DC non-Minimates anyone?

[MisterPL]

Suppose DC Direct decided the only way they could continue to offer DC block figures was to do it all themselves.

They'd start from scratch, develop a block figure body in the same scale as 2-inch Minimates, and have a style all their own. This way they wouldn't have to farm out design chores to DST/AA and put that cost savings into more comfortable margins or even right into the product.

My question is: How brand loyal are you? If these aren't Minimates™, would you still be interested?

[Rad]

Probably wouldn't be interested. DC already tried their own mini-figures and they were pretty dreadful.

[comedian]

I suppose I'd have to see em first. I could be won over if I knew that the line was going to last awhile and cover a great multitude of characters. Price point might mean something (IE too high and I wouldn't be interested I guess).

But in all honesty I'm not sure that I could get enough assurances that the above could be satisfied, and so I probablywould pass on them, unless they looked really, really good.

All things being equal, I'd prefer they just stick with the Mates, if possible.

[buttheadsmate]

I bought Palz ,I buy Kubricks,I don't buy LEGO & I'd buy any 'interesting' generic block-figure but I JUST LOVE MINIMATES

[drgnrbrn316]

My loyalty lies with brand, not license. So, if DC made their own not-quite-Minimates, they'd sit on a shelf next to all the other crap they put out that I don't buy.

[murderofcrows]

My loyalty lies with brand, not license. So, if DC made their own not-quite-Minimates, they'd sit on a shelf next to all the other crap they put out that I don't buy.

what he said.

[Shanester]

I'd really have to see them first. I don't have DC Kubricks and I doubt I'd have DCD mini figures that are not Minimates.

[hellpop]

I can't see how this would be successful. Minimates have a built in name and audience; why DCD would think they could do things better then Art Asylum is beyond me. I remember looking at Pocket Superheroes and thinking "what's the point? They should just do Minimates."

Maybe they'll do DC Shockinis!!!!

[boyd]

I remember DC Direct's Pocket Superheroes. I have little faith that they could design a good block figure. They would have to be a phenominal figure to make me interested.

[TBT!]

I'd probably skip them, for a start we'd get bats/supes variants all over again!

Secondly they'd have to do a damn find job to beat minimates as a block figure.

Thirdly yeah I have brand loyalty to minimates.

Lastly.... Pocket heroes say's it all!

T.

[Trekker 42]

I can't see how this would be successful. Minimates have a built in name and audience; why DCD would think they could do things better then Art Asylum is beyond me. I remember looking at Pocket Superheroes and thinking "what's the point? They should just do Minimates."

Maybe they'll do DC Shockinis!!!![

AAUGHHH! The pain! PAIN!

Also, I thought Pocket Heroes were not that bad. If only I could find them cheap enough with the right characters I would get some more.

[Jatta Pake]

I'd really have to see them first. I don't have DC Kubricks and I doubt I'd have DCD mini figures that are not Minimates.

My thoughts exactly.

I'd much rather see DC Direct re-negotiate with DST. To be fair to DC Direct, I think they can make a strong case that DC Minimates strengthen the overall brand for DST.

A new non-Minimates block figure would be a lose-lose for DC Direct and DST. The last thing DST would want is more competition with a new brand. And the sales for the non-Minimates DC figures would suck. The niche isn't big enough for two styles, in my opinion.

Would this expand into World of Warcraft non-Minimates figures? Other licenses?

Bad idea. Normally I think competition is great, but I think the end result would torpedo both Minimates and the new contender.

Anyone have counter-arguments or thoughts?

[Lobsterman]

To be fair to DC Direct, I think they can make a strong case that DC Minimates strengthen the overall brand for DST.

You have it backwards. I think Minimates strengthens the overall branding opportunities for DC. The more licenses DST expands into, the more people are going to want to collect a reciprocal line of DC characters.

