treklord

You might try some of those Erector-set type vehicle kits, which I have seen at Dollar General for $1.00 and up. They have 3-whell bikes and go-kart style cars. I also suggets checking drugtores, as they often carry C3-compatible kits, and really nice metal model cars. They are also selling the last plastic boats from their summer inventory, some of which can carry figures. As I said in my last posting, these are good options for generic vehicles. Good Luck on your search.

Well done, congratulations.

I have found that many of the Building block vehicles will fit Minimates, but you may have to make adjustments. However, these are good for generic cars. planes, boats and trucks. I have found some for just a few dollars, I once found a tank at half price, because of a few missing parts, but it was enough to help me build a truck.

The LEGO Figures cost $3.49 at TRU, but instead of paying $1.50 extra, you can pay just $1.00 extra by going to Walgreens, where they sell for $2.99.

Hello one and all; About 2 weeks ago, while looking for Minimates at our Orlando ToysRUs (TRU), I accidentally found some nice LEGO-compatible characters, often called Mini Men, based on the same design as the Character Building Dr, Who Series from a Canadian company called JDNA, which sells them throughout the USA, Canada, and possibly the UK. They are sold through more than a dozen chains, including Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreens. I have only seen them at TRU, and bought all they had left. These figures include Astronauts, Ninjas, Soldiers, (One looks like Sylvester Stallone) Construction Workers, Knights, Race Drivers, and even ZOMBIES. The nicest part is that they only cost $1,99 each. They look more human than the typically block-like LEGO minifigs. The company has 12 figures in Series 1, but they also offer a 20-figure set that has 8 figures NOT in Series 1, for a price of around $40,00 I just wanted to alert LEGO/MEGA BLOX collectors about cheaper ways to add fun figures to their collections, as the current LEGO Series 6 and 7 Minifigs typically run about $2.99 to $3.49 each, sometimes for $4.99 each. I have bought BEST LOCK figures with a vehicle for $2.00 each at Michaels, and 3 figures with vehicle for $5.00 at TRU. TRU and Walgreens also carries the larger kits, with more figures/vehicles/buildings sets for prices from $7 to $30, and I have seen them offered in "buy 2, get a 3rd FREE" promotions at Walgreens. If you find cheaper LEGO-compatible items, please share your information by adding to this topic.

This was truly horrible; 12 good people died, including a 6-year old girl, and 59 other decent humans injured, including a 3-month old baby, just because they wanted to see one of the first showings of a popular movie. An intelligent student named James Holmes spent months preparing for this atrocity for no apparently sane reason. He ruined many lives, and may have forever ended any chance of a successful run for this last Batman trilogy film, by linking its start to the end of innocent people. I feel Holmes must have a proper investigation and a fair trial, so that the victims can receive true justice, when Holmes receives the most appropriate resolution to his actions allowed by the law. (I would personally prefer to see that he face a firing squad, so that he experiences what his victims went through, but justice MUST prevail) The only good in this horror was the courage and decency shown by everyone else involved, who acted heroically/kindly to help/honor those who were harmed, or to express their sorrow for the victims. Police, firefighters, ambulances, hospitals, theater staff, and moviegoers all acted amazingly to help those victimized by Mr. Holmes. As these events occurred, many decent, caring people expressed their support for the victims and for those who are helping them. For once, the politicians are not using this tragedy for their own gain, out of respect for those affected, and for Holmes distraught family. Presidential candidates Obama and Romney have gone so far as to cease their negative attack ads, as a show of respect. Warner Brothers, as well as the film's cast and crew, have expressed their sorrow, and have acted to show their respect by canceling many of the promotional activities typical of a major motion picture debut process. I would like to see the studio do something to show their support, such as a special screening for the victims and/or rescuers. Please support these victims and/or their rescuers/helpers any way you are able to, even just thinking kind thoughts will help. I had not planned on seeing the film, but I will now, so that James Holmes loses his expected ruination of a decent film that he used as an excuse to do his evil. I would also buy any Minimates based on the film. After all, Warner Brothers is as innocent of wrongdoing as the individuals James Holmes brought harm towards. I pray that those who died will get to enjoy the film in their afterlife that they were denied here. Sincerely and Respectfully. Amil Vazquez Jr., Orlando, Florida, USA

Thanks for the link to the Captain America Video; the Team America theme is a favorite of mine. The video made my day. Justice, like revenge, is a dish best served cold. After a decade, it was properly prepared.

