[Mitchellmania]

I'm wondering if Captain Americia will be the swan song of figure kits
for Polar Lights (what's left of it).

 

[Rebel Rocker]

In a perfect world, the shelves of every hobby shop would be filled with figure kits of every person who ever lived, real or fictional!!

'Til then......there's Walgreens.


Big deal.

Wayne

 

[Dave Hussey]

In my humble opinion, "Yes".

Over the last while I have noted fewer and fewer figure kits, despite the fact that Polar Lights' popularity was built largely on providing heretofore unavailable model kits of very popular topics such as the Jupiter II and figure models. For a while, their prime focus was on re-issuing figure kits and producing great new ones. These days it seems to have switched to mainstream topics as evidenced by the recent Trek line of kits. I guess there is nothing wrong with that, but personally I find it very hard to get excited about yet more Trek ship kits, especially the NX-01. Star Trek models have been around even when there was no other sci fi on the shelves so I find it hard to get very excited about them. Perhaps an uber-detailed and accurate original series Shuttle or Enterprise would be nice though.

I would love to see some Original Trek series figure kits but any time I have mentioned that in a thread, it gets steam-rolled over by more lusting after the new Enterprise kit.

I have also been dismayed at the relative lack of response to some of the recent offerings by companies like Wilco who have produced very nice, reasonably priced, high quality and detailed resin kits of topics like the Planet of the Apes Icarus, Martian War Machine and Fantastic Voyage Proteus.

Perhaps all people want to buy is Enterprise kit after Enterprise kit, ad nauseum. That's too bad, there's so much more out there.

Huzz

 

[Mark McGovern]

I dunno...

CultTVman's latest "Retro Rockets" e-newsletter suggested that there did not seem to be any more Aurora reissues in the works after Captain America is released. I don't believe that we'll never see any more Aurora figures released, if only because that's what I did think until Polar Lights came along back in the 1990s.

We Aurora figure model lovers may be headed for another dry spell. But thanks to PL's (and Revellogram's) reissues over the last few years, we'll be able to get a lot more figure models built than we could during the 1970s-1990s Interregnum. The Garage Kit manufacturers have been helping, too. Plus there's always non-Aurora modeles coming out.

We'll be okay.

 

[beck]

i'm with ya Dave ,. i'd love to see some Trek figures like the Gorn ( i think i mention him every time the topic comes up ) . i don't see the appeal of the Enterprize ( i do have one of the 1/1000 kits ) i mean it looks like a flying toilet with handle bars ( i'm donning my fire proof suit now ) .
do ya have a link for Wilco models ? the Martian War Machine was really lookin' cool last time i saw it . are they in production yet ?
hb

 

[beck]

Mark , at least it won't be as dry as the last spell . there are lots of PL models still out there on ebay and in the hobby shops to stock up on .
and i agree the garage industry is putting out a bunch of good stuff .
the Jeff Yeagher ( sp?) classics are beautiful kits , Geometric is back in the mix too .
model on !
hb

 

[AFILMDUDE]

If it is the end than it would sure be nice if rather than going out with a whimper (read that Captain America) they went out with a bang! (read that something along the lines of Big Franky).

 

[Mitchellmania]

I have been spending most of my modeling$$$ on Garage kits as of late
little more money, but at least the producers cater to thier customers!!
I have no interest in cars kits or space vehicles! I wonder how hany
of those modelers play space battles with thier build ups

 

[John P]

I like variety along with my sci fi vehicles, so I'm all for the figure kits. Trek figure kits would be even better . But since I already have enough airplanes and sci fi stuff to build until I'm 150, I'm happy with my Art Asylum action figures.

 

[ChrisW]

Believe me, if ANYBODY wanted to see more figure kits from PL, it would be me!

 

[Dave Hussey]

Hey HB - Wilco does not have a web site but you can view pics of and order the Martian War machine on line from CultTVMan's Hobby shop or other on-line vendors.

You can also order directly from Wilco. Send me an email if you want the phone number.

Huzz

 

[Mark McGovern]

Me, too, and yet...

Believe me, if ANYBODY wanted to see more figure kits from PL, it would be me!

I think a lot of us are still waiting for the Chris White Box Illustration fine art prints. Who wouldn't sign up for a "Print-of-the-Month" club? Series One would of course be the Polar Lights box art. Series Two could be "White Paints Bama" - the classic Aurora monster models (with the monsters' names located at the bottom of the illos where they should be). Series Three could be other Aurora kits - the Batmodels, etc. Series Four would be Fine Art prints of the kits that made it into production while Chris was doing series One through Three...

P.S. By jing - post #1000! I can't think of a better subject for it.

 

[beck]

Thanks Dave . i'll check out Cult's site and see what he's got .
hb

 

[Zathros]

