25 replies to this topic

[JMW326]

I would love to see two different lines.

First and foremost I would love to see a 3 3/4" line like Hasbro's Star Wars or G.I.Joe lines with vehicles and playsets and a wide variety of characters and aliens. With many points of articulation and nice sculpts. That would be ideal for me.

Second I would like to see DST Continue with what they have done but with better QC and more characters (and no more rubber shirts. I would like to see them branch into the new movie and do them in the same style as the Stargate, BSG and Trek lines.

[Gothneo]

Sadly, I think the sun has set on mass marketed Star Trek toys. It has been ever thus since the demise of the 90's playmates line, but I think the lack of sales/interest in The 2009 movie line drives that home.

AA/DST gave a us nice Adult collectors line, but that too seems to have struggled.

Unless there is some huge resurgence in interest in the franchise I would say it will be relegated to the various companies that want to try and market a "collectible" but very limited run of items. Roll play and higher end items I think will continue on... and I think you'll see a company, that will put out a short run of 3-5 figures and that will be all... but as a sustainable line that continues to put out product... I'm doubtful... mind you I don't want to be, but I am.

I'm enjoying what DST is giving us right now, and I'm working through my "Excess" Stock to make customs for my collection, but I don't see a sustainable line with breadth and depth anytime in the near future for Star Trek.

[Gothneo]

I love the Idea of Hot Toys doing Star Trek!

Ultimately I think they would do a fantastic job on 1/6 scale figures, but I think we could only expect newer movie license.

Or We'd see a TOS Kirk & Spock, but that would be all.

Ultimately... a line that gave us the 5 Captains and fan favs such as TOS Spock, Data, Worf, and 7 of 9, would be incredible, but I don't think we'd see full crews (and at Hot Toys price point I couldn't afford them!)

[bgiles73]

1701 ,that line up you listed above had me really excited but sadly I came back to reality. I was truly hoping that when Hasbro did that internet exclusive "Cloverfield" monster that they would also get the license for JJ's other movie, but we all know that story. Hopefully Paramount/CBS wisen up and get Hasbro the next time out, but in over 40 years they haven't really been able to make Star Trek into the merchandising giant that Star Wars is!

[pickard]

1701 ,that line up you listed above had me really excited but sadly I came back to reality. I was truly hoping that when Hasbro did that internet exclusive "Cloverfield" monster that they would also get the license for JJ's other movie, but we all know that story. Hopefully Paramount/CBS wisen up and get Hasbro the next time out, but in over 40 years they haven't really been able to make Star Trek into the merchandising giant that Star Wars is!

In 40 years, NOTHING has been made into the merchandising giant that Star Wars is.

[weyoun_9]

Okay...I've been giving this WAY more thought than any of us should. Here's what I think. You're both right. We older collectors (20s & 30s and beyond) aren't necessarily going to be interested in the 3 3/4 scale. I'm sure not. At the same time, having that scale around and popular would help overall sales. So, I have a two year plan that all leads up to the upcoming film.

It starts in 2011...Star Trek TOS 45 yr. Anniversary
The marketing for "Star Trek: Something Something" will have started with a teaser trailer, possibly a website, and a lot of buzz on trekmovie.com
Release TOS (I know...again?) as a complete series set for a limited time before they go "back in the vault" (a la Disney)
Get Sy Fy or a CBS cable affiliate to run all five series in one place, be it Spike or something else, Mon-Fri at 6 or 7, alternating series daily (EMT Mon, TOS Tues, TNG Wed...etc)

Here comes the part I concede would actually be cool...an animated Star Trek series. But not TOS or movie...it should be 24th century and use as many of the voices from that era as are interested and available. After all, 2012 is also TNG's 25th Anniversary. Borg, Ferengi, Klingons...it could be really cool if done well and still give the JJverse the freedom to explore their universe for a while. It launches in January of 2012. At the same time, Launch the following two lines:

Star Trek: Universe - 3 3/4 scale, $5.50 each
Archer (Season 4)
Kirk (Standard Uniform)
Picard (Season 1)
Sisko (Season 3)
Janeway (Season 5)
Vosk
Khan
Judge Q
Dukat
Borg Queen

Star Trek: Legacy - 7 scale (DST compatible) - $12.50 each (I have no idea if this is feasible)
Archer (Season 4)
Kirk (Standard Uniform)
Picard (Season 1)
Sisko (Season 3)
Janeway (Season 5)

Each Captain comes with a digital download copy or dvd of the pilot episode for each series. Yes...I know...collectors will already have these and/or won't open it...but for others I still think it might be a neat cross-marketing opportunity. If you open it and don't need it...give it to a friend.

The second wave of both would need to be on the heels of the first. April at the latest.

