Minimate B-A-F

[MiniMage]

So I was thinking why doesnt DST start making Build A Figure parts? I mean Marvel Legends does it why shouldn't Minimates?

[Heroic Slacker]

They kind of have that with all the extra pieces they include, like Johnny Storm in Wave 48 and Ben Grimm in TRU 15

[MiniMage]

I mean like a whole new figure although I guess Best of Wave 2 Banner and TRU 15 Grimm count.

[DarthBurkie]

Would it be a bigger figure? Above the 2 inch scale? And how would it be divided up? Would you need to buy the variant? I think there's too many questions for a BAF & I'd rather have the money spent on extra accessories like the puppets and Ultimate Nullifier from Wave 48! But that's just my opinion! ?

[youbastards]

Yeah, since Chuck has made it clear that he doesn't want larger Minimates, I think the bonus pieces to make unique characters are going to have to suffice.

[TM2 Dinobot]

BAFs need larger Minimates, which are just a bad idea for various reasons. Add the that the fact that have you seen the QC issues we have with a single pack? Now divide that up across multiple packs.

These things are already $10. Let's leave it at that.

[bigvis497]

I have no interest whatsoever in larger Minimates.

[Mirymate]

Lots of interest in larger mates... just not BAF's.

[MisterPL]

Given the reluctance to offer such figures, I doubt it will happen. I'd love to have a rotocast Galactus or Sentinel Minimate that towers over all others. The upcoming Days of Future Past film promises Sentinels and would be the perfect opportunity to offer larger pieces to build a figure by collecting the whole series. Unfortunately the current contract with Marvel may still not allow it, not that DST is willing to push the issue.

I'd love to have vehicles like the Fantasticar as well but that's also not part of the current Marvel agreement. Not sure how well a Minimate-scaled statue would do though.

Hard to believe that a Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man bank would sell better than one based on Sentinels in an X-Men movie year.

[stack32]

A BAF wouldn't have to be a larger figure. The last three ML BAFs have been characters that are or would be normal-sized minimates. And breaking a normal figure up would be fairly easy: lower body, upper body, head and accessories. I would say the bigger issue is that there's no real benefit to doing a BAF when you look at DST's current strategy. Variants, army builders, and extra looks for characters already net the extra sales you're trying to get with a BAF. Plus a BAF isn't going to result in characters that are any more obscure or desirable than what we can get with the current system. At one point it might have been worthwhile, but now I think a BAF would actually provide less value (and sales for DST) than what we usually get.

[WookieFodder]

What about articulated banks? I'd buy a bunch of Sentinel "Banks" and I'd say Galactus,GiantMan,Apocalypse would all be great products also.

Banks Banks Banks!

[pappymojo]

Rather than a build a figure, I would prefer a mail in promotion like Hasbro had for Star Wars figures back in the day. Mail in ten UPC codes from the boxes and receive something like a H.E.R.B.I.E robot or something.

[Mirymate]

But... but... that would mean damaging my pristinely presevered packaging... Seriously, would rather this kinda old school give away than BAF.

And we've begged for articulated banks before. "In Person" to Chuck during one of the last chats I attended. (speaking of which, when is the next chat w/Chuck?) And we've been told multiple times they ask about vehicles eveytime the contract comes up. I'm just glad we finally got some Goblin-gliders, and dream of the day they find an excuse to make minimate motorcycles. Until then, we can keep on hunting down the increasingly rare 3" mates to cover in decals and citidal paint.

[Lokash]

Couldn't DST make a rotocast Minimate style Sentinel or Galactus with limited articulation , put a slit in the back and call it a bank? Wouldn't that get around size/ license issues?

[stack32]

If it had any articulation they probably couldn't call it a bank. But that would only matter if the license covered banks and I don't think we've seen any indication that the Marvel license actually does.

[Gillbob316]

Chalk me up as one more person not interested in larger minimates.

Killer Croc, Bane and indeed the majority of the Lord of the Rings line are some of my least favorite minimates in my collection, just because they lack compatibility with the vast vast majority of the others. I should liked to have put Gandalf's head on a Magneto body, just for the fun of it, but that head is too large not to fall off. I prefer it when they use things like the bulked up parts for bigger characters.

