Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim (UPDATED Oct 3)

[screamingmetal]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

What are their edition sizes like? Keep in mind that Hot Toys seems to pump out thousands and thousands of figures in the more successful lines. My guess at this point is that production runs less than 7-8,000 wouldn't even be considered.

QMX edition sizes are quite small, 250 for the Refit. The point I was making is that there are quality ST collectibles at or far above Hot Toys quality out there.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I'd call the Storm Rider figure, the 2 made of the Asian singer guy, Michael Jackson, and the Crow figure taking a gamble.

Chan just dismisses Star Trek because he doesn't care for it, I don't believe it has anything to do with sales.

Well, only one Storm Rider guy is in the plans to my knowledge (and I would guess it is very popular in Asia--a major hotbed of Hot Toys sales that we often forget here in the West), Michael Jackson has been in limbo for years, the Asian singer is probably very popular in Asia and probably has a very small licensing fee, and Crow has similarities to Ledger Joker and a strong niche fanbase. But they do take random gambles every now and again.

Even if they did go after Star Trek though, based on previous history we could expect 1, maybe 2 figures unless it was a really big success, which frankly it probably wouldn't be in relation to Marvel and DC movies. Then folks would be upset and complain about it anyway. In any case, Hot Toys seems to make more good than bad decisions, based on their success thus far. You can quibble with Howard's comments here, but he's apparently got private planes, so my guess is he feels confident in his decisions as a businessman.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

QMX edition sizes are quite small, 250 for the Refit. The point I was making is that there are quality ST collectibles at or far above Hot Toys quality out there.

Well that's a big factor. Maybe there are 500-1000 hardcore Trek fans who will pay $250-300 for a high end figure. But that's not gonna cut it from Hot Toys' POV.

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I'd call the Storm Rider figure, the 2 made of the Asian singer guy, Michael Jackson, and even the Crow figure taking a gamble.

Chan just dismisses Star Trek because he doesn't care for it, I don't believe it has anything to do with sales.

The Crow by the way - a license with all of one [1] character viable as an action figure. But apparently 5 Star Trek TV shows and 12 movies over a span of 40+ years doesn't offer enough character choice.

And are we to believe that every single license they have (and have ever had) was solely bought because of Chan's personal preference? Does not one of his staff ever have an input? There's not one Star Trek fan among them? Shhhheeeeeet

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

My guess is the Crow license costs about $5.00 at this point in time

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Well whatever the case, it sucks donkey scrote for Star Trek fans. All you can get are crappy playmates whatevers. I'm not averse to what some people consider 'cheap kiddy crap' (NECA Terminators etc) but at least there's high end options aswell for Terminator, Predator, Robocop etc. For Star Trek, you aint got nuttin'. And those WOK uniforms would be incredible at high-end. In fact scratch what I said before about not personally being after Star Trek figures, there's no way I'd pass on Hot Toys Wrath of Khan figures.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

can't believe his Star Trek answer.

So because he's not a fan and the clothes are similiar *cough*iron man repaints*cugh* it's a no go

And SHIELD TV show figures

Rest sounds good, if they ever end up doing them

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I get the state of denial thinking here from Star Trek fans. I'm a Next Gen/Deep Space Nine fan myself, and would most likely buy HT versions of those guys. But the custom world is probably the only way these are realistically going to happen. Best to set realistic expectations for Hot Toys, and treat figures like the Crow for what they are--unpredictable aberrations from the norm, that are a nice surprise, but nothing to develop expectations over.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

To say "we have no plans for Star Trek" would've been ALOT better than it's because HE doesn't like it and they're "too similiar", when doing similiar figures is their number one priority

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I get the state of denial thinking here from Star Trek fans. I'm a Next Gen/Deep Space Nine fan myself, and would most likely buy HT versions of those guys. But the custom world is probably the only way these are realistically going to happen. Best to set realistic expectations for Hot Toys, and treat figures like the Crow for what they are--unpredictable aberrations from the norm, that are a nice surprise, but nothing to develop expectations over.

Oh unless this interview provokes a far more widespread reaction from Star Trek fans than merely those on this forum, then yeah the complaining will come to nothing. There'd be no chance of him reconsidering.

If he did reconsider and purchased the license (licenses? Not sure if everything would come under the same banner) I'm sure we'd only get your Kirks and Spocks, maaaybe Picard, Data and Worf - certainly no one from DS9, Voyager or Enterprise.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I prefer it when people are honest. Even if you think he's an egomaniac or wrong, it's probably what he thinks. The standard corporate response is far less interesting.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Oh unless this interview provokes a far more widespread reaction from Star Trek fans than merely those on this forum, then yeah the complaining will come to nothing. There'd be no chance of him reconsidering.

If he did reconsider and purchased the license (licenses? Not sure if everything would come under the same banner) I'm sure we'd only get your Kirks and Spocks, maaaybe Picard, Data and Worf - certainly no one from DS9, Voyager or Enterprise.

If Diamond's experience is comparable, then the classic stuff seems to be under one umbrella license. The Abrams movies has a separate license, though.

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I prefer it when people are honest. Even if you think he's an egomaniac or wrong, it's probably what he thinks. The standard corporate response is far less interesting.

True I suppose. Perhaps our reaction here is why most often you don't get such a blunt answer from a company.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

True I suppose. Perhaps our reaction here is why most often you don't get such a blunt answer from a company.

If you are upset about Howard's responses, then you shouldn't complain about sanitized, vague, corporate BS responses *glares at Sideshow*

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Very well then. I'm OK with his honesty, I just think he's

 

[karamazov80]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Yet he comes home every night, opens his garage door, and looks at this:

If he is wrong, is it better to be right?

 

[Shaun & Ed Fan]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

I very much agree but I think his position reads like it stands for the entire franchise, not just the reboot.

I got the feeling he was talking reboot!
I mean the classic films there are so many different looks to the cast!

 

[EVILFACE]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

lol at all the butt hurt people because Chan doesn't like Star Trek.

Just because someone might sell, doesn't mean you have to make it. You also have to have some interest in the product.

 

[Platty]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Really pleased to hear they are still doing resident evil 6! And of course MGS.

 

[a-dev]

Re: Howard Chan Interview Session - Toy People - trans. by Charles Lim

Various Star Trek characters react to Howard Chan's recent comments on proposed Star Trek figures from Hot Toys:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EigIujKxDcE[/ame]