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WHAT IF.... you were in charge of making the toys


CLAM

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So let's say you wake up one day and magically become the head of the Marvel department at Hasbro, what would you do with the line?

 

 

1. I would fire whoever has been running the show. I would fire the designers, fire whoever was responsible for Emma Frost too @lol@

 

2. To replace those guys, I would make design decisions myself and continue to use Toybiz sculptors. (Hasbro has been using some of the same sculptors, but the differences are obvious in their work. Hasbro's designs are a lot more cartoony and less detailed.)

 

3.. I would go back and take a few figures already released in HML1, and 2 and retool them.

Banshee gets his collar and a new face.

Hercules gets a new face and a normal skin tone.

Emma gets new head.... maybe a new body... maybe an entirely new figure.

All of HML2 would get their protoype heads back, instead of the cheesy ones they were actually given.

All of HML2 would get nice paint washes.

 

4. I would HALT production of all future waves and fix some glaring issues, which will be named later. figures that most obviously need help the most:

Ratchel - bad articulation, preskool head (Hasbro styled joints)

Blackbolt - dopey eyes, bad articulation

Nova - goofy head, needs paint detail.

Tigra - ugly articulation

NAMOR - throw this figure away, a completely new figure is needed

Invisible Woman - HORRIBLE costume choice, stupid face, ugly joints

ALL the Spiderman wave.

 

5. NO MORE Hasbro joints, ever. Don't mess with something that aint broke, Toybiz's articulation is what made Marvel Legends. Not all of it is needed, but double knees and elbows, bicep swivels, etc.. standard. Some figures need more articulation, but none of them need Hasbr's ugly joints.

 

6. NO MORE cheesy face sculpts. Many Toybiz figures were victims of this, but it has become the standard for Hasbro.

 

7. Return of paint washes. Tiybiz did it. Mattel does it. WHy can't Hasbro? It really helps bring out the sculpting details and makes figures look much better.

 

8. Bigger BAF, or less figures needed to make one. It's a shame that it takes 8 figures to make Blob, and he really isn't that big. You should get something bigger for 80 bucks.

 

9. More accessories. Again, for 10 bucks, the customer deserves more.

 

10. NO MORE MOVIE figures. if you need to make movie figures, give them their own series. If the stores won't order them, then they must realze that these figures shouldn't be made in the first place.

 

11. CHange packaging. I like the look of the packaging, but its unpractical. It should be more symmetrical. I wouldn't have changed the packaging from Toybiz's if I were in charge. It makes sense if I can get old Toybiz collectors to continue their MOC collections because the Hasbro packaging fits in with their old stuff... I want customers to buy 2 of each figure. Hasbro packaging isn't made to be kept MOC.

 

12. actually get my product in the store.

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Just when I'm starting to think we've run out of things to talk about...

 

1. Information gathering. I don't know if I'd start by firing everyone, but I'd assess the team's passion for what they do and test their willingness to listen to other sources to gather information. Marvel Legends is a product primarily dedicated to collectors and with me now working at Hasbro, I'd have access to information gathering tools that would tell me what collector's want. From focus groups, to website polls, I'd find out what the majority of collector's want and apply that to what's been learned from the entire run of Marvel Legends.

 

2. Wave Themes One of the first things I'd gather information about is the way waves are put out. Is simply numbering a new wave with the latest randomly selected characters the way to go? Or should it be more along the lines of the new themed FF wave coming out this fall? Are we timing releases of waves (or perhaps box sets) with major story arcs such as Civil War and World War Hulk? It doesn't look like it... Also, how do we properly market the movie figures? We have golden opportunities to pursue with all the media hype Marvel movies generate, are we doing all we can to satisfy demand on all fronts?

 

3. Character selection. We've gotton some kudos for improved character selection, but can it be better? What is the current process for selecting figures for a particular wave? How do we involve the fans and collectors? We've got a lot of bodies and parts made now where we can make more variants or collector requested figures. How should we market this possibility? Mail away offers? Hasbro points to redeem for free figures? Online exclusives of more obscure figures that might not be right for mass market?

3a. Build-a-figures. The right BAF choice could sell us more figures. If we release 6 figures and 2 of them are peg-warmers, would they sell if the right BAF was there as an enticement? I'm not buying that we can't make larger BAFs anymore on face value. Why not? Would collectors pay $10.99 for a ML if we're giving them the proper enticements?