Its just a SHAME that PL didnt go the last EXTRA mile before they sold..DESPITE thier cries about certain kits that "wouldnt sell" they could have at LEAST repopped the original "Jekyll and Hyde " kit and certainly the 2001 Moonbus and clipper..It was laughable to me that they thought the Jekyll & hyde kit would be a loser..EVERYONE that bought the original run would have bought it, and MORE, in my opinion, as WELL as a BIG Frankie..If ANYTHING has been learned in this hobby, its that "polling data"means NOTHING..The only way to find out if a kit will sell or NOT, is to PRODUCE it, and see how fast it flies off the shelves, as AURORA did. Even when EVERYONE said that horror kits wouldnt sell back in 1960..and we all KNOW how well THOSE KITS SOLD..PL has done an OUTSTANDING job at reissuing kits I NEVER thought I would see on hobby shop shelves again..& I also think that towards the end of thier self-ownership PL had began to lose sight of what put them on the map in the first place: Aurora Re-issues ..I certainly realize that they could not survive on that alone, and so did they, so they came out with some fantastic original subjects as well and in the same classic style and genres that we all loved..But I must agree with some of you, that I think it will now be the "DEATH KNELL" for any figure kits or aurora repops from them or ANY original CLASSIC sci Fi ..It was a GREAT DEAL for Tom Lowe PERSONALLY..But for the hobby..I cannot be optimistic on that..And I'm not a "resin" guy..I just cant get into that kind of repop,OR kit, so I guess until another company comes along..IF at all..That will be it, so I can get to all those PL kits I stocked up on when they originally came out..( I have NO idea what I'm gonna do with 5 Godzilla Go carts..But what the hell...They may make good bartering stock, anyhow..) The point I am making is to ME, I fear that PL will now go the way of the other Model Companies..throughout the 1980's and well into the 1990's until TODAY there was enough Star Trek & Star Wars Kits to choke a corral full of horses..I BOUGHT all the Star trek And Star wars Kits I wanted, & I am a BIG Classic & Movie Star trek fan, but I just cant see how much MORE Star Trek & Star Wars can be produced..They DID just about all the ships and covered all the themes I could think of, anyway since 1966 to present...So I think all we may see from PL in the future (& I hope I am WRONG) is "cars", and Star Trek, and other "mainstream kits" that I IGNORED on the shelves anyhow...

 

[Zorro]

Polar Lights is/was the biggest gift horse this Aurora lover/figure kit guy has ever seen. The biggest one you guys have ever seen too. I don't see how anyone can come on here at this point and complain with a straight face.

 

[Guest]

Well seems a shame things did not work out. It appears there is no money in this business. I have purchased the D7, Batmobile/Batplane combo, Black Lagoon creature for a 1/3 of list, NX-01 for 1/2 price and could have had closets full of all the monster flyvers for pennies on the dollar. I think that is the real reason for the sellout.

 

[john guard]

when is CA gonna show?????

 

[Zathros]

Polar Lights is/was the biggest gift horse this Aurora lover/figure kit guy has ever seen. The biggest one you guys have ever seen too. I don't see how anyone can come on here at this point and complain with a straight face.

Zorro,

There is a BIIG difference from "complaining" and "Critique"..If PL shut down TOMORROW..They fulfilled just about ALL my "wish kit" dreams..I guess that
PL "spoiled" us, when they kept coming through with all those kits we thought wed never see again,yet leaving out some holes that puzzled us. I'm SURE we
ALL are VERRY Appreciative at what PL has done since the mid 1990's, and it was OUR patronage that enabled them to be successfull, and also become a viable enough corporation that was worthy enough to be sold..And it was ALSO OUR input that PL was TERRIFIC enough to listen to which steered them as to what kits to re-issue, and what original subjects to produce..No one is "complaining" in the way YOU are Percieving it..We are bemoaning what we HOPE will not be the loss of great days gone by of terrific nostalgic re-issues
and Original Classic sci Fi and Figure subjects, Which was what PL was KNOWN for, and since now that they were sold..Its ALL "up in the air" as to if it will continue, or they are just going to be another "model kit company" ..

 

[Chuck_P.R.]

Well seems a shame things did not work out. It appears there is no money in this business. I have purchased the D7, Batmobile/Batplane combo, Black Lagoon creature for a 1/3 of list, NX-01 for 1/2 price and could have had closets full of all the monster flyvers for pennies on the dollar. I think that is the real reason for the sellout.

I disagree. I think that PL was bought right when it was on the cusp of being it's most profitable.

They chose to release the 1/350th NX-01 before the TOS E or Refit.(According to Dave Metzner there was no required obligation to produce any kit before another).

They missed the entire Christmas season with the NX-01. Tons of profit gone there.

They seemed to have taken "saving the best for last" approach with the 1/350th line. The idea apparently being that we would buy whatever we could while waiting for the kits we REALLY wanted, they could make us wait for the hottest sellors and therefore sell a higher number of the less interesting subjects, like the NX-01 and the Scorpion.

While they thought they were bending us over they didn't realize their rear was exposed too!

They got too damned cute with their marketing decisions.

They should have made the most popular kits first and then milked the lesser- known subjects.

We were constantly told that they had to make the kits we really didn't care about so that could eventually make the kits we did want.

That plan just didn't work out very well.

The Refit E or TOS E should have been the 1/350th that was made first.

Allegedly we will get at least 5 more unannounced 1/350th kits, based on a post on TrekBBS by the guy who is contracted to make the prototypes.

I hope that if these prototypes are made they will materialize into kits produced(the two are not one in the same).

There is no info available so far as to what those subjects are.
I almost don't want to know until they are actually on the shelves anyway, given the possible frustration factor if they don't get produced.

We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope for now.

 

[dreamer]

It's all about the sales. The number of figures has been cut back to almost nothing, and that's a shame. I do note that Dave M told us that one or two more figures had been planned alongside Cappy but that the deal with the licensing fell through. That to me is at least a hopeful sign that they haven't given up entirely, and presumably do not plan to yet. As for RC2's plans and preferences...we just can't know. I get the impression that they intend to let Tom run things as he has been, at least for now...see how things go for them that way. If so, Cappy shouldn't be the last. But let's be honest, the sales numbers PL is seeing right now support vehicle/hardware kits more than figures, so that's where the lion's share of new kits will be.

I'm not complaining, but as a figure modeler let me add another voice in support of figure kits.