Where Are All the Kids' Action Figures? featuring Super Dinosaur

[@Chasing80sToys]

Good video Goji. Never heard of Super Dinosaurs. I think there is still a future for action figure lines and agree that it looks like kids are growing out of action figures a lot sooner than back in our day. To much things going on now like social media, smart phones, video games online, things we didn't had back then and the world goes a lot faster as does time in the present climate we live in, at least so it seems.

[@BobHansenJokes]

Thanks for this look at these lines; I enjoyed learning about Super Dinosaur. I love Super Dinosaur because it sounds like someone told a kid, "Make a cool toy," and that's what they said. Ah yes, lack of toy stores, streaming services, video games, our factions seem so....final....

[@lazer-ape]

Great video Goji, I've picked up on this phenomenon a few years back. I think you perfectly summarized all the issues afflicting toys these days. The abscence of easily accessible marketing avenues, the internet and video gaming overshadowing the power of TV and comic book media, and the monopoly established franchises have over the toy aisles. Kudos for mentioning the popularity of video game toys, since whenever this subject arrises, thats always what my mind jumps to. Id argue that marketing to kids through video games might be the new tentpole approach alot of these fresh IPs should capitalize on. We've already started seeing some established IPs (TMNT, Transformers, Gi Joe) making that leap to varying degrees of success.

[@treasuresfortrigger915]

Super Dinosaur looks like a great series! I’ve not heard of this at all 😯 I’m surprised it ticks all my boxes. Congrats on the 1000 subs too 🎊 🎉

[@Gojitron1]

Thank you!

[@WeirdFantasticToyAdventures]

I just love your informative videos!

[@aworldmadeofcardboard3692]

I never heard of Super Dinosaur or any of the other lines you mentioned. Since their media was offered on streaming services and toys on Amazon or only in Canada, I never saw them. It comes down to this: If no one sees your product, no one is going to buy it. The same can be said for Final Faction. Cartoon was on KZbin and toys only in Dollar Tree. There are only about 15,000 Dollar Tree Stores in the U.S. There are about 10,600 Walmart stores in THE WORLD. (4600 of which are in the US) Like Super Dinosaur, the spread of Final Faction was only limited to 1 store in one country. Imagine if Walmart was able to sell a toyline like Final Faction around the world. It would still be a limited reach without a media to get the word out. You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. The market for toys seems to be drying up. If you recall, the boom of toy sales in The 80's was due in part to the deregulation of advertising to kids by the FCC. When parent and teacher lobby groups complained, everything was regulated again during the 90's. Ever since then, we have watched a steady steam failing toylines and closing toy stores. They have found that these regulations don't seem to cover video games and online services, so toy companies seem to be trying that route. So for right now, the toy companies are attempting to get as much as they can out the kids of the 80's before we stop buying. We are hooked on these toylines, cartoons and comics from the 80's. I guess in a way, the fears of those parent and teacher lobby groups have come true.

[@skunkworksstudios]

I have a 5 year old son. It is fascinating to see what he does and doesn’t like.

[@Scotty-Z70]

Can’t wait to watch this! I need to finish processing the July 1990 FBN videos first

[@lazer-ape]

from what Ive picked up on the big hit with kids these days are all toylines based on video games, but specifically, horror themed indie games parodying classic franchises and properties like Sesame Street or Chuck E Cheese. Sure there is just as big of a market for established characters like Sonic, Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Minecraft, Master Chief, etc but the majority of the really popular stuff seems to be based on games like Five Nights at Freddy's, Garten of Ban Ban, Poppy's Playtime. Frankly aside from the seemingly mature nature of some of these games, I think kids have especially glommed onto these series because its the most easily accessible, free, and heavily advertised media avalible to them these days. That said I also believe youtube's role in popularizing surprise eggs, slime, and blind bag toys represents the stark shift we've seen in the toy aisles.

[@Gojitron1]

I'm not a gamer so it's not a subject I can speak on, but it's hard not to notice the amount of video game based toys available.

