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Could Super7 Be Planning A ThunderCats Thundertank?!?


JayC

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Oddly, I was hoping it would be a bit smaller like maybe the length of the old vintage toy but wider to have two seats in front. Maybe it would keep the cost down. That thing looks way too big and (probably) way too rich for my blood. Looks great though, if by some miracle its under $200 I'd bite.

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I have to say that If I was Super7 and heard fans saying that they were willing to pay $300-400, and I had been planning to list it for less. I would definately scrap my pricing and raise it to whatever i felt comfortable that people were saying they would pay. LOL! 

High price? Self fulfilling prophesy.

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2 hours ago, Flounnderr said:

I have to say that If I was Super7 and heard fans saying that they were willing to pay $300-400, and I had been planning to list it for less. I would definately scrap my pricing and raise it to whatever i felt comfortable that people were saying they would pay. LOL! 

High price? Self fulfilling prophesy.

I really don't think it should be on that $400 price range... Many people will not go for it if it's too expensive. This is not the Razor Crest from the Mandalorian...

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Super7 today revealed details on their recently announced 7" scale ThunderCats Ultimates Thundertank which is going to set you back $450 + Shipping if you want to add it to your collection. A payment plan will be available. The vehicle will carry up to six ThunderCats ULTIMATES figures and pre-orders will be open up from February 2 - April 2, 2021. Expected delivery Q1 2022. They also released a new image which you can check out below.

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$450 seems really high, but they also charge around $50 or so for their figures so this tracks. Speaking of tracks, I hope the tracks are plastic instead of rubber, because that's a lot of money to spend on something that won't last more than a few years.

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15 minutes ago, Satam said:

$450 seems really high, but they also charge around $50 or so for their figures so this tracks. Speaking of tracks, I hope the tracks are plastic instead of rubber, because that's a lot of money to spend on something that won't last more than a few years.

The price doesn't surprise me but regardless of how justified or not it is, many will have a hard time justifying that much for one item especially with what is hard economic times for many. It shouldn't be surprising many are gonna have sticker shock, which is why it amazes me Super7 didn't put out more than these couple images to try and really dazzle people. They should have released full images showing it from every angle, with all the figures on it, the interiors and any features it may have. Maybe even a video showing it off. I am sure over time they will but you know what they say, first impressions are the most important.

 

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21 minutes ago, JayC said:

The price doesn't surprise me but regardless of how justified or not it is, many will have a hard time justifying that much for one item especially with what is hard economic times for many. It shouldn't be surprising many are gonna have sticker shock, which is why it amazes me Super7 didn't put out more than these couple images to try and really dazzle people. 

Best way to get people over their sticker shock is a little nibble here, a little nibble there . . . , build up that anticipation. I guess what they show us here is the first nibble.

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1 hour ago, JayC said:

The price doesn't surprise me but regardless of how justified or not it is, many will have a hard time justifying that much for one item especially with what is hard economic times for many. It shouldn't be surprising many are gonna have sticker shock, which is why it amazes me Super7 didn't put out more than these couple images to try and really dazzle people. They should have released full images showing it from every angle, with all the figures on it, the interiors and any features it may have. Maybe even a video showing it off. I am sure over time they will but you know what they say, first impressions are the most important.

 

This was as I explained... For me to get this one, I would have to be convinced that there are a LOT of details on the inside of this vehicle 🚜... By the way how the financial payments are for this one? $100 per month? I still amazed this is on par of the price of the Razor Crest...😲

