DC Direct doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

[MisterPL]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Whoever came up with the idea of multipacks should be fired immediately.

I suspect that would be retailers.

 

[MisterPL]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

So how are they going to give us the remaining BTAS figures if they have to do a multipack? Not sure how Two Face and Scarecrow would fit together.

An Arkham Asylum 5-pack leaps to mind. Gotta find a spot for Hugo Strange, right?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

An Arkham Asylum 5-pack leaps to mind. Gotta find a spot for Hugo Strange, right?

That's a great idea! I could see that working with a Doctor Harleen Quinzel in the bunch as well.

 

[DiFabio]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Historically, multi "value" packs are the sign of a dying line that is about to end.

Hasbro Animated Batman

Right before Mattel obtained the license rights for Batman, Hasbro was pumping out those value packs that would contain one new or retooled character. One Ventriloquist, Talia, Alfred, Gordon, etc. amongst a sea of repacked Batman repaints. I think the line ended with the Shadowcast line. A line of packs and repainted vehicles and playsets. Ironically, I think the very last item before Hasbro's Batman line went capital was the Shadowcast Batcave with Alfred . . .

Toy Biz Marvel Legends

All those gift sets, mostly Spider-Man themed, that featured a couple of "new" characters. The line of basic figures were pretty much dead mid-2000s, but they were still pumping out those Deluxe gift sets that shelf warmed toys r us for years.

Toy Biz Lord of the Rings

Started out with a huge line up of characters and variety and went through 4 phases of production before the line died in 2005. Like Marvel Legends, Toy Biz made a ton of Deluxe gift packs before going out to pasture. "Pelennor fields" gift set, "Lothorien" gift set, "Helms Deep" gift set, multiple themed three packs like that were usually characters related to a particular scene.


Mattel DC universe classics

Went nuts with themed Deluxe sets before the line ended. "Gotham City 5", "The Crime Syndicate", "Power Struggle", "Mad Love", "Fists of Clay", "Space Heroes". Etc. not DCUC, but most recently you could see it with Mattel's 66' Batman line where everything ended up being a Deluxe gift set whether it was a Batcave, a Batgirl 3 pack, or a Batmobile with Batman and Robin.




If they had trouble moving $28 single characters, I don't see why they think a 5 pack where the selling point is a flimsy cardboard box "playset" with chintzy LED lights is going to help. They're killing themselves with these expensive packs. The original intent of "Deluxe gift sets" was getting multiple figures for a bargain and the plus being new characters. With what they're doing, they could be single figures and still cost roughly the same. $55 Superman and Lois? $174 Rogues Gallery pack? $60 Beyond Batman and Bruce Wayne? $70 Dark Knight Returns? It's crazy.

Now that they confirmed that singles is pretty much dead, I'll give them a couple of sets before Animated Batman goes bye bye. I expect in the next year they're going to double down on expensive themed packs. Here's what I'm thinking if it follows the same vein as Superman and Lois.

- Two-Face and Harvey Dent
- Scarecrow and something
- Gray Ghost and Retro Batman
- Bruce Wayne and Grayson
- Batman and HARDAC Batman sword battling

- Batcycles two pack with Batman and Robin helmeted heads


The reality will probably be some kind of huge push for Harley Quinn and Batman related packs. Maybe a Robin expression pack.

 

[gaunted]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I don't see the line dying but I do feel like forcing people to buy a fivepack will push quite a few casual collectors out
If you only want Croc and Ivy you're not buying a five pack
if you want all five and can't afford to dish out the extra money for the cardboard box and lights you don't care for, you're not buying a five pack

It's foolish, IMO, but that could also just be me being jaded because this box set doesn't work for me and my budget for this series

 

[S. Griffin]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I don't see the line dying but I do feel like forcing people to buy a fivepack will push quite a few casual collectors out
If you only want Croc and Ivy you're not buying a five pack
if you want all five and can't afford to dish out the extra money for the cardboard box and lights you don't care for, you're not buying a five pack

It's foolish, IMO, but that could also just be me being jaded because this box set doesn't work for me and my budget for this series

I only wanted Terry McGuinness as Batman (no real interest in old Bruce and Ace), Livewire from the "Girls Night Out" pack (already had and sold a few of the others, and Supergirl is pretty messed up IMO), and probably Mr. Freeze, especially if they fix that weird smile he has going, from the new five pack, so...yeah.

