Comic-Con Minifigures: Are They Worth Getting?

[BrickBuilder3213]

I had to ask this.

A friend of mine has offered to go to Comic-Con (he didn't say which one) to get me one of this year's special Super Heroes minifigures.

From what I've heard, these are quite rare. I just want to know what's so special about them, which Comic-Cons do them, how to get one when you're there and what they're worth. ^o^

[dooberfloober]

most of the time they're worth lots, and the unique designs allow for completionists to be satisfied.

From Bricks to Bothans did an interesting article about the issue:

http://www.fbtb.net/2013/07/13/sdcc-the-lego-minifigure-giveaway-at-last-years-comic-con/#more-22147

[Suspsy]

I acquired Spider-Woman and Phoenix in a trade last year (the other guy got a Mr. Gold). I really like them, especially SW, but at the same time I hate that it was only sheer luck that I was able to get them. My heart goes out to all the fans out there who aren't so fortunate.

[into the blue]

I've attended the SDCC for the last two years, going again this July.

The minifigures are given out in a raffle, you have to be lucky.

[Dorayaki]

The debatable point of exclusive characters is their chances of future appearances in regular sets. Since Superheroes is expected to be a powerful longterm deal, expectations for them aren't surprising. It's either that they'd return in different prints, or in the worst case, they won't.

In the view of figure designs, if they weren't exclusive versions of existed characters, they'd better be smart enough to come up with those characters who are popular enough but cannot have own regular sets.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Dorayaki

[gundamz]

Not sure if this is allowed on this site but here goes:

Has anyone tried buying SDCC minifigures on eBay? If so, are the minifigures sold through there legit (i.e. authentic)? Or are they counterfeit or reject goods?

[KingPixels]

the unique designs allow for completionists to be satisfied.

Actually the opposite happens. Completionists end up completely unsatisfied because they're so bloody hard to get.

[robuko]

They are definitely worth getting. What is special about them is basically the rarity and the exclusivity. Most of the characters are rather minor, but there have n been special editions of iron man, captain America, the green arrow and the green lantern. All are listed in the brick link super heroes page.

Not sure if this is allowed on this site but here goes:

Has anyone tried buying SDCC minifigures on eBay? If so, are the minifigures sold through there legit (i.e. authentic)? Or are they counterfeit or reject goods?

Sorry for double post, this came up while I was writing. Yes, I have bought quite a lot of them on eBay and they were all legit, although one guy described the batman as mint even though the cloak was glued to the card, which was really appalling.

[Jody Meyer]

Well, I had a look on e-bay and sure enough they are there and legit...but I have to admit, the prices they want for them would end my marriage....1700 for 3 minifigs?!?!?!

[Navy Trooper Fenson]

A friend of mine has offered to go to Comic-Con (he didn't say which one) to get me one of this year's special Super Heroes minifigures.

You can forget this. Lines on last years Comic-Con were ridiculously long, you have spend an entire day just for the a raffle ticket.

From what I've heard, these are quite rare. I just want to know what's so special about them

They are lego figs with different printing than that of other lego figs.

which Comic-Cons do them, how to get one when you're there

San-Diego has them every year and New York had some in 2011 but nothing since then.

and what they're worth. ^o^

400 at the least going up to how dumb the Ebay seller thinks you are.

Getting these things is just dumb luck and most of them end up in the hands of children since the employees know which tickets win (I don´t care what Lego said on the issue FBTB brought up last year, Lego would never admit that the employees there know which tickets win anyway).

They are not worth the price, let alone the endless waiting in the lines which has a 90% chance of being a waste of time.

I would recommend making these figs yourself with decals and fig parts you have/can order. Also there are several Ebay sellers (only in the US sadly) that produce superhero figs that look 1:1 like what Lego makes or sell CMF like packets where the print is a bit off/the legs have another shape. The figs range from pretty bad to pretty good but when you want something like a Shazam fig I would just buy the 3$ knockoff and switch the pants with real lego than pay 500$ to some guy who just got lucky.

[Super Goblin]

I say buy the fakes/bootlegs until Lego gets their head out of the sand a realizes they are alienating the majority of their customers by offering desirable characters in limited numbers at a convention where most people aren't lego fans/customers.

They are not worth the asking price. I wouldn't pay more than $15 for them.

[Rinzler]

Cheapest SDCC fig I found on Ebay was Green Lantern, at $199

[Sir Brickalot]

Cheapest SDCC fig I found on Ebay was Green Lantern, at $199

Yikes. If that's the cheapest, I can't begin to imagine the dearest... *shudder*

[KCMatze]

The figs themselves are awesome (e.g. Spider-Woman, Bizarro, Green Arrow, Green Lantern), but cost waaaay too much for ANYONE to afford. After all it is just a plastic-made toy.

I bought a Green Lantern bootleg from Iran, I think, and it is really good. Cost me about 10€, shipping included.

