Randy here with post-SDCC 2013 commentary.
Nowadays, the majority of my (VERY) limited means goes towards NECA (and Nerf) and I really wanted to see what they up their sleeve This was especially true about up-coming ALIENS and Predator figures.
Randy Falk has been teasing about Series 2 and the new Colonial Marine for several months now. Teasing that the Marine would have long sleeves and flame unit, theories abounded at which of the character the figure would be.
At SDCC, Series 2 was revealed as 1979 Alien, Sgt. Craig Windrix and Alien Warrior.
Sgt. WHO?!
Randy Falk and NECA decided that they wanted to honor Craig Windrix, brother of sculptor supreme Kyle, who is battling Advance Stage 4 Stomach Cancer. Between them and 20th Century Fox, they were able to gain approval to go ahead with this unique marine with specialized armor graffiti. Part of me was a little miffed at the “mystery” teasings to a character not in ALIENS(I was SOOOO hoping for Apone!). But I’m not a monster and this really is a very nice gesture as well as kinda amazing that the studio went along with it! All my best to the Windrix family.
According to NECA, “Leading the lineup is a brand new version of the original 1979 Alien, which features an all-new sculpt with over 30 points of articulation and stands over 9″ tall.
Figure #2 is the Aliens Warrior, which stands over 9″ tall and has more than 30 points of articulation, including a bendable tail, hinged jaw, and sliding inner mouth. This version of the Warrior features blue costume highlights and a glossy, wet appearance.
The final figure in this new assortment is here to fight the Xenomorphs: Colonial Marine Sgt. Windrix stands approx 7″ tall and features shoulder camera, motion tracker, and flamethrower accessories, along with newly sculpted long sleeved arms bearing his sergeant stripes.”
Painted images of the Marine Vs. Alien two pack-Hicks w/helmet and Blue Alien Warrior:
Oh that’s GOTTA HURT!
I’m a fan of the battle-damaged look, way back when NECA showed their Gears of War Headshot Locust Drone figure back in 2008 or so. It’s a great way to give dynamic action to displays while army building and being cost effective in reusing more of the previous made tools.
Here’s both Hicks and Hudson’s helmeted versions.
I do so love huge convention displays-and NECA’s doesn’t disappoint with this Predator display!
Check out that Final Battle 2 pack on the right with Arnold vs. Predator. Toys R Us exclusive coming in October!
An interesting thing happened at NECA during the convention, due in large part to consumer responses. On display was a Thermal Vision Dutch, a figure that hadn’t been planned for any series. It was believed to be an exclusive of some kind, perhaps even the SDCC 2014 exclusive for NECA.
But between Preview Night and close, the figure blew up!
What does that mean?
Predator Series 11 WAS scheduled to have Elder Predator V2-NOT ANY MORE! It has been pulled and Series 11 now includes Wasp Predator, Armored Combat Lost Predator(if you clink the link, you’ll see the postponed Elder Pred), and Thermal Vision Dutch, coming in December!
Here’s the real reason that NECA should do more 1/4 figures-ARNOLD!
Talk about an icon BORN for 1/4 scale immortality!
And if you didn’t hear, the new licenses for NECA announced at SDCC include:
-Batman: Arkham Origins (the Grapnel Prop Replica was on display-GameStop exclusive for Oct)
–Planet of the Apes(“We have the Apes license for both modern & classic. Planning on doing a lot with it. A fave since childhood!”-Randy Falk)
–Godzilla (2014)
–Diablo
For your 1/4 scale fans: “A 1/4 scale Arkham Origins Batman will follow West & Keaton… TV Robin & Ledger Joker also planned!!”-Randy Falk
One last ALIEN/S bit of info from Randy Falk. When asked about the truth to the possibility of Weyland-Yutani mercentaries from ALIEN 3, he responded, True. Series 4 or 5 most likely.
Unexpected, to say the least, but then again, getting to series 4 or 5 in this economy is a miracle! We shall see…
I really have an obsession with the Republic Gunship!
Maybe it’s because it resembles a Mi-24 Hind D. Maybe because it is one of the cooler ships to come out of the Prequels. Maybe because it isn’t derivative of the Original Trilogy. Whatever the reason, I have many versions of it and am especially happy to have the first version Hasbro did for it back in 2002. I’ve been picking up Clone Troopers to man it ever since! But I digress…
I’m glad to see it re-released finally AND including the gun turrets that can manned by the troopers! I always thought it was a crappy move to release them separately and make people hunt for the boxed packs. Still though, $120 seems kinda high, but I could just be being cheap. The set includes a Clone Pilot, Clone Trooper and Yoda, so that helps a little with the price tag.
