stack32 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) We've discussed how many new characters we've been getting over the last few years but I've never seen any numbers behind it so I decided to do some research. Below is the number of new characters made each year since 2009 based on the data at the MMDB (Hail Ivan!): 2009: 48 2010: 35 2011: 27 2012: 35 2013: 19 22 (Updated to account for TRU 17) A few notes: -I defined a "new character" as the character behind the mask (Steve Rogers, Peter Parker, Norman Osborn) who had not appeared previously. -I counted Ultimate versions as new characters. If you disagree the main impact would be to knock 6 characters off of 2009. -Wave 23 and 24 released in December 2008 at AFX and 2009 everywhere else, so I counted them as 2009. That does bump up the number for 2009. If you change it to 2008 it would knock another 9 characters off of 2009. -For 2013 I counted everything that's been released so far plus wave 50, 51, and the Zombie box set since it's on the shipping list. -I classified each minimate as either new character, new costume (a new look for a previously made character), or an update (same character and costume that was made previously). A little more data: -For 2009 I counted 104 minimates total, 43 new costumes, and 13 updates. -For 2010 I counted 102 minimates total, 52 new costumes, and 15 updates. -For 2011 I counted 78 minimates total, 40 new costumes, and 11 updates. -For 2012 I counted 89 minimates total, 25 new costumes, and 29 updates. -For 2013 I counted 74 minimates total, 37 new costumes, and 15 updates. Edited August 17, 2013 by stack32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 TRU 17 should add three more: Pepper Potts, the Gremlin and Ultimate Electro. Fan Poll set might add one more, depending on how things shake out. This doesn't count any movie stuff at all, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Correct, I left movie characters off the list. I figured the discussion of characters generally focuses on comics and it made for less data to crunch. While 2013 did come up a little lower than I expected when I started counting, I do think that's not bad at all considering there's three movies this year and Marvel NOW which all eat up potential slots for new characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigvis497 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I did something like this, but I counted alternate versions as new characters. So Magneto-295 (AOA) counted as a different character then Magneto-616 (mainstream). I didn't count movie characters. I also did mine handbook-style, so Iron Patriot, Norman Osborn and Green Goblin all count as the same. My number-ratios were pretty similar to yours, I'll see if I can find it of anyone's interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WookieFodder Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 for each year you should add total marvel minimates released and total minimates released for a little perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Also, our SDCC box sets were the opposite of last year's. Two TTAs and a movie set instead of Hope Summers and all of Alpha Flight. That hurts our numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pk13 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 The biggest thing for me as far as 2013 is concerned is the quality of choices instead of the quantity. Even if the overall number of new characters isn't as high as years before, the specific holes that were filled are pretty darn cool. Think about this: so far we have a new FF crew in the darker Negative Zone kit, a couple of new FF villains in Blastaar & Puppet Master, (as well as the Moloid army builder that serves as good background for the TRU W8 Mole Man & the new Hulk box set Barbarian Hulk), a Best Of wave that gave us a pretty sweet Bruce Banner and Doombot, as well as entry level versions of Deadpool, Loki, & Venom, (the alt. look of Venom is spectacular). That's not counting the TRU W15 additions of a human Ben Grimm, 2 new herald figures, (make it 3 if you throw in a spectacular Kirby Krackle Surfer update), freaking Annihilus, & two more of the Worthy. And that doesn't account for the exclusives and box sets we've received. And it also doesn't account for what's coming before the end of the year. Waves 50 and 51 both deliver some seriousness goodness as well as A+ army builders. Last bit not least, it doesn't address all of the Marvel Movie 'Mates that we have/are coming. I'll say they this year hasn't filled the *exact* holes that I would want to be filled. But I'm pretty impressed with what's been accomplished so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigvis497 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Stack, did you count the Marvel side of the Marvel vs. Capcom series? I did. 2012 really spoiled us. There's a few anomalies, the Secret Invasion characters I counted as the characters portrayed and not as Skrulls. It gets real tricky with Jean/Phoenix, I believe anything Phoenix related I counted as a separate character, even though Jean herself briefly wore the green Phoenix costume for a period in the late 90's. How did you treat Army builders? Did you treat Heavy SHIELD Agents and SHIELD Agents as the same? I think I separated mine, for simplicities sake I treated all army builders as a new character. Did you count "accesorized" characters? I counted things like Lockjaw and Redwing as characters, I think they should be counted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valo487 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 It's weird, I think of this year as being new character heavy, but your numbers don't back me up. Maybe it's because so many of the characters I've been pushing for are finally getting made this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) I did count the Marvel characters from MvC. I counted Heavy SHIELD Agents as a new costume for SHIELD Agents. I didn't count Lockheed as a new character, but I think he would be the only accessory character on the list that might have an impact since I did not count Wave 54. I also counted the SI minimates as the characters they represented and not as Skrulls. It's weird, I think of this year as being new character heavy, but your numbers don't back me up. Maybe it's because so many of the characters I've been pushing for are finally getting made this year. I thought the numbers would be a little higher myself. I think, as pk13 mentioned above, that the new characters we have received this year seem to fill holes in the Marvel Universe in such a way that their impact feels larger, or that they're so obscure (Werewolf by Night, Air-Walker) that DST really deserves extra credit for making them. Edited August 17, 2013 by stack32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trekker 42 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I'm just gonna throw in how badass it is to finally have the Maestro. That is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zak Katz Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I'm just gonna throw in how badass it is to finally have the Maestro. That is all. Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stegron01 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 First off I just wanna say well done stack for doing the working out. It makes interesting reading and I had actually been thinking there seemed to be less new characters this year which seems to be correct, largely because so many boxsets lately (4 out of the last 5 I think) have featured only one character. Looks like 2009 was a great year - I somehow don't think we'll be getting near that number again. Having said that I guess 22 in this year is still a reasonable number but I think part of why to me at least it feels so little is the time distribution. We probably got nearly half of them in January and most of the rest we are still waiting for. Let's hope they do all actually appear this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystery Man Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I just want Black Knight II and classic Falcon. Going to go back to sporadically lurking now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stegron01 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I just want Black Knight II and classic Falcon. Going to go back to sporadically lurking now... Well said although I think you forgot to add a few classic thor characters to go with the movie! Oh and nice to see you're still at least (sporadically!) lurking about MM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystery Man Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Thanks! Been having some family problems (health issues) and I haven't been around much at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zak Katz Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Sorry to hear that MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stegron01 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Yeah me too. Hope they are all sorted out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaIceman Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Sorry, MM. I hope things get better for your family soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystery Man Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Thanks, fellas. Apologies for derailing this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx_6 Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 We would derailed it ourselves soon anyway. Best to have it be a way of finding out what is going on with our fellow members. I hope things improve for you and yours, MM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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