and got us a new Spock and a Kang as of right now. Being that TOS isnt in the forefront of peoples minds (just trek 09) its a tough sell to the general public.

[Gothneo]

I wonder if StarGate (as a whole in all its incarnations) isn't just about as strong as Star trek these days.

There are a number of conventions that are pretty much exclusive to stargate...

Creation Ent has 3 SG events planned this year, and 4 Trek events...

Then there are events like GateCon, and DragonCon has both a Trek Trak and SG Trak...

Most smaller sci-fi conventions seem to try and bundle Trek, SG, BSG, and a few others.

[Alex]

The worst thing that DST can do is kill the 7" Trek line outright. If they want to take a couple of years off and focus on Tek and Ships, that I could understand. If they can only release five figures a year, that I'd understand as well. The last thing I want to see though is a scale change.

I admittedly wish Paramount would pick one scale and set it in stone in contracts, that way no matter who held the Trek license, we'd have figures in that scale, and if a company wanted to release another scale, it'd be in addition to, not in lieu of the scale required by Paramount. I also wish Paramount would take control of the molds as well as more of the production cost when a licensee drops the license; that way the next licensee would be able to use the same molds as the previous licensee, and we wouldn't have to go through this compatibility debacle. A Trek figure made by Playmates would be in the same scale as a figure made by DST. Likewise, if DST dropped the license and Playmates picked it up, then Playmates could use the same 1701-E mold as DST, if Playmates dropped it again and DST picked it up, DST could use the same mold once again, and so on. This of course would mean that Paramount, not DST, would take on the cost of the molds, which would likely be better in the long run, and take some of the pressure for a risky line like the one from Enterprise off of the toy licensee, and place that risk on Paramount itself.

I do think that the comment about the 7" figures refers to solely to Stargate rather than the whole 7" line of figures. I think the problem with the BSG line is that it hasn't gotten enough publicity outside of toy collectors, I'm admittedly just starting to find out about it and kicking myself for not knowing about it sooner. DST should invest in some toy commercials, and I seriously mean that

[Artistix]

I think the only real hope we have of this line being "resurrected" is if DST can get a better contract where CBS gets less cash up front to produce these toys. Ive always noticed that SG1 and BSG get a better selection of newscuplts, characters, etc because i think a lot of the star trek production dollar goes right to cbs before a figure is even made. Thats just my observation and supposition and is based on no real facts.

Greedy CBS.

['E']

Whatever happened to the TWOK communicator that was supposed to be out in early 2010?  I haven't heard anything about it in ages.

[Gothneo]

I know everyone is focusing on the demise of the Action Figure line, but the Trek Tek seems to still be going strong, and the latest blog had this to say about the TWOK Communicator!

DSTChuck: The TWO communicator is still on schedule for 2010, we

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[reverie]

Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact I was already picking up all the figures, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the ships or the tek. That said, I'm certainly hooked on the ships.. the tek could swing one way or the other now.

[Artistix]

I only buy the figures.

[Pauln6]

Oh well, it looks like no 7" figures this year at all. If TRU have cancelled their orders too I think it doesn't bode well. Obviously, if the market picks up then who knows. It's so gutting to be so close to getting my beloved Chapel and Rand!

[weyoun_9]

I only buy the figures.

Yeah...me too.

[JMW326]

The figures are what got me into everything else. Without them I probably would not have given the ships or props a second thought.