 

4. Sculpting and detailing. Can we improve the sculpts? Emma Frost would've never gotton by my initial walk-through. A lot of feedback has come back regarding the joints we're using. Why did we change? Can we go back to the way joints used to be made? Can we afford extra paint washes? Well, we're charging more, not including comics and making smaller BAFs, so we should be able to do that.

 

5. Details. Do we need to look at things like packaging and accessories? What do our customers want vs the cost-effectiveness of such choices?

 

6. Distribution. Are we doing all we can to get our product into the buyer's hands? It doesn't look like it... What are the hang-ups? What are frustrations on the retailers' end? We're Hasbro dammit!! What's the problem here?!! We're only going to make money if we make product available and desirable in the mass markets!!

 

Then in my second week on the job, I'd implement everything above ;)

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#1 Be damned sure I never tell any of you whiney ass fan boys :P

 

 

#2 try and hire back all the guys or at least most of them that did the tb stuff back :P

 

#3 tell them to keep doing things the way they were before :D

 

 

#4 have a blast getting certain figures made

 

#5 having a blast getting figures made that I know would PO some people here off :P

 

#6 make sure certain figures did not get made just to PO the odd person here off :P

 

#7 laugh my ass off at the fact that I am in charge of it

 

#8 maybe hire some customizers here like jin or something to make figures too... who knows... lol!

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#1 Be damned sure I never tell any of you whiney ass fan boys :P

 

why are you the hasbro spy we know that watching ? ;)

 

 

Oh noes!! How did you find out!!? Err wait no thats not me! @loll@ @hmmm@

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I agree with a lot of what you said CLAM BUT to Hasbro's defense cuz it seems as if they need it latley, there last two waves FF4 and the other one's looked fanstastic, excuse the pun. Yes its not 100% perfect but damn good! The last super perfect wave i can only think of 1. And that was wave 6 with Deadpool, Juggs, Brown Wolverine and etc.

 

The Designers I agree, be more specific though...Sam Greenwell's my favorite designer! Phil Ramez ( <----I screwed his name up) and Dave Cortez are awesome too.

 

The packaging is FINE! Of course they have to change it, that's Toybiz design, and quite frankly it looks a lot better than Toybiz packaging. Its a new different company so it makes 150% sense to change the packaging.

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In regards to character selection i would like to work with marvel and know about upcoming big story lines so that those charatcers can be worked into waves as the comics come out. I think sales for a Civil War, Planet Hulk, and Annihilation figures would have higher at the height of the comic storylines.

 

I would get rid of screaming or crazy facial expressions. For the most part facial expressions should be neutral so that all the figures could be posed together. I would also have teams done in the same style and era so that they fit together.

 

I would continue with the larger BAF characters and expand them over 2 waves if that is what oil prices dicated. I would also try to include smaller pack-in figures that normally would not get made.

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I too would like to see them pimp out or try to pimp out figures to go with comic arcs at the times the arcs are out ... WOuld be interesting to see how well they sell... I know I'd buy ANN based boxed sets or vs or what have you ....

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So let's say you wake up one day and magically become the head of the Marvel department at Hasbro, what would you do with the line?

 

 

1. I would fire whoever has been running the show. I would fire the designers, fire whoever was responsible for Emma Frost too @lol@

 

2. To replace those guys, I would make design decisions myself and continue to use Toybiz sculptors. (Hasbro has been using some of the same sculptors, but the differences are obvious in their work. Hasbro's designs are a lot more cartoony and less detailed.)

 

3.. I would go back and take a few figures already released in HML1, and 2 and retool them.

Banshee gets his collar and a new face.

Hercules gets a new face and a normal skin tone.

Emma gets new head.... maybe a new body... maybe an entirely new figure.

All of HML2 would get their protoype heads back, instead of the cheesy ones they were actually given.

All of HML2 would get nice paint washes.

 

4. I would HALT production of all future waves and fix some glaring issues, which will be named later. figures that most obviously need help the most:

Ratchel - bad articulation, preskool head (Hasbro styled joints)

Blackbolt - dopey eyes, bad articulation

Nova - goofy head, needs paint detail.

Tigra - ugly articulation

NAMOR - throw this figure away, a completely new figure is needed

Invisible Woman - HORRIBLE costume choice, stupid face, ugly joints

ALL the Spiderman wave.

 

5. NO MORE Hasbro joints, ever. Don't mess with something that aint broke, Toybiz's articulation is what made Marvel Legends. Not all of it is needed, but double knees and elbows, bicep swivels, etc.. standard. Some figures need more articulation, but none of them need Hasbr's ugly joints.

