Is DST out of the Star Trek Business?

[MatthiasRussell]

Hasbro is now going to start making Star Trek products. I've also noticed that Diamond Select Toys has removed upcoming availablity dates for some items I've been watching and have had their dates regularly pushed back.

So is DST pulling out of Trek all togther or is the franchise not doing business with them?

Does anybody know what DST is up to at all?

 

[RyuRoots]

God, I haven't heard ANYTHING from them save the the last "uh, we're still working on it" update on the Enterprise-B/Excelsior, which was a while ago. I hope they're not done, because I want that friggin' Excelsior.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

I've been waiting for the AGT 1701-D which they have been putting off for about 2 years now. I noticed today that they removed the 3/12 release date then checked on ebay and saw the few there are going for more than I've seen them in the past so I figured maybe someone knows those ships aren't being released.

I never even saw a prototype of the Excelsior. I don't think that ever got off the promo stage.

My thought is, IF the DST stuff wasn't/wouldn't sell, what makes Hasbro thinks it will do better? DST had Trek mini-mates and Hasbro is starting with essentially the same thing.

 

[The Wormhole]

I thought Hasbro only has the license to do Trek XII toys?

 

[C.E. Evans]

I thought Hasbro only has the license to do Trek XII toys?

They also got the license to do toys from past movies and TV shows too.

 

[The Wormhole]

Then I guess, in answer to the OP, yes DST must have bowed out from doing Trek.

So, does this mean we're going to see Star Trek get the Star Wars action figure treatment? Action figures of obscure or meaningless characters like Mr. Leselie, Chief Argyle, Lt. Primmin, Joe Carey, and Travis Mayweather?

 

[C.E. Evans]

Then I guess, in answer to the OP, yes DST must have bowed out from doing Trek.

I don't think it's been confirmed yet. It really wouldn't be unusual for two or more companies to have a license to make toys. For example, Hasbro and Sideshow both currently make Star Wars action figures, just in different scales. DST could continue to make Trek toys as they've been previously been doing or they may have decided to let their license expire as Playmates did.

So, does this mean we're going to see Star Trek get the Star Wars action figure treatment? Action figures of obscure or meaningless characters like Mr. Leselie, Chief Argyle, Lt. Primmin, Joe Carey, and Travis Mayweather?

If Hasbro intends to be with Trek for a good long while, then there probably will be very few characters that won't have an action figure at some point, but it really depends on what Hasbro wants to do. For all we know, their Star Trek line won't be anything like their Star Wars line.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

I've been impressed with many of the action figure lines that Hasbro has put out. They typically have good attention to detail and do a good job making figures that have appeal both to kids and collectors.

But their initial product being Trek lego men is very discouraging. I would like to see DST continue with their line. They (and Art Asylum) did a fine job with the ENT and TOS prop replicas and I was hoping for some TNG material. There was a lot of potential left for the figure and ship line DST was producing but they appeared to give up. Considering how much some of their figures go for on ebay, there was a lot of potential left.

If Hasbro does take over, I hope they put out a 6" scale and put out some stuff with collector appeal. I have some Playmates figs and really pursued the DST stuff. I for one have no interest in consuming another figure line that won't meld with what I already have.

 

[C.E. Evans]

If Hasbro does take over, I hope they put out a 6" scale and put out some stuff with collector appeal. I have some Playmates figs and really pursued the DST stuff. I for one have no interest in consuming another figure line that won't meld with what I already have.

I don't think it's so much a question of "if" Hasbro takes over as it is "how" they'll take over. Stuff for their KRE-O brand will reportedly kick things off, but after that, we can only guess what'll come next for the moment. But I'd really be surprised if they didn't produce a line of 3.75-inch action figures and scaled vehicles similar to their Star Wars line.

But back to the subject of DST, TrekMovie.com has updated their Hasbro story with news that DST still has their license to make Star Trek toys.

TrekMovie has also confirmed that Playmates Toys, who did toys for the 2009 Star Trek film, will not be returning for the sequel. However, Diamond Select Toys still holds a Star Trek license (for “classic” Trek) and they will be making some Star Trek news at Toy Fair as well.

http://trekmovie.com/2012/02/10/hasbro-to-make-star-trek-toy-line-starting-in-2013/

With this, I'm more inclined to believe that DST will continue making larger-sized Trek toys while Hasbro will go smaller and make stuff more in league with their Star Wars, G.I. Joe, and Marvel toylines.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

I checked the trekmovie link and then looked at a site reviewing Toy Fair '12.

It looks like the only trek items DST is showing at Toy Fair are Mago Picard & Borg, Mego Mirror Kirk & Spock, and mini mate Enterprise (that looks terrible, BTW).

I hope someone at Toy Fair will ask DST for an official statement on where they stand in regards to using their trek license.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Apparently, this is what DST has scheduled for the entirety of 2012 as far as Trek goes:

Star Trek
Retro Cloth Picard - April
Retro Cloth Borg - April
Retro Cloth Mirror Kirk - TBD
Retro Cloth Mirror Spock - TBD
Enterprise Minimates Vehicle with Kirk & Scotty - TBD

The rest of DST's 2012 schedule can be found in the link below, but all of their Trek stuff is listed above.
http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Whats_Next_From_Diamond_Select_Toys_143731.asp

 

[Therin of Andor]

Joe Carey, and Travis Mayweather?

Playmates already produced Carey - and Art Asylum did Travis. They did cancel his Deluxe set w/bridge console.

 

[The Wormhole]

I was only trying to make a joke about Mayweather's insignificance. Although I didn't realize Playmates did a Joe Carey figure. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, they did that Hunters of Tosk for fuck's sake.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

Hell, Franklin Mint made a figure of sorts of the Hunters of Tosk to go with Klingon, Romulan, Borg, Cardassian, and Jen Hadar armor. The set was actually pretty cool, wish I had bought it. The Hunters armor looked cool but I remember thinking, "Why that obscure species!?!"

I wish DST would make generic alien figures to represent all the cool alien uniforms like Romulan, Cardassian, etc.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

The Toy Fair DST presentation pretty much tells me they're done. Just spitting out a few more things to wrap it up.