Indiana Jones Dies in Toys R Us
Posted at 11:10 AM Sep 29, 2008
And you killed him. See, Hasbro believed you when all you nerds out there said you were dying for Indiana Jones toys, that you wanted action figures and vehicles from all four movies, that you'd buy them in droves. Yes, Hasbro listened to you, and made dozens of products, filled every toy store in America with them...and you were nowhere to be found. If you wandered by any toy aisle in the last six months or so, you've seen the plethora of Indiana Jones figures just sitting there, unmoved since some poor stocker put 'em out there.
Anyways, Cool Toy Review has an interview with Hasbro, who pretty much confirms that Indy is dead as of...about three minutes ago. The above Temple of Doom figures should be the last line to make it out, which does mean you'll have a chance to own Short Round and Willie, although I doubt too many of these have been produced. But when the current toys are sold (if ever), the line is kaput. I'd expect to see some serious markdowns before the holiday season kicks off. (Via 16bit)
Comments
Indy has never traditionally been a strong mass market seller, I can't say I'm surprised.
Posted 09/29/2008 at 09:10:33 AMAn unfortunate side effect of Hasbro cancelling the line means that we will probably never get the Toht with the melting head figure they were planning: http://wellofthesouls.com/ has pictures of that and the other Indy toy wonderment that we won't have a chance to love.
Posted 09/29/2008 at 09:53:52 AMThe sculpting is horrible on the Indy figures. What is it about Harrison Ford that no sculpter can get right?
He looks like Sam Waterson about to cry.
Posted 09/29/2008 at 10:18:13 AMHey, lets face it... had that doofus 4th movie been 1/2 better, maybe we nerds woulda been more excited about the franchise... let's be real for a moment, that's what we are buying here, not memories, not toys... a franchise. The franchise of Indiana Jones is over... it ended on a sour note and if you add toys who's paint ops looked like a blind baboon did them, there isn't much room for surprise.
-Dave
Posted 09/29/2008 at 11:19:58 AMWoah, woah, woah. We (collectors) did not kill the line. Hasbro did. Here's why:
1. Horrible sculpts on the first run due to a new factory handling the line. They were improving but it was too late.
2. Over selling the line to every store in America.
3. Putting figures in the waves that collectors didn't care about (cemetery guard and 10 million Mutt Williams? No thanks) and only putting figures that we wanted in following waves that were impossible to find (see issue 2.)
And yeah, if the 4th film would have been more pleasing to the fans issue 3 wouldn't have been as big of a problem. Hasbro screwed this line up though, not collectors.
Posted 09/29/2008 at 11:41:00 AMPoor marketing at work. hasbro always claims "we market to kids not collectors" so they mass marketed stuff for the new movie. unfortunately Speilberg and Lucas mailed this one in so it stunk. it didn't resonate with paretns and i can bet kids liked mummy 3 alot more too. SO what is a kid going to buy one of 10 different Indy's or IRON MAN. If they had been half as well sculpted as the Star wars or gijoe lines collectors would have come (and many including myself did) but if hasbro was counting on completists to make this line a success they were stupid
Posted 09/30/2008 at 04:18:21 AMThey should have made some good 6 inch figures, but Hasbro is stupid. It's the same thing with GI Joe and Star Wars. They would fly off the shelves and make millions, but Hasbro thinks we want crap like tiny Indiana Jones figures that look nothing like the characters. The Clone wars line seems to have similar problems, not the least of which is that there are thousands of them taking shelf space away from stuff like DC Universe Classics.
Posted 09/30/2008 at 06:11:58 PMI was lied too by a Hasbro marketing rep. he told me Indy line was going to continue in 09 and that Indy line was there top seller! This is my opinion on why Indy died.....
Posted 01/11/2009 at 10:23:36 AM#1 All you assholes who gave the line crap in the beginning.
#2 Where were the commercials to advertise the toy line?????.
#3 why didn't any of the stores stock the figures from temple and last ????
#4 because Hasbro sold the good stuff to toy dealers to turn a quick profit.
FUCK HASBRO! they killed everything they put there greedy hands on!
I was lied too by a Hasbro marketing rep. he told me Indy line was going to continue in 09 and that Indy line was there top seller! This is my opinion on why Indy died.....
Posted 01/11/2009 at 10:24:25 AM#1 All you assholes who gave the line crap in the beginning.
#2 Where were the commercials to advertise the toy line?????.
#3 why didn't any of the stores stock the figures from temple and last ????
#4 because Hasbro sold the good stuff to toy dealers to turn a quick profit.
FUCK HASBRO! they killed everything they put there greedy hands on!