Lego Loosing the Ball with Superheroes Sets

[rzetlin]

In my opinion the Lego superhero sets have been okay to lackluster.

The minifigs have been the star of these sets, but lego buildings and vehicles have been an after thought.

In the 7608 Iron Man vs. The Mandarin set, the deadly armored car look like a golf cart.

In the 76017 Captain America vs. Hydra, the tank looks a open-top 4x4 with too many wheels.

The superhero sets need more variety of heroes. Enough with releasing multiple Batman and Spiderman sets.

Why not release a Green Arrow or Fantastic Four set?

I do not like Lego putting the exclusive figures with the expensive sets. The only way to get Black Widow is spend $90 to $100 on the Quinjet.

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Lego needs to release smaller $15 superhero sets similar to the Lego Star Wars Battle packs.

Best superhero set I have seen is the 6858: Catwoman Catcycle City Chase.

For $15 dollars you get Batman and Catwoman, a cycle, batwings to fly around and a traffic corner scene. That is a good deal for me.

[Tom Jurassic]

In my opinion the Lego superhero sets have been okay to lackluster.

The minifigs have been the star of these sets, but lego buildings and vehicles have been an after thought.

In the 7608 Iron Man vs. The Mandarin set, the deadly armored car look like a golf cart.

In the 76017 Captain America vs. Hydra, the tank looks a open-top 4x4 with too many wheels.

The superhero sets need more variety of heroes. Enough with releasing multiple Batman and Spiderman sets.

Why not release a Green Arrow or Fantastic Four set?

I do not like Lego putting the exclusive figures with the expensive sets. The only way to get Black Widow is spend $90 to $100 on the Quinjet.

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Lego needs to release smaller $15 superhero sets similar to the Lego Star Wars Battle packs.

Best superhero set I have seen is the 6858: Catwoman Catcycle City Chase.

For $15 dollars you get Batman and Catwoman, a cycle, batwings to fly around and a traffic corner scene. That is a good deal for me.

Well said! I agree that the exclusives are getting beyond a joke. That SDCC Arrow figure.....

~Tom

[Im a brickmaster.]

Yeah, but remember the original Star Wars sets? And now look where we are! Will get there some day my friends.....

[Freddy Bricker]

I share the same resentments with most of you. I don't care why Lego keeps releasing Batman sets, or why they're always dumb vehicles. The fact of the matter is that they're doing it. Why they do so, I don't care. It's saving me money, and apart from the Steamroller, I'm getting none of this years set's. And even then, I'm debating whether or not Batgirl (who I love a lot) is worth me buying a $50 set when I have a lot (emphasize "a lot" ) to catch up on Lego-wise. As for Marvel, I thought USM would have more to offer us, but it would appear not. The Spider-Trike? What's next, the Spidey-Day Care? Apart from the dumbSpidey sets, I just really want my own X-Men team, and the more I look at the X-Jet, the worse I feel about their appearance in Lego.

Just diversify DC and improve the builds for Marvel, come on now Lego, just do it. Though I know it's not that easy, why did it take most 3 years to get a still incomplete Justice League? I'm terrified to think about just how long it would take them to release the Teen Titans My poor Robin will never get to meet Cyborg or date Starfire. *Sigh*

[Suspsy]

I think when Lego designs its Super Hero sets, they ask themselves what would have the widest appeal and therefore the most potential to sell well. Agents of SHIELD may have a devoted fanbase, but it's not a breakaway hit. And it's definitely not a show aimed at children. Similarly, Thor: The Dark World was very grim and foreboding and frankly not the most fun Marvel film.

I think Lego's been very smart with their Marvel sets. As a comic fan, I much prefer my minifigures be based on that source material, but I'll take either or. I have no doubt we'll see some exciting stuff for 2015.

As for DC, I've always agreed that there's an overabundance of Batman, but if that's what it takes to eventually get us a retail Green Lantern or Darkseid or Supergirl or Brainiac, so be it. And shoot, I'd buy a Bat-Mech if they made one.

Does anyone have any reliable information as to how well the Super Hero sets are selling these days?

Edited March 23, 2014 by Suspsy

[legofreak86]

Ojik: Well the course I'm on is all about learning how to make films and so far for my assignments I've made about 5. Also I use what I learn to make stop motion brick-films. I used to put them on YouTube but due to the demands of the course I hardly ever have the time anymore. However I think I will start again soon. I finish this course in June and then I have a HNC (Next level up) course in sept so throughout June-sept I will have plenty of time to start again on the brick films.

