DSTZach

http://www.artasylum.com/blog/2012/02/marvel-vs-capcom-3-minimates-wave-2-enters-the-arena/

Nice hair Ryu, or whoever you are.

I'm betting the TRU exclusives will be hard to find. What about the specialty store exclusives, Jill Valentine/Storm,Super Skrull/C Viper?

It's nice to get some new characters in mm form. Amaterasu needs a Dogpool minimate to fight. See you soon MODOK!

It's First Appearance Ryu. Should have said. And apparently the TRU exclusives are ALWAYS hard to find for some people. It hasn't been my experience, but for others it is a reality, and international collectors already need to rely on others. But the specialty ladies should be plentiful. Need to double-check who the 2-per-case set is.

Zach, how did your investigation into why no non-movie Marvel army builder case dumps going?

Investigation is ongoing, but in August Nate Essex asked this question of Ask DST:

Hey Chuck, Many thanks for all the effort you and your team goes to in answering so many fan questions. I’m a huge fan of your Marvel Minimates & have really enjoyed the troop-building army dumps that you guys have produced for the Ironman, Thor & Captain America films. Will we ever see a similar set-up for the Comic Book troop-building characters? I’d love to be able to purchase single packs of comic-accurate Army Builders like the Skrulls, SHIELD agents, Stepford Cuckoos, Purifiers, Age of Apocalypse Infinites, Age of Apocalypse Madri, Hand Ninja’s etc . . . Cheers, Nessex.

DSTChuck: Nate, thanks for reading, we’ll keep doing these as long as everyone is interested enough to take the time to write in with questions. Right now we have no plans for a comic army builder dump, we use those to off-set the short packs in the two pack assortment and that seems to be working pretty well since we made that change a couple years ago.

Feel free to Ask DST to see if you get a different response, I'll try and pursue it on my end.

So, you have to use all caps on anything official you say now Zach? That sucks.

NO PLANS TO GO LOWERCASE AT THIS TIME. ASK DST.

Zach is Hill still the variant?

According to Entertainment Earth, Maria Hill will be 3 to a case where as the REDACTED General (or according to EE: Enemy General) is the variant.

Pretty sure that's incorrect. I'll confirm.

[EDIT: Removed all caps as provided by my dumb phone.]

EDIT - I've never been a Jason Statham fan, its nothing personal, just that he hasn't really made any/many good films. He does seem like a pretty decent guy though, and did like his character.

Man, I love Statham. He's been in some bad movies (In the Name of the King), plus a few I have zero interest in seeing (War), but he's been in some great ones.

Crank is amazing, and Crank 2 is amazingly bizarre.

The first Transporter is great, and the second one is not bad at all. (Haven't seen the third.)

The Bank Job is pretty darn good, the Italian Job was just okay.

Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels are both great.

I remember enjoying The One, but I saw it in theaters in 2001, and barely remember Statham in it.

Still need to see: Ghosts of Mars, Death Race, The Mechanic.

I can officially say that I've now seen Expendables and I wasn't nearly as disappointed as I thought I'd be. I've always found when you set your standards low it's hard for a movie to disappoint. Of course, the whole time I thought about just how cool Minimates will be from it, so thank you, DST, for making an average movie enjoyable.

I was worried that when I finally saw it it would not live up to expectations, since I'd built it up in my mind as the end-all be-all of traditional, manly action films. But I was pleasantly surprised that it surpassed my hopes. But I guess after nights sitting around watching movies like Invasion USA, Red Dawn and Rambo back to back to back with my pals, my expectations were for all the right things. I was actually glad it was as much of a comedy as it was.

Ok Zach, we've seen theirs now show us yours!

I wish I could! I think I can show you Maria Hill next week, but I'll let you know if we get cleared for the REDACTED.

I'm really hoping they return for the anniversary of TNG. it would be the perfect way to bring them back and it could focus on a different crew instead of TOS. don't get me wrong, there are plenty of TOS characters and variants I'd love to see but for a successful comeback it needs to not alienate those of us who already have the first run. There will be opportunities to get TOS crew out there for those that need them if Trek mates can make a triumphant return

For a successful comeback, retailers need to order it! :biggrin: If the Enterprise does well, we'll see how we follow it up.

We actually don't re-release any Minimate the exact same way for the collectors. We don't think it's fair to fans who bought the originals, maybe even tracked them down, that they could get the same figure for possibly cheaper. By tweaking it, we keep that original Mate special, and we also give collectors the option of updating or freshening up their collection with a new version. We're giving collectors something to collect -- if we re-issued the exact same figures, they wouldn't have the option.

Forgive my asking, but how were the four figures in the Heroes & Adversaries set different than the originals?

