LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[Mirandir]

This is probably a dumb question, but why aren't any of the minifigs from any of the short-term themes like Atlantis and World Racers and Power Miners and Agents? It just occured to me when I was looking at the new World Racer sets. They could have used the figs to promote things like Atlantis, so if you get a unique Atlantis diver, you'll be tempted to get more from that range.

At least here in sweden they use the impulse sets to do just that. They're always released some time before the rest of the theme launches. E.g. the space police III impulses came out in june and the rest didn't arrive in stores until august. For Atlantis the impulses were released 21 december and the rest comes out in 13 january.

Besides, this is just the first 16 figs. There will be at least 16 more figs that we know nothing about right now. They may very well include tie-ins to Atlantis and/or World Racers and even Pirates. We'll just have to wait and see what goodies that wave will bring.

[Huntleyfx]

All I know is I am most certainly looking forward to the release of the updated Forestman. I'm seeing a large Bricklink order after the release in my future.

[Corvus]

You know, LEGO putting out so many new minifigures and accessories seems great, but somehow I fear that it might be another Chinese crappy-parts ruse like the magnet packs. I know I am being pessimistic, but just like getting real Yoda, Mace, and Dooku minifigs in a single pack seemed too good to be true, I feel like getting a large number of normal-quality new special parts figures is too good to be true. Only time will tell of course, but I'm worried that this will turn out to be another case of indent-arm, different plastic color minifigs.

Ugh. Yes. After getting back from the lego store and seeing the build-a-minifig tables selling the inferior 'figs. Plus, they were $10 for three- it seems like they could afford to use better plastic for that price.

My sources have told me that LEGO has rectified the 'dodgy Chinese-made Minifig' issue. Apparently the issue was brought to the attention of the head of Quality at TLG and that person was EXTREMELY unhappy that the Minifigs were sub-par and was not aware of the issue. Swift action was being taken to fix this, so I imagine we should not see the same issue with the new custom figs. Just my $0.02.

Looks like this could be an expensive endeavor for me. I'll just HAVE to order 2-3 cases.

-Dave

Really? Do you know when this happened? This seems like a big issue to have happen, I'm amazed the head of quality person missed it.

[Peppermint_M]

Do we have any more ideas on pricing? If they want to compete with the umpteen other trading things here in the UK they'll have to be competativly priced (which will be great for me) or they will never break the strangle hold Crazybone's Go-Gos have on the market. If quality is good too then that's fantastic.

[The Rancor]

Do we have any more ideas on pricing? If they want to compete with the umpteen other trading things here in the UK they'll have to be competativly priced (which will be great for me) or they will never break the strangle hold Crazybone's Go-Gos have on the market. If quality is good too then that's fantastic.

I agree, somewhere in the region of about £1.50-£2.00. I won't buy very many if they are any more than £3.50.

[Dannylonglegs]

At least here in sweden they use the impulse sets to do just that. They're always released some time before the rest of the theme launches. E.g. the space police III impulses came out in june and the rest didn't arrive in stores until august. For Atlantis the impulses were released 21 december and the rest comes out in 13 january.

actualy, it seems like in America the impulses are sold a while after the theme starts

I can't beleive how fantastic these figs are, although I only want a couple. I wouldn't be dissapointed if I got some I don't really want.

I REALY want that space fig, he's just to good to be true, I mean, an updated classic space fig! I also have my eyes on the robot and zombie I wonder what head the robot has, it looks like it could be a black skeleton head.

Does anyone know the USdollar price, I looked over but I couldn't find it.

I'm glad that it's been proven that their not mixed, cause that would have stunk.

What's this about Chinese plastic?

sorry if my post is hard to understand, but my brain is epicly failing right now

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[FiletOFish]

95% chance the minifigs will come in whole figures, not mixed parts as some are speculating.

reasoning:

1. target audience. it is in lego's best interest to target kids (primary market) and adults (secondary). by having mixed parts in a bag instead of whole figures, you greatly isolate the younger customers as they do not have the cash flow to chase after and build complete minifigures.

2. cost. it is much easier to produce a batch of minifig 1, package them, produce minifig 2, package them etc. then to mix all minifig parts and to allocate the parts to different bags.