But I’m keeping an eye out for this in November… though what “Star Wars Exclusive” mean I have no idea!
(Bet it’s a TRU exclusive-RANDY)
Escaping the SoCal heat, I was pleasantly surprised at Target to find some of the 6 in. Star Wars Black Series 1 figures. No Sandtrooper to be seen, but the Luke X-Wing Pilot, Darth Maul and R2-D2 were there, SRP $19.99. I have to say that in person, they are quite impressive. Maul looks good as well, coming with a separate head. The Luke X-Wing pilot caught my eye, with fleeting hopes of doing a custom me. I was really dug that the R2-D2 came with so many accessories, allowing you to make him from many of the movies. I think it is a good start to the line, though I think the popularity of the line will really depend on the lineups of each future series. At $20 a pop, I don’t think they can afford any figures to be peg sitters.
At Comic Con, Hasbro announced that their first vehicle in the 6 inch SW Black line will be the Speeder Bike with Biker Scout-which makes me VERY HAPPY! BUT… it won’t be released until Fall 2014-which makes me VERY SAD! Also, that there were no photos of it shown-yet! Time to practice some patience.
Series 2 of Star Wars Black includes Han Solo (Star Wars), Greedo, Leia-Slave Outfit and Boba Fett (The Empire Strikes Back), due in late 2013.
Series 3 was premiered at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2 in Germany and included Luke Skywalker-Bespin Gear, Obi Wan Kenobi (Revenge of the Sith) and Stormtrooper. No date yet on when they will be released, but fair guess would be early 2014.
Speaking of Boba Fett, I have to bring up the SDCC Exclusive Boba Fett & Carbonite Han… and the continuing debacle of obtaining exclusive figures.
We’ve been covering Comic Con for years here at Action Figure Times. Myself, Toygodd and Umpire have been going for at fifteen years. And yet, in all that time, Hasbro NEVER seems to get the sale of exclusives RIGHT!
My cousins, veterans of SDCC, wanted to get a hold of the Exclusive Boba Fett & Carbonite Han set.
They did not succeed-and they tried all four days!
In their words:
We know all about having to get in line early and that’s what we did. Saturday we were on line by 3am. 3am! Yet this was still not good enough to get a ticket! All we wanted was one Boba Fett. We tried the after convention sale today, yet sitting by the screen for hours only succeeded in creating more frustration: we got as far as the last step, #5 place order, only to be told that the item in the cart was temporarily out of stock. (Using paypal slowed the process down a few seconds too many.)
They, obviously, are NOT the only ones that ran into this problem. And this is not a new problem.
PLENTY of other companies have had problems with Comic Con Exclusives, but they have gone forward to learn from their mistakes. And the company that has done it best is Sideshow. THAT model is what Hasbro should emulate! At Sideshow’s booth over the recent years, there have been no lines around the convention hall, no going from a line to another room across and above the convention hall, no halting of purchases halfway through the day due to “running out of product” and, most of all, not having to spend days in line when you should be ENJOYING THE CONVENTION.
Why are you, apparently, the only one who is surprised at the amount of people that want to purchase your products?
Why won’t you build a system to pre-order your exclusive figures and have them picked up at SDCC, Hasbro?
Let me help you out.
You, Hasbro, have a website where people can purchase your products, just like Sideshow.
Therefore:
-You can put the SDCC items up for pre-order prior to con.
-You can limit the amount of figures purchases that can be made.
-You can know how many figures you should produce.
-You can know how many figures are needed to be brought with you to con.
-You can have people who cannot go to the show pre-order for shipment after the con.
Don’t you want to sell more product?
Don’t you want to make money?
Don’t you want to keep fans/buyers happy so they’ll buy more?
WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO FIX, HASBRO?!
-sigh-
Guess it’s time to bring the fight to Hasbro’s door!
In the words of Ron Burgandy, “THAT escalated quickly.”
I didn’t expect to be so ranty today. But I won’t apologize for it.
We’ll see about more SDCC info soon.
Be seeing you!
RANDY
(My thanks to TOYGODD for the photo work he did at SDCC this year. He’s a monster!)