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Aome Balrog Not Bad; Buy Him!


Maeglin

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Well, getting wisdom teeth taken out isn't all bad. I just got a Balrog playset from AOME, and it is pretty sweet. Though I would've liked the Balrog to be whole, it is better than nothing, and gives me an idea of what Toy Biz could do if they decided to release any version of the figure. Gandalf and the Moria Orc aren't that interesting, but they haven't broken yet, and they could both be alot worse. The bridge is easily assembled (did it without the directions at all), and is very, very sturdy, as is the entire set. My only problem is you can't really pose the Balrog, because of the lousy cuts of articulation they gave him. You move the head, you can see the cut . . . But at least I have him now -- and everyone else who b*tched alongside me for a Toy Biz one should get him, too! Buy him! Show Toy Biz that he sells! Send the retailers a message as well through your purchase! Let the words of the Balrog Petition no longer be just words! Make them actions!

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I´m passing up all the AOME crap. Sorry but it´s just not a thing for me. I like my figs big and articulated. As for a Balrog, ToyBiz can throw one at me any time any place any day and i´ll gladly pay $50. Just as long as he´s big, rotocast and electronic.

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Armies of Middle Earth Balrog = moderately priced playset for mini figures that only takes up so much room at retail.

 

Lord of the Rings Balrog = large scale deluxe villain with high price point that takes up a large space at retail.

 

Buying all of the mini Balrog playsets in the world will not inspire retailers to change their minds and order the full sized Balrog from Toy Biz. Remember, retailers don't see individual characters, they see in terms of size and whether a toy is a villain or a hero.

 

And please, let's all stop blaming Toy Biz. It was stated numerous times two years ago that they wanted to release the Balrog. Why would they have sculpted such a large figure, and put gone to the cost of planning to include electronics in him, if they were going to decide on a whim to just not release it? It is the retailers you need to take this up with.

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Toy Biz could've easily slipped out a Balrog.

If they're into making beasts human sized, why not make a Balrog for the roto-cast line? They could have him standing tall like when he faces Gandalf, and have his wings flat and spread out, then add enough articulation to have him hunching and there you have it, a 6" scale, if a bit too small, Balrog.

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It can be done. The retailers stock big toys all the time. To name a few: Transformers Unicron, Star Wars 12" Speederbikes, Star Wars E1 Royal Starship etc. The wings shoulden't be a problem, since they can be made to fold down and tucked behind the animal's back. The heavy build can be compensated by making it a rotocast figure. Then they should add lots of articulation, an opening mouth, electronic sounds and a light-up action. Should be easy since he's rotocast. Will light up nicely.

 

@bounce@

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I still don't see how the Balrog could be bigger than the AOME Helm's Deep set box.

Exactly. In fact, I think they could even fit it into a box close to the size of the Bridge of Khazad-dum box that this diorama came in. They might not even have to make his wings and tail seperate, as I was thinking, if they make the tail bendy and the wings articulated so that they can be folded. Looking at the BOKD AOME box, it would only need to be an inch taller, an inch wider on both sides, and maybe an inch and a half deeper, and can have a clear, plastic window in front for MOC collector's. This is too big for shelf space? Toy stores stock Barbie sh*t that's bigger than this.

 

And why wouldn't you guys buy this AOME set, if this is the only chance at owning a Balrog? You'd rather have none at all?

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I'm going to buy it, as soon as my TRU restocks. The Khazad-Dum set disappeared, yet two Orthanc sets remain. Yeah, the Balrog won't sell at all. @rolleye@

 

Edit-They can release a Balrog. It's not that it wouldn't sell;it's that retailers thought Treebeard would set the world on fire. So much for that.

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Can I point out a second time that Balrog is a deluxe sized single electronic villain character (i.e., to retailers, the exact same thing as the Cave Troll that didn't sell), and that the Bridge at Khazad-Dum set is a mini figure playset? Or are we going to continue to ignore that fact and assume that retailers would see it as the same thing?