On topic: I haven't seen the film yet but from the clips if they had done cap the winter soldier sets I would think minifigure wise we should have got:

Captain America (dark blue shield outfit), Steve Rogers (blue jacket and white shirt), Captain America (WW2 costume as he Is seen in trailers fighting WS), The Winter Soldier, MCU Nick Fury (black coat), Black Widow ( black jumpsuit ), Black Widow (Dark green jacket), Falcon, Maria Hill, Alexander Pierce, Brock Rumlow, shield swats.

If the march range had been completely cap 2 which it should have been then it might have gone something like this:

£11.99 Captain America vs. the winter soldier: Includes Steve Rogers (blue jacket) with shield and The Winter Soldier with gun and knife and black widow(green Jacket). Set includes a police car with exploding feature and smashing windows for when Steve kicks WS into the side of the police car in TV spot 5.

£19.99 Shield Suv ambush includes Captain America (dark blue shield outfit), Nick Fury (black jacket), The Winter Soldier and police officer. Set includes Nick Fury's suv with a brick built handheld minigun and two police cars. The winter soldier is armed with a grenade launcher. The suv has a flip feature for when the suv is flipped by the winter soldier.

£49.99 Causeway battle: Includes Captain America (shield outfit), Brock rumlow, 2 shield swats and the falcon. Set includes a bridge to represent one in Washington Dc with a breaking rails and a shield jet.

£79.99 Shield Hq Final Confrontation: Includes: Captain America (WW2 costume), The Winter Soldier, Black widow (jumpsuit), Nick fury (head printed with red mark), Alexander pierce maybe with a gun?, Falcon, Maria Hill, Coulson? and a shield agent. Not sure what the play features would be but I reckon this is the last action sequence. Once I see the film this week I will be able to say for sure

This Is just what I can garner from the trailers,clips, TV spots e.t.c.

[Bricktimus]

I think that the sets are good but will certainly get better over time. Just have Look at how much better that they have gotten since the first batman sets!

[Suspsy]

The original post ultimately boils down to "Lego isn't making the sets I personally think they should make, therefore I deem their line a failure." I've encountered this mentality time and time again in both the Star Wars and the Transformers fandoms and, in all fairness, it's quite understandable. When you're a big fan of a genre, you hunger for your dream items. It's as simple as that. Shoot, I've lost track of the number of times I've expressed my deep desire for macrofigures of Abomination, Juggernaut, and Rhino.

That said, such a mentality is wrong in the face of reality. And the reality, unless someone can provides numbers that show otherwise, is that the Super Heroes line is selling very well. Everyone is free to feel that Lego is passing over certain opportunities, but that doesn't mean they're doing it all wrong.

[KingPixels]

I will never forgive LEGO for the ComicCon exclusives. It's basically a huge eff-you to all Marvel and DC collectors, since it's essentially an important character that is impossible to obtain without paying ludicrous prices. I don't know what they were thinking with those, since all that happens is they get bought at the cons by scalpers and go straight to eBay. If anything they've made me lose interest in collecting since I'm a completionist and they're releasing a handful of exclusive figures that I will never own. It makes me angry to think about.

Edited March 24, 2014 by KingPixels

[obsidianheart]

I will never forgive LEGO for the ComicCon exclusives. It's basically a huge eff-you to all Marvel and DC collectors, since it's essentially an important character that is impossible to obtain without paying ludicrous prices. I don't know what they were thinking with those, since all that happens is they get bought at the cons by scalpers and go straight to eBay. If anything they've made me lose interest in collecting since I'm a completionist and they're releasing a handful of exclusive figures that I will never own. It makes me angry to think about.

They probably were thinking about how venomously angry you would get and thought it would be funny!

Only joking. They probably thought it would be a good way to promote their comics-based Super Heroes line to a crowd who might not normally be interested in LEGO, were probably really interested in collecting and exclusives, and were most definitely into comics and Super Heroes. I don't think they meant to make everyone mad, but I hear that they fumbled their handling of it last year and pissed off all the AFOLs. Shame, that.

[gundamz]

Would be awesome if they have Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in Avengers 2 sets. Both are classic Xmen villains before they joined Avengers.

