Black Panther Movie Minimates

[DSTZach]

1 minute ago, thereasonsy said:

Well, from what I have seen AIW has scenes in WAKANDA sooooo hopefully  

I should clarify -- I am not aware of any army builders. Too many characters. 

[MisterPL]

18 hours ago, Trekker 42 said:

 We gonna get another Thor with an eyepatch and a Stormbreaker or nah?

He'll come with the Marvel Stud10s Thor 4-pack with the Warriors Three. 

[Trekker 42]

23 minutes ago, DSTZach said:

 

I don't believe so. 

Aw. 

Well I guess I’ll have to draw an eyepatch on my extra Age of Ultron thor face. 

Thanks for letting us know. 

[youbastards]

An eyepatch Thor head, Stormbreaker, and 20% larger Infinity Gauntlet would be great accessories to include somewhere in Wave 2....

[MisterPL]

That eyepatch has to be the easiest sticker ever, right Luke?

[fwoosheyman]

Really?? No Stormbreaker? 

(Don’t read any further Zach)

The first wave for Infinity is full of so many bad decisions.

Widow’s bizarre face, Inifinity Guantlet is too small and has the thumb in the middle, Iron man has no cannon/wings, Thor has no weapon and no eye patch head and Rocket doesn’t have pupils (all it takes is one little dot of paint).

I still don’t understand why DST doesn’t try giving different faces/accessories to the same figures released in multiple venues to encourage multiple purchases. For example the Thanos in the multipack could have a different face then the 2pack, Iron Man in the multipack could have an exclusive accessory, Walgreens Hulk could have a different face then TRU Hulk etc, etc. 

 

[arnim zola]

Those are great points fwoosheyman. But these are staple DST decisions that they consistently make and pay for. Rarely do they try a new idea and let it stick. I sure do love seeing failed tactics on REPEAT.

[DSTZach]

On 3/8/2018 at 6:40 PM, fwoosheyman said:

Really?? No Stormbreaker? 

(Don’t read any further Zach)

Ha! That's an invitation.

On 3/8/2018 at 6:40 PM, fwoosheyman said:

The first wave for Infinity is full of so many bad decisions.

Widow’s bizarre face, Inifinity Guantlet is too small and has the thumb in the middle, Iron man has no cannon/wings, Thor has no weapon and no eye patch head and Rocket doesn’t have pupils (all it takes is one little dot of paint

We start working on designs far in advance, and sometimes we don't have full reference, or stuff changes. This Box Set was designed, approved and manufactured a long time ago --we started before Ragnarok came out -- and has been sitting in our warehouse for a while now, waiting for the embargo date.

On 3/8/2018 at 6:40 PM, fwoosheyman said:

I still don’t understand why DST doesn’t try giving different faces/accessories to the same figures released in multiple venues to encourage multiple purchases. For example the Thanos in the multipack could have a different face then the 2pack, Iron Man in the multipack could have an exclusive accessory, Walgreens Hulk could have a different face then TRU Hulk etc, etc. 

Do collectors really want to chase down different facial expressions and accessories at different retailers? Encouraging purchases of multiple sets is what we're doing with the BAF. Requiring fans to buy multiples of the same figure to get all of the parts seems cruel. We actually matrix things to minimize duplicate purchases, with the customer in mind.

21 hours ago, arnim zola said:

Those are great points fwoosheyman. But these are staple DST decisions that they consistently make and pay for. Rarely do they try a new idea and let it stick. I sure do love seeing failed tactics on REPEAT.

What are the failed tactics we repeat? What decisions are we paying for? The line is 15 years old, one of the longest consistently running toy lines ever, and Fwooshey's "bad decisions" seem pretty specific to this wave. Sharing of the same figures? We've eliminated that in comic waves, but with a blockbuster movie, some characters are needed in all locations. Making them all slightly different is not going to affect 99% of customers.

Everyone is entitled to voice their opinions, but Fwooshey's comments seem excessive for a block figure line, although obviously MM are held to a higher standard. The likeness on a half-inch cylinder. The size of a quarter-inch glove. A pupil on a one-millimeter eye. I think there needs to be a reality check at some point.

I just read the Lego guide to Harry Potter with my son, and the unpainted heads on all the non-human characters made me shake my head. They made Severus Snape's skin green at one point. Whenever I see Lego Wolverine holding his claws, I laugh out loud.

