DST / EMCE Star Trek are Back!?! Not so fast:-(

[newlyknighted]

Apparently I need to pre-order my security red shirt now. I don't normally pre-orders either. I want more Trek figures as well. Couldn't we all use variant Mirror Mirror universe Sulu's, Uhura's, McCoy's, Chekov's? I am so ready for environmental suit variants and movie uniform variants!

[Spyweb007]

Some of the shops in my area still have figures from the last release on the shelf, not a lot of characters, but just enough to keep them from ordering more of the same I would imagine.

[amby87]

I don't really ever do pre-orders, but I did go ahead and pre-order three sets of the Red Shirt wave last night. I really want that wave to happen at least. I can't help but think that a wave that included the Romulan would have sold really well. I have one and would like a couple more, but don't want to pay the high prices when they come up on ebay.

[invisiblelad]

DST Zach..........

Please reissue: retro cloth...

*ROMULANS.

x4-x6 ROMULANs were my #1 want for the reissued repros!

x3 Sets of the Red SECURITY vs CHERON (reverse Cheron).

I would have bought more Red Shirts if they were sold seperately & I knew I could get both the brown & black haired in equal #s guaranteed.

I also wanted:

x2 Bones (my x2 repros had silver rank bands & the emblem fell off both my loose & MIB Bones)

x2 Chekovs.

x2 Khan (hope he makes it out)

x3 Salt Vampire (missed 1st time)

& NON-Painted Faces:

x2-3 Captain Pike (if newsmaller head)

x2 Mirror Kirk (head casted like orig repro)

x2 Mirror Spock (head cast like 1st repro)

I also hoped to buy new figures:

1. Nurse Chapel. (prototype) x3
2. Vina Orion Slave Girl. (prototype) x4
3. Olive colored GORNS x4
4. Lt. Uhura with new smaller & accurate Head (still w/ rooted hair) x3-4
5. Talosian (both or either Repro/new) x5
6. Neptunian (want x4-x5 of those)
7. Yeoman Rand (rooted hair) x5
ect.

I wanted generic crew if these did well, and planned on buying many main crew for custome crew members.

I have x2-x8 of every original EMCE ST repro except (only 1 Khan, 0 Pike, 0 Salt Vampire, 0 Mirror Kirk, 0 Mirror Spock, 0 Borg & 0 Picard).

I would love the whole Mirror crew if the heads were cast like original Mego & 1st EMCE repros.

I hoped these did sell to get all my above figures, & really hoped a possible Mirror Lt. Uhura could give us smaller & better head sculpt while remaining Mego-y!

I hope for the best.

the repros to avoid at 1st in my opion areg

EMCE: Keeper, orig. Cheron, Andorian, Mugato, Klingon....& even Kirk & Spock were easily bought for years after release.
I army built Klingons, Andorians, Mugatos, & Keepers, & added x2 custom Red shirts via Scotty, & x3 custom Lt./Yeomans via Uhura.
Although I realize a Kirk & Spock would need reissues due to their importance & popularity... I think the best sales would be the repros of:

The Romulan, Bones, Khan, Chekov, Sulu, Salt Vampire, & then maybe Olive colored Gorn......

So I'm hoping the ROMULANS get reissued so I can get x4-5 @ the very least! & The RED Shirts & SALT VAMPIRE!

NURSE CHAPEL + VINA were what I was hoping would follow the announced repro repros.....since they made it to Prototype form, I figured they'd make the cut! :(

sorry 4 my rant guys!

[Gadgeteer]

I don't NOT want to buy these toys... I've just been waiting a bit on these figures, wondering when my card is going to take a $100 hit.
I don't want the Playset if I don't get ALL the crew.
Just like to know if it's on or off I've changed my whole collecting focus to get these wonderful retro beauties!

[Uni]

For some reason, I sold my Sulus (I had 3) and Chekovs (2) in 2009... never imaginging that they would end up climbing to $100/ea on eBay. I really regret selling them so I have a preorder with EE for Sulu, and I'm hoping for a re-Chekov down the line.

[DSTZach]

Nobody at DST is asking anyone to buy the same Kirk for a third time. If the truth is that we are selling to the same small group of customers and retailers, and not a wider array of interested customers and retailers this time around, then that might explain some things. I think we assumed there would be broadened interest in the anniversary year to supplement the existing retailers who had done well with them, and the customers who had missed some the first time around. I have not seen any on the pegs for years, but maybe I'm going to the wrong places. I just visited the Amok Time site and was surprised they still had aliens and the Mirror/TNG releases.

