Comic Reviews by Walt

After seeing bare-bones presence of the new TMNT toys at Target, they seem to have finally joined the ranks of the “regularly stocked,” as I’ve now seen these multi-peg displays at 5 or 6 different Targets.

I still don’t care for the “sound FX” figures, and would actually be sorta interested in the “TMNT Classics” line (at least for Leonardo).

The photo below was taken at the Target in Willoughby, OH:

I was actually fairly surprised when I saw the following in the Eastlake Walmart recently. Though “late” to the party, that Walmart had a better stock of figures than most of the Targets I’ve seen–though not all visible here, all 9 unique “basic” figures were on these pegs.

At the “Super” Walmart in Brimfield, OH, the aisle tag isn’t quite appropriately placed, but it caught my attention, so served its purpose. I was beginning to REALLY doubt Walmart’s support of these new TMNT toys, but I guess I didn’t need to.

And I’m not quite sure what to make of these bare pegs…the “display” looks pretty shoddy and bare…but that’s hopefully because the things are actually selling.

I’ve often had an “issue” with toy lines for their “peg warmers,” and it does seem like the turtles themselves are filling that role so far: it’s Shredder, the Kraang, the Foot Soldier, and April O’Neil that seem relatively rare–and even Splinter.

The ancillary stuff–the role play kits, the talking/FX turtles, and the vehicles seem pretty common–for what little attention I’ve paid. Of the vehicles, I’m REALLY only interested in the van, but at its price, I’m in no rush to get it–especially with the “assumption” that this line will be sticking around at least through the new year, hopefully well beyond.

The basic figures are $1.20 cheaper apiece at both Walmarts I’ve seen them at so far–$7.77–though I won’t be surprised if they up their prices before long to the $8.99 “retail” price that Target and Toys R Us have had.

And speaking of TRU…after the “teasing” of having some new TMNT stuff but not the basic figures out for over a week, I’ve felt zero desire to return to ‘check,’ especially after snagging the rest of the line a couple weeks ago, including the multiple Kraang and Foot Soldiers.

With the tv show yet about 6 weeks away from its premiere, I’m not too worried about the toy selection. There’s the nostalgia factor as well as the new. The “generic” Kraang and Foot Soldier figures as well as Shredder himself make up 1/3 of the line so far, which with four main characters and key supporting characters seems a good balance.

I do hope there are more villains available soon, and that the TMNT assortment(s) in general don’t leave too many turtles warming pegs while villains can’t be found at all.

Meanwhile, I’m much more likely to just buy an extra Foot Soldier than I am a new Marvel figure–$9.99 is ABSURD for the size of those figures! All the more as I have seen at both Target AND Walmart anywhere from four to a DOZEN Gladiator figures.

(Talk about a peg-warmer!)

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: 2012, action figures, nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, Target, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys, walmart |