Battle Beasts Minimates

[Zak Katz]

Or your overreacting, they have been doing that for a long time. I'm sorry if you want one, maybe if you ask someone nicely they'll help you out.

[pk13]

Or your overreacting, they have been doing that for a long time. I'm sorry if you want one, maybe if you ask someone nicely they'll help you out.

Please work out the correct usage of "you're" and "your". It will lend a small bit of credence to your dismissive attitude.

I understand that this is a tactic that they've used for a long time. I'm simply asking *why* they use a tactic that excludes so many of their customers.

[Zak Katz]

It's something nice they do to reward the people who go. Is that better? Nicer?

They do translucents because they don't go with the line. Last year it was Vorin, this year Merk. It would be way worse if they were giving out a gorilla or a komodo dragon or something. Then I would be mad.

[pk13]

It's been an absolute pleasure to chat with you, ZK.

[DSTZach]

Zak is correct. Not every toy is designed to be owned by the maximum number of people. Our first Battle Beast ever was only at NY Toy Fair.

When we hold an event, we like to do something special. We make toys for a living, so that's our first option.

Last year, people were mad fans had no chance to get a Gold Vorin. This year, they CAN get an orange Merk IF they so choose. They may have to settle for a purple one, though.

And criticizing someone's spelling is kinda uncool.

[Zak Katz]

I'm used to people correcting my grammar thanks to Tenime

[pk13]

Zak is correct. Not every toy is designed to be owned by the maximum number of people. Our first Battle Beast ever was only at NY Toy Fair.

When we hold an event, we like to do something special. We make toys for a living, so that's our first option.

Last year, people were mad fans had no chance to get a Gold Vorin. This year, they CAN get an orange Merk IF they so choose. They may have to settle for a purple one, though.

And criticizing someone's spelling is kinda uncool.

Kinda uncool? As uncool as expecting someone to travel across the country to get... nevermind. Screw it. Just to be clear, I wasn't complaining because *I* was only concerned with being able to get one for *myself*. I just think it isn't a very nice way to treat the vast majority of your customers. You know, the people that spend disposable income on your non-essential items.

And on that thought, I'm not super happy that the mouthpiece for DST is dismissive of someone that wants their products. So screw it, I'm out. Zach, I think you do a really good job most of the time, but you just talked your company out of my money. I'm sure it isn't going to bankrupt you guys or anything like that. But for what it's worth, I buy 100% of every Minimate product, plus probably 30% of that a second time as doubles, as well as most of the Marvel Select line. So add that up because your post effectively lost that much money for DST.

[Zak Katz]

Chill out, I offered to help you, I made some calls to make you happy and I don't even know you. You must be having a bad day. Zach and DST aren't trying to alienate their customers, just simply reward those who attend there show, in this case restaurant display thing. eBay will have hot wing Merk so it's not like it will be impossible to find.

I guess I can't ask you to trade mates now

[youbastards]

Zak is correct. Not every toy is designed to be owned by the maximum number of people. Our first Battle Beast ever was only at NY Toy Fair.

When we hold an event, we like to do something special. We make toys for a living, so that's our first option.

Last year, people were mad fans had no chance to get a Gold Vorin. This year, they CAN get an orange Merk IF they so choose. They may have to settle for a purple one, though.

And criticizing someone's spelling is kinda uncool.

Kinda uncool? As uncool as expecting someone to travel across the country to get... nevermind. Screw it. Just to be clear, I wasn't complaining because *I* was only concerned with being able to get one for *myself*. I just think it isn't a very nice way to treat the vast majority of your customers. You know, the people that spend disposable income on your non-essential items.

And on that thought, I'm not super happy that the mouthpiece for DST is dismissive of someone that wants their products. So screw it, I'm out. Zach, I think you do a really good job most of the time, but you just talked your company out of my money. I'm sure it isn't going to bankrupt you guys or anything like that. But for what it's worth, I buy 100% of every Minimate product, plus probably 30% of that a second time as doubles, as well as most of the Marvel Select line. So add that up because your post effectively lost that much money for DST.

PK13, I get where you come from, I really do. I think most of us at some point have been frustrated by the unique promo situation from time to time. DSTZach may be the "mouthpiece" for DST, that is true, but he is also a member of the MMMV community and has to constantly balance that relationship. I don't think he was being dismissive of you, just honest about the situation. Minimate promos are usually produced in the thousands (2,000 unless I am mistaken?) and always wind up on eBay in some fashion. If these are produced in the same numbers as the Blue/Red Vorins, then there is no reason to assume that they won't be available shortly after (or even during) SDCC.

