176 replies to this topic

[THEGODBEAST]

I was gone for a long time, I'm back now and how my collection has grown. I'm thrilled to see that they are releasing a new BB line.It was about time!! I have already pre-orded my base set.
Venom
whats up TGB

Armando my man! Glad to see ya back bro! I have tried to call you several times over the last 3 years and I haven't heard back from ya. Hope all is ok w/ you. Call me sometime (at least pm/email me).

Take care,
TGB

[misterdroid]

Here is the thing... I like Battle Beasts. I really like them. I also like Mini-mates. Quite a bit actually. I have all the DC MMs and a handful of others from across the MM spectrum. That being said, I do not like this initial glance at the Battle Beast line. Why, you may ask? For some reason this figures seems to fail on both fronts. Like some records, I did not want to dismiss it out of hand. Sometimes you have to listen to things a few times before you get it. So I have spent a lot of time mulling it over and I think I have it figured out.

The figure totally lacks 'charm'. Battle Beasts are loaded with charm. Random animals in armor with weapons. And let's face the fact that they are cute. Some border on adorable. Line up 10 similar size/ type of figures with one BB and ask a non-toy person to pick out the one with the most appeal. I would hazard a guess that the BB is going to be picked. I have found that women are strangely drawn to them. Why? Charm.

Charm also is the driving force behind mini-mates. It hinges on the process of taking a realistic character and transforming it into an abstraction. Once again, a cute abstraction. I find the tiny, cute William DeFoe from Platoon to be an especially good example of this. It is another toy that I have seen non-toy people fall in love with. If you are familiar with the MM brand, this is the strength. I can't actually think of anything that has been Minimate-ified that doesn't fall into that group. Marvel, DC, Movies and TV. It's just a stylistic overcoat applied to a pre-existing, robust fictional universe. That is what makes it work.

Now with our friend Gator Guard, the Mini Mate aesthetic is being applied to a property that already depends on a 'style'. For the most part comic characters, the roots of the MiniMate, are depicted as realistically as possible within the confines of their medium. Most other MMs are based on actual humans. The distortion, the suspension of ones expectation in regard to those characters, is easy to accomplish in these circumstances. With BBs, this is not a viable goal. BBs are loved because they are tiny and cute, not in spite of it. If that was the case all the Macfarlane style 'animal with weapon' figure I have seen in clearance bins in the past decade may have appealed to someone. I would go so far as to say the blanket application of the MM style is actually a step down in terms of aesthetic appeal. Gator Guard isn't horrible. He's not poorly sculpted. He's just bland. He lacks everything that makes BBs great. Even the extra articulation hurts. A BB at rest still looks more dynamic than poor gator guard at his best. Look at him. If you have ever owned a Mini Mate you know that the articulation is merely a formality. Because of his armor I promise you he will not be able to raise his arms, turn his head or be posed with his legs in any other position than the one pictured. I have a LOT of MMs... I know these things to be true. Yet vintage BB with their, count them, 2 whopping points of articulation seem literally poised to leap of the shelf. Dynamic energy is embedded in the sculpt.

I am not against the re-imagining of old beloved properties. I am all for it. However in a case such as this, style can only be evolved not over-ridden. Vintage aesthetics must be the jumping off point and not a footnote. I think the GI Joe 25th line is a great example of updating style. The charm of the vintage line remains intact, yet is embedded in within a distinctly modern identity. Hasbro could have trotted out straight reissues and a lot of consumers would have been pleased as punch. Despite being based on old designs, the figures feel new. But they also feel like the old ones, and most importantly feel right.
With this relaunch of Battle Beasts I don't think anyone who has ever held a BB is going to pick one up and say to themselves, "Now this is a battle Beast!"
And the block thing can be done well. I think the Takara Myclone figures really capture the spirit of Henshin Cyborg/Microman. They retain the charm of the brand while reinterpreting the toys as stylized block figures. I think to properly do a block version of BB you would have to start by engineering a new body type. Even a Quee would be a better platform than the MM type body.
Also, the set is weirdly expensive.

In closing this rant, I do have to point out that people who have never seen or owned a Battle Beast may like these. I can't see why, but they might. And I am sure hardcore MM collectors may like them. However MM collectors seem fickle. I have seen some great MMs sit and warm pegs for many long times, while the 85th version of wolverine or spidey flies out of the store. I am guessing at $30 for 2 figures this set is going to flop. I would bet that MM Battle Beasts are going to follow GI Joe Xtreme into the "things we shouldn't have done" section of toy history. At best we can hope it will at least raise BB up to a new visibility and someone else will take a proper crack at the brand.

I hope you have all enjoyed reading this. My next novel length post will be available in time for Christmas.

[dankingery]

jeebus, is this the see who can type the most stuph thread or what?

venom: where did you preorder the base set, and do they have more pics of other figures?

