[POLL] How do you Feel About "Costumed" CMF Archetypes in the Collectable Minifigure Line?

[Digger of Bricks]

So, what are your thoughts and feelings about these guys' prevalence in more recent Collectable Minifigure Series as of late? 

 

[Lyichir]

Voted "Just fine with them". I like them even though they aren't necessarily always my favorites or anything like that. Of course, it varies from fig to fig—figs like the brick costume boy and girl were among my favorites of the latest series, and older ones like the Unicorn Suit Girl were also highly appealing. But I'm not the sort of person who sees the need to seek out a complete collection of the costumed figs.

[Karalora]

Just Fine with Them. Actually, my opinion is probably somewhere between that and LOVE THEM!, but I voted the way my gut leaned. I've collected most of the costume figs that have been released--they're great for Halloween scenes, theme parks, plays, any occasion where people might wear costumes in real life.

[Digger of Bricks]

9 minutes ago, Karalora said:

I've collected most of the costume figs that have been released--they're great for Halloween scenes, theme parks, plays, any occasion where people might wear costumes in real life.

Now, personally, I don't at all mind more archetypical costumed CMFs that could be more easily seen as trick-or-treaters, such as the Series 14 Skeleton Suit Guy or the Series 16 Imp. In fact, I'd more openly welcome further additions to that trend if they'd replace the more "typical" costumed archetypes. For instance, @Robert8 has a few good ideas for trick-or-treaters I'd much rather see more often! 

[Borex]

Voted just fine with them. There are a bunch that i really love, but sometimes they are indeed too redundant or too little legostyle. The costume cmf series to me was overkill

[InvisibleTimmy]

They’re good in small doses. At least S18 was *mostly* well designed

[K_Tiger]

Just fine, but they've started to wear out their welcome with me. We've had a series that was comprised almost solely of them, and even the regular series has been sporting 2-3 per release lately. I wouldn't mind more trick-or-treaters, however. I'd happily deal with LEGO's over-indulgence in costumed figures if it mean we got more "ordinary" sets and fewer licensed/themed ones.

[TeriXeri]

The only costume figures I really don't like are the ones with the non-standard arms like the Cactus, Shark , Penguin suits, which imo would have still looked okay with colored arms/hands.

But this is more about customized useability, mixing torsos around instead of pure display.

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by TeriXeri

[GrandDukeofKumquats]

Neutral. Usually, it depends on the figures themselves.

If it's something that can be found in real life, like a halloween costume or animal suit, than I'm fine with it. Food costumes are a mixed bag, but can work fairly well as mascots for fast food chains, and could even pass as the food itself.

The worst ones for me are the most ridiculous and useless part wise, like the Flowerpot Girl. When you have to look for a place in a layout to display a figure, it suggests that something is off.

[Digger of Bricks]

2 hours ago, K_Tiger said:

I'd happily deal with LEGO's over-indulgence in costumed figures if it mean we got more "ordinary" sets and fewer licensed/themed ones.

True, because where it stands now, the traditional CMS should be acting as our last outlet for such where playthemes/playsets currently lack thereof. 

[K_Tiger]

Exactly. Lot of fans of LEGO's traditional themes that aren't getting any love even in the CMS as they are currently. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if 19 turns out to be a traditional series it will have been over 2 years since the last one (S.17, spring of 2017). That's terrible.

[Robert8]

Im fine with them but they are now everywhere. Even City had a tree costume. 

Series 16 had 3, and so did Series 17

Series 18 had like 12 costumes

And TLM2 series has 3 again.

That's too much.

Thats why I said I was surprised to see 3 costumes again. After the Monster series, horror characters took a break for a while. 

But I understand the costumes sell pretty well

Also they can reuse them for keychains and promos

I'l cut one of my fingers if the crayon costume doesnt reappear as a blue crayon boy in a promo set like the Penguin Girl one

 

What I like about treat or trickers is that they can do stuff they wouldnt do in a normal minifgure. I dont think they will ever produce a Satan minifigure and yet we got Cuttle Little Devil in Series 16

Edited December 21, 2018 by Robert8

[Artanis I]

Was a cool idea in the first place, but they're one-trick-ponies for the most part and it's been overdone.

