LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 4 discussion

[tazosaure]

Why can't you pick and choose at Borders?

At my Borders Book store the figs are out of their boxes on hangers behind the registers, if you want one you need to ask the cashier to hand it to you. I haven't done all the borders store of the area but the few I've visited were set up like that so I assumed it was like that everywhere but maybe some of their locations are set up differently...

[escortmad79]

This has been asked before but does anyone know if we have news of moving on to a series 5?

TLG has confirmed there will be a Series 5

[Sirens-of-Titan]

TLG has confirmed there will be a Series 5

Ha, that's insane! I am yet to see any series 3, series 4 just got revealed and now they move onto 5! it's almost like they are just trying to keep this afloat with the novelty of it, and not actually with distributions and sales. I don't know what will be included, but if they are paying any attention to what sells from the previous series (I'm sure they are) then we can expect a lot of army-builder type figures. They already cut out the circus sub-theme, because it had some of the least-desired figures in it.

[Ravenclaw2010]

At my local Argos, all the good series 2 figs got sold out in like a week because they had written which figure was inside on the back of the bag, and there was a 3 for 2 offer on them. When they started doing this, theynstill had a few series 1 figures left,so I took one that said "magician" on the back, and guess what! It was a forestman, and I already had 3 of them!

[Aanchir]

Ha, that's insane! I am yet to see any series 3, series 4 just got revealed and now they move onto 5! it's almost like they are just trying to keep this afloat with the novelty of it, and not actually with distributions and sales. I don't know what will be included, but if they are paying any attention to what sells from the previous series (I'm sure they are) then we can expect a lot of army-builder type figures. They already cut out the circus sub-theme, because it had some of the least-desired figures in it.

It bothers me when people talk about the "sub-themes" as if LEGO actually thinks in those terms. We have no reason to believe they do-- they could just be choosing from a wide variety of loosely-defined genres and we're the ones trying to classify them in some way.

Furthermore, the idea that they "cut out" the Circus sub-theme implies that somehow one or two series without any circus figs indicates that there will not be any more circus figs at all. Perhaps LEGO just decided that they had enough variety in these two most recent series without any circus figs? Besides, the Gorilla Suit Guy could be categorized as a circus fig if you really felt like it.

That's part of why I don't bother categorizing figs according to rigid "sub-themes". It's highly subjective and implies a level of organization we haven't seen any evidence of. Certain figs (like the classic movie monsters) kinda-sorta go together, but there's no need to try reducing each fig to one single "category" when there's so many roles each could fill. The Karate Master could indeed be a part of a "Japanese" sub-theme with the Kimono Girl, or he could just as easily be a part of a "martial arts" sub-theme with the Masked Wrestler. Overall, it might help a person to define "sub-themes" so they can more easily decide which figs are in their interest to collect, but trying to collect meaningful and predictive data from them doesn't make much sense.

[escortmad79]

At my local Argos, all the good series 2 figs got sold out in like a week because they had written which figure was inside on the back of the bag, and there was a 3 for 2 offer on them. When they started doing this, theynstill had a few series 1 figures left,so I took one that said "magician" on the back, and guess what! It was a forestman, and I already had 3 of them!

John Lewis in Glasgow have a LOT of Series 2 (Almost 4 boxes worth) in 2 clear tubs next to the City sets if you're still looking for some @ £1.95 each (However there are no Spartans left)

[Ravenclaw2010]

John Lewis in Glasgow have a LOT of Series 2 (Almost 4 boxes worth) in 2 clear tubs next to the City sets if you're still looking for some @ £1.95 each (However there are no Spartans left)

Wow! Thanks!

[tazosaure]

Furthermore, the idea that they "cut out" the Circus sub-theme implies that somehow one or two series without any circus figs indicates that there will not be any more circus figs at all. Perhaps LEGO just decided that they had enough variety in these two most recent series without any circus figs? Besides, the Gorilla Suit Guy could be categorized as a circus fig if you really felt like it.

Plus, I mean, a clown, a ring master, a strong man, a magician, I think the got us covered on the circus category :)

Not to mention we got a juggler in lego kingdom this year.

And as far as I'm concerned the announced series 4 figure skater could easily be repurposed as a trapeze artist.

[KyleJohnson11]

Just wanted to let everyone know, I went on TRU.com this morning and they have upped the price to $3.99. So now in store and online is $3.99 :(

[Joebot]

I almost wonder if Lego broke up the 3 complete set trend so that less people would buy an entire box. I mean it sounds like a poor way to sell the product, but I think it's been beyond proven that these guys will sell out fast.