 

6. NO MORE cheesy face sculpts. Many Toybiz figures were victims of this, but it has become the standard for Hasbro.

 

7. Return of paint washes. Tiybiz did it. Mattel does it. WHy can't Hasbro? It really helps bring out the sculpting details and makes figures look much better.

 

8. Bigger BAF, or less figures needed to make one. It's a shame that it takes 8 figures to make Blob, and he really isn't that big. You should get something bigger for 80 bucks.

 

9. More accessories. Again, for 10 bucks, the customer deserves more.

 

10. NO MORE MOVIE figures. if you need to make movie figures, give them their own series. If the stores won't order them, then they must realze that these figures shouldn't be made in the first place.

 

11. CHange packaging. I like the look of the packaging, but its unpractical. It should be more symmetrical. I wouldn't have changed the packaging from Toybiz's if I were in charge. It makes sense if I can get old Toybiz collectors to continue their MOC collections because the Hasbro packaging fits in with their old stuff... I want customers to buy 2 of each figure. Hasbro packaging isn't made to be kept MOC.

 

12. actually get my product in the store.

 

So...in other words...you'd dump HASBRO. And that's the only conclusion one could draw from that post. Doing everything you say would entail dumping HASBRO.

 

But be careful...the "I-HEART-HASBRO" crowd will go BESERK if they see that!

 

HASBRO - gone in 2 years!

 

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So let's say you wake up one day and magically become the head of the Marvel department at Hasbro, what would you do with the line?

 

 

1. I would fire whoever has been running the show. I would fire the designers, fire whoever was responsible for Emma Frost too @lol@

 

2. To replace those guys, I would make design decisions myself and continue to use Toybiz sculptors. (Hasbro has been using some of the same sculptors, but the differences are obvious in their work. Hasbro's designs are a lot more cartoony and less detailed.)

 

3.. I would go back and take a few figures already released in HML1, and 2 and retool them.

Banshee gets his collar and a new face.

Hercules gets a new face and a normal skin tone.

Emma gets new head.... maybe a new body... maybe an entirely new figure.

All of HML2 would get their protoype heads back, instead of the cheesy ones they were actually given.

All of HML2 would get nice paint washes.

 

4. I would HALT production of all future waves and fix some glaring issues, which will be named later. figures that most obviously need help the most:

Ratchel - bad articulation, preskool head (Hasbro styled joints)

Blackbolt - dopey eyes, bad articulation

Nova - goofy head, needs paint detail.

Tigra - ugly articulation

NAMOR - throw this figure away, a completely new figure is needed

Invisible Woman - HORRIBLE costume choice, stupid face, ugly joints

ALL the Spiderman wave.

 

5. NO MORE Hasbro joints, ever. Don't mess with something that aint broke, Toybiz's articulation is what made Marvel Legends. Not all of it is needed, but double knees and elbows, bicep swivels, etc.. standard. Some figures need more articulation, but none of them need Hasbr's ugly joints.

 

6. NO MORE cheesy face sculpts. Many Toybiz figures were victims of this, but it has become the standard for Hasbro.

 

7. Return of paint washes. Tiybiz did it. Mattel does it. WHy can't Hasbro? It really helps bring out the sculpting details and makes figures look much better.

 

8. Bigger BAF, or less figures needed to make one. It's a shame that it takes 8 figures to make Blob, and he really isn't that big. You should get something bigger for 80 bucks.

 

9. More accessories. Again, for 10 bucks, the customer deserves more.

 

10. NO MORE MOVIE figures. if you need to make movie figures, give them their own series. If the stores won't order them, then they must realze that these figures shouldn't be made in the first place.

 

11. CHange packaging. I like the look of the packaging, but its unpractical. It should be more symmetrical. I wouldn't have changed the packaging from Toybiz's if I were in charge. It makes sense if I can get old Toybiz collectors to continue their MOC collections because the Hasbro packaging fits in with their old stuff... I want customers to buy 2 of each figure. Hasbro packaging isn't made to be kept MOC.

 

12. actually get my product in the store.

 

So...in other words...you'd dump HASBRO. And that's the only conclusion one could draw from that post. Doing everything you say would entail dumping HASBRO.

 

But be careful...the "I-HEART-HASBRO" crowd will go BESERK if they see that!

 

HASBRO - gone in 2 years!

 

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1. Restore the Toybiz quality paint apps.

