Suggesting Specials

[Bolingbroke]

Bolingbroke there are already three crusader Specials! Ain't that enough???
And I disagree with you about new knights, read below. Never enough knights, I say!

OK, my turn! I want an ancient Greece Special! Or maybe two: one Spartan and one Trojan. Oh! And a Normand fighter too! Like this one: http://genealogie.demeautis.free.fr/ressources_images/ressource_106/soldat_normand.gif
And any new knight with a new helmet, too (with crest, if possible).
Sorry, it's a wishlist here, right? 
A.

I wouldn't mind it if PM employed you to design their new knights, Arnaud. But with the stuff we've been getting in the past few years, Id rather have something else.

Re crusaders, yes. Theyve given us three crusaders and they havent got a single one right 

[playmogal]

Hi Arnaud!
Looks like a pushed a button and got you rolling with Margaret Thatcher!!!! I am trying to find some famous women who are dead, and it ain't easy! Please nominate some women that come to your mind as you are more familiar with European historical ladies than I because Texas history was required where I grew up. I would nominate a series of famous US Presidents, but that would still leave out all women and the rest of the world...not a good plan!

One of the many reasons that PM are so unknown in the US is that they offer so little to attract adult women, who select most of the toys purchased here. If PM wants to increase it sales, it needs to produce some historical figures that most women can relate to, and this definitely does not include more knights, soldiers, cowboys, spacemen, firemen, policemen, etc. which are all male dominated. I am not saying that PM should not offer these male specials, rather that they should give the female market more FEMALES!

So maybe we can all brainstorm here and come up with some famous women who are well enough known that  they will catch the eyes of women everywhere. Maureen Connolly Brinker was the most famous US tennis player for many years. Don't think we could get away with a Martina Navratilova, the Williams sisters, or any of the Belgian or Russian superstars (Sharapova, etc.) yet because...yup....they are still breathing.

Beverly Sills was a famous US opera singer; maybe Maria Callas would be appropriate for Europe. As a woman I would buy an Andrea Bocelli or Josh Groban, but alas they are still living and might not like PM making moola off their bodies. Although he looked dead the last time I saw him perform in Paris about ten years ago, Julio Iglesias has not kicked the dust yet either. Women also like Rod Stewart, and numerous other rock stars, but probably would not approve of our knocking them off prematurely just so we could get our fix of figures.

Scientists could include Galileo, Newton, and Einstein...all men except for Madame Curie. And then all of the famous artists, which basically are men. Here we go again...Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, the Breugels, Rubens, Wyeths, Warhol, Bierstadt, Winslow Homer, ...  Cassatt does star as the woman painter who is well known.  Also maybe Camille Claudet.

Then we come to musicians...including composers such as Beethoven, Bach, Dvorak, Mozart, Stravinsky, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Sibelius, Rachmaninof, etc.  And then the performers, Pavarotti, the dead Beatles,  Michael $$$$$ Jackson, Jim Morrison, Barry White, the FEMALES Janis Joplin, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, Etta James, except the last three are still alive.

Would some of these living people consent to a PM figure and forego any royalties, or would PM not consider them at all? Oh I forgot Yo Yo Ma, who is at the top of my list, and is well known in many countries. While Fournier and Rostropovich (saw him conduct Fournier in London in the 80's...WOW!) would also be cool figures, doubt that younger folks would know who they were.

Anyway we some some nominations for famous females...help, help, help, Pgal

[bonniebeth]

The problem with some of those famous women, pgal, is that they aren't necessarily readily recognizable people that kids will relate to and immediately see the resemblance. or adults for that matter. How do you make a helen keller special? How will anyone know that's who she is, she'll just look like a random woman.

I'd love to see a scottish special in a kilt, with bagpipes.

Or how about a native america woman? or child? We haven't had any of those in a while.

A cowgirl would be nice, too.

Or an australian aboriginee with a didgeridoo.

What about a french maid?

[Wolf Knight]

Yes, I'm not veru keen on seeing famous people become klickies... that takes away the magic...

But with Elvis... now thats another thing 

I agree with bb, a scot wearing a kilt would be awesome!!! Australian aboriginee is also a great idea!!!

Mayan, Inkan, Angient Greek specials would be very welcome 

[playmogal]

bb: Those are great suggestions! The kilt sounds wonderful! And the aborigines...maybe a family of them?

You are correct that Helen Keller would be a tough one...maybe a grandma with a shawl and white cane and a Braille book. It may take a little note on the side of the box telling who the figure is. Why not teach a little history with these specials? Most folks in the US would not know Albrecht Durer either, but he makes a wonderful special and is one of my favorite artists.

I forgot to add Ray Charles, who would need a suit, sunglasses, and a black piano. And Louis Armstrong with his trumpet. How well would a Mick Jagger with painted on large lips do?

I think an Itzhak Perlman in a chair/on a stool with his violin and a cane would be a winner, too. Joshua Bell could do well also with a violin and a dress shirt he likes to perform in, but he needs bendable arms and legs, another whole matter, because he dances while playing the violin in front of the orchestra. Hard to judge the market for these guys...also a Leonard Bernstein (Ricardo Muti/Zubin Mehta) with a baton and music sheets on a stand on a podium.