They were different in that that was apparently the last time we did that.

Yes, please do not look for these yet. The LCS wave shows up next week, but it'll be a little while before the TRU assortment arrives.

Wait, I thought the LCS wave got pushed back to March 28? Is it back to Feb 28? And, "a little while..." are we talking months on that like the vehicles wave?

It seems to be shipping this week. But I'm still not positive how soon the TRU assortment will hit.

On a side note is there a chance there would be any more Age of Apocalypse minimates? that is my favorite sub-line ever.

Chuck always says "never say never." There are still some cool guys to do.

Why do I feel like I'm on the sh!t list again.

@ Zach: Just know the Worst categories have been aound for a long time. Well before you hooked up with DST. No disrespect is meant by them (to you or DST). Again, just a fun way to promote the minimates that didn't float everybody's boat. I apologize for suggesting that any of the worst votes may make their way to the higher ups at DST. Hopeful thinking on the part of a few of us here I guess.

You're not on any list, other than "really talented Minimate photographers." (It's a short list.) I know the Worst categories have been around for a while. (Although, to be fair, EVERYTHING has been around since before I hooked up with DST. It's been 9 months!) I was simply lamenting my inability to recognize them officially. They'd be a great PR item for Minimates. I know no disrespect is meant, but it's half celebratory, half critical, and the critical part makes them something I don't want to pass around to the general public. ("Hey, look at our toys! They were recently named 'Worst'!")

And there's nothing to apologize for. You hoped that us seeing the Worst Accessory award might encourage us never to use that Wolverine mask again. I understand that. I was just surprised to hear you say it, since I thought these were ONLY for the board members. I would never ask you to change something you do for the board members, but if something was being done for our benefit, I wanted to suggest an alternative.

Sorry to bring the room down. For a long time, I really did intend to stay out of this thread, because it wasn't for me or DST. But I REALLY wanted to read the strip. Not even see the results, really, just read the strip.

Yes, please do not look for these yet. The LCS wave shows up next week, but it'll be a little while before the TRU assortment arrives.

Oh no worries, I'm just trying my best to not sound like an idiot in trying to explain something....having that problem a lot lately. Anyway, based off of what we saw in the last Best Of wave (i.e. minor tweaks and additions) let's base off of that mindset. I mean in the event if any of the earlier pieces were to be re-released, they would definitely be altered due to the new styling of the mates. So let's call this a "What the MMMV wants that technically already exist's Wave". So yeah, vote for the wave that has the mate you would most like to see redone, or make "another appearance" and then we'll go from there.

I hate to say it, but it doesn't sound like a poll that would actually reflect on anything we would actually do. You could do a poll for "most needed re-dos," and that might mean something, but I doubt we would release them all at once. You could do a round 2 of that Most Wanted UnMade Characters poll, narrowing the field, and that might be of interest, at least to me. But right now, you're saying, "These are the best, make them again," which is essentially what everyone on these boards DOESN'T want.

The Best Of wave is basically a Classics wave. It is our attempt at making the best versions of eight of the most popular characters in the line. I doubt we'd ever make a second wave of the NEXT eight most classic characters, but never say never. There are other guys who could have been in this wave, but perhaps not enough to warrant a Wave 2.

I don't think the Worsts tarnish the awards at all, and I can't really see anyone taking them as anything but a fun and harmless way for us to vent a little on the one or two things that inevitably fall short in a year's worth of otherwise fantastic products. We are a community of fans and part of that is nitpicking the thing we love so much. More importantly, the Worsts inspire some of MINI_MYTE's best jokes :biggrin:

I only meant tarnishes in my eyes. No company wants to see the word "worst" associated with their product, nor the words "meh" or "turd." It's what makes coming to these boards such a mixed bag of emotions for me. But for you guys, it's great. Like, I said, you're lucky to have Mini-Myte.

It just seems like even fewer of you vote on worst than on best, and the "winners" are generally perfectly good toys that offended a dozen people aesthetically for some reason. The worst accessories winners still mystify me.

Eh, if it was ever posted on a public page, I'd probably promote it anyway. It's too much fun.

Unfortunately, the loudest voices regarding what was unsuccessful in the previous year are the sales reports from Toys "R" Us and inventory reports from the warehouse

That sounded kind of... ominous. Is that just a general observation, or did sales not go as well as expected last year?

No, I'm just saying that, if Mini-Myte wants the "Worst" categories to be messages to the higher-ups as he says, it's not really going to make it onto their radar. Especially since I'm hearing the number of "worst" votes is negligible, and focuses on retread figures made for mass audiences.