2. Restore the Toybiz quality articulation and ban that piece of crap Sigma 6 elbow joint.

3. Implement a 1 year moratorium on any new versions of Hulk, Iron Man, Wolverine, Spidey, Captain America, and Thing. After the year was up, limit each of those characters to 1 new version every 2 years.

4. Do away with unique character variants or produce them in sufficient quantities so that everyone can find them with relative ease.

5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

6. Keep movie figures in separate lines or waves. The same for alternate reality figures and ultimate figures. No more forcing people to buy non-616 figures to get a sweet 616 BAF.

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I treatments with Toy Biz and back to contract its services again again to make the figures, aside from that better the quality of the product so that they have the same intensity that had when leaving series 1, ademas, elegy the candidates of many series by popular election, and not by its attractive recent one. IT HAS HAS HAS HAS is worth to dream

 

the figures of women tendrian the normal joint that it allows to ahead bend of atras and not simple it of torso and united chest them in the middle. ademas, volveria to dioramas that it comes with each figure, even haria that in a series came dioramas from different places interesting from the universe marvel, like the hall the mansion of the Avengers, the quarter of Brain of the Xs Men, the laboratory of Reed Richards or even the office of the Daily Bugle.

 

send a version of the invisible woman who if outside the true one (of preference the one of the civil war)

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

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I have to agree 100% with Clam. My main gripe is the articulation. Hasbro has no idea what they are doing in that department. The single jointed knees and elbows look terrible, makes the figures look as if they have artificial limbs.

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

 

 

Sure.. I don't mind if they do it. I have all those guys MIB already.

 

But some people never found them and can't afford them now, so it would be nice for them.

 

Hasbro's versions would be inferior, so mine would still be cooler.

 

And I don't care about the value of them anyways. Real collectors don't collect toys for the value of them. And I doubt that the value would go down that much, as any true collector would still want the superior, Toybiz, versions

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

 

May you never find a rare chase item again @firedevil@ @grumpy@ @smilepunch@

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

 

 

Sure.. I don't mind if they do it. I have all those guys MIB already.

 

But some people never found them and can't afford them now, so it would be nice for them.

 

Hasbro's versions would be inferior, so mine would still be cooler.

 

And I don't care about the value of them anyways. Real collectors don't collect toys for the value of them. And I doubt that the value would go down that much, as any true collector would still want the superior, Toybiz, versions

 

 

It is nice to know a toy you have is worth something but yes I agree that shouldn't be the lone reason why you buy it if so you're in the wrong hobby :D

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My approach would be different. I would hire about 100 sales rep. These sales reps would be broken up by states and zip codes. Then I would compile a questionaire of about 50 questions. These sales reps would then hit toy stores, retail stores, hobbie shops, etc. They would spend a year doing this. Then after the year is up I would take the list of questions and run them through a SPSS program to statlically break them down. Now what to do with the sales reps. I just dont want to fire them, so I would use college students from around the US. Making this a good part-time job. It would not matter if they new anything abouts toys. Matter of fact it would be better if they were impartial. You could not please everybody, but you could please the majority.

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

 

I really don't see that Hasbro rereleases would kill the value of the old ones. Especially since they probably wouldn't be quite as good. And regardless, I'd rather see the majority of collectors who never got those figures happy than people who collect for profit.

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5. Rerelease Kang, Dragon Man, Dark Phoenix, Stealth Iron Man, and every unique character variant from the Toybiz waves that most people were never able to find.

 

 

 

Personally, I hope that Hasbro NEVER re-releases these figures, as that will seriously devalue my MIB sets of KANG, DRAGON-MAN, and STEALTH IM...not to mention my out-of-box display versions.

 

 

 

 

Real collectors don't collect toys for the value of them. And I doubt that the value would go down that much, as any true collector would still want the superior, Toybiz, versions

 

Which is why I have one set on display, one set MIB...and also why I sold a Dragon-Man to a guy at a Comics store for $80!

 

Collecting is fun, especially if, occasionally, I can make some serious scratch off of it!

 

Now that HASBRO has totally sucked all the joy out of MARVEL LEGENDS (9 months...two mediocre waves...wow...), what else is a guy to do??

 

@smilepunch@

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1. Give the license back to TB

2. Farm out Gijoe and Transformers to a competent company

3. Shut down forever

 

Like what theres not many out there as big as hasbro I think they are doing just fine with tf :) Also this is only about ML not the other stuff hasbro does :P

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