1980-Something-Space-Guy

Aren't those the codes that all seals have? I think they usually represent some sort of production date and lot, but I am unsure.

Looks a little too red, but I am sure he'll look better with the "skirt". Getting excited for this series!

I've heard some collectors that think this is the case nowadays. For instance, there is concern that fake Mr. Golds are now indistinguishable from the real thing (that might be another story, though, because it would just involve pad printing and chroming on existing Lego pieces). If I was in the prototype collecting niche, I'd be concerned about paying hundreds of dollars for items that are not guaranteed to be genuine.

Several EB members have them and believe them to be genuine for this same reason. I think the question is, are they fakes indistinguishable from the real deal?

I remember how, when the first Benny astronaut packs came out, they were pretty difficult to get a hold of. I suspect the same is happening here. There is a group of AFOLs that really want these minifigs. I suspect supply will catch up eventually. If these are being bought by resellers in bulk, then expect the aftermarket price to drop down when they flood it. Personally, I can't afford to place BAP orders frequently. I try to place 1-3 orders in a year, so I try to group my pieces. I probably will not bother with pieces that go this fast, because then I don't have the time to carefully pick my order.

The thing is, I have to find one of these in the secondary market, and I want to make sure I get the head that comes with the pre-packaged bear, and not one other random head. Some people seem to have random heads, though. Does anyone know what the pre-packaged head is?

Yeah, "if it could be done, it would be done" ends up being circular reasoning, because it might be done with these figures! I think the usual arguments are that injection molding usually involves high costs, which mostly bootleg companies can afford. People say those avoid using the Lego logo to avoid bigger legal problems. Making knock-off products that look indistinguishable from the real thing would not seem legal in most countries. The fact that these get distributed through established vendors, who would face legal risk if they knowingly distribute knock-offs, would suggest they believe these to be genuine. Multiple eBay sellers sell Lepin with (seemingly) no consequences, though, so who knows.

As things stand, I think that if one is to spend money on these figures, one must accept the fact that they are not guaranteed to be genuine, by the facts outlined above by several users. In the worst case, you are buying a high-quality custom that looks (I'd say exactly) like a Lego figure would look like in those colors. If you would not be willing to pay the prices these go for for such a custom, then I'd recommend against buying them.

This is correct. They are even less transparent. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember Lego has been switching to ABS instead of PC, to the dismay of those who prefer the clearer PC.

Does anyone know what the right head is for the Teddy bear? I've seen people with different ones (https://forum.brickset.com/discussion/19310/us-bam-bar-contents/p6).

Considering that the purple figure has legs in different tones, I have wondered if this could be simply a pink figure that resulted in a lighter tone. Seems pretty uniform, though, so I am unsure. This is quite odd. Don't the other Iron Man figures seem to be a tad different? The orange one seems like neon orange, which conventional wisdom says aren't made anymore.

I've seen convincing arguments for and against the authenticity of these. I am yet to be swayed one way or another. They sure look cool, though.

I believe the Iron Man figure was posted on the FB monochrome minifigures group (on February 21).

Yeah I saw that and was wondering if it came from a reliable source. Does this seem like a legit leak? Don't want to get excited prematurely.

I am a bit suspicious with this figure. To the color experts, is this a current color? Otherwise, it seems hard to imagine it being authentic. It seems to have all the right marks, though.

If Lego does switch to blind boxes for CMFs as they did with Vidiyo, I am wondering how sales will be affected. On the one hand, those who are interested in the theme who are mostly after a few figures might decide to skip series altogether. On the other hand, people who buy bags until they find the figures they want (not recommended; see the coupon collector's problem) might give Lego some extra revenue.

Was there also a Sirius figure in that set? I couldn't tell with the low image resolution.

Just recently got into Ninjago snakes. I am so excited about these aquatic snakes!

I missed the pics before they were taken down. Is Goofy the same as the one in the train set? If so, I will be really happy to complete the figure lineup without paying ridiculous aftermarket prices! And will probably pick up Pluto as well!

Is that an orange Lockhart in the basilisk set? Sorry, it has been hard to keep up!

I think I'll give Lego the benefit of the doubt regarding the profitability of this theme. I am sure they have experts that know more about us, plus details that are not public, that made them invest in this theme. They probably have a realistic understanding of the inherent risks, and still decided to invest in the theme. And I actually think they are making a genuine effort to stay fresh. I also appreciate the creativity and love that seems to have gone into the theme. I just wish they gave us a way to identify the blind boxes, similar to the bar codes of old!

I somehow missed this post. Is there a reason you're not using PP or PE containers? Do those outgas as well?

If you want to read more on this topic, we had a discussion here. Personally, I use PP/PE bags inside of PP/PE boxes for figures. I think generally this is more of a concern if you are thinking about long-term storage of collectables.

It's disappointing that right now it seems that there is no way to identify the figures. On the bright side, I am glad that they are trying this with Vidiyo and (knock on wood) not on the CMFs yet. I would expect they'll lose some sales from people who are looking for specific figures and not full sets. I, for one, am interested in 6 figures tops. If I am unable to find them from a reseller at a price close enough to retail, I will likely just skip out on them completely. Honestly, I know this blind bag model can be lucrative, but it feels wrong and it is not what I expect from Lego. Trying to sell us sets when we have no way of knowing what we are actually buying feels like an abuse of the relationship they have with us, their customers. Just my humble opinion.

Oh sweet, I didn't realize lavender was now completable! I guess it's good that I didn't try to buy one of those expensive (and potentially fake?) lavender legs!