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Let me make something PERFECTLY clear to all the Super7 fanbois:
<P>
https://www.walmart.com/ip/DC-Batman-2020-16-inch-Batmobile-with-12-inch-Tactical-Batman-Action-Figure-by-Spin-Master/813039644
<P>
So.  That Batmobile costs $50.  Yes, I know, it's a lower detail toy.  It's got less engineering, less gimmicks.  And it's also smaller than the ThunderTank in the picture (about a half to a third of the total size, but that's not including the oversize Batman figure, so by total plastic volume included, I'd say about half), so you should absolutely expect the tank to cost more.  And of course, it is a mass-retail release, so it's gonna cost less too.  I get all that.  That's not the point.
<P>
The point is, even taking all that into consideration . . . even the fact that it's a specialty market item . . . there is no way this price is justifiable.  Numerous reviews of that Batmobile have discussed how it works so well for 6" and 7" figures, how it's a great value, and an almost-must-have addition to a Batman collection.  For just $50.  Almost 10 TIMES LESS than this ThunderTank.  That's an ABSURD overpricing.  MOTUC Castle Grayskull was $400 when it released, and even it was overpriced for what was, essentially, a hollow plastic shell.  MOST action figure vehicles are hollow plastic shells.  Plastic prices haven't gone up THAT much (most 6" figures are still in the $20-$25 range, same as they were when Grayskull was released).  Something like this could be mass-produced for $100 a piece EASILY.  Give it a hefty price markup . . . $200.  This should be $250 a ABSOLUTE MOST.
<P>
They're charging you for nostalgia and artificial scarcity and perception.  They're slapping you in the face and saying "you'll buy anything from us, suck it up."  And you're (literally) buying into it.

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Pixel-Dan did a Zoom call with Super7's Brian Flynn to talk about the newly announced 7" scale ThunderCats Ultimates Thundertank vehicle they announced they were doing earlier this week.

We've taken some screencaps from the interview to give you a better look at the tank including interior shots and other aspects of the vehicle. Keep in mind this was shown on a Zoom call so the quality isn't fantastic but good enough to give you a look at it. Note that this is an early resin production sample, not the final product.

In the interview Brian talks about the pricing for the vehicle which as previously reported will cost $450 plus shipping which here in the US will be a flat $40 shipping fee.
 
Brian does a nice job of explaining the production process of a vehicle of this type with all the different molded parts that have to go into it as explaining how order numbers on something like this is going to be significantly lower than say Hasbro's Haslab Mandalorian Razorcrest. Bryan says the Razorcrest had over 28k orders while he would expect this to come in significantly lower for a variety of reasons. Because production orders will be less, that drives up the cost of it. Brian even goes on to mention that if they got 28k orders for the Thundertank he would be happy to offer it at a similar price to Hasbro's Razorcrest. Jump to around the 18 minute mark of the video if you want to hear more about the tank's cost and why it costs as much as it does.
 
If you have ever wondered how much quantity of a Walmart or Target order of a mass produced action figure line, Brian suggests minimum orders for something like Mattel's WWE figures start in the neighborhood with initial order of 50k units from just Walmart, and that doesn't count re-orders or other stores. I point this out because this is something I alluded to in my State of the Hobby editorial yesterday where these big box retailers order so much more than any online etailer. Even though it may not seem like it to us who struggle to find many of those products at those stores, this is why the toy manufactures are so beholden to the Target's and Walmarts.
 

Brian also talks about how manufacturing costs in China are on the rise and he expects prices will continue to go up every year. This probably explains why we are seeing other companies like Hasbro rising their prices on things like their 6" lines from $19.99 to $22.99 this year.

 

 

 

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Anyway getting back to the Thundertank, in the video Brian reaffirms the tanks measurements as 27” long and 17” wide. The tank is based on how it appeared in the original cartoon, not the original toy.

 

 

 

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The back of the tank opens up and the gun in the back will be removable. The mouth on the front will open and the legs will rise up to reveal cannons. There is also a cannon on the front of the tank that pops up.

 

 

 

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The back of the tank will 4 seats 7" figures in the back as well as addition space for the cannon or the cargo of ore that is also included. The mock up is a 1/2" to short. The final product will be a 1/2" taller and 1/2" deeper so figures will be able to sit in the tank with ease even with the top on.

 

 

 

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The front section of the tank seats two figures. You also will have sculpted and painted controls and details in both the front and the back of the tank.

 

 

 

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The front of the tank will have a solid cover and a clear cover.

 

 

 

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The eyes of the front of the tank will glow-in-the-dark.

 

 

 

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The treads will move and the wheels will roll. Brian says the treads should be made of a durometer vinyl type material as opposed to rubber so that it doesn't breakdown over time.

Look for the box art to be revealed by Monday.

