Glomit Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Okay I was surfing the net and I came across this I was taking a look at the joints on these guys and they don't look exactly like Minimates, but I thought someone here might know. If anyone does know, just post here or PM me. Help much appreciated :biggrin: . I am just TOO into the X-Files. Glomit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Those are block figures called PALZ which were made by Palisades Toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Donster Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 ...And unfortunately when Palisade went south, so did this line. It would be nice if DST picked up this and the Buffy/Angel line for Minimates. I picked up the first series of the Buffy stuff, but still need to pick up series 2, it had a BOF Judge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glomit Posted January 22, 2007 Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 I've been doing some investigating and honestly, there aren't too many left; the Flukeman was probably the most common. You can definitely tell that the company went south. Glomit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Donster Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Yeah, it's one of the unfortunate's, since they actually listened to fans and on more than one occassion actually did figures off the results of a poll I signed up for their Collector's Club back in the day and it actually paid off for me by the time the company closed shop. Definately some great lines they produced, I joined because my wife was into the Muppet's and ended up getting hooked myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxcarnage Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 They did have some interesting lines. I mean everyone remembers Buffy, but I really liked the x-files, and the blinded packed Diehard was a cool touch too. and evey figure came with an load of accessories which was really one of the coolest thinks about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aapje Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 their accesories are cewl i still have a few loose buffy palz if anyone is interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 As I recall the initial PALz bodies looked almost identical to Minimates until someone from AA contacted them. Palisades ended up changing them. If DST wanted to solicit X-Files Minimates, I'd be all for it. Of course I'd need a second job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I would have been more into these if it wasn't for the square-hand design. It ruins the look of the figs IMO. Here's a good comparison pic for height and joint construction from Online Action Figure Entertainment. Click here to see the 'Buffy Preview Test Shot' article that the pic is from. Does anyone have pics of the inital Palz design? It would be interesting to see just how close they were to Minimates early on in the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightViper Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Back when Palisades got the rights to do the Transformers statues they also threw together an Optimus Prime PalZ figure to show Hasbro. Apparently Hasbro said "no" because they have a policy of not giving out licenses for plastic figures because they may compete with the main line. Too bad, I would have loved to have seen more Transformers block figures. And speaking of other Minimate style block figures, whatever happened to those Bearriors figures that looked exactly like Minimates? Were they ever released in any fashion? I don't remember the company's name, but they seemed very unreliable. First they were going to reissue the old Bearriors, then they changed it to making new ones, then they changed that to the block figures. In the end, nothing happened as far as I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 And speaking of other Minimate style block figures, whatever happened to those Bearriors figures that looked exactly like Minimates? Were they ever released in any fashion? I don't remember the company's name, but they seemed very unreliable. First they were going to reissue the old Bearriors, then they changed it to making new ones, then they changed that to the block figures. In the end, nothing happened as far as I know. Apparently they appeared in ToyFare #73 (or #74 - conflicting reports) from 2003 so if anyone's got an old issue lying around they could scan it and throw some pics up. And the company was called Topp Hat Toys. *edit: there seems to be speculation that the article was a 'gag-article' although there seems to be a line of toys called "Barbearians" from Funatix! (a company formed by a bunch of guys from Mirage Studios) which were almost released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antacost Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I don't remember the Bearriors at all, but I'll look. I've got every issue of ToyFare, so give me a couple of days, and I'll get you a scan... It's interesting all of the other toys that have sprung up out of the Minimates, which themselves sprang from the vastly inferior Kubricks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Thanks, antacost! I would love to see a scan of these! I just went to my LCS looking for the issue but they didn't have it (not surprisingly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groundhog7s Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 As much as I loved Palisades, I never got into the PALZ. I would have bought anything they made, but they never made a license I liked. And I second what Don said about Palisades and their fan interaction. I've never seen a company so in tune with their fans. It built loyalty in people because they knew their opinion mattered. And they gave back a lot too. I don't know how much promotional stuff I got from them from contests and working for them. I even have my name on the back of the Swedish Chef playset (IMHO the best playset ever). Too bad listening to fans doesn't pay bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skull buster Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 As I recall the initial PALz bodies looked almost identical to Minimates until someone from AA contacted them. Palisades ended up changing them. If DST wanted to solicit X-Files Minimates, I'd be all for it. Of course I'd need a second job... i would be all for that as well! what are the chances of DST contrating x-files. there are rumors of another movie being in the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antacost Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I looked through about a years worth of Toyfare, and the only Bearriors stuff that I found were of actual figures. They weren't block figures at all... Maybe it's another line you're thinking of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightViper Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I looked through about a years worth of Toyfare, and the only Bearriors stuff that I found were of actual figures. They weren't block figures at all... Maybe it's another line you're thinking of... I'm fairly confident it was Bearriors. The block figures were in it several issues after to one with the regular figures. They had a picture of a hand painted Panda I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antacost Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I've got a box full up 'til issue 79. After that, the issues are kinda spread out all over the vault. I'll do a little more digging and see if I can come up with something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groundhog7s Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I remember seeing them also, but I'm pretty sure they were a joke. If only I hadn't thrown out all of those old issues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I remember that article as well. It seemed like they were going to release Beariors Minimates and they had a few pics to back it up... Vaporware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antacost Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I have found it! It was in issue 86. And, yeah, it was a Minimate. Looks like the mock-up was a customized Mini with a Stikfas sword... Funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Thanks for keeping up the search, antacost! Great find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappy Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Okay, that looks cool! Wouldn't mind seeing these come to light for real.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jad Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I've never heard of Bearriors, but I bet that cave playset would have been sweet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I put up an article about this Pandor custom and the Bearriors over at the HQ yesterday and the customizer who made it just contacted me. Our very own MINI-MYTE was commissioned by Toyfare to make Pandor for a "hoax" article. Great work, MM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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