Why didn't Indy toys catch on back in the 80's?

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deckard24

New member
Back in the 80's the original Indy toy lines did not do that well at all, now with KotCS about to hit theaters, Lucasfilm looks to be carrying out a massive toy and merchandise campaign on a scale rivalling a Star Wars film. The toys for RotLA came and went back in the day, the ToD stuff even faster, and then by the time LC came out there were no new toys just odds and ends. I know Indy was an unknown back when Raiders first came out, but I was always puzzled with the lack of interest in Indiana Jones toys from there on out. I grew up in the 80's so I scrambled to get my hands on that stuff whenever I saw something on the shelf, and now kids today are getting hooked up big time, with a toyline covering all the films that many of them have most likely never seen!

So what gives? Why did some of the biggest films of the 80's, from the same creator as the Star Wars films, do so poorly as a toyline? Also, do any of you who grew up with the old toys feel a bit jaded :mad: that we got the shaft back in the day, and now kids today get the stuff we only dreamed of ( a full line of ToD and LC toys)?

What are your thoughts?
 
Arab Swordsman

Arab Swordsman

Active member
It might be because of the violence many kids weren't able to see the movies and had no clue about the toys where as the Star Wars movies had more cartoon violence making them seem less violent to parents. If you can't reach your target market (children) you won't sell much product.

Plus the toy industry is actually geared a lot more towards adults now than the 80s. Adults who were kids in the 80s now have the money to buy many of the toys that are out now so the market is much better today. Good discussion topic.
 
IndySeven

IndySeven

New member
deckard24 said:
Back in the 80's the original Indy toy lines did not do that well at all, now with KotCS about to hit theaters, Lucasfilm looks to be carrying out a massive toy and merchandise campaign on a scale rivalling a Star Wars film. The toys for RotLA came and went back in the day, the ToD stuff even faster, and then by the time LC came out there were no new toys just odds and ends. I know Indy was an unknown back when Raiders first came out, but I was always puzzled with the lack of interest in Indiana Jones toys from there on out. I grew up in the 80's so I scrambled to get my hands on that stuff whenever I saw something on the shelf, and now kids today are getting hooked up big time, with a toyline covering all the films that many of them have most likely never seen!

So what gives? Why did some of the biggest films of the 80's, from the same creator as the Star Wars films, do so poorly as a toyline? Also, do any of you who grew up with the old toys feel a bit jaded :mad: that we got the shaft back in the day, and now kids today get the stuff we only dreamed of ( a full line of ToD and LC toys)?

What are your thoughts?
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Many kids haven't seen the Indy films? Most kids that I know that are younger than I am have seen the film with the guy in the fedora running from a big boulder.:)


Anyway, it would've been great if Kenner released a toyline for LC when it came out. Some figures, vehicles, and maybe even a zeppelin would've been great.(y)
 
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fixer79

New member
Good question, Deckard...
But not an easy one to answer, I think...

Maybe Star Wars did a lot better because it had a lot of exotic and colorful
characters that appealed more to kids than the tan and brown Indy figures...
Also, Star Wars had a lot more main characters than Indy... You had Luke, Chewie, Han, Leia, Vader, 3-PO and R2... Indiana jones is pretty much the only main character in the movies...
Maybe the kids back then were satisfied if they had the Indy figure (which I'm sure sold well)and didn't really care about getting figures such as Belloq or
The Cairo swordsman...

Still... that's probably not the main reason...

I think the main reason was the massive action figure competition in the eighties... The shelves were full of appealing toylines back then...
It was less dramatic when the first Raiders figures were released, but by the time Temple of Doom figures came around, they got slaughterd by the likes of He-Man and his 'Masters of the Universe'...

Anyway... those competitive days are over now... At least out here in Belgium... There isn't any decent action figure line out here anymore. The Masters of the Universe revival came and went... and even Star Wars is doing rather poorly...
Let's hope the upcoming Indy line does better than it did more than twenty years ago...
 
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tnswman

New member
Over the years, this has been debated to the point that the Agreed on result is that the lack of the Indiana Jones character figure in the stores was the main reason why the other figues did not sell.