[icm]

I like them in limited numbers.  One large, specialized costume that slots over or replaces the minifigure body per series, please, no more.  They're fun and cute, but unlike other CMF parts they're very hard to reuse.

[Anonknee Muss]

Great discussion starter 

I’m fine with them, like what @Robert8 said, 3 is too much, I think 2-3 would be better i.e. one series has 2, the next has 3 and they take it in turns.

[Digger of Bricks]

You know, maybe many these CMFs wouldn't be as much of an annoyance to me if they each gave us a little something more to work with, such as a useful torso print or a new accompanying animal mold to complement their themed costumes. At least the Series 17 Rocket Suit Boy gave us a LBG Classic Space torso. 

[deraven]

Another "Just fine" here - but like most folks above I think that rating would rapidly go down if we get too many more.  Like Digger of Bricks mentioned, I like them better when there's something more to work with.  I mean, the "costume" elements like the horse from S18 can only go so far in and of themselves, but I got a good number of the Rocket Suit Boy from S17 for the Classic Space torso.  The flower pot and cake from S18 could also be used other ways, but those torsos have very limited use otherwise.  So if we get a bunch more, it's fine as long as the components themselves have appear for use beyond minifigs and/or if the actual minifigure is also useful outside of the CMF context.

[Karalora]

Has anyone tried combining the animal costumes with Chima heads to get animal characters?

[Digger of Bricks]

2 minutes ago, deraven said:

Like Digger of Bricks mentioned, I like them better when there's something more to work with.

I mean, why can't these guys be more like this recent promotional one, with both dual-molding AND printing?! 

Brickset - Review: 5005250 Party Banana Juice Bar

[Niku]

11 hours ago, Lyichir said:

Voted "Just fine with them". I like them even though they aren't necessarily always my favorites or anything like that. Of course, it varies from fig to fig—figs like the brick costume boy and girl were among my favorites of the latest series, and older ones like the Unicorn Suit Girl were also highly appealing. But I'm not the sort of person who sees the need to seek out a complete collection of the costumed figs.

This +1
I just collect the ones I want, but I am grateful that Lego are still pumping them out. Even if I don't buy them, be it licensed or not.

[K_Tiger]

1 hour ago, Karalora said:

Has anyone tried combining the animal costumes with Chima heads to get animal characters?

In my experience, the Chima animal masks have a wider eye spacing, and thus the eyes on the heads are printed further apart. Makes them pretty incompatible.

1 hour ago, Digger of Bricks said:

I mean, why can't these guys be more like this recent promotional one, with both dual-molding AND printing?! 

Brickset - Review: 5005250 Party Banana Juice Bar

So much better than the S.16 release. All of his body parts are useful somewhere in a City setting.

[Karalora]

52 minutes ago, K_Tiger said:

In my experience, the Chima animal masks have a wider eye spacing, and thus the eyes on the heads are printed further apart. Makes them pretty incompatible.

I meant more using the heads that go under the masks. They look funny, but some of the designs are tolerable as heads in and of themselves.

[Vindicare]

I voted “pretty much neutral about them” but I probably fall in between that & “just fine with them.” I like them well enough, but not enough to rush out & find them. That & I’ve more or less stopped with CMF’s aside from ones I really like that are useful in my city or have cool accessories like the balloon animals with the clown. Except with the Wizarding World ones...I bought my first unopened case for that release. 

[koalayummies]

For me the novelty is wearing off. Used to really like them but as time passes I realize they're lacking in versatility and parts for MOCing compared to the traditional CMF line. One or two costumed figures per series seems about right.

[Renny The Spaceman]

I've been fine with them for the longest time but I feel TLM2 CMF may have broken me

Edited December 21, 2018 by Renny The Spaceman