Long Wait for Certain Roster Members

[walkingturtles]

WWE has what nearly 40 years under Vince selling merchandise at a profitable and successful level. Vince can sell the brand a whole lot better than AEW. They have to sell the stars over and over again.

[marklud]

The fastest way to kill a toy line is to get everyone everybody wants out right away and kill the interest. It should be a steady blend of repaints and new talent throughout. I'm pretty confident it will all work out at this current rate.

[crush]

Mar 6, 2021 9:20:41 GMT -5 mrh said:

Mar 6, 2021 8:55:06 GMT -5 cordless2016 said:

John Cena - 3, 7, 11, 14
Undertaker - 1, 8, 14
Rey Mysterio - 1, 5, 11, 13, 15, 18
Triple H - 2, 7
Undertaker - 1, 8
Kane - 4, 10, 12
Orton - 2, 9, 12, 16
Big Show - 4, 10, 13
The Miz - 3, 9, 11
Edge - 1, 8, 13
HBK - 3, 7
CM Punk - 1, 6, 11, 16, 20
Matt Hardy - 2, 6
Batista -2, 6

There’s more, but that’s a lot of early reissues right there and it IS true. You also need to remember that AEW doesn’t have as many what retail would consider “top guys” as the WWE had in 2010.

That's OK -- and you're right about main talent -- but it's a distortion to use this list because we can't know what the future holds for AEW figures, which is likely more re-releases.  Here's a compairson for the first 6 waves - -- I'll even give you a leg up, by comparing the first 7 of Mattel to the first 6 of AEW.

Mattel

John Cena - 3, 7
Rey Mysterio - 1, 5
Triple H - 2, 7
HBK - 3, 7
CM Punk - 1, 6
Matt Hardy - 2, 6
Batista -2, 6

AEW

Jericho - 1. 6

Cody - 1, 4

Omega - 1,4

Nick Jackson - 1,3
Matt Jackson - 1,3

Moxley - 2, 5

Page - 2, 5

Pena - 2, 6

Fenix - 2, 6

MJF - 2, 6

And unless wave 7 is all new, the discrepancy for AEW will continue growing...

I know that for a lot of people here they don’t “count” but this is ignoring basics and two-packs, which were sharing the same shelf space.

Anyway, I think AEW has done a solid job mixing up the major faces so far. Honestly, I think the biggest “issue” has been the evolution of the product vs lede time required for toys. Also, TBH, I would bet money that the lineups got shifted a bit once Unmatched became a thing. For example, look at Britt. Judging by the original press release, she was definitely pencilled-in to be released within the first year. Then she folds not getting a figure into her heel persona, it becomes a little mini-angle with Jeremy playing along, and suddenly her figure is going to be in Unmatched, likely being a big collector draw of that first wave.

[crush]

Mar 6, 2021 9:13:44 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

Mar 6, 2021 8:55:06 GMT -5 cordless2016 said:

John Cena - 3, 7, 11, 14
Undertaker - 1, 8, 14
Rey Mysterio - 1, 5, 11, 13, 15, 18
Triple H - 2, 7
Undertaker - 1, 8
Kane - 4, 10, 12
Orton - 2, 9, 12, 16
Big Show - 4, 10, 13
The Miz - 3, 9, 11
Edge - 1, 8, 13
HBK - 3, 7
CM Punk - 1, 6, 11, 16, 20
Matt Hardy - 2, 6
Batista -2, 6

There’s more, but that’s a lot of early reissues right there and it IS true. You also need to remember that AEW doesn’t have as many what retail would consider “top guys” as the WWE had in 2010.

You are talking about the first four years of Mattel. Jazwares are starting it in what is basically year one (2020 doesn’t count in my mind nobody could find them)

I’m fine with people cycling back through the line and aware that the Elite, Jericho, Moxley, & MJF are probably the extent of retail’s desired characters but this is an apples and oranges situation for various reasons

By the logic of “2020 doesn’t count because no one could find them” then should me none of the rerelease characters “count” as releases? Since they’re all from the first two 2020 sets that no one could find.