Star Trek: Universe Wave 2 - 3/34 Scale
T'Pol (Season 4)
Spock
Riker (season 1)
Kira
Chakotay
Shran
Female Romulan
Ferengi Daemon Bok
Kai Winn
Seska

Star Trek: Legacy Wave 2
Vosk
Khan (Gold outfit or stasis outfit)
Judge Q
Dukat
Borg Queen

Come June...launch comprable "Star Trek: Something Something" Line to prep everyone for the film...in August, release the characters that weren't in the trailer, like the villain or Harry Mudd or whomever.

At that point...they could evaluate the success of all these ventures and either release wave 3 for December or shut it down and we'd still have a "set" that would feel in some way complete. Plus, it gives us more aliens which frankly these lines have seriously needed.

And if it sounds like oversaturation, keep in mind that really the animated show is to entice younger viewers and toy buyers where the film is for grown ups.

Oh...and until launching all this the Star Trek toy world must shut down completely and wash the bad taste of broken promises out of everyone's mouth. No head swaps or rereleases...just regrouping and building anticipation. And marketing...lots of marketing.

[startrekfiero]

The original Star Wars toys succeeded as well as they did simply because of the characters, ships, vehicles and all of the cool techno stuff and the timing was right for something like that to come along when it did. Kenner also did a great job with the toy line and stayed the course. If Paramount and those involved had released a Star Trek movie with characters, vehicles and ships that was more like Star Wars in the late 70's and early 80's (think of how different Trek toys would be if the JJ film had come out like that instead of TMP in 1979) a Trek toy line would probably have taken off big similar to the Star Wars toy line. Action sci-fi on the movie screens didn't exist at all until Star Wars came along and the toy line by Kenner in the late 70's was perfect as everything just clicked. Star Wars and the many sequels and prequels continued to keep the popularity both in the movie franchise and the toy lines going with new kids growing up over the years on this sci-fi franchise since the late 70's. The Star Trek movies were more of an adult movie series, more serious and touching on a lot political and social subjects similar to the original series while catering to the fans of the original series. As great as that was it did not lend well to reaching kids and creating a toy line like Star Wars had. The Star Trek series and movies (except for maybe TNG) never really had the stories, ships and characters that lent well to a long line of action figures and other toys like Star Wars did. Plus Star Trek never had one big company that put the effort into the toy line like Kenner did over the years and is now being continued by Mattel. Playmates did a good job for quite a few years in the 90's but they then lost the license and with the new movie they have really disappointed us all since.
Star Wars was one of those situations that simply got it right from the very beginning both in the films and the toy line that has had kids of all ages WANTING the toys. All of this has yet to be matched in any way by any other movie or TV series so far.

[Tiberius]

As Fiero says, I think that SW started the whole trend. I bought the odd 8" figure from Trek, I might have gotten more, had they been 12". I wanted to play with my figures, but one can not play when only superheroes, Big Jim and Barbie are their only companions. Or can they. Star Trek was out of scale.
Along came Star Wars, one could get the figures, weird aliens too and they were plentiful. They made playsets, multiple figures and vehicles for the figures. When ST returned, they took the same scale, but they were not on par with SW. They did come with a playset, but it was a styrene version of the bridge (not that they could get figures in any other playset, considering the scale. They had a few series like Buck Rogers, Black Hole and GIJoe to compare with, scale wise, but they did not seem compatible with each other.

I think that if Trek would have wanted to do better, they might have tried to mesh with other toylines. My analysis above was to show that I would have wanted to expand the universe by combining my figures with either my friends' figures, or my sister's existing universe. Eight figures does not a universe (of imagination) exist! If existing toylines would have been emulated, I think there would be more integration of Trek with mainstream toys, I would have liked to combine Trek with barbie or vice versa, at the time. Had AA/DST chosen to make a scale compatible with existing scales, it might have done a bit better then it did.
When I was ten-ish I wanted to integrate my Trek figures with something, my sister's barbies. When I was twenty, I bought Star Wars, because they were cool. When I was thirty, I got the PM figures which were not compatible with anything (my main grudge about scale)! and when I was forty, I bought the semi-compatible AA figures that did not really fit with any other company's scale either.

I would love to start the new PM Trek figures, but due to the horrid likeness's of some figures and the lack of a future, I don't want to do it. Even IF they are going for $3 each, or less!! However, the smaller scale DO mesh with GIJoe and Terminator figures!!

[Artistix]

I love the Idea of Hot Toys doing Star Trek!

A Hot Toys Bev would make my life complete.

