Another Captain Action non-update...

[enyawd72]

Got another action update sent to my inbox...more puffery about the new comic hitting the stands and some promises of new costume sets in October.

If the new sets truly are just a few weeks away, shouldn't we have seen some samples already? Packaged or unpackaged? They're still showing the cut and paste Bowen statue mockups.

I'm getting seriously worried about these not happening.

[The Toyroom]

Don't forget the coloring book being offered at NYCC...

[MIB41]

Name five companies who are going to carry this... Entertainment Earth isn't. Toys R Us dumped them (and even got publicly rolled under the bus by the makers of CA). And who cares about the "new" prices since you will now have to add shipping and handling, which basically puts it right back where it was? What little they spit out at this point is meaningless. They've made too many branding mistakes; Publicly back stabbed the very people who were there to help them in the beginning; and have essentially misled both vendor and consumer about what they would release and when. A textbook example of what not to do in business. In an industry where a handful of good people are trying to make a good product at a good price, these folks are giving the industry a black eye. If you're going to do something, tell it straight and sell it honestly. They do neither.

[Teemu]

These are going to be sold online and comic shops for now on....BBTS,Amoktime (I can name Many) are going to sell them...

The big problem here is delay's,delays,delays.....it would be nice to see an actual prototype or production shots of Iron Man....who knows if it will actually be released in October.

[MIB41]

^^ That's two... Name three more. And even then you won't have nearly enough to push this line. These didn't sell at retail in TRU stores. So they sure won't sell for inflated prices in comic shops that bother to order them. And the reason why they have few backers now? Delays, delays, delays... And it's not just one or two date changes. It's six or seven. They don't exactly instill confidence in anything they do. And surely not with anyone who does business with them.

[enyawd72]

The latest email said the new costume sets would be available late September early October...SURELY we would have seen a packaged sample of the finished product by now if they were that close?

I really think they're stalling again. I hope with all my heart I'm wrong. I really love what they've put out so far and want to support them, but they're making it hard.

[thunderbolt]

I was at a TRU and they had piles of figures and more than a few opened and returned costume sets, guessing people thought that it was a complete Thor or Captain America figure and not just a costume set. They weren't even on markdown. Loads of Arctic Caps and a few Dr. Evils.

[Earth 2 Chris]

A TRU in Florence, KY, had a tag for "Classic Covers" costumes for $9.99, and Captain Action for $15. Unfortunately all they had were regular Captain America and Loki costumes, neither of which rang up at that price. I even asked an associate, and she confirmed the regular costumes weren't on sale/clearance. They at least two cases worth of regular Captain America costumes. TRU is maddening.

Chris

[MIB41]

In Louisville we have three different TRU stores. Each one has tons of figures and costumes (together) and no one is buying them. The displays are self-explanatory. The funny thing is TRU, who typically does not go overboard on ordering product, did so with Captain Action during the holidays back in 2012. So they made the investment in this company to move product. I thought it was a bold (if not unwarranted) move since this line is more nostalgic than mainstream. Sadly it didn't sell and CA Enterprises didn't make more costumes sets to sell off those excess CA figures in stores. So TRU got totally screwed in the deal. And then to rub salt on the wound, CA Enterprises low-balled them and blamed them publicly for the poor sells. Talk about backstabbers. People forget. TRU had purchased the product from CA Enterprises (Round 2). The sell was done on Round 2's end. So TRU assumed all the risk from that point forward and got nothing for it. That's why CA Enterprises' support collapsed on them. Vendors bled on this deal and CA Enterprises is pointing fingers at the very people who paid them for this product they can't sell. That's why they lost my support. ANY company who would dog out a backer because of sour grapes over poor sales is not someone I will give money to. Captain Action was never marketed properly. Had CA Enterprises saved money on pointless comics, cups, and t-shirts, and poured those funds into market awareness of their figure and costume sets, we wouldn't be having this conversation today.

[enyawd72]

Captain Action was never marketed properly. Had CA Enterprises saved money on pointless comics, cups, and t-shirts, and poured those funds into market awareness of their figure and costume sets, we wouldn't be having this conversation today.

Hit the nail right on the head my friend.
A quick visit to their facebook page revealed a lot too...they're commenting on everything except new product and release date inquiries, which they are avoiding like the plague.

[MIB41]

^^^ Well said brotha. Another reason why I've lost all respect for them. They completely manipulate their base. They go to shows and have total strangers hold up product for photo ops, then post them on their Facebook page to suggest CA is 'all the rage'. I don't mind creative advertising early on to promote product. But when it becomes the company mantra to falsely represent everything they're about, it screams futility. The most stout supporters are figuring out this company only specializes in selling empty promises. Between that and burning bridges professionally, I don't see them being around much longer. Too bad too, since the ideas were descent. Unfortunately their business skills (and philosophy) are impossibly poor. I wouldn't venture into a lemonade stand with those characters. CA Enterprises could improve greatly by taking a college course in business ethics.

[Chris]

The latest email said the new costume sets would be available late September early October...SURELY we would have seen a packaged sample of the finished product by now if they were that close?

Did the email actually say: "October, 2013"? They have meant another year in the distant future.

[David Lee]

I find this all very sad... we did well with our 8 inch versions of classic CA and DE, and while we were never able to pull off Marvel or DC stuff it was still well recieved. Ed and Joe, were easy to work with, maybe because we were just small potatoes. I know they love Captain Action and want to get any and everything they can out of the license. At the end of the day they are just that, the license holder, what control they have over production, schedules, and Toy distribution? I don't know... with us they had very little of that control and or responsibility. So take that with a grain of salt. I know bad decisions were made and that it looks pretty bad, but the promotion of other things besides the figures is just them managing their license, I can't bust em for that... I just had high hopes for this and now like the rest... I am just dissapointed.

Dave

[Earth 2 Chris]

^That's been my point in all of this. I think you have to lay the blame at Round 2. I'm sure Ed and Joe would LOVE for Round 2 to get their projected stuff out as well.

Chris

[enyawd72]

Well, I received a response from the CA Facebook page that says pix are coming soon and that they're waiting for licensor approval. I'm a little confused...I thought approval was needed before production even began...so I'm assuming they mean the official press photos need approved?

From the licensing standpoint, it would make sense to have non-licensed CA adventure sets, (scuba, space, jungle, etc.)
available to fill in the time between licensed releases.
I'm hopeful with this update...no matter what has happened so far, I really want CA to succeed this time.