Operation Monster Force

[JakeEkiss]

I think the only other interesting bit from the interview was some more details about the Raven Society. It's basically real historical figures vs. fictional characters, and each Society member is going to come with a bookshelf as a sort of Build-a-Library.

Since Monster Force is already half fictional characters, I'm not quite sure where they have to go with this line. Same with Dark Directive, really.

Oh, and I liked the idea of NPCs being released as genre waves. Like, one wave would be "slasher movie." I'm a little skeptical because, other than the mob boss and bank robbers, none of the other revealed characters go together. Still, it's a cool idea.

Oh the build-a-library sounds kinda cool ... I'm wondering if "fictional characters" is less out and out monsters and more like Capt Nemo, Dorian Grey, or Moriarty. I could see some fun being had there that was distinct from Monster Force, and presumably a new part library.

For the NPC line I assume SWAT, mob guy, and bank robbers are a wave. Then I could see cheerleader, priest and whoever else as a slasher or horror wave. Priest doesn't fit as well into that, but obviously the cheerleader is a slasher staple.

 

[docsilence]

I'm a full-time writer and I live with a librarian. If they make a library-based line of figures I won't just buy them, I will get SPOUSAL APPROVAL for the purchases. That's a very cool idea.

 

[Fletch]

I'm wondering if "fictional characters" is less out and out monsters and more like Capt Nemo, Dorian Grey, or Moriarty

I remember Alan Moore openly questioning why 20th Century was willing to pay him for the rights to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, since all the characters are by definition public domain. He figured they just wanted to use his name in the marketing.

But yeah, I guess there are more non-monster fictional characters than monster. I guess I needed to get my head out of that space.

Having said that, though, I don't know that I'd be any more interested in a Dorian Grey figure than I am an Edgar Allen Poe figure. (Although I am still salty that they locked their O:MF Ambassador HP Lovecraft head in the all-in wave bonus pack).

 

[JakeEkiss]

I remember Alan Moore openly questioning why 20th Century was willing to pay him for the rights to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, since all the characters are by definition public domain. He figured they just wanted to use his name in the marketing.

But yeah, I guess there are more non-monster fictional characters than monster. I guess I needed to get my head out of that space.

Having said that, though, I don't know that I'd be any more interested in a Dorian Grey figure than I am an Edgar Allen Poe figure. (Although I am still salty that they locked their O:MF Ambassador HP Lovecraft head in the all-in wave bonus pack).

I wonder if folks would be more mad if the HP head came later in a head pack.

But yeah, it's an interesting idea for a line, very niche, but I think it's a concept they could mine if they think broadly enough. And yeah, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen would seem a good source for inspiration. We already have the invisible man in OMF, and I think someone like Hyde fits better there as well, but for the more human baddies, Raven Society might fit the bill. Surely there's more I'm not thinking of as well. Claudius from Hamlet? Might they go that far back?

 

[TheCaptain]

All of public domain fiction is quite a wide net for a line. I'm assuming it won't go any earlier than the gothic/romantic periods, maybe the 1600s at the very earliest? I certainly wouldn't mind some civilian types from the renaissance through to Victorian eras. Been wanting a prince Prospero for a Masque of the Red Death display, and a Victorian-ish female body for Mina Harker. Would also love something inspired by the works of Francisco de Goya or Hieronymus Bosch.

 

[Fletch]

I wonder if folks would be more mad if the HP head came later in a head pack.

If i bought an entire wave of six figures when i really only wanted maybe three, just because I wanted 1/3 of the bonus pack, I should already be mad. Again, I wish all success on the BBWS team, but I'm hoping those full wave bonus items are a massive failure and they never do them again.

The Build-a-Library makes me think Raven Society is all authors, although I can't quite square that with my guess that the next figure in the line is Houdini. Still, that would open the door for Lovecraft to be his own figure in that line which could be a workaround to dodge collector complaints about re-releasing an "exclusive" head sculpt.