And I have to concur: I think DCD putting out their own homebrew block figures would be the only thing more frustrating than not doing them at all. It would be a gigantic eff-you to Minimates collectors, and I'm not sure what other audience they'd be burning us in favor of. As shoddy as Pocket Heroes were, they were an effort to resuscitate the glory days of Mego's line, which had a legitimate fan base. But, they're done with those. I can't imagine the cost of dealing with the Kubrick folks being cheaper than DST. Lego already has the Batman license, and it doesn't seem like DCD has anything to do with that.

The 3 3/4" figure hypothesis still seems the most likely.

[TBT!]

I agree with the Lobster... minimates added to the DC brand more than DC did to minimates.

I'd also like to add that if they were mostly bought by DC fans then will they feel once (twice even) bitten twice (thrice) shy and unlikely to want to invest in yet another new block figure line after Shelfpeg-heroes and Minimates were dropped?

T.

[buttheadsmate]

Always been a Marvel-man but I thought the DC Series 'as an entirity' was superb. There are individually better 'mates in different genres but so far out of the 56 ,yes, 56 characters(soon to be 64) there aren't many sad items. I repeat I'm a Marvel fan,a Marvel Minimate fan but can that honestly be said about the Marvel Line?

Of course I wouldn't buy a 'DC- Non' because DC 'mates 'll be back....it is written

[Jatta Pake]

I guess I'll play Devil's Advocate with Lobsterman and TBT, and argue DC has helped the Minimates brand more than Minimates have helped the DC brand.

Now with me personally, Minimates are what got me into DC. I'd never read a DC comic book until I started collecting DC Minimates. The same may be true for TBT and Lobsterman. But I think you are ignoring an important element.

Minimates success has everything to do with diversity of brand. Yes, they are designed addictively like plastic crack. But they couldn't claim to be the "second coming of Mego" without the rich diversity of the Minimates universe. I remember the day when I bought a Minimates Spider-Man and a Minimates Superman from the C3 set. Two amazing universes in the same addictive scale and design were in my hands.

Minimates have had a tough history and faced stiff competition from other "action figures" and "block figures". Would they have been successful on the Marvel brand alone? Would we even be here today at the "multi"verse if the brand was limited to Marvel? I don't think so.

DC Minimates are pulling in DC comics fans who are now buying Star Trek Minimates so they can have Captain Kirk and Batman standing side-by-side on their bedroom shelf. More so than Star Trek fans are now buying DC comics to go with their Superman Minimates. DC Minimates "import" more fans to Minimates than Minimates "export" to the DC brand.

DC is a flagship brand and the Minimates brand needs as many flagships as possible to continue to grow. Marvel is clearly the primary flagship with Star Trek in DST's batter's box. But without DC, I don't think the brand has the strength to flourish. BSG and Dr. Who are nice, but neither commands they types of numbers of comic fans. More so now with all the superhero movies on the horizon.

Ok, gents, tell me how I'm wrong!

[TBT!]

Ok, gents, tell me how I'm wrong!

Hehe Stop waving that red-rag to my Bull! (and I dont mean the type you think I'm talking )

Firstly Flagship means the one line that was the rally point the leader if you will, That has and probably (recent scare aside) will be Marvel.

You yourself admit that without Minimates you'd have not dabbled in DC ( trades comics, toys or whatever)... How many licenses do mates have? How many possible sources of new converts? Lets say 7 licenses and growing (24, marvel, DC, BttF, BSG, Trek, Rocky ) So DC is 1/7th of the market that minimates cover, therefore by your theory there are 7 times as many people dabbling in DC as there are DC fans dabbling in other mates.

But there were more people buying DC mates than Rocky I hear you cry? not necisarily true, if that were the case then how come Rocky is getting a new wave of rocky3 and DC is cancelled? huh mr smarty pants...

Yeah I know it's on shaky ground ( More like balanced on the nose of a seal thats jumping on a trampoline during an earthquake) but heck I just had to respond (Mostly as a tongue in cheek excuse to tell JP he's wrong ) before I left the house for the evening

T.

