[snake5289]

I was under the impression that they didn't make any more because they lost the license to Storm Collectibles.

Three versions of the already made figures were more than likely because because MKX brought three variations to each character and they already had the molds to use.

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snake5289

I was under the impression that they didn't make any more because they lost the license to Storm Collectibles.

Three versions of the already made figures were more than likely because because MKX brought three variations to each character and they already had the molds to use.

Yeah I'm pretty sure the decision to drop the line wasn't just Mezco being weird but like you said a license transfer and less than stellar sales.

Regarding character selection, again I'd say they kind of have to make a Sub-Zero and Scorpion in every line or they'll see no sales probably. Mezco did do more than just those two poster characters but they aren't selling nearly as well as them. Raiden and Kitana are selling decently but not as much as Subs and Scorps and then Kotal and Quan Chi are straight up peg-warming at my TRU and Hastings. I'd actually totally expect for Storm Collectibles to only do Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Goro as they've announced but then not move on to the non-ninja actually different in design characters. I'll say this already, at least Mezco made entirely distinct and separate figures while these are pretty much just gonna be the same toy almost exactly but in yellow or blue.

[Trivial Psychic]

Storm Collectibles could learn a lot from Sota Toy's handling of the Street Fighter franchise. While the line only put out 4 waves, they were able to get most of the primary cast of the game, as well as some cult favorites, by sprinkling an assortment of essential characters (Ryu, Ken, and Akuma) along with oddball selections (Birdie, Sodom, Remy). Sota also extended the line a bit by allowing the fans to vote for figures they wanted to see most in new waves, allowing the fans who were burnt out on the obvious choices to have a shot at getting the figures they wanted most.

[Joe Moore]

Mortal Kombat Klassic Vs. Series 1/12 Scale Figure - Scorpion - Mortal Kombat Figures

Scorpion is $50 at BBTS.

[Trivial Psychic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Moore

Mortal Kombat Klassic Vs. Series 1/12 Scale Figure - Scorpion - Mortal Kombat Figures

Scorpion is $50 at BBTS.

I just saw this this morning. That's kind of a ridiculous price point. Not having a lot of faith in this becoming an actual line right now as I feel like this will be just a one shot (or a two shot, since there will be no way in hell they pass up on giving us yet another Sub Zero...)...and at that price, they better be of Figma or Figurearts quality...

[Joe Moore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivial Psychic

I just saw this this morning. That's kind of a ridiculous price point. Not having a lot of faith in this becoming an actual line right now as I feel like this will be just a one shot (or a two shot, since there will be no way in hell they pass up on giving us yet another Sub Zero...)...and at that price, they better be of Figma or Figurearts quality...

They are doing Sub-Zero and also Goro.

[KcKilla]

Am I the only one supremely disappointed to find out that these and the Street Fighter figures are 7" and not 6"? That and the apparent lack of articulation at least on the ninja figures (Goro looks amazing) is giving me pause.

[Trivial Psychic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KcKilla

Am I the only one supremely disappointed to find out that these and the Street Fighter figures are 7" and not 6"? That and the apparent lack of articulation at least on the ninja figures (Goro looks amazing) is giving me pause.

I'm not sure I catch on to what you're saying. Which Street Fighter figures are you talking about? Sota? Those were in a true 6 inch scale, and many of those had varying sizes to better represent their scale to each other in the game.

If you're referring to the NECA ones, that's a different story. Those were in 7 inch scale, with not all that much difference between them. The smallest figure was C.Viper, and even she was nearly 7 inches.

I'm not sure I understand the lack of articulation comment regarding the new figures either. They look plenty articulated to me. I see double jointed elbows and knees, swiveling and hinged wrists, hinged ankles and toe joints with ankle pivot, and what looks to be ball jointed hips, and an ab crunch. While I can see the loin cloth blocking forward kicking action, the pictures in the article surely demonstrate he can throw a hell of a standing side kick.

From what I have read...this figure is supposed to be 6 inches. Now whether or not it's 6 inches like Mezco's line, or the 6 inches we're akin to seeing with Marvel Legends is where I'm curious.

MK2 was probably my second favorite game in the series, (after MK9) so I think these are pretty cool, despite the lack of creativity in character selection and price. I might get these if they come down a bit. If they announce a Reptile, it's an immediate purchase from me...although if the price comes down low enough to warrant the risk, I might just get Scorpion or Sub-Zero here and paint them green myself just so I can finally get a half decent Reptile in a 6 inch scale...

