Licensed Superhero theme speculation

[vynsane]

Harry Potter isn't anywhere near a direct competitor to Toy Story or Cars. Really not Prince of Persia, either. Neither WB's Harry Potter agreement nor Disney's Pixar and PoP agreements have any bearing on their comic book houses. As soon as one comic company gets involved, I'm relatively sure the other will be out.

The theme parks are a different matter, as they were pre-existing, so it's more of a 'let sleeping dogs lie' situation. It wouldn't benefit anyone to force Universal to close down the Marvel part of Islands of Adventure. At this point, I'm sure both Universal and Disney are seeing revenue from it.

Eventually we'll see Batman and Spider-man together in movies, videogames, LEGO sets, lunchboxes, lollipops, floormats and the like as soon as Disney and Warner Bros. merge and become the last and only entertainment outlet there is. ;)

[legitimatealex]

Dog help us if that ever happens. Those two companies combine would end up owning such a large portion of media it would be mind boggling.

[TClone]

Anything's possible, and this is all idle speculation. Not only that, but LEGO and WB actually DO still have a deal regarding Harry Potter, obviously.

The Disney buyout of Marvel really created a lot of awkward situations. Universal's "Islands of Adventure" (a direct Disney World competitor) has a Marvel-themed section (with a Spider-man 3-D ride and the Incredible Hulk coaster) and is set to open "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" (due to a deal with WB) it's all intermingling. It could very well happen that LEGO makes separate deals with DC and Marvel, but it's highly unlikely. Awesome, but unlikely (I mean, how cool would it be to have LEGO sets of Spider-man and X-men at the same time as Batman and Superman, not to mention LEGO Spider-man or LEGO Avengers video games).

I think the Spider-Man and Batman LEGO lines overlapped a bit now that you mention it. Maybe we'll see this again!

[vynsane]

I think the Spider-Man and Batman LEGO lines overlapped a bit now that you mention it. Maybe we'll see this again!

Yes, though that was long BEFORE Disney bought Marvel, and Marvel had autonomy in licensing deals. It's no longer just Marvel vs. DC, it's Disney vs. WB. The scope of the rivalry has gotten larger. A lot of things come into play here that didn't apply half a decade ago when LEGO held both Spider-man and Batman licenses.

[legitimatealex]

But is it as really die hard as you make it sound? Disney owns Marvel, true story, but that doesn't mean that Marvel doesn't exist anymore, that its suddenly being completely messed with by Disney. If you think of it more like holding an asset or stock then they're still pretty autonomous. Disney owns ABC too but you don't see 24 hours of Mickey Mouse cartoons being played. I doubt Disney controls Marvel down to every little decision as much as we think they do.

[vynsane]

But is it as really die hard as you make it sound? Disney owns Marvel, true story, but that doesn't mean that Marvel doesn't exist anymore, that its suddenly being completely messed with by Disney. If you think of it more like holding an asset or stock then they're still pretty autonomous. Disney owns ABC too but you don't see 24 hours of Mickey Mouse cartoons being played. I doubt Disney controls Marvel down to every little decision as much as we think they do.

It's not as cut and dry as all that, but these huge conglomerates own smaller companies in order to be in direct competition. Disney bought Marvel because WB owns DC. Think of Disney and WB as chess players - to them Marvel and DC are pawns used to maneuver against one another to protect the more important assets and control the board. It's not that Marvel doesn't exist anymore, it's just that they're operating under the umbrella of a larger corporation which has a say in what deals they make.

Whichever company (WB or Disney) has superhero themed LEGO sets first, the other one will go to MEGABlocks and most likely pull their other licenses (Pixar, PoP, Harry Potter) over with them as soon as the contracts are up, which, not so coincidentally, is what Marvel did after LEGO started creating Batman sets, long BEFORE the Disney acquisition. There are Iron Man MEGABlocks out there right now.

[TClone]

And I am still hoping for more Batman sets (you can buy LEGO Batman clothing at Walmart so why not magnets or building sets?) by 2012!

[micah82]

Does anyone think that Batman might return in 2011?
Share your thoughts below.

[legitimatealex]

Absolutely not. We have a discussion about this already running over rare minifigures and keychains, if I could direct your attention over there.

[vynsane]

Yeah, we really derailed that topic - might be more helpful to have it split off and then merged with this one.

Anyway, here's the link to that discussion.

[yankeeken]

I think a renewal of the Spider-Man license would be more likely due to TLG's relationship with Disney.

[vynsane]

As first act with my emergency powers, I've split this from the original 'Key chains' topic and formed a new Licensed Superhero theme speculation thread. I've also merged the new 'Lego Batman 2011?' topic into this one AND moved the topic itself into the 'LEGO License' forum, since it's speculation about licensed properties.

I love democracy. I love Toys N Bricks. Once this crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me! ;)

[NIGELTTF]

Probably due to the short time frame the sets were made to retail. But like most retired licensed sets, they usually do go up in value.

Sigh, i'll just pass on on these old batman sets... and be smarter next time when they are out. There wasn't even a sale on the recent batman before they got discontinued.

Doubtful if they will be out anytime soon, if at all.

I'm glad to have gotten four Arkam Asylems when they were half off at close out.

