San Diego ComicCon

Website · Post by **Teamski** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:39 am

That trully sux!

-Ski

Post by **aferguson** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:01 am

I heard back from Mike re: nothing new for BBI at the Merit booth. His response is below:

Mike wrote:

"Seems FedEx has a lot to answer for

Mike"

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:05 am

So does that mean that we will not see anything at all or will it just be there later?

Post by **aferguson** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:07 am

you know what i know..

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:09 am

Well if it dosen't show up, hopefully we will get to at least "hear" about what was supposed to be there....

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:29 am

ComicCon was a great show for 21st last year. They felt many fans came to show support which was nice. I think they would have liked to have been there again, and I know I would love to be there too.

That said 21st made to make a critical decision not to attend the show this year do to scheduling and resource conflicts with other production work on the new burst of products which have all been featured on AREA-21 the last few weeks.

To recap the follwoing is all new and in development right now:
1:144 scale aircraft (4 models)
1:32 scale aircraft (2 models 4 schemes each)
1:18 scale aircraft (3 models in production now)
1:18 scale armor (2 models in production)
1:18 scale Pak40
1:18 scale figures (18 all new figs.)
1:32 scale vehicle / tank (2 new models)

This is just the stuff that we know about so far. I think a little more is still planned? Not to mention the development work for 07 product. Or the products that have been in the final delivery stages (like the Avenger).

So in short, 21st feels bad that they can't be there but they are frankly too busy keeping on top of the heavy production schedule and a week at a show with the top resources working the show and not on projects is just too much to risk right now. The flip side is that we have about twice as many new things coming as we normally would. Also we should all see these items before the end of the year. 07 (from what I have been told) will also be another big year with new products as well.

So for now AREA-21 is going to have to serve as your conduit to all the new stuff as best we can and as quick as 21st can supply intel on project development. More news is coming out today. We just got pics on a new 1:32 scale piece of armor!!!

-TKO

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:51 am

TKO,

Maybe you could convince 21C next year to leave the booth in the hands of some dedicated volunteers - like you and some people from the board

. Bribe us with some display items - oh yeah, I'd be there!

Website · Post by **Teamski** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:12 pm

Morian Miner wrote:TKO,

Maybe you could convince 21C next year to leave the booth in the hands of some dedicated volunteers - like you and some people from the board . Bribe us with some display items - oh yeah, I'd be there!

Don't forget about the big $$$$$ to pay for the floor space, display and transportation. My brother does trade show display design and it ain't cheap. In my opinion, as long as the intel makes the board, I'm happy.

-Ski

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:46 pm

21st Century not being at Comic Con is perfectly fine with me. Why? Because they at least communicate on a willing and very frequent (in my book) basis about what is going on or what is coming out, just like Admiral Toys. We haven't seen anything from bbi this year about what is going on, nada.....just wish they had the same type of system...

scope uk · Post by **scope uk** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:28 pm

Well i was REALLY looking forward to seeing what bbi had in stall for us i'm still hoping that there will be new stuff shown tommorrow but it doesn't look likely. Im hoping that Mike could give us a brief description of all the stuff that should have been shown and poss release dates. I'd love to see pics but think he would be too buisy for that so will just have to hope that their website can be updated asap.

Post by **aferguson** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:08 pm

bbi is now at least listed on the figures.com SDCC coverage (right at the bottom) so maybe there is something to report now. Perhaps what ever was late has arrived?

Razor17019 · Post by **Razor17019** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:06 pm

Plan-B Toys has some US/German Soldiers/Airborne figures at the show.
Anybody know if they are 1/18 scale?
They have an accessory weapons pack that has everything...

Quixote511 · Post by **Quixote511** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:30 pm

The figures have up look to be 1/12. Damn!
Aaron

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:05 pm

I'm not seeing anything new except for the modifications to a "Little Bird" (maybe we'll see that version out soon) with new figures we already know about.

Hopefully this is what they had already and there is more to come.....hopefully...fingers crossed....

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:09 am

I was hoping to find out about up and coming releases so I can make a list

I would like to know what is coming out in the 1:18th scale aircraft, SO I can start budgeting. I know what 21 toys will be releasing as far as the F-86 and the Mig-15, but would like to start making a list, I am already thinking about dropping a few preorders on the Patricia F-86, and the Me 262, I already bought the Jolley Roger F-86E Sabre
tonight on Ebay……Dam this collecting is addicting!!!!!! Is there some kind of support group out there? LOL

I guess we wait till the NY toy fair

scope uk · Post by **scope uk** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:10 am

well i am hoping for more but i havent seen the figure in the middle of this pic before:
http://photos.superherotimes.com/showph ... 6&cat=1335

coreystinson · Post by **coreystinson** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 4:56 am

markecho wrote: Wow! This does suck! What's up 21st and BBI? Biggest show on the west coast and nada?

I suspect this show is very expensive to attend as an exhibitor. 21st/BBI have to ask themselves: what percentage of the attendees of this show are legitimately interested in our products, vs. comic books, movie properties, etc. Is this promotional expense justified, or would we be better off promoting our product at less expensive hobby shows around the country that more directly address our customer base?