Phoenix SDCC is just unfortunate. It is an awesome-looking figure and highly relevant to the Xmen line too...

[Dorayaki]

I'm also alittle worried about this. The two licenses are definitely the most discussed in this forum. Even though I'm not really a Superhero fan and I hope TLC can also focus on other minor themes, still the current arrangement for Superhero is still not the best TLC can do.

If I'm asked to say what TLC should do, I'd say that I hope at least every theatrical Superhero film should have Lego sets that are based on them. There is no set based on the passed Thor or the upcoming Captain America 2. Not saying that sets based on comic directly shouldn't exist, but I guess movie products have a better effects of advertising if TLC isn't able to make more sets based on all franchises.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Dorayaki

[Lord Rahl of Clannad]

On the subject on sets for both Marvel and DC movies, I believe that we should at the very least get 1 set per film. Take next year for example. We're obviously going to get multiple sets from Age of Ultron, but it would be a shame if LEGO didn't give us at least one Ant-Man set as well. Besides, I can imagine that Marvel would want to try to market Ant-Man as much as possible to ensure that the movie isn't a failure. As with GotG, providing LEGO set(s) for Ant-Man would be the best way to do it. After all, when are we likely to get Ant-Man in a comic/cartoon set any time soon?

[Brickmamba]

DC and Marvel sets in general have been weak, the main draw card will always be the mini-figures and as long as LEGO keeps pumping out new and unique superheroes the majority of us will be happy

[wesker]

Sets based on the cartoons aren't all bad. They give us comic book costume variants such as Captain America and Mary Jane. They give us obscure characters that wouldn't otherwise be made such as MODOK and Taskmaster. And then there's characters from previous movies such as Red Skull who missed the chance to have a minifigure with the first CA film.

While having sets from the movies is nice, I don't want to see to many of them just for the sake of it. Last year's Man of Steel and Iron Man 3 sets were pretty disapointing since there was so much filler - too many of the same minifigures and lazy uninspired builds that barely resemble what was in the movie. Instead of six sets, Lego should have just stuck with the Malibu Mansion and Kryptonian Dropship. Lois, Killian and War Machine could've easily replaced Colonel Hardy and the Extremis henchman, while the remaining four sets could've been used for other brands such as X-Men, Green Lantern and Fantastic Four.

Even though Captain America 2 looks to be a great movie, there's very little material worth making a full wave of sets over. We've already gotten the SHIELD vehicles with the Avengers back in 2012. MCU Nick Fury and a SHIELD Helicarrier would be nice but they could easily come with Age of Ultron or another film. The only thing thats really missing is Winter Soldier and there's no reason why he couldn't be a Shop@Home exclusive like Martian Manhunter was.

If I have any complaints about the Superheroes line, it would be the lack of brand diversity and the Comic Con exclusive minifigures (Phoenix Jean Grey especially )

[jonwil]

I also think they need to stop putting certain characters only in the most expensive sets. Hulk for example has only been in the Helicarrier Breakout and the Lab set, both of which were at the expensive end. I wish Hulk was in a smaller set.

That said, Hulk as a fig is probably quite an expensive set of elements to produce because of the size and if you put it in a smaller set, it reduces the amount of other content you can include and still hit the target price point.

At least the new Hulk is in a cheaper set than the last one was :)

[Bricktimus]

I totally agree with the SDCC exclusives whilst they are a drive for exclusive features from comic con, I think that they could be handled much better.

[Ojik]

Legofreak: No way! I am an amateur filmmaker, too, and I hope I will study it when I finish my high school in a year. I would love to see your videos, so do not hesistate to brag a little and shoot me a PM.

I also think they need to stop putting certain characters only in the most expensive sets. Hulk for example has only been in the Helicarrier Breakout and the Lab set, both of which were at the expensive end. I wish Hulk was in a smaller set.

That said, Hulk as a fig is probably quite an expensive set of elements to produce because of the size and if you put it in a smaller set, it reduces the amount of other content you can include and still hit the target price point.

At least the new Hulk is in a cheaper set than the last one was :)

I agree with you, sans the point of Hulk being in a cheaper set this time - they are both 50$. They should start putting bigfigs in more affordable sets, about 30$. I wanted Hulk Helicarrier Escape so much, but the set is really dumb and Hulk alone is not worth enough to drop ~80$ on it (you know, Europe). Also, not including Bruce Banner was such a missed oppurtunity. I'm crossing my fingers the sets for the second film will fix this flaw.

