Why no Bond action figures?
slinger
USAPosts: 79MI6 Agent
Why are there no current bond Action figures?
It seems there is stuff for every film or show out there. I just ran across these cool Dr. Who figures. http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/collectibles/d858/
It seems someone in the Bond word is dropping the merchandizing ball.
For our UK friends...who is more popular? Bond or the Doctor? If there is Doctor stuff, sholudn't there be Bond stuff?
It seems there is stuff for every film or show out there. I just ran across these cool Dr. Who figures. http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/collectibles/d858/
It seems someone in the Bond word is dropping the merchandizing ball.
For our UK friends...who is more popular? Bond or the Doctor? If there is Doctor stuff, sholudn't there be Bond stuff?
Comments
I definitely agree that 007 needs some representation in the action figure world! Something along the lines of Hasbro's wildly successful G.I. Joe or Star Wars toy lines would be amazing, with a multitude of different characters, Bond in different outfits, vehicles, playsets, role-play toys, etc.
I have been following the Blog of Diamond Select Toys for the last couple of years who do all the Star Trek stuff (except the recent Abrams movie which is liscenced to Playmates Toys) as well as the Stargate and Battlestar Galactica franchises. More than once they have regretfully explained that due to retail buyer ambivalence, many lines have had to be cancelled, suspended until further notice, or not even gone beyond the initial research / prototype stage. - Often in protest from would be customers who heard about and want to get, those items.
Bond is similar, but in a different way. Setting aside the recent general financial problems affecting every industry, the nature of the film series mean a dedicated figure range would be a serious financial and long term production investment for any toy / collectibles company. Besides each of the actors to play 007, and their characters various costumes, the scale of supporting characters is huge. - Many of the mainstream toy companies would not want to take that scale of product on, for fear of poor sales, against existing solid product lines they have now. - Ones that are easier to replace with something new too. Bond due to the violence and sex depicted in the films is not suitable for younger kids between 3 and 8. Star Wars and Dr Who tap directly into those markets to make the profits they do. Sadly collector investment from the likes of us is seen as peanuts by comparison to the bigger companies.
- On the other side of the coin, the smaller companies that specialise in collectibles would not be able to afford to do it. They could go bust if the line tanked below the returns they would desperately need to meet the production overheads. To say nothing of the licensing costs!! DST have often said it kills them when they have to stop something, because they know customers are out there who want to buy it. Financially though, it is too risky if there is a possibility that it doesn't sell.
The other thing to bear in mind is Star Wars and Star Trek have long established action figure consumer history. - Dr Who has proved FAR more successful than anyone could have hoped. (Inc the BBC!) The reinvestment into the toy merchandising reflects that. - The kids are a big part of it's popularity as a family series.
Although Bond has had sporadic action figures in the past, the irony is his own popularity in the adult / commercial market, has made the toy collector market very low priority. - For example the 007 Action Man figs done over a decade ago were aimed straight at the collector market, not the kids. - Prob cause the Sales experts at Hasbro knew 1] Kids would prob not go for them in huge numbers, and 2] They had Star Wars making a mint, as it still does for them today!
Don't get me wrong, if Corgi had got their finger out, I wold be after some of the Casino Royale ones myself. Only time will tell if it comes to pass.
When the time is right, hopefully Bond will get new action figures.
Well, in my case, my 5 year old son is OBSESSED with Dr Who - partly because his Dad is, and also because it's on one of the main TV Channels, at 6.40 on a Sat night (usually a bad night for TV...) and so it's incredibly accessible - and has a lot of elements that little (and big ) boys like - Oliver desperately wants a sonic screwdriver - which I'm hoping to get him - I have to say, I'm much happier for him to have that than say a Walther PPK
Bond, for him, is too grown up - and although he has seen bit's of CR - I think it's a bit 'old' for him - and well, a 'blow up Tardis' goes down a treat in the playground, where as a DB5 is okay, it doesn't have quite the same appeal.
I suppose Bond is more accessible for older kids, plus the fact it's only in the cinema once every 2 or 3 years, compared to Dr Who, which is on every week (well, for the duration of the series...)- and it's the younger ones (say 4 - 10) that gets the toy makers excited.....
Well...both of DC's Bond films have made LOTS of money...so perhaps not as 'rubbish' as you think...unless you think box office taking of over $1 billion is rubbish ?
I'd lik esome new figures too...but with some thought and care going into them...more like the Sideshow Premium Format 1/4 scale figures....