246 replies to this topic

[VulcanFanatic]

I will not accept the demise of the DST Star Trek figure line until DST says "we're done with Star Trek figures now" . I will still hold some hope for more figures, possibly next year or later this year with the two packs. I am not ready to throw in the towel yet.

[Commodore Kor'Tar]

I agree with VF's assessment, one day in the future , there will be more Trek figures,just you wait and see .

[Sybeck1]

I wished I shared the optimism of some here of future figures, but if 7 of 9, borg, and Romulans can't sell, I can't see good things coming.

And if Pine and Co. is making Trek mainstream, why didn't that toyline make it past the first wave?

On TV shows, we are back at Enterprise, which couldn't garner ratings. It a tough world when NBC gives 2 hours each Tuesday to an reality show. Lower overhead seems to be a way to go.

I would love them to update the animation of the animated series, maybe like Pixar. They have the voices to do those episodes over great, but I know its not happening.

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

There will be more Trek figures, but I doubt they'll be DST figures, and I doubt anything will come out that isn't related to the next Trek movie. I think DST is done with that part of the license. Then again, I am a pessimist at heart.

It's sad to me because I really don't get as excited out the ships and tech as I do about the figures.

[pickard]

There will be more Trek figures. There will be figures based on the different incarnations. I doubt they'll be from DST, but who knows?

[Gothneo]

I can see DST putting out a repaint of Kirk & Spock once a year simply to test the waters to see if consumer demand returns. Think we'll still see that Pilot Kirk/Spock two pack... just to see if there is any demand. But I don't see them actually investing any more money in the line...

And you know what... I'd buy that two pack... I'd also buy a Pilot Ep Scotty, even if it was just the TOS scotty head on the Pike body...
like this...


Accuarte? No... but I'd buy it...

[Jedigreedo]

Shame we probably couldn't get something like a 2-pack with a rerelease of Kang and a repainted Kor. Bet that would sell better than another Kirk/Spock pack, just on the army-builder potential alone. Granted, there are Kirk/Spock packs I'd like to see done (such as WNMHGB), but I just want an updated Kor so badly.

[bgiles73]

I can see DST putting out a repaint of Kirk & Spock once a year simply to test the waters to see if consumer demand returns. Think we'll still see that Pilot Kirk/Spock two pack... just to see if there is any demand. But I don't see them actually investing any more money in the line...

And you know what... I'd buy that two pack... I'd also buy a Pilot Ep Scotty, even if it was just the TOS scotty head on the Pike body...
like this...


Accuarte? No... but I'd buy it...

That was the problem all along DST didn't really seem to be spending money and taking risks with the figures. All the major work was done by the original Art Asylum guys. When they bailed the line took a noticeable change for the worst. Sure DST cranked out alot of awesome prototypes for Toy Fair and SDCC, but how many of these actually made it out there for collectors?

Shame we probably couldn't get something like a 2-pack with a rerelease of Kang and a repainted Kor. Bet that would sell better than another Kirk/Spock pack, just on the army-builder potential alone. Granted, there are Kirk/Spock packs I'd like to see done (such as WNMHGB), but I just want an updated Kor so badly.

Agreed, if all DST will bring to the table are Kirk and Spock they can give it up. I'm through with collecting a Kirk and Spock only line. The redundancy is killing me! We need variety! We need aliens, Hot Space Chicks and robots! To any female readers please excuse the space chicks thing, but God knows Kirk era Trek was full of them and that would most definately be a selling point!

[VulcanFanatic]

I am cool with a Kirk/Spock line since my focus is getting 49 more versions of Spock , but it would be nice to get something else once in a while. While i would love to get that Rand,Chapel,McCoy and Wraparound Kirk wave, i would really love to get the Romulan Commander and the Kruge/Maltz set a little more i think. Maybe one day.........

[Gothneo]

That was the problem all along DST didn't really seem to be spending money and taking risks with the figures. All the major work was done by the original Art Asylum guys. When they bailed the line took a noticeable change for the worst. Sure DST cranked out alot of awesome prototypes for Toy Fair and SDCC, but how many of these actually made it out there for collectors?

