New Q&A stuff from AA's site

[HRGMann]

A liked the Build A Figure question, Chuck's answer makes sense BUT a Build A Figure doesn't necessarily have to be over 2" though. You could easily split up a simple Minimate in 3 or 4 packs.

True, but if it's just going to be another 2"-er, why not make it one of the set?

On the other side, though, I guess it would have to depend on the popularity or uniqueness of the character... If that were the only way to get Kang, a lot of folks would be making sure they got every piece. Likewise, classic Mimic would be a good candidate for this program. BAF battle damaged Wolverine? Maybe not.

[Rad]

Robocop. That's a minimate I'd love to see. I hope they carry on looking at it.

[Ivan]

This is one answer that gave me pause:

DSTChuck: Not right now , we’re still working on the best way to produce the lab set. If that does well I could see us doing more play sets but I don’t think it would be anything that specific.

The question was about a Tony Stark lab, but I'm assuming Chuck is referring to the cardboard laboratory playset that was shown at SDCC last year with the Battle Beasts. "Working on the best way to produce it" makes it seem like this won't be coming out anytime soon.

Hopefully the future of Battle Beasts isn't dependent on how successful this playset is.

[boyd]

Hopefully the future of Battle Beasts isn't dependent on how successful this playset is.

I can't imagine that Diamond would base the future of a new property by launching it with a cheap cardboard playset that doesn't tie into the property or its history at all. It'd be a little like trying to launch a new kind of mustard by only selling it with pizza.

[Lobsterman]

Maybe the Battle Beasts license was just too good a bargain to pass up, even if they weren't planning on doing anything with it right away. Kind of like buying Baltic Avenue in Monopoly. The franchise has been doing nothing for like twenty years, so it's not as if there's some huge public swell of demand. Companies sit on copyrights all the time.

I would guess they've been working on the MAX line for a while, saw an opportunity to maybe fold BB into it at some point in the future, and picked it up cheap. Or, maybe they picked it up, started noodling with character designs, then something bigger and better (like Universal Monsters) came along and they shifted priorities.

[Danny]

I don't think the lab playset was anything to do with Battle Beasts. I know it comes with the gator but I think they made the gator and then got the Battle Beasts license after it was pointed out how much like a Battle Beast it was. That's why they didn't (don't) know what to do with the license, it was a happy accident and not a long term plan.

That's my theory anyway. Tune in next week as I debunk why we don't have a Kang Minimate

[Ivan]

Hopefully the future of Battle Beasts isn't dependent on how successful this playset is.

I can't imagine that Diamond would base the future of a new property by launching it with a cheap cardboard playset that doesn't tie into the property or its history at all. It'd be a little like trying to launch a new kind of mustard by only selling it with pizza.

I was actually thinking more of consumer response. I'd hate to see an poor initial showing make collectors apprehensive about 'investing' in the line. Of course four feet of mass market shelf space with two-packs, vehicles, and glowing robotic squids would go a long way to erasing the cardboard memory.

The whole Minimate/MAX/Elite Heroes/Battle Beast branding thing is very murky, at least to me. I don't understand how these things are all supposed to line up. Sometimes I wonder if they're just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks (i.e. what stores will buy.) I'm happy to wait and see though. I'd gladly buy every Minimate shown at Toy Fair, even the creepy little mutant children things, with their saccharin smiles that tell you something isn't right in those little, cylindrical heads of theirs. Can they read my thoughts? Can they see the future? Do they know what underwear I'm wearing?

Will they tell the press?

[Lobsterman]

The whole Minimate/MAX/Elite Heroes/Battle Beast branding thing is very murky, at least to me. I don't understand how these things are all supposed to line up. Sometimes I wonder if they're just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks (i.e. what stores will buy.)

It looks more and more to me like they're trying to define Minimates as a product category rather than just a line. For example:

Lego has multiple disparate genres (pirates, space explorers, superheroes, knights, etc), but they all fall under the heading of "building toys." When consumers buy them, they're buying Legos, not necessarily just the specific license that's wrapped around the Legos.

Conversely, Minimates have to date generally been a novelty, a random one-off the consumer purchases because it's a miniature figure of such-and-such license (Spider-man, Ghostbusters, Back To The Future) he collects. With the MAX line, I think DST is attempting to make "2-inch block figures" into a widely-accepted mainstream toy category. Thus, the consumer will seek out and purchase Minimates, not just some arbitrary toy that happens to bear his favorite character license.

