Future of the Batman Theme

[The Middleman]

i am also still waiting for superman lego and a kent farm ;) or a city zoo ;)

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't think this is going to happen. Batman is a good line for LEGO because there are lots of gagets and vehicles LEGO can make sets out of but Superman has super powers unlike Batman so he doesn't need technology, thus kind of boring to playwith, just one minifig to fight evil. Furthermore, there couldn't be many sets that were recognizably Superman sets that LEGO could make.

Anything's possible.

[Starwars4J]

i am also still waiting for superman lego and a kent farm ;) or a city zoo ;)

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't think this is going to happen. Batman is a good line for LEGO because there are lots of gagets and vehicles LEGO can make sets out of but Superman has super powers unlike Batman so he doesn't need technology, thus kind of boring to playwith, just one minifig to fight evil. Furthermore, there couldn't be many sets that were recognizably Superman sets that LEGO could make.

Anything's possible.

I pray that's intuition/opinion and not information...Superman Lego would make me cringe, but for reasons that are my own :-P

[snefroe]

It's possible that they'll just replace one superhero theme for another, most likely Superman; Btw, i also was under the impression that lego was going to produce a Superman line. I don't know where i picked that up but i felt the source was reliable at that time... Anyway, without a new bm film i don't see why they should invest more into this. I think, what they most of all learned from the sw-line, is not to push it, not to produce 10 sets including big ones, in two or more waves, without clear signs of mega sale potential. It seems to me they've become far more cautious about what, how and when to release. They're realising that a theme may only have a 1 year lifespan. take vikings: sold very well, but after one year, it was all over, sales crashed... Themes have become '1 hit wonders': they may be doing great in the first year but after that it's all over. it's as if the customer gets bored of the theme after one year already... and then needs something new... The fact that licenses are highly specialised even increases this trend, there's no large loyal fanbase to keep the entire line at a high average of sales for 2-5 years...

[SuvieD]

Which besides being mostly off topic brings me to leave my thoughts about the one year themes.

LEGO needs to create a theme so generic (early castle) that is sells and customers can do nearly endless things with the parts or they need to design a non-licensed theme based in collecting. A table top war game like War Hammer or a minifigure game like one of the clix games. Something that people would want to collect and have multiples of sets for. A game similar to Warhammer in particular is a good idea. It broadens the user base to older customers and utilizes LEGO's most important and profitable item the minifigure. With hundreds of minifigure parts and accessories available in dozen of colors LEGO is sitting on billions of unique combinations for such a game. They could make it totally fantasy and still maintain the non modern war theme easily and go for something either past or futuristic.

Just to be sort of on topic, Batman will possibly see a few additional sets but most likely end within two years time. Get the sets you want now as I don't see them being available for too long.

[natelite]

agree with suvie. there is batmobile, batwing, batsled, bat cycle, batboat, bat glider. what other vehicle can you think of? bat-tank? bat-mech? i think the batman theme will likely end next year. it won't last more than 2 series. there aren't as many superheroes that you can build lots of sets from either. as can be seen from the spiderman sets, that was a total flop. you can't make much out of superman theme. there's superman and his superpower. that's about it. to sell lego, you need a theme which involves lots of gadgets and machines. what superhero besides batman that uses gadgets to defeat the baddies?

[Asuka]

If i

[natelite]

despite the uses, sets are play sets ultimately. with that in mind, i can see how a police hq can be incorporated into the batman theme, but rooftop with gargoyle or a wayne mansion is probably too scenic to be a playset. is there any wonder why the batman sets have shooters? they are playsets meant for 7-12 y-o. arkham asylum is the only thing which borders scenic/playset. still it has a lot of trapdoors, etc to be more playset than a display.

[Asuka]

despite the uses, sets are play sets ultimately. with that in mind, i can see how a police hq can be incorporated into the batman theme, but rooftop with gargoyle or a wayne mansion is probably too scenic to be a playset. is there any wonder why the batman sets have shooters? they are playsets meant for 7-12 y-o. arkham asylum is the only thing which borders scenic/playset. still it has a lot of trapdoors, etc to be more playset than a display.

You are right. But i actually meant the possibility of integrate such little elements to the roof of the GCPD which could still be a playset at all.

[xwingyoda]

Those long talks are really funny to read hehe

The true answer is this: if Batman sells well, there will be more waves of sets !! Its as simple as that ;-)

Its only economics, whether we like it or not !!

And face it guys, the comics has been around for so many years, there are loads of stuff to be made from those !! And that question needs to be asked to comics experts ;-)

I really want a Tumbler and more villains and more vehicles, and a UCE Batboat & Batplane... And the list goes on and on hehe

*yoda*

[captaintau]

what superhero besides batman that uses gadgets to defeat the baddies?

Dah-duh-dah-da-dah Inspector Gadget, Dah-duh-dah-da-dah ooo ooo! X-D

[Dark_Avenger]

I'd welcomely accept a light-up Batsignal with Gordon (what better set to include him in?) and maybe a villain HQ or hideout, but if they do another year they probably shouldn't do as big a set selection. Probably do something like with Vikings; full collection first year, a couple sets the next.

[gylman]

I personally have no use for the Batman line, except for their nice keychains. Haven't bought one set, don't plan to. Too many specialized pieces, stickers, giant roofs and walls, etc etc.

THis being said, if TLC makes money from it, let them make as much as they want. It's obvious that a kid in a store, faced with a generic castle vs that superficially slick batcave, would plead with his mom to get the batcave. It's only 2 weeks later, when the batman set sits unused that the mother wonders whether the castle set woudl have been a better investment.

With regards to future Batman sets, isn't a bank, a GOOD bank, with a vault, and tellers, etc, an obvious future Batman set? That would be good for everyone, not just Batman fans.

They could intergrate Wayne Manor somehow with the existing batcave set. That would also be something that does not necessarily only add to Batman.

What I would definitely NOT want to see is an endless lineup of cheap 100 part "vehicle" sets.

[kenji]

Have any of you Batman fans heard what's next for the Batman theme. While I'm patiently awaiting Arkham Asylum, I can't help but wonder what's next in the line? More vehicles, perhaps? Or maybe we'll see some Gotham buildings similar to the Spiderman theme.

the Arkham Asylum is out, what are you waiting for?

[casewindu]

:-D i would buy a GCPD if one came out as long as it had a few cop cars and stuff!