Author Topic: 2012 Movie Heroes Battle Packs  (Read 45864 times)

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #75 on: April 20, 2012, 11:18 AM »
The only thing that really bothers me here is the sculpted on holster.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #76 on: April 20, 2012, 05:04 PM »
I'm not a huge fan, and honestly this still doesn't look like a "retro" figure to me other than the blonde hair.  But if this is the way the line goes I'll happily bow out.  Anything more than $5 a pop is too much IMO for figures that are this big a drop in terms of features/quality.  It's not horrible if you look at it from a certain POV, but fails miserably next to the Vintage Collection version of the same character in just about every way IMO.
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Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #77 on: April 20, 2012, 05:21 PM »
The thing I still don't understand is how taking the Bespin Luke, Darth Vader and Boba Fett figures from the ESB Vintage wave and putting them in this pack isn't CHEAPER for Hasbro?

I thought the most expensive part of the process of getting a "new" figure sculpt out into a store was the $$$ spent on tooling and machining the new mold parts.

I still say that these figures were originally intended for stores like "Five Below" - minimal packaging, minimal articulation, minimal paint applications, modest sculpting - and when DePriest was fired/removed from the Star Wars brand, they scrapped plans for a cheaper line and were left holding the bag on a dozen or less, of these Dollar Store level figures.

My ultimate hope is that these Battlepacks languish at retail just like the "Rebel Heroes" and "Geonosis Arena" battlepacks have showing Hasbro that no one is interested in monumental steps backwards.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #78 on: April 20, 2012, 07:45 PM »
I still say that these figures were originally intended for stores like "Five Below" - minimal packaging, minimal articulation, minimal paint applications, modest sculpting - and when DePriest was fired/removed from the Star Wars brand, they scrapped plans for a cheaper line and were left holding the bag on a dozen or less, of these Dollar Store level figures.

You're on the right track, but not completely.  Hasbro has been developing figure lines and offerings for international markets where the US price points would make them cost prohibitive.  And it's been across several different licenses.  The Marvel team showed off some of these emerging market type offerings a couple of years ago at Toy Fair.  However, a good deal of that product was not intended for US markets.

A figure with only 5 points of articulation is most likely going to be cheaper than the existing Vintage Collection sculpts.  These battle pack figure offerings will have perhaps 7 or 8 parts each.  Vintage Collecting figures like the Bespin Luke or TVC Boba Fett have a great deal more parts, more complex joints, more intricate paint apps and are as a result more labor intensive.  That translates to higher costs and a more expensive figures.
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Offline Scockery

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #79 on: April 20, 2012, 08:13 PM »
After the super-articulated VOTC Bespin Luke the only place left to go for that version of Luke was backwards.  :P

With emerging markets thing still begs the question. Why new tooling? Why not 90's/early 2000's stuff? The molds still exist...or do they? 2-1B's does!

Offline Greg

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #80 on: April 20, 2012, 08:47 PM »
With emerging markets thing still begs the question. Why new tooling? Why not 90's/early 2000's stuff? The molds still exist...or do they? 2-1B's does!

If I recall correctly, some of the recent "emerging market" toys (Star Wars and Iron Man 2) consisted of small figures, around 2-inches or so. Other lines, like the current Marvel and past GI Joe assortments, are made up of repacked or repainted figures that are of less quality than the normal lines.

Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #81 on: April 20, 2012, 09:33 PM »
Good question about the re-packing. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with what's "in" with the kids now. When the line was relaunched, we got those horrible He-Man sculpts (that I got every one of) because Wrestling and wrestling toys were so popular. Perhaps the market has changed.  I know these figures are not geared for us and Hasbro should make a lot more money selling a cheeper product to non-collecting parents whose kids are just going to throw them away when they discover the opposite sex.
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Offline speedermike

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #82 on: April 21, 2012, 12:30 PM »
You know, if they were going to go this simple, I wish they would have pulled the trigger and just done these in an animated style to match the Clone Wars stuff.  Kids wouldn't know the difference.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #83 on: April 22, 2012, 06:42 PM »
You know, if they were going to go this simple, I wish they would have pulled the trigger and just done these in an animated style to match the Clone Wars stuff.  Kids wouldn't know the difference.

