Ninja Turtles are among finalists forToy Hall Of Fame

[Autbot_Benz]

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The spinning top, coloring book, Wiffle Ball and puppet are vying for a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame. The simple classics are among 12 finalists for this year's class announced Monday.

They are up against American Girl dolls, Battleship, Jenga, PLAYMOBIL, the scooter, Super Soaker, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Twister.

Two winners will be inducted into hall at The Strong museum on Nov. 5.

Anyone can nominate a toy, but to earn a place in the hall of fame, they must have survived multiple generations, be widely recognized and foster learning, creativity or discovery through play.

The finalists are chosen by historians and curators at The Strong. From there, a national panel of judges made up of inventors, educators, psychologists and others choose the winners.

Last year, little green Army men, the Rubik's Cube and bubbles took their place in the hall, joining 53 other old favorites, including Barbie, Easy-Bake Oven, G.I. Joe, the Frisbee and View-Master.

This year's finalists include two toys that date to ancient times, the puppet and the top. At the other end of the timeline is the Super Soaker, which put a tank of water on a squirt gun in 1990.

American Girl dolls, Jenga and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys emerged in the 1980s, while the PLAYMOBIL line of three-inch figures was a product of the 1970s. Twister was introduced in 1966, followed a year later by Battleship. The Wiffle Ball was introduced in 1953.

Scooters have been around since the turn of the 20th century, according to The Strong, along with coloring books, whose popularity soared with the invention of crayons.

http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/stor...nalists-092815

Just What Playmates needs to stroke their already big egos

[IndigoErth]

Glad that they're in again after not winning it last year. Hopefully sooner or later they will, be it this year or not.

[Cure]

I can't see them winning over coloring books or spinning tops. Still neat, though.

[MikeandRaph87]

Rhey won the Internet poll by a decisive margin last year, but was not given the honor despite the win. It will be awhile before we are listened to.

[IveyAngelo]

So the internet poll doesn't choose the winners? What's the point of it? Just curious...

I've been voting daily and letting others know to vote. As I do think this would be cool for TMNT. Though right now Wiffle Ball and Twister are the leading toys in the online poll.

Really do hope that more of us fans unite and get the poll up higher for the Turtles.

[Klunk1234]

Originally Posted by IveyAngelo

So the internet poll doesn't choose the winners? What's the point of it? Just curious...

I've been voting daily and letting others know to vote. As I do think this would be cool for TMNT. Though right now Wiffle Ball and Twister are the leading toys in the online poll.

Really do hope that more of us fans unite and get the poll up higher for the Turtles.

Where can I vote? I just notice this comment. The Turtles must win.

[MikeandRaph87]

Ivy and gang as I said above, Ninja Turtles action figures won the poll last year, but did not make it in due to a committee ignoring the poll results. The poll exist as a mere suggestion the HoF of Toys does not have to consider. Not much point even if it does win. I am not trying to be a Debbie Downer just reminding of the experience last year which left a bitter taste in my mouth.

[IveyAngelo]

I hear ya about the voting not counting in the long run, but it doesn't hurt to have the fandom show their support each time it's up.

For those who want to vote the poll is here:
http://www.toyhalloffame.org/

TMNT is in 4th place right now. It's a vote a day, so doesn't take much time and it's just one more way to show the toy industry that we are watching and active as a community. Who knows if we'll win or not, but our votes will at least be seen.

[Powder]

As much as I love the old figures & new adult collectibles, Playmates' modern output in no way deserves any positive acknowledgement.

[IveyAngelo]

I can't agree with you on that, as I will always be Thankful to Playmates Toys. If not for them funding those first five episodes a lot of us may not even know of TMNT to this day.

I also spend a lot of my time reviewing their toys as of recently. While some of them are not up to par in what I really want, like Splinter never gets a proper paint job, there's many of them that I just love the details on or the fun that can really come from the toy line. A really good sculpt job recently is Baxter Stockman fly toy, a major improvement from his first Baxter release for the Nickelodeon line of toys.

Playmates Toys has been a back bone to the TMNT industry since the 80's, their sales help keep the tv show on the air. No company out there would be perfect and get everything how every fan would want it. They're still creative, giving us new lines of action figures, toy lines, rides and even play sets. To my surprise I even like the Mix & Match Mutations, which I didn't really think highly of when I just saw them in package at the stores.

