What is the attraction of Super7 figures?

[prime]

I've seen them around TRU/Gamestop/etc, but at $20 I couldn't bring myself to buy one.

I just found some Beast Wars Super7's for $5, so I got Black Arachnia just to see what they were about and...

I don't get it. I get there are licensing fees, but even at $5 I feel they're overpriced. Even considering the "nostalgia factor", I don't see how anyone in their right mind would buy these for $20.


Is there something I'm missing here?

[alternatorfan]

Originally Posted by prime

I've seen them around TRU/Gamestop/etc, but at $20 I couldn't bring myself to buy one.

I just found some Beast Wars Super7's for $5, so I got Black Arachnia just to see what they were about and...

I don't get it. I get there are licensing fees, but even at $5 I feel they're overpriced. Even considering the "nostalgia factor", I don't see how anyone in their right mind would buy these for $20.


Is there something I'm missing here?

Nope another money grab from the hasbro group.
Everything is overpriced.

[RNSrobot]

I have no fucking idea.

[Patate]

I think Super7 works on some IP because it fills a small market that has very little options out there, such as Park and Rec. The cost mostly goes to the small scale production, packaging and license fee so I also find the toy itself very lacking for the price.

[xueyue2]

Agree with all above.



But at the same time, I can't help thinking similar questions outsiders might ask TF collecters: What is the attraction of transformer figures?

U can replace "super7" with "transformer" in above question and seems very true for non-tf collectors.

[canprime]

Super7 has always been a niche company. They don't do anywhere near the numbers of the big boys. However that seemed to change after getting a bunch of successful IPs and getting product into Target and Walmart in the US.


Their sweet spot is doing things no other company is doing, or willing to do. However they have had success, especially with their Ultimates line, with bigger IPs such as TMNT and Thundercats. Granted Thundercats is probably an outlier because they are the only ones doing any product for Thundercats. So if you are a collector you really don't have any other options.


The other good thing with Super7 is they are not afraid to do characters that are super niche to an IP, or that have never had a figure elsewhere before. However you have to pay for that niche production, hence the high prices compared to other lines.


In regards to what prime saw, that was the ReAction line. That is the 5 POA (Points Of Articulation) line that Super7 has been known for for a long time. It really is the peak of their nostalgia marketing. The figures are meant to be simple iterations of characters that people can put on display fairly easily. The cards and card art are some of the big draws for ReAction. Some lines have some pretty great card art. I have seen some posts online where people claim they collect more for the card art than the figures themselves.


As to Transformers. I guess it comes down to trying to get some sort of nostalgia hit with the ReAction, and Ultimates, line. Ultimates at least does characters, or versions of characters, that you likely won't see anywhere else (mostly). ReAction is more about getting a lot of the big names out there, but they are done in that 5 POA style. Definitely a really tall ask for the TF brand. Why collect non-transforming Transformers? Let alone ones that are 5 POA? Hasbro found this out with their R.E.D. line and they were more like Ultimates than ReAction.


$5 for ReAction figures is not a bad price, if they are something you really want. I have paid $5 for some of the Marvel Legends Retros that are the equivalent of ReAction. They are fun, neat little figures, but not worth the near $20 they normally go for. Same thing for ReAction.

Although sometimes Super7 hits on a great idea and the ReAction 80s concept Unicron is one of those. I really should try and track one down.



In the end I guess it is the same thing it always is, personal preference. However I think the fact that they seem to have abandoned doing TFs anymore at Super7 should be an indication they didn't do well.

[Skorpulator]

They're dope, I'd get them all if I could. Last I got were Unicron and Halloween Prime.

[prime]

Thanks everyone!

@canprime that's a pretty solid explanation!
Yes, I think I've only seen the ReAction line, and yeah, I question why bother making a non-transforming TF at that price if it wasn't going to have more than 5POA. The card does look cool (not $20 cool).

The niche point makes sense for the lesser known IPs you mentioned. Maybe it was bad timing, but with Kingdom, you could get a full sized Beast wars character for just a couple dollars more, so I feel they missed the boat on that one.

If this line continues and they keep that pricepoint, I would hope they at least increase the POA, otherwise I still don't see how anyone would want these.

[canprime]

Originally Posted by prime

Thanks everyone!

@canprime that's a pretty solid explanation!
Yes, I think I've only seen the ReAction line, and yeah, I question why bother making a non-transforming TF at that price if it wasn't going to have more than 5POA. The card does look cool (not $20 cool).

The niche point makes sense for the lesser known IPs you mentioned. Maybe it was bad timing, but with Kingdom, you could get a full sized Beast wars character for just a couple dollars more, so I feel they missed the boat on that one.

If this line continues and they keep that pricepoint, I would hope they at least increase the POA, otherwise I still don't see how anyone would want these.

Super7 is a weird one.


On the one hand they have cancelled a bunch of lines recently that clearly weren't performing for them. (Simpsons, Disney, Power Rangers, Transformers)


Yet they also got an infusion of cash. The estimates are anywhere from $12 million to $35 million dollars from a private equity firm.


So they are struggling to find their market for some pretty big name brands, yet they are still rolling along well enough with others that they could attract a sizable investment.


One other point I forgot to make is that with ReAction Super7 wasn't all that far off the market in general. I mean Hasbro tried to sell two packs of the O-Ring Joes for more than $40US, and most 3.75" lines are now skirting with $20US per figure as well. So Super7, while still expensive, are not that much more expensive now, at least at that scale. Their Ultimates are another matter.



So if you see something you like, at a price you like, pick it up. However Super7, especially with TFs are not anywhere near the top of mind for me.

[CyberDragon10K]

I was gifted a ReAction Starscream for my birthday one year, so it's seemingly to be a gift option from those not totally into a thing but who know you're into said thing.