SDCC 2019: Six weeks out. Any thoughts?

[Gardner Grayle]

The only constant is change.

Rumor is that Disney is buying Mattel and will make their toys in house.  Dunno if it’s true.  This could have gigantic implications for Marvel Legends.  When this announcement gets made, or even if it gets made remains to be seen.  Otherwise, I think Hasbro continues to blow it out.

Todd is taking over for both DCC and Mattel.  I’m guessing both of them show a few final figures and close things out. 

McFarlane will show some stuff too.  Hopefully.  Guessing all big guns for now.  Maybe a wave or two.  It’ll all look great.  But it’s a long narrow path to my business.  Character selection is the #1 consideration for me.

[Chooch]

For the lines I collect/love:

Marvel Legends: Hopefully Hasbro is allowed to continue and they put out some great comics-only waves in a light movie year.  Night Thrasher makes me want the other New Warriors so much more!

Star Wars Black 6": I'm kind of topping out on Original Trilogy figures I want and I've been scaling back on Prequel figures due to dollar constraints.  The push for Disney+ shows and figures will hopefully allow me to cherry pick for awhile.  Rise of Skywalker may not dominate the line - Last Jedi certainly didn't take over entirely.  I needs me a Zeb!

Transformers: Hopefully the follow-up to Siege will continue the awesomeness.  I don't even mind getting retread characters when the toys are this solid.

Minimates: Hoping for some more comic waves via Specialty stores.  The Walgreens exclusives seem to be really hard for folks to find.  I've been lucky myself, but you're only lucky until you're not.

DC Multiverse: Maybe one more wave to clean out the inventory before Todd takes over.  I kind of hope Todd's line doesn't appeal to me.  I could use a jumping off point for financial reasons.

[Gardner Grayle]

I almost get the feeling Todd lays back and gives us a tease.  Not to step on Mattel’s last hurrah.  Todd will then blow the roof off of NYCC.

[Boy Wonder]

I don’t think there’s necessarily been any rumors of Disney buying Mattel, but it’s more a matter of everyone guessing it’s on the table given a number of factors:

-Hasbro cranking out a TON of stuff this year
-Hasbro buying Power Rangers
-No announcement of a renewal for the Marvel or Star Wars licenses
-Disney shifting towards wanting to do more of everything in-house (like Disney+)
-Mattel being publicly open to offers for purchase

That’s my biggest fear/hope for SDCC. Confirmation of Hasbro continuing ML and SWBS. Both lines are cranking out some amazing stuff. I’d hate to see it end.

The only thing that could ease a death of ML would be Hasbro using the void to do a 6” GI Joe line

[Gardner Grayle]

Even with Paramount in the mix, I think it makes more sense for Disney to buy Hasbro.  It’s only a bit more money and a lot less debt.  Then Disney owns Transformers, Power Rangers, and GI Joe.

[Gardner Grayle]

For that matter, Disney could probably buy Paramount and scoop of the movie deal.

[kcekada]

I'd love to see one or two WTF figures from Legends -- along the lines of Omega the Unknown or GG's most wanted Legend --  Killraven. Seems unlikely unless they show up in some modern story. Sometimes, a good design should be enough.

Still waiting for a six inch Thunderbird, Northstar, Aurora and Snowbird.

Along those lines --- a couple more classic Avengers -- Swordsman and Mantis, in particular. FA Wonder Man would be awesome -- honestly don't feel any of his black/red outfits were that great. I know his original (and second) outfits were corny, but they suited the character. He never seemed as powerful when he lost the cowl.

[Non-Chick Magnet]

I'm really curious to see what McFarlane Toys will do with DC.  It's probably too soon to see any prototypes, but maybe they'll have some concept art.

[fishmilkshake]

I'm really not that fussed. I used to get very excited....and hopeful, now I'll just roll with it.

Marvel Legends - used to be my big thing, but Hasbro's need to mix and match comic and film slots in a wave is wearing me down. Also, the constant redos are tiring too. I'm not saying Hasbro's Guardian won't be better than their previous effort, but really, re-releasing Guardian and Union Jack....over Northstar and Spitfire? It makes the unique comic slots like Rock Python few and far between.

Mezco 1/12 - I've never been all in on this one, just picking up the gems like Punisher, classic Iron Man, Old Man Logan, etc. But having picked up the astonishingly good Popeye, I really, really want The Shadow, Doc Savage, Phantom, Tarzan, Zorro, etc.

Sideshow - The recent Rogue Maquette is a masterpiece, with a masterpiece price attached. With the rise in retail prices, Sideshow shipping direct from China meaning a 50% rise in shipping costs, Australia introducing GST (tax) and 21% import duty if the total value is over A$1k......I might be done in this area of collecting.

[Chooch]

Sideshow shipping direct from China meaning a 50% rise in shipping costs, Australia introducing GST (tax) and 21% import duty if the total value is over A$1k......I might be done in this area of collecting.

This is why politics matter!

[fishmilkshake]

I forgot about Star Wars Black.

I got a bit bummed out due to all the exclusives which are incredibly difficult to chase here in Oz, but the most recent wave gave us BT and 0-0-0 who are some of the best characters to come out of the new Marvel SW titles. Doctor Aphra being not far behind is cool too.

I feel like the movie tie-in releases are affecting me much the way they release Marvel Legends. Some of the Solo figs are nice and blah, blah, but I really want to see more Cantina/Jabba's palace aliens instead. I'm still hoping that sales of the vehicles/dewback are enough to keep that side of things alive with a future Bantha. The Tie-fighter was epic, but ultimately shops were burned on them, so my dreams of a snowspeeder with Dack might be shot.

I'm done with 1/6 figures. The only thing that could lure me back are extremely well done figs like Doc Savage, The Shadow by someone like Hot Toys. Even then they'd have to be epic.

[Gardner Grayle]

So, best I can tell, DCC goes Thur morning.  Hasbro Marvel Legends is Fri afternoon.  Star Wars is sometime on Fri (I think).  Mattel does not have a panel as far as I can tell.  Unless it’s Daniel Pickets panel Sat evening.  Word is, Todd’s got nothing to show for DC.  But he’s got a boatload or other stuff to show and I think he’s on several panels.

Guessing that Todd showing nothing means Mattel has one last volley to fire.  Probably on preview night.  Less than a week away.

Truth is, I’m ready for Mattel to close out.  I wanna see what Todd’s got to show.  Now it appears to be NYCC at the earliest.

[kcekada]

Yeah, for whatever reason -- Mattel's DC showings have been painful the last couple of years. Not even a good Shazam wave to go with the film.

Hopefully McFarlane is strong enough to do things the way they should be done -- without too many WB suits getting invovled. He's the toy guy -- they should just be letting him do his thing.

[fishmilkshake]

Sideshow have been really annoying, redoing a lot of characters they've already done (Emma, Psylocke, Wolverine, Colossus, Gambit). I just want a few pieces to close out my 1/4 collection. Nightcrawler, Angel, Beast, Iceman. Even a couple of the urban heroes. Really bizarre that despite the Netflix shows, there has been no Luke Cage, Iron Fist or even a Moon Knight.

[Gardner Grayle]

I’ve noticed Marvel and DC are both announcing a lot of new titles this week.  Makes me wonder what they’re doing at the panels this week.  Especially DC.  They seem to have a half dozen major panels in four days.