Jump to content


Photo

Wishing Playmates still owned the Trek Line!


  • Please log in to reply
94 replies to this topic

#1 Chris

Chris

    I dream about Toys

  • Members
  • 38 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland, UK

Posted 16 April 2007 - 12:19 PM

Ive been collecting Playmates Trek since i was 14, and im still addicted to buying them. I prefer them much more to the Art Asylum releases. I prefer the size, the style and the way the figures were released. I only wish Playmates still had the liscense for Star Trek, can u imagine the figures we would have gotten. Hirogen, Female Shapeshifter, Weyoun, Martock, Ezri Dax, Breen, the Enterprise NX - 01 Crew, Xindi, Remans, Malon, the list is endless. It would be cool if they had the Stargate line as well and made them in the same scale as the Trek figures...

#2 slayerone76

slayerone76

    Guinan's love slave!

  • Members
  • 2,718 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Georgetown, TX
  • Interests:Stately playboy by day ... profitable pimp by night. I like to watch movies, listen to music, go out ... friends ... food ... all the essentials of life.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 12:27 PM

Unfortunately, I think even if PMs had the line right now, we'd still be seeing a slow, uneventful release schedule from them. Mind you, the smaller size might contribute to a few more per wave coming out.

Those of us still nostalgic for PM success with Trek are having to come to the reality that the market isn't what it used to be. The fans just aren't buying the product like they used. I think PM would even need to contend with lower sales.

On the other hand, I do still reminisce about those glory days and would love to see something like it again. PM's got me into collecting figures and my pocket book can't thank them enough. LOL

#3 Chris

Chris

    I dream about Toys

  • Members
  • 38 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland, UK

Posted 16 April 2007 - 12:32 PM

I think the Playmates figures worked better for collectablilty, they are smaller, easy to store, easy to display, as much as the AA/DST figures are very good, they are just too big and bulky, for me anyway. Ive spoken to a few people who choose not to buy the newer figures because of their size and they way they are being released.

#4 data_2006

data_2006

    Rick & Pat know me by name.

  • Members
  • 385 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Netherlands
  • Interests:Star Trek

Posted 16 April 2007 - 01:15 PM

QUOTE(Chris @ Apr 16 2007, 08:32 PM) View Post
I think the Playmates figures worked better for collectablilty, they are smaller, easy to store, easy to display, as much as the AA/DST figures are very good, they are just too big and bulky, for me anyway. Ive spoken to a few people who choose not to buy the newer figures because of their size and they way they are being released.

Might be but I just started with AA and (until I had all the AA never botherd with the play,mates cause you usually need the p[ackage to really identify the figure, while the AA figures look much more like their real life counterparts.

Also I think its true that PM was simply in a better time with more people buying the figures thus making more waves possible. But they also did the roidiculus low numer figures and exclusives that turned down a lot of collectors. so saying Pm would do better is a big oif imho.

(also Art asylum started out with quite big waves (5 or 6 diffrent figures a wave) its just DST distributoion that choices to focus each wave on 2 characters

#5 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 02:15 PM

I loved the Playmates figures when they were out, but I have to say: the size of the AA figures is what makes me LIKE them. I can see them better from a distance and I think they look better on shelves. And... they are much more lifelike than the PM figures. But... one man's trash is another man's treasure. smile.gif

#6 Wildcard

Wildcard

    Yes the Troi figures hair worries me.

  • Members
  • 1,033 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 16 April 2007 - 02:16 PM

Well I liked PM's plan of attack with waves, accessories/playsets, and honestly size. But as far as quality went the AA waves were much better to me. The ENT figures are still some of the best sculpts I've ever seen.

However I think if PM still had th license, we wouldn't be that happy either. Remember the final lines that came out of PM weren't that great. I'm thinking of the "Warp Factor" series that contained limited articulation characters like Leeta, Keiko O'Brien, Trelane, and the Generations figures.

I think PM reached their peak with the VOYAGER line of articulation, but they went down from there waaay to quickly. Plus they seemed to be going towards the larger figures like they did for First Contact and the 3 DS9 figures. Which were ok in their own way, but totally unusable with previous playsets and the "playsets" that came with the 6" figures werent' great as thew were mostly paper with a little bit of plastic (although the stickers that came with them were EXCELLENT).