[Venom]

Check out diamondselecttoys.com
Create an account, then click on mini- mates. Price is $29.99
They have the same picture of the gator, It looks a lit bit better.
Mr.Venom

[transformersontheshelf]

OK, so I'm so damn far out of the loop on BB's as of late I'm clueless. But then I saw a pic of the Gator Guard and thought, no, it's just a name thing. These aren't the bastard who ruined me dream are they? Yeah they are, damn it I was in the process of investing some $$$ into buying up the BB copyright and then a small dampener was put into my plan last year when that sketch showed up and now this.

I', not happy with what I see so far, but I'll wait till we see more before I make a full decision. Who knows further down the road I might still try at a toy line.

[dankingery]

if you really want an old license for some cool toys, check out starriors or power lords.

[transformersontheshelf]

if you really want an old license for some cool toys, check out starriors or power lords.

I had a list of 15 names, several of them in the last few years have been turned into new line, but I still have a few waiting in the wings. It'll be way down the road now that I took said money and am investing it into a store. But I tend to get a few good finds a year and hope to put that money towards a new goal.

[SaltLakeToyJunkee]

What is the latest on these things?

[dabbuu]

What is the latest on these things?

They are coming out at the end of December. Type in minimates laboratory playset in google and you can see preorders everywhere

Based on how the playset sells will determine what is happening with the line

dabbuu

[piratelion15]

any word on these, are they comeing out with any more other then the gator?

[phillinley]

Shhhhhh.....

[TOPHER]

Can't wait for more to come out.

[Donkeykid77]

Looks like they're not promoting it as Battlebeast anymore (at least not the playset):

 Minimates_Laboratory_Gayset.JPG   46.67K   30 downloads

"Minimates Laboratory Playset is an Urban Collector pre-order. A Diamond Select Release! The first action figure playset of its kind, this specially-designed Minimates Laboratory Playset is perfect for any collection of super heroes, aliens, robots or any other mini-figure between 2' and 3 3/4'! Featuring a new fold-up collapsible design and removable floor panels, prepare for a journey into the imagination like none other! This playset also includes two exclusive Minimates not available anywhere else!"

You know... even for MUSCLES this 'play'-set would seem seriously inadequate!
Let alone for *euheum* "Battlebeasts"...

DK, who hopes these die a silent and fast death.
No need for unnecessary suffering,
neither for us nor for the poor "Freakbeast(s)".

Edited by Donkeykid77, 31 December 2009 - 03:24 AM.

[dabbuu]

Did anyone receive their preorder yet? U am still waiting on mine? Also DK your description was the original description for the playset before they decided to add the first battle beast to the set.

dabbuu

[transformersontheshelf]

the design reminds me a lot of the STARS Lab from G1 Transformers. I love BBs so in a way I hope this line fails and we see something better down the road.

[Tortle]

If this Minimate BB line fails, I doubt we'll see anything else BB-related down the road. The retailers will perceive the failure as stemming from a lack of interest in BB products, not from a crappy toyline design.

If it is, in fact, crappy. I haven't seen enough of the line to really tell one way or the other.

But if you want to see more BB product, I certainly wouldn't hold back. It might be worth it to you to choke down shoddy product just so you can let your preferences be heard.

[dankingery]

If this Minimate BB line fails, I doubt we'll see anything else BB-related down the road. The retailers will perceive the failure as stemming from a lack of interest in BB products, not from a crappy toyline design.

If it is, in fact, crappy. I haven't seen enough of the line to really tell one way or the other.

But if you want to see more BB product, I certainly wouldn't hold back. It might be worth it to you to choke down shoddy product just so you can let your preferences be heard.

i was thinking the same thing. if these don't sell well enough they're just going to say the hell with it and scrap any future plans. this all goes back to discussions i think we've had on here before. toy executives, who make the decisions on whether a line lives or dies, have no clue what consumers and collectors really want. they may do little focus groups or whatever, but they never seem to do any real research. i understand that they're more worried about what the standard market wants and less what the collector's market wants, but we wouldn't be collectors if there wasn't some love for a product. that love originates from our childhood when we were the standard market and if they could only make that connection, then maybe we'd see something worthwhile. if movie studios can get away with re-releasing movies, so should toy companies. i would love to see a classic style battle beast line. i may end up buying one of these in hopes of adding one more name to the "petition" to keep battle beasts alive.

[piratelion15]

If this Minimate BB line fails, I doubt we'll see anything else BB-related down the road. The retailers will perceive the failure as stemming from a lack of interest in BB products, not from a crappy toyline design.

If it is, in fact, crappy. I haven't seen enough of the line to really tell one way or the other.