Pre-orders will be open up on Super7.com from February 2 - April 2, 2021. Expected delivery Q1 2022. Brian does state if they don't get enough orders they won't be able to move into the production stage and the project will be canceled. Brian did not state what that minimum production number is. There will be a finance option offered as well.

They are looking to make pre-orders available to folks overseas through various retail partners.


Check out the entire interview and more images from the video below.
 
 

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On 1/29/2021 at 5:09 AM, Batman1701 said:

Let me make something PERFECTLY clear to all the Super7 fanbois:
<P>
https://www.walmart.com/ip/DC-Batman-2020-16-inch-Batmobile-with-12-inch-Tactical-Batman-Action-Figure-by-Spin-Master/813039644
<P>
So.  That Batmobile costs $50.  Yes, I know, it's a lower detail toy.  It's got less engineering, less gimmicks.  And it's also smaller than the ThunderTank in the picture (about a half to a third of the total size, but that's not including the oversize Batman figure, so by total plastic volume included, I'd say about half), so you should absolutely expect the tank to cost more.  And of course, it is a mass-retail release, so it's gonna cost less too.  I get all that.  That's not the point.
<P>
The point is, even taking all that into consideration . . . even the fact that it's a specialty market item . . . there is no way this price is justifiable.  Numerous reviews of that Batmobile have discussed how it works so well for 6" and 7" figures, how it's a great value, and an almost-must-have addition to a Batman collection.  For just $50.  Almost 10 TIMES LESS than this ThunderTank.  That's an ABSURD overpricing.  MOTUC Castle Grayskull was $400 when it released, and even it was overpriced for what was, essentially, a hollow plastic shell.  MOST action figure vehicles are hollow plastic shells.  Plastic prices haven't gone up THAT much (most 6" figures are still in the $20-$25 range, same as they were when Grayskull was released).  Something like this could be mass-produced for $100 a piece EASILY.  Give it a hefty price markup . . . $200.  This should be $250 a ABSOLUTE MOST.
<P>
They're charging you for nostalgia and artificial scarcity and perception.  They're slapping you in the face and saying "you'll buy anything from us, suck it up."  And you're (literally) buying into it.

I sorry  but your argument isn't based on the reality of how these things work. That Batmoblie is almost one solid piece of plastic with very little tooling, its not even nearly as big as the Thnudetank holds 6 figures not 1, and I guarantee that toy made for kids carried at Walmart and other big box stores will have far more orders placed for it than Super7 in their wildest dreams will be able to get for the Thundertank. If you truly want to understand this stuff listen to the interview just posted. Flynn is very open and does a good job of explaining it. I understand why someone might not be willing or able to drop $450 for something like this, but your comparison and justifications for why it should be cheaper have no basis in reality.

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@Batman1701: You're incorrect. The Thundertank consists of a ton of tooling because of all of the moving parts and how complicated the vehicle is. Tooling is just a name for the molds. The Batmobile is that cheap because it doesn't do anything and is almost one entire piece of plastic. It barely features any tooling. Tooling is why certain toys cost more than others. Molds for just action figures costs tens of thousands and/or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Vehicles cost much more. I know Chicken Fried Toys said the tooling for the stage coach they want to do costs more than all of the figures from their first Kickstarter for Dime Novel Legends figures line combined and there were 15 figures total in that line, and that stage coach is nowhere near as complicated as the tank and is nowhere near as big (it's a 3.75" line). Anyway, go watch the Pixel Dan interview with Brian Flynn that all of these new pictures came from. He explains why the tank is so much. There is as much tooling in the tank as there is in Snake Mountain. He also explains using pseudonumbers about why things cost as much as they do. He also addresses delays and says wave 2 is delayed in factory Hell and wave 3 and 4 will probably ship before it because it is moving right along. 
 

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1 hour ago, Roadpigmaster said:

I'm interested to know about the payment options... I wonder if for those who bought the Snake 🐍 Mountain 🏔️ they have payment options and would like to share their experience with it...💡✌️😀

I dont remember if they offered payment options on Snake Mountain or not. My guess it would be more like a layaway kind of thing where you break up payments and have it completed by a certain period of time.