That's an interesting suggestion...  stylized for the sake of stylized to entice kids.  Dunno if kids care though.  That, at least at the time, was the argument Hasbro was making for Legends being realistic "additions" to the CW line to attract kid dollars and make basically pure profit on existing sculpts...  Put out a realistic SBD since the animated line at the time didn't have one, or whatever the character may be (a realistic Vader because kids like Vader and they don't care, and just want Vader to go with their Clone Wars toys, etc.).

I don't know if the labor vs. tooling argument holds up...  Labor's increased in China, but Hasbro's streamlined the labor portion of action figures significantly.  Figures are as simplistically designed today as they have ever been, in many cases.  Even compared to 1995 in many cases, they're a simple matter of "plug n play" designs.  Some still are designed/constructed like they used to be though.  It's weird how they jump back and forth with that.

Mold toolings though, were always the primary cost...  It makes sense to go with the new/cheaper figures if you plan on cranking them out in great quantities for sure.  But are the Boba/Luke/Vader going to get more use beyond this pack?  Pack-in figures maybe?  Cheap sub-lines at discount stores on single cards maybe?

Tooling steel molds up though has certainly not decreased in price overseas, but Labor's going up too, so it's an interesting comparison.
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #84 on: April 23, 2012, 09:50 AM »
Hmmm. I agree. Interesting idea. But in my line of work, "dumbing down" to kids often yields disastrous results. I think they'ed know. The question is weather they'd be into the idea or not.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2012, 09:52 AM by Darth_Anton »
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #85 on: April 24, 2012, 09:09 PM »
Thought I'd point out that the new Bespin Luke is now available from our friends at Hobbystock.CN's ebay store.

MH Battlepack Bespin Luke $4.99

Best part is the price.  :)  Anyone who wants it, that's a good price.  With it being the most popular figure in the pack, I think it'll do well as a single figure for that.
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Offline EpicGon

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #86 on: April 25, 2012, 12:01 AM »
After seeing those pic, definetely I will buy bespin 3 pack

The Bespin Luke serves as a blond version of the character, cause my kenner one has beidge hair.

Darth Vader, unlike the current tvc mold, this sculpt shows a well built body, atlhetic as a warrior must be. Also the plates on his shoulders are well painted.

Boba Fett depicts an all new stance, like the jacket kinda t shirt for his torso armor, also has a super paint job.

Offline Sprry75

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #87 on: April 29, 2012, 11:26 AM »
I don't know if this is the right place for it or not, but the Movie Legends Battle Pack Bespin Luke can be had for $3.50 plus free shipping from this ebay seller.  Can't beat that with a stick.
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Offline Scockery

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #88 on: April 30, 2012, 03:23 PM »
Sure I can. I can keep my $3.50. HA!


Offline Brian

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Re: Movie Heroes Battle Packs
« Reply #89 on: May 18, 2012, 02:12 PM »
I actually went ahead and ordered one of those $3.50 Bespin Lukes from the Battle Pack, and it arrived this week.  I was just curious to see one, and wasn't sure if I was going to spring for (or find) the eventual battle pack or not.  Anyways, all that said, it isn't too bad of a figure.  There is an obvious severe lack of articulation, but I guess the fact that we already have a pretty much perfect version of this character from the Vintage Collection, I'm ok with a figure like this.

If Hasbro continues to have multiple lines at retail, I think it would be a decent idea to have the Movie Heroes/Kid's line be made up of figures like this - as long as the price could be dropped fairly significantly.  Keep the "collector's line" (like the current TVC), and keep it more limited in releases (35-40 per year), and if they need a movie line (if the 3D releases continue) use some figures like this.  They stand, are sturdy, fit in vehicles, and could hopefully be priced $2-3 cheaper.  I'm not saying that I prefer these over the current ultimate, super articulated versions we've enjoyed lately - but as I've said before, as our daughter has been playing with action figures a lot lately (SW and Marvel in particular) I've grown an appreciation for solid "toys" that can hold their weapons, fit in vehicles, and most importantly - stand.  Overall, I kind of like this Bespin Luke - especially because we have a perfect "collector's version" alongside it.  We have that for virtually all of the main characters and troopers, so releasing more stripped down (and again, only if they are cheaper) versions of these for the "heroes" line would be fine with me.