NECA CLUB x ALIEN 2018
 

Ha!

So after paying the higher figure cost, the insanely high shipping cost and buying all the re-colored Aliens I can get to buy ANOTHER re-colored alien??? Where do I sign up!

This times a million :D

NECA's Alien Club was universally hated as far as I could tell. I'm honestly shocked it's making it to a second year.

I was surprised, too. It didn't seem to be a roaring success and the reveal of the exclusive figure only hurt the club further. The Aliens line is one of their best-selling. It's not like they need the subscription to sell the figures. Maybe they should do this kind of club for properties they aren't confident in. Then, instead of Randy just saying stuff is too niche, they will have the actual numbers to prove him right or wrong.

This...just makes me feel sick inside... who would buy into something that is nothing more than a gimmick... and the exclusive was worthless imo. I am glad I didn't get pulled in the first time...

I still truly don't understand the "too niche" argument from them. They can make Valerian, Carrie, American Psycho, Coraline, and other figures but we can't get a Macready? And on a slightly different note, Mezco can get the rights for a 1:12 Michael Myers and NECA can't? They get asked on twitter and Facebook pretty much every day for a new Myers, and I would bet good money they would sell at least 4x as many as Mezco (Mezco 1:12's being usually 80 bucks, so they can't really say "Mezco could afford it since they charge more per figure")

Has the Purple Alien exclusive already been released? I would think that this would a prerequisite before starting up a new club cycle...

Not yet. They said more details in a few weeks.

I'm not so sure it will. A lot of people who signed up for the first year won't sign up for a second. They don't show a thermometer for their quota like Mattel did for the DC and MOTU clubs, but I guarantee they have one, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they didn't hit it this time.

Also of note is that NECA announced that there would be no free items this year with the club membership, unlike last year, so they're actually downgrading an already poorly-received service.

So, no freebies, we're into the third month of 2018 and the 2017 exclusive figure isn't released yet, plus members pay hefty shipping fees and sometimes get stuff after retail does? And never mind the fact that NECA's quality control is such that buying their figures sight unseen all but assures you derpy eyes or other issues...yeah, glad I passed on this mess.

I get the feeling that Randy is not a Thing fan, because NECA has tackled way more obscure properties in the past. If they wanted to do figures based on The Thing, they'd find a way of making it happen. I mean, they're doing a Herbert West figure (which I'm very much looking forward to, BTW), and Re-Animator is certainly a VERY niche movie outside of hardcore horror fans.

You're probably right :P Just sucks 'cause unless we get a McFarlane Color Tops Mac (fat chance) it seems like he'll never get his day :D

This was my biggest gripe last year. We definitely should have gotten them first. I received my first shipping notification 3 days after I physically saw them in a Toys R Us.

Someone should find all the threads like this talking about how terrible an idea this is (Toyark, Fwoosh, etc...) and send it to NECA via Facebpok and Twitter (I would but NECA never responds to me)

As an Australia completionist i hope this doesn't happen as we're locked out point blank. Bad enough that i will have to buy the purple warrior for a stupid amount of money on eBay.

If anyone does that, they're gonna get blocked.

Which stinks since we all have valid criticisms... :P

Well I didn't see this coming. I really hope that this is the last year for something like this and that others don't get roped into it. I just don't understand why collectors are willing to pay exorbitant amounts in shipping to be a part of a club and all for a Kenner repaint that you still have to pay for...

Again, I actually like the look of the exclusive figure a lot, but the club isn't worth it. People will buy just about any Alien figure NECA puts out anyway so their is really no reason why this figure couldn't be a TRU or SDCC exclusive. There is really no logical way to justify the club especially when the benefits are so poor.

they need to state all the stuff first rather than later on when people get angry when it's something they dont want.

Well, with the Toys R Us situation, I just joined the club again. I wouldn't be surprised to see NECA doing different clubs now. Maybe, just maybe, with TRU going down, they can lower their shipping costs somewhat. The reason they had them so high was to not undercut the retailers, ie TRU.

On another note, the purple alien is available for preorder. Sucks it's not coming until the end of the year, though.

how does the club work? i went to join and then checkout for $71+shipping. Then reading the email and faq, it seems to say i have to pay again when the figures are available?

I emailed customer service who replied: In order to enroll in the 2018 Alien Club you need to purchase Series 13 now. Doing so begins your enrollment into the club. In order to stay in the club you need to purchase all the releases we offer throughout 2018 ((isnt that what im doing now by paying $71+shpping?)) to qualify for the 2018 year end exclusive

very confusing

When you preordered Series 13 you were automatically enrolled in the club. You won't have to pay for 13 again, but in order to qualify for the year end exclusive, you have to order all the requisite items from them throughout the year. Last year, if I recall, it was 2 waves of Aliens figures, the Covenant series, and the Aliens Day exclusive Vasquez.