And although we were aware of this fact beforehand, I think we can all see here that secondary market value does not necessarily translate to sales, if mass interest is not there.

I do not know why new uniforms were not created, but feel free to Ask DST. Our president DSTChuck answers questions in his column at http://www.artasylum.com, and he is the biggest champion of Trek Megos, and Megos in general, on our team.

[EMCE Hammer]

Nobody at DST is asking anyone to buy the same Kirk for a third time. If the truth is that we are selling to the same small group of customers and retailers, and not a wider array of interested customers and retailers this time around, then that might explain some things. I think we assumed there would be broadened interest in the anniversary year to supplement the existing retailers who had done well with them, and the customers who had missed some the first time around. I have not seen any on the pegs for years, but maybe I'm going to the wrong places. I just visited the Amok Time site and was surprised they still had aliens and the Mirror/TNG releases.

And although we were aware of this fact beforehand, I think we can all see here that secondary market value does not necessarily translate to sales, if mass interest is not there.

I do not know why new uniforms were not created, but feel free to Ask DST. Our president DSTChuck answers questions in his column at http://www.artasylum.com, and he is the biggest champion of Trek Megos, and Megos in general, on our team.

Star Trek has been relatively quiet for awhile. It seems like the buzz is just starting to gain momentum for the anniversary. Maybe that's the explanation for slow pre-orders....our smaller niche group are the only ones paying attention right now. Hopefully as awareness spreads, interest will rise from new potential customers.

In the meantime I'll go bug DST Chuck for a green shirt Kirk and McCoy in second season cocktail dress.

[EMCE Hammer]

Here's what I sent along:

DSTChuck:

DSTZach suggested that this question be posed here. Given that preorders for the re-release of the 8" retro line have been slow and DST is reexamining their options, would uniform changes for the main crew be considered? For example, collectors have long clamored for a 'green shirt Kirk.' Or perhaps a Klingon in more series-correct attire? McCoy in short sleeves, Scotty in an engineering jumpsuit....etc?

This wouldn't necessarily need to be an either/or proposition. With DST's recent success with the Marvel retros with multiple outfits, has anyone ever considered releasing Kirk in his regular gold along with a nice little baggie in the blister that contains an additional uniform top? There are similar options for most of the main characters. Personally it's hard for me to justify buying yet another Kirk, Spock, Klingon, etc. But if you throw on - or in - some different duds I'm a player.

[nobody]

Even FTC realizes that when they have leftover stock it's time to mix things up! Yes I know thats not the situation here haters. Try a different package card! Try 2 pack blisters. Try selling them single. My point is just try! New Outfits would of course be the answer!

[Gorn Captain]

New outfits would make me buy some more, identical reissues, no thanks.

[SKotK]

So, there's at least a *slight* variation to the Enterprise Bridge Playset reissue...the box has a nice Star Trek 50th anniversary badge logo on it that wasn't there before. I don't have the current one, but I saw pictures of the box.

--SKot

[tllgn]

Yes ,i saw that also ,the reissues of the reissues & Red shirt /cheron will probably have it on their cards also.

[DSTZach]

We did not have leftover stock. We have sold out of all our Retro Trek sets. Not all sold the same numbers, or at the same rate, but we know how well they all sold to retailers, and that most of them seemed to be in demand, and that there was still a potentially larger market we could reach.

Re-issuing existing figures is something we do when we think there is a market for them. And again, we were not looking to sell these to the exact same customers, we were looking at unfulfilled demand. While preferable, creating new prototypes and costumes and submitting them for round after round of approvals takes time and money, and we only have so many resources to go around.

We are not FTC. They make very cool stuff, but I am curious what their production numbers are for some of their lines. We really aren't set up to offer 100 sets on X packaging and another 100 on Y packaging. I don't know if we've ever intentionally sold the same figure to the same customer in different styles of packaging -- usually we will create a different product and put it in the same packaging as another product.

Although I am fairly sure all of these re-issues will have the 50th logo, and some will have the additional security officer artwork.

[SKotK]

Thanks, Zach...we appreciate your updates. I hope you guys can find a way to work out the balance between acceptable sales levels and being able to offer desirable new items to your previous customers.

I know that there will be a certain small number of collectors who will re-purchase each of the figures they already have so they can get the packaging variant with the 50th anniversary logo...just as some of us bought both the silver and gold arm braid variants, or Kirk with tricorder variants. Variants aren't really my thing usually, but I do appreciate that there's at least one difference in the reissue packaging that sets them apart from the previous batch.

Please keep us posted if you have any more updates on what's happening with the upcoming releases. In the meantime, I may just have to go place a pre-order for a couple Security Guards...

--SKot