Most cases came with only 1 or 2 Indy figures while the lesser Characters were packed as high as 4 each.

When all of the Indy figures were bought, that left a TON of secondary characters.

Kids opted NOT to buy the lesser figures since they could not obtain the MAIN FIGURE from the line.

For a while, The Indy line sold VERY well. It is HIGHLY regarded as one of the best Action figure lines EVER. However, Kenner made far too few actual Indy figures to meet the demand. As a result, the line died.

If you look back at the Catalogue offerings though, The Penny's and Montgomery Ward 4 packs each sold out very quickly.

The basic point is that kids and collectors WANT and NEED the ACTUAL Indiana Jones figure. The new trend is to make EVERY wave contain a basic version of the main character. Look at Star Wars. You can ALWAYS find a Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker on the shelves. ALWAYS!

The same for Gi Joe...There is ALWAYS a Snake-eyes / Storm shadow.

This allows for new collectors to buy into the line. Let's face it, after we have bought each of the figures and toys, we are no longer any good to hasbro UNTIL the next wave hits. They need to make sure the new buyers have the appropriate chance to buy the main character which will breed the consideration of buying the remaining characters from the wave.

To be honest, Hasbro should consider packing Indy to at LEAST 4 per case in the initial waves until there is a constant supply of Indy's on the pegs. This will be done by offering 2 different Indy figures per wave.

There is your answer.
 
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oki9Sedo

New member
tnswman said:
Over the years, this has been debated to the point that the Agreed on result is that the lack of the Indiana Jones character figure in the stores was the main reason why the other figues did not sell.

Most cases came with only 1 or 2 Indy figures while the lesser Characters were packed as high as 4 each.

When all of the Indy figures were bought, that left a TON of secondary characters.

Kids opted NOT to buy the lesser figures since they could not obtain the MAIN FIGURE from the line.

For a while, The Indy line sold VERY well. It is HIGHLY regarded as one of the best Action figure lines EVER. However, Kenner made far too few actual Indy figures to meet the demand. As a result, the line died.

If you look back at the Catalogue offerings though, The Penny's and Montgomery Ward 4 packs each sold out very quickly.

The basic point is that kids and collectors WANT and NEED the ACTUAL Indiana Jones figure. The new trend is to make EVERY wave contain a basic version of the main character. Look at Star Wars. You can ALWAYS find a Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker on the shelves. ALWAYS!

The same for Gi Joe...There is ALWAYS a Snake-eyes / Storm shadow.

This allows for new collectors to buy into the line. Let's face it, after we have bought each of the figures and toys, we are no longer any good to hasbro UNTIL the next wave hits. They need to make sure the new buyers have the appropriate chance to buy the main character which will breed the consideration of buying the remaining characters from the wave.

To be honest, Hasbro should consider packing Indy to at LEAST 4 per case in the initial waves until there is a constant supply of Indy's on the pegs. This will be done by offering 2 different Indy figures per wave.

There is your answer.
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There's little point buying the Germanic mechanic figure if you don't have an Indy figure to play out the fight!
 
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oki9Sedo

New member
tnswman said:
BINGO!! Which is EXACTLY what happened.. Also with the TOD line.. Indy was IMPOSSIBLE to find.
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Thats really quite ridiculous....I'm sure I would have loved playing with the Thuggee slavemaster or Mola Ram, but not without Indy.
 
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tnswman

New member
oki9Sedo said:
Thats really quite ridiculous....I'm sure I would have loved playing with the Thuggee slavemaster or Mola Ram, but not without Indy.
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What is Ridiculous about it? The TOD Indy really was VERY hard to find. Generally, al lthe stores had in stock were a few Giant Thuggee figures. I know, I was there when it happened. Both for TOD and the ENTIRE Kenner toy line.
 
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oki9Sedo

New member
tnswman said:
What is Ridiculous about it? The TOD Indy really was VERY hard to find. Generally, al lthe stores had in stock were a few Giant Thuggee figures. I know, I was there when it happened. Both for TOD and the ENTIRE Kenner toy line.
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Sorry, either I was unclear or you misinterpreted what I meant - I meant the fact that Kenner released so few Indy figures was ridiculous, not that your statement about them not releasing Indy toys was ridiculous.
 