[BobaFett2]

LEGO Batman is expensive for this reason: LEGO produced a very small number of these sets (in comparison to other themes). I have heard 10,000 or each, instead of 100,000. Aside from this, Batman is ultra-popular. It left stores quickly, getting sold out, and LEGO's ______(insert annoying adjective here) made them very valuable. The value, is in fact, all in the Minifigures. The sticker sheets, as well, are a bit more expensive than ordinary (or so I believe, checking on bricklink), but Batman Minifigures are EXTREMELY expensive. You can get some sets without the Minifigures for 1/5 the price with Minifigures. It's insane. The printed parts and unique parts are also quite cheap, not much more expensive than their printed counterparts (only 20-50 cents more). This inequity is shared by other sets and themes.
Spider-Man as well is expensive. I believe this is because of scarcity-I do not remember seeing Spider-Man sets in stores, during the entire 2002-2004 (although this may just be my memory). Again, a large portion of the value is in the Minifigures. The sets are a ripoff, not as much as Batman, but still, a ripoff.
If you want to buy the sets, try buying the parts that make it up on Bricklink. You can SOMETIMES find a cheap Minifigure or two on Ebay. If you just like to build the set, then you don't even have to buy the whole thing-just buy the parts you lack.
In non-superhero themes, this can be seen as well. The Harry Potter Graveyard duel is valued at 350 dollars, and that's likely because of both the license AND the rarity. Other such examples of this rarity is the smallest Blacktron set (released in a value pack-type set) and is 10 dollars, a similarly sized set from the time being 2-4 dollars. Or the Skeleton Warship (from Fantasy Era Castle, 150 dollars because it was a TRU limited release).
Personally, I LOATHE limited releases, because if I one day realize that I love the set, I can't get it for less than an arm and a leg. Fortunately, I'm getting a free Batman, Mr. Freeze (with gear), and Spider-Man, with a bunch of batarangs for free. From a friend of my brother (originally I paid him 10 dollars, but he made a bet with my brother and owes him 10 bucks).

Lastly: I do not know if they will release a new Batman line. It's possible that with the 2012 Batman Movie, there will be a new line. LEGO has said to keep an eye out for new Batman sets. However, as pointed out previously, they dropped the license because of the darkness of the storyline.

[Transformers2]

I should have grabbed those batman sets when they were still sitting on the shelves at TRU (after production stopped) a few years ago. Would make a good investment. :)

[BobaFett2]

I should have grabbed those batman sets when they were still sitting on the shelves at TRU (after production stopped) a few years ago. Would make a good investment. :)

Investment! How dare you! Stealing from people who will not sell them so that I can buy them at a rip-off price! Hahaha, yeah, but I really hate the way the prices have soared. Just worth getting figs and accessories, and in many cases the figs are ripoffs. That's what friends who got Batman are for...heheheh.

[NIGELTTF]

I should have grabbed those batman sets when they were still sitting on the shelves at TRU (after production stopped) a few years ago. Would make a good investment. :)

Investment! How dare you! Stealing from people who will not sell them so that I can buy them at a rip-off price! Hahaha, yeah, but I really hate the way the prices have soared. Just worth getting figs and accessories, and in many cases the figs are ripoffs. That's what friends who got Batman are for...heheheh.

I hardly call that stealing. It isn't like the people who show up the first thing in the morning and pluck the Hotwheel treasure hunt cars, or those that wipe out all the rare action figures meaning the only choice is the secondary market, that I consider scuzzy. You had the same chance as everyone to get them when there were hundreds of them at every Target. If someone had the foresight, and willing to take the risk to speculate....good for them. I've heard a lot of speculators took a major bath on Exo-Force, that was offset by the money they made on Batman.

[BobaFett2]

I should have grabbed those batman sets when they were still sitting on the shelves at TRU (after production stopped) a few years ago. Would make a good investment. :)

Investment! How dare you! Stealing from people who will not sell them so that I can buy them at a rip-off price! Hahaha, yeah, but I really hate the way the prices have soared. Just worth getting figs and accessories, and in many cases the figs are ripoffs. That's what friends who got Batman are for...heheheh.

I hardly call that stealing. It isn't like the people who show up the first thing in the morning and pluck the Hotwheel treasure hunt cars, or those that wipe out all the rare action figures meaning the only choice is the secondary market, that I consider scuzzy. You had the same chance as everyone to get them when there were hundreds of them at every Target. If someone had the foresight, and willing to take the risk to speculate....good for them. I've heard a lot of speculators took a major bath on Exo-Force, that was offset by the money they made on Batman.

Actually, the Batman was limited in release. There weren't many at each store by comparison to other sets...

[NIGELTTF]

Actually, the Batman was limited in release. There weren't many at each store by comparison to other sets...

It certainly wasn't like that around here, especially at Target. Batman at its peak was a third of the Lego isle. I still have the image in my head of seeing literally hundreds of the Cat Woman Set and grudgingly buying one. I keep mentally yelling at my past self to buy them all up like some sort of twisted version of A Cristmas Carroll I even got a Batcave on Clearance(wish I bought all 4), and several places were overstocked with The Arkham asylum sets and put them out at half off(I got four.)

[oocaleb101oo]

I still have all my lego batman sets unopened. I don't have the entire series though. I kicked myself for that and I think about it ALL the time. I didn't want to throw down the money for some of the newer released batman sets and i let them all go bye bye. I believe i don't have the last 4 sets from 2008. Oh and I didn't buy any of the magnet sets.

My missing sets:
7884 Batman's Buggy: The Escape of Mr. Freeze
7885 Robin's Scuba Jet: Attack of The Penguin
7886 The Batcycle: Harley Quinn's Hammer Truck
7888 The Tumbler: Joker's Ice Cream Suprise

EDIT: I just saw an ebay auction with all 4 of these sets for sale for a total of 899 buy it now. They can keep it LOL.

I also have a slew of Spiderman sets that are unopened and a custom Ironman figure that's incredible!

What I personally would like to see, but would depleat any thought of saving money, would be Anime themed sets from the series Bleach or Naruto.