Don't really like the unofficial stuff, but I wanted a GL!! And I still want an official one, of course... here's hoping for next year :D

[Darkdragon]

Most of the time they are worth having, I would not pay the market price for them but when I had the chance to try and win one, I took it without reservation. It is the luck of the draw and if your friend is willing to try, then you should go for it.

New York had some in 2011 but nothing since then.

Not true. I got this one in 2012.

Getting these things is just dumb luck and most of them end up in the hands of children since the employees know which tickets win (I don´t care what Lego said on the issue FBTB brought up last year, Lego would never admit that the employees there know which tickets win anyway).

You present conjecture as fact, and you are incorrect. I've been to the raffle in NYC personally and it is apparent there is nothing like that happening. The only semi-shady thing going on is people being allowed to win more than once, but that would be a lot more difficult to control because the announcer isn't going to remember every face that wins. This is not at all shady on LEGO's part but more on the part of the guy taking all the figs selfishly.

[gundamz]

I say buy the fakes/bootlegs until Lego gets their head out of the sand a realizes they are alienating the majority of their customers by offering desirable characters in limited numbers at a convention where most people aren't lego fans/customers.

They are not worth the asking price. I wouldn't pay more than $15 for them.

Are those any good? A friend of mine accidentally bought some bootleg LEGOs once and they were hardly better than Mega Blox.

Edit: To be more specific:

* Do the figures break easily?

* Is the plastic quality OK? Or does the plastic crack/warp easily?

* Are the paintjobs authentic? Or are they obviously fake? (e.g. Phoenix being Red and Black instead of Yellow and Green)

Edited April 4, 2014 by gundamz

[BlueberryWaffles]

Cheapest SDCC fig I found on Ebay was Green Lantern, at $199

I got mine for $40 back before he was rare. Same with SDCC Batman.

(that was back in 2011)

Edited April 4, 2014 by Tolkien

[Sam892]

I would recommend making these figs yourself with decals and fig parts you have/can order. Also there are several Ebay sellers (only in the US sadly) that produce superhero figs that look 1:1 like what Lego makes or sell CMF like packets where the print is a bit off/the legs have another shape. The figs range from pretty bad to pretty good but when you want something like a Shazam fig I would just buy the 3$ knockoff and switch the pants with real lego than pay 500$ to some guy who just got lucky.

Could you link us some of the sellers that make 1:1 copies? I've been looking for a while to get a Shazam and Green Arrow, but I haven't been able to find any good copies.

[Navy Trooper Fenson]

Not true. I got this one in 2012.

Superheroes =/= TMNT

You present conjecture as fact, and you are incorrect. I've been to the raffle in NYC personally and it is apparent there is nothing like that happening.

Then the problem is "only" in San-Diego (only in quotation marks since they give out most if not all of these figs).

Also, I forgot to mention that last year several figures like Green Arrow were available on Ebay, sold by the same seller who apparently had 10 to 20 copies a few days before the raffle even started.

This exclusive stuff only gives scalpers a profit by squeezing the money out of the gullible people. If Lego has to have exclusives they should stay with mini models, existing sets in different boxes and other stuff that is easily possible to build yourself.

Could you link us some of the sellers that make 1:1 copies? I've been looking for a while to get a Shazam and Green Arrow, but I haven't been able to find any good copies.

I occasionally saw them linked on other sites and they are only being sold by US sellers as far as I know. The figs are branded for the companies Sheng Yuan, DeCool and LeLe.

[DaUsername]

I occasionally saw them linked on other sites and they are only being sold by US sellers as far as I know. The figs are branded for the companies Sheng Yuan, DeCool and LeLe.

In terms of quality, LeLe is the worst because alot of the time the printing is off, they use stupid ultrabuild-type helmets instead of hair and not enough plastic, DeCool is occasionally off with printing and have slightly sharper torso edges, but are by far the most like lego, and Sheng Yuan is very rarely off, but the minifigures have odd shaped legs and shoulders.

PS. They are actually from Hong Kong

[BrickG]

I have no issue with the ones that are of existing characters. Well... some issue but it's livable. As much as I'd love that black suit Superman and evil Leonardo I can live without them. It's the completely unique characters that really p me off. Will we ever get a Bizzaro before 2020 or something? XP

[Disco_Jedi]

I have purchased the "Hong Kong" DeCool and Sheng Yang figures, they are very nice figures. As for the SDCC customs, all I have done was buy the Hong Kong ones and buy Lego parts from Bricklink where needed (mostly hair, arms, hands and legs/hips). And they have turned out very nice. I was even able to make the Toy Fair Iron Man and Captain America figs (come on TMNT). You can get the Hong Kong figs for anywhere from $1.50-2.00 each. Lowest I have got them as about $1.05. I would say that no one "Exclusive" figure cost more than $5-7 to buy and make.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Disco_Jedi