SDCC 2018 LEGO Minifigure Predictions

Pitfall69

I totally understand everyone's frustration about the SDCC sets and Minifigures. I love the exclusivity of the items, but I don't like the aftermarket prices, but that's the cost you have to pay if you want one. It is no different than buying a car or a home; not everyone can afford the car or home they want. I drove a piece of crap, stopped eating out and hardly bought any LEGO for 3 years so I could save up to buy my dream car. SDCC exclusives are far less expensive; believe me ;)

Anyway, SDCC Exclusives aren't any different than any other exclusives that command high prices. 

playwell

^^ And...

Last year was cool, this year its less so because its the same again. Would much rather have a comic x-men set with Xavier, Deadpool and Beast.

And where's my Howard the Duck?

SumoLego

You mean I can't get a highly exclusive item that is sought-after by many with limited production at the same price of a ubiquitous item available in multiple locations that nobody wants?

Pish posh!

Mattyodell

I think this is what these exclusives should be like, minor left-field characters or variants.

Still salty from Spiderwoman and Phoenix.  

vwong19

Mattyodell said:

I think this is what these exclusives should be like, minor left-field characters or variants.

Still salty from Spiderwoman and Phoenix.  

Lego did produce a Spiderwoman variant.

vwong19

Unless there are only 100 of these given away, this will be mine...

It will be interesting to see how the eBay supply is effected this year with the change in distribution.

Umandraug

vwong19 said:

Mattyodell said:

I think this is what these exclusives should be like, minor left-field characters or variants.

Still salty from Spiderwoman and Phoenix.  

Lego did produce a Spiderwoman variant.

That version was a clone of Peter Parker, so I’m not sure she counts.

Russell844

Missed opportunity. Bob Ross Deadpool. 'Nuff said.

vwong19

There’s always next year. Hard to find a open collar white shirt.

Kaitch

That looks like a Han Solo body.

SumoLego

Han Lando Deadpool... 

Mattyodell

Umandraug said:

vwong19 said:

Mattyodell said:

I think this is what these exclusives should be like, minor left-field characters or variants.

Still salty from Spiderwoman and Phoenix.  

Lego did produce a Spiderwoman variant.

That version was a clone of Peter Parker, so I’m not sure she counts.

Needs to be my girl Jessica Drew!

Gooker1

As many have guessed...the DC minifigure is based on one of their shows on the WB.  

it's Black Lightning.

https://sdccblog.com/2018/07/lego-san-diego-comic-con-2018-exclusives/

ReesesPieces

Never watched the show but I like the black lightning figure.  

samiam391

SumoLego

That's a nice figure.  Thankfully, I don't collect these DC Universe characters.

(If they even think to start doing Marvel Netflix Television characters - then I'm in trouble!)

Pitfall69

SumoLego said:

That's a nice figure.  Thankfully, I don't collect these DC Universe characters.

(If they even think to start doing Marvel Netflix Television characters - then I'm in trouble!)

Me too, but there is way too much violence, blood and sex in the Netflix Series, so we are safe :)

wardm

I really didn't like the Black Lightning tv series, but the figure is cool! Why are alle the awesome characters like atom, vixen, arsenal SDCC exclusives? :( Why can't they just make a ridiculous batman variant or something? (like they did with deadpool) 

mh3490

Been there done that batman zur en ah

mattytreks

mh3490 said:

Been there done that batman zur en ah

And might I add, the 2014 exclusive Batman of Zur-en-arrh stands as one of the greatest SDCC minifigures ever.

Kaitch

It is fairly incredible.

CCC

It would be great if they did a toy collector (along the lines of Steve Carell in 40 Year Old Virgin, Al from Toy Story, Comic Book Guy, Stuart from BBT, etc) and on the packaging wrote "Mint in Box. Don't open. You'll destroy the value."

maniac

Gooker1

I'm sorta surprised but also not surprised they did a Uni-Kitty.  Just annoyed b/c we had one of her from a few years ago.  Oh well.  With my luck, that's they one lotto I win. lol

Kaitch

Question. Is there much resale of non-MISB ComiCon minfigs?

Gooker1

Kaitch said:

Question. Is there much resale of non-MISB ComiCon minfigs?

As long as it's not a fake and you still have the packaging, there's a market.

Kaitch

I don't doubt that there IS a market, just how much of one, where it's hottest etc. I'm looking to buy, hopefully for less that $300 a pop. I get why it's expensive, just hoping a lack of mint-ness would bring the price down.

Bumblepants

Problem is anyone who opens one is probably doing that to play or moc with and has no plans to sell it on.

mattytreks

LEGO possesses a palette of hundreds (or likely thousands) of characters from which to select for their San Diego Comic-Con exclusives.

Having said that...how we end up with two Uni-Kitty minifigures in four years (2014, 2018), two Captain America-related minifigures in consecutive years (2015, 2016), and two Deadpool-related minifigures in consecutive years (2017, 2018), is beyond comprehension.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯  ...rant over.

Lyichir

mattytreks said:

LEGO possesses a palette of hundreds (or likely thousands) of characters from which to select for their San Diego Comic-Con exclusives.

