What I'd like to see for the SPAWN line

[Gavrilo Princip]

3 new lines per year, 1 being a new Dark Ages line, the other 2 being comic-based. I'd like to see the Dark Ages lines have the established style of articulation from the previous DA lines (series 19 and 22) and have the other 2 lines articulated similarly to series 6 thru 23. I'd like the comic-based lines to cover classic characters as well as characters that haven't seen figures yet.

I'd also like to see 1 reborn line per year, with the focus being on partial resculpt & redecoration in addition to repainting, i.e. Reborn series 1. The line-up for this line should be based heavily on polls and input from this board.

The line should be advertised to the core market as well as the mass market, but with the emphasis being on the former. Start advertising in comics and magazines again, and not just TMP's own titles. But most of all, return to turning out wickedly cool product that sells itself again, which brings me to my final point.

As for the direction of the line, it should go straight back to what sold it so well in the first place, edgy and dark. The line should look exactly like what Wal-Mart would never sell in it's stores. In doing so, the line would be featured in the specialty market and stores like KB and TRU, places that have hurt from losing business to Wal-Mart. This would boost the market and return business to places that have suffered losses, and be good for this industry over-all, as Wal-Mart's near-monopoly on it is a major part of what's hurting the business in the first-place. Supporting and/or submitting to a Wal-Mart controlled market is not a responsible action for a pioneering company and puts the industry at a continued risk in the future. Standing your ground can sometimes be daring, but that's exactly what you would expect an industry-leading company like McFarlane Toys to do, as they've been doing exactly that since the beginning up until a few years ago.


I'd rather see the company return to it's roots by the same type of action that made them big in the first place, rather than lay back and submit. The difference here is, I know they can do better, and most of you do too.

--Gav

[life]

like your ideas.
what the chances it actually happen?

[bborst]

I think we'd all like to see more Spawn lines produced but certain licenses like HALO keep getting in the way of them being profitable.

[Spawnomite]

I think you're wasting your time. ;)

[RaoulOD]

First, I want to say that I really do wish that what you're asking for could happen. It would be really nice to have that many lines put out in a given year. However, I think that given the current economic climate, I'm not sure there really is a market to sustain three new spawn lines a year, even with a return to what you consider to be the "proper ethos" of the line. I'd love to see more Dark Ages figures - everyone would - but can the pocketbooks of the fans really absorb the impact enough to make the line profitable for McFarlane at this point in time?

I tihnk the recent decisions (recent being the last five years or so) to branch out and try less "dark and brooding" subject matter in a variety of licensed products and even within their own Spawn lines has been a wise decision for the most part, as it has led them to stumble on the current run of Halo figures. That property alone will help generate enough capital to keep the company stable during an otherwise difficult downturn in action figure sales that we've heard people talking about across the board for at least a year now. The last few mature themed lines - the Blade Hunters and the Zodiac lines, which were full of figures that fans had requested for years - did not sell well enough and as a result were cancelled. I think McFarlane is just responding to the behavior of the market. A few years ago, dark and edgy sold really, really well. The last few years, video game properties have been selling fairly well.

This does, of course, leave many of the horror and dark fantasy fans feeling a bit put out, as the company they believe they have nourished with their support has turned to produicing something that they do not like and has stopped producing the sort of product they fell in love with in the first place. And, as a result, feeling some displacement is to be expected.

However, I think we need to keep the big picture in mind. When things eventually pick back up again (I hope), I would like McFarlane Toys to be there. If they have to toe the line a bit to get their product into Wal-Mart to keep themselves afloat for the time being, then so be it. I would rather have them around in the future to produce more of the figures I love than for them to stubbornly stick to a product that is not competing well and go under as a result of it.

I love this company. But not just because of the toys they make. I've been a fan of Todd's since I was a kid, as many of us here have been as well. I support this company because I believe it is the best toy company in the world, hands down. And I have been impressed with the way it has adapted with the changing tastes and troubles of the toy market. It is my hope that it will be around years from now to continue to produce what I believe are the best toys out there.

I've read a great deal of your posts over the past few years, and I want you to understand that I do see your point, and I do believe that it is a valid point. However, I do not believe that a return to three spawn lines a year is the best idea right now given current market trends. I think we could see something like that pop up again in the future. But in order for McFarlane to be there when conditions are favorable for it to happen again, it must weather the current storm. While many of you may be annoyed by it, I believe that Halo and other video game licenses are the prudent decision for the time being.

Having said that, I am very sad that we will have to wait a year for another Spawn line. I can understand the decisions that led up to the choice to cut them out... I just wish that it didn't have to be that way.

[homunculus]

I think you're wasting your time. ;)
Unfortunately, that's pretty much the case, however awesome it might be.

[Karnis]

I'd like to see 3 lines of 4-6 (7") artfully sculpted figures per year, with a CC and/or 12" figure mixed in as well. In other words, a return to the days of 2002-2006 or so.
I'd also like to see a pot of gold at the end of my rainbow....but neither are likely to happen anytime soon. ;)

[skubasteve]

I can't understand why people keep claiming it's because LoBH and Zodiacs didn't sell well. It's TMP's fault these didn't sell. In fact, they never really had a chance to sell.