Right now, it just tarnishes what I think is a pretty amazing awards show -- one that I'd love to see presented in a public space, for thousands to enjoy. You guys are pretty lucky to have him putting together this labor of love for you.

As for wave 3, Zach hasn't confirmed anything yet. I just saw the card on a website and wanted to hear from DST if it was the truth or not. Time will tell I guess. I hope it's just a typo.

Pretty sure it's a typo. Assortment for Wave 2 is 4-3-3-2, and we haven;t ordered this one from the factory yet, so it should be the same.

Not positive, but pretty sure Cap/Ryu will be the 4, and Felicia/X-23 will be the 2. Wave 2 I'm a little hazier on. Spidey/Chris might be the 4, Skrull/Viper the 2.

Hmmm....

TRU Wave 15 - the cosmic wave!

Airwalker / Firelord

Kang / Space Armor Iron Man

Quasar / Ronan

Gladiator / modern Drax the Destroyer

You sir should be choosing the TRU waves with these excellent choices. On a side note who do I have to sleep with at DST to get a Gladiator made?

Which Gladiator? The Imperial Guardsman? Me. The Daredevil villain? Chuck.

Somehow I completely missed all the updates to this thread. Very nice photos, Zach (you just spend your day taking photos of toys, don't you? :biggrin:). You guys really nailed Boom-Boom and Rictor but OH MY GOD ARE THOSE THE FUGLIEST THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. THOSE COSTUMES. NO. REDEEMING. QUALITY. WHATSOEVER. I wish I could unsee them.

Yes, I just take pictures all day. (No, actually, I shoot about an hour or two a week, or whenever I have free time waiting for a train.)

But that's what the '90s were, hellpop. Surely you remember. We all wore big shoulderpads and neckerchiefs.

We actually don't re-release any Minimate the exact same way for the collectors. We don't think it's fair to fans who bought the originals, maybe even tracked them down, that they could get the same figure for possibly cheaper. By tweaking it, we keep that original Mate special, and we also give collectors the option of updating or freshening up their collection with a new version. We're giving collectors something to collect -- if we re-issued the exact same figures, they wouldn't have the option.

Awesome stopmotion!Thogh I can't help but think,what about the arctic ops guy with the snowboard?He looked awesome...

Pretty sure the snowboard is still included, just not shown. Maybe next episode.

And yes, TRU will not have these any more, but they are taking a few new lines from us. So we're opening MAX and Pirates up to everyone else.

I didn't see any mention of Firelord or Airwalker from toy fair, and in on of the Q & A's it was said that they would be in a wave this year sometime. I'm hoping this is still true. So, I'm just wondering if you heard anything about these guys at all?

Tentatively, they are in Wave 15. The rest of the line-up is in flux.

But there is no Kang in that wave that I can see.

2011 Movie starring Rutger Haur as the Hobo with a Shotgun

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640459/

Sure the main cast would all make excellent minimates, but who do I really want? What say I?

I WANT THE PLAGUE!

2 armored dudes with motorcycles, One does the cuttin', the other the hangin'

So, who's coming with me? Let's go!!! (runs away)

I would love, love, love a line based on this film. But unless they make a widely distributed Hobo 2, it will probably never happen.

To me they look kind of generic, but i guess thats what happens when you dont watch a film? lol

I take it this film is out on dvd already? I'll need to watch it before i consider getting these minimates, i do like action films and alot of those actors listed are some of my favourites, so theres a strong possibility if i watch the film and enjoy it, i'll end up getting the expendables minimates too.

If you consider anyone in the cast a favorite, and like action movies, SEE EXPENDABLES. My friends and I used to get together all the time for "Manly Movies," but somehow I didn't get to see this one in theaters. SO I FINALLY rented it a few weeks ago, and it's like the manly gods opened up the heavens and rained fire. It's a ballet of death.

The art was destroyed??

Seriously? Destroyed?! Next time you guys are going to throw something out, be it control art or otherwise, I'll pay to have it shipped to me to use as contest prizes (after skimming a little off the top for myself of course!).

But back on topic, I wasn't a big fan of the first film but I will DEFINITELY be picking these up!

It was just a color printout on foamcore, and Robert tore it up before I could get it, I guess to protect our well-kept secrets. I snagged one board, but possible retailer interest kept me from making it a prize in the current "win posters from Toy Fair" contest. I replaced it with more original control art:

http://www.artasylum.com/blog/2012/02/diamond-select-toy-fair-contest-win-part-of-the-dst-booth/

I'm pretty sure that's Stallone. This pic seems to confirm that as far as I can tell.

You know, I THOUGHT it was Stallone, but I forgot about this "Newsies" dream sequence.