 

[World'sGreatestDetective]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I only wanted Terry McGuinness as Batman (no real interest in old Bruce and Ace), Livewire from the "Girls Night Out" pack (already had and sold a few of the others, and Supergirl is pretty messed up IMO), and probably Mr. Freeze, especially if they fix that weird smile he has going, from the new five pack, so...yeah.

He's not "smiling", buddy.
It's optical illusion caused by his upper lip's shadow mixing with the black line of the mouth.

When you have a close-up look, you see that's all good and he's serious (neutral expression).

 

[S. Griffin]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Either way. I'm not buying a five pack.

 

[World'sGreatestDetective]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Either way. I'm not buying a five pack.

I'm not happy either. In fact, I've stressed out many times here how much I hate multipacks.
Never wanted Montoya, only those 4 villians.

I'm lucky because I want 4 out of 5, with the 5th figure at least being quite great. So, I guess I can live with Montoya. Still hate that silly box, though.
But I perfectly understand your situation and many other's... There are several collectors out there that only want 1 or 2 figures, so they have no choice but to look for loose figures online, which is really sad.

My time will come, when they announce Two-Face and Scarecrow with 3 other figures I never wanted. Let's see what will happen. I'll probably have to get those two loose.

As I said before, whoever came up with the idea of multipacks should be fired immediately.

 

[MisterPL]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

That's a great idea! I could see that working with a Doctor Harleen Quinzel in the bunch as well.

I was thinking TNBA Penguin and Mad Hatter could include Dr. Quinzel (since she didn't appear in TAS in that persona) and a straitjacketed Joker in Arkham jumpsuit. We'd just need one more.

But I'm totally down with another box set hosted by Hugo.

 

[S. Griffin]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I'm not happy either. In fact, I've stressed out many times here how much I hate multipacks.
Never wanted Montoya, only those 4 villians.

I'm lucky because I want 4 out of 5, with the 5th figure at least being quite great. So, I guess I can live with Montoya. Still hate that box, though.
But I perfectly understand your situation and many other's... There are several collectors out there that only want 1 or 2 figures, so they have no choice but to look for loose figures online, which is really sad.

My time will come, when they announce Two-Face and Scarecrow with 3 other figures I never wanted. Let's see what will happen. I'll probably have to get those two loose.

As I said before, whoever came up with the idea of multipacks should be fired immediately.

As much as I dislike it, I think I can understand the decision...or at least, the process of the decision. Every shop around me, either has the single figures piling up or they've stopped ordering them. I can't say that this is the situation everywhere, but the figures don't seem to be moving the way DCC, or we as collectors who want them to make more and more figures, would like. I can see how it would at least seem to make good business sense, in that situation, to make the same number of figures, but have fewer SKUs for the shops to buy and sell. It could also bite them in the ass with collectors who for budgetary or whatever other reasons, decided to only focus on core favorites.

 

[DiFabio]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Had it not been a 5 pack, I'm sure people would buy multiple singles too. I'd have gone nuts with Freeze but being in an expensive 5 pack, that ain't happening. Yeah S. griffin the stores and local comic stores are like that around here too, but $28 is a hard sale for pegwarmers like Creeper, Etrigan, first issue Harley Quinn, TNBA Ivy, etc.

In addition to the loose BTAS figures, I was building up a MOC collection because I liked how the characters looked lined up on the wall. I didn't really care about missing the TNBA numbers or it being out of order because it looked nice. Thankfully I wasn't that deep into it (only have Batman, Robin, Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Mad Hatter and Man-Bat carded) so now that there is confirmation that single figures are dead, I don't care. I'm going to keep it loose, if I get anymore at all. Boxes are getting trashed.

They got to think about space too. Who the hell is going to want to keep that long, flimsy, horizontal box, (especially folks that have been all in with the Batmobile, Batplane, signals, etc.)? If it's anything like Mattel's exclusives, over time, that LED won't even work when the flap is opened up. Those electronic cardboard boxes are notorious for having wiring and battery issues because it's literally a small contraption glued into a cardboard box. It won't last.

