Batman 66 Line

[TrekStar]

Sorry if I'm behind in the times, but when or if we will see Newmar or even Eartha Kitt
Catwoman 66 Batman line, since they just came out with Mad Hatter and Shame which
is very cool, but wouldn't you think Catwoman would have been released after Joker
Riddler, Penguin since she is one of the main villains, plus what about Batgirl and
Barbara Gordan figures? any talk about them, plus I'd like to see a Mr. Freeze and King Tut
added to the arch criminals sets, or am I getting way ahead of the game?

[enyawd72]

They've already shown the Mr. Freeze head sculpt...he's definitely coming. I think they're wisely spacing out the A-B-C listers to keep the line fresh.

freeze.jpg

[D!n0-M@n]

So many variants of Batman and Robin is becoming a little tedious though. Keeping it fresh for me would entail new characters.

[MIB41]

I see 2015 being another banner year for FTC. I would enjoy this little break, because when those waves come, they come fast and furious.

[thunderbolt]

I don't get doing more Batman and Robins while series one is still available. I could see it if it were sold out.

[enyawd72]

I don't get doing more Batman and Robins while series one is still available. I could see it if it were sold out.

I think they're quick and easy filler in between new characters requiring more time to produce.

[palitoy]

I don't get doing more Batman and Robins while series one is still available. I could see it if it were sold out.

They're also possibly going to sell better than any villain. While it will discourage me from ordering full sets in the future, it may be decent retail logic.

[thunderbolt]

Of course they are going to sell better, but they are still in stock from the original series. Sure, you get a table and rope for the extra 5 bucks. This is collector line and not a Kenner "we gotta have Batman in every wave" line.

[palitoy]

This is collector line and not a Kenner "we gotta have Batman in every wave" line.

It doesn't make online sense maybe but when Batman outsells everybody else, it's probably prudent that he be available in subsequent waves. The Mattel '66 Penguin I still see at TRU told me himself

I stop in every comic store I can and Batman is often out of stock. The rope and table thing does nothing for me personally but I get what they're doing...

[thunderbolt]

Yeah, Mattel tried to make it a collector line at retail and bombed out. Surprised at comic shops its that way.

[palitoy]

Yeah, Mattel tried to make it a collector line at retail and bombed out. Surprised at comic shops its that way.

Actually my LCS has two Mattel Penguins too.

I am not 100% (any comic shop owners wanna chime in) but I think the current structure was in order to get more Batman figures, you'd have to order more of everybody from wave 1. If FTC is offering retailers just Batman and Robin in these new editions, it's a smart plan.

Actually, Mego did the same thing by the end of the 70s, solid cases of Spider-Man, Batman and Hulk.

[thunderbolt]

With this line I figured it'd be more of collectors buying the whole line, I don't go in for variants, so all that is lost on me. I just hope it has enough gas to get Tut, Freeze, Bookworm, Catwoman and Batgirl out.

[MIB41]

Batman will always be the flagship character of DC, so it makes sense to keep him in constant rotation. Plus you have to consider the long term plans with variants and such that cater to that retail philosophy. I would think their production volume was considerably higher on Batman and Robin than any other character. That maintains interest for the mainstream audiences while the diehard collectors go after the second tier villains made in smaller numbers. My two cents.

[rykerw1701]

Don't forget there's a long lead time between designing a product and having it ready for retail. A sound strategy is to always keep Batman and Robin available by putting them in subsequent waves so new collectors/gift givers/possibly children can hop in the hobby at any time and still get the key two characters. So if they think B&R will be sold out or close to it by the time wave X comes out, offering a variant like the rope and tables or different head sculpts would be a good idea. Of course if they don't sell out the first wave as quickly as they hoped, then it leaves collectors asking why they're offering basically the same two characters yet again when the old stuff is still there.

Then of course, there are completists who will buy all the variants of each character and complain about it the most. But if I'm FTC I put up with it and happily take their money.

It completely undermines the secondary market, but I'm good with it. Hasbro, who I bashed on another board over its GI Joe strategy, has done a nice job of keeping the Star Wars Black stuff being accessible to all, even the really popular ones like Bobba Fett or the Stormtroopers. And you know everyone will want Darth Vader, so subsequent waves are going to have him.

[PNGwynne]

I can tell you my local shop isn't ordering the table-tied variants. He thought they were cheap & pandering and has earlier stock, to boot.