I can't talk about the cloth 9" and 12" figures, as I never bought any. I got one as part of an ebay auction (Klingon Worf), but it's still not my thing.

#7 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 02:28 PM

QUOTE(Wildcard @ Apr 16 2007, 04:16 PM) View Post
Plus they seemed to be going towards the larger figures like they did for First Contact and the 3 DS9 figures. Which were ok in their own way, but totally unusable with previous playsets and the "playsets" that came with the 6" figures werent' great as they were mostly paper with a little bit of plastic (although the stickers that came with them were EXCELLENT).


There were excellent stickers for them, wasn't there? I liked the playsets BECAUSE they were paper and lightweight.

I remember I had Jadzia, O'Brien, and Counselor Troi on my desk at work and every morning when I came in, a coworker had put them in "compromising" positions" atop their workstations.


#8 Wildcard

Wildcard

    Yes the Troi figures hair worries me.

  • Members
  • 1,033 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 16 April 2007 - 02:48 PM

^OH I liked them for what they were, just wish that they were completely plastic and thus not prone to bending, creasing, and absorbing liquid.

And yeah, that's why I can't bring anything like that into my work. It doesn't bother me, but since I'm basically the receptionist desk, my workplace is the first one that customers see when they come in....and well...they don't share the same sense of humour that those of us in the office share. *snicker*

#9 JMW326

JMW326

    If I don't have it, they never made one.

  • Members
  • 4,836 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Charlotte, NC

Posted 16 April 2007 - 02:48 PM

I used to love Playmates figures and had quite a few but when AA started making them more detailed I got rid of my Playmates collection becuse they just looked like every other toy out there. AA's Trek figures were so much more realistic and detailed. I personaly thought PM went overboard with the character variants that they put out. Sorry but I have never wanted a figure based off of every visit to a holodeck. I liked the accesories that playmates did but never cared for the color they cast them in (not a big fan of the purple phasers or med kits). Now that DST has the license and AA is still doing the sculpt work I could never go back to PM styled figures. Not even if they were the only ones coming out. The one thing that I wish AA and DST had done form the beginning was make them a little smaller. That is one area PM had them beat in. If they could combine the two I would be happy. If they did that then I would picture them all looking like Nemesis Geordi. He is a little smaller a little less detailed and shinier but still has the detail of the rest of the AA and DST stuff.

#10 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 03:30 PM

QUOTE(JMW326 @ Apr 16 2007, 04:48 PM) View Post
I used to love Playmates figures and had quite a few but when AA started making them more detailed I got rid of my Playmates collection becuse they just looked like every other toy out there. AA's Trek figures were so much more realistic and detailed. I personaly thought PM went overboard with the character variants that they put out. Sorry but I have never wanted a figure based off of every visit to a holodeck. I liked the accesories that playmates did but never cared for the color they cast them in (not a big fan of the purple phasers or med kits). stuff.


I agree on both counts.

The bright orange phasers and tricorders really bothered me. I never once saw a hot pink computer on Picard's desk! Never!

And the variants! I mean... Mordok?!? The future aliens from "Captain's Holiday"?!? Why were the making figures of Riker as a Malcorian and not characters like Ogawa? Oi!


#11 slayerone76

slayerone76

    Guinan's love slave!

  • Members
  • 2,718 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Georgetown, TX
  • Interests:Stately playboy by day ... profitable pimp by night. I like to watch movies, listen to music, go out ... friends ... food ... all the essentials of life.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 03:35 PM

QUOTE(JMW326 @ Apr 16 2007, 03:48 PM) View Post
Not even if they were the only ones coming out.


Ohhhh ... I am not so sure about that. If they were the only Trek figures out, I would have to be buying them. I personally love the bulk, heaviness, and detail of these figures. They stand out and look excellent!

#12 knightone

knightone

    If I don't have it, It's on preorder.

  • Members
  • 2,235 posts

Posted 16 April 2007 - 04:11 PM

I was personally never satisfied with the Playmates figures. I stopped buying them for the most part after the second wave. So the same would be true now as it was then, if they were the only thing coming out, I wouldn't be buying any Trek figures.

