Comic Movie Waves/Box Sets

[NerdyTrev]

I am sometimes pissed that film counterparts get made into mini's before their comic versions.

In the style of the DOFP comic set or the Winter Soldier Comic and Film waves. I want to see if you guys would be down for just comic counterparts being released around the same time or a good while after their film doppelgänger.

[stegron01]

Oh yes.

I guess movie versions are better than nothing but I would MUCH rather see a comic version any day.

[Valo487]

Oh yes.

I guess movie versions are better than nothing but I would MUCH rather see a comic version any day.

That.

[Zylek]

I liked it this year when there was a comic cap wave earlier before the movie wave. I wish we would have also gotten a comic GOTG wave earlier this year too but this was an odd year when 4 Marvel movies all hit during the summer and took up so many slots.

I love having both comic and MCU mates!

[pappymojo]

While I do prefer the comic sets, I believe that in some examples Marvel doesn't allow comic versions too close to a movie release because they may cannibalize each other. Insert Marvel Zombie image here.

[NerdyTrev]

I liked it this year when there was a comic cap wave earlier before the movie wave. I wish we would have also gotten a comic GOTG wave earlier this year too but this was an odd year when 4 Marvel movies all hit during the summer and took up so many slots.

I love having both comic and MCU mates!

I think maybe a mix of classic GOTG with current GOTG would've been nice like maybe a Yondu/ Star Lord. since they were both the leaders.

[MisterPL]

I'm down with both but it seems more and more often I'm disappointed by the movie waves because they seem incomplete due to timing.

Retailers want product on shelves when the movie hits but studios don't always have reference material in time to offer key characters like Sentinels or Silver Samurai. For Days of Future Past, I even suggested offering comic-based figures first and waiting for references and audience reaction to the film to develop a proper movie line.

Add to that the fact that Disney/Marvel is passively/aggressively devaluing Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four movie projects and, yeah, there's certainly an argument to be made for comic-based 'mates over movie versions, at least at first.

[Valo487]

I'm down with both but it seems more and more often I'm disappointed by the movie waves because they seem incomplete due to timing.

Retailers want product on shelves when the movie hits but studios don't always have reference material in time to offer key characters like Sentinels or Silver Samurai. For Days of Future Past, I even suggested offering comic-based figures first and waiting for references and audience reaction to the film to develop a proper movie line.

Add to that the fact that Disney/Marvel is passively/aggressively devaluing Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four movie projects and, yeah, there's certainly an argument to be made for comic-based 'mates over movie versions, at least at first.

To me, the only real issue I have with the movie waves, aside from the fact that I wish we weren't losing so many comic waves for them, is that because there are so many interesting characters in these movies, and because the market demands the main character appear in most of the two packs, there are only so many spots available, and we end up missing out on characters that would definitely merit being included, like Robert Redford in Captain America. With the upcoming Avengers 2, there are so many characters that I feel like some of them are going to have to get cut, and it's a tough decision to make because the new characters haven't been made before, but they may not be as famous as some of the others, so how do you make the determination?

The only place I disagree with you is about Fantastic Four. Fox doesn't seem to need any help devaluing the property.

[MisterPL]

Agreed on Fox and FF but believe me, they're definitely getting "help" from Disney. The Mouse House is happily letting them fall on their own sword and giving them zero support when it comes to promoting films.

To your other point, I'm not convinced that movie waves are replacing comic waves. It seems that, at least early on, retailers were most interested in movie waves if only because of the marketing pushes. They thrived on such tie-ins to blockbusters so it's hard to argue that they'd have taken a comic wave, even if a movie was based on it.

Lately, however, "blockbusters" seem a dime a dozen and aren't guaranteeing consumer interest like they once did. There's certainly merit in pushing the comic 'mates as tie-ins. And I don't mind waiting for movie 'mates if it means greater authenticity and a better selection. It certainly helped Kenner's original Star Wars line.

[Shanester]

The Movie waves often seem incomplete to me and there is little chance the missing characters will be filled with official releases.

[Pete]

I'd much rather prefer the comic counterparts rather than movie waves.

I feel movies waves, deny an opportunity for comic waves to come out. If the 2 could co-exist independently I'd be much happier.

[Valo487]

I see your point, I'll rephrase to hopefully be more clear. After we get to around April, we seldom get a comic wave until the summer is over, usually around October, so the only comic 'mates we get are usually in box sets, and depending on the theme you may still get no new characters, which is where I think a lot of my apathy towards this new X-Force box set is coming from.

The movie waves have been more rewarding for me this year, largely because GotG is full of characters we haven't gotten in any form before except Gamora. But in Avengers for example, we get movie versions of characters we're already getting movie versions of, with one or two new additions. It's a lot harder to get fired up for those.

