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2003 TRU 4-packs


pickle

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i was looking at the minimate database and saw that the toys r us four packs with the hidden figure had an open front in which to see the figures. my question is: are the four packs without the hidden figure the same style? the one i have has a closed box like the two packs where you can't see inside.

-pickle

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Bilbo is correct. TRU initially carried 5 packs - 4 visible figs and one hidden figure. In the Spidey sets it was Rhino (never before released), in the Xmen set it was Sabretooth and DD/Hulk set had grey Hulk (previously a con exclusive). These were similar to the 2 packs on shelves at the time (which were exactly like the current DCD/BSG 2 pack design).

Then Marvel/AA/DST (IIRC it was Marvel who asked for the change, but my memory is a bit foggy - it's been...4 years now?) wanted a change to the packaging because the window boxes weren't doing it for them. They thought the current box with artwork on the front would display better so they were changed. The TRU packs changed as well. They went to straight 4 packs with the artwork on the front of the box.

Unfortunately this led to more problems as the factory assembling the 4 packs was run by incompetent idiots. A 4 pack showing Wolverine, Spidey, Doom and Daredevil on the front could really contain Captain America, Iron Man, Cyclops and Unmasked Doom. Captain America sometimes came with a shield, sometimes not. Sometimes the figs had wrong parts - heads on wrong bodies, wrong arms, wrong accessories, etc.

They've since worked out all the kinks in packaging. Production problems are nowhere near what they were once upon a time.

As a side note, the packaging has since gone through another change to the 'wedge' style vertical 4 pack, which personally, I find even less appealing. At least with the rectangular 4 packs, I could store them all. The wedge package doesn't fit with the rest of my collection so I usually just discard them once I've opened them. :(

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I want to add that the 4 packs are a bit hard to come by. Then again, not a lot of people are looking for them. They'll pop up on eBay from time to time, but usually end at more than I'm willing to pay. It's hard for me to pay double retail price for a package where I have the figures several times over.

If anyone's interested, here are a couple completed auctions with pictures:

Ultimate X-Men 4 Pack

Hulk/Daredevil 4 Pack

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