DST did put the effort and money into the the line. The TNG waves 1 & 2 show that. Likewise the TWOK line showed that too.

We had three waves of TOS from AA, all said and done we got about 12 unique characters out of AA for TOS, and then they were done.

We got at least triple that from DST. Plus DST actually finished off sets like the MM sets that AA really only got a couple of out.

You can argue about if you like sets like AGT, or how DST set up their business model all you like, but I really don't think it's fair to say that they didn't spend money and didn't take risks... they risked development money on a line that had no media tie-in... took on a line when the cost of raw materials was sky rocketing. Other lines have more then doubled in price, but DST didn't raise the price nearly that much of their products.

[weyoun_9]

I think they did take some risks...but honestly I think the time the lines took a turn for the worse was when TNG wave 5 took about 18 months to make it to the shelves. I think a lot of retailers lost confidence in their ability to provide the product and then, when the economy went south, retailers stopped looking for reasons to say yes and started looking for reasons to say no. When that happened, DST tried to pull it out of the fire by issues 8-million Kirks and Spocks (yes, that IS an exaggeration) which retailers liked but a number of collectors didn't...and this vicious snowball just kept on growing.

I think a hiatus is the perfect thing to do right now. Reflect on what has come and gone and get ready for 2011 when Paramount starts to market the next Star Trek film. After all, the last film had about a year's worth of build up. That's plenty of time to get a new toy campaign built in.

Oh...and hopefully if they do make a comeback...they will include more aliens in the mix.

[VulcanFanatic]

I am still hoping for those three two packs to come out this year. I think the time from now until the merchandising for the new movie will give Playmates time to lick its wounds and collaborate with DST to put a superior product than we saw for the first movie. I dont doubt that if Playmates has the license for the new movie, there will be Star Trek figures at all of the same stores that had them this time, even if they were not that successful because almost every blockbuster movie these days has a line that fizzles out shortly after the movie releases and ends up in the clearance bin. I think B&M stores are used to this now. DST's design and Playmates production and distribution power could be good for a Star Trek line.

I think DST put a lot of money and risk into the line, especially into TNG wave 1&2 and TWOK and Gothneo pointed out. TWOK was very successful in my opinion, but TNG didnt perform as well as DST had hoped, and by the time Wave 3 came out, it was obvious that cost cutting measures had been taken.

IMO prices have gone up drastically with DST though. AA had Enterprise figures on the shelves that were selling at $7.99 and TOS figures were at $8.99 if memory serves. I ordered more from KBtoys.com than anywhere else back then and they would even have sales (not clearance) for $5.00 each for TOS and Enterprise figures. For DST to sell TNG figures for $15.99 each is a big increase IMO. I am not saying that they are not worth it but what did we get for that extra money? A figure stand that you couldnt use because the figures feet wouldnt fit it? I remember not being too happy about that at the time. I became a bulk buyer from whoever had the cheapest prices from internet retailers and clearance bins wherever i could find them.

[TheHSBR]

Maybe when JJ puts the Borg into the reboot, we will finally see that Borg wave!

[VulcanFanatic]

Maybe when JJ puts the Borg into the reboot, we will finally see that Borg wave!

Wouldnt that be a hoot! Maybe the Prime Spock could hitch a ride with the Borg and somehow mend the timeline and set things right again.

[bgiles73]

I am still hoping for those three two packs to come out this year. I think the time from now until the merchandising for the new movie will give Playmates time to lick its wounds and collaborate with DST to put a superior product than we saw for the first movie. I dont doubt that if Playmates has the license for the new movie, there will be Star Trek figures at all of the same stores that had them this time, even if they were not that successful because almost every blockbuster movie these days has a line that fizzles out shortly after the movie releases and ends up in the clearance bin. I think B&M stores are used to this now. DST's design and Playmates production and distribution power could be good for a Star Trek line.

