LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[Bonaparte]

I love a good discussion, but this one has gone far enough. Now it's time to re-focus this discussion on the actual minifigs.

I may not play their game but just don't expect me to look at Lego and say they're a virgin when it's quite obvious they're a whore.

You are fee to your opinion, but comments like this one are a bridge too far! If you feel you need to comment, please do so to me in private via PM.

From this point on I'll take unpleasant actions against members who continue to take this thread off-topic.

[vexorian]

Lets hope you are right! I want couple of figs, don't want to gamble on them.

To be honest I agree with prof1515. You guys jumped on him, but he is right from kids point of view. Kids don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on hobby and to buy full boxes. Doubt any parent who isn't LEGO fan will tolerate his kid spending fortune, just to buy his favorite fig. At the end lots of kids will stuck with couple of random figures and lots of anger to their parents, because they can't get what they want.

Yes I know, some one is going to say, but they could trade them with other kids, good, but what is this couple of months period of sales only, there is not enough time for collecting and trading. So the kid have to buy his fig from internets.

All this stuff seems to me made towards fast and easy money making and adults only, with deep pockets.

I can give a suggestion, make the figs completely random for a price of 1-2$ and make millions of them. Sell them for a year or so and people will buy them like a gum, there will be no frustration, no broken hopes, no Brick Links. I bet every time kid or adult visit a local store, they will buy couple of figs.

3 months period of sales seems to me like reverence to internet traders, buy fast now, sell later for more.

The kid you are talking about seems to behave like an adult collector. The reality is that the kids will be fine with trying 2 or 4 times per series. Then the next series will come and they will focus on it. That's how kids' collectible fads work, they don't really need/want to collect them all they just want to do what the rest of the kids are doing and hope to get a fig they like or to trade with their pals... Notice: The whole point of this is the trading part, if you don't like it just don't buy the figs. If you as a parent don't like it, don't buy them for your kid. It is easy...

There are no indications they will stop selling series 1 once series 2 comes.

--

What's off-topic in regards to this thread? Discussion about whether random is better or not for these minifig packs does not seem off-topic to me. And showing sadness for the use of bad plastic in these figs does not seem so either. So, if off-topic is going to be punished, please specify what's exactly off-topic. Else I'll guess it is with that guy's constant attempt to prove LEGO are evil or something like that.

I wonder if each different figure has a different item code above the barcode?

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/nori-gal...ies01/box02.jpg

For example 4559116 would be the zombie, 4559117 would be say the clown?

We could check each code to see what they are & then check the code to get the figs required?

I'm not interested in them all so will only be looking for selected figures

I doubt it. From the instructions it appears that even including specific instructions for each fig was hard enough, so it does not look like they would have individual bags for each of them. It would also kill the random stuff and whether it is a good thing or not, LEGO seems to have intended to make them random. Edited February 11, 2010 by vexorian

[Peppermint_M]

I wonder what series three will include?

Do we have any pictures of the figures that weren't in the Toy Fair image?

Will we get a Greek Scholar to go with our Hoplite?

I would love for there to be a steampunk figure.

[Bonaparte]

What's off-topic in regards to this thread? Discussion about whether random is better or not for these minifig packs does not seem off-topic to me. And showing sadness for the use of bad plastic in these figs does not seem so either. So, if off-topic is going to be punished, please specify what's exactly off-topic. Else I'll guess it is with that guy's constant attempt to prove LEGO are evil or something like that.

I don't want to see any more discussions on the market strategies behind the LEGO collectibles, target audience, who will buy them and who won't, etc... . Instead I want this discussion to be focussed on the actual figures that are inside the bags. Hope that clarifies. And since I'm assuming you were writing your post at the same time as my previous post in this thread I'll take no further actions.

[Zorbas]

Will we get a Greek Scholar to go with our Hoplite?

Great idea! On a side note, do we have any sort of confirmation or information that this minifig is indeed a Greek one? It certainly looks like one but then again, since we are talking about a toy, sometimes accuracy is not the prime target. I really hope it's a hoplite though.

Small off-topic info:

The term "Hoplite" is still been used today in the Greek Army. Every soldier carrying a gun/rifle (H-oplo) is called a Hoplite even now.

[Edmond Dantes]

I wonder what series three will include?

Do we have any pictures of the figures that weren't in the Toy Fair image?

Will we get a Greek Scholar to go with our Hoplite?

