Super 7 "Official Universal Monsters Thread"

[Anton Phibes]

There has been some really offensive Universal Monster merchandise made over the years.  This Super 7 stuff isn't it. 

I really think Sideshow will forever go down as the company that set the bar too high... unless Neca gets it together.    

I know the fans of the ultra-realistic toys would be a lot happier with Super 7 if it were offering some of those in addition to all of the other stuff.  I don't think they have the license nor do I think they want that license, but I know it would certainly strike a happy medium. 

I'm remembering some of the generic monster stuff Sideshow released.  Gah!  Awful.  Do we remember that?  No.  We remember the 8" and 12".  Hopefully Super 7 releases some products that are so memorable we look back on them fondly in ten years as well.     

The Sideshow Era is going to go down in Universal Monster Collecting as the greatest era since the monster craze of the 1960's. Their 8 inch figures had some warts...notably wonky pegs that broke. Yet no toy company did what they did. No collectible company did what they did. Certainly not at the level they did it. Giving actors their recognition by name, giving us first time ever licenses for Werewolf of London and others....they were gold.

[aura of foreboding]

The Sideshow Era is going to go down in Universal Monster Collecting as the greatest era since the monster craze of the 1960's. Their 8 inch figures had some warts...notably wonky pegs that broke. Yet no toy company did what they did. No collectible company did what they did. Certainly not at the level they did it. Giving actors their recognition by name, giving us first time ever licenses for Werewolf of London and others....they were gold.

You don't have to tell me that.  Really stellar, but those Little Big Head Skateboarders...   

[Anton Phibes]

You don't have to tell me that.  Really stellar, but those Little Big Head Skateboarders...   

The Little big Head abominations aside (wrestlers too, let's not forget the wrestlers), sideshow spelled quality for Universal The Premium Format figures are the best things I own in my collection. Especially Wolfman and Mummy.

[BRICK]

Brick,

Not to dash your hopes, but most wholesalers discourage or even outright work against buyer's clubs (the common name for what you're suggesting). They do so to protect their retail partners - the entities that order in quantities that are of signifigant number to be a vauable percentage of business, and to protect their retail prices, which aren't arbitrary. Working against the retail price of their own product is bad business.

Beyond that, this isn't a forum that's very helpful to the industry. It's trypically outright hostile in multiple fashions, which has greatly reduced participation of those disintersted in hostility, and sadly and solidly earned the board a poor reputation for focused and civil discussion.

While there are forums where cogent and constructive discussions take place about these things with decisionmakers - manufacture's own web forms, fb pages, instagram feeds - the UMA isn't one. I encorage you to check those venues out and add your thoughts to the discourse. If you've got greater interest, Brick, please feel free to message me.

And hey, look, that Super7 stuff isn't so expensive after all! Or maybe it's too expensive, or maybe it's not on model enough, or not cool enough, or too cool, or what have ya.

     As for the Super 7 stuff, I think that they have some good items and some other items that I have no interest in whatsoever; but I do think that they should be given some kudos for sticking with the monsters when other companies have cut and run. It bothers me no end when manufacturers say that Universal Monsters are not a viable commodity, when they keep putting out the same 6 characters as figures or slavishly adhering to the confines of Universal's bland style guide.  For their part, Super 7 has gone beyond that. However, ultimately we are still their target demographic, and if they (or any UM producer) chooses to ignore our input or criticism, their sales will reflect that.

     What I was getting at before is there is a deeper problem of a disconnect between the manufacturers and the fans, both at a retail level and when it comes to product development. Their idea of product development is to throw something at the wall and see what sticks. Also, the wholesalers who produce this type of merchandise need to recognize that the fans and collectors are the backbone of their business. The retailer, at least when it comes to the niche market for Universal Monsters, are fair-weather friends, at best; they will drop the brand as soon as it fails to live up to expectations. It's the fans who are going to stay true to the characters, through thick and thin. To say that buyer's clubs are not the way business is done may be very true at this point in time, but look at how the marketing landscape and hierarchy has changed over the last two decades. Who's to say what marketing is going to look like in the coming years. My argument is that there shouldn't be 6 degrees of separation between the producers and the consumers. If I were thinking of producing something related to Universal Monsters, before I did, I would spend weeks haunting sites like this and data mine the heck out of them. I would try to find out what characters are the most popular, what types of products are lacking, what characters/actors are under-represented, what fans liked and didn't like, etc. Rather than seeing criticisms on this site as an annoyance or insult, I would see it for what it is: a valuable resource. You can do a type of market research online today that would have been nearly impossible when most of us were growing up. Beyond that, you can advertise and market directly to these customers, cutting out the "fair-weather" middleman. Obviously, not everyone of us is going to buy every Super 7 product, but if enough of us were interested in an item, what is wrong with the idea of banding together as a purchasing block? "Because it's not done that way in retail" just doesn't seem like a compelling argument to me. We are the ultimate consumers anyway, and it's not like your local brick & mortar Walmart has deemed any of this merchandise as important enough to stock.