I think DST put a lot of money and risk into the line, especially into TNG wave 1&2 and TWOK and Gothneo pointed out. TWOK was very successful in my opinion, but TNG didnt perform as well as DST had hoped, and by the time Wave 3 came out, it was obvious that cost cutting measures had been taken.

IMO prices have gone up drastically with DST though. AA had Enterprise figures on the shelves that were selling at $7.99 and TOS figures were at $8.99 if memory serves. I ordered more from KBtoys.com than anywhere else back then and they would even have sales (not clearance) for $5.00 each for TOS and Enterprise figures. For DST to sell TNG figures for $15.99 each is a big increase IMO. I am not saying that they are not worth it but what did we get for that extra money? A figure stand that you couldnt use because the figures feet wouldnt fit it? I remember not being too happy about that at the time. I became a bulk buyer from whoever had the cheapest prices from internet retailers and clearance bins wherever i could find them.

If Playmates and DST combined can do some magic for the next movie I'm certainly in. I just hope we can get a Star Trek Legacy line. Especialy in the 3 3/4" scale. I want something to hang with all my Star Wars, GI Joes, Marvel Universe and DC Infinite Heroes figures! I hope the 6-7" line gets some love too!

[JMW326]

Well a new Q&A has been posted for Star Trek, Stargate and BSG. Not much news in it. And they of course skipped my questions again. This time I just asked if the latest 2 packs were in deed coming out or if they had been canceled and let them know that I had asked customer service but could not get a response. Oh well. just shows the direction things are heading at DST I guess.

[bgiles73]

I've had questions skipped, that turned up in Q&As much later. I guess it all depends on when those questions are received. Maybe Chuck was busy getting some revisions in on that Klingon BOP! It seems like these Q&As overall are getting shorter and shorter and they are now grouping different products together now. I guess all the discontinued product is starting to hurt their sales. I wonder if the Q&A will be the next thing to go.

[Jedigreedo]

Well, not necessarily their sales, but rather interest in asking anything. I also sent in a question several days before this week's Q&A, but they probably have been saving questions so they have a surplus for later to keep a balance for each subject. Their frequency of questions is logically going to decrease on lines with nothing coming out aside from a few items which applies perfectly to Trek/BSG/Stargate.

Besides, it's basically been:
Q: Klingon BoP? A: 2011
Q: Ent-B? A: Hopefully 2010
Q: Excelsior? A: Hopefully Ent-B in 2010
Q: Remaining Kirk/Spock 2-packs? A: Hopefully
Q: Trek Tek? A: Can't reveal anything
Q: New figures? A: On hold/canceled/we'll see (depending on weather patterns and cosmic alignment, I think)
Q: Salt Vampire? A: Awesome ain't it? You'll never have it

Now that there is that ex-TRU Trek wave coming out, however, we can assume there is going to be an influx of questions related to that.

[The_Donster]

Well keep in mind that they are a business and DST Chuck has more on his plate than just doing interviews and answering Q&A's. From my experience speaking with him in the past, if he doesn't answer a question, he most likely can't comment on it at the moment. Not to mention things are going to start picking up for them, as we're fastly approaching con season for them. Only time will tell if this line continues at this point, but I'll take it as a good sign they are still fielding Trek questions at this point.

[VulcanFanatic]

Well keep in mind that they are a business and DST Chuck has more on his plate than just doing interviews and answering Q&A's. From my experience speaking with him in the past, if he doesn't answer a question, he most likely can't comment on it at the moment. Not to mention things are going to start picking up for them, as we're fastly approaching con season for them. Only time will tell if this line continues at this point, but I'll take it as a good sign they are still fielding Trek questions at this point.

This is not meant to be a mean spirited statement but i would like to say something that some others here might not say for fear of a backlash. Don,
i think we all know that DST is a business and realize that Chuck has more to do than to answer our questions. I feel the pain of those that are frustrated by lack of ,or veiled answers from Chuck about the Star Trek line and would appreciate straight answers, even if its something i dont really want to hear, like cancelled or discontinued. I find your statement "Well keep in mind" very condescending even if you dont mean it that way.