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivial Psychic

MK2 was probably my second favorite game in the series, (after MK9)

I think MK9 is the best for being like the definitive Mortal Kombat game with all the classic characters (so long as you get the Rain add on). MK2 is my favorite of the klassics and a huge reason that I got Shaolin Monks for the first X-Box was so I could unlock and play MK2 on that. I got MKXL this month and have been playing that and while it is great and is technically a better made game than MK9 the roster in 9 was more well rounded and the story in X was less "fun/stupid" in tone which lost it some points to me. Mainly it's the lack of upgrades over 9 that keeps it from topping 9.

[snake5289]

No you're right. MKX looks and plays better but MK9 is still superior. Better roster and the story is loads better.

If you haven't yet check out the MKX prequel comic. It's the story that should have been the story mode.

[Ricno924]

So I guess $50 was already projected, but dang... that's going to be upwards of $150 for Scorp, Sub, and Goro, which is pretty crazy. I'm kind of forced to wait for sale prices.

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snake5289

No you're right. MKX looks and plays better but MK9 is still superior. Better roster and the story is loads better.

If you haven't yet check out the MKX prequel comic. It's the story that should have been the story mode.

The only thing I like more about X's story is that none of my favorite characters died and it was much much easier to play. 9's story had too many 1v3 matches and then crazy boss fights where all I could do to win was spam cheap moves. I hated that Bo Rai Cho didn't die at the end of X, they killed Mileena, Baraka, and Quan Chi in gruesome fashion yet the fat guy that everyone hates just gets passively zapped and then he's not even dead.

Is the prequel comic the one where Havik's the main bad guy? I was reading something about him being a big part of the comics and I always thought Havik was one of the best 2nd generation characters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricno924

So I guess $50 was already projected, but dang... that's going to be upwards of $150 for Scorp, Sub, and Goro, which is pretty crazy. I'm kind of forced to wait for sale prices.

It would suck but I wouldn't be surprised if Goro costs closer to $70 or %80 because he's bigger. Having said that, Goro easily looks like the best of the three. I really wanted Mezco to make a Goro in their MKX line, so much potential has been lost with Mezco's line ending.

[snake5289]

Ain't it the truth. Mezco would've done justice to characters that have never been made in figure form before.

Yes and yes. I've only read the first two trades so far and the last one comes out in April. The last part in vol.2 has Havik basically beating Hanzo to death trying to bring out Scorpion so he can have him to join his side if I recall. And he's pretty much manipulating everything that's happening in the story to fulfill his plan. Dude's a huge threat now.

My main beef with the MKX story mode is Sub-Zero's chapter being just a lameass training exorcise (it is cool to see him beat all the new kids' asses single handed though) and the focus on the Kombat kids. I really didn't care for any of them.

[Ricno924]

Quote:

Originally Posted by En Sabah Nerd

It would suck but I wouldn't be surprised if Goro costs closer to $70 or %80 because he's bigger. Having said that, Goro easily looks like the best of the three. I really wanted Mezco to make a Goro in their MKX line, so much potential has been lost with Mezco's line ending.

Right, I assumed he'd be more. That's why I said "upwards of" in the first place. A bit unfortunate (for me, anyways).

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snake5289

My main beef with the MKX story mode is Sub-Zero's chapter being just a lameass training exorcise (it is cool to see him beat all the new kids' asses single handed though) and the focus on the Kombat kids. I really didn't care for any of them.

I like Cassie Cage but none of the others very much, that's mainly because she's funny like Johnny and I love reading the funny/stupid shit the other characters say in the comments of her selfie fatality plus all their great usernames. "Goro!" I also feel like Sub-Zero's chapter could've been a lot better than what was basically babysitting the new characters' first outing, and then he doesn't do a whole lot else in the story but make Scorpion some tea and have forged a beard-bro-pact with Scorpion and Kenshi at some point.

[snake5289]

HEY! That hobo beard is glorious.

And tea ceremony aside I liked that scene. Nice to see him step up and be the bigger man to finally put the past behind the both of them. Apparently you see how he got Sektor's head at the end of the prequel comic. Really looking forward to that.

[webz]

The reason Scorpion and Sub-Zero are always the first characters is statistically, they are the most played characters, the "Ken & Ryu" of MK. Are there fans of other characters? Yes, of course, but ever since the original MK, the ninjas have had a markedly larger fanbase than the other characters, and Scorpion is undeniably the most iconic of all MK characters, and creator Ed Boon's favorite.

[Trivial Psychic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webz

The reason Scorpion and Sub-Zero are always the first characters is statistically, they are the most played characters, the "Ken & Ryu" of MK. Are there fans of other characters? Yes, of course, but ever since the original MK, the ninjas have had a markedly larger fanbase than the other characters, and Scorpion is undeniably the most iconic of all MK characters, and creator Ed Boon's favorite.

