Diamond Select Toys provided the next round of Ask DST with answers for brands including Aliens and Marvel Minimates; Muppets, Gotham and X-Files action figures; Godzilla and Universal Monsters banks; Lost in Spaceand more.
Read on for DSTChuck’s responses, submit your own question using the form above, or e-mail us!
Mister PL.
I just saw the second series of TRU Aliens Minimates are they look terrific. Please keep switching up the tampos on the battle-damaged xenomorphs so they don’t all look identical with each new release. The variety of blood splatter is great.Have you considered using fluorescent paint apps on Minimates where appropriate? Alien and Predator blood seem like a good place to try it.
DSTChuck: We have tried to use fluorescent paint in the past, but the effect was less than successful. And fluorescents do not appear in most studio color guides. But we have not ruled them out if they might make sense in the future.
Damon K.
Hi I’m a huge marvel Minimates fan and especially when it comes to your iron man releases. My question is from iron masn 2 and 3 there were great armors that weren’t made into Minimates like the Whiplash mark 2 armor, deep space armor, igor armor, stealth armor/ hyper-velocity armor, shotgun armor, striker armor, gamma armor, tank armor, sneaky armor, and hammer armor. Will you ever consider making these into figures I know I’m not alone in wanting to complete a Minimates hall of armor?
DSTChuck: For the most part we are not able to go backwards with the movies. When we start a line plan, all we have to go on is a story treatment. Sometime down the road, in most cases, we read a script (which is far from final), and we then have to ask for reference from the studio, which is not always available. Based on that, I think there will always be gaps, but we try our best.
Mike X.
I just wanted to let you know that I purchased series one of your Muppets action figures and I think they are GREAT! I collected the old Palisades series and I see the changes and improvements you went for and appreciate them! This is a fun line, with good sculpts! I think the size is a good choice and I hope to see bigger characters (Sweetums, Doglion, Thog) worked into the line! Keep up the great work. The tiniest thing I would ask to improve is that characters with small accessories to attach (like Scooter’s glasses and Fozzie’s hat) have a way to stay on the figure better (be it glue, clip on, or magnet (I will say the rubber band does work well, I just hope it doesn’t ever break!!). But that’s a small suggestion. Thank you for making these and please continue to make Muppet figures! I hope to see this line produce many different characters! To all that work at Diamond Select- thanks for the excellent work.
DSTChuck: That is absolutely something we will try and keep in mind. It is VERY hard now to do magnets, there are all sorts of issues with safety, so we try to stay away from that if we can help it. We have sculpted and planned 4 series right now. If those sell well, then we’re happy to keep going, and we have not ruled out doing larger figures.
Israel C.
Hello again sorry for such a late response how do you get the license for such things I’m curious to how it works?
DSTChuck: It really can happen many different ways. Sometimes a studio we work with will call us with a new property and see if we are interested in working on the new property. Sometimes we see something we like and we call the studio or publisher. It can even happen that someone we worked with in the past will recommend us to a new studio for a certain project.
Dennis H.
Beautiful Lost in Space robots! Just ordered your new Golden Boy B9 edition. Wish you would make remote control version like 1998 Trendmaster versions 10″ and 24″. Also would like your version of Robby Robot. I have the Trendmaster version.
DSTChuck: I do not think there are any plans to get into remote control, but we are looking at a couple more robots that we think would be very cool.
Robert S.
can you guys make a creepypasta toyline?
DSTChuck: Sorry, no plans at this time.
Thomas C.
future suggestions/requests for upcoming figure banks: King Ghidorah 1972, King Caesar 1974, Hedorah 1971, Megalon 1973, Godzilla 1964, Godzilla 1968, Godzilla 1985
DSTChuck: We are hoping to continue the Godzilla bank line, but while we have a few ideas nothing is set yet.
Daman M.
Hello,I was wondering if you could tell me if you have any plans on bringing out a Dracula bust bank to match the rest of the universal monsters?Thanks
DSTChuck: At this time we have no new plans for Universal Monsters products. We’ll see if that changes in the future.
Joshua R.
I would really love to see one of those figure banks for the monster from Cloverfield. There isn’t much merchandise of that character and I, along with many other kaiju fans, would love to see it on our shelves. Is there any hope?
