How are Venture Brothers fans responding?

[ODBJBG]

Releasing 8-inch action figures first was a carefully coordinated strategy that involved us, the show creators and Cartoon Network. These figures are selling very well, and are meeting our sales goals and forecasts. As written in various other threads, we do have plans to create other scales and styles of figures according to our strategic goals and marketing plans. We are very aware that the licenses we hold all have value, and are looking forward to making all parties involved (fans, studios, show creators, us) happy.

I agree. I'm not saying that the Ventures aren't doing well for you. In fact, I'd venture (pardon the pun) that it's one of the most successful things you guys are doing right now. I also realize that you guys couldn't pump out perhaps, the kinds of figures that many people may have wanted, without the capital to do so. I get all that, I truly honestly do and I sympathize with that.

That said, I also come in contact daily with masses upon masses of people who really want to buy Venture Brothers toys, but the current stuff out does not appeal to them. So perhaps "squandering" was a bit strong of language, but I truly hope that you guys are able to capitalize on the much larger market that wants Venture Bros and wants them in a widely divergent way from how you are currently offering.

It'll be a great disservice to the fans, and ultimately I think to your company's profits as a whole if that audience isn't catered to, sooner, rather than later. However good the Mego format Ventures are doing, I could see reaping profits triple if not quadruple in a more "mainstream" appealing format. When you see threads with hundreds of posts about Venture toys and only a handful of those fans have begrudgingly bought the current Venture product, it to me is alarming.

[megoscott]

Where are these threads? That's actually what I was asking when I started this one. I'm interested to see.

[Sandman9580]

I don't get the animosity towards Mego. They're an aesthetic link between 12" figures and conventional plastic action figures. They have an intrinsic appeal that goes beyond just "I grew up with them".

Speaking as a child of the '80s who had maybe three Mego items in total, and a whole lotta '80s toys that got a lot more play, I wasn't all that aware of them until I read a couple articles in ToyFare (and fell in love with Twisted Mego Theater). I think they're awesome, and I would have thought they'd be more warmly accepted after cross-demographic exposure in things like ToyFare and Robot Chicken. Or... maybe they are, and the pool of dissenters is shrinking? Maybe those vocal dissenters are a vocal minority?

[BlackKnight]

Being a huge fan of the show, that owns all the DVD Sets, as well as have seen every episode, ... I feel I get the "pitch" of the show. I seriously can't see the figures in any other formate, but Megesque. It was spot on, and the best idea for the line imo.

[Harbingerboy]

Meh, the idea is great in theory...

I know it's been controversial, but the decision to start with 8" retro-cloth figures actually makes more sense to me as a marketing plan. Currently there is little Venture merchandise at all available to fans and NO other figures whatsoever (save for a few tiny pvc KidRobot characters). Whichever style/scale chosen to kick off action figure merch is pretty much guaranteed at least moderate success (if executed decently) for no other reason than being the only product available.

If there's a choice, it divides the market (and I think the retro style would not fare as well next to other traditional style-guide based figs), but for now the only choice is buy these or go without. I just think the average fan would be less likely to buy 8" retro figs if a 6" or 4" line of traditional Venture action figures were already out.

Also, from a profit angle, I would assume it is much less expensive to produce a Mego-like line of figures than it is to produce a modern 6" or even 4" line with varying sculpts (in Venture's case it would be nearly impossible to utilize a standard buck given all the varied and stylized character designs). On top of that, SRP for retro-cloth figures is averaging about $20/ea, versus $15 6" figs or $10 4" figs. Give or take a few dollars, the 8" retro figures are universally the most expensive at retail.

In time, I'm sure we'll see more varied Venture product. I'm also sure that the more support the 8" retro line sees, the more likely that is to happen. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying these and very happy to hear they are selling well for BBP.