Essentially, "I'm buying Spider-man because it's a Minimate" rather than "I'm buying a Minimate because it's Spider-man."

Does that make sense?

Edited February 25, 2010 by Lobsterman

[Danny]

I would say that's exactly what they are attempting to do, Lobsterman.

The question is, will it work?

[TM2 Dinobot]

Possibly. Remember though that Lego has been around for decades. Same with 3 3/4" figs. Minimates are still just a baby in the grand scheme of things.

Though after 33 waves, which is something not even the "unstoppable" Marvel legends could pull off, I'd say we're on out way.

[karamazov80]

Remember also, though, that LEGO are sturdy little bastards that children are encouraged to play with. I don't think that Minimates are, by their nature, kid-friendly in that sense. They aren't as durable as LEGOs by a long shot, and though they look kid-friendly at first glance, with all the easy-to-remove/lose/swallow parts that are really important to the toys (like hands and feet), they just aren't. So I'm not sure how far the LEGO analogy can hold, or how well DST is gonna do targeting < 7 or 8 year olds. They could possibly do it by sculpting hair to heads and by molding hands/feet to arms, but then, are they Minimates anymore? Time will tell, I guess.

Edited February 25, 2010 by karamazov80

[Turtle]

I think from a safety standpoint, Minimates are no worse than LEGOs. LEGO people may have fewer parts, but they have tiny hands, and then there are all of the other easy-to-swallow parts that come in a set. Durabuility is an issue though. I've had a couple of Minimates break at the shoulder and hip joint with little to no pressure. I imagine some kids could do some serious damage.

[karamazov80]

I guess my bigger concern isn't so much safety as the loss of important parts. I'm not a big LEGO guy, so I'll admit ignorance on some of these issues, but I thought LEGO hands stayed in their arms pretty good. No? Some Minimates, as everyone here likely knows, have hands and feet that just fall out. This isn't as bad nowadays as it used to be, but every once in awhile we get something like the First Appearance X-Men set, with loose parts all the way around. Obviously, kids could swallow LEGO guns as easily as Minimate guns, but if you lose a hand or foot, then that figure is far less useful than if he or she had lost a gun. I think that could turn kids off to Minimates, which will in turn. . .erm, turn parents off to buying them.

[Mirymate]

As a guy that let's kids play with minimates, the biggest problem isn't safety, it's parts loss. Minimate hands and pistols have a magical ability to disappear in even low pile carpet. Head can literally roll into odd corners. And seat cushions... >shudder<. Somehow, even the small Lego bits lack this strange paranormal power. Add to that the fact that some accessories have the opposite problem, masks and hair will go on and off some heads with no problem, require strong fingernails and prayer to remove from others. Some days, they seem to reqire more supervision and intervention than other toys.

[NorthRaider]

Minimates: The cute block-figure collectible for real men.

It's sounding like Minimates are becoming something of a good litmus test for how playable and child-friendly something a collectible is. If we were to rank them on a scale of 1 to 5:

1 - Happy Meal toys (collectible in name only)

2 - Lego sets and Hasbro Heroes (durable enough for kids, detailed enough for collectors)

3 - Minimates, Marvel Legends and DC Universe (playable, though still require extra vigilance)

4 - 1/6-scale figures, Figmas, large urban vinyl figures (really nice collectibles that happen to be articulated)

5 - statues ("big boy" collectibles a.k.a. "Move that Iron Man bust and you're grounded for a week!")

Edited February 25, 2010 by NorthRaider

[HRGMann]

As a guy that let's kids play with minimates, the biggest problem isn't safety, it's parts loss. Minimate hands and pistols have a magical ability to disappear in even low pile carpet. Head can literally roll into odd corners. And seat cushions... >shudder<. Somehow, even the small Lego bits lack this strange paranormal power. Add to that the fact that some accessories have the opposite problem, masks and hair will go on and off some heads with no problem, require strong fingernails and prayer to remove from others. Some days, they seem to reqire more supervision and intervention than other toys.

Agreed! I've even taken to having a box of extras for unsupervised play. X-Factor Angel doesn't join the rest of the team unless Daddy is playing, too. :tongue:

[Danny]

So... how would you guys feel about molded arms/hands and molded legs/feet. We have that last one already.