3. practicality. some minifigs have accessories, some do not. if the bags involve mixed parts, it is possible for some bags to have, for example, the pom poms while another bag has no accessories. or, it's possible for one bag to have two accessories (2 pom poms) while another has just one (the nurse's syringe). mixing parts involves unnecessary headaches for TLG.

4. ethics. TLG is a business, no doubt, but as already mentioned, mixing parts would advance money over serving the fanbase. the mixed approach is hypocritical and contradictory to TLG's claimed values.

We will see how Lego plays this out this June. Hopefully it makes the right decision.

[David Thomsen]

1. target audience. it is in lego's best interest to target kids (primary market) and adults (secondary). by having mixed parts in a bag instead of whole figures, you greatly isolate the younger customers as they do not have the cash flow to chase after and build complete minifigures.

On the other hand, if each kid can afford three or four boxes and all their friends can also afford three or four boxes, they can all swap and trade parts until they each have a whole minifig. So really, if you have friends, like most kids do, and all your friends also like lego, like most friends do, you don't actually have to buy many boxes to be able to trade for complete minifigs.

2. cost. it is much easier to produce a batch of minifig 1, package them, produce minifig 2, package them etc. then to mix all minifig parts and to allocate the parts to different bags.

I think if you have one tub full of hats, one of heads, one of torsos, one of legs and one of accessories, and you pick one piece randomly from each tub, it doesn't cost too much.

3. practicality. some minifigs have accessories, some do not. if the bags involve mixed parts, it is possible for some bags to have, for example, the pom poms while another bag has no accessories. or, it's possible for one bag to have two accessories (2 pom poms) while another has just one (the nurse's syringe). mixing parts involves unnecessary headaches for TLG.

This is true. But if one kid gets a cowboy with two guns and his brother gets a zombie with no accessories at all, the brother is going to feel a bit disappointed. Better for all kids to get one head, one hat, one torso, one legs and one accessories, even if it does mean there are more accessories than matching figs.

4. ethics. TLG is a business, no doubt, but as already mentioned, mixing parts would advance money over serving the fanbase. the mixed approach is hypocritical and contradictory to TLG's claimed values.

They are also a company that has been on the very brink of bankruptcy in the past... I think they must have hired some more astute money-makers to be able to survive that.

And besides, the sets are random anyway, so there's only a one in sixteen chance of getting the minifig you want. If you lose, you have to buy again. How is this putting the fanbase before money?

Sorry to play devil's advocate, but I really think mixed parts are just as likely as whole figs. On the other hand, the container we've seen is covered in complete minifigs... if they were going to have mixed parts, they would have designed graphics to suggest this. So yes, even though I've just argued with you, I do agree with you in the end.

Edited January 6, 2010 by David Thomsen

[Peppermint_M]

If random parts are put in in the method you suggest then there is a likelyhood that some parts become rarer than others. There are 5 parts (Headgear, head, torso, legs and accessory) and 16 figures... If parts are randomly put in each bag/box you'd have to do it manualy as any mechanical means wouldn't be able to account for the infintesimle weight of the syringe but the pom poms would be heavy in comparison. It is cheaper for pre-programmed machines to package parts than a human who demands a wage..

I collected these buildable figures a while back. As gashapons they came in clear plastic eggs from a machine so you couldn't choose which you got.

I collected final fantasy trading figures in blind boxes and gashapons from a machine (I have so many of one character I can loose/repaint them without issue). Blind box or "dispensed" is the way to achive the "collect and swap" without having parents decide parts are missing or children get cross at their space/robot/cheerleader/clown/crash test dummy that not only came in a blind box but cost more than a pack of trading cards/go-gos/Ben 10 Marbz. Trading with friends amongst children is a dangerous one so you need things of equal "value" or all parties concerned feel slighted (My sister works at a school and 75% of fights, arguments and trouble amongst the pupils are caused by trading cards and go-gos). Lego will loose seriouse face if they sell "incomplete" figures, something they don't want to do, what with riding high on a giant wave of parental nostalgia. They already have an issue with more "pre-fab parts" and "sets not designed for other models".