I would love for there to be a steampunk figure.

Before we get to Series III, I'd like to know the full line up for Series II!

[vexorian]

I wonder what series three will include?

Do we have any pictures of the figures that weren't in the Toy Fair image?

Will we get a Greek Scholar to go with our Hoplite?

I would love for there to be a steampunk figure.

I wonder if there will be a series 3.

[prof1515]

Take a stroll down any toy aisle today and the remarkable thing is that some of the most popular recent toys are the same toys that were on the shelves in the 80s. Over the last half of this past decade, in America at least, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Hot Wheels, Star Wars, and LEGO were HUGE sellers. One of the driving factors for that is that the 10-year old boys of the 80s became the 35-year old fathers of 10-year old boys in the 00s, and we all steered our kids into the same interests we had as children. Heck, even Nintendo enjoyed a renaissance with grossly inferior product the past five years -- sales driven as much by being retro as being "blue ocean."

While AFoLs may not be the majority of the LEGO market by raw numbers/percentages, their spending accounts for a huge slice of the pie. Additionally, I think we need to expand the definition of AFoL to encompass those adults who make the purchasing decisions for their children based on their own history, though they are themselves only casual builders or presently in their dark age.

In a five mile radius of my home, there are four major retailers that stock LEGO: Meijer, Target, Wal-Mart, and K Mart. All four of these retailers have expanded the shelf space they allot to LEGO by three or four times what is was in 2006. If I walk into any one of them on any given day, the out of stock items will invariably always be the same ... the creator houses, the non-emergency City themed sets, and the super-expensive Castle sets.

Of the five Wal-Marts, two K Marts (or Big K as they call themselves now) and two Targets I've been to in my region, your experience would be completely different. Of the five Wal-Marts, one has not offered ANY Lego whatsoever since mid-2000 and the other hasn't ever since I first visited it years ago (I can't vouch for that one any further back than 2008). Two others haven't offered more than 5-10 different sets (counting Bionicle) at any time other than Christmas and even then haven't offered more than 10-15 different types (counting Bionicle) or shelf space more than three feet wide. The fifth has about half of a twelve-foot long aisle dedicated to Lego with fairly good selection of about 35-40 different kinds of sets (heavily favoring Star Wars and Bionicle). The two K Marts have drastically cut down their shelf space for Lego from an entire side of an aisle to a space about six feet wide. The two Targets have had the most shelf space with about 25-30 different sets (counting Bionicle) on shelf space consisting of one side of an aisle twenty feet long. In each case Bionicle has comprised a quarter to half of their inventory while a couple sets from the other themes have been represented.

It never fails. Nobody is buying the Toy Story or Ben 10 or Indiana Jones or Star Wars stuff with the frequency of the others, and kids are just not the primary purchasers of the first group. All it takes is one AFoL cleaning out a retailer of six copies of the Family Home (that's a $360 spending spree for tan bricks and windows), to offset ten kids begging for a $35 set.

The sets I've seen mainly on the shelves have been Star Wars and Bionicle. This may be because they stock more of them than other lines. I've rarely seen City sets. In fact, in 2008 I don't recall seeing any City sets in any of the Targets or Wal-Marts. It was just Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Bionicle for the most part.

These blind purchase minifigs are not targetted toward children. They will not be advertised on TV, they will not even be on store shelves long enough for kids to see them. They will be snatched up by the case by AFoLs and resold for $10+ on Bricklink and eBay. All of us know it, so I think it's disingenuous to argue otherwise.

No, we don't know it, some speculate that it will happen. Lego's best seller a few years ago was a fire station that many AFOLs despised as ugly. If AFOLs were as significant of a purchasing power as they like to think they are, sets like that and lines like Bionicle wouldn't have done nearly as well as they apparently did. For the first time last year, AFOLs comprised about 25% of Lego's sales but they're also far more inclined toward shopping online. Since 2003 I have not bought a single set in a retail store other than Lego's own and I doubt I'm the only one. I only know three other AFOLs but I can think of dozens of friends' kids that collect Lego.

There are also only 3683 stores on Bricklink. I doubt they are enough to clean out all of the stores in the country, provided most stores aren't like those in my region. While there's no doubt that AFOLs continue to represent a larger share of sales and are a more vocal minority of the fanbase, I think the community is too given to inflating their importance in Lego's marketing strategies and sales figures. Purchases for and by children still outnumber AFOLs three-to-one and that's not taking into account a wider difference in previous years.