Zach wasn't inferring "if you want Hot Wings Merk, you better book a flight to San Diego", what he was saying is that last year, Gold Vorin was only distributed to an invite-only Heavy Metal party, completely unrelated to Minimates, which made a lot of us upset. MMMV members who actually went to SDCC last year couldn't just attend that party and get a Gold Vorin. This year, DST is distributing an exclusive Minimate to anyone that wants one and can show up at that restaurant, at a party celebrating Minimates. If you think about it, what they are doing is pretty cool.

So, will everyone who collects Minimates and wants a Hot Wings Merk be able to get one? Most likely "Yes", but not for free at SDCC. Most will be purchased second-hand off of eBay for around $20. Is that "fair" to Minimate collectors? Maybe not, but I don't see how that is any worse than another company (Mattel, Hasbro, Funko) selling extremely limited show exclusives that sell out to people that don't collect the toys and just turn around and scalp them online at double or triple the cost.

As for Zach calling you out for criticizing Zak Katz' grammar, well like I said, he isn't just the "mouthpiece" for DST, he's also a MMMV member and as a member he chose to speak his mind and call you out. That's a rare thing to see from a company rep, and I think its great that we have someone from DST that isn't afraid to speak bluntly when he feels it is needed.

[Ninja Mate]

this is nothing new...not to mention anytime there is an "exclusive" there is ALWAYS someone complaing because they cant go to the show, costs to much, to hard to get...blah blah blah.

I for on am in Indiana. I will NEVER (unless I win the lottery) be able to go to SDCC. I ALWAYS have to resort to ebay or forum members for help on SDCC stuff. am I bitter because of how a company rolls out a product. No. it's just how it goes.

What if they released some exclusive for retail in say...Uzbekastan. good luck getting that exclusive. Am I going to go there...pshhh. Don't be stupid.

Here's what I tell my 5 year old. "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit"

as for Zach, well, we are privaledged to have him here. You would be hard pressed to find other companies with such direct contact as DST (aka Zach)

with that said. I need some SDCC exclusives. can someone help me out?

Edited July 11, 2013 by Ninja Mate

[DSTZach]

Really didn't mean to come across as dismissive. I'm not sure I've ever had a real convo with you before, PK13, or I might have known you were a completist, but that's not how I wanted it to go down. (I DID think you were being rude to Zak, but maybe I just don't expect perfect grammar on a message board.)

Assume promo figures are always done for a reason -- to make a special product for fans who make a certain effort or to make a special product for people we want to notice Minimates. They are never made to EXCLUDE anybody, just produced in the quantities we think we need. And they are always variants, not new characters. Remember when Mattel sent a Hal Jordan Green Lantern JLU figure to their contacts as a Christmas present? Fans lost it. We will never do that.

Merk is a variant ON a variant. Everyone can get a free purple one -- free! -- but not everybody can get a free orange one. But I was not saying "go to San Diego if you don't like it," I was saying "fans will be able to get this." Gold Vorin was given to mostly non-industry people at an invite-only event, which means there are not a lot of them making their way to the secondary market, but Orange Merk should be much easier to get, even when you factor in the fact that Series 1 is in stores now. I'll save some for this forum, as I always do, but yes, you might have to pay for yours.

I have come just short of being a completist on a half-dozen toy lines that had con exclusives, and I did not always have a hook-up for them, which means I couldn't always get them outside of eBay. But NONE of those exclusives were being given out for free. Lego gives out exclusive sets to press and buyers at trade shows all the time -- I know those can go for some money. I would be curious to know how many people give up Legos because of it.

[youbastards]

Legos....those are those less detailed, less articulated little Minimate guys, right?

[Nervous Rex]

I'd like to add this as food for thought. Going by "My" personal experience, it will cost next to nothing on eBay compared to the amount of money you have to put out by going to SDCC. I think a lot of people lose sight of this, and fighting with the crowds and long lines. For those that haven't been, SDCC can be a nightmare at times. Heck, just the cab rides could cost just as much as one of these little guys. So for me personally It just means ill have to wait longer to get it...I personally don't want one, but it's going to kill me to wait for the thundercats :-p

Edited July 11, 2013 by Nervous

[CountDestro]

I have to agree with Nervous that, sometimes its easier and less stressful to just pay a premium on ebay and avoid the troubles getting stuff at SDCC. By the time I get back from it this year, I will say why did I waste my time with all the line waiting to maybe even not be able to get what I wanted? But I do it every year anyway. Hell, I'm going to try to sneak out a couple extra merks to use as trade for con exclusives I can't attend!

[groundhog7s]

I for on am in Indiana. I will NEVER (unless I win the lottery) be able to go to SDCC. I ALWAYS have to resort to ebay or forum members for help on SDCC stuff. am I bitter because of how a company rolls out a product. No. it's just how it goes.

Are you bitter about how product rolls out? No. Should you be bitter because life stuck you in Indiana? Most definitely.

And by the way, when my little monkeys say stuff isn't fair, I usually just tell them to take what you get and don't throw your...

