CAW could make a boatload on a 12" CA Phantom outfit.

[B-Lister]

You've got both licenses, why not?

a lot of us didn't get the PM one, and I can't see how you wouldn't make back your investment, what with PM versions going for $150 on ebay.

[LadyZod]

Perhaps the license involves scale or size?

[David Lee]

We love 12 inch stuff! Jason is a big CA collector, and my first love was AT Joes... We are looking hard at 1/6th scale stuff and have a few promising leads, and possible alliances... I wouldn't be surprised to see us bring a 1/6th scale figure to market in the future.... when? Well that's the $64,000 question


-Dave

[B-Lister]

just as long as it doesn't cost 64,000 dollars!

I'd love to see a 12" CA Phantom, but really, if you've got the license, and are seriously thinking about 12" scale, Take a cue from Go Hero, and go deluxe. Give it all the bells and whistles you can afford to, and you will watch your fanbase, and customer base grow.

make a good body, do a great head sculpt, and you will have created the ultimate 1/6th scale Phantom, and there will be no stopping you. Even if it takes a couple years for the project to get off the ground, if you're gonna do it, go big, Hell, Day 2 Day trading (the guys who helped Go Hero get off the ground) does contract work. Maybe you could contact them for some additional support?

[GlobalObserver]

A 12" Phantom would be great, but I'd rather have a 12" version of the figure that Castaway has already produced than a CA replica.

[nubee]

I think a 12" Phantom would be wonderful too. But in the last decade, the 12" figure community (Hasbro GI Joe and 21st Century toys) evolved to very high end detailed projects like those produced by Hot Toys and Enterbay. In my opinion, unless CAT produce something similar to Hot Toys, like GO HERO, it might not be a profitable project to engage upon. In this event, the Phantom is going to cost us a lot of $$$ to buy.

I hope the 8" community stays as toys for everyone as oppose to toys for adults.

[MIB41]

Hmmmm. It's easy to see the allure of that idea, but I like the direction taken with the 8 inch concept. I think there are a few lessons to be taken from the Playing Mantis attempt. Their first mistake was ignoring the original package ideas and placing the figure in this huge gaudy box (with an equally gaudy price) and then expecting you to buy the figure again and again with each new costume character. That was asking too much when the collector community expected the nostalgia of buying the outfits separately (so they could dress the ONE Captain Action they had already purchased).

Then you had the problems with the head sculpts. They might have been second generation molds from the originals, but the production head was so soft in it's features, you lost much of what made the original interesting. So you ended up with a pretty ugly looking sculpt that attracted virtually no one outside of the die-hard collectors (and even their interest was tested here).

So by the time they got the price points agreeable and the packaging as it should be, the market (and most vendors) had dried up on them. They toyed some with the head in the coffin box version, which helped it's appearance measurably, and the costume packaging was excellent, but it was too little too late.

What Castaway did was great because they essentially re-conceptualized him in Mego-scale with great detail at a good price. This new concept made me truly appreciate him again because, for once, I saw the potential for a REAL future. He was suddenly compatible with other figure lines (something which was always lacking before). We also have to remember that as a 1/6th scale figure, Captain Action has never truly succeeded (in any era). So to go back to that concept when he is currently compatible in an 8 inch market that is booming may not be the best option.

Personally if I were going to address the 1/6th scale again, I think I would abandon the figure itself (since most collectors have him in one or both eras) and just do special edition costumes of characters FOR those existing figures. After all, isn't that what the collectors really want anyway? More variety of characters? I think if Castaway took that approach and avoided the expense of having to build yet ANOTHER 1/6th scale figure, they would find great success with reduced risk on the investment. By doing it this way, they can tap into the vintage lines, while keeping a foothold on the eight inch market as well with their own figure. Just a thought. Castaway is a great company and I wish them the very best.

[CaptainTrenchcoat]

I think a 12" Phantom would be wonderful too. But in the last decade, the 12" figure community (Hasbro GI Joe and 21st Century toys) evolved to very high end detailed projects like those produced by Hot Toys and Enterbay. In my opinion, unless CAT produce something similar to Hot Toys, like GO HERO, it might not be a profitable project to engage upon. In this event, the Phantom is going to cost us a lot of $$$ to buy.

I hope the 8" community stays as toys for everyone as oppose to toys for adults.

I gotta go with the opposite opinion. I think the 12" scale folks, myself included, would love a more economical way to customize figures. Even the generic 12" bodies seem to go up in price like a collectible item.

[The Bat]

I hope the 8" community stays as toys for everyone as oppose to toys for adults.

Same here Brother!! 8" Mego scale ALL THE WAY!!

[AJohn]

I agree with a couple of the views here: That the 8" scale is a great new wrinkle, but that 12" costumes would be a fantastic addition.

I don't really like the idea of the figure being a deluxe, upscale, remake of CA, especially if the scale were to change. Go Hero figures are larger than CA, and I would rather they stay in scale with CA and GI Joe, which were contemporaries.

I really think the concept of outfits is a great way to go. You can still pick up PM figures on Ebay, and I believe many of us would pay for more outfits rather than for a new figure.

I'm sure that whatever CAW does in the future will be great in any case.