Robin and Joker now showing Sold Out, Product Retired on FTC & CTVT sites

[Nostalgiabuff]

I understand about all the variants out there, but it just seems to me, that these two figures, are among what would be the heavy hitters, so to speak, for the entire line. I mean look at how something like Star Wars figures are produced. you have multiples of all main characters always out there, with newer secondary figures being produced and sold, in smaller quantities.

just my two cents. I was not interested in purchasing any of wave 1 or 2 since I already have originals, except Bruce and Dick, which I already have repros of. I am only interested in the never produced before figures. bring on the Batman 66, Alfred, Gordon, Scarecrow and Ras. can't wait for Knightwing and Hawkman

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

And they have Robin sold individually too, at $24.99 plus ship.

I opened my set, may go back and snag another to keep sealed. They nailed Robin and Joker, especially love the Joker's costume.

[BATMAN89]

Entertainment Earth still has Wave 1 shipped for $99.99.

And they have Robin for sale individually too, at $24.99 plus ship.

[huedell]

Honestly, who cares? Why bring this up?

Because they are a good proportion of adult collectors. It may be wise for FTC to account for this and temper their plan accordingly rather than exploit it to the max and hit a wall of sorts when it sinks in what's going on. That's even IF it goes on. And even IF sales suffer as a result of this group. I dunno. Just spit balling with the statement you made. Nothing more... nothing less.

Future people will be mad, let 'em.

Amen. Let 'em.

OR if they are "mad" and they are a "significant" amount of consumers, you may actually hear them out to help the line. It's all hypothetical anyways, so who cares about asking "who cares"?.

Not that I want to get into a "whole thing" with you but you're incorrect on that point. Tooling on other action figure concepts makes a lot of variants cost prohibitive.

Maybe we're not being clear with each other here---but if I'm understanding you correctly, it wouldn't make sense to me that producing "Batman" and "Scarecrow" is cheaper than to produce "Batman" and then the same Batman with a "Neal Adams" head.

And as far as a "whole thing" with me... I won't be insulted if you don't reply to my post. I don't want to be more "the bad guy" (for obligating you to reply) than I already feel posters think I am.

Yep if the 'completists' sit on their hands and don't buy a figure for 6 months and then it sells out, I'm not sure how that's FTC's fault.

In that case, it's not FTC's fault. It's the completists fault for being completists. Why would this matter? See above^^^ ---variant milking has hurt lines before, it may do so again... just a thought---that's it.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

Honestly, who cares? Why bring this up? Future people will be mad, let 'em.

Yep if the 'completists' sit on their hands and don't buy a figure for 6 months and then it sells out, I'm not sure how that's FTC's fault.

[jayraytee]

Yeah already we have, robin, removable Mask Robin, Burt Ward, Batman and Robin two pack, and soon a fist fighter robin, nightwing, TV-66 Robin and a 7" Robin. I think what they are doing is really smart, smaller runs and variablity. They don't need to keep every version in 'print' the whole time. Some people will try and buy every version even if the packaging is the only difference, and other people will pick the version they want the most. Thats what I am doing, I bought wave 1, two of wave 2 and 1 of wave three, I will buy a few fist fighters but only characters I don't already have. This is a collector market, not a mass general merchandise market, so what they are doing is really smart. It would be genius if their quality was better.

[palitoy]

If THIS ^^^ is essentially the case, my criticisms are going to seem like a Sunday school picnic compared to what the completists will be posting a couple years from now (or sooner).

Honestly, who cares? Why bring this up? Future people will be mad, let 'em.

And, BTW, tooling is ALWAYS minimal when you make variants or what-have-you, "Mego-design-beauty" or not. .

Not that I want to get into a "whole thing" with you but you're incorrect on that point. Tooling on other action figure concepts makes a lot of variants cost prohibitive.

[huedell]

Actually it does but it's not blatantly obvious.

It would be bad business sense if they were sold out of 8" Batman characters at any one time BUT there will obviously many variations and permutations of these characters coming out in subsequent waves.

Right now regular Mego Robin is sold out but you now can get an 8" Burt Ward Robin, in a few months, a fist fighter will appear. Maybe six months after that we'll get an animated version.

The beauty of the Mego concept is the tooling is minimal, so you can make 10 different Batman and Robin figures if you want. I passed on repro Mego Batman and Robin cause I got em, a lot of people are in that boat, so maybe they'll make a Neal Adams style Batman and a whole new audience will cave.

If THIS ^^^ is essentially the case, my criticisms are going to seem like a Sunday school picnic compared to what the completists will be posting a couple years from now (or sooner).

And, BTW, tooling is ALWAYS minimal when you make variants or what-have-you, "Mego-design-beauty" or not. It doesn't mean it's always smart in the long run. Especially when you're selling primarily to adults/collectors.

[palitoy]

that makes no business sense at all

Actually it does but it's not blatantly obvious.

It would be bad business sense if they were sold out of 8" Batman characters at any one time BUT there will obviously many variations and permutations of these characters coming out in subsequent waves.

Right now regular Mego Robin is sold out but you now can get an 8" Burt Ward Robin, in a few months, a fist fighter will appear. Maybe six months after that we'll get an animated version.

The beauty of the Mego concept is the tooling is minimal, so you can make 10 different Batman and Robin figures if you want. I passed on repro Mego Batman and Robin cause I got em, a lot of people are in that boat, so maybe they'll make a Neal Adams style Batman and a whole new audience will cave.

[hedrap]

If you look at the timing of the Super Powers figures, it makes sense to think they have x amount of parts made and then divide it between the lines. This way, they're not paying for new pieces every time.

[Figuremod73]

Darn, I was hoping that they would eventually start selling them in parts.

[Teemu]

Did you contact FTC and ask for a refund? Might want to start there, others here have reported they have great customer service. Also Tom Hagar had a tip for fixing the broken arms in the comments on FTC's FB page.

Otherwise, we get it. You don't like that the arm broke.

No,I put them on REAL heavy duty bodies that won't break...I just won't be buying that many FTC figures,because everyone will have to be converted to a better working body

[samurainoir]

Seems smart to me. Especially since there are so many variants coming down the pipe anyways. They know RM Batman and Robin will be available in Wave 3 and we've also got Fist Fighters on their way. Keeps the collectors going... especially Batman collectors and Mego completists/packaging enthusiasts. The casual fan or kid will always have some form of Batman available to them. Isn't a Teen Titans scale Robin also announced?

Batman '66 is coming, and I don't doubt we'll be getting Batman and Robin variants to accompany all the secondary characters they will no doubt do. I'm sure many folks are excited about the idea of a Neal Adams/Marshall Rogers/Jim Aparo style long-eared Batman. They could milk that headsculpt in both blue and black versions.

Aren't they doing Superfriends versions as well?

Their business model here seems to be a steady flow of variants I would guess, NOT sitting atop product for long periods of time like their previous lines. Looks like this is no longer a side business for them now that they no longer have the WWE license. I came across something interesting yesterday around this point... I'll snap a pic and share it later.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

Robin's Arms will eventually break/fall off anyway's considering the plastic they are using for these

Did you contact FTC and ask for a refund? Might want to start there, others here have reported they have great customer service. Also Tom Hagar had a tip for fixing the broken arms in the comments on FTC's FB page.

Otherwise, we get it. You don't like that the arm broke.

[Teemu]

Robin's Arms will eventually break/fall off anyway's considering the plastic they are using for these