[@WyldstaarStudios]

Whoever it was at Dollar Tree who gave the green light to creating a Final Faction comic book made a huge mistake. Dollar Tree relies on volume sales to make a profit, and if they'd bothered to look at the sales figures for the best selling comics in the country, they would have seen that could never sell enough to be profitable. I'm more than a bit concerned about the future of the Final Faction toy line as well. They still haven't even managed to finish releasing the repaints after more than a year. I hold out some hope, since the DT locations in my area continue to get restocks on a regular basis, so I know the line continues to sell.

[@OldManTheseDays]

Nice review, Goji. Hadn’t heard of this one. As far as I’ve observed, kids today are occupied with apps, Minecraft and Roblox. Love that at least in some way, the kind of media/toy cross sell that we were obsessed with exists to this day.

[@dazatronsdioramallama6370]

An interesting topic. It’s a shame there’s not more successful properties. The last really successful action figure line I remember when my own kids were growing up was Ben10. I haven’t heard of any of the lines in your video apart from Final Faction, that was only through buying a weapon accessories pack from a bargain store. I was still playing with figures in my early teens and I feel it was useful in developing my imagination. It seems there’s a jump from physical play to virtual play much much earlier nowadays

[@banzaibobA7V]

Super Dinosaur is completely new to me. Fun concept though.

[@robertsinfiniterealms1308]

Super Dinosaur I knew of the book and cartoon, but never knew the of the toy line. On the lines you mention I agree, the outlets we had are simply not there anymore. Comics are falling and animation isn’t as prevalent. I know some will shout electronics and I’m often quick to point out the companies with the budget to market do so towards that younger demographic. IMO it’s going to take a cool story to break through this mess and reach children. How I’m not quite sure.

[@universaltoycollector]

An excellent video Goji and a great talking point regarding toy lines for kids. If it wasn't for our generation and IPs such as Star Wars, G.I Joe, MOTU, Transformers and others from the 80s and early to mid 90s, the action figure line would be over. Todays generation has no real interest in action figures, and it would difficult for any up and coming independent toy company to sustain an action figure line for a lenghty period of time. We have seen comic books go by the way side. No doubt action figures will go by the way side at some point in the future.

[@Scotty-Z70]

As Action Figures disappear, Legos are gaining ground.

[@buckchuckgaming597]

Granted my kids are still very young (2 and 4) but neither has much interest in action figures. There’s so much stimulating media at our fingertips, figures are facing an uphill battle. Toy makers now, especially indie ones, are much better off marketing to adult collectors like ourselves and that kind of makes me sad. It’s pretty telling when I buy more toys than my kids haha.

[@foxglove9]

Children have very little interest in playing with toys, especially action figures. They still will buy a Transformer, WWE, Barbie, Fortnite or Marvel figure, but no where in the quantity and numbers we all bought and received toys in the 80's. I think video games have gotten so realistic that it's a way more exciting world for kids to play in rather than physical toys which are expensive, clunky, and take up space. Streaming services are also a huge distraction with so many kids shows and cartoons to watch. Add in social media which has become an addiction in itself. With all that stuff who has time for anything else? Creative toys, like Lego, are still popular. Way more so than when I was young in the 80's. Never heard of that Super Dinosaur line before. Though Dino's are not my thing and might have just glanced by it even if we did cross paths.

[@gijoedavec-straightfromthepit]

Yes! Good one. What about the Kids?? I think it is important that kids use there imagination while handling toys in their hands. Max maximus! A Dr. Mindbender type. Yeah, l saw sd at the stores up here. Supply issues makes you wonder if they dont want kids playing with actual toys anymore! Alternation looked cool. Wow, even final faction. Maybe an agenda here by the powers that be?

[@gijoedavec-straightfromthepit]

You went on to explain why... awesome job goji

[@mikefee1789]

Good video I never knew some or these toys came out and yes the market is not what it was for kids i remember commercials for toys when I was a kid but not anymore

[@randomwrestlingarchive3937]

Really sad the Final Faction line is done.

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

Gojitron ain't just a man... he's a movement! 😀

[@merrillyu-gi-ohfan01king]

I like Super Dinosaur and the least popular of Robert Kirkman's work got adaption out of the three. Toy makers try harder than before aim Action Figures to kids

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

Read a lot of Kirkman crap, no idea this toy existed.

[@wilhelmtoyandhobby]