People will accuse me of asking people to lower their expectations for our products, but I would like to point out that these figs are out well in advance of the film, which means we had to work with the info we had, some of which changed. And while we pride ourselves on extensive cast selection, we cannot always capture all of the appearances and details of a single character.

[CBMM1]

Hey @DSTZach have you talked with the Walgreens folks at all about getting better about listing their sets online? They seemed to have nailed down FUNKO POP! figures, yet the only thing they have listed for Minimates is a randomly selected pack of MARVEL Animated figures. And those sets are listed as SOLD OUT. Using the "find in store" feature reports that there are none within a 25 mile radius of my zip code, when in fact I went to three separate stores today and found the shelves pack with the animated lines (NO INFINITY WAR OR BLACK PANTHER THOUGH!)

No Thor, no Black Panther, no Avengers listed at all! 

This seems like a massive missed opportunity to me, and with the possibility of TRU closing, I feel that Walgreens needs to step up their game in this department. It would certainly help me obtain the Black Panther and Infinity War figures I'm missing...just a thought...

Edited March 11, 2018 by CBMM1

[fwoosheyman]

@DSTZach Yes I'm saying you guys need to be "bigger dicks". Not 100% dicks, you never go 100% dicks. (this board doesn't have censors right??)

You're company exists to sell product and what are the packs that don't sell and clog the shelves? The ones that are duplicated between stores. Yes, you need big hitters in all stores for the casuals/kids/etc but you need to get collectors to buy them too. Make them slightly different, give them an interesting difference and people will buy them again.   

Same w the 4-pack. It's cheaper to buy the two exclusive figures loose off ebay than it is to buy the 4-pack. Tweak the two repacks and make them different somehow, make people feel they are getting more new for their money and they'll buy it.

That's what I'm saying you guys should do, not be 100% dicks and have chase figures/one per 20 cases, etc.

As for my complaints about Infinity Wave 1, except for Rocket's eyes I don't think I'm being picky. They are all easily done things that are consistent with other minimate waves. Also, they are being done by LEGO, POP, etc. If you guys aren't getting the information in time to know about these things you need to speak up and request it sooner. It can't hurt to ask. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all the other sayings. 

[youbastards]

It would just be nice if there were some efforts taken to correct some of the oversight, like including Stormbreaker somewhere in Series 2.  If a kid gets it that doesn't have Thor, oh well, he has a cool accessory that is in the movie, and maybe he will want to track down Thor at Walgreens.

Just some sort of "sorry guys, we'll make it right" goes a long way with consumers.

Also, how did every other manufacturer get reference for Stormbringer with enough notice to get product to shelves at the same time as DST?  Does DST not get the same reference materials as other manufacturers?  Does reference material get revised during the design process?  If so, shouldn't someone be periodically checking to see what changes are made?

I'm genuinely confused as to how it works...

 

Edited March 11, 2018 by youbastards

[stack32]

14 hours ago, DSTZach said:

Everyone is entitled to voice their opinions, but Fwooshey's comments seem excessive for a block figure line, although obviously MM are held to a higher standard. The likeness on a half-inch cylinder. The size of a quarter-inch glove. A pupil on a one-millimeter eye. I think there needs to be a reality check at some point.

That's awfully disingenuous, millimeter details in this line are the difference between acceptable product and quality rejects. Nobody's asking for anything outside of the manufacturing capabilities of the factory DST uses.

14 hours ago, DSTZach said:

People will accuse me of asking people to lower their expectations for our products...

Well, you did just spend multiple paragraphs doing just that.

It's pretty amazing how nothing is ever DST's fault.

[Mattallica]

these are the same old Complaints met with the same old excuse answers.

[Gmonkey2k]

I don't like where this thread is going.... 

[buttheadsmate]

"I hate to be the kicker, I always long for peace but the wheel that does the squeaking is the one that gets the grease "

-  fwoosheyman  Josh Billings 

 

You all know we've already got 2 versions of Stormhammer ?  You all know .....can guess....why 

Spoiler

the one in 'Infinity War' has a WOODen handle ? 

