246 replies to this topic

[The_Donster]

Bandai is pretty big and believe it or not, Power Rangers was still the biggest selling action figure a few years back The big toy manufacturers are Mattel, Hasbro and Lego, all of them have merchandisers that service stores. Unfortunately though, none of them concentrate solely on what everyone collects.

[Commodore Kor'Tar]

Isn't Bandi actually pretty big?

I recall seeing Bandi making Power Rangers along with many other action figure franchises, and I think they made that line of the pre-painted lit startrek models awhile back .

[Gothneo]

That's why I was bringing them up. I know they aren't a U.S. company, and many of don't collect anything they make, but maybe what Trek really needs is a fresh Japanese take on action figures!

[VulcanFanatic]

Regardless what company gets the license, a current series on TV would almost be needed to give the line any kind of longevity and success. I would like to see a post Nemesis tv series that picks up right after those events. That would be a venue to seeing cameos from TNG,DS9 and Voyager cast members and maybe stir up some interest in producing figures of those shows and the new show that would be on tv.

[Sybeck1]

I was at Booksamillion last night for the first time in a while it seems. I have read Trek novels since the 70's, even before I collected toys. It bridged me between the shows and movies. Were they canon? No, but good entertainment.

Well maybe last year at the bookstore I saw Trek books from genres, TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, even Stargazer, but last night only a couple of titles were seen. Three rows of Star Wars novels, 4 other large shelves of any Dungeon Dragon fetish one might have, But only two Star Trek. Without the novels it just seems to be another sign of it winding down.

What does this mean about the toys? That Trek is over in many ways and maybe there are about 50 people (us) in the world who are concerns with the fate of Star Trek toys. I think in many ways we will be the last to know, but sadly DST is reading the tea leaves.

[Artistix]

Freakin Bandai...Where's my Rita Repulsa figure???

[VulcanFanatic]

What does this mean about the toys? That Trek is over in many ways and maybe there are about 50 people (us) in the world who are concerns with the fate of Star Trek toys.

I am starting to believe that we at this Trektoy forum may be the largest concentration of people concerned with the fate of Star Trek figures and toys. I have done searches on google for star trek toys, forums and different things and this forum is usually the only thing that comes up that is anywhere close to what i am looking for. I know that many Star Trek or SciFi forums may have a few posts on them about selling or buying Star trek toys or other merchandise, but i have not seen that much Star Trek toy discussion anywhere that beats this forum. Maybe we should come up with the money here to get an exclusive figure made at DST, a "TrekToy.com Exclusive" .

[Jedigreedo]

That'd be awesome, but I wonder how much that would cost...

[Gothneo]

This is probably the best forum for discussing trek toys out there, but from looking at threads on other forums, there are def many more fans out there that were collecting the DST line!

But As fans, (and from what I've read on this forum) we really aren't in unified agreement. Just look at the comments about canceled TRU wave. I really don't see a whole lot of people saying "Dang! I was going to buy them all". Some are saying I only wanted the Kirk, some only want Chapel, some only wanted McCoy...

Same thing with the Borg Wave... likewise with DS9.. some say Just give me a Quark, others want Jake, Quark, Nog, Letta... etc...

So to do an exclusive, the numbers need to be there to support whatever figure it is they do... and someone has to take the risk and agree to shell out the money... and it is a risk, because most people aren't going to shell out he cash in advance, unseen and wait 8 mos to see what they get. Many people will prefer to wait until it arrives to make up their mind, so in the mean time someone will be sitting on stock... just like a store. I think if Rick at NFC thought the numbers were there for something like that he'd do the exclusives, because hes got the data. He knows how many units he moves, and he is after all a store!

[bgiles73]

A wide retail release of core characters from each series and a few generic aliens from each series. By core characters I'm meaning Kirk, Spock and McCoy for TOS...Picard, Riker, Data and Worf for TNG as examples of core characters. Secondary characters should have been retailer exclusives. By generic aliens. I think Klingons and Romulans should have been relesed in stores with a generalized appearance to avoid likeness approvals and for army building purposes. The whole line really needs to re-invent itself, which is probably what is happening with its year hiatus at DST and Playmates.

[LocutusOfTuborg]

Hi folks,

here's a statement Rick made over at Playtrek about exclusives....


