DST / EMCE Star Trek are Back!?! Not so fast:-(

[SKotK]

No, we aren't going back to the table and creating new characters/outfits, to see how those sell. If we can't sell the main characters in the anniversary year -- and we are selling to everyone, not just long-time Mego collectors -- then we are far less confident in the M'Resses and Trelanes of the line. We're trying to make sure we can still get what was ordered out to customers, either by selling more or making less.

That's a real shame. You'd think that during the anniversary year, of all times, there would be more demand for these figures. :(

On the other hand, maybe it means you guys did such a good job appeasing your market the first time around that not enough people need more of the same this time. I mean, think about it: who buys these things? Mostly people of a certain age group who had them or wanted them when they were younger. That includes me for sure. Maybe most of us bought what we wanted the first time the EMCE cloth retro line came out, and now we are only really interested in new characters (the M'Resses and Trelanes of the line). I know that includes me for sure as well. I just can't imagine a lot of the general public or non-Mego generation being that interested in Mego-style cloth retro figures - the numbers just can't be that high. I think the real numbers are actually in guys like me: not necessarily hardcore Mego collectors, but just people reliving their childhood. And we probably already have the EMCE stuff you're reissuing, for the most part.

It sounds like DST is weighing a lot of the success of the reissues on pre-orders. I'm not sure that's the best indicator, but maybe you guys know differently. I'm not really a pre-order kind of guy, so even though I'm definitely getting a reverse Cheron and at least 1-2 Security Guards, I didn't intend on pre-ordering them...especially since they keep getting delayed. So I wouldn't even show up on that scale. And I know I'm not the only one.

In the end, it seems to be a bit of a vicious circle. DST isn't wanting to put the money out there on new tooling for new characters unless they sell a certain amount of the reissue characters. But the market isn't going to buy enough of the reissue characters to allow new characters to be created, because what they really want to buy is new characters.

I wish there was a good way to meet the needs on both ends.

Playset sold well, though, or at least could more easily be made in a lower quantity, and is out now.

I find that interesting. I wonder if this is because the first reissue seemed to be a little harder to come by, and not everybody that wanted one could find one (or were even aware of them)? I remember I had the hardest time even finding a picture of the finished product (not the original/prototype), and I'm really good at looking.

--SKot

[TrekStar]

Oh man, I totally agree with the idea of maybe bringing more interest, and thereby sales, to this line by offering some variants of the core characters. The "green shirt" Kirk is a must, as is Bones in his short sleeves. How about Tholian spacesuits? A Piece of the Action Kirk and Spock? City On the Edge of Forever Kirk and Spock? Gamesters of Triskelion Kirk, Uhura and Chekov? Etc, etc, etc. The obvious point being that there's plenty of variant possibilities that may well breathe new life into this frickin awesome line. Some have complained about the "reverse" Cheron as being a cheap cop-out, but hey, at least it's different than the original!
Yep, as a huge fan, I really have high hopes for this line.

I'm a Star Trek junkie and I think the above suggestions would work, but how about Spock in WWll German soldier uniform
I'd be the first in line for that one. Harry Mudd would be a nice addition as well.

[D!n0-M@n]

Zach:

I have never gotten an answer on this - why doesn't Diamond release the crew in different uniforms? A 'green shirt' Kirk seems like such an obvious choice. Or Spock in pilot attire to match the Diamond Pike? There are plenty of ways to breathe some life back into this line with no additional tooling. You're totally right.....if you can't sell the main crew in the anniversary year the line needs a fork put in it from a business perspective. But if you could up the chances for success with little additional overhead per figure, would that be worth a try?

Oh man, I totally agree with the idea of maybe bringing more interest, and thereby sales, to this line by offering some variants of the core characters. The "green shirt" Kirk is a must, as is Bones in his short sleeves. How about Tholian spacesuits? A Piece of the Action Kirk and Spock? City On the Edge of Forever Kirk and Spock? Gamesters of Triskelion Kirk, Uhura and Chekov? Etc, etc, etc. The obvious point being that there's plenty of variant possibilities that may well breathe new life into this frickin awesome line. Some have complained about the "reverse" Cheron as being a cheap cop-out, but hey, at least it's different than the original!
Yep, as a huge fan, I really have high hopes for this line.

