27 replies to this topic

[weyoun_9]

Hey folks -

It's "Bored-at-work-daydreamer" again calling for suggestions for 2010. I've been trying to think about how to keep the line going, keep DST happy with more TOS themed characters and still getting some 24th Century characters. Below are my thoughts:

Generations Wave:
Kirk
Picard
Guinan *
Soran

Lursa/B'Etor Two Pack

Flashback Wave:
Captain Sulu
Commander Rand
Ensign Tuvok
Janeway in Movie Attire *

Star Trek VI Two Pack: Spock/Valeris

Unification Wave:
Spock
Sela *
Sarek
Romulan Officer

Romulan Picard/Data Two Pack

Additional Two Pack Options:
Season 1 Data/Adm. McCoy
Captain Scott/LaForge

* - Previews or other Exclusive

Would this make everyone happy, test the market for additional TNG and VOY figures, and still keep a large focus on the TOS cast? I know...there's no DS9 here...but my hope would be that if these did well that maybe they would go back and try a DS9 wave or two pack, and at the very least we'd have a chance to get our hands on a Quark before they scrap DS9 altogether.

[Whirlygig]

That sounds like a phenomenal year to me! I don't think Soran would sell well -- but I like him. Probably best to exchange him for a Generations Data (people can create Riker easily enough already).

Also people would rather have Yar than Sela, so they might not even buy Sela thinking a Yar would be forthcoming and that would probably in turn guarantee Yar never gets made. Then all the people who didn't buy Sela would wine and wine, "why can we get Sela but no Yar" and wonder what happened. Maybe it would work better if you put her in a 2-pack with Spock, to guarantee better sales.

I count 7 non-Kirk TOS related characters (8 if you count Sarek) in your suggestions. At the current rate you need to think up 2-3 more Kirks to throw in somewhere -- and about 10 ways of packaging them. ;P

[reverie]

If they released all of that in one year, wouldn't that equal their output for two-three years of their current pace (seriously- what does DST average in Trek figure output a year)?

[New Frontier]

Next year, well IF DST still have a license next year and IF i were DST chuck i'd put my money where my mouth is and take the risk DST so desperately needs to kick start the business into one of the most recognized brands. Times are tight, next year perhaps tighter, yet i believe with the right quantity and a with a focus on QUALITY, Star Trek could be one of their bigger brands.

My Idea would be to start again. Scrap everything that is to come out between now and 2010. TOS Wave 5, EVERYTHING Star Trek related. I'd address the Enterprise - D neck issue and make that and the Tricorder the last items from DST's old Star Trek license.

I'd sort out the kinks in the DST design to production line - starting with quality and also times and release dates.

Then...

Focusing on a Toy Fair 2010 release, I'd get the finest team of sculptors, painters, designers around to work day and night coming up with a re-launch line that will make sure Star Trek fans are falling over themselves for a piece of the action...

as as well as the product relaunch, I'd advertise this in a huge way. My team would set about teaming up with Trek and toy forums like this one here to promote the new line, i'd get DST really involved and take suggestions from fans as to where they want to see their Trek license go. Every SDCC, fans will have a chance to win or buy a "Fan Favorite" figure from 40 odd years of Star Trek - wheather it be a Regular Uniformed Dr Phlox or a Species 8472 figure. I'd keep fans guessing on product, using the JJ Abrams technique of online puzzles for fans to solve and for the chance to win something from the new Trek range.

First and foremost however, i would endeavor in making Star Trek cool to collect - not just as a fan, but as a collector of amazing Sci-Fi and cult collectables

My 2010 line up would just be the beginning.

Figures

Figures will from this point on be sculpted from scratch, every time. To do this, we would limit the number of figures out each year to: 6 (not including exclusives)

The first 6 prototypes to be shown would be:

Star Trek: The Original Series: Captain Christopher Pike

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Lt. Tasha Yar

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Quark

Star Trek: Voyager: 7of9

Star Trek: Movies: Rura Penthe Ice Planet attire Captain James T. Kirk

Each figure would come with a collectable Bio card, Character specific accessories and a display stand. Packed in a NECA style clam shell with an easy figure release system (i'll leave that up to your imagination as to what that could mean or be). Each figure would come with a build a Talosian from the pilot episode; The Cage and the season 1 episode: The Menagerie Part II.

Each figure would retain for

[knightone]

Role Play

Role play would follow the same format however the major difference would be that every role play item such as Communicators and Tricorder's would be interactive with another role play item - if desired by the customer. Enter in your unique code into the product and communicate with your friends. Up to 4 units can be connected.

Phasers will be sold as a two pair and function either as a single unit or as a laser tag game.

The first up for the 2010 collection would be the following:

WoK Phasers

WoK Communicators

In the US, communications equipment and laser based devices are strictly regulated by the FCC and the FDA, respectively. Both would require strict licensing and approval, at great costs. I'm not sure DST would be inclined to seek and pay for the process as they are a really small company and don't have the time, personnel, or resources to really pursue something like that.

I do, however, like the idea of improving the figure sculpts and, thus, limiting the releases. Would that allow them to sell at least 5000 figures or more, though?

[knightone]

Lursa/B'Etor Two Pack

I love all of your other figure ideas and think they would have great potential. But this two pack is the only one I have doubts about, especially after the cancellation of Kruge and Maltz.

[ryanlb]

But it would be Awesome. I even know someone I wouldn't even refer to as a collector that would buy that, she loves Lursa and B'Etor.

[knightone]

But it would be Awesome. I even know someone I wouldn't even refer to as a collector that would buy that, she loves Lursa and B'Etor.