In my opinion, the reason the Fisherman is "short-packed" (to use a term from the action figure industry) is just TLC finally adopting the super-rare "chase figure" marketing strategy. It's disappointing, but not terribly surprising either.

By the way, does anyone have experience buying these at LEGO stores? Do LEGO employees usually mind if you are using a "cheat sheet" or not?

I bought most of Series 1 and 2 at the Lego Store in Schamburg, IL, and I can tell you that the employees there didn't care at all that I was using a cheat sheet. In fact, several of them stopped and chatted with me as I was scanning through the box. Whether this is common or not, I have no idea. The employees at the Schamburg store are exceptionally cool folks.

[Sirens-of-Titan]

It bothers me when people talk about the "sub-themes" as if LEGO actually thinks in those terms. We have no reason to believe they do-- they could just be choosing from a wide variety of loosely-defined genres and we're the ones trying to classify them in some way.

Furthermore, the idea that they "cut out" the Circus sub-theme implies that somehow one or two series without any circus figs indicates that there will not be any more circus figs at all. Perhaps LEGO just decided that they had enough variety in these two most recent series without any circus figs? Besides, the Gorilla Suit Guy could be categorized as a circus fig if you really felt like it.

That's part of why I don't bother categorizing figs according to rigid "sub-themes". It's highly subjective and implies a level of organization we haven't seen any evidence of. Certain figs (like the classic movie monsters) kinda-sorta go together, but there's no need to try reducing each fig to one single "category" when there's so many roles each could fill. The Karate Master could indeed be a part of a "Japanese" sub-theme with the Kimono Girl, or he could just as easily be a part of a "martial arts" sub-theme with the Masked Wrestler. Overall, it might help a person to define "sub-themes" so they can more easily decide which figs are in their interest to collect, but trying to collect meaningful and predictive data from them doesn't make much sense.

You are entitled to thinking in whatever terms you wish, however to say there are no correlations and relationships among figures from series to series is simply not true. I know there are no actual sub-themes, but do you really believe Lego just throws darts at a list of suggestions and picks what they will include next wave?

Actually look at it through a marketing perspective and you'll see what I'm talking about, granted you can categorize it in quite a few groupings, you can't look at the now known 4 series of figures and believe these are randomly chosen; why then don't we have a wave of just realistic city-style mini-figures?

Because these are sold as collectibles and as supplements to other sets.

Think of it, if series 5 was 16 variations of a city dwellers, or 16 historical figures, or 16 athletes people might skip an entire series if they aren't into sports, city, castle etc. . To make each series feel fresh they intermix them and so yes, I believe there are apparent sub-categories in these for flavor and to keep us neat-minded folks talking

[rakky]

Very true, there are obviously some themes, but that still doesn't mean circus has been cut just that its not in series 4

[peterab]

You are entitled to thinking in whatever terms you wish, however to say there are no correlations and relationships among figures from series to series is simply not true.

I don't think Aanchir was saying that at all. In fact I think he made the point that there are many different correlations and because of that it would be sloppy thinking to suggest that because one particular correlation no longer exists in series four that we can draw conclusions from it. In this case it's clear that correlation doesn't imply causation.

I think you are probably correct that there is some patterns guided by marketing underlying the choice of figs, but Aanchir is definitely correct that the relationships and possible sub-groupings are not clear enough to draw any reliable conclusions from. In fact his post stands out as a rare example of clear thinking in an otherwise speculative thread.

[Itaria No Shintaku]

TLG has confirmed there will be a Series 5

Where? When? And why when I got to wikipedia they say it may be the last series?

They are so fabulous... they really can't stop with series 5. I think they are selling pretty well.

[Ogre]

Nice work, and good choice of minifig heads. However, there are actually FOUR musketeers in Dumas' "The Three Musketeers." Everybody always ignores poor D'artagnan.

Loooooooooong time since I read the story but, IIRC he wasn't a 'musketeer'...he wanted to BECOME a musketeer, yes? (and finally became one at the end of the story, correct?)

[Sirens-of-Titan]

I don't think Aanchir was saying that at all. In fact I think he made the point that there are many different correlations and because of that it would be sloppy thinking to suggest that because one particular correlation no longer exists in series four that we can draw conclusions from it. In this case it's clear that correlation doesn't imply causation.

I think you are probably correct that there is some patterns guided by marketing underlying the choice of figs, but Aanchir is definitely correct that the relationships and possible sub-groupings are not clear enough to draw any reliable conclusions from. In fact his post stands out as a rare example of clear thinking in an otherwise speculative thread.

Haha, I didn't think my opinions were going to cause this many ripples

Yes you are 100% correct that we don't know what next wave will be, and we can't predict it entirely based on what has come before. As far as the "no more circus figures" that is also just a guess, but it makes sense to my analytical mind, when given 4 series of variables to analyze them and to wonder about what is to come.

