[lordsmurf]

Am I the only collector who grows a bit tired at the gimmick-type PVCs we've seen in recent year?

By gimmicks, I refer to the Halloween series, the hip-hop/new-age series, the football (a.k.a. soccer) series, the marching band series, and the Indian (a.k.a. Native American) series.

Sure, a marching band is cool. but did we need every instrument? No! Look at baseball. We have 3 positions (catcher, batter, pitcher). They didn't release a whole bench of players, nor should they have.

I was mostly enamored by Smurfs and their career-oriented figures, such as dentist, tailor, artist, musician, baker, etc. The lifestyle/fun figures were good too, like lazy, sleepy, naughty, handstand, etc.

These years, you either love the whole series, or you hate the whole series. It's no longer a mix of new characters, it's a bunch of gimmicks.

If I'm not mistaken, some of the recent themes are very American-centered. True, I hail from the USA, but how popular are such topics worldwide? (And let's not even get into anti-American politics). A couple of Halloween and Indians were cool, but we didn't necessarily need a whole year dedicated to each one. If anything, a bunch of themed figures sort of detracts from the nifty nature of themes at all.

I'm also a bit annoyed by the over-abundance of Smurfette and Papa figures. It took forever for the secondary characters to get released, and some of them are still nowhere to be seen (Hogatha, Bigmouth, etc). Cartoon-only or not (I don't really recall who was in which version), they are Smurfs characters. Yet we have dozens of Smurfettes and Papas to choose from. Enough!

I'm still waiting for pirate-hat sailor Smurf, or some reproductions of ridiculously rare (and therefore expensive and faked) older Smurfs.

I think Schleich has lost focus on what makes a Smurf a Smurf.

Anybody else agree?

[Smurfysmurf]

Hi, I agree with you in that I didn't like the Halloween smurfs as I am not big into Halloween and they seemed to be very untypical of smurfs...I do like the Indian smurfs but I agree even they are not your typical smurfs, and if I wasn't a collector I probably wouldn't have bought the last two smurf series...

I liked the soccer smurfs and even the marching band and think they were in the tradition of smurfs, in that they look like smurfs

My favorites are the older generation smurfs (60s,70s,80s) and think they are unmatched in their detail, material and just cuteness Also you find so many variations among them they are just fun to collect.

However, I think, if Schleich were to only re-release them they wouldn't find a market for them and Schleich is into making money. I am not sure how much money they are actually making by releasing new smurfs every year, but surely they make some kind of money or they wouldn't do it ...so it makes sense that they release new smurfs every year. I guess with time they ran out of smurf careers or lifestyle smurfs, so they had to come up with Halloween and also Indian smurfs. I still believe it would be nice if they were to release national smurfs, like one smurf in a traditional costume of each country or the major smurf countries ..It would be interesting to find out from smurf sellers which of the newer smurf series sold or sells the best

[Syd Smurf]

I really liked the Indian Smurfs but that's cos I like Indian mythology so it kind of combined 2 cool things for me. However it's different for different people as I am not a student of the smurf comics, cartoons or mythology so I just see them as characters that can be associated with anything....i.e. Syd with Stace.

I am just grateful that they are still releasing smurfs each year...with the planned trilogy movies it gives me hope they will continue to produce new smurfs but without the movies I would always fear that Schleich would say they don't make enough profit to bother making them and then cancel the production which would be a lot worse than another year of finger-licking soccer/football smurfs.

Fot the record...the classic series were the only ones I was disappointed in as far as designs go....for no other reason than I found them personally a bit boring and too close to ones done previously in most cases.

Dyar

[FlamingO]

I think the hip/hop new age series actually contains some of my favourite smurfs and it was these ones that actually got me collecting smurfs again

I think the halloween ones maybe don't look enough like smurfs

I would always fear that Schleich would say they don't make enough profit to bother making them and then cancel the production

Somebody who has been selling smurfs for 20 years spoke to me yesterday about their fear of this as well

[Guest]

I guess next year when the film is supposedly due out, it could be a make or break year for Schleich and smurfs ! I worry about this too, i wonder sometimes if Schleich will drop smurfs from production ?

