Join DSTChuck for another installment of AskDST! This week we tackle your pressing Minimate questions - including the odds of an Age of Apocalypse box set, the odds of Firefly and Chuck Minimates plus a special surprise at the end. On to the Minimates!

Ryan Dion
I am always looking forward to the release of new minimates! Series 25 was listed as being released on May 6, 2009. Has this changed? I couldn’t find them anywhere this last week and a lot of online stores still have them listed under “preorder.” I understand if you can’t give an exact answer, but any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

DSTChuck: Minimates Series 25 went into comic stores on the 27th of May.

Thom Trainor
I am an avid collector of Star Trek Minimates, and love to display them. However, the slightest breeze seems to knock them over. Is it possible to purchase stands (much like the ones that came with Lord of the Rings Minimates) to help get the most out of my collection? Also, is there someplace I can see images of the upcoming Romulan Commander figure? Thanks!

DSTChuck: The best thing for Minimates to stand in special poses or displays is a little dab of fun tack. The best place to look for pictures of all DST products when they are ready to be ordered is the www.diamondselecttoys.com site.

Eric Dlugokinski
First off, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Firstly, why does it seem to be the trend that minimates show up at Toys R Us’ first and then way later at comic book shops? I.E: The Wolverine minimates showed up at TRU just before the movie hit theatres, which is perfect timing, but still nothing weeks later at comic shops. I live in Canada and rely on comic book shops to get my minimates. Kinda sucks to be left waiting while others are able to enjoy them much earlier. Secondly, is it possible for DST to start selling minimates through canadian Toys R Us’? They did once upon a time ago, but now it seems to be strictly a USA thing. What can be done from your end of things?

DSTChuck: The plan is to have the MM releases go to all channels at the same time. We’ve really only shipped two waves of MM to TRU so we’ve still got some learning to do but I’d like to think we have it figured out now. As for TRU Canada, that is a separate buyer then TRU US, so it’s up to that buyer to decided they want to stock MM. Hopefully if the success in the US continues Canada will take note of it and start to stock a full line of MM.

William Dugan
I really enjoy collecting your Minimates figures. I think the only sets I have skipped are the Silence of the Lambs, 24 and Punisher series, but have purchased every single other series. I am especially impressed with the non-traditional sets: Desperately Seeking Susan, Godfather, and the Clint Eastwood Minimates. What fun! I would like to suggest that you make Firefly/Serenity Minimates. Or, how about Chuck Minimates. Thanks for the great stuff!

DSTChuck: Firefly has been suggested before but based on the response from retail we don’t think there is enough support right now to go forward. I have to say we’ve never even discussed Chuck MM.

Joshua Hesselgrave
Hi again. As always, thanks for doing this. Also, thanks for the previews of Marvel waves 29 & 30-they’re amazing. This leads me to a few questions:
1. Are Marvel Minimates still selling well? I know you can’t go into specifics, but could you say if sales have been steady or growing?
2. Can you comment on Toys R Us selling Minimates and if it appears to be successful for them? Also, do you expect their sales to affect on-line and comic shop sales?
3. And speaking of TRU, any chance of them picking up Star Trek Minimates to fit into their shelf plans? It seems like it’d be an easy way to see an all TNG or DS9 wave (especially with Trek getting so much coverage). Thanks again for doing this.

DSTChuck:
1) I would say Marvel sales are still pretty strong but sales in the comic channel seem to be on a slight decline. They had been pretty consistent for the last year but the last couple waves we’ve seen a slight dip.
2) TRU seems pleased with the progress of MM sales, they are not blowing out the door chain wide but they are holding their own and seem to be finding an audience. So far from out our tracking the TRU sales do not seem to be hurting comic stores. Comic stores can provide that personal service a chain can not provide. As time goes on we’re looking to make sure each channel gets the characters that work best for them and tighten up the times both outlets receive the product.
3) To be honest we have pitched them on Trek MM but so far the interest on their part has been marginal. That could change as you say because of the movie. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Bob Dalicandro
First, I want to thank you guys for putting out the first Ghostbusters collectables in years. I can’t wait to get the minimates. I was wondering are there any plans to make a series of minimates based of the cartoon, The Real Ghostbustes? Also, is there any chance of seeing a scale Ecto 1 for the minimates?