[VulcanFanatic]

I know this may get a Boo from many here, but my idea of a Star Trek line that i would like to have produced is a Mego like 8" line of all the different Trek incarnations. I think 8" is just the right scale to play with and have some detailing to please collectors. I am a big Mego fan and i have all of the newer EMCE repros and would like many more of them. It would be great if we could get more detailed accessories than just the standard blue or red plastic ones like Mego put out. I also would like removable boots maybe some improvement in the uniforms where possible. These types of figures are much more posable and play friendly.

[Sybeck1]

What would be your ideal Star Trek toy line?


Simply one that produces what it shows. I still remember how excited I was at DST Trek showing this time last year, but of course we know how bad 2009 was, with 2010 looking like that on steroids. This seems to be one of those "what if" threads, so that is my main wish.

[Artistix]

I know this may get a Boo from many here, but my idea of a Star Trek line that i would like to have produced is a Mego like 8" line of all the different Trek incarnations. I think 8" is just the right scale to play with and have some detailing to please collectors.

I am hoping (foolishly I know) that we will see some non TOS Mego's at Toy Fair.

[Gothneo]

I was initially pretty excited about the EMC MEGO repos... but the quality of the plastic isn't what it should be.

If you actually play and pose them awhile, the plastic (the loops where the arms & legs are connected) start to stretch, and I actually had one break.

I don't see these lasting like the original's. Thus I quit buying them.

[Artistix]

Awww, don't tell me that Gothneo!

I'll be much more gentle with them from now on.

[VulcanFanatic]

I was initially pretty excited about the EMC MEGO repos... but the quality of the plastic isn't what it should be.

If you actually play and pose them awhile, the plastic (the loops where the arms & legs are connected) start to stretch, and I actually had one break.

I don't see these lasting like the original's. Thus I quit buying them.

The Mego Type 2 bodies were very well constructed, i have several that are 35 plus years old that are just as sturdy as they were when they were new. The EMCE type bodies are not identical in construction and are not quite as posable as Mego's are. I had one of the Repro bodies from Dr Mego fall apart on me. I am wondering if the newer type is cheaper to produce than the Mego type was. I still havent bought the repro bridge set yet, i guess i am waiting for it to get marked down. I still remember back in the mid 70's, my Mom came home from shopping one saturday morning and handed me the Mego Bridge set, i was soo excited! I already had the figures but no bridge. I remember her saying that she found it on sale for like $4.00 or something like that! What a deal! I think thats where i got my shopping sense from. Its long gone now, but i do have another original Mego Bridge MIB on my shelf, but i still would like to get the repro set to open up to go with my opened figures i have displayed.

[Gothneo]

Oh yes. I picked up several old Mego Type 2 Figures on ebay for cheap... and I absolutely loved them! That's why I got excited about the Repos Inititaly, but as you say they (the Repos) aren't as posable as the originals, and they are made of a softer type of plastic.

I dismanteled one to see what the issue was with the posablity, and that's when I saw how the loops on the arms and legs was getting streched!

[bgiles73]

Check this fictionally proposed 1978 line out. Don't let 1978 confuse you these are all modern customs of what could be. We have got to get DST to make all these, especially the reimagined Mego bridge/carry case set a reality. Heres the link:
http://megomuseum.co...ead.php?t=24310

[S'Task]

I may get some boos, but I must say I do not have faith in Hasbro. Yes, SW is a monster line that does not show any signs of dying (which is good for the fans, I suppose) and has even taken some very bold moves, like doing even bigger scale vehicles like that Millenium Falcon. The SW line also has a very nice mix of non-canon or expanded universe characters, film characters, and very VERY obscure characters.

I was, however, a big collector of three other lines Hasbro put out recently, the 25th Anniversary G.I. Joes, the Indiana Jones line, and the 6" Marvel Legends. ALL of them are deader than dead now. Joes had distribution problems from the start (And got bitten by the repaint bug in the end), they oversaturated the market with Crystal Skull and Raiders Indy figures (and most of us lost out on later characters like Short Round, Mola Ram and Henry Jones... leaving multiple Indiana variants to warm the pegs and clearance bins); and Marvel Legends not only took a dive in QC, (not to mention scale issues, delays, cancellations and distribution problems, as well) it was just... let go. The 3 3/4" Marvel line has proven not every collector is willing to jump on the bandwagon and just re-buy everyone... and I'd say Marvel has much more market appeal to the casual collector (especially kids) than Trek.

I think Hasbro has proven time and again that it has no qualms about dropping a line completely once they feel it's not making a big enough profit.

I think a large chunk of the toy industry lost a lot of steam.. which I truly do hope improves next year. Who knows? If the Trek sequel does well -and with PROPER marketing and DECENT figures.. I'm talking to you, Playmates- it may just be the shot in the arm the franchise needs to pick up again.

Then again.... hard to tell as of now.. but it seems unlikely :/