@panthercult It definitely seems like they're ditching the electronics in all their upcoming stuff (though I bet their version of KITT will have some for obvious reasons). And that's the common denominator in all the most expensive 1/12 vehicles. I'm like you, I don't need it in there and will happily take just the base without it. But I get why everyone was adding them initially as it's sort of more a toy photographer feature.
I think Ramen's more likely to do a paired down version of the car than Hasbro. Big corporations tend to take very broad lessons from these things. On some level I worry the lesson learned is that they shouldn't be bothering with vehicles outside of the Joe lines. I think they're already done with oversized figures beyond the new Dragon Man model (though of course they'd never say that outright).
You are probably right about Hasbro - not because of the lesson learned but because of the economics of it all. First and foremost vehicles make more sense in Joe than they do in Marvel in general. Normal humans need vehicles to get around - many (most) superheroes don't. Second, Hasbro pays no licensing fees for Joe product that they do have to build in for Marvel product. But third, and likely the most important of all - there is built in, planned re-use for the retail releases of Joe vehicles. Every vehicle released in the Joe line so far has been re-released in some other paint-job or other already. The ability to re-use the tooling and molds means the initial investment pays off more over time.
If Hasbro were to invest in a HellCharger - even stripped down without electronics and constructed with fewer internal move parts and less metal and more plastic - the reality is it's still probably a one and done release. They can't reuse the car for someone else in the future. And for that reason they have to recoup all the costs and make all the profit up front - meaning the price has to be higher. That means fewer sales which ultimately makes it a bad idea.
So I guess here's me hoping Ramen circles back and releases a more stripped down version of the Inferno car without the moving gear shift and electronics that runs like $100 cheaper.
@panthercult I think if the EOV had gotten as much traction as, say, Galactus, Hasbro would be more likely to keep going with other ML vehicle offerings, even if they were unique, but you're right that the economics of it make it waaaaay more practical for the Joe stuff than anything else. The only vehicle I think they could reuse for ML would be something like a Quinjet, because you could dress it up other ways to be like a HYDRA dropship or something if you wanted. The EOV they could potentially have redone as Blade's car, that's the route Ramen made sure they covered (as well as it doubling for Fast and Furious fans).
It was always strange to me the vehicles they chose for Star Wars too. Snowspeeder made sense, but they did the new Tie-Fighter over the classic one, and then I think the only other vehicles we got were speeders in one form or another. I kept expecting an A-Wing since they're small enough to work at scale. Missed opportunities.
I think they're already done with oversized figures beyond the new Dragon Man model
How do you mean?
I'm sure there's also a reluctance to release a cheaper version of a HasLab that doesn't fund. That would just discourage future backings from people who think they can wait for, I dunno, a Rancor without a cardboard backdrop. Okay, not a great fer instance, but you get me point.
@fletch I mean we won't be getting another Haslab like Galactus, Giant Man, or the Sentinel. The Dragon Man model of a limited pre-order for something smaller, maybe, but I think those huge figures are basically done.
I'm sure there's also a reluctance to release a cheaper version of a HasLab that doesn't fund. That would just discourage future backings from people who think they can wait for, I dunno, a Rancor without a cardboard backdrop. Okay, not a great fer instance, but you get me point.
Yep, 100% agree. There's no incentive for a company like Hasbro to take a second run at it. That can work for smaller outfits without shareholders to worry about.
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