And...as a Minimate and Funko collector, I find my odds much better to get a Minimate SDCC giveaway exclusive than it is to get Funko's stuff. To get their 'giveaways', you have to attend a party at SDCC ($60 charge) where they giveaway exclusive pieces that you can't find anywhere else. Most are limited to 96 pieces, but there are 1 of 12 versions of those that are different. And there were about 15 or so exclusives last year. And that's not to mention an exclusive that is only available if you pre-buy the set of all 57 of their SDCC exclusives ($799 price tag on that). With something like that out there, I appreciate DST giving away anything to anyone that attends this year.Do I wish it wasn't that way? Of course. But I realize that they don't have to give anything out and things could be worse.

[TBT!]

Nervous hit the nail on the head, going to one of the big cons can be really expensive.

You have to think of these giveaways as sweeteners and incentives for people who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to go to SDCC or NYCC. Having these exclusives is supposed to be a 'look I went to this con' memento for someone to keep like a concert t-shirt or program for a sports game.

We pretty much have the same debate every year around this time and to an extent Zak is right, (albeit he didn't explain himself as well as he could). If you want a con exclusive then either go to the con or admit that you'll have to pay a premium because it was an item for a special occasion and you didn't go.

Even when you do go it can be a total pain in the arse to get exclusives, I've done more than my fair share of SDCCs and few other cons and there its not fun having to decide if you want to attend a really cool panel or stand in line to get a freebie that is only given away at a certain time.

I'd also like to remind everyone here to play nice!

T.

[buttheadsmate]

I'm used to people correcting my grammar......

Grammar hit me wunce wen I crected her

-forrestgumpsmate

[delta chameleon]

Oh man, I was excited about the purple Merk before, but a Hot Wings Merk!? That orange looks fantastic on him. Gives him a very phoenix/bird of fire look to him.

This is extra special for me with the name Hot Wings. Hot Wings (or buffalo wings) are typically made with Cayenne hot sauce, giving them that orange/red color to them that we see here on Merk. They are one of the signature foods for hot sauces. And if there is something I collect almost as much as Battle Beasts, it's hot sauces. I have tried over one thousand different, unique hot sauces from all around the world. I have traveled to different hot sauce meccas around the country to sample hot sauces at the source, New Orleans being my favorite. I have a collection at home of close to 300 different hot sauces. And I have a pepper garden where I grow 32 different types of chili peppers and sweet peppers. In the late summer and fall, I harvest the peppers and make my own hot sauces, salsas, etc... I am a pretty big fan of hot sauce, as well as battle beasts. And to have a battle beast promo named/themed after a signature hot sauce food. Man, I'm ecstatic. It's a combination of two of my passions that I never thought would exist.

If anyone is going to the show/restaurant, and you end up with an extra Hot Wings Merk that you would be willing to part with, please let me know! If not, hopefully these little buggers show up on ebay after the show.

[Zak Katz]

I love positive posts like that x infinity!!!

[DSTZach]

I totally did not make the connection to your pepper garden, Delta! Glad it's become more special for you. We need to make sure you get one...

Now back to work on those customs!

[storm 1:08]

That post made me all warm and fuzzy inside hearing about your other passion. Where's the "like" button? And Zach, were you responsible for the "hot wings" name?

[delta chameleon]

Hahah, I'm working on them. I am making a pretty nice little pair of customs that have a very nice western/clint eastwood type feel to them with those ponchos. The lizard is all done with all the kitbashing/sculpting, and has gotten some base coats. Merk was a bit of a challenge to get him to wear his poncho but still have his wings, but just today, I got it to work. Now I can start painting him.

[Donny B]

I second the 'like button' option. Delta, that post was not only awesome, but it was genuinely interesting. I had no idea there was such a diversity to hot wings/sauces, and it's always fun hearing about people's passions that drive them to travel around like that.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure at first if you were being serious, but by the time I got to the end of your post, I was echoing your sentiment - that I never thought I'd read a post about those two passions merging

Your excitement is cool to see, and I sincerely hope you're able to get a hookup on that 'mate.
... though, considering your travels, it's unfortunate that you won't be able to be there to get the mate in person

[UK Collector]

Delta you should join forces with DST to create the official hot sauce of minimates

A limited run of bottles of sauce every year, and it comes with a different translucent orange mate (preferably one with wings).

Edited July 12, 2013 by UK Collector

[DSTZach]

Yes, I named "Hot Wings" Merk. And Shadow Merk. I also chose the colors. The translucents are just meant to be fun promos, not must-own items, so I hope the people that really, really want one can get one.

And PK13, I would ask on the boards if anyone will be attending before you write it off so quickly. Someone may be willing to pick one up for you. Probably not Zak Katz, though.

I'll also put a couple aside for contests.