Should have either sold them individually carded in a Wave like they had been doing (no work or cost involved since the box wouldn't need a lighting system or crazy production folds/flaps and illustration graphics) or bundle packed the 5 of them in a plain old cardboard mailer box with just the BTAS red and black Batman logo or something. If/when this thing doesn't sell and it's used as a scapegoat for why the line died, it's their fault. Same with that Batcave which is currently the only way to get Alfred.

You would think after how pissed people got with the Deluxe Batmobile, Batman, Robin and Batsignal set, they'd cut it out, but I have a feeling they're just going to double down on it. If they aren't doing well and sales are bad, don't keep making the same mistakes and developing big expensive sets that push people away. Look at your individual single figures and see what needs to be cut out so you can offer a $20 figure instead of a $30 one. Cut out the bases, cut some of the articulation (oh wait, they already have), just give Mr. Freeze his freeze gun, snow globe and a gripping hand and apply this concept to everyone of the figures and I'm sure things would go better.

These gift set packs should have been for less desirable characters and less desirable versions of characters. Why the hell did they allow themselves to have TNBA Two-Face, TNBA Freeze, TNBA Riddler, TNBA Croc, TNBA Bane, TNBA Ivy as singles before getting the classic versions out there first? If anything, the TNBA ones should have been regulated to these packs (not all of them, just the tough sellers).

 

[whakojacko]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I don't see the line dying but I do feel like forcing people to buy a fivepack will push quite a few casual collectors out
If you only want Croc and Ivy you're not buying a five pack
if you want all five and can't afford to dish out the extra money for the cardboard box and lights you don't care for, you're not buying a five pack

It's foolish, IMO, but that could also just be me being jaded because this box set doesn't work for me and my budget for this series

I don't see it as being jaded. The box set works for me. I planned on getting all of these characters before they were announced even if they had all come singly in the same wave. I would have bought them all at once on day one. That being said, I personally see it as foolish too, putting them all together in one pack. For all the reasons you and DiFabio mentioned. Plus I understand how a pack like this really cuts out a lot of collectors, again, for the reasons you guys mentioned. So, even though I will be purchasing it, I am still against them releasing it this way. Some people also don't seem to understand that cutting out other collectors is bad for them. Because if these things don't sell well enough... the figures quit getting produced. As I said I'm "ok" with THIS set personally (overpriced a bit though) but I might not be onboard with whatever they put in the next one. I'd rather have the option to choose which figures I buy.

 

[MisterPL]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Historically, multi "value" packs are the sign of a dying line that is about to end.

The difference being that DCC's first 5-pack was exactly what you described; sets that only featured a couple new figures. The direction they're heading in is the opposite; all-new figures. The GCPD 5-pack is not a "value set" by any stretch. It's a way to force retailers into getting their customers to pay the full MSRP of $28 per figure.

The lower the retail price, the more sales needed to make the line profitable. Apparently the new CFO at DCE doesn't think there's enough volume for every figure DCC wants to make for its fans. Multipacks are the solution. Whether it's actually viable is something we'll soon see.

Obviously the $50 price is working for the Batman Expressions set or we wouldn't be seeing the Joker set. However that's not a price point or concept for every character. It's unlikely we'll ever get a Harvey Bullock Expressions set but I think a Two-Face Expressions set could happen.

What's interesting is that the GCPD 5-pack does feature individually packaged figures. While I'm sure that's for presentation in packaging, it also allows collectors to sell off what they don't want while keeping the product itself mint. As someone who's been coerced into buying cases of product just to get the chase figure, I can appreciate that.

 

[DiFabio]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

Yeah, I hope it works out for them.

As for the Joker expressions pack, remember, that hasn't gone up for order yet. I think they said at Toy Fair that it wouldn't be out until March 2018 or something crazy like that. It could easily go the way of DCC's DC film universe line which was dead after just two figures.

I admire their ambition and variety to this line, but I still think they've made stupid decisions since the beginning. These companies start out all buzzing about the potential and longevity of what they're doing, but that tapers off. I personally think it's suicide how they've put the Batcave and Alfred up for order when stores are still trying to sell not only the Batwing, but the regular Batmobile and Deluxe Batmobile as well. Not just online, but in comic shops as well. I don't see how this tactic of going all in with ONLY big ticket items is going to work out for them. Unless the plan is to nosedive the line, which doesn't make any sense to me. You have these huge sets that are going to take up inventory space, plus a high asking price, and they're just doubling down on all of it. What's the cheapest/smallest thing they're going to have for customers? A $50 "ultimate Batman" or Joker in the form of expression packs (which are pretty big box wise like Clayface and Man-Bat). $65 two or three packs? It feels like they're shooting themselves in the foot just as they've done since Wave 1.

