newaddict

I have to say I agree with drgnrbrn316 (on a personal level) about the interest level between DC and Marvel. I never really thought about which I preferred, until I started looking at the new DCD minimates and realized how many of them I didn't know. With Marvel there was the odd one or two whom I wasn't completely up to speed on, but I at least knew the basics. When the DC waves were announced, I realized I knew very little about a few of the characters and almost nothing about the rest. I picked up the DC Encyclopedia and was amazed at how much I didn't know. Page after page of characters I'd never heard of, and then there was the incongruity between what I thought I knew of the character bios and what was the actual reality. I realized at that point that most (if not nearly all) of my DC experience came from the Animated shows which appear to have taken great liberties with the continuity. I began looking through my TPB collections and realized I rarely if ever keep a DC volume - I usual end up passing it along to someone else or trading it away. On the flip side I have every single Marvel one I've purchased and will frequently go back a reread them. Never really thought about it until recently, but that's at least my comic reality.

First of all let me say thanks for doing this. I really appreciate all the time taken to help share information with us fans. As to my questions, just one really: since there seem to be quite a few "boxed sets" on the horizon this year, I was curious if this format lends itself to (1) comic teams that might not be front runners for the regular wave releases (such as the Young Avengers, the Runaways, the Exiles, etc.) and (2) movie/TV properties like Firefly (Serenity), Fifth Element, Buffy and Angel, etc. I know it's hard to comment on specifics, but in a general sense are releases such as these more likely in a boxed set format? Anway, thanks again for your time and the wonderfully addictive product you supply us with.

First set on Ebay I believe Actually a presale and they have 4 available for an "interesting" price

To any of you international fans who are unable to get these directly, send me a PM as I'll order some extra when I order mine from the Diamond Website.

I like that the set will be available online as well as at WWLA.

Diamond site says it all: Check it out here

Don't get me wrong -- I more than anyone understand how incorrectly marketing something can lead to a dismal failure no matter how much potential lay in the property itself. I'm a long time fan of Firefly/Serenity and watched the show from the very first broadcasts. I loved the show, but Fox kept preempting it for baseball, or other special events. Half the time the show aired afterward (11 p.m. or later) and the other half it didn't air at all. The Fox network chose to air the episodes out of order and decided, only after the series was canceled, to air the 2 hour pilot episode last. The show itself was wonderful, genius some people would say. The way it was submitted to the market, less than brilliant. So I can understand, and like I said before I've never seen the show (Kim Possible) and didn't realize the fundamental differences between the show and the merchandising reality. Truthfully I'm for just about anything minimate related.

For the longest time I read these posts about broken figures and thought, wow I must have the most amazing luck! I had been collecting since around Aug 2006 and as my collection grew I acquired many, many, many minimates and had never had one break. My Indy's were fine, my GSX Nightcrawler from Target was stiff but (thanks to this board) I was able to avoid breaking the hip joints. Each time I saw a new post about breakage I counted my blessings and breathed a sigh of relief. Then came the Cylons, and everything changed. I had two from my personal collection break and another one or two that were traded away ended up break (all at the knee joints) then I had some older mates acquired in a trade break at the hip with little movement at all. Now I'm hesitant to open my DC Minimates (well to tell the truth, my wife is saving them for my birthday in the first part April -- I don't have that kind of will power any more) for fear that they'll be breaking as well.

Danny&Sam4EVER - Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there quite a bit of Kim Possible merchandise at one time? My daughter was too young for it at the time, but I think I recall Walmart, Target, etc., carrying Kim Possible dolls, mini figure/dolls, accessory kits, and more. The only reason I ask, is that I don't recall any of that merchandise selling very well. Most of it hit clearance aisles and stayed till it was about 60% or more off the original price. I've never seen the show and thus cannot comment as to whether or not it would be a good prospect, but given what I saw, I'm not sure if this would be a lucrative license to pursue. Please don't take this as any kind of attack on you as a member, just my observations.

Updated again today: Added Katara and a Group Shot of the Avatar characters.

Where exactly is this info on the Diamond site? I clicked on the link but the only thing I'm seeing is the BTTF press release.

Thanks for all the praise! Anyway, not as impressive as some of my other work, but I figured Aang needs his friends and since Katara is still in the works . . . I present Sokka of the Water Tribe.