 

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NOTE: Edited for tone.  I'm high-functioning autistic, and I was slightly concerned that my post came off as more hostile than intended.  Nothing could be further from the truth, I'm not mad at all at anyone, I'm actually quite excited about this debate and welcome the challenge. 😀 (Also note: I use caps for EMPHASIS, I'm not "shouting.")
<P>
Oh, here we go. *cracks knuckles*  Knew this was coming the moment I saw that interview last night.
<P>
So, right off the bat: thanks for the "well, actually" routine everybody. 😀  The Batmobile comparison was a quick and dirty example.  I am WELL AWARE it wasn't directly 1:1 applicable, it was acting as a baseline.  But since y'all missed the point, fine, we can go in-depth.  Regardless, I'm not an idiot (QUITE the opposite, thanks much) I don't need tooling explained to me.  I know the costs in toy manufacturing.  And nevertheless, you're still incorrect, and my reasoning IS based in reality (which I will explain, AT LENGTH, below).  And moreover, Brian basically admits it in the video.  (Which, by the way, as noted, I watched last night, minutes after it was posted - probably before y'all did, 'cuz I'm a nocturnal nutjob *LOL* - so you know, already got that covered too, thanks again. *chuckle*)
<P>
Now, preface: I'll admit, I'm not a toy exec or a toy journalist or a YouTuber with a million subscribers, or even that high-profile a fan of any major property.  I'm just a toy collector of over 30 years who (thanks to being such a life-long toy fan) just so happens to have some friends who DO work in toy manufacturing, and who also happens to have some experience in marketing and advertising, and through those factors, I will still confidently say that this price is BS for the following reasons:
<P>
1) Indeed, the Batmobile is a solid piece of plastic.  A shell, four wheels, an opening canopy, there's not much to it.  I have no illusions about that.  Nor do I have any misconceptions that the ThunderTank wouldn't (or shouldn't), by definition, have more parts than that.  It's got tank treads, claws, and an opening back chamber.  Yes, it's more complex.  HOWEVER . . . it absolutely COULD work with simpler tooling and engineering than they went with.  Yay, it has lots of gimmicks and bells and whistles.  It doesn't NEED that much.  Toy companies make sacrifices to detail all the time in an effort to make more affordable products.  That could ABSOLUTELY have been part of the design process and philosophy here.  It didn't have to be QUITE as large, it didn't have to be QUITE as tricked out.  They could have TRIED to make something affordable, and they DELIBERATELY DIDN'T.
<P>
And just to be clear: from a fan and artistic standpoint, I think that's awesome.  I applaud them for having passion for the work and wanting to put out a pinnacle product that is the best they could possibly make.  That's great!  But at the same time . . . it is also exclusionary.  Here's a thing that most of you will not be allowed to have.  Thanks.  Like I said, from a fan standpoint, that's cool.  From a consumer standpoint, that kinda sucks.
<P>
2) Now, let's get to the REAL heart of the issue, which (again, if you did watch the video) Brian DIRECTLY AND OPENLY ADMITS: the reason the price is so high is because they're barely making a handful of them.  Because of the SAME OLD EXCUSE that TunderCats has been flogged with for over a decade now: "ThUnDeRcAtS dOnT sElL!!!1!"
<P>
Brian readily acknowledges that, if they produced a higher run of ThunderTanks, they could sell for way less per unit, say into the $350 or $250 range (which is exactly what I said this vehicle should cost).  However, he claims that the reason they can't do that is because they simply don't have the customer base for that volume.  Which is true . . . BECAUSE THEIR FIGURES COST $50 EACH.
<P>
This reasoning is INCREDIBLY disingenuous, because it basically blames the fans for the price, and flatly refuses to acknowledge Super7's own culpability OR the years of mismanagement to which the brand has been subjected to by EVERY company.
<P>
- It's the reason WB and Cartoon Network gave for why TC2011 failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that they completely retooled the entire premise so it was nearly unrecognizable to original fans (it was excellent, don't get me wrong, but it was a harder sell), barely advertised, shuffled the time slot constantly before burying it on Friday nights, released episodes incredibly inconsistently, licensed the toys to friggin' BAN-DAI of all companies, and finally just washed their hands of the whole thing after only a year.
<P>
- It's the reason Ban-Dai gave for why their TC Classics failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that their cartoon-based line was lousy quality and made the collector line look bad, the fact they released in an unheard-of 8" scale that NO ONE else used, only released two figures, made them from shiny, unpainted plastic that made them look cheap, then restarted the line in a DIFFERENT (admittedly better 6") scale, STILL only released two figures (one of them a re-release), and then simply dropped the line.