How can you possibly create a successful product if you give up on it before it even hits the market? Does anyone honestly believe TMP didn't know they were going to cancel those lines 7 days after they hit pegs? TMP gave up on these lines long before that.

I'd bet money that the only reason the cancellation wasn't mentioned before release was so they wouldn't be stuck with an ass load of unmovable product that THEY GAVE UP ON. :mad:

[Marauderspawn]

It all sounds good, but will something like this actually happen? I guess we will know in time.

[ragingdemon]

I don't see how TMP can be blamed when retailers won't order them.

[Cursedknight]

My $.02:
It's sad that Wally World won't carry SPAWN (in it's truest form), but WILL buy into an exclusive Album from AC-DC......
Correct me if I'm wrong.....but isn't AC-DC the band that released an album titled HIGHWAY to HELL, had a song titled HELLS BELLS........ and countless other refferences to their own "damnation"?
Focking Wally makes NO SENSE.
If the starched shirts of Wally Worlds corporate "advisors" had any kind of BALLS they'd break that bible thumping mold and put TMP on the pegs, no matter what. Maybe not buy into the tortured souls sort of thing, but at least SPAWN and it's mythos.
Corporate deep throat bullzhiat!

bring it on JOE, I aint ascared of you

[Masked Moron]

I think we'd all like to see more Spawn lines produced but certain licenses like HALO keep getting in the way of them being profitable.

China running out of factories or something? since when can they only make 1 or 2 lines ate a time?


I don't see how TMP can be blamed when retailers won't order them.

Do retails stores carry sideshow?

I've never seen them in walmart or target, yet they seem to be doing fine selling from their website & specialty shops...

[torsokiller]

i would like to see a world war 1 or 2 spawn

[evilundertaker]

My $.02:
It's sad that Wally World won't carry SPAWN (in it's truest form), but WILL buy into an exclusive Album from AC-DC......
Correct me if I'm wrong.....but isn't AC-DC the band that released an album titled HIGHWAY to HELL, had a song titled HELLS BELLS........ and countless other refferences to their own "damnation"?
Focking Wally makes NO SENSE.
If the starched shirts of Wally Worlds corporate "advisors" had any kind of BALLS they'd break that bible thumping mold and put TMP on the pegs, no matter what. Maybe not buy into the tortured souls sort of thing, but at least SPAWN and it's mythos.
Corporate deep throat bullzhiat!

bring it on JOE, I aint ascared of you

what i find funny is that Spawn,in it's darkest forms,WERE welcome at Wal-Mart at one point....i personally picked up from my local WM:

Spawn series 4 - 12
12" Spawn and Angela
all the Spawn movie figures (except Malbolgia - TRU for him)
Total Chaos series 1 and 2
Monsters series 1 and 2 (the little 4" sets)
Movie Maniacs series 1 (non-bloody versions)

....so it's way hypocritical to me for it to be okay a decade ago to sell horror and "hellish" toys,but now it's not acceptable to sell them there...i know it's the way things are now,and there's nothing you can do,but i just find it funny as Hell! also this is the reason Mezco can't get their Hellboy toys into WM as well,can't show the word "Hell" on any products they'll sell...of course this is BS too,as they went and changed the packaging for the second movie,with the movie name being HB II ,and the character himslef labelled "Red" ,and they STILL won't carry it!

hypocritical bastards!

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

*golf claps for Gav*

now we're talking. how much would you be willing to pay and for what scale? and if KB and TRU didn't want in on this, where would it be the most efficient for you to go in and buy them or order them from?

[Mandarin_Spawn]

*golf claps for Gav*

now we're talking. how much would you be willing to pay and for what scale? and if KB and TRU didn't want in on this, where would it be the most efficient for you to go in and buy them or order them from?McDonalds...they are everywhere. :D

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

don't sheople eat there? ;)

[Mandarin_Spawn]

don't sheople eat there? ;)I don't eat there...I'm just saying the damn things are everywhere...what better way to market a product than to get it into a place that has locations worldwide. ;)

[Gavrilo Princip]

how much would you be willing to pay and for what scale? and if KB and TRU didn't want in on this, where would it be the most efficient for you to go in and buy them or order them from?

as far as that goes, I'd be willing to pay up to $18 for a figure with the same attention to detail and articulation as series 11 thru 23, and in that same scale. I'm all for online stores as well.

Also, one thing I forgot to mention, the Build-A-Figure concept would be a great help to the Spawn line as well. Not only would it boost sales of complete sets, we'd finally get some of the larger characters and things Spawn fans have been requesting for ages.

BAF's could include:

Malebolgia
Vaporizer
Overt-War
Phlegethonyarre
Urizen
Spawn Alley (<that one could be carried over multiple series)


--Gav

[Andre']

Mattel couldn't sell He-Man profitably at retail, so they are relaunching it as online exclusives. Todd already has this system in place. I would easily pay $18 per fig if they were the right size (not this 10% reduction crap). Todd would be able to make the needed profit margin by cutting out the middle man.