Ah. Well, they have the pliers up for preorder, and they don't seem to parts form at all.  

 

Hey, all.

Don't know if I'm asking in the correct place or not, fairly new listener to the pod. Thanks to the pod, and some YouTube personalities, I've finally started reading the IDW Collections which I'm enjoying quite a bit.

I was wondering, are there any episodes in particular where you discuss the comics? Preferably in the "Collection" chunks or something similar so I can follow along without spoilers. If not, would you guys consider reviewing the Collections, or would that be too much of a time sink?

Reading my question, I understand it's kind of asking a lot if those episodes don't already exist. I really want to hear some peeps shoot the shit about these books though.

 

We used to have the WTF Book Club, but that hasn't been updated in a while, the hosts have talked about wanting bring it back but haven't due to time restraints and so on; since then most comic discussion has been sporadic and within regular episodes. Perhaps with the IDW continuity having just ended Vangelus and the others could have a discussion on the Unicron event or a sort of retrospective on the IDW comics as whole?

 

It's funny that I listen to this episode on the day the rumor of MP Prime Version 3 price hit. I agree that MP's should be a higher price. You're paying for something really solid. If the Prime price rumor is true, that hurts. I would have trouble spending that on any MP figure. I'm not saying it's outrageous, just personally I have trouble with that price. Again, it's a rumor, so it might end up being a lot cheaper.
Great episode as always, otherwise!

 

I have to say I disagree pretty strongly with the sentiments expressed here about the pricing of recent Takara masterpiece figures. This notion of, “Well they give you enough time to save up.” Doesn’t sit great with me. I am not being accusatory here. As if to say, “How dare you” because that be silly. I’m not saying that this issue can’t have multiple view points but from my perspective I don’t really understand that idea. Just because I have saved money does not mean I have made more of it. I may have more in the bank at this moment but my financial responsibilities, needs, and wants have not changed. The amount of money that Takara has asked of me to budget for has not changed. Saving money does not suddenly bring the figure into my price range.

It’s not as though I’ve never had to tighten my belt before either. Ive had car repairs and doctor’s bills come at the worst possible time and had to make sure I had the money. I’ve had to save money for long periods of time as well to afford moving into better places and so on. I have spent weeks living on ramen in my past in order to keep up with life and it’s hurtles. I am not interested in turning my luxury consumer good into a hurtle. Especially if it is only one item. I don’t think it’s Takara’s place to tell me to tighten my belt and honestly I don’t think they are. I’m not sure how much average consumer budget comes into this but as much I don’t owe them my business they don’t really owe me the price range I can afford. So at the end of the day they will do what they like. It still sucks though.

I also don’t think it can all be hand waved away with, “Its just not for you.” Really? This Transformer product is not in fact for Transformers fans? I look at my wall with the shelf of previous MPs and think... Really? Not for me? Not for a fan of Beast Wars who drooled over the Dinobot pics? I disagree, this was 100% was for me whether I can afford it or not does not mean this product wasn’t intended for me. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy having it. I’m not even asking for it to be $80 I sort of get that argument. But why not $180? I understood the price for MP Megatron and the unfortunate process of shipping something like a firearm overseas. But I don’t see it for these other products.

I don’t see where the $250 is and judging from pictures of Megatron and Optimus I REALLY don’t see where the $320 and $550 is. Maybe it’s all there, I don’t honestly know. And Takara once again does not owe me its’ cost benefit analysis as it is literally not my place to ask for it. But minus that all I have to go on is the products gut impressions and personal opinion. Given that the prices seem ludicrous to me.

I’m trying I swear. I’m really trying to see how so many people can be so blasé about it. I also want to make it clear this is not accusatory, but Cheetor was $75 and then we jump up to $250 followed by $320... that’s a dramatic increase. I even remember on this podcast the crew joking about how Dinobot surely couldn’t be that expensive. It’s bizarre to think how some people just eventually swallowed the pill. Now we have an Optimus at $550?

It sucks to be priced out of a line I genuinely enjoyed. That I looked forward to and was excited about. That now can’t be fit into my budget and no longer seems worth what it’s asking of me. I could go for a $180 Dinobot or $220 Megatron but this is just too much and I don’t think I’m out of my ballpark to say, “Yes it should be cheaper.” I understand why SHOULD is a strong word and at the end of the day the megacorp can do as it likes, but yea I do think it should still be in a price range where those that had been invested can still be so, and those that continued can do so without tightening their finances. Heck I feel bad for the people who were already doing so at the previous price point. Those people are screwed royalely from this product. I think it’s ok for me to say I should still be in this.

End of the day it’s all toys and self indulgence. There is no moral high ground here and I’m just sharing my apposing viewpoint. I’m just really disappointed I have been priced out of this line. It’s agirvating and extremely frustrating especially since you can do very little to change it. Maybe wait for a sale to happen down the road and I’m ok with that, but also not ok with that. I liked being able to support the product I wanted more of. I don’t think “voting with my wallet” will cause any ripples either so the only thing I can have any control over is complaining about it. Voicing my grievances and yelling at the ether because I know Takara isn’t listening. Can I and others like me at least have that? Can we at least be disappointed without having to hear, “Well if you just saved up! What are you complaining about?” Come on buddy let me have this. As long as I’m not trying to make you feel bad for buying the product, which would be profoundly mean spirited and stupid of any person to do to you, can’t I be upset stuff is out of my price range? End of rant and my apologies for the novel.

 

If I recall correctly, part of the Dreamwave Volume 3 argument was that the writers intended to use their ideas/concepts in future (non-TF) work. Who knows, maybe that story is out there. They sure didn't make a name for themselves writing it, though.

 

No worries. Again it's all toys so the idea of pointing my finger at you or anybody and saying, "How dare you!" is quite ludicrous. There is plenty of room for different opinions on the subject. I also 100% understand the frustration of having to deal with conversation poisoning. Hopefully none of what I brought to the table felt that way. I'd like to think it was at least some what competent and open minded lol. I think it's important to exercise restraint and to not buy ALL OF THE THINGS!!! So I'm content if not saddened by not owning those figures.

I completely mispoke about MP-44 as it's $450. I had misread the email from BBTS telling me about new preorders up. Still crazy to me personally, but not what I had said it was. Sorry about that. Also yea I think with time and patience the old adage of 'good things come to those who wait' usually proves true. Again it comes down to not having needed to do that before and being disappointed in the new situation. Which yea the sun is going to rise over at some point and how much will it effect my life? Maybe 0.01% I certainly don't it's worth screaming at Takara over.

I also agree it does all come down to "what-I-want". I mean it's all luxury consumer goods so it's all about what I want, you want or what anybody wants. It's the name of the game essentially. Thankfully we aren't talking about something anybody needs it be a completely different discussion that way. However, I also agree that just because this whole thing is based on personal desire that doesn't entitle me or anybody to our desires. It doesn't mean I should just have all the things because I want them.

What may be the main reason our opinions differ is a philosophical understanding of the word "should" and how it may mean something vastly different to me than yourself and at that point we are just arguing semantics. I imagine we agree on more than we disagree on. I respect your opinion and think there is valid point to it even if I don't agree with it fully. Thank you for your response.

On a side note absolutely love the She-Ra cartoon. It's pretty darn good and I'm pretty much in love with the MOTU line. I don't really like classics as it turns out with the exception of maybe five figures. I think I just really like a good gimmick and most of the original and 200x line had those in spades while Classics seems to be missing that.