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Ah, the first year of the millennium has gone by. So, was I right... wrong, out of my mind? ... ok, ignore the last question. Anyway, what have we learned since the year has gone by? Well, considering what questions we started with...
1. Where art thou, Hasbro? Good news; TRANSFORMERS ARE NOT DEAD. Ok, ok, so 'Robots in Disguise' is just a re-packaging of the 'Car Robots' line from Japan. Still, the toys rock, and they're finally AFFORDABLE. Bad news; one line does not a company make. Ask Mattel. 'Star Wars' is actually still alive, although no where near the juggernaut it was.
2. Are Movie Tie-ins Dead? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... we shall see. This summer's batch of 'Tomb Raider' and 'Jurassic Park 3' weren't the best sources of action-figure material. What happens as of this winter is another story. 'Harry Potter' is everywhere, and Playmates new 'LOTR' figures look gorgeous. And, of course, we still have a certain sci-fi epic and comic-book web-slinger to test whether the movie tie-in is officially dead, or just resting for a while.
3. Japanese Imports Galore? Oh boy, now it's in full swing; MORE figures from companies such as Kaiyodo, Koto Inc., et al. And more good news, companies like Bandai and Takara FINALLY realize they could just RELEASE THE STUFF HERE, and make a ton o' money. Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe.
4. Surprise, Surprise. Unfortunately, no surprises this year. As a matter of fact, the surprise of last year, wrestling figures, has stabilized after peaking. At this point, the entire industry may be in a state of leveling. Has the market hit it's peak? We shall see...