<P>
- It's the reason Mattel gave for why THEIR TCC line failed.  "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that they released only via a subscription service and not something more accessible, released through a notoriously buggy digital storefront that EVERYONE hated through the ENTIRETY of the MOTUC era, charged OBSCENE shipping prices, released two VITAL MAIN CHARACTERS as SDCC exclusives that you COULD NOT get in the subscription, did not secure the character rights from WB for a long-term run, or that the company as a whole was about to go through a mismanagement crisis that lost them the rights to Thundercats, Ghostbusters, DC Comics, and even (briefly) killed their own MOTU line.
<P>
- It's the reason WB/CN gave for why TC:Roar failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Oh, and also "NOSTALGIA FANS ARE STUPID POOPY HEADS!"  Had nothing to do with the fact that they retooled a more realistic art style action franchise that is mostly loved by modern adults into a bubble art comedy kids show, tried to market a nostalgia property to children who had no connection to it while simultaneously LITERALLY INSULTING those kids adult-fan parents, didn't release it until TWO YEARS after it was announced, STILL shuffled it around the schedule, STILL didn't advertise, STILL released inconsistently, and once again dropped it after a year (less even?).
<P>
- And now Super7, who wants to say the price is so high 'cuz the customers aren't there . . . when the high pricing and lack of advertising to ANY broader audience is the reason there aren't customers.  But no, it's 'cuz Thundercats don't sell.
<P>
The simple reality is that Super7 self-perpetuates a vicious circle of overpricing (and for the record, they do this for ALL their Ultimates and MOTU-based figures, even the hugely popular lines that sell WAY bigger runs, do NOT try to tell me that TMNT have to be that expensive because "they don't sell," if NECA put them in stores for $50 per 2-pack, Super7 could sell them for $25-$30 too).  And do not misunderstand, that is their right, and if their business model works for them, fine.  People can pay whatever they want for toys.  But the price isn't because they can't sell enough.  The price is because they don't make enough, and they don't make enough because they don't make them available at retail and they don't advertise to anyone but ONE singular group of prospective customers.  And the price cuts THAT customer base in half.
<P>
For Thundercats, If the figures weren't $50 a pop, and the entire first wave wasn't just a bunch of re-releases that many of their target customers already have, and it didn't take them an ENTIRE YEAR or more between announcing a set of figures to actually getting them to ship (even if there's still a good reason for that, I am WELL AWARE that Chinese factories are a pain in the @$$ to work with, that's where one of my friends in the toy industry is FROM . . . regardless, those delays STILL turn off customers), and if they broadened their customer base to something bigger than a handful of websites, if they actually TRIED to target more mainstream audiences . . . THEY WOULD HAVE MORE INTEREST. They're enforcing a self-fulfilling prophesy. They're justifying the overpricing model by saying they need to pay for tooling for a small run on a low-interest property, when their own marketing and business strategy is CREATING the low-interest.
<P>
Yes, Thundercats is 100% a smaller property than Star Wars or Marvel or TMNT or even MOTU. But if they made the stuff actually affordable and available? They WOULD sell more.  If they lowered the production values and necessary tooling a couple notches, and produced 25,000 units and sold them at a more affordable price, and actually advertised a LITTLE harder into the broader nostalgia market and more casual toy collectors and enthusiasts (and yes, even kids) rather than JUST the niche high-end expensive toy collector's market, they WOULD sell them all.  And these items WOULD be affordable.
<P>
I know Super7 is a (comparatively) smaller toy company.  I know they are catering to a VERY specific market.  And they are well within their rights to do so, and to make as high-end a product as they want, and charge whatever they like.  No one ever said otherwise.  I merely made a legitimate critical complaint (with the Batmobile, I admit, an initially very loose comparison, but I even said that at the time) that is still completely accurate and valid.  After shipping, this thing cost HALF A GRAND.  And for MOST customers (ESPECIALLY during a pandemic), that's simply absurd.  It's not an attack to say that, or to rightly say that this could ABSOLUTELY be done cheaper with some minor sacrifices in scope and a broadening of the target customer base.
<P>
And frankly, even if it WAS an attack, it's kinda amusing to see a bunch of people jump to the defense of a multi-million dollar company, as if said company doesn't have big-boy pants and can't protect itself or simply ignore the criticism, all on its own. *LOL*  But hey, THAT is purely a subjective take, y'all can object to my assessment however you like. 😀