DSTChuck: We have no plans at this time to make products for Cloverfield – sorry.
Enrique G.
Hey guys!If you haven’t heard, Nickelodeon and Paramount said they were making a movie featuring all of the old, great 90’s Nickelodeon cartoons such as Rugrats, Doug, Catdog, Ren & Stimpy, etc.Here’s a link stating some of the news http://www.slashfilm.com/nicktoons-movie/Any chance we can get some Nicktoons Select figures? They made some for Jazwares about 4 years ago but they fell apart and were generally hated by everyone for the poor quality and Diamond Select DOES NOT do poor quality. You guys are awesome. Keep up the great work. I love the Muppets figures…so hooked on those. Well one more question I had is if we can get dioramas or playsets from Diamond Select? We as adult collectors are tired of having to go into the girls dollhouse aisle to look for things to display our action figures in. It’s a big void in the action figure marketplace that hasn’t been filled since the Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Palisades toys days in the early 2000’s.
DSTChuck: I think we have a good relationship with Nick, so who knows what the future holds with them. Glad you like the Muppets, but we have no plans right now to make diorama pieces, sorry.
Tonya O.
I’m liking the Muppets line so far, but I’d really like some characters that Palisades Toys hadn’t done yet (besides Bean Bunny). Are there any plans for characters like Big Mean Carl or Yolanda from the current Muppets TV show, Muppets Tonight characters like Sal, or Walter from the newest Muppet movies? I’m really liking what we’ve seen so far, but it feels kind of stale to just get remakes of Palisades’ Muppets in a smaller size when there are a lot of recognizable characters still to be done. Thank you!
DSTChuck: While the Palisades lines is very cool, we are really not looking there to fill gaps. Truth be told, I was not even aware that they had not done Bean when I started to line plan. I just thought it would be a very cool accesory. We have four series planned and would love nothing more than to keep this line going – as you say, there are tons more we can do. I don’t think we’re ready yet to announce the rest of the figures we have planned, but I am sure we will soon.
Frank R.
I like to see a 7 inch marshmallow covered Ray stanz ghostbusters figure and Jordan charneys character from the 1984 movie I hope you could forward this request to the company I would get these figures.
DSTChuck: We do have a Marshmallow Ray set up as a possible exclusive for a retailer, so hopefully you will see that out there soon.
Mister P.L.
The solicitation for the Aliens Minimates Deluxe APC has me wondering; are there any plans to offer an APC or Dropship (or any other Alien vehicles) in your electronic vehicle line? A Narcissus with lights and sounds could be pretty cool, too.
DSTChuck: It has been tossed around, but nothing is locked in development at this moment.
Roddy D.
Hey, would you guys consider getting the license for Rick and Morty? Seems like it would be up your alley.
DSTChuck: Sorry, no plans at this time.
Ryan S.
Hello, is there a chance that there will ever be a proper line of Godzilla select figures? Because, other than expensive Japanese imports there are hardly any options. Even so, they seem to just be focused on the big G himself and none of his foes unless you’re talking about those imports again.
DSTChuck: Sorry, but the rights to Godzilla action figures are not available to us.
Mike W.
I was wondering if you have any updated info on the upcoming X-Files Select figures? I’m really curious to see how the bases look. Also, any word on future releases beyond the two announced figures? I’m glad to see DST got the figure license to my all-time favorite show! I’d love to see “classic” Mulder and Scully figures (with flashlights and massive 90s cellphones of course)! Thanks for taking the time to answer questions!
DSTChuck: There should be base pictures out there now. If not, I will see about DSTZach posting some. We would love nothing more than to do some classic X-Files figures. Time will tell.
Frankie C.
Hi, just wanted to know if you have any plans of doing lost in space figures like the star trek figures, please let me know. THANK YOU
DSTChuck: I am sorry, but we are not allowed to make LiS action figures at this time.
Matt X.
Hi, I was wondering if Diamond Select was going to be doing figures for Season 2 of Gotham; specifically one for Azrael? Thanks in advance! Matthew (Webmaster of AzraelOnline.net)
DSTChuck: Matt, I don’t think we’re ready to say yet, BUT Series 4 of Gotham will very much focus on the back half of Season 2 of the show.