[Edmond Dantes]

Great idea! On a side note, do we have any sort of confirmation or information that this minifig is indeed a Greek one? It certainly looks like one but then again, since we are talking about a toy, sometimes accuracy is not the prime target. I really hope it's a hoplite though.

Small off-topic info:

The term "Hoplite" is still been used today in the Greek Army. Every soldier carrying a gun/rifle (H-oplo) is called a Hoplite even now.

It's definitely a Greek Minifig. It has the traditional ancient Greek round shield, as well as the plumed Corinthian Helmet (as well as a spear of course).

Slightly off topic - since your username is Zorbas and I'm assuming you're Greek, is it safe to assume you've read Kazantzakis?

Edited February 11, 2010 by Edmond Dantes

[Zorbas]

It's definitely a Greek Minifig. It has the traditional ancient Greek round shield, as well as the plumed Corinthian Helmet (as well as a spear of course).

My exact thoughts too. I was only asking this because we are dealing with a toy and something could be named "X" without having %100 accurate design or elements. In this case for example, saying to kids that this minifig represents a Roman soldier.

Slightly off topic - since your username is Zorbas and I'm assuming you're Greek, is it safe to assume you've read Kazantzakis?

All your assumptions were correct. I'm Greek, my username Zorbas comes from Nikos' Kazantzakis book "Zorba The Greek". Kazantzakis is one of my favourite authors.

Actually, my hometown and where I come from is the same place Kazantzakis was born and buried.

[captainsamus]

It's seems pointless to argue about the "random" aspect of the figures when we don't know the final pricing for all territories, or whether any figure for a fact will be rarer than any other, or exactly what degree of rarity there is for each figure. And since I don't work for Lego, I can't tell you whether these would even exist if it wasn't for the fact that they are being blindboxed. And if I have a roughly one in 16 (assuming no figure is rarer than others) chance of getting a figure I want, versus said figure not existing, I'll take the 1 in 16.

Now to be more on topic, I wonder if the release dates we've been hearing are accurate. I've heard both May and June, so assuming the actual release is May, we could be seeing these as early as late March/early April in TRU here in the US if the 2010 sets are any indication

[B-Lister]

If you check back, you'll find the personal attacks began elsewhere. It might even have been you.

You're sorely mistaken if you think you can shift blame onto me.

I NEVER attack someone personally, until they do so first.

Can you understand that any opinion of someone else does not matter? I don't care about your opinion of me or anyone else's opinion of me. First, even if opinions mattered, you don't know me and hence your opinion would be based on ignorance. Second, I don't respect your opinion because I respect intelligence and knowledge and you have thus far displayed neither.

Of course you respect intelligence and knowledge, I'm certain it holds you in complete awe. It must be like magic.

also, Series II has been revealed?, can someone point me to a link, or a list?

Edited February 11, 2010 by Mister Blisterfists

[richb]

also, Series II has been revealed?, can someone point me to a link, or a list?

Earlier in this thread (starting at post #512):

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?...st&p=679005

[B-Lister]

Thanks, let's steer this away from Mr. Negativity, and enjoy the discussion about how cool all the new minifigs are!

really looking forward to that Vampire, and the Mexican. He'll go great with my Luchadore from series 1!

I always wanted a Lego Sombrero, as a kid, we used some of the mustached pirates as Mexicans (I Had a friend who was mexican, and his dad looked a lot like the Mustache Pirate, so we always called that pirate "Jose").

[Edmond Dantes]

My exact thoughts too. I was only asking this because we are dealing with a toy and something could be named "X" without having %100 accurate design or elements. In this case for example, saying to kids that this minifig represents a Roman soldier.

All your assumptions were correct. I'm Greek, my username Zorbas comes from Nikos' Kazantzakis book "Zorba The Greek". Kazantzakis is one of my favourite authors.

Actually, my hometown and where I come from is the same place Kazantzakis was born and buried.

Ahh, I see what you're saying. Even though the minifig resembles a Greek hoplite (rather strongly), Lego could just call it a Roman and not many kids would know the difference. Understood. No matter what, I'll call it a Greek hoplite!

I studied in Heraklion (we stayed at the Candia Maris) for two months as part of a semester abroad in college (I traveled amongst the Islands and mainland for the other two months). I enjoyed Zorba and visited K's grave!