[attombomb7]

hi everyone

I enjoyed ready all your comments on the recent smurfs series,

and I am still not sure either way, I guess if something attracts you
then its good.

I'm a bit more like Lordsmurf where I didn't collect these smurfs

but I can see people loving them. its a personal choice for me.

[XoioX2000]

I agree it is annoying that we have to wait a whole year for a new "series" which has one theme only. Although I do like them, they are no longer linked to the comics or as LordSmurf says "what makes a Smurf a Smurf".

Although a set of classic Smurfs was released a couple of years back... I wonder how successful they were...

I guess money talks as always: The Smurfs are not the current focus for the new generation so nobody would buy a normal smurf in a different position I guess, so from a marketing point of view, Schleich must have come to the conclusion that a set on a particular theme attracts more people than just the smurf itself... and if a kid just buys one to start with and them realises there is a whole set of 8, he might want the others... and another collector may be born... who knows...

All this may be very different in 2008 though: with the first movie coming out, a revival of the Smurf craze may come about... Schleich will not doubt have more than 8 Smurfs to release then!

[lordsmurf]

I'm not actually convinced there will be a Smurfs movie.
http://forum.bluecavern.com/viewtopic.p ... 563#109563

[Guest]

I am starting to think this movie will never happen

[Tojo]

I'm a bit in 2 minds about the themed smurfs myself. I buy them all cos I collect smurfs but I didn't like all of the halloween series (I like the reaper one though & the ghost would have been cool with fluorescent paint), or most of the trendy/hip series either. I do like the band set, the soccer ones & the injuns though.

I prefer the normal smurfs the most & wish there were more normal smurfs in different poses like there used to be back in the early days.

I'm still hoping that there will be a film as that would bring the smurfs to more childrens' attention. In Germany I think most children know the smurfs as they are sold in the shops, are shown on TV & Haribo makes smurf sweets but I'm not so sure about other countries. I hope Schleich does continue to produce smurfs & secretly wish that Bully would make them again as we'd then have lots more each year

The last couple of years McDonalds has produced themed smurfs & I liked all of them. I'm hoping there will be a set this year too but there's no sign of any yet unfortunately.

Long live the smurfs

[Smurfysmurf]

I am still hoping that they will release something special next year for the 50th anniversary of the smurfs....even if there is no movie

the 40th anniversary band set is among my favs..so I think another cool playset would be really great

[steveparkes]

I haven't minded the newer smurfs..apart from the halloween set which I think were not at all smurflike..hated the pumpkin headed one.

However, I wish they would release some new PLAYSETS!!!

[Rachel]

Interesting topic Lordsmurf.

On one hand I really do agree that it is odd and even "unsmurfy" that all the new smurfs have been released in sets since about 2001 but having just spent a few moments thinking about it and looking at all the smurfs in sets, I have to admit that I do like them them this way for several reasons. Firstly, in terms of recognition, it certainly makes it easier to identify the newer smurfs when looking at larger lots for me anyway. Also in terms of making scenes to take pics, it is fun using a "theme" and the smurfs being in sets certainly makes it easier to use a theme. I know that in the past, yes all the musician smurfs could be put together but I love the way a whole new scene can be made up with the newer smurfs.

[SA Smurfette]

Also in terms of making scenes to take pics, it is fun using a "theme" and the smurfs being in sets certainly makes it easier to use a theme.

I still believe it would be nice if they were to release national smurfs, like one smurf in a traditional costume of each country or the major smurf countries

I'll agree with that as well

I quite like the newer smurfs.
I don't LOVE every one, but a do like a few from each set.
I really like the Smurfette's from the 2005, 2006, 2007 sets, she's so much more cute, prettier than the original Smurfette who I think is ugly

[Tojo]

I really like the Smurfette's from the 2005, 2006, 2007 sets, she's so much more cute, prettier than the original Smurfette who I think is ugly

I agree with that 101%. Some of the older ones ought to have a bag over their heads