MisterPL Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 ... and it should have been ten years ago.The Toy Industry Association (TIA) recently announced its nominees for Toys of the Year. One of the nominees that caught my eye was Marvel Super Heroes Hero Mashers by Hasbro."All of the action figure parts are removable so you can swap their arms, legs and head with other Super Hero Mashers Marvel action figures to create the ultimate Marvel Super Hero."Ever since Hasbro launched this particular product line I noticed how similar – if not identical – the play pattern was to Marvel Minimates. Sure, there are obvious differences in size and style and price but Art Asylum's been offering this for over a decade now with the same license.If I worked at DST or AA, I'd be a little perturbed about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanester Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Agreed. I think Industry people tend to categorize Minimates as more of a niche collectible than a true action figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Agreed, and. . . http://youtu.be/RVFpy5UwsAU?t=2m0s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 To be fair, we don't market the interchangeability to the level that Mashers do. Although our licensor-mandated packaging requirements play a role there. Kre-O has started to do something similar, as well, in a big ol' blister card. Kudos for Hasbro, I'm glad to see the line has reached a second (third?) series, they clearly believe in it. I remember they licensed or bought Stikfas back in the day, and launched a similar line we were all fans of at ToyFare. Blanking on the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Xevoz . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 I was waiting for licensed Stikfas. Still am, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanester Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I have a bag of stikfas parts that I don't know what to do with. I really liked the concept, but got bored with it. Xevoz were cool, but seemed to confuse (me anyway). Zach, I'd be interested to hear more about your License mandated packaging interjection. If you are able to elaborate, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trekker 42 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I was waiting for licensed Stikfas. Still am, I suppose. They'll come when the Shockinis are released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Xevoz . How could I forget such a distinctive group of letters? I have a bag of stikfas parts that I don't know what to do with. I really liked the concept, but got bored with it. Xevoz were cool, but seemed to confuse (me anyway). Zach, I'd be interested to hear more about your License mandated packaging interjection. If you are able to elaborate, that is. I didn't think Chuck had ever made a secret of why Marvel Minimates are in boxes, and not blister cards. I thought that was common knowledge. It's a condition of our license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Something about only being able to show a certain percentage of the product in the packaging, which was a challenge for the Iron Man 3 Hall of Armor set as I recall. Such an odd stipulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanester Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Actually, Chuck did say that packaging on Marvel has always been dictated by them. I just wondered what role you were suggesting the packaging played in the subject at hand. I think the windows are better than the solid boxes, but I never minded the blister cards either. The solid boxes were great for storage, but little else. I liken them to the early Mego Worlds Greatest Superhero Solid Boxes that shop owners complained always got torn open by curious children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Xevoz . [weeps a little inside] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Actually, Chuck did say that packaging on Marvel has always been dictated by them. I just wondered what role you were suggesting the packaging played in the subject at hand. I think the windows are better than the solid boxes, but I never minded the blister cards either. The solid boxes were great for storage, but little else. I liken them to the early Mego Worlds Greatest Superhero Solid Boxes that shop owners complained always got torn open by curious children. I like the boxes just fine, but the Mashers packaging and that Kre-O packaging I mentioned are open blisters. You can see everything that's inside. With Marvel, we can only show off one or two extra parts, tops. I'm trying to plug interchangeability on the packaging, but unless we radically revise our thinking about the cardbacks, there's not a ton of room for visual aids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokash Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 My son loves Mashers, after expanding the line to transformers we both were hooked. He's 4 years old and he will take all the mashers pieces and line them up ( row of heads, row of bodies, arms , etc) and just got to town making some crazy mixtures of marvel and transformers characters. The newest series kicks major ass, we just got Deadpool, red hulk and ghostrider. My son likes minimates too but manages to lose the small pieces within 5 minuses of playing. I think mashers deserves the award , it's really the best toy for KIDS on the shelves rightnow IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Actually, Chuck did say that packaging on Marvel has always been dictated by them. I just wondered what role you were suggesting the packaging played in the subject at hand. I think the windows are better than the solid boxes, but I never minded the blister cards either. The solid boxes were great for storage, but little else. I liken them to the early Mego Worlds Greatest Superhero Solid Boxes that shop owners complained always got torn open by curious children. I like the boxes just fine, but the Mashers packaging and that Kre-O packaging I mentioned are open blisters. You can see everything that's inside. With Marvel, we can only show off one or two extra parts, tops. I'm trying to plug interchangeability on the packaging, but unless we radically revise our thinking about the cardbacks, there's not a ton of room for visual aids. What about the back being control art with an inset of the wave? It's be a really sharp and unique packaging style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanester Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Thats what I was looking for Zach. I love Minimates, but I have no good grasp of the science behind package marketing. Any idea why Marvel wants the packaging the way it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Not sure it's even a discussion topic at this point. This goes way back. Pre-Hasbro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 So much has changed since the first agreement was signed, from the players at Marvel to the licensee landscape. If DST is interested at all in offering larger Minimates (Hulkbuster, Sentinels, et al) or vehicles (Ghost Rider's motorcycle, Fantasticar) there's a good chance it's possible now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glantern Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I don't know, Hasbro's pretty strict on what other companies can do with a license they have. Funko had to make the Marvel and Star Wars Pops into bobbleheads to get around Hasbro's licenses for those two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 So much has changed since the first agreement was signed, from the players at Marvel to the licensee landscape. If DST is interested at all in offering larger Minimates (Hulkbuster, Sentinels, et al) or vehicles (Ghost Rider's motorcycle, Fantasticar) there's a good chance it's possible now. Pretty sure it's less possible than ever, especially since Hasbro has been joined by Lego. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessex Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Do the window boxes really inhibit sales? I'm not in the industry, so i only have my own opinion to run on, but i certainly enjoy the current packaging a great deal more than the clam-shells that ML used to come in or the blister cards they use now. They look great & are wonderful for storing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I think the general thought is that seeing more of the product is always better. But you're right, the design of the window box packaging is great. We have to put a lot more thought into it than the blister cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnim zola Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 With the exception of the new godzilla box i consistently feel like the marvel boxes have had way more effort put into them than anything else DST does. I say the happy jesus and the pulp fiction 2 packs at a lcs, and the blister packaging just reminded me of vintage minimates, OLD marvel, rocky, bttf, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnim zola Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Uh oh, I think Hasbro is trying to pull a dick move. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/constructabots-46/possible-new-transformers-toy-line-revealed-mini-mashers-181649/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 "Toy kits containing a plastic toy figure and detachable plastic body parts for affixing to the toy figure to form various caricatures" You mean like... Minimates? Hell, why not just buy DST and AA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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