This goes without saying, but there is also some flawed marketing logic behind this as well. While it's great to always try and reel in people as starting point with these characters, they have also been done to death, and it needs to be taken into account that a great deal of the folks who would most likely be interested in MK (or any franchise of video game figures for that matter) will more than likely already have a version of these characters, and unless they are super fans of those characters, this will end up making them more likely to pass in favor of a character they don't have in their collection already.

If I can use myself as an example, I remember when the NECA SF4 figures came out, the only figure I ended up buying out of that entire series of figures was C.Viper, because she was a new character that had not been made yet. There wasn't even passing interest in Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Guile or Chun Li from me, because I already have several versions of those characters in my collection. Viper ended up becoming the toughest character to find (while the rest peg warmed for some reason...hmmm...) and she drives the highest price on the secondary market for that series. Sales weren't great on the rehashed "fan favorites", and NECA moved on giving us nothing new outside the initial two waves.

The same thing with the Jazzwares MK9 figures. There was no need to pick up Scorpion and Sub-Zero, as I already had the Shaolin Monks versions of those characters. (Although, I admittedly bought Scorpion and Sub-Zero for the Mezco line, which I wanted BADLY to succeed in hopes of getting certain characters we never got.)

While it's typically smart to release the faces of your franchise first, it's also helpful to know your audience, as well as some history too. I typically dig anything new MK wise on the action figure front, and I truthfully would have pre-ordered all of Storm Collectibles stuff if they were giving us say, Reptile*, Jax*, Mileena*, or Baraka* as I don't have any good representations of those characters in my collection, as opposed to yet another Sub-Zero and Scorpion.

(*Since these figures seemed based off of MK2, I figured I'd pick these, hence no Cyrax, Striker, etc. And yes, I know some of these characters have had figures before...but they were all awful)

[webz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivial Psychic

This goes without saying, but there is also some flawed marketing logic behind this as well.

You make some excellent points... buuuuut... you miss one very important aspect... every time a line of MK figures is made, it's a new company licensing the brand. So said new company wants to make the characters they are certain will sell the most first, to get the $$$$ invested in securing the license, THEN make the characters that are maybe-sells.

[Joe Moore]

People also forget that the licensor can and will dictate which products can be made first.

[Trivial Psychic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webz

You make some excellent points... buuuuut... you miss one very important aspect... every time a line of MK figures is made, it's a new company licensing the brand. So said new company wants to make the characters they are certain will sell the most first, to get the $$$$ invested in securing the license, THEN make the characters that are maybe-sells.

A lack of continuity between companies does hurt, but Jazzwares held the MK license for years, churning Scorpion and Sub-Zero figures the way Hasbro churns out Iron Man and Cap. Same with Mezco, who put out 3 different versions of the duo (along with 3 versions Raiden and two different versions of the second wave.) While I don't have sales numbers, I'm pretty sure that they cannot be all that good, as neither company no longer has the license nor is putting out figures.

Jazzwares also put out Street Fighter figures for a while. They were nowhere near Sota's level of quality, but they didn't last too long either, as I remember when they came out, Ryu and Ken just languished on shelves forever until they hit the 3 for 5 dollar clearance bins. There was one character though that I never did see though...Charlie Nash, mostly because people were grabbing that guy and scalping him like crazy due to the fact that it was his only appearance anywhere in any Street Fighter line. Capo Toys couldn't even get their kickstarter off the ground when they tried, as Ryu and maybe Ken (if certain goals were reached) were the only initial figures they were offering. Figure release history plays a much bigger part than these toy companies care to realize.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Moore

People also forget that the licensor can and will dictate which products can be made first.

Absolutely this. I've missed out on this fact too in Storm Collectibles defense. I remember an old interview with the former CEO of Sota Toys over how they were under incredible pressure by Capcom to put out certain characters specifically. One character that Sota fought like hell to get done was Sodom, who Capcom was not very high on, and after a lot of lobbying, Capcom allowed it but threatened to end their agreement if the figure didn't sell well. Thankfully Sodom (as well as the rest of the first wave) was a success, and Sota was allowed to put out some really great figures afterwards.

[Joe Moore]

Update On Storm Collectibles MK Scorpion Figure - The Toyark - News

[magma169]

Oh hell yeah ! While Mezco did deliver great figures, this line seems to be far superior in the articulation department. This looks promising.....

[Trivial Psychic]

I hope they are still keeping the grilled face mask though as an optional portrait, as I think it looks way better than they new one they are showing. MK2 still has my vote on some of the best looks ever devised for the characters.

[TimespliTT]

yes yes yes yes yes, they got rid of that S^%&$* black outline on the vest.. so happy