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New Q&A stuff from AA's site


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This one's mine:

Ken Raining

Hi Chuck: I’m quite curious about the decision making process that goes into choosing figures for a wave of toys. So, a few questions: 1. When you’re discussing a character, and you know you’ll need to sculpt new parts for him, do you guys look down the road to see if they can be reused, and does that weigh into the decision to make said character? For example, when you decided to do the Vulture, did the fact that you could reuse his wings for the Falcon (among others) play into the decision to greenlight him? 2. On the flip side, how much do existing parts play a factor in deciding to do, or redo, a character? For example, you guys have that nice cloak/hood combo first used with Moon Knight. Did that piece effect the decision to make Betsy Braddock or remake Taskmaster? 3. How much do you guys look at new tooling for an overall wave or box set? Have you ever bumped or swapped a character for another, planned for a different slot, because the tooling budget for that wave or set was! used up? 4. Have you or the design team ever looked at a Minimate custom and spotted a use for a part that you hadn’t considered, which later made it into an official release (examples would be nice, though I understand if you choose not to share). And please know that my questions come from general curiosity, and not as any kind of a critique (though I really do think you should do the Falcon, since you’ve got those great Vulture wings!). Thanks as always, Ken Raining

DSTChuck: Ken, I think you’re confused because there is no rule book for picking a series of MM, that’s just the way it is. Most times I will rough out the year for DSTRobert and the designers; they will look over it and tell me what can and can’t be done. Sometimes it’s tooling, sometimes it’s too much deco and sometimes they tell me I’m just being silly. From there we have some back and forth. Yes, it could help if we plan to re-use the part, but that does not play into the first pass at the line plan. Having existing tooling really only enters the picture when we discuss timing. For example, if we are given an opportunity to acquire a license late in the game and the only way to make a ship date is use existing tooling, we’ll take that approach. I think only Robert really knows the correct mix, but yes from my wild ideas to production, decisions are made based on the many aspects of costing. I for one do not look at the customs, and I know the artist do not look at them, I do not know if say DSTZach checks them out though, you can ask him when you see him or at the next live chat. I hope that helped.

Not sure how exactly I'm "confused", other then that I'm, y'know, asking a question :confused: But I found Chuck's answer interesting, and somewhat illuminating, though not necessarily what I'd call great news. Are we really the only ones that looked at the Vulture and said "those wings would be perfect for the Falcon?" :rolleyes:

I'm also surprised there hasn't been more outrage at the news that DST had the rights to Evil Dead (or Army of Darkness), was all set to make Minimates, and then... just didn't. :wallbash:

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I believe The Wave 47 Wolverine claws will be the same ones Brood Wolverine has. Knife blades that get wider towards the ends, a la Liefeld. (My personal favorite claws.)

Marvel2.jpg

Incredible_Hulk_Vol_1_340.jpg

Good deal Zach...though that's a McFarlane cover. LOVE Todd.

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I thought that was a strange response as well pop, thought it was a pretty good question that just ended up being dismissed. I appreciate Chuck takes the time to do the Q&As, which are sometimes a great read... but feel this happens a little too often.

Thanks for info and pic Zach, those are exactly the claws I meant. They look fantastic, with the, for lack of a better word, mounts on the hand and all. Best Wolverine claws to date. Whilst I don't have the 'best of' Wolverine yet, I think it was Jeff's Portrait of an Addiction video review that made me think 'ohhh, those are the same claws as wave 47 Wolverine, cool!). Sorry if I've got that all wrong.

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I thought that was a strange response as well pop, thought it was a pretty good question that just ended up being dismissed. I appreciate Chuck takes the time to do the Q&As, which are sometimes a great read... but feel this happens a little too often.

Why thank you. :) I don't feel like Chuck dismissed my question, or that his response was lacking; I was looking for some insight into the methodology of planning the line, and I think Chuck delivered that just fine.

Oh: I like the razor claws too. :thumbsup:

Edited by hellpop
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I think all Chuck meant was you were "confused" in the idea that there is a set "decision making process," since that's how you framed the questions at the beginning. But yeah, I didn't think it was dismissed at all either, very detailed and interesting answer.

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I believe The Wave 47 Wolverine claws will be the same ones Brood Wolverine has. Knife blades that get wider towards the ends, a la Liefeld. (My personal favorite claws.)

Good deal Zach...though that's a McFarlane cover. LOVE Todd.

Oh snap! You can leave your nerd card at the door, Mr. Oat. ;)

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I believe The Wave 47 Wolverine claws will be the same ones Brood Wolverine has. Knife blades that get wider towards the ends, a la Liefeld. (My personal favorite claws.)

Marvel2.jpg

Incredible_Hulk_Vol_1_340.jpg

Good deal Zach...though that's a McFarlane cover. LOVE Todd.

Pwned! I must have had a brain fart, which explains why I couldn't find this cover in a Google search, but I could find that Outback-era fikll-in issue by Liefeld that was a stand-alone parody of DC's Invasion storyline. (I think.) So random.

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I think Leifield did a What If...? featurng Wolverine at the time, Zach. "What if Wolverine were and Agent of SHIELD?" Where Nick recruited Logan into right after his first fight with the Hulk. IIRC, he drew the claws like McFarlane as well. That could be what you are thinking of.

And if I'm reading that answer right, the fault for no Kang for 6 years falls squarely on Chuck, right? Everyone else read it that way too? Yeah, thought so.

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"What’s been announced so far may pretty much cover the Avengers for a while, or at least Hawkeye."

Does that mean we won't be getting a new classic costume Hawkeye? I was really hoping one would be coming out this summer since I missed him the first time around and his mask has since been improved.

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  • 1 month later...

Oh wow, Chuck's just taunting us with that Kang comment...

Some interesting comments and more interesting questions this time around - I salute everyone who asked a question this week. And Chuck came as close to saying we're getting more Alpha Flight this year without actually saying it.

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DSTChuck: I’m not sure any fans out there even want Kang so we’ll have to see.

I absolutely agree with this quote. Rocket Raccoon is far more deserving for that spot :)

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DSTChuck: I'm not sure any fans out there even want Kang so we'll have to see.

"Kang?"

:stick:

"No.""Ow! Okay... Kang?"

:wallbash:

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pretty bummed that my question didn't make it. This is the second time this has happened. Not sure what i'm doing wrong when submitting my Q. The process seems fairly straight-forward . . .

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Geez, Chuck. Kinda a scared us sneeking up like that.

"not sure any fans out there even want Kang " :tongue:

Edited by Mirymate
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LOL :) Thanks Chuck - that's very decent of you (especially considering it was probably me who didn't hit send or something anyway)

Q: Would a Minimate by any other name smell as sweet? When the team at DST were coming up with the concept for Minimates, were there any other names bandied about? Or were you all set on the title of 'Minimates' from the very start?

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