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Problems with MinimateDatabase.com...


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OOOkay...

So here's the deal. Yesterday I was scouring the Marvel Comics section of MinimateDatabase.com to aid me as I compiled my own personal Marvel Minimate checklist. In the process of doing so, I noticed a small laundry list of problems and/or inconsistencies with their checklist, as well as their cataloguing process...

I decided to post all the errors I found here in an effort to hopefully aid them in creating a tighter and more uniform website. (The reason I chose to post them here is because I could find no contact info on their site, and I assume the owner(s) post here, since the minimate internet community is fairly tight-knit)

Some of the problems are cut and dry errors. Many of them are open to interpretation or personal preference, and I merely chose to point them out as suggestions.

PLEASE NOTE, that by NO MEANS am I trying to be insulting or uncomplimentary to MinimateDatabase.com. I am merely trying to HELP. I love the website, and I can only imagine the amount of work that went into it. That's partly why I made this list. Hopefully, pointing some of these problems out will make them easier to correct, should the site owner agree that they need correcting. MinimateDatabase.com can take this list and use it as they see fit, or they can completely ignore it if they so choose. I am not trying to tear down their site. I am ONLY TRYING TO HELP.

That said, here's the list....

-------------------------------------

I'll start with the simple ones...

The comic book version of Gwen Stacy is listed as Gwen Stacey, instead of Stacy, the correct spelling.

You might want to add a “Loony Bin” Jim tag to the Mob Thug figure. I’m aware that the package names him as “Mob Thug”, but he was called “Loony Bin” Jim in the movie, and it’s not as if Raza is called “Terrorist Thug”, and he’s also a lame movie created thug character.

Mary Jane & Mariko are the only civilians whose last names (Watson & Yashida) aren’t given.

Characters with movie tags are inconsistent. Some are listed as “Character Name” (Movie) , Some are listed as “Character Name” (Title of Movie), and some don’t acknowledge they’re movie versions at all. (PS. All the X-Men characters say “X-Men 3” not the proper title, “X-Men: The Last Stand”. If it were me I’d change it, but I’m nitpicky. :P)

Speaking of Nitpicky...

Scarlet Spider’s “Version of Character” tag redirects to Spider-Man, when it should, in theory, redirect to Ben Reilly, like the Ben Reilly Spider-Man does, since Scarlet Spider is not in fact, Peter Parker OR Spider-Man. He isn’t a variation of Spider-Man any moreso than US Agent is a variation of Captain America. (Truth be told, I’d suggest giving Scarlet Spider his own unique tag, and having Ben Reilly Spidey re-direct to that instead. In any case, Ben Spidey and Scarlet Spidey should both be separate.)

By the same token, I don’t see why Spider-Carnage gets his own unique character tag, but saaaay, Col. America doesn’t. They’re both “monster” versions of an established character, but with a different name. Shouldn’t Spider-Carnage be lumped into his primary character, the same way Col. America is? (PS. Spider-Carnage was again, Ben Reilly, not Peter Parker, so his primary character would be Riley, not Spider-Man.)

And if we REALLY want to nitpick, Spider-Man 2099 isn’t technically Peter Parker either.

ALL THAT said... why are some some characters like Spider-Man (Parker) and Spider-Man (Reilly) separate, wheras others like War Machine (Rhodes) and War Machine (Stark) aren't? Truth told, civilian characters are treated semi-inconsistently across the board. Some characters, like Logan, Jean Grey, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Namor, are lumped in with their hero personas (Wolverine, Phoenix, Human Torch, Invisible Woman & Sub-Mariner) wheras others, like Jim Rhodes, Emil Blonsky, Eddie Brock, Luke Cage, Bruce Banner, etc… are separate from characters like War Machine, Abomination, Venom, Power Man & Hulk. Personally, I'd recommend re-cataloguing all characters under their civilian aliases, similar to the way Hank Pym/Giant Man/Ant-Man is currently set up, lumping all civilians with their hero personas, and separating characters like Stark & Rhodes.

Coming off that line of thought, Red Hulk is listed as a variation of the character Hulk, wheras he is not a variation of Bruce Banner or Green Hulk, but a separate new villain character.

Ronin could theoretically also be lumped with Hawkeye, but this one I admit is debatable, as Ronin wasn’t always Hawkeye.

Now, moving off Characters with civilian aliases... I move onto Ultimates...

Ultimate Storm has a ? next to her name. I can verify that yes, this is Ultimate Storm’s costume (As seen in this Ultimate Storm bust):

http://www.jpbenterprise.com/Pictures/D004...tStormBustB.jpg

Speaking more on Ultimates, The Ultimate Marvel Characters are treated inconsistently. Some, such as Spider-Man, are listed as “Ultimate Spider-Man” whereas others, like Jean Grey, are listed as “Jean Grey (Ultimate)” I’d suggest standardizing them all to a matching format. (PS. “No Visor” Cyclops doesn’t have an Ultimate tag at all.)

Furthermore, the Logan from series 3 is listed as Ultimate Logan, but I’ve never seen any evidence to suggest he’s supposed to be “Ultimate”. The figure was named simply “Logan” not “Ultimate Logan”, furthermore, he’s wearing one of 616 Logan’s classic outfits , his brown jacket and jeans (which he wore as a civilian on the 90s cartoon, and of which toybiz has made at least two 616-based action figures). Finally, just comparing his head to that of Ultimate Wolverine, it’s plain to see he bears no resemblance to Ultimate Logan. No facial hair with the classic 616 pointy hairdo. I’ve always just seen him as a 616 figure lumped in with Ultimate figures (Similar to Ult. Green Goblin being lumped with a set of several 616 figures.)