No doubt it would be awesome. I know we think a lot of stuff would sell, but recent cancellations have been very surprising. I thought Dukat and 7 of 9 would be definite sells, biut apparently not, and they were far more important and integral than the Duras sisters.

[KirkPR1]

I would love to see a Jadzia Dax with Defiant helm station alas Captain Sisko w/Captains Chair.

[Matty-lad]

I would love to see a Jadzia Dax with Defiant helm station alas Captain Sisko w/Captains Chair.

Hey all,

I would settle for a Season 4 Dax with Command Chair. I'm sure she commanded the Defiant at some point.

Take care,
Matty-lad

[weyoun_9]

No doubt it would be awesome. I know we think a lot of stuff would sell, but recent cancellations have been very surprising. I thought Dukat and 7 of 9 would be definite sells, biut apparently not, and they were far more important and integral than the Duras sisters.

Honestly...I think they were both victims of timing/pairing. I thought it was baffling that two nearly identical Sisko's were being offered simultaneously. I think they both got canceled because buyers with limited funds each decided that one Sisko in a season 3 uniform...even with different hair and beard...was enough. The timing was all wrong, in my opinion, and it killed both figures.

As for Seven...I didn't pre-order her until recently (probably after she was canceled) because I really wasn't interested in buying the two random drones. I found somewhere I could order just her and her Assimilated Self. If the first Borg wave was Seven, Locutus, Borg Queen, and Drone Seven...and those four alone were enough to complete the alcove, I think the pre-sales would have been different. Here I think DST/AA overestimated the number of people who were willing to pop $20 for multiple nameless drones to cannibalize for more customs. I know there are many...but I don't think enough to justify the number of made up drones...especially considering that there has already been a Borg: Assimilation line where they did that. I think if a Borg wave with major headliners worked...then Wave two could have been Silver Seven, Drone, half assimilated Starfleet officer, and maybe an Assimilated Janeway or Hugh...they would have served themselves better.

[weyoun_9]

I would settle for a Season 4 Dax with Command Chair. I'm sure she commanded the Defiant at some point.

Yeah...I thought about that...or even a First Contact Worf (with battle damage and so forth) in the Defiant Chair. I don't really remember Dax in command until she had her Season 5-7 Uniform. COuld be wrong though. I'm rewatching it now...so we'll see.

[Quadrotritacale]

The Dax chair idea would be a nice way to put out that Dax in blue uniform that was made and never released, although it would be a disappointing figure if they kept the season 7 face sculpt rather than using the "Trials and Tribble-Ations" one or sculpting a new one.

[DS9_Fan]

To the Best of my knowledge, Dax didn't command the Defiant till Season 6 when Sisko was re-assigned as Admiral Ross's aide. But I'd take a re-release Dax with the Defiant Command Chair if it meant getting the Chair!

Love the idea of a First Contact Worf with Defiant Chair. But a way to get a Bajoran Kira out there would be to release her with the Command Chair. I remeber her sitting in it on a couple of occasions (Defiant, Tears of the Prophets) so that would work.

The Generations line would be cool. But I would definately sub in Data for Dr Soran. As much as i Liked Soran, really doubt he'd sell!

I prey for some 24th century Trek in 2010. I've really gotten into TOS since the new movie release and buying the DVD's, just finishing season 3 now. But as a collector it's getting boring. I'm a Star Trek Fan and collector, not a TOS Fan and Collector.

[Jedigreedo]

The interesting thing is, haven't they admitted that Picard, Worf, Riker and Data sell? There are plenty of ways to take advantage of that, and there is little doubt that Yar would be popular.

For instance, if Riker is truly that great of a seller then toss him in with a Bajoran Kira as Thomas Riker. He just needs a goatee instead of full beard, and a DS9 commbadge. Anybody who doesn't care for another Thomas Riker could just pass it off as Armargosa Riker. His DS9 commbadged torso could even go on to be reused for a Way of the Warrior/Generations Worf. That's two TNG best sellers out of a single body modification, plus getting Kira out there.

[Iron-Cow]

Just out of curiousity, are AA/DST even ABLE to do Generations figures? That's probably a totally different property than the regular TNG.

And yet, as I type this, I realize they've done both First Contact and Nemesis waves, so maybe Insurrection and Generations is rolled into the overall line.

(basically - yes. I'd LOVE a Soran!)

[sallah]

Just out of curiousity, are AA/DST even ABLE to do Generations figures? That's probably a totally different property than the regular TNG.

And yet, as I type this, I realize they've done both First Contact and Nemesis waves, so maybe Insurrection and Generations is rolled into the overall line.

(basically - yes. I'd LOVE a Soran!)

Well, awhile back they stated they were going to do a 2 pack from each film so I'd say that they do have the rights to it (even though it's doubtful they are still going to do that)....but it would probably be Kirk/ Picard knowing them.

Sallah

[Sybeck1]

I would say yes to everything if we were talking minimates.

[Dr. Crusher]

I'd assume they could do Generations because they've done stuff from other TNG movies- FC and Nemesis.

And I somehow got the impression when they said 'a two pack from every film' that they meant the TOS movies. Though we did see Nemesis Riker/Troi...

FC Picard (regular duty uniform)/Borg Queen, anybody? I'd buy that in a heartbeat, but I want the Borg Queen like people wanted Rand or Chapel, and still want Yar, so I'm a bit odd.

[knightone]

DST has said before they have the license for all television series, except the animated series, and all movies, except the Abrams film. No books, comics, video games, etc.either.