#13 Artistix

Artistix

    Trek Toy.com Member of the Month Feb 2010

  • Members
  • 2,696 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Australia

Posted 16 April 2007 - 04:13 PM


Playmates had an awesome run. All I could have asked is that they held the license for one more year to get us the figures that were planned but didn't quite make it (9" Tasha, 9" Torres, 4.5" Number 1 & many more)

But aside from that, I was ready to move onto something bigger & better. I love the AA/DST figures. They are about as big as I like to go with scale without being too large (Sideshow for example).

As much as I loved the Playmates figures (up until Intendant Kira!!), I am very happy the line went to AA/DST.



#14 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 04:44 PM

QUOTE(Artistix @ Apr 16 2007, 06:13 PM) View Post
As much as I loved the Playmates figures (up until Intendant Kira!!), I am very happy the line went to AA/DST.



She was such a disappointment.

I hope AA does her and does her justice!!!


#15 Artistix

Artistix

    Trek Toy.com Member of the Month Feb 2010

  • Members
  • 2,696 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Australia

Posted 16 April 2007 - 05:19 PM

QUOTE(Chalksquared @ Apr 17 2007, 08:44 AM) View Post
She was such a disappointment.

I hope AA does her and does her justice!!!


It was such an odd figure all round.

Kira had red hair through most the show, yet the figure had dark brown hair. It also had stumpy little generic fingers, like the Voyager women.
When you think of The Intendant, you wouldn't think of her squatting...the pose chosen was aweful. Plus I never saw her wearing the flat boots the figure is sporting, she always wore heels.

I wasn't a big fan of the sqautting all round....Trelane, the Andorian...even Keiko was kinda spreading! just odd.

#16 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 05:35 PM

QUOTE(Artistix @ Apr 16 2007, 07:19 PM) View Post
Plus I never saw her wearing the flat boots the figure is sporting, she always wore heels.


Like most working women, she wore flats on her days off!

#17 Artistix

Artistix

    Trek Toy.com Member of the Month Feb 2010

  • Members
  • 2,696 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Australia

Posted 16 April 2007 - 07:00 PM

QUOTE(Chalksquared @ Apr 17 2007, 09:35 AM) View Post
Like most working women, she wore flats on her days off!


And squatted...

#18 Chalksquared

Chalksquared

    New Forceaholic

  • Members
  • 812 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Connecticut
  • Interests:Reading, writing, performing (on stage), drawing, and collecting anything (24th century) Trek.

Posted 16 April 2007 - 07:49 PM

QUOTE(Artistix @ Apr 16 2007, 09:00 PM) View Post
And squatted...


I rarely laugh out loud while reading e-mail and surfing the net, but that remark was hilarious, Art!!! roflmao.gif

#19 FHC

FHC

    Owner

  • Owner
  • 4,495 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 16 April 2007 - 08:10 PM

QUOTE(Chris @ Apr 16 2007, 12:19 PM) View Post
Ive been collecting Playmates Trek since i was 14, and im still addicted to buying them. I prefer them much more to the Art Asylum releases. I prefer the size, the style and the way the figures were released. I only wish Playmates still had the liscense for Star Trek, can u imagine the figures we would have gotten. Hirogen, Female Shapeshifter, Weyoun, Martock, Ezri Dax, Breen, the Enterprise NX - 01 Crew, Xindi, Remans, Malon, the list is endless. It would be cool if they had the Stargate line as well and made them in the same scale as the Trek figures...



I too am a fan of the Playmate figures. Made as a toy and made to be played with. I have a few myself.

#20 Matty-lad

Matty-lad

    I can stop I just don't want to.

  • Members
  • 615 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Shrewsbury, England

Posted 17 April 2007 - 02:35 AM

Hey all,

I am still a huge fan of these. I managed to get everything except the Vulcan statue, the 1701 Picard and Yar, the Tri Fold Borg and the QVC communicator (still don't know what this is.)

I've also made approx 50 new figures to expand on the line. Haven't made any in a while but seriously thinking about getting back into it.

Take care,
Matty-lad




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users