I know that with the Marvel line there are limitations on vehicles, but I was thinking of a minimate offshoot line called "Minimotors" or "Minimovers" which could consist of generic vehicles rendered in minimate scale and style. A motorcycle, a jeep/car, a boat, etc. Render them in plastic with generic style and collectors could customize them to their liking. Even without added work, who wouldn't love to have some mini vehicles as background or scenery pieces. Just a thought.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. drgnrbrn316 - The skirt is in fact more plasticard (like Aang's poncho) that I heated and shaped to the desired effect. Not perfect, but better than anything else I came up with. It did take three attempts to finally get it more or less "right." It's attached to a NXM Cyclops' belt.

Updated this evening: Fire Nation Soldier. I have mixed feelings about this one -- the armored effect I was attempting also yielded a slightly more rotund frame than I had wanted. But given the basic shape of mates, it's hard to make them seem really skinny.

Antacost, I intend to try to do various Aang figures over time to reflect different aspects of the show (i.e. Avatar State Aang, Water Nation Aang, Spirit World Aang, Spider-man Aang . . . okay maybe not that last one :biggrin: ). The Fire Nation solider is about half done, so hopefully by the end of this week/the beginning of next I should have some pics up. Then I really want to do either Katara, Sokka or Zuko. Once I get a few more of the base characters done, then I'll go back and add some variation to Aang.

Thanks to all for the kindness. Wadalf - I plan on making most of the main characters, but my next one will probably be a Fire Nation Soldier. Look for it in the next week. TENIME_art - Yes, his eyes are big, and the better to see you with! I think it has something to do with the anime aspect of the show, but his eyes are much larger than almost anyone else's. drgnrbrn316 - the poncho is actually a piece of flat plastic which I cut into a rough oval shape and then heated with an embossing gun, then shaped and painted (the only way I knew to make something close to what I wanted). The staff is only temporary - it's a piece of plastic tubing I cut to the approximate length I needed. I will ultimately dye it brown/tan and mold the 2 "diamond" shaped details on. Alpheon - thanks for the compliments. I just was looking at an extra gamma hulk and thought "why not?" I'm looking forward to seeing your customs someday soon.

You continually amaze me with your work. Well done. Cannot wait to see what else you have in store.

Updated: Changed the topic title to something more appropriate, and added my Avatar custom of Aang. There are actually two different heads I created for this figure, neither one quite 100% right, but I thought it was a fun idea to create my first "unofficial" minimate variant. Anyway, take it for what it is and nothing more.

Another top notch customizer has joined the ranks. Nicely done. I'd love to see more of your work in the future. Welcome aboard.

Awesome work on everything. My Rogue just doesn't look right without her coat, now. Gambit is too perfect with the eye effect (I was also hoping/expecting to see more X-Men characters this year). And as for the memorial, I imagine someday you'll have a whole memorial park with civilian minimates wandering around checking out the monuments.

Thanks for the feedback. :biggrin: I'm still working on my additional Runaways, though I'm slowed in my progress because I'm either awaiting new pieces, or having to fabricate my own. I also have an Aang (from Avatar), a Hellboy 2.5" and several others (Excelsior, a House of M subset, etc.) in the works right now. I'm trying to fill the time by working on some of my other projects, but rest assured that no one wants the Runaways finished more than I do!

Thus begins the Iron Fisted Regime of Antacost!

Avatar is definetly something I would buy. I am actually working on a custom Aang right now, but he's still a ways off. I think this would work really well, as it 1) appeals to be adults and children, 2) has main characters that offers many different costume/representations for various waves, 3) has an ongoing media tie-in which would help with sales, and 4) has a pretty rabid fan base who would purchase these if they were done right. Personally, I became a fan because of my nephew, but was frustrated to see that the Mattel/FisherPrice figures have not yet (and apparently do not plan any time soon to) include any of the female characters. Many of the central characters are female, but that old school thinking of "boys wont want to play with girls" seems to be the foundation of the current line.

Oh, yeah I didn't realize the Scarlett Spider was in the background. That custom is acutally not mine - not sure who actually made it. It was included in a lot of Minimates I bought off Ebay. Very nice detail, with a sculpted hood on the back. I'd love to give credit to whomever crafted it, maybe someone from this board? As for Mandarin, I have been experiementing with scuplting hair, and his hairpiece is a modified Lady Deathstrike. Not perfect yet, but I'm getting better results each time.