11 replies to this topic

[tnswman]

Hello all!

I am new to this site but not to the world of James Bond collecting. I was looking around for any info about the James Bond action figure line that was cancelled a few years ago. Does anyone know if the line was picked up by a new company? It seems insane to me that we still don't have a proper action figure line with figures, vehicles, accessories, and PLAYSETS.

I can dream though right?

[Quantumofsolace007]

I don't know anything abot it but considering how good the DC direct line is I'd love to see some new bond action figures.

[doublenoughtspy]

Hi tnswman,

Welcome to Commanderbond.net.

As far as action figure lines, are you talking about the 12" Sideshow figures or the smaller, possibly 6" or 8" line that Corgi proposed but never made?

I believe that Sideshow had a license to produce figures for a certain time, but that it must have expired. Mattel is currently doing a line of Barbie figures as Bond girls, so it wouldn't make sense for two toy companies to have the same license.

I have mixed feelings about the Sideshow figures. Some were great, but other choices didn't make sense. They did the figures for the first film of 3 actors, but not Dalton, and then used the same Die Another Day head for a Goldeneye Brosnan.

They did solicit our feedback here at Cbn for new figures - but they never followed through.

As far as the Corgi line, I don't think it went beyond prototype stage. It was shown at some toy fairs, but it did not garner enough interest from retailers. So while we fans would have bought them - retailers make decisions based on what they will think to the casual audience - and without a film in theatres - they didn't think the line would sell and passed.

[Righty007]

I have mixed feelings about the Sideshow figures. Some were great, but other choices didn't make sense. They did the figures for the first film of 3 actors, but not Dalton, and then used the same Die Another Day head for a Goldeneye Brosnan.

Actually they did a 12" Licence to Kill Dalton (I own it) and a 12" Lazenby. However, they only did Connery, Moore and Brosnan 1/4 scale figures, I believe.

[doublenoughtspy]

I know they did a Dalton - but it wasn't from his first film. LTK wasn't his first film was it?

So he has the Dracula haircut.

[Righty007]

I know they did a Dalton - but it wasn't from his first film. LTK wasn't his first film was it?

So he has the Dracula haircut.

Sorry, I misread your post.

[doublenoughtspy]

No prob.

I'm just bummed about Daylights - heck if they did that, they could have done a Whitaker and then re-use the headsculpt for Wade

[Righty007]

No prob.

I'm just bummed about Daylights - heck if they did that, they could have done a Whitaker and then re-use the headsculpt for Wade

I'm surprised that didn't re-use the Telly Savalas head on a future Donald Pleasence figure.

[FLEMINGFAN]

So he has the Dracula haircut.

Love it!

[zencat]

BTW, Sideshow confirmed for me at Comic Con that the Bond line was all over. I don't know what happened. I know they has some figures in the pipeline, including a Craig figure. Too bad.

[MBA Gyrojet]

Hot Toys should pick up the licence.They re regularly churning out the greatest 1/6 figures in history.

[Poor Man's JB]

I believe that Sideshow had a license to produce figures for a certain time, but that it must have expired. Mattel is currently doing a line of Barbie figures as Bond girls, so it wouldn't make sense for two toy companies to have the same license.

Sideshow's license did, in fact run out. However, Sideshow and Mattel emphatically overlapped as licensees in '02 (remember the generic Barbie femme fatale and Ken more or less as Brosnan 40th anniversary set?). Also, Sideshow and Exclusive Premieres technically overlapped as well, though, in the end, EP folded unexpectedly and SST took longer to get their product to market than planned so they never really crossed paths in the market place.

The short of it is, there can be multiple licensees producing comparatively similar products so long as the specifications, markets, price points, etc. provide sufficient differentiation.

For example, EP figures were generally 8-10" tall. But they agreed to make their Bond line 6" so as to somehow not conflict with SST (which I'm guessing had been okayed to make 10-12" figures).

[SST] then used the same Die Another Day head for a Goldeneye Brosnan.

It's been reported in several places that that had more to do with Brosnan than SST. Brosnan was allowed to review the sculpt(s) and say yay or nay. I can't recall whether it had been so difficult to get him to sign-off on the GE head that they didn't want to approach him again or they were running out of time on getting the DAD head approved so they just re-used the GE.

I'm surprised that didn't re-use the Telly Savalas head on a future Donald Pleasence figure.

Assuming you're being facetious with that but all the same, while SST did hold a license, the specific figures and so on were still subject to approval by EON. Given what seems like their general attempt to erase or at least forget SPECTRE, I can't seem them okaying a Pleasance figure. On the other hand, they said yes to Corgi -- for both the vehicle and ICON lines -- so ...

BTW, Sideshow confirmed for me at Comic Con that the Bond line was all over. I don't know what happened. I know they has some figures in the pipeline, including a Craig figure. Too bad.

I had wanted to do an article on Sideshow's process, specifically as it related to the Bond line, in '07. But they weren't interested in talking as they preferred to reserve any PR effort for products that had some life in them (i.e., showed a profit) which, following the release of the Legacy versions a few years earlier, the Bond figures had ceased to do.

Everyone I've ever spoken with has said there was absolutely no Craig figure. Certainly it must have been discussed, but with the license running out, the line having gone into decline, and Craig yet to prove solidly marketable, it probably never went any further than talk.

Hot Toys should pick up the licence.They re regularly churning out the greatest 1/6 figures in history.

I've got a couple of Hot Toys figures and I'm not convinced their stuff is licensed, or at least wasn't until recently. Even if it is, license fees for Prince of Persia or Predators aren't gonna compare to what EON charges.

And as to the post that started this thread:

It seems insane to me that we still don't have a proper action figure line with figures, vehicles, accessories, and PLAYSETS.

I don't know that it's insane, but it is weird that for a series that's lasted close to 50 years, there is a surprisingly short list of comprehensive toy lines. Gilbert got off to a good start in the '60s but since then ... pretty much nada. Hasbro did a decent job with James Bond Jr., even if the source material maybe didn't warrant it (and didn't last regardless).

There was a mondo cool playset base on the YOLT volcano but never saw distribution outside France, where it was made. A Liparus playset seems like a no-brainer, so what happened?

While we're looking back, folks might want to check out the MEGO Museum (www.megomuseum.com). There you'll find the same excellent standing article by zencat about MEGO's 12" Moonraker figures as found in the forums here but with links to a variety of 3.5" figures and vehicles that were planned. And in the forums there's a great recent thread about super rare Cecil Coleman (a UK Gilbert wannabe) 12" figures and accessories.

Edited by Poor Man's JB, 15 November 2010 - 07:35 AM.