[Nivro™]

Outside of Brandi, I dont even consider series 1 an option...there was just too much hassle. From the horrible skin tones to some of the faces/prints not looking that great to the below Mattel standards of distribution.......I just pretend like series 1 never happened and Ill start with Series 2.

[カMute09]

The thing that surprised me with 4 repaints is who do they go back to for series 7 then? Darby? Cassidy? Dustin Rhodes? With redoing MJF Jericho fenix and pentagon all in one wave it gave them limited options for the next set. I figured they would do 2-3 repaints each set to offset the costs of new molds and sculpts.

[xtremebadass]

I don't get how folks can't grasp.

The big names are the big names that sell.

If this line not giving you the entire roster that you want in x amount of sets causes you to not want them...I too wouldn't bother. But you're missing out on awesome figures.

[JDragonM32]

One thing about Mattel is they also had a lot of toy lines going at once and so could spread the rereleases out among them. It’s not a fair comparison to only look at Elites vs AEW when Mattel also had Basics, Battlepacks, PPV series and Flexforce all going from the start

[celflessness]

Mar 6, 2021 13:25:57 GMT -5 カMute09 said:

The thing that surprised me with 4 repaints is who do they go back to for series 7 then? Darby? Cassidy? Dustin Rhodes? With redoing MJF Jericho fenix and pentagon all in one wave it gave them limited options for the next set. I figured they would do 2-3 repaints each set to offset the costs of new molds and sculpts.

Dustin and more Bucks, perhaps. Didn't they wear matching gear one time for a Dynamite? 

[WCWThunderRosa]

I thought Lucha Bros would be the reissues for series 7 so Idk what they’re doing now. Darby, Dustin, & Omega? Cassidy with a different shirt or normal legs?

[Deep Figure Value]

Mar 6, 2021 16:02:18 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

I thought Lucha Bros would be the reissues for series 7 so Idk what they’re doing now. Darby, Dustin, & Omega? Cassidy with a different shirt or normal legs?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see series 7 have at least a blue Dustin and an Omega as champion. If they're really gonna go hard on the 1:2 ratio of new releases to previously released names, I'd look for another set of Bucks here.

Personally, I think that 3 should be the absolute cap for re-releases. Shida and Hager don't appeal to me at all, so series 6 is already an easy pass for me.

[jimfriend]

Mar 6, 2021 13:36:10 GMT -5 xtremebadass said:

I don't get how folks can't grasp.

The big names are the big names that sell.

If this line not giving you the entire roster that you want in x amount of sets causes you to not want them...I too wouldn't bother. But you're missing out on awesome figures.

Yep. And they don’t have a logo that’s been around for decades and is easily recognizable like WWE. If this line wants to move in retail in the future it’s gonna need guys that look awesome and are heavily featured on the show.

[WCWThunderRosa]

Mar 6, 2021 16:11:54 GMT -5 Deep Figure Value said:

Mar 6, 2021 16:02:18 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

I thought Lucha Bros would be the reissues for series 7 so Idk what they’re doing now. Darby, Dustin, & Omega? Cassidy with a different shirt or normal legs?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see series 7 have at least a blue Dustin and an Omega as champion. If they're really gonna go hard on the 1:2 ratio of new releases to previously released names, I'd look for another set of Bucks here.

Personally, I think that 3 should be the absolute cap for re-releases. Shida and Hager don't appeal to me at all, so series 6 is already an easy pass for me.

Maybe they will alternate between 3 and 4 reissues until they have most everyone made?

[stc13]

Mar 6, 2021 16:32:20 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

Mar 6, 2021 16:11:54 GMT -5 Deep Figure Value said:

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see series 7 have at least a blue Dustin and an Omega as champion. If they're really gonna go hard on the 1:2 ratio of new releases to previously released names, I'd look for another set of Bucks here.

Personally, I think that 3 should be the absolute cap for re-releases. Shida and Hager don't appeal to me at all, so series 6 is already an easy pass for me.