 

 

 

 

[FightTheDead118]

I think if you got the Unworthy Thor and cut the hammers and put the ultimate hammer head on the jarnborn handle it would work okay for stormbreaker

[BuffaloDelorean]

The Black Widow likeness wouldn't really bother me if DST hadn't done a better job on the last three versions. It's just weird that the design changed after being consistent for a good while.

The eyepatch situation is annoying but I understand why it happened, the Lego and Funko figures don't have it either. What I don't understand is why apparently every company got reference material for the new hammer except DST.

Edited March 11, 2018 by BuffaloDelorean

[DSTZach]

18 hours ago, CBMM1 said:

Hey @DSTZach have you talked with the Walgreens folks at all about getting better about listing their sets online? They seemed to have nailed down FUNKO POP! figures, yet the only thing they have listed for Minimates is a randomly selected pack of MARVEL Animated figures. And those sets are listed as SOLD OUT. Using the "find in store" feature reports that there are none within a 25 mile radius of my zip code, when in fact I went to three separate stores today and found the shelves pack with the animated lines (NO INFINITY WAR OR BLACK PANTHER THOUGH!)

No Thor, no Black Panther, no Avengers listed at all! 

This seems like a massive missed opportunity to me, and with the possibility of TRU closing, I feel that Walgreens needs to step up their game in this department. It would certainly help me obtain the Black Panther and Infinity War figures I'm missing...just a thought...

I do not know why Walgreens does not list all of the MM lines on their site, and I have not checked if they include our action figures. I was happy just to get our listing language corrected so we appear above the vibrators, but you are right, I should push for the movie lines to be on the site, even if it is just a general movie listing. The animated code may not have even been updated since Series 1, which is now (I assume) sold out. Another thing I should check. MY FAULT. Hopefully the movie sets at your stores were purchased and not pulled.

[DSTZach]

6 hours ago, fwoosheyman said:

@DSTZach Yes I'm saying you guys need to be "bigger dicks". Not 100% dicks, you never go 100% dicks. (this board doesn't have censors right??)

We don't want to be ANY kind of dicks. Not even private dicks, solving mysteries and whatnot.

Quote

You're company exists to sell product and what are the packs that don't sell and clog the shelves? The ones that are duplicated between stores. Yes, you need big hitters in all stores for the casuals/kids/etc but you need to get collectors to buy them too. Make them slightly different, give them an interesting difference and people will buy them again.   

If you think we should focus on profits, then remember we make a certain amount per figure. Change a tampo midway through the run and costs go up, eating into profits. I don't know exactly how much, or if there is a higher number we need to make/sell to justify it, but it is something to look into. Usually I try to focus on promotion, as there are others who handle character selection, locating reference, managing costs, character placement and timing releases to work within embargos on reveals. And I know they consider all data and they are all fans.

Quote

Same w the 4-pack. It's cheaper to buy the two exclusive figures loose off ebay than it is to buy the 4-pack. Tweak the two repacks and make them different somehow, make people feel they are getting more new for their money and they'll buy it.

But didn't someone buy it? Even if they threw the other two away, the set was bought. I don't know how they can sell two figures for less than the cost of a set and make a profit, but... maybe they wanted the two shared characters and had no other purchase locations nearby? Seems fishy. 

Quote

That's what I'm saying you guys should do, not be 100% dicks and have chase figures/one per 20 cases, etc.

Hmmm... that's something to look into, as well. Thanks!

Quote

As for my complaints about Infinity Wave 1, except for Rocket's eyes I don't think I'm being picky. They are all easily done things that are consistent with other minimate waves. Also, they are being done by LEGO, POP, etc. If you guys aren't getting the information in time to know about these things you need to speak up and request it sooner. It can't hurt to ask. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all the other sayings. 

We ask for reference PRETTY far in advance, and regularly, because we need it for Select figures, PVCs on diorama bases, and high-end statues. I know the hammer appears in our PVC, but we design those almost up to the date of the movie. Some are still not approved. The MM designs were approved months and months ago, not sure if we had it and weren't allowed to use it for this release date (embargos shift wildly) or if we didn't have it for whatever reason. Our production and distribution times may be longer than a massive company like Hasbro.

Edited March 12, 2018 by DSTZach

[DSTZach]

5 hours ago, youbastards said:

It would just be nice if there were some efforts taken to correct some of the oversight, like including Stormbreaker somewhere in Series 2.  If a kid gets it that doesn't have Thor, oh well, he has a cool accessory that is in the movie, and maybe he will want to track down Thor at Walgreens.

