Was the movie the biggest thing to happen to TFs since Beast Wars?

[dirge]

I do agree that the movie was the biggest thing since BW - but it isn't bigger than Beast Wars. The Transformers line was _dead_. Dead. Kenner took a chance with BW and brought Transformers back to life. While the film is a bigger medium, within the context of the franchise, it's not as big. Having said that nothing since BW comes close to matching the film.

I'm frustrated that Hasbro have thrown away a lot of the momentum from the film. From extremely tenuous "movie" themed repaints to some of the really poor merchandising which will clog shelves for a while, such as the turnarounds. I'm still amazed that Hasbro followed it up with Animated - which is so ridiculously different from the film that it can't really grasp the momentum the film generated.

I hope the lines following the future films are able to ride their momentum better, so that the films aren't a flash in the pan (:

[SilverDragon]

Well, as others said, Beast Wars revived the brand completely, while the movie was essentially capitalizing on the success of the brand. I think the movie was bigger, though-it got a lot of people into Transformers (including me).

I'm still amazed that Hasbro followed it up with Animated - which is so ridiculously different from the film that it can't really grasp the momentum the film generated.

Although ridiculously different appears to equal popular on toy shelves. I've given up trying to get Animated toys from non-Hobbyco shops because THERE ARE NONE (besides the spinoffs and the ultra-expensive Leaders).

[dirge]

I've noticed that many of the stores I've visited seem to have slowish sales of Animated. The Activators are flying off shelves, and deluxes are doing okay outside of Grace Brothers and their stupid $40 price tag. Activators _should_ do well - the smaller toys always sell too fast for Hasbro (who import too many boxed TFs every single time, and not enough of the cheaper stuff which parents _will_ buy on impulse). I've noticed those silly bumper battler things (the Cyberslammer-esque things, I think that's what they're called) aren't moving - which doesn't surprise me since they're not good value for toys aimed at 2 year olds.

At any rate, I would have thought Hasbro would want to embrace new found fans with a more realistic line to follow up the film. Yeah, we get Universe/Classics, but I mean as the main line (wich cartoon).

[kup]

I've noticed that many of the stores I've visited seem to have slowish sales of Animated. The Activators are flying off shelves, and deluxes are doing okay outside of Grace Brothers and their stupid $40 price tag. Activators _should_ do well - the smaller toys always sell too fast for Hasbro (who import too many boxed TFs every single time, and not enough of the cheaper stuff which parents _will_ buy on impulse). I've noticed those silly bumper battler things (the Cyberslammer-esque things, I think that's what they're called) aren't moving - which doesn't surprise me since they're not good value for toys aimed at 2 year olds.

At any rate, I would have thought Hasbro would want to embrace new found fans with a more realistic line to follow up the film. Yeah, we get Universe/Classics, but I mean as the main line (wich cartoon).

From what I have seen, Animated is either severely understocked with just a peg and a tiny under shelf corner (the same with Universe) while the rest is dominated by shelf warming movie toys which are largely repaints or junk like Slammers and merchandise.

Animated may seem to be moving fast because there there are so few been stocked, the same goes for Universe.

The only place where I have seen a decent amount of Animated and Universe is Target but they are all boxed toys and many of the Universe toys are the crap repaints like Blaster. A few Universe deluxes but that's all.

It seems that both Animated and Universe will suffer thanks to the stupidity of Hasbro's toy distribution when it comes to the movie repaints and merchandise. Stores will refuse to restock on newer stuff until the walls of movie toys moves and that will not happen in a hurry.

[roller]

i went into a K marche today

no Universe deluxes at all, last 2 weeks ago i saw 1 Sunstreaker

all they had was the Universe cement mixer

So here it goes, the BIG things in order :

1. Machine Wars- The ultimate battle between the surviving transformers after Cybetron was blown up.

2. Animorphs- Visser 3 gains access via a spacial rift, transformers technology, the yerks upgrade their evil technology with the fate of planet Earth hanging in the battle!

3. Star Wars transformers- After the cybernet space cube falls into a black hole the Jedi and Sith use its knowledge to upgrade their technology with the fate of planet Naboo hanging in the battle!

[Pulse]

So here it goes, the BIG things in order :

1. Machine Wars- The ultimate battle between the surviving transformers after Cybetron was blown up.

2. Animorphs- Visser 3 gains access via a spacial rift, transformers technology, the yerks upgrade their evil technology with the fate of planet Earth hanging in the battle!

3. Star Wars transformers- After the cybernet space cube falls into a black hole the Jedi and Sith use its knowledge to upgrade their technology with the fate of planet Naboo hanging in the battle!

How could you leave out Action Masters???

[roller]

the Actionmasters upgraded into the Generation 2 forms, DER!!!

[STL]

I think a big part of the reality that all of us need to realise is that the movie hype is gone. It will stuck with some but not all. And that's the nature of all these blockbusters. Anyone remember the massive releases of Spider-Man toys when the first movie hit? The toys flew off the shelves? Not happenning any more. Same goes for Iron Man which was released this year. It had its spike for about 3 months. Now, they're not moving if at all.

Fact is, the business reality of many franchises is its seasonal. We should be glad that unlike X-Men, Spider-Man, Iron Man and Batman, our franchise continues to exist in non peak times. I don't think its all Hasbros fault but I do think that the longevity of the line was last years Christmas. And we should be very happy b/c I don;t think TF figures ever moved that fast that it was hell to get a BB08, a toy in virtually every wave yet still so elusive. The movie's success lasted longer than it should have.

It'll be interesting though to see if the 2nd movie has the same legs on the shelves. Since I start working full time next year, I won't be as lucky anymore to be going hunting everyday so part of me wonders how many hells i might have to endure to get new figures.

[iceburn]

Since I start working full time next year, I won't be as lucky anymore to be going hunting everyday so part of me wonders how many hells i might have to endure to get new figures.

you'll be alright..look at us working in the city???
moreover, we've still got jay and these new uni guys to help out and spot stuff, right ???

[STL]

moreover, we've still got jay and these new uni guys to help out and spot stuff, right ???

I dunno, that just doesn't sound right...