I keep standing behind them, I let them know if there's something I don't like. I'll remain honest... Half Shell Heroes April is SCARY as a toy... but I'll also let them know when I like what they've done. The interactive talking Turtles are fun, and have amused most anyone I've shown them too. For every bad thing I find with Playmates Toys, I can usually find about five or 10 good things that I like.

[Candy Kappa]

Originally Posted by Powder

As much as I love the old figures & new adult collectibles, Playmates' modern output in no way deserves any positive acknowledgement.

I agree, the new line seems to get worse and worse.

Size, articulation and lack of paint apps are just getting worse, and worse. Lobster Shredder is a disgrace and are being outshines by his minifig sidekick Shrimp Shredder.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by IveyAngelo

I can't agree with you on that, as I will always be Thankful to Playmates Toys. If not for them funding those first five episodes a lot of us may not even know of TMNT to this day.

I also spend a lot of my time reviewing their toys as of recently. While some of them are not up to par in what I really want, like Splinter never gets a proper paint job, there's many of them that I just love the details on or the fun that can really come from the toy line. A really good sculpt job recently is Baxter Stockman fly toy, a major improvement from his first Baxter release for the Nickelodeon line of toys.

Playmates Toys has been a back bone to the TMNT industry since the 80's, their sales help keep the tv show on the air. No company out there would be perfect and get everything how every fan would want it. They're still creative, giving us new lines of action figures, toy lines, rides and even play sets. To my surprise I even like the Mix & Match Mutations, which I didn't really think highly of when I just saw them in package at the stores.

I keep standing behind them, I let them know if there's something I don't like. I'll remain honest... Half Shell Heroes April is SCARY as a toy... but I'll also let them know when I like what they've done. The interactive talking Turtles are fun, and have amused most anyone I've shown them too. For every bad thing I find with Playmates Toys, I can usually find about five or 10 good things that I like.

With all due respect, you're literally the most biased TMNT fan there is. Of course you're gonna say that.

I absolutely adore the old toyline, I've got most of the 4kids stuff too. I still buy a toy from them on occasion. But Playmates is a shell of it's former self in every conceivable way, & if you think they haven't hindered the series, you're out of touch. Even those involved with it's production will tell you that, behind closed doors. A toy company should not have any say in creative decisions, not at this stage in the game, anyway.

No company whose products in 2015, no less, feature a mass of unpainted/easily broken/un-articulated parts deserves this honor. If it were solely on the merit of their 80's/90's work? Sure, more than fair for consideration, they set maaaad trends. But now? No way. Not even close. Not to mention, when you put aside the toys themselves, they're horrible with public relations, they don't care what fans want, they disrespect adult collectors (who were once they kids that made them rich), they prevent others from freely using the license whether or not it's competition, they are bad. A good sculpt now & then does not make up for that.

& that's beside the point entirely, as much as I love the TMNT, their toys are action figures. They weren't firsts, like yo-yo's & slinky's & stuff. That's the kinda thing that gets the win before all else.

[sdp]

Is this for the original TMNT toyline? I think the original toyline deserves to eventually be there since that toyline changed the scale of action figures for many years after. I will never vote and don't think TMNT deserve to be there before the ****ing yo-yo or other iconic toys, hell Gi-Joe and other action figures would need to be added before TMNT as well.

Originally Posted by Powder

With all due respect[Ivey], you're literally the most biased TMNT fan there is.

[Candy Kappa]

Yeah... GI Joe was the first toy that was coined the term "action figure" back in the 60's

[IveyAngelo]

G.I. Joe was put into the Toy Hall of Fame back in 2004, so that's not a question if it should be there first. It already is. The question is, does TMNT belong in the Toy Hall of Fame.

Which is where I stand to say yes they do. It's not about them being action figures, it's about how much of an impact the toys have made through history. Being some of the top lines of toys over many years. Their choice to fund the first five episodes got it so we had cartoons, movies, tours and so much more. That one Toy line made the TMNT what we know and love today. The reason that we are a fan group, and not just the people who love Comics and RPGs. Mark Freedman made the right choice to bring them in by far.