 

"And why wouldn't you guys buy this AOME set, if this is the only chance at owning a Balrog? You'd rather have none at all?"

 

Because it isn't going to influence any retailers at all when it comes to the full sized Balrog figure. Why is this so hard for fanboys to understand? I would want one too. I would certainly love to have one in my collection. But I became resigned a long time ago to the fact that it just isn't happening. Move on with life, you'll feel better.

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Because it isn't going to influence any retailers at all when it comes to the full sized Balrog figure. Why is this so hard for fanboys to understand? I would want one too. I would certainly love to have one in my collection. But I became resigned a long time ago to the fact that it just isn't happening. Move on with life, you'll feel better.

 

Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth! @bounce@

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Rik, you are, like everyone else, ignoring the fact that retailers wouldn't buy it.

I know what you mean, but I'm sure if they packed it 1 per case, which would mean 1/3, then it wouldn't be too bad. I know this whole retailer stuff, but if they're willing to stock a crappy 8" tree that didn't sell when it was a crappy 14" tree, then I don't see how this is bad. All they'd have to do is put it on trial.

Anyway, it was just a thought, I know full well that we'll never see a Balrog that comes close to the Toy Biz line.

Guess we should move on and hope that the plans for Shelob materialise into a figure!

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If your talking about a smaller version in the regular line, liek the new Tree Beared,I can see them trying that. But it would only piss peopel off even more that they dont have a big one. ALso Im not to sure how well electronic features would go ina vinal rotocast figure. It would probably melt. Granted you would have to leave it one for a few hours, but they do test that kind of stuff, and it wouldnt pass. Also electronics is what is making the thing so expensive to produce and sell. Look at Tree Beared. If he was just a rotocast figure, he woudl have been priced around $12. He would have set the world on fire like they hoped. A straight rotocast Balrog, would only cost around $20 tops. But still, it would have the same effect as the cave troll. He was relatively cheap, but no one wanted it. Retailers were stuck with them. ANd stuck with even more, when little bastard children would pull the faces off. Balrog in scale willnot happen. End of story.

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If there is enough demand, ToyBiz would be very stupid not to act and meet it.

 

The way i see it, is that there is a huge fanbase for this particular figure. I see the problem of mass marketing here, since not every individual will be able or willing to shell out $40-50 for this toy. However, since there is a good solid amount of buyers, ToyBiz should definately reconsider the Balrog. I don't like the idea either, but if there isn't another option, maybe they should make it an exclusive?

 

I bet it will sell better than all those stupid 5- and 9-packs that just take up space and collect dust at stores.

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"If there is enough demand, ToyBiz would be very stupid not to act and meet it."

 

*repeats self again*

 

DarthMaulSithLord, you are, like everyone else, ignoring the fact that retailers wouldn't buy it. Toy Biz made the figure. They showed it at SDCC a few years back. Retailers didn't bite. They made it a rotocast, significantly dropping the price point. They showed it at Toy Fair. Retailers, again, didn't bite. They've tried. Why do you keep ignoring that?

 

As for an exclusive, they could not sell it as a store exclusive because, repeated once again, retailers simply do not want it. Feel free to place blame on retailers all you want, as it is completely in their hands. As for, say, an internet exclusive, or a mail-away, that wouldn't be cost-efficient for Toy Biz. It is easy to sign a meaningless petition on the internet. It is just as easy to claim on a message board that you'd buy it. But due to the fact that this figure is now both a) an exclusive, and B) large, the price would go up. Suddenly all of the people claiming to be willing to spend $45-50 on this figure are going to have to spend upwards of $70-80, plus shipping, just so that Toy Biz can break even on this exclusive figure. But, obviously, with the price going up, the number of people buying are naturally going to go down. Do you (finally) see Toy Biz's problems yet?

 

On the topic of the possibility of a smaller scale, regular price release, like the new Treebeard, I recall hearing Adrian from action-figures.com stating on his boards that Toy Biz actually has (or at least had) that on the drawing board. And, once again, it is up to the retailers whether or not it will ever see the light of day.

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