buttheadsmate

As a completist (= nutjob needing help) I have accumulated several 'alternatively' packaged production minimates . The first that come to mind are those ' Ultimate Avengers 2 DVD pack-ins ' , totally worthless to everybody except nutters like me . I do however love the fact that the actual minimates 'packed-in' are subtly different to their mainstream counterparts . Ivan's Database categorises many other oddities , I spent years chasing the French language Canadian Multilingual packages ...I have them all & if you ask me to find them & show you them ...it would take weeks but I have them . Lord of the Rings (French) ? Yep. I could go on . Packaging mess-ups ? They're mess-ups & should have been consigned to the bin ........I'm an ex-packaging printer BTW.

I run the risk of being wrong or being perceived as snarky .....that's a Lego sabertooth (sabretooth) tiger which has lost its hideous lego 'spots' . It works well with a great custom .

Kermit = epic fail . I've said it somewhere before but who on earth would produce a toy ,representing one of the most iconic 'hand puppets' of all time with just a painted mouth ??? DST would .

Kubrick collectors enjoyed 3 series of Kelloggs' characters* & it took me several years to finally attain the final pair of 'secrets' . One is a Puffa Puffa Rice kubrick ,which was in fact a bearbrick . I had often seen that bearbrick on ebay yet never twigged it was a 'kubrick' ....if you see what I mean ? The other secret that I had big trouble finding is the secret 'K' which must be amongst the weirdest 'mini-figures' in any line, anywhere , a big red 'K' which is, believe it or not ,articulated? Despite their faults, kubricks always used sculpted heads where necessary & to great effect. Looking at those proto Kelloggs Minimates I can only give my humble opinion that they fail miserably, especially when compared with the kubrick production items . *lots of tigers as well

As a collector of Minimates I have often 'ridden' the light inoffensive abuse that my other collectables get from Minimate collectors. Palz & kubricks are generally disliked by many , I accept that but it is odd when both lines have massive similarities (with minimates) & definitely inspired their creation. Personally I (generally) detest Lego mini-figures but even I have one or two that I covet notably an SDCC Batman promo 2 set. So I have always understood the ambivalence /dislike. I've never bought a Minimate in a TRU, Target , Walmart or any other 'physical' store so ,for me, I just love being a collector of a such a niche product . What is hard to take is that for many many years the 'powers that be' seemed to relish the fact that Minimate collectors had to hunt for them rather than just buy them . That ,for sure, killed Minimate passion for many people here .....or that were here

Mk3 (W21) perhaps but the contemporary Stealth TRU version is outstanding , a Minimate icon. Wave 1 TRU Stealth /Gauntlet Stark is the best 2 pack DST produced bar none .

95 Spider-Man Minimates & you want the best ? Best o'luck with that. Me ? Almost 20 years on & Wave 2 Spider-Man (Black) is IMHO not only the best Spider-Man but nigh on the best Minimate . 2nd. would be (strangely enough considering your choices ) the Black SM3 Wizard version . Unfortunately 'the best' SM Minimate should also have the Silver SM considered . A promo ,a gift, overpriced & beautiful. Either of the `Heroic Age' versions should also be considered .

So many licences ....odd ones ? To-Fu has to be the oddest but there are many odd anime licenses. Fairly odd................... Beatles , Neon Genesis, Moomin, Ponkikis,Rody Gymnic = strange ........... there're many other 'good' one's : Snoopy,Smurfs,Spawn,Woody Woodpecker,Tron ......& of course lesser known licences like Star Wars , Planet of the Apes,Metal Gear Solid ,Lost,Lupin,Harry Potter & Toy Story which would make shit Minimates

Allegedly I am 'retired ' but even I* would go without heat & food for Star Wars minimates ..... I previously did for Star Wars kubricks . I'm not going without beer though. Great for heat insulation. * a non-Star Wars fan

Zim & Girs' position of generally being the most-expensive vinimates on ebay looks like being eclipsed by the (currently) elusive AEW SDCC pair . I have no real understanding of this licence ( or Zim & Gir for that matter) but ,obviously ,somebody is hungry for it.

I got to see these in the flesh today & I was well-impressed especially Thing ... A lovely box set , a classic in the making ....if only there was a Marvel character called Velcro

I get no pleasure in saying that they will be hard to find in the US . As a collector from the UK I think I'm well-qualified to know what has been hard to find over the years . WG 'mates ,from the beginning, were elusive & remained so until their demise. The UK market is awash with the last waves ....as am I I applaud Zach's gesture.

Briefly ,judging by Daredevil Netflix box set 1 ......law 'suits' don't sell ......I haven't the foggiest idea why? No appeal ? I think I have a case .

Deletion victim myself ! Once again I'd love one please.

Surfer = Knulled . Thing ? 13th version & nearly there ......very very good but ....

My eyebrows were raised to see how the 'turtles' are ....er.....mounted in the package .

Still no love for Betamax then?

Very bad news if you are in the midst of any of their partworks/collections I collected the Doctor Who figurines , coming in late a 2 or 3 years ago, after buying up a couple of collections from lapsed collectors. I've still spent a small fortune on keeping them up together but this news will be a bombshell for anybody following the part-works . There's whispers of some sort of restructure of the group but, more to the point, they apparently owed the Chinese manufacturers big money. Truth is that they were a shite company to deal with in all respects. I'm not notorious for my patience but 'Eaglemoss' knew how to bring the worst out in me . Their products however were generally pretty special ....especially if they arrived unbroken ,which was rare, consequently I have become adept at super- gluing appendages back onto Eaglemoss daleks . I am also pretty good at ungluing my finger & thumb .

I always read this thread & I continually ask myself why the avenue of 3D printed Minimates isn't fully exploited . As always I probably need to explain that I'm not patronising or criticising those people who are making such fantastic 'pieces' , no way, I am in awe. I am questioning quite why someone hasn't fully exploited what must be considered to be the future of Minimates ? That's a question .

Familiarity breeds contempt

The Skeleton Crew discussing zombies ! Maybe that's a message .

I would have loved a "Deliverance' box set . er....just saying .

My usual order is with Mr.Porter & I look forward to seeing them .

Sadly due to time differences I may have missed the bunfight although there may be time left to pour some gasoline water onto the fire. This zombie-pack ,for me, came from out of nowhere, a complete surprise . A disappointment ? I guess it was but as somebody has implied, any product in this current climate is welcome IMHO . Ultimately even I have to get down from sitting on the fence. IMHO = in my humble opinion. I am not a moderator despite what it might say in the 'Moderator's list' . I have had more than my fair share of jousts with fellow-members , DST officials & moderators for that matter . I am therefore not casting any stones at anyone . The 'cost' of Minimates ,the 'price rise' ? On the face of it is substantial but as someone who has recently built a house, price rises have been the highest this 67 year-old has ever seen . People are exploiting this but I ,personally don't think DST is . They are however 'preparing the way' by touting a 'recommended selling price' . Forgive my use of '....' but I have learned long ago that what I type in British gets confusing for some colonials . "When I was a child ,I spoke as a child ,I understood as a child,I thought as a child : but when I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of repaints ,packaging & price rises " .....with apologies to C.S.Lewis