Tracking toy tariffs

It's my favorite line from Blazing Saddles. My mom's family came from Belfast and she was always really vocal with me about the politics and such, so for instance, I remember when the Good Friday Agreement happened and even though we're over here, it was such a big deal in our house, along with some of the stuff during the Troubles in the 80s and 90s. But I remember watching Blazing Saddles as a kid (something... I don't know that I'd show my kids these days, heh) and asking my mom what that line was about, then learning about how every wave of immigrants faced bigotry etc.
 
KvHulk said:
So... am I the only one that was first introduced to the turtles via the RPG by Palladium Books? I think it was released in '85 or '86.

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Not my first exposure (that was the cartoon), but this did introduce me to the idea that the turtles were something before the cartoon. Seeing them in that grittier style was magical.

TMNT_and_Other_Strangeness.jpg
 
AgentHemlock said:
The guy who talked about the tariff bill Brian showed him was Blake Wright of Toy Collectr Magazine. I'm unfamiliar with him or his magazine, though he might have some degree of insight beyond what some random dude would have. Here's a link to the video, he comes in around the 48 minute mark.
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Not to diminish Blake or his word, he certainly has more credibility than the average Joe...

...and I'm not the guy with a toy magazine to back me up...HOWEVER...

I linked that interview to several toy guys, many of whom you would know--who actually work for companies-- and they all asked the same thing: what's "astronomical"?

This is known cheapskate Brian Flynn we are talking about here. Is it astronomical to him because he is a notorious penny pincher, who robs Peter to pay Paul? Or is it a normal invoice that Flynn is using to go "See? The tariffs!"?

Awfully convenient that he would show an inner company invoice to someone who does NOT work for his company, someone he knew could get the word out on his behalf. All in order to create this narrative of the big, bad tariffs causing him to fire most of his staff--anything to keep him from looking like the bad guy.

Edit: I would also like to point out, and I wish I could find the screenshot and find out where it was posted to, but Kyle Wlydoga sharing that press release that Super7 put out about the layoffs, and Kyle just saying "Huh. Curious to see how the NEXT 6 months play out". Seems to me like Kyle has some thoughts about his job loss, as we all would. And another employee, who I shall not name, calling it one of the most tone deaf things he ever saw, questioning why if things were so great in the year before, he got laid off before the tariffs were even a thing. Many people formerly within that company are calling bullshit all around.
 
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Yeah, I mean I guess my entire point is that they likely were already discussing whether or not moving forward with Ultimates was in the best interest of the company, and the tariff uncertainty made the decision for them. Not that the tariffs were 100% to blame. But on the other hand, in another reality where Kamala won, and tariffs weren't a thing, I could see the layoffs not happening, especially not to this extent. So if the difference between the layoffs happening or not happening was a tariff timeline, then tariffs are to blame. How I see it, at least.

As for layoffs beforehand, they could be due to a lot of reasons but likely belt tightening in general as their lines wind down and that Trump has been talking about these tariffs since last summer. He did give us ample warning.

Kyle's post is interesting. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds like if the past 6 months were the best, he's insinuating the next 6 months might be their worst? Or Super7 will close.

There's potentially a large problem looming in the industry aside from tariffs and inflation and larger consumer economic problems. It's that the toy market is oversaturated and a lot of blockbuster nostalgia properties have reached their natural conclusion. NECA, Super7, etc, are going to run out of things to make that sell enough to warrant being made—something that's compounding with the economic issues. It's wild hearing the chat about Mondo Real Ghosbusters figures say that the IP isn't that popular, that these fall into the "lucky they are being made" category because the audience isn't there. Meanwhile people have been clamoring for S7 to make things like Pirates of Darkwater and Dinosaucers. To me the GB audience should be way bigger than those obscure properties. Brian mentioned this writing on the wall during a couple of his Veebs-casts.
 
I think it's an absolutely positive certainty that we aren't getting a continuation of those Toxic Crusaders Ultimates now...
 
Darkmoon766 said:
The RPG was how I got into TMNT. I played A Koala with a crossbow.
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Hey! I'm not alone. I'm surprised you remember your character. I don't remember much about the game. I wish I still had the manual, but I lost everything to hurricane sandy years ago.

Chooch555 said:
Not my first exposure (that was the cartoon), but this did introduce me to the idea that the turtles were something before the cartoon. Seeing them in that grittier style was magical.

TMNT_and_Other_Strangeness.jpg
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I was the opposite. By the time I saw the cartoon I was like, "what the hell did they do to the turtles?!".
 
RicksNerdLife said:
Not to diminish Blake or his word, he certainly has more credibility than the average Joe...

...and I'm not the guy with a toy magazine to back me up...HOWEVER...

