MisterPL Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I'm guessing Sales spoke to buyers without showing them much of anything (except maybe concept boards). My impression was that DST simply wanted to gauge interest. Still, I'd be a lot happier about this Toy Fair if we'd seen some new Trek Minimates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 In other news, Star Trek continues to get attention even in a non-movie year: http://www.licensemag.com/license-global/cbs-continues-star-trek-growth Between the Twizzlers and commercials, it seems like the franchise continues to make impressions in the mass market as well.What's the problem with Star Trek Minimates again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) I think people recognizing the property enough for it to be worth using in advertising is not necessarily an indicator of demand for actual product. Edited February 19, 2014 by stack32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'm guessing Sales spoke to buyers without showing them much of anything (except maybe concept boards). My impression was that DST simply wanted to gauge interest. Still, I'd be a lot happier about this Toy Fair if we'd seen some new Trek Minimates. Eh. I'm probably more on the crazy side, but for ST, I'd almost rather not see what we might be getting until it's at the point that we're seeing what we're probably or definitely getting. If we had seen something from Toy Fair that ultimately were to never see the light of day, I'd be that much more disappointed. If that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I think people recognizing the property enough for it to be worth using in advertising is not necessarily an indicator of demand for actual product. I'd tend to agree if it wasn't for the fact that CBS continues to license Trek to manufacturers of a wide variety of products in the mass market, not just collectibles and toys. Also the fact that the biggest cable provider in the United States chose Trek says a lot about the power of the brand. Eh. I'm probably more on the crazy side, but for ST, I'd almost rather not see what we might be getting until it's at the point that we're seeing what we're probably or definitely getting. If we had seen something from Toy Fair that ultimately were to never see the light of day, I'd be that much more disappointed. If that makes sense. I know what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Anyone else notice the sign at the DST booth regarding Star Trek? "All incarnations of Star Trek are receiving greater attention in the build-up to the 50th anniversary of the original series in 2016. " That's about as much optimism as one can muster for the continuation of the Legacy line. No word on another movie yet. Hmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ape Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Isn't the next movie due out in 2016? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRISIS Survivor Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I hope that they can get one more set out. I just want a tng Klingon, and Kirk from TMP, but if I just get the yellow and blue tng uniforms ill still be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I thought Zach said at some point there were designs (no prototypes) of the D. Maybe, maybe we see a TNG box set and that in 2016? Or maybe just the D with Picard and an extra head for Riker? Or maybe just the D with Picard? Orrrrr maybe just another TOS box set… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) I don't know if this is an indicator of... anything, but... (from DST's 2014 catalog) Edited March 13, 2014 by Lobsterman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Worf as a Trek Select figure tells me that DST might at least include him in a second Legacy series. And that would be a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) If they were only going to make one more TNG character as a Minimate, I think Worf is the smartest choice. Aside from Geordi, who would need that sculpted visor, he's the only character that isn't a pretty easy quick custom. The yellow shirt, along with Picard's red, gives us fodder for everyone but Crusher and Troi. A sculpted brow piece gives us fodder for more Klingons, somewhat satisfying the requests of people who want alien army builders. And a Bat'leth blade would be all kinds of awesome. I wonder what alien/villain they would pair him with? Another Klingon in battle garb seems logical. A small-body Ferengi could be cool, too Edited March 13, 2014 by Lobsterman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 If they paired him with another Klingon like Gowron, we'd be one hairpiece away from an alternate Worf in traditional Klingon attire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battlecat Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 If they really went captain-free, my uneducated guess is a second wave would be centered around Spock and Data. If there was a DS9 set they might sneak Worf into that instead, though I'd hope for a Kira. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty-lad Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hey all, So another month has gone by and still nothing. I don't suppose we have any news coming soon? Take care, Matty-lad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Raygun Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I hope we get some good news on the Trek front, as it would suck to have done all that running around to collect a "one and done" line. If they had let us know up front, I may not have bothered. Rex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ape Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Best just to expect nothing as I suspect that's what we'll get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty-lad Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 (edited) I hope we get some good news on the Trek front, as it would suck to have done all that running around to collect a "one and done" line. If they had let us know up front, I may not have bothered. Rex! Hey all, I would just like to know in general. If we are done, I can start making my own crews. If not, I'll look forward to adding more. Take care, Matty-lad Edited April 11, 2014 by Matty-lad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 (edited) I don't think we're done. DST hasn't exactly been optimistic about Trek Minimates but they've still got the license and are planning big things to tie into the 50th anniversary in 2016. Maybe they'll take a hiatus and drive up demand (again). Hopefully by then, Trek will have more of an ongoing presence in the media. Right now CBS has licensed Trek for use in commercials for Xfinity and Twizzlers. And that's great but it's far from the multiple, ongoing television series we