Tomy Toy Talk: Boom Time

This week's update had to be balanced...
I have said from the start, that I would not let Boom take over Gear and make it the only source of updates, and I will stick to it as much as possible. It's ok for Boom to be a facet of the stuff, but it's not ok for it to turn into everything, because there are modern & classic fans too. However, with this week, it was a bit of a push, somewhat supported by store findings to keep things even.

Tomy Boom Toys in discount shops?
If you did not yet hear, it's going around on the internet that a bunch of Boom stuff is showing up at discount/markdown places in the USA. If you have 1 of these stores near you, you can probably find a thing or 2 for yourself. The news was added to "headline news" on the site this week as well. Where might you find something?

Ross
Marshalls
TJ Maxx
Big Lots
DD Discounts

Weren't they Toys R Us exclusives though?
Ssssort of? There didn't tend to be 'exclusive' stickers or TRU branding all over them, though that has not stopped these stores in the past. It includes any of the bigger figure playsets & plushes so far, out of the confirmed-by-fans findings all over the USA. (So like, those spinning wheel launchers, burnbot, Tails plane, big chili dog talkin' doll, big plush)

Does this spell trouble?
Not necessarily. That question comes up right away, and, it should be asked. Jazwares had some of their things get down to that level too, like the gazillionth "all stars racer" merchandise they were (forced) to make. But notice how it's all Tomy's really expensive things & not the little stuff like individual figures and smaller dolls. Remember how these places got the costly RC Cars & overflow of 'racers' stuff after it wouldn't sell.

What causes this?
The toys aren't as popular as they were hoping, is generally the reason for anything like this to happen. Nobody's rushing out to buy Sonic in a wheel for 30 dollars, so he's going down to 12 at markdown places. When something doesn't do so hot in a primary store like Toys R Us it ends up at one of these markdown area stores. That's fine, if you want to collect it anyway/were late on the bandwagon, it's a good chance at a better price.

Gear Observation:
Notice how almost NOTHING Boom on gear is actually owned by anyone who sent it in as a photo? Everything people find is factory photos or cell phone cam shots in the store. Who sends photos in to SonicGear? ONLY A FAN. Only a true fan of Sonic would bother to take a picture & send it to gear. That says to me that true fans are not into buying this Boom stuff. (Are you insinuating that true fans don't like Boom? No! They don't like terrible prices, would be my guess)

Opinion Zone:
Tomy Metal Sonic
As a fan of all things Metal...I am either spoiled by Jazwares or am underwhelmed. This is a first impression thing only, clearly the figure is not in hand, but from the factory photo...
Really guys? No silvertone paint?
Looks like he has joints where he does not
Doesn't have the detail level of the game
Everyone can remember back to the first Sonic figures by the likes of ReSaurus and ToyIsland, and how .....not great....a lot of them were. Then JW stepped in and it was a field day of figures for the fans.

Now, Tomy's not making mutant junk by any means.
Their figures look good, like the show. They're probably going some-what by the CG sprites to model the characters, which is good too. But the articulation is down, the paint is down, the detail is down...(with regards to Metal Sonic) and much of the time if people/fans/collectors are exposed to something amazing at an ok price, they don't really flock to something that's not as cool for a higher cost.

Of course, these are what I have gathered based on what I've seen and what's been reported. (And of course, figure opinions as an action figure fan) Will I get the MS Boom figure? Yes, so an in-hand review will be upcoming.

Next week:
More Boom figure news, possibly the Gear Store too