Ask Ken at Palisades

[ResidentLilly]

Yup that was it! Good eye! The one on the right is the one that most represents what it will look like. Paint fading out from the waist down. We'll show it on the bit soon...

As for LAST series...I mean last of the year!

 

[matleo]

hey Ken,

With Statler out and Rizzo in, any thoughts on what you'll do for the exclusive that was there (fomerly vaudeville Staler). And can we assume then that the vaudeveille Strler and Waldorf will also be part of Series 6?


--Matt

 

[Drtooth]

A few questions for Resident Lilly:

Because of the release date delay in series one, will there be any other delays that we should know about?

Should we expect a September release for series 2, and does this mean that Series 4 won't make it to stores in time for the Holidays?
(Along with the videos Ice Age and Kermit's Swamp Years, The Pigs in Space collection is on my Christmas list)

And now, for an answer to radionate and bw0000
Yes the Warner's Studio Store failed. Mainly because Stupid Mr. Turner put his faith in the non-selling Pokemon and Harry Potter Merchandise (A: that stuff was available everywhere else at better prices, B: Pokemon was dying out, and they wanted to squease all the money they could out of it) thus slamming the lid on the store's coffin! Apparently he didn't think he was making any money (over three trillion dollars), so they were given the axe! And it was quite the shame to cartoon collectors. They never got around to making bean bag dollies of Dexter's Laboratory and Cow and Chicken characters.

 

[ZootandDingo]

Originally posted by Drtooth
And now, for an answer to radionate and bw0000
Yes the Warner's Studio Store failed. Mainly because Stupid Mr. Turner put his faith in the non-selling Pokemon and Harry Potter Merchandise (A: that stuff was available everywhere else at better prices, B: Pokemon was dying out, and they wanted to squease all the money they could out of it) thus slamming the lid on the store's coffin! Apparently he didn't think he was making any money (over three trillion dollars), so they were given the axe! And it was quite the shame to cartoon collectors. They never got around to making bean bag dollies of Dexter's Laboratory and Cow and Chicken characters.

Actually, Turner was all but out of the picture by the time the stores closed. Time Warner and AOL were wooing each other, and TW was trying to show that all of their nine zillion divisions turned a profit. Well, the problem was they opened too many Studio Stores, and the flagship New York store was draining a lot of the chain's profits.

Plus, they were employing too many people. I don't remember the final number of lay-offs, but wasn't it like 3800? I think I was #3716.

Pokemon and Harry Potter had very little if nothing to do with it. The Pokemon characters was sold in the stores at the height of their U.S. popularity, and they were definitely helping the Studio Stores at the time. In fact, they were pretty much out the door by the time the chain announced the closing. And Harry Potter was red hot for that first Christmas (helped by the fact that Warner Bros. Studio Stores held a six-month exclusive hold to carry the products), and although HP sales cooled after that season it didn't really cripple the chain.

I don't have any figures on this, but what probably killed the novelty of the store was the introducing of completely non-Warner Bros. items. Even Pokemon and Harry Potter were tied to the company regardless of the stores, but how can one explain Poochis, Furby's, Sesame Street, Power Rangers, and WWF? Believe it or not, there were even strong discussions to incorporate Star Wars into the stores. They were trying to become a generic all-encompassing entertainment store, and I think that straying from the unique is what did them in.

 

[matleo]

drTooth

Yeah, Ken said soem time ago that series 2 wouldn't it until Septmeber then series 3 in like Nov. or so and then series 4 wouldn't be until early Jna of' 03 which is why he's listed '03 as being seires 4-7 and not 5-8. The series 2 release date was also posted on the palisades site the other day. hope thie helps.

--matt

 

[frogboy4]

Ken-

So this means no series 8? Is it just for 03 or if there is enough interest are there plans to go forward. I hope this line never stops! Got to go update my chart.

 

[Drtooth]

Matleo:
Thanks for the information! I should have thought as much! I can always ask for the Muppet Kitchen Playset instead, and save up fo the Pigs in Space dudes!

ZootandDingo:
You obviously had more knowledge of that stuff! I just said that because that's how I felt! The last time I went there (days before closing) The only things they had were the Pokemon and Harry Stuff! Harry was obviously in a popularity slump before the movie was released! And as for Pokemon, it was a fad. In other words, it went the way of POGS and finger skateboards, though they tried like crazy to squease money out of them!

 

[kane31666]

frogboy, ken meant the last series for that year.

 

[frogboy4]

Just updated my chart as best as I can, but that doesn't leave much open for 03. It really looks like there's only about 4 open spots or less! Still some guesses there of course. Where does that leave the Deluxue Backstage Playset?

http://www.jamesvier.com/muppets/figures/

 

[ResidentLilly]

frogboy4
Just updated my chart as best as I can, but that doesn't leave much open for 03. It really looks like there's only about 4 open spots or less! Still some guesses there of course. Where does that leave the Deluxue Backstage Playset?

Your Series six has Statler and Waldorf, and those are the only two that are confirmed. Most of what you have in Series 6 and 7 is WAY open to debate at this point. The Stage will be slotted into the Series 6 release.

matleo
Yeah, Ken said soem time ago that series 2 wouldn't it until Septmeber then series 3 in like Nov. or so and then series 4 wouldn't be until early Jna of' 03 which is why he's listed '03 as being seires 4-7 and not 5-8. The series 2 release date was also posted on the palisades site the other day. hope thie helps.

You are correct, sir. '03 is 4-7, one release per quarter. Series 3 was changed to this year's on shelf before Christmas release long ago, when Series 1 slipped a month.

matleo
Hey Ken,
With Statler out and Rizzo in, any thoughts on what you'll do for the exclusive that was there (fomerly vaudeville Staler). And can we assume then that the vaudeveille Strler and Waldorf will also be part of Series 6?

Yeah Vaudeville S & W would be a great 2-pack exclusive for someone wouldn't they? SO for Series 6 I guess we will try to come up with a Rizzo exclusive. Truthfully, Rizzo is the ONE Muppet I know the least about and I now have the shortest deadline of my life for him. I have to educate myself on him and FAST.

Ken