[EMCE Hammer]

Zach:

I am a huge fan of this line. I have at least two of just about every character Diamond-style on top of my originals; in many cases I have more. Loose, packaged.......armies of aliens etc. That being said, I'm finding it really hard to justify another Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc. that looks just like one I already have in triplicate. I have never gotten an answer on this - why doesn't Diamond release the crew in different uniforms? A 'green shirt' Kirk seems like such an obvious choice. Or Spock in pilot attire to match the Diamond Pike? There are plenty of ways to breathe some life back into this line with no additional tooling. You're totally right.....if you can't sell the main crew in the anniversary year the line needs a fork put in it from a business perspective. But if you could up the chances for success with little additional overhead per figure, would that be worth a try?

[Spyweb007]

I hope they make it out, I want to get the red shirt security crewman.

[DSTZach]

Doesn't sound good...maybe I should cancel my order.

That would not solve the problem, but do what you must. They are still in the works, as far as I have been told.

[DSTZach]

No, we aren't going back to the table and creating new characters/outfits, to see how those sell. If we can't sell the main characters in the anniversary year -- and we are selling to everyone, not just long-time Mego collectors -- then we are far less confident in the M'Resses and Trelanes of the line. We're trying to make sure we can still get what was ordered out to customers, either by selling more or making less.

Playset sold well, though, or at least could more easily be made in a lower quantity, and is out now.

[Spyweb007]

Movie uniform versions of the original crew or other variant uniforms seem like a good way to offer some variety without having to spend money on new sculpts and molds, but I don't know if the movie and tv licenses are separate or not.

[SKotK]

DSTChuck: The orders for the retro cloth line, both new figures and re-issues, were not strong. So we need to come up with a plan, and also work with our sales department and factory to see what we can come up with.
[/I]

This can be taken two ways. The most obvious interpretation is negative: that the line isn't doing well, and they may wind up cancelling it. But another interpretation is that "see what we can come up with" might mean that they are considering a better line-up, since their original offering was pretty uninspired and offered very little in the way of new characters. Uninspired offerings = uninspiring sales. So maybe they are planning on exploring some new characters.

Unfortunately the former interpretation seems more likely...but I'd love DST to prove me wrong on that.

--SKot

[SKotK]

I'm keeping this in the box for the time being but from what I can see without opening the bag the consoles and accessories are grey,the transporters blue but from the box art the captains chair is green and the stools are black.

The box art (assuming it's the same as the first reissue) is taken directly from the old Mego version, so I wouldn't judge any of the contents by that.

So the bridge playset second reissue came out earlier than expected, then? It was supposedly going to be Summer 2016. I wonder if this means the figures may be available before Summer as well?

--SKot

[powersthatbe]

I'm keeping this in the box for the time being but from what I can see without opening the bag the consoles and accessories are grey,the transporters blue but from the box art the captains chair is green and the stools are black.

[PNGwynne]

^May I ask, in what color are the furniture and transporter molded, for the reissue?

[powersthatbe]

it did.i got it a week ago from the diamond site.i have two now actually I bet a old mego one for 40 bucks I bought at a collector's store(before I knew they would reissue it).

[Mego-Amigo]

It's my understanding the reissued bridge playset actually did come out last week.

[tllgn]

I pre ordered the red shirt/reverse Cheron ,And the Sulu /Gorn .I already have the Sulu /Gorn but ordered this again because i am curious
to see if the new factory they are using rather then the earlier factory they used to do the first 15 figures ,to see if their different in some way.
could be cool if the Gorn is colored like the Frankenstein/Creature green .I think if they want to release the crew again ,then perhaps they should do
a enterprise gift set with complete crew .and a alien set of some sort ,perhaps with mission to gamma 6 (thats a long shot).