DSTChuck: No need to thank us, it been a dream come true for almost everyone in this office to work on that property. We’ve been chasing Ghostbusters for years so we can’t wait either! Right now we do not have the rights to the animated show but based on the product we’re worked up already Sony seems very interested in discussing a potential new deal.

Tray Chester
Are there any plans to release the Cylon action figures in vac-metalized form for a “true to the screen” shiny look? Hasbro had no problem with the process for their 12″ figures of droids and such, so is this a possibility with the level of articulation that is present?

DSTChuck: We’re tried to do Vac metal on Minimates before but have had no luck, its something that in some cases we think would give a great look but so far no luck.

Steve Still
hi there, i was wondering if there is any chance of you doing minimates from the new star trek movie or the new terminator salvation movie? if so, when? if not, why is that? i think these 2 lines would do very well. thanks for all the great minimates we have gotten so far.

DSTChuck: Right now we have no rights for either movie. Our rights to Terminator are limited to T2 and our Trek rights are pretty much everything BUT the new movie.

Ken Raining
Hey guys, I have to say that I was a little incredulous at your claims that this was going to be the year of the Minimate, but you’ve sure gone above and beyond to back that up. The things you are doing with Marvel, plus Ghostbusters and Terminator… it’s incredible. That said, the thing I am most looking forward to are the Spirit comic book Minimates. They look sooooo beautiful, and I really love what you said about it being an honor to work on them. So I’m worried that I didn’t see them on the latest shipping update. PLEASE tell me that this was just an oversight! And, if orders were indeed less then expected, please try to find a partner to make these an exclusive! We need these Minimates!

DSTChuck: Ken, I am glad you’re happy with how the year is turning out. We have been laying the ground work for this for some time and if all goes well, we’re pushing for next year to be even bigger. I have to be honest with you, we’ve really struggled to find the buyers for the Spirit comic boxed sets. We’re not giving up but we need to find some more support at retail to make this set happen.

Jay Sanchez
Hi! With the success of making Marvel Minimates from certain storylines and crossover events; are there any plans to bring the Marvel Age of Apocalypse line into Minimate form? An AOA Sunfire, Blink, Nightcrawler, etc would be extremely cool to see. Actually, any new Nightcrawler would be great to see? Also, are there any plans to resurrect the DC Direct Minimates line? I need to have a Kyle Rayner Green Lantern to complete my corps. That and Hawk and Dove!! Keep up the good work!

DSTChuck: We’ve had some fun with the themed four packs for sure. It’s been nice to focus down the line and work on things like that. We have considered AOA from time to time, we always struggle with the mix of timely and classic story lines. Unfortunately we have nothing to do with the DC license; those questions need to be directed at DC Direct.

Brian Felgar
I was hoping you could, er, clarify something: Are transparent/translucent Minimates more expensive to produce from a materials standpoint that opaque, plain plastic ones? Following from that question, have you considered doing a clear, non-colored blank, sort of like the white FCBD blanks? Maybe for FCBD next year?

DSTChuck: It’s hard to say exactly but yes in most cases clear is more expensive because of the higher scrap rate. With clear you can see any imperfections that might have occurred in production. We have not yet considered a “clear” clear Minimate as a give away.

John Hooper
let me start by saying “jim lee” storm, scorpion,and house of m spiderman were really good ideas. but I think people (for some reason) want vulture and lizard (well him I can understand) are these coming out at any time personally I thing a 90′ ver. of jubilee and jean should come out first . but as a joke (next 4/1) make a squirrel girl with “squirrel damaged” dr. doom. and I asking again if lockheed is up on the idea table?and a lot of people are complaining about a single nightcrawler maybe you should have a Wagner family set of bamf nightcrawler (half transparent purple nightcrawler), rouge (with jacket) , Azazel , and Mystique. well this is my idea on what should happen in the minimate world.I hope the fact that this is my forth or fifth e-mail isn’t annoying you.I just have too many ideas for my own good.

DSTChuck: Yes for sure we want to get to Lizard and Vulture in the not to distant future. We’ve looked at Nightcrawler as well so you never know what might get added to the MM world. Lockheed, huh? Keep the emails and ideas coming, John.

Make sure you check the main Diamond Select Toys website later today for an extra-special announcement sure to break the internet in half. So say we all!