Ryan Maxwell Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 12959
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Posted: 19 April 2011 at 10:54am | IP Logged | 5
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A new Q&A with Sven at Eaglemoss, copied from the figurine forum (since you have to be a member to read it over there). The answer on character appearances in the chess set is bogus, but since I don't buy many from the DC line, I'm not upset. Sucks for the big fans, though. 1) Are there any plans for another extension of the DC collection and have you already starting discussing which characters you would like confirmed?
Sven: An extension is possible, but seriously, do not hold your breath. Doom Patrol will be a shoo-in! Colin my art editor is adamant that we need "more babes".
2) With the confirmation of Animal Man and rumours about Vertigo primarily becoming an imprint focusing on creator owned work, has the status of DC characters formerly unavailable to you (such as Swamp Thing, Madame Xanadu, Shade the Changing Man, the Endless) changed at all? Is it possible to see them in the main line some day?
Sven: Yes, Vertigo characters are fair game, though creator-owned properties might be off limits. Swamp Thing WILL be in the collection if I have anything to do with it.
3) With Oracle being one of the confirmed characters is the upcoming DC Chess set - does this open the possibility of her inclusion in the DC Collection and if so - how would she be represented? Are other characters included in the set but not yet in the main line (such as Daimian Wayne, Katana and Black Mask) also more firmly on your radar as a result of being included in the other set?
Sven: This might cause a bit of a storm, but... if a character appears in the chess collection, then it's mildly less likely that they will appear in the DC Super Hero Collection. We do want to cover as many characters as possible in one form or another, rather than duplicate 'em.
(In addition: When asked for a specific answer relating to Oracle, Sven added that chances are, Oracle probably won't make it in this collection. It pains him to say this, as he's a massive BoP fan himself, but rising costs and shrinking budgets make the prospect of producing a good quality wheelchair very unlikely.)
4) Now that we've had confirmation of a DC chess set, there are concerns about this collection competing against the main DC line and, if people invest in the new collection, if they will be able to get a full set even if sales are poor. Is the trial run for a complete chess set or just a few figures? And are you, personally, worried about over-saturating the market with the two collections?
Unfortunately, this question was beyond Sven's expertise and he declined to comment.
5) With the new Batman Automobilia collection - how many pieces are currently slotted? Is this a collection that is primarily catering towards Batmobiles themselves, or is there a chance of bikes, boats, planes and villain or sidekick vehicles (such as the Jokermobile or the R-Cycle) being made? How wide is the net being cast when selecting vehicles from various media, and what kind of balance between comics/animation/film/TV are you hoping to strike?
Sven: For Batmobilia, the number planned is not fixed but is substantial. The focus will be on Batmobiles from the comics and movies, but TV/animation versions will also be done. Other Bat-vehicles, the rides of friends & foes etc. will be in the collection in a supporting role, as it were.
6) With the release of Blob and Sasquach and the increased use of resin in the regular line there has been much debate about resin and it's role in the future of the collection. What kind of role do you see resin playing in the DC collection? And are all resin figurines a possibility further down the line and which special characters do you think would benefit from using resin?
Sven: Unfortunately part-resin figures are here to stay, due to rising costs and shrinking budgets. Costly lead capes have led to our viability being questioned! Resin holds detail well and allows us to do larger and more elaborate figures. I'm not in favour of all-resin figures though, that seems wrong – but if we have to go all-resin to make an amazing Swamp Thing figure, you bet I'm going to do it.
7) Since the release of Blackest Night, there has been much talk about sub-sets and what other kinds of sets Eaglemoss could release in the future. Are you planning to release more along with the next extension, and if you do are you likely to go for another big event style sub-set (such as Flashpoint or Batman, Inc.) or something smaller focusing on one team (such as the Endless, Metal Men or the LoSH)? Assuming there were no limits to what you could release, what would your own dream sub-set be?
Sven: Decisions to launch sub-sets are definitely not made by the likes of me! None are planned as far as I know. A Metal Men and Endless set would be high on my personal wish list though. In at number 1 though: Watchmen (with a Minutemen follow-up).
8) What are the chances of getting characters that are licensed by DC such as T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, the Red Circle Heroes(Archie), The Spirit , Doc Savage or Milestone Media in the collection? Would it be possible or would the extra Licensing fees be too cost prohibitive? And which characters would top the list as the top candidates to be considered?
Sven: Doing licensed characters would be too costly and complex to be worthwhile at the moment. In my dreams, though... a Spirit mini-collection would be awesome!
9) With JJJ confirmed in the Marvel and characters like Commissioner Gordon and Alfred confirmed on the DC Chess Set, does this mean the DC Collection would consider adding a prominent civilian character to a future extension?
Sven: I'd really like to add some civvies to the collection – Alfred and Commissioner Gordon have certainly earned a place. The question is, is it worth the controversy it would cause. What is the forum's opinion on civvies in a Super Hero collection?
10) And finally, because I don't believe Sven has been asked a question like this and it'll be cool to get some insight! What kind of comics do you, personally, love and if you could include any character, or even a whole team of characters, into the collection assuming there were no limitations or boundaries, who would they be?
Sven: O boy, now you've done it! I'm a huge Mike Mignola fan - love his artwork, and he's intomany of my favourite things – myth & folklore, Lovecraftian elder gods, dieselpunk technology, Fritz Leiber short stories, Nazi cyborg gorillas etc. So, Hellboy, Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (words by Howard Chaykin), and his update of Chaykin's amazing (and amazingly obscure) Ironwolf. Marvel-side, I love NextWave to bits and have been hounding Rich for a mini-collection for aaages. The revitalised She-Hulk is pure fun. The Green Lantern Mosaic World storyline was great, as was Superman: Red Son and All-Star Superman. On the other side of the Atlantic, I'm the biggest Rogue Trooper fan I know, and am well into ABC Warriors, Slaine and Nemesis the Warlock. Bisley inks are out of this world. And to blow my cred completely out of the water, Umbrella Academy is really rather good. I don't give a monkey's for MCR, either... Not a newsflash, but Alan Moore is so damn good he frightens me. Not much more I can say . Tom Strong is an amazing distillation of everything great about old school comics.
I think my idea figure wish lists should be clear by now: Watchmen, Minutemen, the Spirit, ABC Warriors, and an Ironwolf collection that would sink without a trace! Oh, and a Rogue Trooper collection on a Blackmare Tank display base.
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