UA-100768763-1 Jump to content

AGENT 88 KICKSTARTER MINIMATES


Recommended Posts

In the recent AFI podcast celebrating 10 years of Minimates, you can hear Digger (73+ minutes) crowing about the 'gold Minimate that sold on ebay for $3000'....really ? He may well have seen the Gold & Silver offered up for $3000 but they both sold for a fair bit less than that to somebody here .....after 6 years in the Minimate wilderness making movies he arrives back with a bloated expectation of what Minimates fetch on the open-market .......hey bloody presto "let's 'ave some of that we'll create Gold Vorins & tampo up a blank while were at it ". :woot: It's nigh on pathetic.

You'll be told that there are 100 of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 955
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

In the same podcast he mentions that there's only 88 of red Agent 88 promo he's giving out.

I'm not sure about Gold Vorin. Chuck has said that he doubts they'll to that limited of a promo again. I know there were 200 retailer greys, but 100 golds? I don't know...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Except I wouldn't spend that much money on that few of Minimates if I did have an emotional connection to them. That's just ridiculous.

Most I ever spent on a Minimate character I didn't recognize was buying a Goth Girl book, and lucked out on getting one.

If these were priced less, I'd get them, because I love Minimates, regardless of what they're of (I have Desperately Seeking Susan ones, c'mon, lol). They're just too expensive. :confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The very first gold (before silver even got dreamed up) went for about $800. After that they would often end around $300. Its been a while since I've seen one nowadays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, no. I'm a fan of "if everyone wants one, everyone should be able to get one." F*ck that elitist "I'm the only one who owns one and that makes me better than everyone else" bullsh*t. (That said, I have no desire for a gold or silver Spider-Man. Why? He's never appearred that way in comics before. But anyone who does want one should be able to get one without having to mortgage their house.)

And rare, chase items do nothing for the company making them, except make people pissed off at them. A one per case figure makes no extra money for the manufacturer (I disagree that it helps them sell more cases, because I have yet to personally see the rest of said cases do anything but pegwarm, forcing the stores to never order another case), it just makes the person who gets to it first rich if they want to sell it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has it been said yet that Digger will be promoting this thing at the DST panel today?

San Diego Comic Con Minimates Panel!

On Saturday at 1:30, in Meeting Room 8, Diamond Select will host a panel, “Minimates Turn 10,” which is all about – you guessed it — Minimates! Special Guest- Minimates creator DIGGER T MESCH will be introducing his latest project, AGENT 88 along with his KICKSTARTER campaign. DSTChuck and DSTZach will answer your questions about everything Minimate-related, from Marvel to Battle Beasts to Thundercats to Universal Monsters! Plus, they’ll show off some new designs, new Calico Jack’s Pirate Raiders animation and give away some free stuff!

Also, has anyone else questioned what a coincedence it is that exactly $88,000 is needed to finish the rest of a movie with the number '88' in the title? I thought that was pretty freaky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, no. I'm a fan of "if everyone wants one, everyone should be able to get one." F*ck that elitist "I'm the only one who owns one and that makes me better than everyone else" bullsh*t. (That said, I have no desire for a gold or silver Spider-Man. Why? He's never appearred that way in comics before. But anyone who does want one should be able to get one without having to mortgage their house.)

And rare, chase items do nothing for the company making them, except make people pissed off at them. A one per case figure makes no extra money for the manufacturer (I disagree that it helps them sell more cases, because I have yet to personally see the rest of said cases do anything but pegwarm, forcing the stores to never order another case), it just makes the person who gets to it first rich if they want to sell it.

Sums it up nicely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that variants make NO MORE extra money for toy manufacturers and I am not a big fan. This might come from my days as a JLU collector, but toys need to be accessible to fans to drive value and demand. A good example are DC mates. They were packed evenly in the case, but have appreciated nicely in price and were never short packed and available in all comic stores for order when initially released. There are technically rares but they are driven by demand not some f**ked up distribution technique.