[murderofcrows]

I guess I'll play Devil's Advocate with Lobsterman and TBT, and argue DC has helped the Minimates brand more than Minimates have helped the DC brand.

Now with me personally, Minimates are what got me into DC. I'd never read a DC comic book until I started collecting DC Minimates. The same may be true for TBT and Lobsterman. But I think you are ignoring an important element.

Minimates success has everything to do with diversity of brand. Yes, they are designed addictively like plastic crack. But they couldn't claim to be the "second coming of Mego" without the rich diversity of the Minimates universe. I remember the day when I bought a Minimates Spider-Man and a Minimates Superman from the C3 set. Two amazing universes in the same addictive scale and design were in my hands.

Minimates have had a tough history and faced stiff competition from other "action figures" and "block figures". Would they have been successful on the Marvel brand alone? Would we even be here today at the "multi"verse if the brand was limited to Marvel? I don't think so.

DC Minimates are pulling in DC comics fans who are now buying Star Trek Minimates so they can have Captain Kirk and Batman standing side-by-side on their bedroom shelf. More so than Star Trek fans are now buying DC comics to go with their Superman Minimates. DC Minimates "import" more fans to Minimates than Minimates "export" to the DC brand.

DC is a flagship brand and the Minimates brand needs as many flagships as possible to continue to grow. Marvel is clearly the primary flagship with Star Trek in DST's batter's box. But without DC, I don't think the brand has the strength to flourish. BSG and Dr. Who are nice, but neither commands they types of numbers of comic fans. More so now with all the superhero movies on the horizon.

Ok, gents, tell me how I'm wrong!

actually you are not wrong at all. in fact i will go you one better.. dc and marvel are not only flagships they are also the anchor to kids. During the last Q&A I asked if the shift was aimed more to collectors, and I was told it is still very much aimed at kids. If the focus is is kids, R Rated movie Waves ( Silence of the Lambs, FFD Trilogy) are not easily recognizable to the average 7 year old. Superman and Spiderman ARE. So in my opinion...Minimates Needs DC! (to keep the kids)

[Reideen1313]

No. Why? What have you heard?

I'd suggest - mind you, it may just be more absent minded ramblings, but a suggestion none the less - Dr Who is possibly more popular in some parts of the world than Superman or Batman.

But, Minimates aren't for sale in those countries anymore....

[MINI_MYTE]

It's minimates or nothing for me. I have absolutely no interest in a new brand of block figure. DCD would be wise to listen to the masses and not "tell us" what we should like (if they actually decided to go this route someday). If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[HotstufflouieB]

I stopped collecting Marvel Legends and basically everything else I was collecting to become a Mini-maniac. I'd stay away from them unless they had accessories that could be useful to minimates

[Lobsterman]

okay, okay...

Obviously the future of DC as a successful company doesn't hinge on minimates. And I recognize that minimates rely on core, mass-appeal brands like DC to sell well.

I just don't think one should discount how much an establushed brand like Minimates brings to the table for DC Direct. Mattel's DCUC is going to be big competition for what they've tried to establish as their niche: well-sculpted, collector-targeted figures. I think it would behove DCD to hang on to as many other sure bets as they can.

[cesium salami]

I bought the DC minimates because they were stylisticly similar to their Marvel and movie counterparts. So, would I buy another type of DC block figure, even though other minimate lines were still producing new product? No way.

I've always considered minimates as one big toyline with different licenses, and not different licenses under the same banner.

[super spider piggy]

I don't get why everybody hates Pocket Heroes. They brought us the JLA table.

And the figures were pretty cool.

But please DCD please don't cancel DC Minimates and replace with some other type of block figure. I STILL need my Aztek!

[The Avenger]

No. I love minimates, not just any random block figure. If DCD wants my business, then they want to keep the minimate brand.