These are just some brainstorming ideas meant to get folks thinking out of the ordinary themes. And if you want to get into the religious possibilities, we certainly could use several Buddhas (both large and small stomach versions and various colors depending on the country) with the accompanying bald monks in saffron robes. The Dalai Lama may be too controversial for a German company...not sure about that, and he certainly would not work in mainland China!

Tennis fans would love a tennis racket and ball holding Federer, Nadal and/or Djokovic, who might need taller legs than the other two. Borg, Mc Enroe, Sampras, Agassi, Graf, and Everts also come to mind.

Anyway this is a fun thread promoting creativity and laughs, Pgal

[Bolingbroke]

Hi Arnaud!
Looks like a pushed a button and got you rolling with Margaret Thatcher!!!! I am trying to find some famous women who are dead, and it ain't easy! Please nominate some women that come to your mind as you are more familiar with European historical ladies than I because Texas history was required where I grew up. I would nominate a series of famous US Presidents, but that would still leave out all women and the rest of the world...not a good plan!

One of the many reasons that PM are so unknown in the US is that they offer so little to attract adult women, who select most of the toys purchased here. If PM wants to increase it sales, it needs to produce some historical figures that most women can relate to, and this definitely does not include more knights, soldiers, cowboys, spacemen, firemen, policemen, etc. which are all male dominated. I am not saying that PM should not offer these male specials, rather that they should give the female market more FEMALES!

So maybe we can all brainstorm here and come up with some famous women who are well enough known that  they will catch the eyes of women everywhere. Maureen Connolly Brinker was the most famous US tennis player for many years. Don't think we could get away with a Martina Navratilova, the Williams sisters, or any of the Belgian or Russian superstars (Sharapova, etc.) yet because...yup....they are still breathing.

Beverly Sills was a famous US opera singer; maybe Maria Callas would be appropriate for Europe. As a woman I would buy an Andrea Bocelli or Josh Groban, but alas they are still living and might not like PM making moola off their bodies. Although he looked dead the last time I saw him perform in Paris about ten years ago, Julio Iglesias has not kicked the dust yet either. Women also like Rod Stewart, and numerous other rock stars, but probably would not approve of our knocking them off prematurely just so we could get our fix of figures.

Scientists could include Galileo, Newton, and Einstein...all men except for Madame Curie. And then all of the famous artists, which basically are men. Here we go again...Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, the Breugels, Rubens, Wyeths, Warhol, Bierstadt, Winslow Homer, ...  Cassatt does star as the woman painter who is well known.  Also maybe Camille Claudet.

Then we come to musicians...including composers such as Beethoven, Bach, Dvorak, Mozart, Stravinsky, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Sibelius, Rachmaninof, etc.  And then the performers, Pavarotti, the dead Beatles,  Michael $$$$$ Jackson, Jim Morrison, Barry White, the FEMALES Janis Joplin, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, Etta James, except the last three are still alive.

Would some of these living people consent to a PM figure and forego any royalties, or would PM not consider them at all? Oh I forgot Yo Yo Ma, who is at the top of my list, and is well known in many countries. While Fournier and Rostropovich (saw him conduct Fournier in London in the 80's...WOW!) would also be cool figures, doubt that younger folks would know who they were.

Anyway we some some nominations for famous females...help, help, help, Pgal

Let me understand this: women in the US go into a shop, see a Rosa Parks PM special, and think 'AHA ... this is what my hannah montana-watching kid would really, really love for her birthday!'

[Bolingbroke]

The problem with some of those famous women, pgal, is that they aren't necessarily readily recognizable people that kids will relate to and immediately see the resemblance. or adults for that matter. How do you make a helen keller special? How will anyone know that's who she is, she'll just look like a random woman.

I'd love to see a scottish special in a kilt, with bagpipes.

Or how about a native america woman? or child? We haven't had any of those in a while.

A cowgirl would be nice, too.

Or an australian aboriginee with a didgeridoo.

What about a french maid?

I like the idea of a cowgirl. We've had cowgirls in the past - but not enough. Certainly not as many cowgirls as there are female pirates for eg. Same goes for Indian women. I think PM should try to maximise the potential of 'unisex' themes this way. That way, a western theme wouldnt be exclusive to boys but would also interest girls.

[Ds dad]

I really like the idea of a highlander and hoplite. Aztecs or Mayans would also be great and generally some more non-European figures (Zulu, Aborigines, Persian etc). Oh and a matador, I'd love to see a matador in our Arena . . .

[bonniebeth]

ooooh, a matador might be controversial, but it would be cool.

Ray Charles would be cool, but again, a lot of kids would have no clue who he is. I don't think we'll ever have a huge number of historical figures for that reason. We may see a very occassional one, like the Durer figure, but I don't think they'll be in the regular specials line.

[Ds dad]

Controversial?  From a company that gives you a hunter and baby deer to shoot FOR EASTER and a hooded executioner?  Call me crazy BB but I think a matador would fit in nicely.