I am sorry to hear that you got toys that easily break from the new toy lines. Can't save I've had that problem with the newer toys. Really my original toy line has caused more breaks in the toys and I felt they fixed some of the problems there. Can't mention how many handless Turtles we have at home (to the point that we were putting red paint where the hands were so we could pretend the Turtles got their hands cut off in battle). I've kept up with collecting and all of my Nickelodeon toys, which travel across the country to be set up in many different displays for filming, and used outside for photo shoots are still not broken.

About Playmates Toys having a say in a TV series, they always have. All the way back to the original cartoon, 4Kids series and Nickelodeon. That is nothing new. They get to say "Hey do this so we got more toys" But once again, the toys they produce pays for a lot of what we see. So it's a working deal that both sides profit from. It may annoy the creative team for the series, but it's a win win for both in the end if the toys sell. Much like the new Half Shell Heroes is selling so well that they're getting an animated special thanks to a new toy line.

"most biased TMNT fan there is"

Most biased fan would say the company is 100% right and could do no wrong. I am not saying that. And I've never been one to say something if I don't feel it's true. I like to be a person of my word. So if I'm going to review something I point out the good and the bad, I work to give facts about something. Every review points out if there's something I don't like, from the size of the toy to the paint job. But I also find a lot good to say.

An example of a toy line I was disappointed with that most people seemed to love has been the movie classic toy line. The photo they showed during Comic Con the year before it came out looked more like the costumes from the first movie, when I saw them at Toy Fair I was shocked at what really came out and disappointed. Feeling that the detail in the original photo was lost and they went more with something close to the cartoon classic. Which also are not my favorites as I felt the expressions, esp on Michaelangelo felt weird to me, did not come off as original toon Turtles. Which I did mention in my review of the Classic Turtles.

- To be fair to the movie classic line I have not yet reviewed them, and I don't watch anyone else's reviews till after I do a review. As I don't want to be influenced by other reviewers in what I will say. The only time I really looked at them was Toy Fair, so I have yet to open them or check out the expressions better. I will do so when I get the chance to do so. This is first reaction from seeing them compared to the photo I saw at San Diego Comic Con.

While I am a big fan of the property I can still see when things are done wrong. I would love for them to get better paint jobs, characters closer to the right sizes (Hun for the 4Kids series is an example of a GREAT toy showing size of character). Though I do feel to get Playmates Toys to listen to the fans we gotta be constructive. Remember their money comes from the kids, not us. Even if there's 50 to 200 adult fans who buy every TMNT toy in one city, there will be 100 times that in children getting their folks to buy the toys.

This being said, things are not going how the internet shows us with the toy line. Like right now I would think that Donatello should be a hot selling toy. I see more fan art, more Donatello girls at conventions, and more hot topics based around Donatello with the adult fans online. But that toy is selling so badly that Donatello is being cut from some of the toy lines coming out. This is WRONG! I am against this and the only thing I can say is that the Toy company listens to $$$ so if fans are not buying and supporting Donatello, there's nothing that can be done by the minority of buyers who've been getting these toys as they come out.

I will defend and stand by Playmates Toys as in I like the products that I own, I got some small problems with them here and there. I will not say they're perfect... but hey the toy line could be like Bandi's Thunder Cats toys that came out for that last series... which if I did a review of... Bandi wouldn't like me that much. They were tiny, they fall apart... they were costly... they didn't have much to them... we are getting way more for our money with what Playmates Toys is doing for Turtles. I am Thankful that we have Playmates Toys.

The National Toy Hall of Fame is not saying "Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" they are saying "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" which covers the entire toy line, our childhood to now. I know I'm not alone in enjoying the products on the shelves as I talk to people all the time looking for the newest and exciting toys out there. Right now Mondo Gecko, Fugitoid and Dr. Rockwell are all toys that get fans excited to talk about.

I will also like to say that I'm sorry to hear that people are having problems with their customer service. I know that it's a small crew there handling a big toy line and there's no excuse for not handling the fans right if they've got a complaint. I've never had a reason to complain enough to contact the company in that regards so it's not something I've personally had to face. At the same time, I do ask where on the package does it say if toy breaks they'll replace it? I have heard of some companies doing this, but I've also seen much worse toys come out costing that or more, which comes out of the package broken... not even the store would take it back.