If it the line ended tomorrow with everything that's been shown getting released, ending it there, I'd say it was a pretty impressive run from the vehicles alone. It's not perfect but it's pretty expansive (though I may think otherwise if Two-Face and Scarecrow aren't made). I still think how/when and who they realeased was silly. The line should have started with BTAS and evolved over the years into TNBA, Worlds Finest, Batman Beyond, etc. Not this inconsistent modge podge of sticking to episode specific characters (which didn't even last long), 3:1, 1:3 wave assortments and this attitude of "don't worry, we'll do the classic characters later, this line has infinite possibilities, here's a D-list joke figure for ****s and giggles".

 

[gaunted]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

As much as I dislike it, I think I can understand the decision...or at least, the process of the decision. Every shop around me, either has the single figures piling up or they've stopped ordering them. I can't say that this is the situation everywhere, but the figures don't seem to be moving the way DCC, or we as collectors who want them to make more and more figures, would like. I can see how it would at least seem to make good business sense, in that situation, to make the same number of figures, but have fewer SKUs for the shops to buy and sell. It could also bite them in the ass with collectors who for budgetary or whatever other reasons, decided to only focus on core favorites.

If these figures aren't selling it's got nothing to do with the designs or lack of want, but everything to do with the cost of the figures.
at $30 a pop, most people can likely only grab one or two from a series. And that's in the US, in Canada, taxes in, we're looking at close to $40 per figure...
You can either spend $200 for five 6" figures or put that money towards an HT or a statue instead, you used to be able to get a full set for half that price

I agree with above, just tone it down on some accessories and bases and bring them to the $20 level, but I'm also someone who isn't opening his collection, someone who opens will surely rather pay the extra $10 for more options, and I get that, too

 

[Animal Mother.]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I think the constant delays every year also were a really big problem and slowed down the initial enthusiasm and momentum.

 

[Bill]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

I am old enough to have collected the original kenner line. I hate the 4 packs because you have
to buy three repainted figures to get one new villain. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
also made some tnba and btas
missing characters like the Grey Ghost, Firefly, TNBA Scarecrow, etc but the size of Tnba Bane for example
in the Justice League Unlimited was hilarious and an insult.

After 22 years (from 1992 to 2014) we finally get upgraded figures and an opportunity to make
never before seen characters (like Montoya, Bullock and Roxy Rocket). I believe this is a good
chance to have a good and complete collection (and not a "Three parter" like I´ve explained above)

The "controversial" five pack is a good idea I believe, if you are a hardcore Batman Animated fan
you would love the five characters (all new) and the prison with lights as well. Who wouldn´t want a prison
to play or to showcase?

I love Batman Animated series, I love this line and I wish it continues because there are still so
many possibilities there. If they cannot make single packs then made multi packs but with all new figures

1) Pretty Poison Two Pack featuring Pamela Isley and Harvey Dent

2) Grayson and Tony Zucco

3) Appointment in Crime Alley 3 pack featuring Bruce Wayne, Roland Dagget and Leslie Tompkins

4) Hardac Batman and Hamilton Hill

5) Two Face 2 pack featuring Two Face and Rupert Thorne

6) Arkham diorama with Maxie Zeus, Scarecrow, Lock up, Clock King and Hugo Strange

7) Selina Kyle and Red Claw

8) Gray Ghost and Mad Bomber

9) Batboat (two seater please)

11) Batcycle

 

[josemanuelr8212]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

My x- mas present finally has arrive ..

And allow me to tell you guys .. this is amazing its an animal ...

A beast .!!!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[batfan08]

Re: DC Collectibles doing Batman The Animated Series figures!!!!!

When it comes to that 5-pack, all I can say is they'd better up their game for that price, because that "prototype" packaging looks chintzy as ****, and that **** better be collector friendly as hell, if they're touting it as a featured item. I think the price is ****ing ridiculous, but, as someone who gets most of these figures at a discount, it doesn't affect me quite as much as it might some others. I'm with people on multi-packs being lame, though, and I still think they should've included Cardigan and Helmet Alfred with the Batwing as an alternative to the Batcave set.