Grunt · Post by **Grunt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:59 am

Well said Corey. Good business decisions can be a pain but are best for all in the end.

On a more positive note, I did notice (if it hasn't already been mentioned) that in addition to the guy with the black baseball cap, the little bird has things to sit on now which are an excellent addition imho.

Sgt. Fury · Post by **Sgt. Fury** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:05 am

That's a new 1:18 bbi black Lil Bird helo (American version) with outrigging for four (4) troops with "drop rope" (see the movie Blackhawk Down). It looks like the two side exhaust ducts have been been removed and the single rear fuselage cone uncapped. Various other changes have been made to include left and right cabin top antennae fins. The FLIR unit on the exterior of the cockpit and the camera dome below have also been removed. The top mounted wire cutter has also been removed. The doors have been permanently deleted (no hinge holes). It looks like the 21st Century 1:6 scale Lil Bird from a few years back.
http://photos.superherotimes.com/showph ... 3&cat=1335

MightyMustang · Post by **MightyMustang** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:01 pm

What a major let down to hear that there is nothing new at Comic Con from BBI. I was hoping to to here that the F6F was on display. But once again neither BBI or 21st dont deliver on a Hellcat.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:31 am

agreed SDCC was a major let down. Mike's response to my queries was that the courier did not deliver the goods. When i asked if he would tell us what was to have been shown there he said no, that BBI does not allow third parties to announce product.

To be honest i'm getting a bit weary of all this strict secracy. It's not like they're building nuclear reactors, here. They are toys, they should have been announced already anyway and there is no way on God's green earth that anyone could scoop them at this point.

I'm starting to find that the eternal waiting is beginning to take the fun out of this hobby for me, to be honest. We've had promises, promises, promises of all kinds of great new stuff that is gonna come out now for years and yet very little new product has been delivered from anyone....and now we're seeing yet more delays, excuses and snafus.

Perhaps it's time to move on to a new hobby, with companies that are better organized and can deliver new product on a regular and timely fashion.

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:58 am

aferguson wrote:agreed SDCC was a major let down. Mike's response to my queries was that the courier did not deliver the goods. When i asked if he would tell us what was to have been shown there he said no, that BBI does not allow third parties to announce product.

To be honest i'm getting a bit weary of all this strict secracy. It's not like they're building nuclear reactors, here. They are toys, they should have been announced already anyway and there is no way on God's green earth that anyone could scoop them at this point.

I'm starting to find that the eternal waiting is beginning to take the fun out of this hobby for me, to be honest. We've had promises, promises, promises of all kinds of great new stuff that is gonna come out now for years and yet very little new product has been delivered from anyone....and now we're seeing yet more delays, excuses and snafus.

Perhaps it's time to move on to a new hobby, with companies that are better organized and can deliver new product on a regular and timely fashion.

I agree! It is frustrating! It won't be any of us that'll kill off this hobby-it'll be these companies! People get tired of waiting. People lose interest, people move on. Companies can only survive on 'die-hard' fans for so long...

digger · Post by **digger** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:35 am

Con: I was hoping for a last day surprise or two.
Anyway Scope as usual had his keen eye at work and was first to point out the new bbi figure which looks great. Also the redone LB will be a nice addition - some of us always wanted the Delta insertion Bird and now we got it.

Letdown: I think we have to chalk it up to Sh^t happens. Fedex, factories in China, grumpy retail purchasers - it happens to all these companies, not just the one(s) we like to bash about it. However one reason we don't get much info is that we are completely unforgiving when stuff does happen, as it did here with the bbi item we all expected to see.

2006: to date has been the worst 1:18 year ever. I honestly think there has been 6 new figs from bbi, the SS set and the Beep, and that is it for the entire year. Please correct me - perhaps the new tool Mustang was this year too? Anyway I am not giving up. We know the companies have more in store but I think we need to lower our expectations on when it will arrive. If you go back on this forum there is a post about how 2005 will have all these great new releases. It was an unrealistic post that was bound to lead to disappointment; indeed, many of the AC and vehicles noted there are still not out.

Let's face it that 1:18 is the bastard step child of military scales. Notice bbi decided to introduce 1/12 figures in our beloved elite force line. So odd in imo - McFarlance figs are not 1/12, they are bigger, and why is 1/12 have to mean poor articulation? To me those 1/12 static guys (see Dusty Trails failed line) are pretty boring, but clearly the research suggests otherwise.
I think now we know why we should be psyched for revamped items like the Hanomag or Little Bird. It's that or nothing at the moment, and nothing sucks.

shadow83 · Post by **shadow83** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:47 am

I have been wondering for a while if mike is even from bbi.He really doesnt have any info that isnt common knowledge.And when they started sending items in the brown rappers he had no idea and he said that they never shippeed to or through sears yet every package clearly say SEARS in the upper corner.Just throwing out my own opinion.

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