Designs for 1and 2 may have been done and approved and tooled around the same time, which makes modifying designs at a later date trickier/ impossible.

5 hours ago, youbastards said:

Just some sort of "sorry guys, we'll make it right" goes a long way with consumers.

We've certainly included missing pieces with later releases, like Pulp Fiction, but for a one and done (or two and through) line like this, it may not always be possible.

5 hours ago, youbastards said:

Also, how did every other manufacturer get reference for Stormbringer with enough notice to get product to shelves at the same time as DST?  Does DST not get the same reference materials as other manufacturers?  Does reference material get revised during the design process?  If so, shouldn't someone be periodically checking to see what changes are made?

Again, I do not know the situation with this piece of reference (Chuck might know, so you can always, er, Query Management!), but the design process is shorter than with other products, so it is possible little changes, reference-wise, from start to finish. Although sometimes there are changes based on new photos.

 

[DSTZach]

5 hours ago, stack32 said:

It's pretty amazing how nothing is ever DST's fault.

It may be, I'm just telling you why it might not be. And kicking it up the chain to ask who I can blame is a moot point, as little can be done.

[DSTZach]

5 hours ago, Mattallica said:

these are the same old Complaints met with the same old excuse answers.

Not making excuses, just explaining the process, and how it can make including secret, ever-changing details and implementing suggested fixes impossible, even if it is entirely logistical. 

[arnim zola]

Mistakes. Let's see, character selection and placement gets lazy sometimes, even super retarded. 5 iron legion in a movie but a blind box full of them versus an unending army of Ultron drones with 6 out of 18 blind box characters helping build those characters and no one was dying for two war machines of an already used mold for a new design with two navy seals. 4 turtles per wave, every wave, blind and more expensive at specialty shops than Tru. Same with a few other lines. Nightmare, Beetlejuice, watchmen, movie waves, who's going to buy a more expensive box plus shipping from Luke when Tru will get them the exclusive set and the box set for the same price or lower? Plus all those waves of turtles prevented more core characters, unlike playmates approach which was successful and got to stay in stores. By the time dst learn their lesson and split the 4 turtles over two waves all retailers were sick of the loss in sales and wrote it off.

The constant shared characters costing specialty to lose customers to Tru and now walgreens is causing specialty in my area to straight up write off minimates. The last shop I had locally that carried mates just told me this week they aren't ordering anymore when I asked about Thor and black panther, a billion dollar movie. So no avengers product either, a 10 year hype train that going to do insane merchandise business. 

For fwoosheyman's comments, yeah it's a small cylinder, and it's a small dot, but this is your art style. Comic art in 3d surface. No one does block figures like this. There's going to be quality issues just like bigger companies but across the board issues aren't acceptable for your specialty product.

Every time something like this is brought up I try to be positive too and defend dst because some stuff is business and you just can't get around how it works, but sometimes it IS a mistake or something your customers don't want. 

 

 

However, I get a TON of what I do want from DST from a little e if rots that unfortunately is just not as popular and loved as I love it. My frustration lies in seeing areas where it could be more successful, where lines could last longer, more creative ideas could be pulled off, and more interest/truest could be created with retailers to help bring longevity to the line.

[arnim zola]

Now for everyone that's mentioned wishing thanos had his armor in this movie, if you look around at some of the toys from other companies, it looks there's at least one figure out now with an armor in info to war packaging.

Since thanos/brolin is all CGI here, let's guess that thanos is either in armor a limited amount or late enough in the movie that day didn't get reference, so it's the same boat as usual where the final version of a villain gets left out due to studio reference material/product turnaround time differences.

 

Edited March 12, 2018 by arnim zola
Auto correct killing my spelling.

[Mattallica]

21 hours ago, DSTZach said:

.... This Box Set was designed, approved and manufactured a long time ago --we started before Ragnarok came out -- and has been sitting in our warehouse for a while now, waiting for the embargo date.

Why?  by now it should be obvious that Marvel likes to change or sneak things in at the  last cut,  like an eye patch, new Hammer or costume change. wouldn't it be smart( i may have just answered my own question here) to hold off on producing them so early, to just sit in a warehouse, and then release product that is wrong?