had from 1987 to 2005 (not counting all the feature films in between). I'm sure Paramount is enjoying the popularity of the new movies but they're not exactly driving sales elsewhere. Personally I think Trek belongs on TV but there's no denying the success it's having at the box office. Still, the most successful toys have been based on the television series, not the feature films. Therefore it may be up to CBS to reboot the TV franchise somehow in order to get the merchandise machine back up to speed. DST seems to be doing well enough with their role play and electronic ship lines. I have no idea how well Star Trek Select figures are doing. Plush Tribbles sold well at my TRU. I'm still hopeful that DST will offer something this year, even if it's a single boxed set, just to allow collectors to do what you're suggesting; making more crew members. So until DST no longer holds a license to offer Minimates, no, I don't think we're done. Edited April 11, 2014 by MisterPL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 To be fair, this was the seventh assortment of Trek Mates. And it was two separate assortments. "One and done" is a bit misplaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Raygun Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Yes, "One and done." One crew member per series, and then "we're out of here!" DS9: Sisko Voyager: Janeway (OK, Seven of Nine) Enterprise: Archer Next Generation: Picard These new figures were great, far above the previous level, to the extent that you can't even place any of the previous wave figures with this most recent wave without them looking out of place. And then what? We're still waiting to find out. I don't believe that the series was called "Star Trek Captains," was it? If so, I don't think I was the only one who missed that. I went out and hunted down these sets, several in duplicate, in the hopes that this was going to be the start of something great, which it should have been. I hope we get some good news on this front, but it sure doesn't sound like we're going to. Rex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I'm sure arguing with Zach will help. I think we can be fairly certain that Trek is in hibernation until there's something else to tie into, whether that's another movie or anniversary celebration or whatnot. The demand just doesn't seem to be there otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Pushing Star Trek product in a movie year is now a Catch-22 with this franchise. While it's usually safe to take advantage of the multi-million-dollar marketing associated with a feature film release, since DST doesn't have the new movie license, anything they put out will look wrong. Even if a kid wants a Khan block figure, Minimates aren't going to look anything like Benedict Cumberbatch's incarnation. The other problem is that in a movie year, there's more product to compete with, and in this case it's more authentic product in the eyes of new fans. So any new fans the movies attract are more likely going to want Hasbro's Kre-O sets over anything DST can produce under their current license. I understand that it's hard to get retailers to buy any Trek product let alone classic Trek product but while the bait & switch approach might have worked on TRU's buyer, Trek fans have never been as easy to fool. Star Trek has never been a typically successful television series. TOS failed on network TV twice, TAS failed once, VOY struggled on UPN, and ENT was eventually cancelled as well. However every show has thrived in syndication. Just like fans found the show in syndication, collectors will find the product in the specialty market. Just offer Star Trek Minimates through Previews and it'll be fine. Trust me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macross-Junkie Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I know this is a bit off topic, but I think this little story of mine might rekindle faith in some of the younger generation falling in love with Classic Trek. So, about a week ago I took all my vintage Star Trek books, IDW Star Trek Comics, and my 2 HUGE Star Trek Comic Strip Collection Books (1976-1984), over to Edward McKay Used Books & More Fayetteville to sell to get some trade credit to help buy my son some PS4 games for his birthday. But I've had a sinking feeling ever since I got rid of the Comic Strip Collection Books (I really liked them and got them for X-Mas over the past two years). So flash forward to Sunday when my wife and I were out shopping for my sons Birthday gifts, we stopped by Ed McKays, and low and behold there was a cute young girl (short boy hair cut and glasses) that couldn't have been much more than 14 or 15 years old buying the Comic Strip Collections. I stopped in passing and told her that I had sold those earlier in the week and that I hope she enjoyed them, then she proceeded to assure my wife and I that they were going to a good home. She was very excited about them, and she about shit herself when she noticed that I was wearing a U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Jerzy. It made me very happy to know that there are still those in the younger generation that won't let the past of Star Trek die. And it made me very happy to know that the books I loved so much were going into the hands of another loving fan. So maybe, just maybe there's a chance that there are some younger collectors out there looking forward to the next wave of Mates, as well as what ever else DST and Art Asylum have to offer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Ah, I didn't get what the "one" was referring to. I guess I didn't think about it like that, since they're two-packs, with two characters from each show/movie, and two versions of most of the captains between the two assortments (and yes, Seven of Nine). But it is the only series of "Star Trek Legacy" Minimates, and I think I even called it Series 1, so I guess you have a point regardless. Sorry if we duped anybody into buying them. I regularly cast my (unofficial) vote for making more Trek 'Mates, but it's mainly to make fans happy, including myself, since I still consider myself a fan of many aspects of the property. I honestly don't think the series did gangbusters at specialty or at TRU (we can all see the unsold inventory at TRU), and Enterprise sales weren't a vote of confidence, either. Blame us for the non-crew-building A-lister assortment, or for choosing the TOS Enterprise over the D, but we did a ton of new tooling on Series 1, and the Enterprise is a feat of Minimate vehicle engineering. We gave it our best, and I think we made 20 great Minimates and four great Enterprises. We may yet do more. But we are not under any time constraints, so don't be surprised if we wait for the next Trek event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.