For the record, it was NOT just a Gold Spiderman and it did NOT sell for $3,000. It was almost $1,000 less when purchased and that would have put each figure at about 1,000.00 each. So I don't know if they intentionally inflated it to $3,000 for a Gold to make it more sensational, but it is WRONG. It was BOTH a Gold and a Silver MIB Spiderman and they were both AFA Boxed and Certified as NM-Mint and it was both a confirmed #49/50 and #49/50 twin set. That is so much more rare than just a Gold Spider, it's not even comparable...

If I knew that the purchase would spawn an argument in favor of these Demon Gold knock offs .... Damn it... ugh.... :verymad:

Edited by highassroller
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't believe in collecting "rare" minimate promos. Reasonably priced, sure, I'll buy. Anything unreasonable and I'll just fire up the laser printer with some sticker paper.

I *work* with elderly Alzheimer's patients all the time. There is no way I will ever buy into this concept. I can suspend my disbelief for Gamma radiation, radioactive spiders, The Force, etc, etc. But expecting me to buy the concept that an 88 year old Alzheimers grandma is the *DEADLIEST* assassin in the world? That's just plain stupid. It's beyond George Lucas plot hole level stupid. Is her sidekick a street-wise 8-month old baby? Might as well be for that logic.

Anyone who is the worlds deadliest assassin will have enemies. If you suffer from Alzheimers, good luck staying one step ahead of them. Just because you're trained as an assassin, at 88 years old, your body just doesn't function the same.

So, from there, I'm supposed to be so in love with this concept that I'll buy minimates of said ridiculous character, or some has-been actors based on their other work, at a ridiculous price? Peter Mayhew is very tall IRL, so accuracy is gone just by making him a 2" minimate - he needs be at least 3" to tower over the other minimates. Again, laser printer, sticker. And then I can use a Chewbacca image on his t-shirt just like he always wears IRL to remind you that he was Chewbacca. Sorry if that sounds mean to Peter, he's always been nice to me, but this money isn't going directly to him, they are just using him for fundraising.

Kickstarter - helping to get crap made that everyone else in their right mind passed on in the first place!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to have to bring the negativity again. But this whole concept seems highly disrespectful to all minimate fans. I already hate the trend I'm seeing with all the Battle Beast promos and their variants. This Agent 88 makes me extremely happy Digger isn't involved with Minimates any more. I HATE intentionally manufactured "rare" chases. I will never again be a minimate completist. And now I am willing to pass on future stuff I have mild to no interest in because my collection will never again be "complete", and I'm okay with that. DST has cost themselves a lot of sales with these tactics. I'm sure I'm not the only one, we MMMV'ers are a minority of the entire minimate buying community. I was a huge collector of Playmates Star Trek figures back in the day, and the collectors left in droves over the limited to only 1701 chase figures, which as a collector-driven line, killed it sortly afterwards. If Digger were still involved I bet he would have killed off minimates long ago with his love of intentionally creating "rare" mates.

When even the die-hard completist collectors here are staying away from these Agent 88 mates, you know things are bad.

Rare & chase versions of things have killed so many markets. Look at the 90's comics market. Look at various toy lines.

This whole Agent 88 thing is not being done with any love or respect towards minimates OR minimate collectors. It's just Digger calling in old favors as a cheap ploy to get his terrible concept that no other studio wants off the ground.

I understand you other MMMV'ers here are being more respectful and biting your tongues. But I want DST to know this is not acceptable, and I do not want to see minimates whored out to other future Kickstarter projects.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the idea of using Kickstarter to get Minimates made is a cool idea but I have my doubts about this project. Kickstarter seems to be ideally suited for products that are new, innovative and novel. The JaJa Stylus for iPad or the Ouya or the Bia come to mind.

Personally, I was hoping Luke or Stuckakid would launch the first Kickstarter campaign to make exclusive Minimates of a popular license. Or a Minimate accessory product like brick arms.

Movie tchotchkes? If I'm going to drop a grand on an action figure based on my likeness, it's going to be highly articulated, four horseman sculpted masterpiece. And I'm going to get 250 of them to shower upon my friends, family, and enemies. A grand for one Minimate?