Had the hobbits and dwarves been done with the shortie feet and the big characters as normal minimates, the LotR line would have been much more to my liking.

As to the question of build-a-figures... they don't necessarily NEED to be bigger. Indeed, most of the later and current Marvel build-a-figures, and I believe at least some of the DC ones were of a smaller scale. But as others have said... minimates is already so heavy a line based in additional parts and pieces, that I don't think it's necessary.

In a set where there are already so many extra parts you can construct a Bruce Banner out of a Hulk, I think an extra limb or two in the pack would just serve to confuse people outside these forums. A kid who buys the set might just find himself asking, "What the heck are these two extra arms for?"

[jcastick]

Personally, for larger mates, I'd rather they just come out with a 4 or 5 inch blank. I'd love to have a Giant Man, Giganta, Chemo, and various other giant figures.

But a BAF for something like that isn't the way to go, WAY too many issues would come up.

[TENIME_art]

I'd love to have a rotocast Galactus or Sentinel Minimate that towers over all others.

GOD YES PLEASE.

I know the statues didn't sell well, but the price had to be the main cause. I wanted both badly, but couldn't afford them when they were out. Now that I'm able to afford them, I can't find them anywhere. If they released them in plastic, even as unarticulated banks (DST does banks), not only could people like me finally be able to add them to our collections, I guarantee I would at least troop build the Sentinels.

[jcastick]

I'd love to have a rotocast Galactus or Sentinel Minimate that towers over all others.

GOD YES PLEASE.

I know the statues didn't sell well, but the price had to be the main cause. I wanted both badly, but couldn't afford them when they were out. Now that I'm able to afford them, I can't find them anywhere. If they released them in plastic, even as unarticulated banks (DST does banks), not only could people like me finally be able to add them to our collections, I guarantee I would at least troop build the Sentinels.

Totally Agree!!

[Mystery Man]

I'd love to have a rotocast Galactus or Sentinel Minimate that towers over all others.

GOD YES PLEASE.

I know the statues didn't sell well, but the price had to be the main cause. I wanted both badly, but couldn't afford them when they were out. Now that I'm able to afford them, I can't find them anywhere. If they released them in plastic, even as unarticulated banks (DST does banks), not only could people like me finally be able to add them to our collections, I guarantee I would at least troop build the Sentinels.

Totally Agree!!

For me it wasn't the cost, it was the non-moving parts. I must've had 20 chances to buy those back in the day both at conventions, online and in comic shops. Never did. I still only slightly regret not picking them up but, ehh, hindsight and all that.

[monkeycrumb]

I'd be all over Minimate-style rotocast banks!!!

Fin Fang Foom!

Galactus!

Sentinels!

[stack32]

Would the standard minimate articulation even work scaled-up to 6-12"? I can't recall seeing anything that used the same kind of joints at that scale.

[Turtle]

Those big Lego robot/superhero things more or less use similar joints that minimates have on their shoulders and hips. But I don't think we'll ever see minimates again in any other scale than the one we currently have.

[Onyx_6]

Personally, I think Marvel Legends works just fine for the large figures, in Minimate scale. I don't mind a different style, so long as the scale is correct; scale bothers me the most.

My 16 inch Galactus and Sentinel, along with my Marvel Universe Sentinel and Legends Fing Fang Foom are perfect Minimate scale, for me at least.

Silver Surfer can stand on Galactus's hand.

FFF can grab hold of Iron Man.

Sentinels can obliterate X-men.

It's good times

The only one that seems off to me is the 14 inch Apocalypse; he seems a tad too big to be Minimate scale.

Back on topic: somewhere around here, in a similar thread, I posted my thoughts on BAF Minimates. I think, I they do offer extra pieces, you should be able to make a third, possibly different tampo'd, army builder if you bought all 3 or 4 sets. Extra legs in one set, extra arms in another, and alternate heads and torso blocks in the army builder packs. That way, if you just buy the army builders, you have more options for face/chest (read: female) variation. If you buy a full set, you can make a third entire army builder. Maybe just do weapons in the variant pack.