Vlad Dracula

Vlad Dracula

New member
Kenner

Terrible case assortments. I still remember the frustation of combing through literally stacks and stacks of Toht and Cairo Swordsman looking for Indy and Marion.

LJN

The Temple of Doom figures were a PAIN to find. The only store I found that even carried them was Ward's and they only seemed to get one case of them. I spent MONTHS looking for Shorty and Willie only to learn years later they weren't released.
 
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deckard24

New member
Good points you guys!

It's true the Indy figure was always near impossible to find back in the day! This coupled with the lack of exciting secondary characters ie. a Han Solo. Chewbacca, or Boba Fett most likely sunk the line. An Arab swordsman or Toht were not the most exciting figures to play with as a kid. LOL!

As for being a bit jaded, I know I am! I would have killed for a full ToD or LC line! By 1985 the Star Wars lines popularity was waning with their Power of the Force figures, which is probably why Kenner chose not to release an LC line.(n) Now all these young kids get to have a new movie, and a massive toyline for all 4 films...please tell me how that's fair?:mad:
 
Violet

Violet

Moderator Emeritus
Alright, you want to know what's really not fair? I was born too late for the original figures (born in '88) and now I'm too old to play with figures now being released with the movie! So be grateful if you were around when Raiders came out and you were a kid and got to have a least one figure. Besides, the only figure I'll buy as a collector's item will be Marion. At least, she actually looks like a chick this time around. And I don't have much space, so I have to accommodate. Besides I want to buy the Ark lego set more so.
 
metalinvader

metalinvader

Well-known member
Violet Indy said:
Alright, you want to know what's really not fair? I was born too late for the original figures (born in '88) and now I'm too old to play with figures now being released with the movie! So be grateful if you were around when Raiders came out and you were a kid and got to have a least one figure. Besides, the only figure I'll buy as a collector's item will be Marion. At least, she actually looks like a chick this time around. And I don't have much space, so I have to accommodate. Besides I want to buy the Ark lego set more so.
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You are never to old to 'play' with figures!:p

You know as well as I do that you will buy an Indy to go along with Marion!She would look to lonely with out him!
 
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deckard24

New member
Violet Indy said:
Alright, you want to know what's really not fair? I was born too late for the original figures (born in '88) and now I'm too old to play with figures now being released with the movie! So be grateful if you were around when Raiders came out and you were a kid and got to have a least one figure. Besides, the only figure I'll buy as a collector's item will be Marion. At least, she actually looks like a chick this time around. And I don't have much space, so I have to accommodate. Besides I want to buy the Ark lego set more so.
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LOL! Yeah Marion does look a little more feminine this time around. It'll be interesting to see if Sideshow makes a 12'' Marion to go with Indy?
 
Violet

Violet

Moderator Emeritus
metalinvader said:
You are never to old to 'play' with figures!:p

You know as well as I do that you will buy an Indy to go along with Marion!She would look to lonely with out him!
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Yeah, I'm too old. A nearly 20 year old chick playing with Indy or any action figures isn't really attractive to fellas. Yeah, I suppose you're right. I can't have Marion lonely now, can I? But, that's all I'm buying. And one of those Adventure Heroes pack too. They're so cute!

deckard24 said:
LOL! Yeah Marion does look a little more feminine this time around. It'll be interesting to see if Sideshow makes a 12'' Marion to go with Indy?
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Probably not. But if they do, you know who'll be first in line the day that happens.
 
metalinvader

metalinvader

Well-known member
Violet Indy said:
But, that's all I'm buying. And one of those Adventure Heroes pack too. They're so cute!
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One figure turns into two,Two figures turns into three,Three figures turns into 150...

You'll turn into a rabid Indy figure collector like the rest of us!;) :p
 
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deckard24

New member
metalinvader said:
One figure turns into two,Two figures turns into three,Three figures turns into 150...

You'll turn into a rabid Indy figure collector like the rest of us!;) :p
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LOL! This is so true!

I've been setting limits all along as KotCS approaches, like I'll just get one Indy action figure, the Sideshow edition, the poster, and a couple of the new books! Yeah we'll see how long that lasts.;)
 
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