     When I used to etch monster mugs, I knew that the people who bought them could have spent their money on other things, so my number one priority was to make the best product I possibly could; a top-shelf item that a collector would be proud to display, and that would hopefully become a family heirloom. I sold directly to the people and always tried to follow up to make sure they were happy. If more manufacturers would adopt a similar business model, think of the wonderful monster products we could have.

     Even a niche market can be lucrative if you take the time to know your customers and what they want.

     I will get off my soapbox now.

[Anton Phibes]

If Neca would pick up a Universal Monsters license, and release them in those flap boxes they are releasing the Halloween and Godzilla figures in....they would be the best thing since sliced bread. Multiple head sculpts for characters like Wolfman and Frankenstein, etc. Magnificent.

[Mike Scott]

I'll trade my Sideshow Creature stuff for the '60s Hasbro and SPP Creature stuff! 

[Mike Scott]

[Monsters For Sale]

Handsome poster.

[aura of foreboding]

Now that's advertising! 

[Monsters For Sale]

I like all different kinds of stuff (Creatures), from the ultra realistic, to the cheezie little blobs of plastic. I like variety! I don't want all Sideshow figures. 

I really don't want a bunch of "screen accurate" stuff.  I have a few of those.  That's enough.  To collect nothing more would make for awfully boring repetition.

I like the various artists' renditions for variety.  Really liked the Funko figures and Bobble Heads.



I have a number of "deformed" figures and like the stuff like the Sideshow Little Big Heads, the cheaply made foreign made product like what comes out of Mexico, etc.

What I dislike are all the of-so-cute and precious "Toddler Monsters".  Heck, I didn't even like Muppet Babies.  Efforts to infantilize, our monsters really grates on me.

That's just me.  If you love them, buy them.  Fill your house with them.  More power to you.  Enjoy what you enjoy and don't let anyone tell you shouldn't love what you love.

I love caricatures of our scary monsters that pay at least some recognition to their scary past.  I am not a fan of them being made overly friendly - but I really hate seeing them portrayed at baby-talk age.
 

[MrDark1]

I agree with Anton Phibes, the artwork of Ed Repka made me collect the Super 7 Uni Monsters.
The figures themselves not so much-must be a thing Uni Studios does not mind-buy/make generic figures, sell them with Likeness art -win, win-for them!

I recently heard Disney now owns the Peanuts comic brand, and characters, and plans new films, and merch of course.  I am hoping now since Disney is buying up all brands, that they soon will buy all Universal Studios too-and based on their track record will release true film accurate merchandise of our Classic Monsters! 

[Count Zachula]

Universal Monsters - Figure - 3.75 in. - Super7-ReAction - 2019 - Frankenstein


Universal Monsters - Figure - 3.75 in. - Super7-ReAction - 2019 - Dracula


Universal Monsters - Figure - 3.75 in. - Super7-ReAction - 2019 - Invisible Man
[/quote]


I do love some variety in my monster toys.  Thats why I LOVE these new figures and their color schemes. I have enough green Frankensteins and Creatures, gimme some crazy psychedelic colors! I want a pink Creature! And a purple Frankenstein!

[Mord]

 Andy Warhol used to buy those expensive (and beautifully detailed) Billiken kits and paint them in psychedelic colors. Thats what these remind me of. If I still did drugs, I would buy these, get a blacklight and cool posters and just play Pink Floyd's  "Atom Heart Mother" 24/7.

[BRICK]

I recently heard Disney now owns the Peanuts comic brand, and characters, and plans new films, and merch of course.  I am hoping now since Disney is buying up all brands, that they soon will buy all Universal Studios too-and based on their track record will release true film accurate merchandise of our Classic Monsters!

I have VERY mixed feelings about having Disney acquire the Monsters. On the one hand Disney is a wizard when it comes to marketing and we would definitely see a lot of cool, new products in stores; but I don't know if I could handle a remake of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein with Phineas and Ferb filling in for Bud and Lou (don't laugh, they did that with the Marvel Superheroes!).

[Monsters For Sale]

I have VERY mixed feelings about having Disney acquire the Monsters. On the one hand Disney is a wizard when it comes to marketing and we would definitely see a lot of cool, new products in stores; but I don't know if I could handle a remake of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein with Phineas and Ferb filling in for Bud and Lou (don't laugh, they did that with the Marvel Superheroes!).

You'd prefer Adam Sandler and Pauly Shore?

I'd be afraid the Monsters would end up with huge heads and eyes - and hands with only 4 fingers.
But, yeah.  There would be merchandise.  Maybe they would care a bit more than Universal.

(Imagine a Pirates of the Caribbean style ride with the Classic Monsters...)