Plus I think you'd be a bit miffed if you bought a transformer trading figure blind box and had and Optimus Prime head boxed with a Bumblebee body, Soundwave Legs and decepticon stand...

[Rick]

Sorry to play devil's advocate, but I really think mixed parts are just as likely as whole figs. On the other hand, the container we've seen is covered in complete minifigs... if they were going to have mixed parts, they would have designed graphics to suggest this. So yes, even though I've just argued with you, I do agree with you in the end.

Either side indeed seems plausible, but the fact that the packaging tray (that we've seen in the German catalog) shows complete minifigs and not mixing-and-matching suggestion at all, for me also is the most important clue that TLG will be selling complete figs in opaque bags, which are also clearly depicted. Now lets hope for a good price I hope they're trying to compete with all the collectibles in terms of price

[Klaus-Dieter]

Either side indeed seems plausible, but the fact that the packaging tray (that we've seen in the German catalog) shows complete minifigs and not mixing-and-matching suggestion at all, for me also is the most important clue that TLG will be selling complete figs in opaque bags, which are also clearly depicted. Now lets hope for a good price I hope they're trying to compete with all the collectibles in terms of price

I totally agree with you, Rick!

If mixed parts of minifigs would be sold in these bags but not complete minifigs the box art would show this.

I fear that the price of every single minifig will be around the same price of the Impulse sets (so about 3 Euros) since these minifigs are extraordinary and there's even extraordinary accessory added to them which we very supposable won't see in other sets this year.

Klaus-Dieter

[WhiteFang]

I also have firm belief that it won't be mixed parts, and I really hope it won't, otherwise it will be a nightmare for us to collect them all. I will rather trade complete minifig vs complete minifig from another.

With this ongoing discussion, I can't wait to find out for myself in the next 6 months, and upcoming Series 2.

[David Thomsen]

...and there's even extraordinary accessory added to them which we very supposable won't see in other sets this year.

I have a feeling the accessories are going to be pretty common from next year onwards. Like, the syringe for example... hasn't it been a while since we last had hospital sets? Isn't one about due? These figures seem like an excuse to create moulds that would not otherwise be created, which I think is excellent, and they must surely plan ahead to think of moulds they can easily use in the future.

I can't wait to find out for myself in the next 6 months, and upcoming Series 2

Don't remind me about wave two... every time I think about I get too impatient with waiting. Will there be a pirate? A centurion? A cat burglar?

[Filip]

Does this mean they will come in packages where you don't know which one you'll get?

[Pirate Pete]

Filip, to answer your question: yes. As seen in a picture some pages back, they will be in yellow boxes about the size of an impulse set. I hope that helped. BTW, do we have any news on wave 2?

[Commander Assassin]

Any clue of the stores that these will be available in in the US? Also, does anyone know the release date in the US? I'm sorry if these have been answered, but I don't have the time to review all 20+ pages.

[Pirate Pete]

As far as I have heard, the Minifigures will be available in most stores that Lego is sold in (I.e. ToysRus, Lego stores, Wal Mart, etc.). The first wave will be released some time in the beginning of June and the second wave will be in August. Hope that helped, Clone Commander Assassin.

[Rick]

Brickset has posted high-res pictures of the upcoming collectible minifigures.

[Peppermint_M]

Stop! I want them already.. No More Teasing PLEASE.

I so neeed some. Like now.

[lightningtiger]

Ditto Ditto !

Over half of them I want for my and my sons collections, but stuff the base plates we want to use them in our MOC's, etc,.

[escortmad79]

Sweet!! Will they be available in the UK?

I think it's about time TLG created a brand new proper female torso with curves

[lisqr]

The cheerleader's shirt has a "M" instead of a "L". I wonder if "M" stands for anything.

[user]

Wow these figs are looking better and better! It looks as if every fig other than the robot has 1 or 2 items! But why does the zombie has I chicken leg and a shovel?

[Omega 8]

I absolutely LOVE these.....

I fully expect to go broke trying to get the ones I want.

[Derek]

The cheerleader's shirt has a "M" instead of a "L". I wonder if "M" stands for anything.

M is for Minifigures silly!

But seriously, I need these. Even if these are $2 a pop (which I hope they are) I will be broke...

Why are these plastic pieces so addicting????

-darthperson