[MisterPL]

I was going to say the same thing. I know retailers and new consumers alike want the main characters more than anything which is why the "Best of" series are so valuable. But you've got more costume changes in movie-based series than comic-based ones so updates are also desired. As a veteran I'd sooner see a "Best of" series of movie 'mates for characters like Black Widow so we can have room for more, never-before-offered characters.

I'll say this: When The Winter Soldier movie wave finally showed up, I had to do a double take because for a moment I thought I already had it thanks to the ridiculously cool Series 54. The timing on that was excellent.

[NerdyTrev]

I honestly don't understand why toy companies feel the need to get their merchandise out with literally three pages of control art and three months before the film is even released. I feel this mostly with GOTG because control art suggested that Drax was grey, the companies felt the need to maker him grey rather than waiting just a bit longer for more source material. Also, with the Winter Soldier movie wave, I honestly did not need Sitwell, he was a pointless character in the film and did not deserve a minimate like Smythe in ASM2. Instead they should've gone with Nick Fury for WS and Harry for ASM2. The roster I felt for the Winter Soldier fell flat. I think Stealth cap and Batroc would've been a much better pairing and have SItwell come with Rumlow. My final point is Thor 2. why was the TRU wave cancelled? It made no sense. DST would've gotten a lot more sales if they even made it two separate waves like they did for X-Men Origins. I understand it was probably because like TRU didn't want to carry their minimates anymore or something like that, but it still displeases me to say, movie waves are falling flat, very flat.

[MisterPL]

DST can't make TRU buy product. Series only get cancelled when there's not enough retailer interest. Sometimes another retailer can step in and save it if they have more confidence (or don't need as high of a margin) but if TRU looked at the previous Thor series and decided it didn't have a high enough sell through, they're not likely to take a chance on another.

[Mystery Man]

I prefer comic sets all the way, every time.

And the classic looks of characters, at that. I want different versions, absolutely, but the classic look is always my hoped-for choice.

[stack32]

I'm pretty sure Zach has said movie waves generally sell better than comic waves, so what we want is irrelevant. That said, I actually do want movie waves, at least for the MCU movies. There have been some problems with the rosters for some of the waves, but that's largely been beyond DST's control.

[DarthBurkie]

I like the comic wave better but enjoy when the movie waves blow my expectations out of the water(I'm looking at you, Winter Soldier wave!). I dislike how important characters get missed because of time constraints/lack of reference materials (S Samurai, A Pierce, S Carter) but it's not like all our comic waves have complete teams either. If I like it I buy it, if I don't I'll pass. And we I see how much you guys love something, I kick myself for not ordering sooner!

[bzorio]

While I do prefer the comic sets, I believe that in some examples Marvel doesn't allow comic versions too close to a movie release because they may cannibalize each other. Insert Marvel Zombie image here.

/\ this makes sense. And I collect comics sets only.

[Valo487]

I think going forward it won't be a problem, but I think setting aside certain characters for TRU waves caused some problems this year, I definitely feel like there were characters in both Captain America and Thor that were definitely noticeable by their absence, and I can only assume they were planned for a supplementary wave that never happened. I'm not taking a shot at DST because they can't make retailers buy their product, but the fact we'll likely never get Frigga is very disappointing.

[DSTZach]

I think going forward it won't be a problem, but I think setting aside certain characters for TRU waves caused some problems this year, I definitely feel like there were characters in both Captain America and Thor that were definitely noticeable by their absence, and I can only assume they were planned for a supplementary wave that never happened. I'm not taking a shot at DST because they can't make retailers buy their product, but the fact we'll likely never get Frigga is very disappointing.

I actually said here who TRU was supposed to have for Thor 2, and there was a last-minute change that resulted in some key characters not getting made. Not within our control, unfortunately.

But there were never any other figures planned for Cap 2. We knew in advance TRU was out, and you guys got everybody. Two-timer Nick Fury was deliberately left out for new characters, and Alexander Pierce was left out for being the easiest QC in history. I've seen three great ones using different recipes. Sitwell had primetime TV placement, so he got the nod. I can't even think of any other characters in the movie besides the Senator.

And yes, there are often embargoes (imposed on us, at least) on comic figures of movie characters during movie periods. So it will not always be possible. Series 54 was early enough, I think.

Edited July 17, 2014 by DSTZach

[Dannii]

I only buy comic waves. I don't have any movie wave for no specific reason. Actually, I guess I never really liked any movie version of the characters I have been reading for 20 years... I'd love to get a comic Guardians of the Galaxy wave, for example. Well, who knows after the movie and if it's successful...