[Zorbas]

Ahh, I see what you're saying. Even though the minifig resembles a Greek hoplite (rather strongly), Lego could just call it a Roman and not many kids would know the difference. Understood. No matter what, I'll call it a Greek hoplite!

That's exactly what I meant. Having rumors, at least when the first pictures were released, that it could be a Roman soldier and the everlasting discussion about a Roman theme, I would really like to see the official name of this minifig. Hoplite that is.

I studied in Heraklion (we stayed at the Candia Maris) for two months as part of a semester abroad in college (I traveled amongst the Islands and mainland for the other two months). I enjoyed Zorba and visited K's grave!

Yep, that's where I live! The company I was working in a few years ago was having all its conferences in Candia Maris. I hope you 've enjoyed your stay here!

It's nice to walk on the walls, isn't it?

"Den elpizo tipota. Den fovumai tipota. Eimai lefteros."

[Peppermint_M]

I think it will be at least called a Spartan. I know a lot of people have been calling it a Roman, but as soon as I saw the shield/helmet combo I knew it was truly a Hoplite. Lego are into being educational, so even if they don't get technical he won't be called a Roman. For a start all the kids in my area will know it isn't (Local history had a big chunk of Roman Activity so a museum all about Romans in Caerleon is on the School Trip list).

I hope we get the full line-up at the NY toy fair, so we can start speculating on the next lot

[RocketClone]

I wonder if there will be a series 3.

Well lets see series 1 comes out in May, and series 2 comes out in September, and theres 4 months in between so we might hear about series 3 some time in november and it will come out in January.

[Aanchir]

I think people are being way too whiny about the blind packaging. You pay for a minifigure, and you get a minifigure. If it's a minifigure you already had, then oh well. If you're smart, you'll take advantage of duplicate figs; otherwise, you're just being picky.

I've gotten collectible card packs and gotten mostly cards I already had or didn't need. Heck, anybody who's collected that sort of thing has had that happen from time to time. But it's not like you bought a package and it turned out to be totally empty-- you still got something for your money. In this case, you have something LEGO for your money, which is even better because unlike competitive trading cards, hardly any LEGO product (especially these awesome figs) is inherently useless.

If you're still too picky to appreciate these, we're all adults here-- just buy already-opened figs off the net! That way, you get only the figs you want and as many as you want. But I'm sure most kids (LEGO's original target audience) will not even care if they get a fig other than their favorite or one they were missing, any more than I care when I get an impulse set I already have in my stocking. You make do with whatever it is you get, and hopefully come to appreciate it.

[sok117]

OMG, check this out, you guys will not believe this. Sets are already available?

[Etzel]

OMG, check this out, you guys will not believe this. Sets are already available?

It was posted already here on page 44

But I understand that you didn't wanted to go through all the recent pages with all the boring quarrels

[Mr Hobbles]

Am I right in thinking you can buy these in cases?

I used to be into the CCG/CMG scene, and with those you can buy them in bulk, one case at a time. The case usually unfolds to make the display box the retailer puts on the shelf.

I think I saw something about a case of 60...but surely that's a bit much for something where there's only 16 unique figures to collect?! Not to mention at £1.99 each that's almost £120 (Although it'll end up being about £100)!

These figures look really really nice and I'd love to collect them, but if you were to buy the individual packs that's quite a high likelyhood of duplicates.

[Bonaparte]

I don't want to see any more discussions on the market strategies *snip*

*snip*

doubt they are enough to clean out all of the stores in the country, provided most stores aren't like those in my region. While there's no doubt that AFOLs continue to represent a larger share of sales and are a more vocal minority of the fanbase, I think the community is too given to inflating their importance in Lego's marketing strategies and sales figures. Purchases for and by children still outnumber AFOLs three-to-one and that's not taking into account a wider difference in previous years.

Let's talk about this in a private place!

[CP5670]

That bag doesn't look all that thick or rigid to me. Despite what people say, it may be possible to feel inside at least for certain kinds of accessories.

[Peppermint_M]

That bag doesn't look all that thick or rigid to me. Despite what people say, it may be possible to feel inside at least for certain kinds of accessories.

This all depends if they are on shelves and not behind the counter.

Now, back onto the figures, not how they are sold, thank you

I wonder if there would be a Power Ranger style one? I would love one of those.