Greetings from Orlando: Hope everyone is having a good Holiday Season; I'm doing better than I hoped, now that my Mom has returned from several weeks in the Hospital on New Year's Eve. My younger brother and I exchanged some Minimates for Xmas, and our Mom wants to get us some more on Monday, including the BTTF Delorean with RadSuit Marty, as she was unable to shop, and Dad is not great at gift shopping. I got the entire HALO series, as well as some of the Universal Monsters. a mix of Elite Heroes, and the T2 Hunter/Seeker with the Exoskeleton. Did anyone else get Minimates during the Holidays, or hope to get some for 3 Kings Day (Jan 6th)? Sincerely, Amil V (Treklord)

For me, being a life-long Trekkie/Trekker, there is only one: SPOCK

I saw several BUFFY Palz packages in Orlando, FL; Buffy, Angel, in single-figure packs, and a 4-pack of Xander, Willow, Cordellia, and I think Buffy as well. They ran from about $10-$25 per pack. I also saw a Beatles 4-pack for around $45.

I'm in Orlando, FL, and a local shop got a case of ALIEN Warriors just before Xmas; I got the last one. My Ripley will now have some work to do. I have the Kyle Reese Minimate, who was Dwayne Hicks' lookalike ancestor; but I'd love to get the KUBRICK ALIENS characters, if I can find them. I also got Alex and Max from the "Where the Wild Things Are" collection after Xmas for $4.00 each at a local comic shop.

I live in Orlando, FL, and a local dealer had gotten a few BTTF packages in this past week; my brother and I got the last of them, the "Enchantment Under the Sea" Marty and Lorraine 2-pack. Another shop tells us they may be able to get the 2-pack as well.

I was wandering through Toys R Us and spotted a shelf of LEGO clone sets called "BEST-LOCK" that ran about half the cost of similar LEGO sets; I bought a Tube of 3 Space figures with a Space "Jet" for $4.99; I did not see any sets over $22.00. I am considering buying more, to use with my LEGO and Minimates C3 kits. I have read different opinions on BEST-LOCK; some love them, some hate them. I would like to hear from anyone who has these sets. Please post a reply about how useful you find BEST-LOCK. If you would like to see the sets, try toysrus.com or www.best-lock.com for pictures and descriptions. Sincerely, Treklord

Here are some ideas for new MiniMates I'd like to see: 1. Miami Vice (The 80s NBC TV show, NOT the movie; They have Olmos in BSG, for a start) 2. "V" The Series ( The NBC 80s miniseries and TV shows, and MAYBE the one ABC is starting in 2010) 3. Total Recall (A great Arnold movie; Kuato and the other mutants would be really cool characters. Of course, they can start by modifying a T800) 4. Rambo (All four films; They have Stallone as Rocky, for a start) 5. Mission: Impossible (The 60s and 80s TV shows, and the Tom Cruise films) 6. "Alien" films (All of them, including the Alien vs. Predator films; They have Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbustres and Michael Beihn in Terminator 2) 7. Die Hard (All four films) 8. Galaxy Quest (The Tim Allen film - These characters would be PERFECT as MiniMates) 9. Bruce Lee (A 2-inch version of the 3-inch ones, to start, along with some of Lee's movie friends/foes, such as Chuck Norris, Sammo Hung, John Saxon, etc.) 10. Chuck Norris (The various characters he's played, and various friends/foes, especially James Braddock and Cordell Walker) 11. "Dillon Hunt" (There are several versions of Gene Roddenberry's TV character; Alex Cord, John Saxon, and the better-known Kevin Sorbo "Andromeda" version. These TV movies and series had many interesting mutants and aliens that would work as MiniMates) 12. Earth: Final Conflict (Another Gene Roddenberry Tv show; I especially liked the Taelons) Now there will be some possible "overlap" for example, Michael Ironside was in "V" and Total Recall; he also played an enemy of Cordell Walker. Sigourney Weaver was in Ghostbusters, Alien, and Galaxy Quest. This could make it easier to establish new licenses, since they have already used images of the same actors. My brother had an idea for a series of generic Minimates, suitable for making custo and for "army building" for gaming, diorama and photography purposes. He also thought of a line of MiniMates based on real-world actors/celebrities, and/or various characters they have portrayed. Please feel free to add any comments or other suggestions.

The release dates for each group can be highly variable; just keep checking the TRU website; it posts estimated arrival dates, and lets you pre-order items as well. Pics can show up a few days, weeks, or months prior to the delivery dates. You may also want to try calling your local TRU occasionally; it would not hurt to try making friends with the TRU staff.