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32 minutes ago, Batman1701 said:

Oh, here we go. *cracks knuckles*
<P>
So, right off the bat: thanks for the "well, actually" routine everybody. 😀  The Batmobile comparison was a quick and dirty example.  I am WELL AWARE it wasn't directly 1:1 applicable, it was acting as a baseline.  But since y'all missed the point, fine, we can go in-depth.  Regardless, I'm not an idiot (QUITE the opposite, thanks much) I don't need tooling explained to me.  I know the costs in toy manufacturing.  And nevertheless, you're still incorrect, and my reasoning IS based in reality (which I will explain, AT LENGTH, below).  And moreover, Brian basically admits it in the video.  (Which, by the way, I watched last night, minutes after it was posted - probably before you did - 'cuz I'm a nocturnal nutjob, so you know, already got that covered too, thanks again. *eyeroll, chuckle*)
<P>
Now, preface: I'll admit, I'm not a toy exec or a toy journalist or a YouTuber with a million subscribers, or even that high-profile a fan of any major property.  I'm just a toy collector of over 30 years who (thanks to being such a life-long toy fan) just so happens to have some friends who DO work in toy manufacturing, and who also happens to have some experience in marketing and advertising, and through those factors, I will still confidently say that this price is BS for the following reasons:
<P>
1) Indeed, the Batmobile is a solid piece of plastic.  A shell, four wheels, an opening canopy, there's not much to it.  I have no illusions about that.  Nor do I have any misconceptions that the ThunderTank wouldn't (or shouldn't), by definition, have more parts than that.  It's got tank treads, claws, and an opening back chamber.  Yes, it's more complex.  HOWEVER . . . it absolutely COULD work with simpler tooling and engineering than they went with.  Yay, it has lots of gimmicks and bells and whistles.  It doesn't NEED that much.  Toy companies make sacrifices to detail all the time in an effort to make more affordable products.  That could ABSOLUTELY have been part of the design process and philosophy here.  It didn't have to be QUITE as large, it didn't have to be QUITE as tricked out.  They could have TRIED to make something affordable, and they DELIBERATELY DIDN'T.
<P>
And just to be clear: from a fan and artistic standpoint, I think that's awesome.  I applaud them for having passion for the work and wanting to put out a pinnacle product that is the best they could possibly make.  That's great!  But at the same time . . . it is also exclusionary.  Here's a thing that most of you will not be allowed to have.  Thanks.  Like I said, from a fan standpoint, that's cool.  From a consumer standpoint, that kinda sucks.
<P>
2) Now, let's get to the REAL heart of the issue, which (in case none of YOU watched the friggin' video) Brian DIRECTLY AND OPENLY ADMITS: the reason the price is so high is because they're barely making a handful of them.  Because of the SAME OLD EXCUSE that TunderCats has been flogged with for over a decade now: "ThUnDeRcAtS dOnT sElL!!!1!"
<P>
Brian readily acknowledges that, if they produced a higher run of ThunderTanks, they could sell for way less per unit, say into the $350 or $250 range (which is exactly what I said this vehicle should cost).  However, he claims that the reason they can't do that is because they simply don't have the customer base for that volume.  Which is true . . . BECAUSE THEIR FIGURES COST $50 EACH.
<P>
This reasoning is INCREDIBLY disingenuous, because it basically blames the fans for the price, and flatly refuses to acknowledge Super7's own culpability OR the years of mismanagement to which the brand has been subjected to by EVERY company.
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- It's the reason WB and Cartoon Network gave for why TC2011 failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that they completely retooled the entire premise so it was nearly unrecognizable to original fans (it was excellent, don't get me wrong, but it was a harder sell), barely advertised, shuffled the time slot constantly before burying it on Friday nights, released episodes incredibly inconsistently, licensed the toys to friggin' BAN-DAI of all companies, and finally just washed their hands of the whole thing after only a year.
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- It's the reason Ban-Dai gave for why their TC Classics failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that their cartoon-based line was lousy quality and made the collector line look bad, the fact they released in an unheard-of 8" scale that NO ONE else used, only released two figures, made them from shiny, unpainted plastic that made them look cheap, then restarted the line in a DIFFERENT (admittedly better 6") scale, STILL only released two figures (one of them a re-release), and then simply dropped the line.