And that’s all I've got for the moment.

Again, let me re-iterate that I only posted this to HELP. Minimate Database is certainly not my website, and the owner(s) can certainly organize it any way they see fit. Feel free to take this as nothing more than my own personal opinions & suggestions. (Except for that Gwen Stacey one. That ones definately plain wrong. :P)

Hope you found some of this helpful. Forgive my wordiness.

:D

EDIT:

Found another one, the new toys ru us series (The Union Jack one) is listed as having been released in March 2008, rather than 2009.

Edited by Gillbob316
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We've forwarded some of our past concerns with the site in this thread. I believe Ivan (bless him) is the guy you're looking for.

As welcome as a couple of the improvements you mentioned are, I (and surely many others here) cannot stress enough what a blessing of a resource the Database is. This is no joke, you really don't see many toy fans out there who would devote as much time and energy to committing the hobby to posterity as much as guys like Ivan (and even Danny, Ady, JP, Shanester and countless others) do. Maintaining a whole website devoted to 2-inch block figures (despite what others might say) is no picnic. This goes to show what a great community we Minimate collectors have grown to become, and I guess a helpful suggestion or two really won't hurt. :)

Edited by NorthRaider
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If I may chime in in regards to some of your points, it makes the most sense to me to simply use only the names given on the box. I think Ivan might agree that the Database needs to be most accessible to Minimate n00bs, not veterans like us. If little Joey buys his first Minimate (let's say the Punisher: War Zone pack) and, on the same day, finds Minimate Database, hoping to broaden his blooming collection, he might want to look up the figures he's already got. Well, Joey's never actually seen the film, and only knows Loony Bin Jim by what it says on his package: Mob Thug.

You see what I'm saying? It's just more clear, and straightforward, to organize the Database as a simply a catalog of Minimates--not of characters.

And, to the uninitiated, Ben Reilly, Spider-Carnage, and Spider-Man 2099 are variations of Spider-Man. US Agent, too, is a variation of Captain America. The term "variation," I think, is more helpful when organizing if it's not based on the character (that just gets way too involved and complicated) but rather, the parts used, and just a touch on the surface of character relations. I'd imagine it's safe to say that any character to use the Captain America cowl piece in the future can be called a "variation" of Captain America.

But it's obviously a tough call, especially when we have the sheer amount of characters and character relations we do. I think Ivan's done a great job so far, and his Database is a fantastic resource for all of us. What a gift! :)

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<officialMode>

We at the Minimate Database strive for accuracy and consistency in our catalog. Unfortunately we are not versed in the intricacies of the Marvel Universe(s) and some details can slip through the cracks. Thank you for your contribution, we will use the provided information to continue to make the Minimate Database the best it can be.

</officialMode>

My lawyers told me to say that. :D

First off, I want to say that I take no offense. I appreciate the help.

I won't hit each of your points in this post but I'll try to explain how I approach the site. Primarily I think of the site as a catalog. The name on the box is the name of the figure. (This causes complications when the same figure is named differently on two different packs, and I admit I don't have a solid rule for this case.) So the figure named 'Gwen Stacy' is correct, although I will change the character to the correct spelling.

There is some meta data in the database that is not shown on the site itself. Run a search for "loony bin" or "tobey maguire" and you'll get results. I've toyed with moving some of that data to a visible description field.

That brings me to the characters, which is much more fuzzy for me. Here's a quote from the thread NorthRaider linked:

I actually puzzle over those kind of questions quite a bit. When should a Minimate be classified as Peter Parker instead of Spider-Man? Tony Stark instead of Iron Man? What do I do with the Ben Reilly Spider-Man? Where does Spider-Carnage go?

The best 'rule' I could come up with is to group similar costumes. The character page is there to quickly show the differences between similar Minimates. You look at the Iron Man page to see all the different armors, while you look at the Tony Stark page to see the civilians. Again, this isn't a hard and fast rule and I break it more than I'd like. Alpheon's got the right idea here with 'variations', I think. Maybe a rename is in order?

Although you didn't mention it. The inconsistencies with accessories are troubling as well. Originally I defined an accessory as 'any pieces in the tray not attached to the figure.' But with the recent Punisher: War Zone figure, it didn't make sense to exclude all the weapons just because they came connected to the Punisher.

Again, thank you Gillbob for your help. I'll try to incorporate your suggestions.

If anyone has any suggestions, corrections, or clarifications please feel free to let me know. My knowledge of Marvel is limited (DC more so). Truth be told, my first exposure to most of these characters is the Minimate itself. I really wish the Trek line was as expansive as Marvel. I can tell you the difference between Tam Elbrun and Kevin Uxbridge without blinking an eye, but I have no idea where to put Spider-Carnage. :)

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I go through some of the same thought processors on a much smaller level when fiddling with the Excel checklist that is posted here.

I've settle on the scheme Alpheon describes -- to approach them as named toys and not get too caught up in the character stories behind them. I do like that Ivan has hidden search tags, exactly the sort of thing databasing is supposed to do for us.

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