Maybe they will alternate between 3 and 4 reissues until they have most everyone made?

I think we'll see "main event" talent group expanding over the next year.  Sting, Paul Wight, tomorrow's surprise, Matt Hardy, maybe some of the legends talent.  There's a growing group who can fill those "big name" slots.  As they start to fill in the roster, it's probably between 2-4 re-releases each series once we hit the fall and sets are dropping monthly. 

The list of people who A) haven't had a figure and B) have been featured regularly on tv going back 6-12 months really isn't that long.
Brodie Lee (March debut)
Brian Cage (late May debut)
Dax & Cash (late May debut)
Daniels
Chuck Taylor
Colt Cabana (March debut, but I don't believe he was signed full time until later)
Eddie Kingston (July debut)
Uno & Grayson
Lance Archer (April debut)
Ricky Starks (June debut)
Butcher & Blade
Trent
Allie
Britt Baker
Big Swole
Nyla Rose
Kris Statlander

That's only 20 people, 8 of whom haven't even been with the company for a year (average figure turnaround).  Add in that COVID made it impossible to do face scanning sessions with talent for much of 2020.  I think by Christmas we have a pretty sizable roster.

[Billy Snorticus]

Mar 6, 2021 13:36:10 GMT -5 xtremebadass said:

I don't get how folks can't grasp.

The big names are the big names that sell.

If this line not giving you the entire roster that you want in x amount of sets causes you to not want them...I too wouldn't bother. But you're missing out on awesome figures.

they have one (1) big name in chris jericho, and when old fans saw him recently, all they did was call him fat lol

[カMute09]

My problem with rereleasing the series 1 talents again is they’re supposed to be doing to reissues of those as well. Why not just pass on remaking those and focus on slotting them in slowly to the line?

[WCWThunderRosa]

Mar 6, 2021 19:11:45 GMT -5 stc13 said:

Mar 6, 2021 16:32:20 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

Maybe they will alternate between 3 and 4 reissues until they have most everyone made?

I think we'll see "main event" talent group expanding over the next year.  Sting, Paul Wight, tomorrow's surprise, Matt Hardy, maybe some of the legends talent.  There's a growing group who can fill those "big name" slots.  As they start to fill in the roster, it's probably between 2-4 re-releases each series once we hit the fall and sets are dropping monthly. 

The list of people who A) haven't had a figure and B) have been featured regularly on tv going back 6-12 months really isn't that long.
Brodie Lee (March debut)
Brian Cage (late May debut)
Dax & Cash (late May debut)
Daniels
Chuck Taylor
Colt Cabana (March debut, but I don't believe he was signed full time until later)
Eddie Kingston (July debut)
Uno & Grayson
Lance Archer (April debut)
Ricky Starks (June debut)
Butcher & Blade
Trent
Allie
Britt Baker
Big Swole
Nyla Rose
Kris Statlander

That's only 20 people, 8 of whom haven't even been with the company for a year (average figure turnaround).  Add in that COVID made it impossible to do face scanning sessions with talent for much of 2020.  I think by Christmas we have a pretty sizable roster.

I’m not worried about them not making everyone, it’s just disappointing it’s more backloaded than frontloaded.

[theoutlaw1999]

What the figure line seriously needs is a 2 pack series. Tag Teams are taking up 2 spots in the single waves so if they had a series of their own it would pave the way for more releases.

Big names are necessary, but with teams out of the way it would help get more guys made. 

[crush]

Mar 6, 2021 16:02:18 GMT -5 WCWThunderRosa said:

I thought Lucha Bros would be the reissues for series 7 so Idk what they’re doing now. Darby, Dustin, & Omega? Cassidy with a different shirt or normal legs?

Dustin in blue and Darby with new ink would be my guesses.

[mrh]

FYI -- I think ALL these points. I'm glad I started the discussion.

I totally understand the need for big talent; to me, 4 re-issues out of 6 really seems excessive. But to each their own. Thanks for creating a cool discussion