SDCC Interview with Bif Bang Pow!
Revealed at Comic-Con are new Venture Bros. 3-3/4″ scale action figures. The prototypes on display include Brock Samson, Dr. Mrs. the Monarch and the Venture Bros, Hank and Dean. Figures are about the same size as Star Wars action figures and come with accessories and vehicles. These are strictly prototypes and no release date has been announced. Also on display at the convention are the new 8 inch retro-style action figures (SPHINX Brock, Molotov Cocktease, Dr. Henry Killinger, Billy Quizboy) and the Rusty Venture Comic-Con Exclusive.
Bif Bang Pow’s mission is to provide high-quality action figures, toys, and collectibles to cult audiences and kids of all ages. The company produces first-rate collectibles for popular properties like Dexter, Lost, Californication, The Venture Bros., The Twilight Zone, The Big Lebowski, and Flash Gordon.
Founder Jason Lenzi took the fan’s perspective when he started the company in 2005. He wanted to bring items to the marketplace that he himself would want in his collection. We talk with Jason Lenzi about the new wave of action figures and prototypes on display at Comic-Con.
Venture Bros. Blog: What figure series are on display at the booth? Series 4, 5 and 6?
Jason Lenzi: You can look at them two ways. Last year was sorta wave one, which was four characters and two exclusives. On display now is wave two, with four more characters and our lunch box exclusive. We call them a series based on how they’re paired up. This would be series 4, 5 and 6.
VBB: We noticed there’s a Limited Edition holographic sticker on the card backing. 3000 units per character?
JL: Yes. Properties like Transformers or Pirates of the Caribbean, they’re making 20 or 30 thousand of each of that character. These are big franchises and the figures go to major retailers nationwide. Compared to this property and these characters, it’s still very much cult thing. I don’t know the specific number on each character but they are a limited run.
VBB: I kinda like that it’s limited run. Kinda makes the figures more rare and collectible.
JL: [Laughs] If we do run out and the demand is there, we might consider making more.
VBB: Revealed at Toy Fair and on display here at Comic-Con is the upcoming wave of 8 inch figures. What can you tell me about these prototypes?
JL: Yeah, we have Molotov, Killinger, Billy and Brock in the S.P.H.I.N.X. outfit.
VBB: Any particular reason why you guys decided to go with S.P.H.I.N.X. Brock versus a more classic Brock?
VBB: Our thinking behind this Brock is to eventually get more of the SPHINX guys out there. Jackson was real keen on introducing SPHINX as a concept in the toy range. It’s kinda like Orpheus and the Triad, rather than put everyone out at once, the idea is to get fans excited about having more Triad figures.
VBB: We would love to complete the Triad! Jefferson Twilight would rock!
JL: In the toy world, it’s a all about teasing. We are not trying rip anybody off or like say this isn’t going to happen. We are doing it to tease the audience and make it exciting. You may be going ‘Oh wow, if they’re doing that outfit, then I bet you they’re gonna do this or this is gonna lead to something else.’
I remember as a kid waiting for the next Star Wars movie to come out. And before the movie premiered, some of the action figures were released. And I’ll never forget going to Target and all I wanted was Han Solo. I finally found him and he was in his winter (Hoth) outfit. I wonder what the movie was about. I was so disappointed but kinda intrigued. I thought he would look the same as in the first movie but he didn’t. Han Solo only wore that outfit in two scenes of the film, but the figure was a tease of upcoming toys. There are more Han Solo’s that are gonna come out, this was just the one they were putting out at that time. And that’s kinda what we’re doing. The idea is in the next waves we’ll have more SPHINX characters.
VBB: We are all very impress with the new figures.
JL: Thanks.
VBB: We really like that they have more accessories this time around.
JL: That was sorta an editorial decision. What would make sense for the character to have? There are elements of the show that are constant and there are things that show up once or twice, so it gets a bit tricky. Also, it’s a cost question as well. You would be surprised how much it changes the cost of a figure. We are trying to make these figures as affordable as we can and keep fans happy.
VBB: Fans here at the convention are really excited about the Rusty Venture action figure set and lunch box.
JL: Yeah!
VBB: We think it’s one of the best things to come out of the Venture toy line so far.
JL: Thank you. There was a Topless Robot article on Top 18 Convention Exclusives and we were number one. Number eight was our Doctor Who retro figures and number one was the lunchbox. I’m very proud about that.
» Continue Reading Our SDCC Interview with Bif Bang Pow’s Jason Lenzi
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