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- It's the reason Mattel gave for why THEIR TCC line failed.  "THEY DON'T SELL!" Had nothing to do with the fact that they released only via a subscription service and not something more accessible, released through a notoriously buggy digital storefront that EVERYONE hated through the ENTIRETY of the MOTUC era, charged OBSCENE shipping prices, released two VITAL MAIN CHARACTERS as SDCC exclusives that you COULD NOT get in the subscription, did not secure the character rights from WB for a long-term run, or that the company as a whole was about to go through a mismanagement crisis that lost them the rights to Thundercats, Ghostbusters, DC Comics, and even (briefly) killed their own MOTU line.
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- It's the reason WB/CN gave for why TC:Roar failed. "THEY DON'T SELL!" Oh, and also "NOSTALGIA FANS ARE STUPID POOPY HEADS!"  Had nothing to do with the fact that they retooled a more realistic art style action franchise that is mostly loved by modern adults into a bubble art comedy kids show, tried to market a nostalgia property to children who had no connection to it while simultaneously LITERALLY INSULTING those kids adult-fan parents, didn't release it until TWO YEARS after it was announced, STILL shuffled it around the schedule, STILL didn't advertise, STILL released inconsistently, and once again dropped it after a year (less even?).
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- And now Super7, who wants to say the price is so high 'cuz the customers aren't there . . . when the high pricing and lack of advertising to ANY broader audience is the reason there aren't customers.  But no, it's 'cuz Thundercats don't sell.
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The simple reality is that Super7 self-perpetuates a vicious circle of overpricing (and for the record, they do this for ALL their Ultimates and MOTU-based figures, even the hugely popular lines that sell WAY bigger runs, do NOT try to tell me that TMNT have to be that expensive because "they don't sell," if NECA put them in stores for $50 per 2-pack, Super7 could sell them for $25-$30 too).  And do not misunderstand, that is their right, and if their business model works for them, fine.  People can pay whatever they want for toys.  But the price isn't because they can't sell enough.  The price is because they don't make enough, and they don't make enough because they don't make them available at retail and they don't advertise to anyone but ONE singular group of prospective customers.  And the price cuts THAT customer base in half.
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For Thundercats, If the figures weren't $50 a pop, and the entire first wave wasn't just a bunch of re-releases that many of their target customers already have, and it didn't take them an ENTIRE YEAR or more between announcing a set of figures to actually getting them to ship (even if there's still a good reason for that, I am WELL AWARE that Chinese factories are a pain in the @$$ to work with, that's where one of my friends in the toy industry is FROM . . . regardless, those delays STILL turn off customers), and if they broadened their customer base to something bigger than a handful of websites, if they actually TRIED to target more mainstream audiences . . . THEY WOULD HAVE MORE INTEREST. They're enforcing a self-fulfilling prophesy. They're justifying the overpricing model by saying they need to pay for tooling for a small run on a low-interest property, when their own marketing and business strategy is CREATING the low-interest.
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Yes, Thundercats is 100% a smaller property than Star Wars or Marvel or TMNT or even MOTU. But if they made the stuff actually affordable and available? They WOULD sell more.  If they lowered the production values and necessary tooling a couple notches, and produced 25,000 units and sold them at a more affordable price, and actually advertised a LITTLE harder into the broader nostalgia market and more casual toy collectors and enthusiasts (and yes, even kids) rather than JUST the niche high-end expensive toy collector's market, they WOULD sell them all.  And these items WOULD be affordable.
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I know Super7 is a (comparatively) smaller toy company.  I know they are catering to a VERY specific market.  And they are well within their rights to do so, and to make as high-end a product as they want, and charge whatever they like.  No one ever said otherwise.  I merely made a legitimate critical complaint (with the Batmobile, I admit, an initially very loose comparison, but I even said that at the time) that is still completely accurate and valid.  After shipping, this thing cost HALF A GRAND.  And for MOST customers (ESPECIALLY during a pandemic), that's simply absurd.  It's not an attack to say that, or to rightly say that this could ABSOLUTELY be done cheaper with some minor sacrifices in scope and a broadening of the target customer base.
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And frankly, even if it WAS an attack, it's kinda amusing to see a bunch of people jump to the defense of a multi-million dollar company, as if said company doesn't have big-boy pants and can't protect itself or simply ignore the criticism, all on its own. *LOL*  But hey, THAT is purely a subjective take, y'all can object to my assessment however you like. 😀