[sdp]

I remember as a teen I frequented a metal forum and we had a user called "Kornmaniac420" or whatever and in his review of the latest stinker Korn had released at the end said "This album while having flaws and some tracks that aren't as strong still shows the artistic quality that Korn have always shown with all their albums and is not only another classic but the best title of the year." or something like that.

[Autbot_Benz]

Originally Posted by IveyAngelo

we are getting way more for our money with what Playmates Toys is doing for Turtles.

ya barely any paint apps Monster figures that are the same size as the turtles instead of towering them Pre bent knees that make figures impossible to stand up. Sometimes pre bent elbows like monkey brains. Mcdonald happy meal toys like Atilla the frog Ya we are getting our money's worth.

[IveyAngelo]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

ya barely any paint apps Monster figures that are the same size as the turtles instead of towering them Pre bent knees that make figures impossible to stand up. Sometimes pre bent elbows like monkey brains. Mcdonald happy meal toys like Atilla the frog Ya we are getting our money's worth.

Want bigger toys? That cost more money, as plastic cost more money. They tried this with the TMNT 2007 movies by making the Generals.. the masses did not prove to the toy company that it was worth using that much plastic as normal toys sold better than the $15 + toys even though they came with Turtles.

Once again... we're not the target crowd, while we bought the bigger toys... many waited for them to be on sale or just get price drop to buy. Only way we're going to get what you want, is if the toy company sees it worth their time and effort.

I can do many comparison to the Playmates Toys to McDonalds toys and prove we're getting better toys.

Um I also want to point out the complaints about the pre bent knees... for all those trying to defend the original toy line compared to new toy line... a lot of the old toys also had bent knees. In fact we get more moving joints now in most toys than we did in the old toy line. Just saying

[Ninturtle]

Originally Posted by IveyAngelo

I can do many comparison to the Playmates Toys to McDonalds toys and prove we're getting better toys.

His point was with Attila and you can't prove that Attila isn't happy meal quality. He's so flat that his sculpt is inaccurate.

[IveyAngelo]

I have not got Attila yet, so I have yet to really look at him. And I will say we have had some bad toys before I mean look at the first Nickelodeon Baxter Stockman toy... that one was craptastic... it's one of my main examples of a bad toy in design over all. Wish they just gave us a human Baxter.

I just know for the over all amount of toys that they do, we get more good than bad ones. And some times they do listen to the fans. Look at what they're doing in the Mix & Match toy line, the new Slash is taller, which has made it so I put that one with my main set of toys, instead of the original short release of Slash. And I know I saw a Leatherhead is coming too and he looks a little taller.

So if the fans are creative, constructive and do catch up with the Playmates Toys people at like conventions or even online, don't rip them a new one on just the things you hate. Share the good and bad and give your detailed reasons on why you don't like a toy. I've always been blunt with them, they know I don't like Baxter, and that I hate the paint job on Splinter... they heard the complaints about the size of the toys, and talked over how the cost would go up and most parents wouldn't pay that for their kids toys. I know when I next catch up on them they may hear about the April from Half Shell Heroes. If I get to look over Attila before that day comes, they may hear my feedback on him too. While I let them know what I'm disappointed with, I share why and let them know things that I like. They'll be hearing about how much I like the sculpt of Fly Baxter.

By feeding positive with the negative shows that you're not just there to attack, but to give them feedback on things you really hope to see fixed. Most of the time, money will talk more than hearing us older fans. If the toy is selling well, like I guess Splinter is, they won't try to fix it. But other times, if they chance comes up where they can do something, they might remember the conversation and try to help a little. A little give and take.

Really if LEGO and Diamond Select can both paint a decent Splinter face on a smaller toy, I hope some day that Playmates Toys at least tries too. In the mean time, people can at least paint up their own toys to look how they really want them too. We may have been the target audience when we were children, sadly we're not now.

It's not always easy to catch up with the Playmates Toys people, but if you want your voices heard take note of the locations they go too like Toy Fair and San Diego Comic Con. Talk with people you know are going, and see if they can help in passing the word along. Share your concerns, and see who can help out. Each of us have the rights to put our words out there, but if we do it in away that's not an attack they may listen more.