I linked that interview to several toy guys, many of whom you would know--who actually work for companies-- and they all asked the same thing: what's "astronomical"?

This is known cheapskate Brian Flynn we are talking about here. Is it astronomical to him because he is a notorious penny pincher, who robs Peter to pay Paul? Or is it a normal invoice that Flynn is using to go "See? The tariffs!"?

Awfully convenient that he would show an inner company invoice to someone who does NOT work for his company, someone he knew could get the word out on his behalf. All in order to create this narrative of the big, bad tariffs causing him to fire most of his staff--anything to keep him from looking like the bad guy.

Edit: I would also like to point out, and I wish I could find the screenshot and find out where it was posted to, but Kyle Wlydoga sharing that press release that Super7 put out about the layoffs, and Kyle just saying "Huh. Curious to see how the NEXT 6 months play out". Seems to me like Kyle has some thoughts about his job loss, as we all would. And another employee, who I shall not name, calling it one of the most tone deaf things he ever saw, questioning why if things were so great in the year before, he got laid off before the tariffs were even a thing. Many people formerly within that company are calling bullshit all around.
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Probably safe to say that Blake has seen more than a few invoices over the years. I felt like he was carefully picking his words there because he doesn't want to burn a bridge. He said "astronomical" probably because it's by far the biggest tariff bill he's seen and he's not permitted (or it would be unwise of him) to say the exact dollar amount. And assuming it was itemized, he could see the cost assigned to the container and the assessed charge. He also lightly criticized their whole business model a little later so while it can be true that Super7 got hit with a ridiculous tariff charge on their turtles, it can also be true that they weren't a well-run company and their day of reckoning was coming with or without tariffs. I also bet Brian would have said something like "We were doing the best business ever," like he did in that presser to Blake, but Blake didn't share it and I'd assume it's because he thinks (or knows) that's a bunch of bull.

The Kyle Wlodyga comment is interesting. Definitely something that could be taken a number of ways. He's always been a company man in interviews, but I did listen to him recently talking about the 2003 turtles and how he, as a younger person on staff, had to really fight for those. They only became a thing when Viacom went to Super7 and proposed the idea. It made me wonder if a lot of his experience there was spent ramming his head into a wall trying to get the older people to approach the product differently. If so, I can see him being pretty resentful about the layoff, and justifiably so, if these things he's been pushing for all this time hit it big for the company and then he gets the axe. And if so, the fact that he's not going scorched earth on Super7 says a lot about his character (or his severance package).
 
KvHulk said:
Hey! I'm not alone. I'm surprised you remember your character. I don't remember much about the game. I wish I still had the manual, but I lost everything to hurricane sandy years ago.
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They did a kickstarter in the last couple years to expand and colorize a re-release of the RPG main book and one other that I forget. It can still be pre-ordered as far as I know.
 
This has always been a thing in clothing, shoes, and other textiles. I'm not sure who is taking advantage of it when it comes to action figures. Historically, they're a low margin product, but there are probably some companies that can take advantage. Especially any company that primarily sells direct to consumer as they can sacrifice some profit a little more easily than someone who is already turning that over to a retailer. I wonder if some could conceivably change how their transactions look on paper? Maybe a toy company "sells" their shipment to the transportation company who then brings it into the states? Something like that seems almost too simple to work. I also wonder if this sort of thing really works against a retailer like BBTS who takes ownership of product at the factory? It would seem that is then the "first sale" unless they find a middle man to buy it from the factory to then in turn buy it from. I'm sure it's all stuff everyone is looking at though.
 
I came here to report on some tariff news on one of my preorders but screw that. The fate of Super 7 and the joyless existence that must come with owning zero Ninja Turtles figures ( :D ) is a lot more interesting.

I've said my peace on Super 7. I own their Goldar figure from Power Rangers and the movie He-Man and Skeletor. I love them all, can's speak to anything beyond that. Actually, scratch that, I'm getting their O-ring GI Joes. I'll pick up their deep cut releases (Fatal Fluffy, Cold Slither) for as long as they are able to make them. At this point, anything the O-ring GI Joe fans get is gravy.

I was ready to let my vintage TMNT be the only TMNT I owned. I have a modest amount, the 4 turtles, April, Splinter, Shredder (the worst pre-posed action figure ever manufactured whom even nostalgia cannot save--can't stand, can't hold the weapons he came with---terrible) and a few more, all from my childhood. I have the sewer playlet and the Party Wagon which I love. They are displayed more often than not. But NECA came along with their passion project movie figures and cartoon line. Flawless representations of both. Sculpt, paint, accessories, detail, and overall effort that blows any other adult action figure collectible clean away. Next-level, final-word output for the Turtles fans. I love them.
 
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