Flash Gordon question

[spamn]

1) Dark Shadows is not our license.
2) We've had Twilight Zone for a year already - bobble heads of Twilight Zone have been selling very well - we've sold out of 3 shipments already and can't keep these in stock.
3) We've had Flash Gordon for about four years, and made a fantastic 7-inch line.
4) We've had Lost for about a year. Bobble heads have been selling well. We cancelled the 7-inch action figure line in favor of the EMCE line.
5) Venture Bros is new for 2010.
6) We don't sleep. :-)

Are you considering a black-robed Ming variant like the 7" line?

[BifBangPow! JLabs]

Are you considering a black-robed Ming variant like the 7" line?

Probably not, because as it stands, our license expires at the end of 2010. Unless sales are spectacular, we'll probably move on to other properties.

[JediJaida]

Oops! Sorry about the DS gaffe.

It's too bad that the license expires at the end of this year. I'd really like to see whatever you guys come up with.

Are you going to do Klytus (sp?) from the FG line?

[Klytus]

Probably not, because as it stands, our license expires at the end of 2010. Unless sales are spectacular, we'll probably move on to other properties.

Oh, no!!!! Please don’t leave us hanging with just two figures! I know it’s all about smart business decisions, but I do hope we see many more Mongo denizens before the sun sets on this line.

I’ve pre-ordered three sets of Flash and Ming, does that help?

[BlackKnight]

Probably not, because as it stands, our license expires at the end of 2010. Unless sales are spectacular, we'll probably move on to other properties.

So No Baron and Vultan 8incher's Huh ? ... Is Vultan going to be joining the 6&1/2 inch line ? ... Been Waiting for a Long while for him.

[BifBangPow! JLabs]

Oh, no!!!! Please don’t leave us hanging with just two figures! I know it’s all about smart business decisions, but I do hope we see many more Mongo denizens before the sun sets on this line.

I’ve pre-ordered three sets of Flash and Ming, does that help?

Pre-ordering is everyone's best bet for the possibility of more Flash Gordon characters. We'll probably have the option to renew / continue the license if we have a strong response to Wave 1. So we greatly appreciate your support. Now just ask everyone else to pre-order these Flash Gordon figures like you did and there might just be a future after all! We won't give the license up so easily.

[Klytus]

Pre-ordering is everyone's best bet for the possibility of more Flash Gordon characters. We'll probably have the option to renew / continue the license if we have a strong response to Wave 1. So we greatly appreciate your support. Now just ask everyone else to pre-order these Flash Gordon figures like you did and there might just be a future after all! We won't give the license up so easily.

Awesome! Thank you for the hopeful feedback. Fingers tightly crossed that the pre-orders go well!

(Hear that everyone? We have our marching orders! )

[Richard J. Fowlks]

Awesome! Thank you for the hopeful feedback. Fingers tightly crossed that the pre-orders go well!

(Hear that everyone? We have our marching orders! )

Hawkman forces.... DIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!!!!

[EatTheseCrackers]

BifBangPow! JLabs, great to see actual responses from someone from the company - I wish more manufacturers were so forthcoming with their customers. I was curious if the decision to cancel the six inch Flash Gordon action figures was due in any part to poor sales of series 2 and was there ever any art provided by Alex Ross for a potential series 3? It's a shame we never got to Vultan or any of Ming's guards. Can you comment on the softness of the sculpts for series 2 versus series 1 - was their a change in sculptors or issue with clearance of likeness rights? Thanks again for talking the time to talk to the fans - I'm always happy to buy from and support such a cool group of guys. Cheers!

[BifBangPow! JLabs]

BifBangPow! JLabs, great to see actual responses from someone from the company - I wish more manufacturers were so forthcoming with their customers. I was curious if the decision to cancel the six inch Flash Gordon action figures was due in any part to poor sales of series 2 and was there ever any art provided by Alex Ross for a potential series 3?

We're happy to answer questions directly to folks that care! For Flash Gordon, technically we didn't cancel any figures, we simply didn't have plans to continue the six inch line. Because our license expires at the end of 2010, we decided to give Flash Gordon a last bit of life in the 8-inch format just to see how they would do - and so far pre-orders are going well. If sales are fantastic, we may continue the license and add more characters to the 8-inch line. Important note - the 8-inch figures are still based on the artwork and active feedback from Alex Ross.

It's a shame we never got to Vultan or any of Ming's guards. Can you comment on the softness of the sculpts for series 2 versus series 1 - was their a change in sculptors or issue with clearance of likeness rights? Thanks again for talking the time to talk to the fans - I'm always happy to buy from and support such a cool group of guys. Cheers!

Thanks again for your kind words. You have good eyes! Series one of Flash Gordon was (along with our The Big Lebowski figures) the first set of action figures our company made. We invested a lot of time and money on the sculpts to make them spectacular. For Series 2, however, we did change sculptors but still ensured compliance with both Alex Ross and King Features requirements. We are very proud of our work on both series, but the bottom line is that just like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader outsell Greedo and Admiral Ackbar, Flash Gordon and Ming far outsell any other characters from the film - regardless of the sculptor. Hope this information is helpful. Keep the questions (and pre-orders) coming!

Best,
Jason

[william shatners toupee]

I too really appreciate your coming on here and talking too us. I placed my pre-order as well based on your statement. I need this like to continue to get me some Ming guards! (laugh).

[Sandman9580]

I too you really appreciate your coming on here and talking too us. I placed my pre-order as well based on your statement. I need this like to continue to get me some Ming guards! (laugh).

Ditto. I was just going to pick this stuff up when it came out, but I will pre-order now.

[The Bat]

I'm certainly picking up a Flash Gordon! But I'll wait until they hit the Shelves...I don't believe in "pre-orders".

[Klytus]

Giving this thread a “bump” as I just learned that Universal will be releasing Flash Gordon on Blu-ray on June 15th. (Yay!)

Perhaps the release will spur further interest in the forthcoming Bif Bang Pow 8" figures. (Hmm, is it too late to do some sort of a tie-in/cross-sell with Universal?)

[the angry orc]

can't wait for these!