Chris talks to one of the masterminds behind the retrotastic Re-Action Figure toy line.
Throughout the years, theAlienprototypes have left toy collectors everywhere feeling mournful about what could have been.
One of these enthusiasts was Brian Flynn.
So he decided hed help make them himself.
For their initial offering, Funko/Super 7 has finally made the Kenners would-beAlienfigures available to collectors.
We recently had a chance to speak with Brian Flynn about the Re-Action figure line.
I have been collecting toys for almost 25 years now.
In the summer of 1991 I decided that I wanted my oldStar Warsfigures again.
Not too long after that they published a story about the unproduced Alien prototypes action figures.
Like what the hell is that?
They were one of those things that held my fascination for the last 20 years.
And they we said well why dont we do it?
By the time we got to that point we knew a lot of the prototype collectors.
So we just started asking around anybody knew who had the prototypes.
It was just basically lets make the thing that we want, and that was the genesis of it.
What do I want?
I want theAlienaction figures that I could never have that Ive been drooling over for 20 years.
What really surprises me is how the Kane figure seems very sophisticated.
How close was that figure to the original mold?
The first piece we got was the Kane.
It has a little more detail than you would typically see in the Kenner figure.
I think it just made Kenner able to put a little more detail in it.
But when you get in the head and it is like bonk!
The Alien has a surprising level of detail for the time as well.
Especially when you look at it next to Ash, who is a very standard figure.
Ash is what youd expect.
So now that these figures are completed how do you feel about them?
What other the characters in would you want to include in a possible second wave?
Well we are super excited about them.
I want to hear other peoples excitement about them.
But at the same time do I really need my 330thvariation of Darth Vader at this point?
I think it is going to be great.
like buy this wave so we can make the next one!
We have all wanted a Snake Plissken.
TheEscape from L.A.Snake from McFarlanes Movie Mania line didnt quite cut it.
(Laughs) This will be awkwardly nostalgic as well.
It is interesting because there is a wide breath of 3 34 figure.
If you look at Kenners first 21Star Warsfigures, they are very simplistic.
The paint is super thick.
Almost all of the paint is held in the mold of the figure.
Most of the figures are two colors.
Think about the Cantina aliens theyre all designed to be two colors, minimal spray apps, very simple.
They were much thinner and they all didnt have T-jointed waists .
Then figures start getting into a huge range of variations, especially in weight and thickness.
But what I always come back to is what is my nostalgia level?
What am I interested in?
For me, I come back to those 21 figures and use them as the guide posts for complexity.
What are some of the other lines that you are planning?
ButThe TerminatorandEscape from New Yorkwill be next two that hit the shelves.
Then after that we have been talking aboutAliens,The Goonies,The Nightmare Before Christmas, andFirefly.
We have been talking about a gazillion licenses.
What about like the spin off product like glass tumblers?
Will you be doing any more neat little promos things like the print catalogs to promote theAlienfigures?
We will definitely be doing some more print catalog-throw in items.
Obviously there was theAlienEarly Bird kit which was a great nod.
For San Diego this year we have something completely unexpected that I think will blow people away.
As far as the glasses, Im literary swapping emails with theStar Warspeople right now.
We are going to doStar Warsglasses, but we are not going to do movie glasses.
Also, we have our ownStar Warsapparel license.
So we have got some really crazy stuff that other people arent making.
It sounds like you have the best job ever.
Im trying to make it that.
If Im going to work on stuff I might as well make stuff that I want to do!
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