When somebody says something to the effect of "we don't know, and have no way of knowing, and I am bothered that you are speculating, because it makes no sense" I say in return, "well, this is a discussion thread, and we aren't limited to saying how much we like the musketeer and the rocker five times each".

Spirit of why not, you know

[Ogre]

I was not aware the demand was that high. I had just assumed scalpers were hoarding them and that is why they were always sold out.

To a retailer, that is still 'high demand'.

Doesn't matter if it's a thousand people in a day buying one fig each, or one person buying a thousand figs...it's STILL 'one thousand sold in one day'.

[Cobb]

When will wave three hit the Netherlands?

[Omicron]

Where? When? And why when I got to wikipedia they say it may be the last series?

Steve Witt confirmed Series 5 at Brickfair 2010. As for Wikipedia, take any info from it like grain of salt. It can be likely that the Collectible figures can continue after Series 5 if it is profitable. It's just only that they so far have plans up to Series 5, and things change since they are announced.

-Omi

Edited December 11, 2010 by Omicron

[Itaria No Shintaku]

Steve Witt confirmed Series 5 at Brickfair 2010. As for Wikipedia, take any info from it like grain of salt. It can be likely that the Collectible figures can continue after Series 5 if it is profitable. It's just only that they so far have plans up to Series 5, and things change since they are announced.

-Omi

Thank you very much for the precious infos.

[peterab]

When somebody says something to the effect of "we don't know, and have no way of knowing, and I am bothered that you are speculating, because it makes no sense" I say in return, "well, this is a discussion thread, and we aren't limited to saying how much we like the musketeer and the rocker five times each".

I still think your missing the point. You stated 'they have already cut out the circus line' without any suggestion that it was speculation. The harm in this is while LEGO may be trying to keep interest by mixing themes, anybody reading a believing your post who is only interested in circus figs may stop looking out for them in future series. As Aanchir pointed out it could be argued the Gorilla suit guy might fit into the circus theme anyway so there may not even be the trend you're seeing.

[vexorian]

Ha, that's insane! I am yet to see any series 3, series 4 just got revealed and now they move onto 5! it's almost like they are just trying to keep this afloat with the novelty of it, and not actually with distributions and sales. I don't know what will be included, but if they are paying any attention to what sells from the previous series (I'm sure they are) then we can expect a lot of army-builder type figures. They already cut out the circus sub-theme, because it had some of the least-desired figures in it.

There were no sci-fi figs in series 2, then we had two in series 3 and arguably 2 in series 4...

[Sirens-of-Titan]

Could be guys, but I don't think I'm the authority on what the Lego Group is going to do in future sets, if anyone stops buying or looking into Lego because of a comment I've made I'll be pretty darn surprised by it.

By the way I did include the gorilla as part of the circus group of minifigures, just look back a few pages. But now we're splitting hairs and bickering over minutia, and that's not my intention, so let's leave it at my speculations are my own, and if you are offended by either reasonable or wild speculations, simply ignore speculative posts and go on with the discussion.

Peace and Love

[Aanchir]

Could be guys, but I don't think I'm the authority on what the Lego Group is going to do in future sets, if anyone stops buying or looking into Lego because of a comment I've made I'll be pretty darn surprised by it.

By the way I did include the gorilla as part of the circus group of minifigures, just look back a few pages. But now we're splitting hairs and bickering over minutia, and that's not my intention, so let's leave it at my speculations are my own, and if you are offended by either reasonable or wild speculations, simply ignore speculative posts and go on with the discussion.

Peace and Love

I'm fine with that. It's just that, as Vexorian said, one series without a fig from a certain "sub-theme" doesn't indicate that said sub-theme is being "retired". And since the talk of "sub-themes" as if they had rigid boundaries had been bothering me already I figured now was as good a time as any to speak up. There was nothing especially egregious or offensive about your post. This is the internet-- if there weren't any speculation, there would be surprisingly little keeping fansites like this running!

[Sirens-of-Titan]

I'm fine with that. It's just that, as Vexorian said, one series without a fig from a certain "sub-theme" doesn't indicate that said sub-theme is being "retired". And since the talk of "sub-themes" as if they had rigid boundaries had been bothering me already I figured now was as good a time as any to speak up. There was nothing especially egregious or offensive about your post. This is the internet-- if there weren't any speculation, there would be surprisingly little keeping fansites like this running!

No problem at all

Now that I look at it there series 4 has a lot of promise for creative MOC'ing; village of gnomes anyone? I hope that flask the mad professor is holding is clear and not painted, I would love to do a lab with tons of trans-neon