[Darth Punk]

People have to remember the onus is not just on TLG, the license holders are apart of what is being produced. As long as batman sets continue to sell well they are going to produce them. And I think TLG is pretty clear about not being in the business of providing everyone collectible minifigs in a vast array of characters. There are companies that do that and do it well. TLG makes money selling bricks, regardless of why one buys the sets.

[SoupOrFishOil]

Yeah, but remember the original Star Wars sets? And now look where we are! Will get there some day my friends.....

The original Star Wars sets were more or less at par with what was being released back in 1999, and then the sets have progressively grown better along with everything else. Though I don't think that as many of the sets are as bad as people say, a lot of them are not quite at the modern standard.

Does anyone have any reliable information as to how well the Super Hero sets are selling these days?

I can't remember where this comes from, but SH is considered an evergreen theme now, so it should be selling pretty well. I guess that makes me unreliable though.

£11.99 Captain America vs. the winter soldier: Includes Steve Rogers (blue jacket) with shield and The Winter Soldier with gun and knife and black widow(green Jacket). Set includes a police car with exploding feature and smashing windows for when Steve kicks WS into the side of the police car in TV spot 5.

£19.99 Shield Suv ambush includes Captain America (dark blue shield outfit), Nick Fury (black jacket), The Winter Soldier and police officer. Set includes Nick Fury's suv with a brick built handheld minigun and two police cars. The winter soldier is armed with a grenade launcher. The suv has a flip feature for when the suv is flipped by the winter soldier.

£49.99 Causeway battle: Includes Captain America (shield outfit), Brock rumlow, 2 shield swats and the falcon. Set includes a bridge to represent one in Washington Dc with a breaking rails and a shield jet.

£79.99 Shield Hq Final Confrontation: Includes: Captain America (WW2 costume), The Winter Soldier, Black widow (jumpsuit), Nick fury (head printed with red mark), Alexander pierce maybe with a gun?, Falcon, Maria Hill, Coulson? and a shield agent. Not sure what the play features would be but I reckon this is the last action sequence. Once I see the film this week I will be able to say for sure

This Is just what I can garner from the trailers,clips, TV spots e.t.c.

Sorry, but I think that those set ideas might display why we are getting light cartoon stuff instead of Winter Soldier sets. Other than the large SHIELD base, it all deals with terrorism and there are enough police cars in the City sets. (LEGO would probably disagree with that last part though.)

Edited March 24, 2014 by Superficial Username

[gundamz]

I think what they should do for SDCC exclusives is to release an alternate version of a minifigure that is already available to the general public. e.g. A particular Mark of Iron Man, Clean-shaven Thor, or a Batman figure with a distinct cape design. That way, people who just want to have a minifigure version of a character can get it from the publicly available set and diehard collectors can go to SDCC or buy the alternate version of the minifigure separately.

e.g. Suppose LEGO released clean-shaven Thor. Suppose I just want a Thor figure so I could complete the Avengers. I could just buy a set that has Thor, and I can complete the Avengers.

Actual e.g. LEGO released Phoenix as a SDCC exclusive. I really want a Phoenix or at least a Jean Grey for my Xmen collection. However, it is disappointing that I cannot without significant difficulty and expense because the only official version of Phoenix/Jean Grey ever released to date is a SDCC exclusive.

[iamste]

The SDCC stuff should just do the mega obscure character costumes.

Saying that... I'd still want them as much as I do now.

I fear the day a Spider-man 2099, mile morales spidey, or Superior Spider-man are available. My love for them costumes knows no bounds.

Actually, they should just do battle damage versions. I don't care about Battle Damage.

Edited March 25, 2014 by iamste

[Blakstone]

I think that the SDCC stuff should be a preview of an upcoming minifig in SDCC exclusive packaging. The Hobbit's Azog was that way and I think it worked pretty well.

[Freddy Bricker]

We never got an exclusive Jean Grey. We got an official Phoenix. We can always get 90's costume Jean Grey in a set, just not the Phoenix. Even then, I'm sure we could get Dark Phoenix in a set, I just don't see it happening any time soon.

[BrickG]

I wish they'd do better builds. At this point I'm almost 100% only interested in the minifigures. I love minifigures. But I'm tired of buying sets just for minifigures. I'm also tired of every other set having a Batmobile ;p.