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

[PNGwynne]

^ I feel your pain, it's an annoying situation and I feel similarly about Presidential Monsters, too.

[phil]

I just need to blow off steam from the frustration I'm feeling over this line and it's not directed at anyone or anything in particular. Its the situation in general that is frustrating me.

That said why can't we get a definite answer on what is happening with this line? That statement makes it seem like the proposed line is dead but it doesn't exactly say it.

[Your pal, Jim]

From the August 17th Ask DST:

DSTChuck: I am sorry, Rob, but there was very little interest from retailers in a re-issue of the TOS retro cloth releases. We would like to find a way to release some of the new TOS figures we showed, but we have no plans for any more TNG or other TOS retro cloth figures at this point.

http://www.artasylum.com/2016/08/ask-dst-326-star-trek/

[phil]

Is there any news on these? Good or bad? I'm getting a bit annoyed at having money tied up in preorders I could use for other things. The delays are tempting me to cancel my preorders and just forget about these figures.

[SKotK]

You gotta ask yourself, "who is going to buy these things?"

It's generally not gonna be millennials, or people who were born in the 80s or 90s. It's pretty much gonna be mostly guys who were kids in the early 70s and had this stuff, or wanted to have it.

Once you've exhausted that market and sold them all the character figures they want to buy, there's not going to be much left unless you make some other new characters they'd really like to have. They've already got Kirk. They've already got Spock. They've probably got Sulu, Chekhov, and the Gorn as well since those were high on their personal wish lists and they probably grabbed them right when they came out.

No, what they're really want are new faces, which so far have only included the Security Guard (definitely) and reverse Cheron (kind of).

Well, I hope this two items finally ship, and I hope sales wind up high enough to make Diamond Select happy...and possibly make them consider further expansion to this line (though it seems unlikely at this point).

Buy them up, folks (should they come out, of course). It could be the last chance to fuel further offerings!

--SKot

[phil]

Sadly, I'm not surprised other figures have been cancelled. I'm not optimistic about any of the figures being released.

[MIB41]

I'm so glad I bought that near complete lot of EMCE Star Trek figures off ebay. I figured this was gonna happen.

The funny thing is I was just buying these as they came out new with the expectation they would always be around and become something of a common retro. It just goes to show you a good idea remains a good idea no matter which generation it gets made in. Paul and company really excelled with this line. My biggest disappointment was that he couldn't get deeper with the Apes line up. That was perfect and I was floored when it didn't sell. I believe that was my first indication that just because my generation loves something doesn't mean it endures with future generations. It's been especially disheartening to see companies like NECA go the extra mile and make new versions of them and see those fall flat as well.

[Majere]

I'm so glad I bought that near complete lot of EMCE Star Trek figures off ebay. I figured this was gonna happen.

[TrekStar]

Hmm, discontinued? so does that mean employees scooped up the ones remaining at the warehouse and then will turn around and sell on eBay at 3 times the price? it's just a thought.

[MIB41]

I think its just a reflection on the lack of demand. There might be enough interest to drive up prices for existing figures in auctions, but in terms of making another factory run, I'm sure they needed better pre-sales. Diamond looks like another company moving away from the Mego format, save for the occasional retro set.

[SKotK]

Well, there it is Just not a very well thought out plan for revisiting this line and style. I won't hold my breath for the Red Shirt & Cheron figures.

Very disappointing...Sulu and Gorn would have been the two most sought-after reissues, I imagine, besides Romulan and Chekhov.

However, if they planned to cancel the Red Shirt and Cheron figures at this stage, they would likely have sent out notifications about that as well...and I didn't get one regarding my pre-order. So there's still hope for those yet.

--SKot

[PNGwynne]

No, not well thought-out at all IMO.

[TRDouble]

Well, there it is Just not a very well thought out plan for revisiting this line and style. I won't hold my breath for the Red Shirt & Cheron figures.

[RCB Mego]

Disappointing news from EE concerning EMCE/DST Star Trek figures

I just received the following email message from Entertainment Earth:
"Thank you for ordering from Entertainment Earth. We have been notified by
the manufacturer that we will not be receiving any additional shipments of
Star Trek Retro Series 7 Sulu and Gorn Action Figure Set, (Item
DC17767AA), because they have discontinued production of this item at this
point in time. The order you placed for this item has been cancelled in
our system."

[Ssylyss]

Just got a notification from Entertainment earth that Sulu and Gorn have been canceled.