But if you want to see more BB product, I certainly wouldn't hold back. It might be worth it to you to choke down shoddy product just so you can let your preferences be heard.

i was thinking the same thing. if these don't sell well enough they're just going to say the hell with it and scrap any future plans. this all goes back to discussions i think we've had on here before. toy executives, who make the decisions on whether a line lives or dies, have no clue what consumers and collectors really want. they may do little focus groups or whatever, but they never seem to do any real research. i understand that they're more worried about what the standard market wants and less what the collector's market wants, but we wouldn't be collectors if there wasn't some love for a product. that love originates from our childhood when we were the standard market and if they could only make that connection, then maybe we'd see something worthwhile. if movie studios can get away with re-releasing movies, so should toy companies. i would love to see a classic style battle beast line. i may end up buying one of these in hopes of adding one more name to the "petition" to keep battle beasts alive.

weres the best site to preorder?

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

Well, the Battle Beast name isn't the only option. Who has the Beastformers, Shadow Beasts, Lazer Beasts names?

[koppenschevelle]

I preordered directly from Diamond Select. They updated their shipping dates a couple weeks ago. It used to be just a general December 2009, but now we have an exact date of Feb 3, 2009.

And the description and picture that shows the playset without Battle Beast Gator Guard is an older picture from before the battle beast was released. A few websites, like entertainment earth, have not updated their picture or description. According to diamond select's official site has a clear pic of the playset and both figures coming with the playset.

And dankingery, while I agree with you that most of the time toy companies don't listen to the collectors, Art Asylum/Diamond Select is a company that primarily designs all of it's products with collectors in mind. Take a look at their website and look around the products that they have, and it will reassure you that they are definately thinking of the collector when they are designing their pieces.

Since it was announced that they were making a minimates Battle Beast, I have picked up a couple Minimates. I picked up some of the Iron Man/Warmachine packs as their armor add ons is the most similar to the Gator Guard. Having them in my hand, I am pretty impressed with the figures. The amount of details that they put into their figures is very impressive for such a small figure. The Iron Man figure has his under suit details underneath the iron man armor if you take it off the figure. It even includes additional hands/feet/hair so that you can take his iron man armor off completely. makes for a neat display of tony stark standing next to his armor, as if he's prepping to armor up.

With Gator Guard, I am waiting to see how the figure holds up when I have him in hand. Just a little over a month to go.

Eric

[koppenschevelle]

Well, the Battle Beast name isn't the only option. Who has the Beastformers, Shadow Beasts, Lazer Beasts names?

I don't know specifically about beastformers, shadow beasts or laser beasts. But Diamond Select didn't just buy the name/rights for Battle Beasts. They bought the brand outright. They own the Battle Beasts as a Brand/IP. Since Shadow Beasts were just the american laser beasts, my guess is they would own that as well.

Not sure about Beastformers or Laser Beasts though, as those were owned by Takara not Hasbro.

It would be interesting to see if Diamond Select ever do a reissue of any original Battle Beasts, or do some of the original Battle Beasts in the minimates style. Since they own the brand, they have the freedom to do whatever they want really. They don't have to worry about Hasbro pulling any strings to keep things from getting up and going.

Eric

[Nyarlathotep]

So the other day I was at Target wandering the toys with Lil' Veers and we started walking through the Hot Wheels. This stopped me in my tracks and made me think of this thread.

I'm not huge BB fan, but I know people disliked the new BB "look." For me, if they added a rub, this would have been a pretty good BB update.

That's pretty cool, never seen these before. Seems a spiritual successor if nothing else.

[Articulationnut]

So the other day I was at Target wandering the toys with Lil' Veers and we started walking through the Hot Wheels. This stopped me in my tracks and made me think of this thread.

I'm not huge BB fan, but I know people disliked the new BB "look." For me, if they added a rub, this would have been a pretty good BB update.

 bb.jpg   22.15K   7 downloads

My "secret" has been discovered! (and im happy about it !) The first time i saw this (months back before they were released) i IMMEDIATELY thought that this is what a new Battle Beast line might look like. When the Hasbro sketch of a similar jackal looking Battle Beast was shown i couldnt help but think that Mattel might have had a psychic on their design team lol.

I actually have one on the way to me solely for this reason. It may not be an official battle beast but in my opinion its the closest thing to a modern update that has come down the pipe yet and ive thought so for months. Far superior to the block figure attempt (one of the reasons i wasnt overly excited about the block Battle Beast was because i saw that figure first via one of the toy fares or toy shows mattel showcased the line at).

With a bit of customizers elbow grease that figure could SHINE.

Im hoping that his 3 sychopant beast are produced. I want THEM more than i wanted that figure. 1 looks like a crocodile, the other a crawfish type and the final a shark (!).






Theres enough variety there to make some nice modern Battle Beast (assuming that they release the body types. Otherwise ill just make them for myself). I really hope a wave 2 is released.

While the shows writing leaves much to be desired the animation is impressive.

Edited by Articulationnut, 12 January 2010 - 11:55 AM.