Having said that...how we end up with two Uni-Kitty minifigures in four years (2014, 2018), two Captain America-related minifigures in consecutive years (2015, 2016), and two Deadpool-related minifigures in consecutive years (2017, 2018), is beyond comprehension.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯  ...rant over.

I think there's a pretty obvious reason: those characters proved to be popular the first time so Lego chose to follow up on them with similar ones.

Bumblepants

Unikitty is there to promote the Lego Movie in 2014 and Lego Movie 2 this time. Promoting things is what promotional items exist for in the first place.

SumoLego

I don't think the popularity of the figures has any impact on which character they choose.  LEGO makes no money off of these SDCC figures.

It's most likely an arbitrary decision made by a LEGO marketing executive with input from a Marvel or DC marketing executive actually doing the the promotional work for SDCC.

(Always remember to follow the money and asertain who benefits the most from the product!)

Lyichir

SumoLego said:

I don't think the popularity of the figures has any impact on which character they choose.  LEGO makes no money off of these SDCC figures.

It's most likely an arbitrary decision made by a LEGO marketing executive with input from a Marvel or DC marketing executive actually doing the the promotional work for SDCC.

(Always remember to follow the money and asertain who benefits the most from the product!)

With these freebie figs I am sure Lego has its finger on the pulse of their popularity—not just the demand among the Comic-Con attendees, but also press and social media reactions. The main point of these figures is to generate buzz, so I can only imagine that Lego pays attention to which figures do that more effectively and takes that into account when deciding on future giveaways.

SumoLego

I'd like to know how measure 'buzz' based on a promotional minifigure.

Switchfoot55

SumoLego said:

I'd like to know how measure 'buzz' based on a promotional minifigure.

I'm pretty sure it's measured in metric instead of imperial. 

ReesesPieces

I'm surprised its not a variation of batman for DC and of iron man for marvel every single year.  I mean, they are in pretty much 90% of the superhero sets Lego releases anyway.

Ayliffe

ReesesPieces said:

I'm surprised its not a variation of batman for DC and of iron man for marvel every single year.  I mean, they are in pretty much 90% of the superhero sets Lego releases anyway.

next year the exclusive figure will just be 57 trans-purple power blast pieces in a tub, you heard it here first lads

mattytreks

This was a solid set of SDCC releases for LEGO, across the board.

The sets, the minifigures, the AMAZING box art on both, and throw in a Voltron early release and box signing by the designers?  Oh, and did I mention a few awesome panels?

This could be LEGO's best SDCC, ever.

Baby_Yoda

^ For those who are fortunate enough to go. I just hope (and expect) the Apocalyptic Unikitty gets a standard release in some form. Though I'm sure this has been said many times before.

Shib

Of course there will be a general release set with the new Unikitty, otherwise they’d have made a new Tail piece with spikes just for this comicon exclusive. I suspect general release ones will just have different face prints.

Kaitch

^Isn't there a guy in Germany that does printed versions of stickered pieces? I suppose he could do printed copies of printed pieces. Hey presto, extras of the exclusive version. As genuine as Bricklinked kits.

CCC

mattytreks said:

Having said that...how we end up with two Uni-Kitty minifigures in four years (2014, 2018), two Captain America-related minifigures in consecutive years (2015, 2016), and two Deadpool-related minifigures in consecutive years (2017, 2018), is beyond comprehension.

I think Unikitty makes perfect sense. Any comic con figures get talked about and photos blogged all over. She is advertising TLM2 and also reminding people that there are currently Unikitty sets out there. Those guys getting her from comic con need to get all the sets to have a complete set to go with their rare one.

Deadpool is Deadpool, popular with the comic con crowd and not likely to be done in sets again. Captain America was popular a few years ago, with strong tie-ins too.

Brainslugged

Gooker1 said:

I'm sorta surprised but also not surprised they did a Uni-Kitty.  Just annoyed b/c we had one of her from a few years ago.  Oh well.  With my luck, that's they one lotto I win. lol

Well if you do win, I'll happily purchase her off you as the last SDCC Unikitty is the only super rare minifig I've ever purchased.

Lyichir

SumoLego said:

I'd like to know how measure 'buzz' based on a promotional minifigure.

Likes, retweets, etc. would probably be a key aspect. Most likely looking at both the announcement post and the giveaway posts Lego does on social media during the con. They also probably look at how many of those likes and retweets end up converted to followers on their various accounts.

TheOriginalSimonB

Surely Buzz has to be measured in light years.

SumoLego

TheOriginalSimonB said:

Surely Buzz has to be measured in light years.

How about in parsecs?  (Distance and time...)

Kaitch

Okay, changing the subject. I have an eBay alert for the search "Lego SDCC Mini Figures", and today it offered me Black Lightening and Apocalyptic UniKitty. How...?

Pitfall69

^Presale. In some of the listings they tell you that you will get your money back if they don't obtain the minifigure. 

neomonkey

The drawing for SDCC exclusives is completed. People should know what they've won now so more eBay listings will start showing up.

vwong19

I was not chosen for any exclusives, but will be watching the eBay market closely like everyone else. Checking with my network to see what the success rate is within my small sample size.