Thundercats Classics Minimates (Diamond Select)

Thundercats Classics Minimates
Diamond Select
2012 - 2013

Minimates are something we jumped on the bandwagon way to late for. By the time we realized they were something we were interested in, a vast amount of them had already come and gone, and were showing massive increases in value on secondary markets - In short, we didn't buy many, which is why you don't see to many posts around here on the subject. In fact, this is only the second post we've done on Minimates to date.

There's not much we can say about the Thundercats cartoon that we haven't already touched on in our original LJN series review. So, we'll just jump right into the toys.

Minimates are a block style action figure (or vehicle) which was originally produced by Art Asylum. Though Art Asylum handled the concept well, it wasn't until Diamond Select took over that development/production really ramped up to the point you have so many vast series today - One of which is Thundercats.

The Thundercats Classics Minimates line started in 2012 with the San Diego Comic Con exclusive set which featured Lion-O, Panthro, Spirit of Jaga, Mumm-Ra and Snarf. Disappointingly to fans, this would end up being the only way to obtain these particular figures as they were never released in retail stores.

 Set 1 - San Diego Comic Con 2012 Exclusive

Sets two through three were released as a retail sets, though most retailers, with the exception of Toys R' Us, didn't carry them. Instead, these could be found at specialty shops - Such as local comic book and hobby stores (that ordered them).

 Set 2

 Set 3

Set four was yet another San Diego Comic Con exclusive. It was if Diamond was telling people, "If you want Lion-O or Mumm-Ra, you better come to SDCC."

 Set 4 - San Diego Comic Con 2013

Thundercats Hooo! was the last set of Minimates released in the series. Much like sets two and three, it was released mainly at Toys R' Us and specialty shops.

Thundercats Hooo! Set

On average, the retail sets will set you back about twenty to thirty dollars. However, to nab the SDCC sets, you're going to pay around $70.00 for the 2013 set, and anywhere from $130.00 to $150.00 for the 2012 set - Ouch.

Join us next time when we take a look at Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids!

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The Expendables and The Expendables 2 MiniMates (Diamond Select)

The Expendables MiniMates
Diamond Select
2012

The Expendables was a dream come true film for action movie fans of the 80's and 90's. Where else would you get Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Mickey Rourke all at the same time? Throw on top of that wrestling superstars Randy Coutoure and Steve Austin, and the film only rounds out even further. However, even if that wasn't enough, toss in a couple cameos from the likes of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now what kind of movie do you have going on?

Okay, cast aside, the film received mixed reviews praising it for its action sequences, but condemning it for its paper thin story. When you pull it apart, the film was what it was expected to be - An outing of our favorite action stars of yesterday all under one roof. Did it really plan on being anything more than that? Probably not. It was probably sold on actors alone.

Despite the power house cast, toy companies didn't seem to interested in marketing products to coincide with the film. MiniMates produced an incredibly small batch of tiny figures based on a few of the characters, however out of the two sets produced, one was a Toys R' Us exclusive.

Pack 1 with Lee Christmas, Hale Caesar, Mr. Church and Tool

Pack 2 (Toys R' Us Exclusive) with Paine, James Munroe, Barney Ross and Trent Mauser

The Expendables 2
MiniMates
2012

Expendables 2 upped the anit with the returning cast of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren by also throwing in Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and full inclusion from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Once again critics praised the cast, and tore the plot and dialog to shreds.

MiniMates once again followed up with two packs of figures, with one again being a Toys R' Us exclusive.

Pack 1 with Yin Yang, Toll Road, Gunner Jenssen and Jean Vilain

Pack 2 with Barney Ross, Mr. Church, Booker and Trench

A third Expendables film was released in August of 2014, but its box office profits were far from what the prior films saw. Regardless, a fourth film is rumored to be in the works.

 

These days it's not difficult to find any of the packs above, and with each set ranging between five dollars and ten dollars, it's also not difficult to grab them all at a reasonable price. Whether prices stay this low for the foreseeable future is another story.

 

Join us next time when we take a look at The Fall Guy!

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