Palisades Marketing has always targeted collectors, but the company's focus has shifted in reaction to a marketplace that is increasingly crowded with resin statues and busts.  For 2002 Palisades is putting its main effort behind three action figure lines, two of which are based on reviving toys from the 80s (Muppets and Micronauts).  Palisades will still produce a number of quality resin busts and statues, but those figures will be confined to another set of licenses that prospered in the 1980s, G.I. Joe, Alien and Predator.  A third series of Palisades' popular Resident Evil figures, based on the Resident Evil videogame, is the only major Palisades product that isn't part of this 80s look.  Palisades has identified its core audience of collectors from 20-35 and provided them with a plethora of products that are redolent with Reagan-era nostalgia.

Thanks to Sesame Street, each new generation of kids is exposed to the Muppets, but The Muppet Show action figures from Palisades refer directly to The Muppet Show TV series, where the raspy-voiced puppets could escape the strictures of public TV and do things they couldn't do on Sesame Street like drink beer and viciously parody science fiction TV (Swine Trek).   Palisades has a very ambitious plan to launch four series of Muppet Show figures during 2002.  Four series may be too many, but each series only contains four six-inch action figures.  The first series, which will be released this spring, contains Kermit, Miss Piggy, Dr. Teeth, and Dr. Bunsen.  The second series, slated for summer, includes Fozzie, Gonzo, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, and Crazy Harry.  The third series, scheduled for fall, features Scooter, Zoot, Lew Zealand, and Rowlf.  Kermit returns in Series four along with Julius Strangepork, Janice, and Sam the Eagle.

A Play Set accompanies each series of figures and a unique figure comes with the Play Set.  Beaker comes with the Muppet Labs Play Set that also includes an examining table and a gorilla detector.  The 'gorilla detector' is taken directly from a Muppet episode, and this intimate knowledge of the series and great attention to detail should make this series a hit with those with indelible memories of the Muppet series.  The other Play Sets make equally telling references to the TV series.   Electric Mayhem is a Muppet rock stage complete with drum set, chains, speakers, and of course, the mad drummer known as 'Animal.'  The Swedish Kitchen naturally includes the Swedish Chef, while the Swine Trek Play Set contains the Swine Trek Bridge along with Captain Link Hogthrob as well as chairs for Julius Strangepork and Miss Piggy. 

The Muppet Show Figures will be in Toys R Us, but they won't be sold at WalMart.  The fact that Muppet Show Figures have been ordered by both the goth/mall mavens Hot Topic and the Einstein-breeding Zany Brainy chain demonstrates the breadth of the potential audience for this product.

Micronauts

Palisades' second new product line for 2002 is the Micronauts -- a revival of the 1980s modular action figures that featured a large number of interchangeable parts, which allowed for great creativity in play.  Image's Devil's Due Studio is in the midst of reviving The Micronauts comic book, which should allow for some excellent cross-marketing opportunites (see 'Devil's Due Gets Rights To Micronauts'). Palisades is bringing out two series of Classic Micronauts figures, which are as close as modern safety standards will allow to exact reproductions of the original 3.75-inch Micronauts toys.  The first Classic Micronauts series is slated for summer, with the second series scheduled for the fall.   Palisades is also planning to manufacture a new set of Micronauts figures, based on new designs but still compatible with the Classic Micronauts figures.

Each of the three series of Micronauts figures will be accompanied by the release of a Deluxe Figure Set.  The first set features Baron Karza, the second stars the Red Falcon, and the third, Biotron.  Like The Muppet Show Figures, the Micronauts will be flying under WalMart's radar.    

Palisades' Resident Evil line has done very well in spite of the fact that it is too violent and graphic for WalMart and the toy chains.   The highly detailed and cleverly articulated Resident Evil Figures range from 6.25' to 9.75.'  Based on a popular video game, the Resident Evil Figures have sold primarily in video game outlets, but any retailer who deals in toys aimed at adult collectors should consider this line, which has performed very well with fans of the Resident Evil game.  For 2002, Palisades is releasing its third series of Resident Evil Figures and the focus shifts back to classic characters from the game including Chris Redfield, Wesker with Hunter, Tyrant, and William G41.  A new version of Resident Evil created for the Nintendo GameCube hits the market this summer, and should further increase awareness of the property.

Palisades is producing fewer resin products this year, but the company is focusing its efforts on just two licenses, with a strong emphasis on G.I. Joe.  Four G.I. Joe mini-busts are scheduled to hit the marketplace at three-month intervals starting in the spring with Storm Shadow, which will be followed by Snake Eyes, Baroness, and RoadBlock.  Resin statues of Cobra Commander, Zartan, and Destro are also planned though details on these figures are not yet final.  The revived G.I. Joe comic has been a big hit for Image Comics (see 'Image Comics Goes Back To Press With GI Joe #1') and Hasbro is expanding its G.I. Joe line for 2002 as this property continues on an upswing.