It'd be a sacrifice I'd gladly take to make them more accessible. Plus in my Minimates box I have about 200 tiny feet and hands and I can't be bothered to sort them all out

[karamazov80]

Minimates: The cute block-figure collectible for real men.

Not that I am being accused , but just to set the record straight--I have no problem collecting something that small children can enjoy playing with. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that I (we) are collecting toys or something approaching toys, which is something that grown-ups are not supposed to do, or at least typically don't do. However, I stand by the argument that Minimates aren't made for young kids.

As to Danny's post, personally, I don't like the idea of hands and feet molded to arms/legs. Sure, most folks probably don't move these parts around too much, but you might want to for some reason (Spidey shooting a web, Punisher capping a thug "ganster style," Hulk giving some cruddy BSG civilian a much-deserved right cross, etc.), and the ridiculous level of articulation at this scale is part of what makes Minimates special, IMO. That includes the wrist/ankle articulation, as well as the frequently unused waist articulation (in my collection, anyway). Similarly, I collect 1/6 scale figures, and frequently stick them in one pose for the duration of their shelf-life. But I still like having that option. I wouldn't mind seeing this in the exclusive kiddie lines so much, particularly if it helped to keep Minimates, as a license/type of toy, afloat. However, leave my Marvel and movie Minimates alone, I say.

[TBT!]

So... how would you guys feel about molded arms/hands and molded legs/feet. We have that last one already.

Isn't that the case with BattleBeasts?

I wonder if DST has thought on the whole 'too many small parts' issue for kids and has realised that they can get around it with specific licenses by clever design? Perhaps the move to more chunky gloves, boots, hats, chest pieces is part of the whole lets sell these to kids change we are seeing.

One thing I will say is that the change to softer quality plastic over the years has done minimates no favours in playability and childfriendlyness. I would trust an earlier wave (lets say the first half dozen waves) in the hands of a kid more than something from the last couple of years. Because of the weak/loose joints (especially knees) I treat all modern minimates as display pieces that can be posed rather than full on toys.

I think that DST is brave in going full on to make minimates a brand that is universally recognised, however I think that the manufacturing/plastic quality is nowhere near lego figures or playmobil ( I actually see minimates as more of a competitor for Playmobil that Lego with the max brand.) so parents will look at minimates as cheap crap...

T.

[Danny]

Tim, I meant hands molded as part of the arm and feet molded as part of the leg. They'd be solid pieces, like the Razor Cylons legs or Movie Iron Man's legs.

I know that Minimates have been pushed with a high level of articulation as a selling point, but as Miry and HRGmann have discussed, they aren't very kid friendly because of the fact that the hands and feet usually fall off.

I just thought it was interesting to speculate, especially as we had that discussion about the Mini-Minimates and their possible level of articulation.

Also interesting that you think the earlier waves were better constructed than later ones. I personally thought it was the other way around - early Minimates fell apart so easily!

[TBT!]

Also interesting that you think the earlier waves were better constructed than later ones. I personally thought it was the other way around - early Minimates fell apart so easily!

Go pick up your wave 2 spidey and a new one... there is a world of diference in quality, the old has better plastic and generally tighter better joints.. esp if you move them at all. With the new spidey move the joints some like you were a kid playing with it and see how loose they get... then try it with good old original spidey...

T.

[TM2 Dinobot]

Also though look at how many QC issues Minimates have as opposed to Legos. I realize that there's a vast experience and size difference between the two, but I only need to say "Nightcrawler" and "Kitty Pride" and yall all instantly shudder (even if not literally) These types of things don't happen with Legos. Also, like Tim said, the quality of plastic varies.

I think in some cases solid hands/feet are okay, but I'm all hard core minimate body. Wave 2 Spidey got it right, so he's hard to top.

[groundhog7s]

New Q&A here.

There's some nice stuff in there, if anything there's some definitive answers on some stuff. And it looks like someone here got their question about arms 'ducked'.

Edited March 16, 2010 by groundhog7s

[Mirymate]

I am pleasantly surprised to have my Kang question included, let alone answered.

And yeah, someone didn't actually asnwer the question asked did they?

But all in all, a fairly forthright batch of responses.

[fwoosheyman]

Hmmm they just kind of ignored the "bulky arm" question at the end. I hope that is a sign something is in the works, minimates like Hulk could really use them.