Here is the thing, your getting mad about reality. Brian is being open with you that sales arent there for ThunderCats to support a wider production run. That's not blaming fans, that just stating the reality of the market.

The fact is, no amount of explaining why things are the way they are is going to make you less mad, and I get that. You want the tank but you don't want to pay $450 for it. Frankly I am in the same boat. The difference is I am not going to get mad about it and insist it should be cheaper and anyone who says otherwise must be wrong  or insinuate they are some kind of a shill or have some kind of ulterior motive to lie.

At the end of the day whether you want to believe the price is justifiable or not, its not going to change.

 

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11 minutes ago, JayC said:

Here is the thing, your getting mad about reality. Brian is being open with you that sales arent there for ThunderCats to support a wider production run. That's not blaming fans, that just stating the reality of the market.

The fact is, no amount of explaining why things the way they are is going to make you less mad, and I get that. You want the tank but you don't want to pay $450 for it. Frankly I am in the same boat. The difference is I am not going to get mad about it and insist it should be cheaper and anyone who says otherwise must be wrong  or insinuate they are some kind of a shill or have some kind of ulterior motive to lie.

At the end of the day whether you want to believe the price is justifiable or not, its not going to change.

Hey, I'm not mad (and in point of fact, I edited my post a bit to note that, because I realized my tone was coming off wrong, I'm autistic, it happens, apologies).  I'm actually quite enjoying this.
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I think it's a genuine point of debate.  And I welcome challenges to it.  So, your assertion that "no amount of explaining is going to make me less mad" is simply not true.  Again, sorry for coming across hostile.
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Now, I AM saying that Brian is incorrect about the realities of the market.  Mostly because Super7 has too narrow a market focus.  Never accused anyone of lying or being a shill either.  Disingenuity is not always deliberate, and honestly, I think that's absolutely the case here.  If you've got your sights 100% set on being JUST a high-end collector brand, you may not actually see the broader potential, and that's a common pitfall in ANY industry, believing your customer base is limited based on your own perception of your product.  That's frustrating to see in this case, but just because he's likely incorrect doesn't mean he's LYING, and I never said that.
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I DO find it curious why it's suddenly so objectionable for people to voice their objections to the price (I did NOT insult anyone about this, but again, I know my tone was initially a bit harsh, and again, apologies), but that, likewise, I do not attribute to anyone being a shill. 🤨  In any case, no I don't think it'll change reality.  But then again . . . reality CAN'T change if people don't at least make their preferences known.  And in point of fact, there have been MANY times in the past when customer feedback has resulted in an altered business strategy ("Sonic The Hedgehog: The Movie" was ONLY a financial success because fans complained and the studio recognized they messed up and weren't going to make money unless they fixed it), ssooooo . . . actually yeah, criticism should be encouraged. *LOL*
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But again, no actual anger or hostility intended, and I'm sorry I came across that way.  Not mad, at all, and no, you aren't liars or shills.

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