It IS interesting to note that the 1st AvP movie generally didn't go down too well with the fans , but the figures seemed to be hugely popular . Now , people are saying that they'll buy the figures even if the next movie stinks . This raises the question , do we need a movie to inspire us to buy a figure or would we pay out for a figure just because it was an " Alien" or "Predator" ? Kind of takes you back to the "Kenner Years" , doesn't it ?
The characters from Aliens and Predator are still being made and sold like hot cakes, even though countless toys, models, statues, and practically every other kind of collectible imaginable have been continuously produced for over 20 years running, and with no end in sight. I believe we do need a movie, or something that makes such a huge and lasting impression on so many people that they're willing to keep spending their money on things like this.
I didn't take part in the "Kenner Years" you mentioned, and I haven't spent loads of money on stuff "just because it was an Alien or Predator", although some people probably do. That said, I
do love the characters, because the original movies made such a lasting impression on me, and I feel that figures like the ones Hot Toys has been producing lately are in a way long overdue. I guess a lot of people may feel the same way about it, that we're finally able to have something that captures the excitement and awe we experienced from watching the movies quite like nothing else has before now. Statues are cool and so are action figures, but these 1/6 scale articulated figures, with all the fine detailed weapons and equipment are almost like having a piece of the movie you can own and display in your home.
In this particular case, the figures have come out
before the movie itself, which is kind of unusual. It's generally been the other way around. These new AvP:R figures by Hot Toys look amazing, and since we're figure collectors as well as movie fans, I guess that's why some of us want these figures whether the movie is good or not. I can't speak for anyone else, but at least that's how I feel about it.