If this project tanks, one glaring failure will be the utter lack of engagement of the social network of fans. Does Digger even know MMMV exists? Fan feedback can make or break a campaign. Here is another idea: Kickstarter funding to produce official Charitymates. If you invest, you get to buy 2packs at cost otherwise you pay retail price that includes a portion of the final price going to charity. Wam, bam, thank you 'mam.

Investing in tchotchkes to fund a movie someone else owns? Consider my interest piqued if the movie has an eight month baby assassin sidekick. Fuck CGI animated teddy bears, a tiny baby killing terrorists would be a blockbuster smash hit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Multiverse,

I'm online to answer questions and hopefully have you join us with AGENT 88. I'll come here as often as I can to answer any questions or try to explain what it is we're doing with Agent 88 and some of the other new projects I'm launching. I did this in the hopes that Minimates will come to an even wider audience. The project was never intended to be funded entirely with Minimates. I do not profit from this. Our mark up is LAUGHABLE by the standards of any business model.

ART ASYLUM is no longer mine but I'm proud to see what DST has done with it. We had an agreement that when the time came that I was creating new Intellectual Properties that I could have their support with MINIMATES and they've honored that now. I did this because I love MINIMATES and I want to share it, to increase the visabilty of a special brand that I created with Nelson Ascencio, Manny Jesus and the rest of the ART ASYLUM. The ART OF 88 incentive program in association with KEVIN EASTMAN ( creator of TMNT ) and HEAVY METAL magazine was leading the charge for funding and I wanted to include MINIMATES because I'm proud that it has continued on ..even after all the adversity it received during it's early years. Similar in many respects to some of the adversity I see right now. Will wonders never cease. :) Haters have so much time to hate...you must all be independently wealthy. God bless you. I want to thank the open minded for their support in helping our group make this 88 Kickstarter campaign a success. I'd also like the chance to enlighten those red in the face about what's going on.

If anyone wants to speak to me directly for any reason email me your name and number to digger@digdeepentertainment.com and I'll call you back for as long as im able. Even if you want to bitch me out for trying to create change...thats fine.

Peace love and respect,

Digger

Edited by Digger T Mesch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digger,

I just wanted to say that while I do have issues with some of the stuff you have done in the past (some has been spectacular. Minimates are a prime example) you have been nothing but nice and respectful to me, and I hope my comments and criticism were not taken as a personal attack against you. I just wanted to get that out there.

Edited by TM2 Dinobot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Digger,

Is there currently any footage filmed that you can share that may help convince us that we should invest our money in your project? As far as I know, nobody here is independently wealthy, and speaking for myself I have to work hard for the money that i need to support my hobbies, so a little more insight into your project may garner more of the financial support that you are looking for from this community.

Let me take the opportunity to thank you for having a hand in the creation of Minimates, something that I genuinely love.

-Justin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I meant to post this earlier -- I did in the Battle Beasts thread -- but Digger had nothing to do with the Gold Vorin. I asked for a run of Gold Vorins because I wanted a painted Vorin to give to the Minimate-uninitiated at the Versus World event, which was for Battle Beasts AND Agent 88. It was not meant to be a special toy for special people, just a means to an end -- education and hopefully interest. (I chose to make the blue Vorin, because I thought it looked cooler, if harder to read as a character.) We were not trying to create rare items, we just made what we thought we needed for the people attending the event. Despite concerns about the toys' recipients, I think both will eventually find their way to the secondary market in greater numbers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, having known Digger for a decade, and having spent some time with him recently, I know that he loves Minimates and is proud of Minimates. Any project he chooses to involve Minimates in, he is doing so because he thinks they're cool, not because they are some kind of gold mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa Whoa Whoa... It only costs $1,000 to make a custom minimate? Is this for real? I understand licensing is expensive but I would not make one off of any existing characters or intellectual properties.

If so, Zach and Digger, please PM me immediately! I would like to do something nice for the community for the 10 year celebration, even if it takes 3-4 months to get it out the door into my hands.

I would do a higher production run obviously and I would be willing to sell and distribute to only board members within this community that have positive feedback on the buy/sale tread first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you read the Kickstarter, the $1,088 price point gets you ONE custom minimate, not a full run. It would be akin to commissioning a member here to make a custom for you, except this is from Digger himself, and comes with other Agent 88 stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...