"hello all...
I am afraid the day of the ST figure might be dead... when DST cannot get enough orders from EVERY one of their accounts to justify production, it is nothing more than a hopeful pipedream of doing an exclusive...

for those that are "new" here, playtrek did sort of have an exclusive figure (at least a hand in picking it)... we did the Flashback Janeway back in 1999...and we made 10,000 of them!... and I sold 9,000 relatively easily...

these days, there is NO one single store, or online group, or existing account that is willing to risk the capital on 3000+ figures... just not going to happen... not only has ridiculously high gas prices caused plastic prices to almost double in the past few years, shipping costs are double as well...

back 10 years ago, you could sell a figure for 8.99 + $3 shipping...11.99 was not a bad deal for an exclusive figure...

today, an exclusive is 15.99 + 8.95 shipping...almost 25 bucks... and, on top of that, even "regular" production waves struggle to sell 3000 figures... no way a single figure can do that these days... there are not 5000, or 3000, or likely even 1000 folks that would prepay for a figure at $25+ each...

so, as much as I LOVE Star Trek and have built our business on selling Star Trek, I am afraid we are at the "end"...
rick"


Trek's figure future for sure looks grim...


LoT

[Gothneo]

Thanks for posting that LoT, it simply confirms what I already know to be the reality.

We may see an odd figure or two pack yet come out... but no one should take that as a sign that the line will come back. The retail, and fan support just aren't there.

It's been a great run, and I'm looking forward to more role play stuff... I think I may take a stab at building some of my own props when I get the time (After I work through this box of trek figures I picked up for customs!).

[reverie]

Good to hear from Rick, even if it isn't good news. Not that it's unexpected of course. It's sad that we didn't at least get full crews from all the shows before DST called it quits.

[Alex]

If the Tech or Ships don't dontinue, that'll be a big disappointment.

Agreed, Pickard; at this point I'd be happy just to see DST continue with ships and Trek Tek. The figures I was interested in were always the ones AA/DST pulled or never bothered to produced; on the off chance that they were produced, they were the "exclusive/1701/limited run" figures. I wanted a full TNG movie line, and I had to go to the ends of the Earth for it

[VulcanFanatic]

Nice long post, i will have to take a week of vacation sometime and read it. Seriously though, i am glad someone took that long to write a post here, seems like posts have been down lately.

[weyoun_9]

I agree that having a new Trek on TV would be helpful for toy sales, I also think there needs to be a little more time before that happens. Right now, Pine & Co. have practically made Star Trek mainstream with the help of JJ Abrams. I think a good time to start developing the new series is after the second film has been released. Given that Pine, Quinto and Saldana are all gaining popularity by leaps and bounds, there is potential that, after the 3rd film (they're signed for three), they may not want to continue. So, Movie 2 happens, the JJ-team can prep Star Trek 2015 (or whatever) and CBS can start developing a series.

Playmates was able to start selling TOS toys while only TNG was on TV, so I definitely think that all series are options as long as they are introduced well via marketing. I loved that Playmates, for example, tested the water for non TNG toys by releasing a special "TOS crew" set. If it tanked, they would have had their answer...but those who wanted a complete TOS crew would still have had one.

Bottom line, though...I don't want them to rush Trek back to TV. It should happen in a well-thought, well-budgeted way with a solid team of actors, writers, and direction. As far as I'm concerned that is the most important. If that means that Trek toys take a hiatus, then so be it. Trek is just getting its legs back and I'd hate to see them blow it by rushing a series to the screen before its ready. Enterprise had some good moments, but I think a LOT of potential was missed because they rushed it. So, we got a lot of duplicate episodes and character types from previous series and very little Federation "prequel" stuff until season 4. But...that's a different topic.

[bgiles73]

They could do the series the way V and Battlestar Galactica have been done show 5 episodes go on hiatus for 3-6 months and go for sweeps ratings. This does great for the longer story arcs and more time, money and effort can be put into a series that follows this format. I wouldn't be hurt if they did animated Trek while we wait for the new JJ movies!
When the action figures and toys make their comeback I really hope for better sculpts and articulation and variety. I also hope we get two scales 3 3/4" (Playmates) and 7"(DST) although I hope both companies do something consistent with modern and cutting edge sculpts. Get Gentle Giant's Realscan Technology back into the equation and look what the competition is doing with articulation. Also how about bringing more interactive play features like Mattel did with "Avatar"!

[sallah]

Man, reading that statement from Rick really brings it home, doesn't it? Trek is over...

Ah well. It was fun while it lasted!

Sallah

[Artistix]

Wow Alex! Thanks for all that info about Rita Repulsa.

I have a pic of her somewhere here...

[JMW326]

To tell the truth I have seen a few of the new Power Rangers figures and am not impressed at all. I thought about picking up the original Power Rangers that they are doing now but after seeing them they kind of reminded me of Happy Meal toys. So I really really hope that BanDai would not make Star Trek figures.