Icon Heroes did not renew Thundercats license

While it is not surprising news I haven't noticed it posted anywhere else but Icon Heroes did not renew their license for Thundercats. This quote comes right from their response...

"We had several items we had been working on, but unfortunately our license has since expired and we have decided not to renew it at this time. We may consider it later down the line."

Meaning, we won't be seeing any new Thundercats releases from Icon Heroes. At least for awhile or until when (and IF) they decide to get the license to do Thundercats again.

So it looks like we are not going to get that Sword of Omens letter opener that they had once teased. I am curious as to what other items they were working on. All i know is that we need to get Thundercats fandom hype and growing again because I don't want it to be another decade or 2 for officially licensed Thundercats items are out there.




The once teased Icon Heroes Thundercats item and possible Sword of Omens Letter opener???

Bummer. I don't collect any of the icon stuff myself but I still like to see as much quality Thundercats merchandise available as I can.

I, for one, am all for getting the "ThunderCats" fandom hyped up again, but it's a difficult process.

Not surprising really. Regardless of how much we like Thundercats, we as just fans cannot do WB job for them. They own the property and until they decided to invest in it again I can't see any company giving us the main piece of merchandise we want, new figures.
Maybe WB is just asking to much for the licence? I am puzzled as to how a company like Funko can get the licence. :eek: Surely giving the licence to a company that is going to produce a high in demand product (6" scale Classics figures) would seem a wiser move than giving it to a company to make vinyl figures and statues etc.

"Mark M, post: 94170" said:

Not surprising really. Regardless of how much we like Thundercats, we as just fans cannot do WB job for them. They own the property and until they decided to invest in it again I can't see any company giving us the main piece of merchandise we want, new figures.
Maybe WB is just asking to much for the licence? I am puzzled as to how a company like Funko can get the licence. :eek: Surely giving the licence to a company that is going to produce a high in demand product (6" scale Classics figures) would seem a wiser move than giving it to a company to make vinyl figures and statues etc.

but the vinyl figures are probably much cheaper to make. So the profit they bring in is probably larger. Funko puts out tons of things so it would seem that a lot of places are willing to work with them. It would make sense that the profit they look to make is why they are able to get the license for so many different things. A new 6 inch line would be amazing. But cost wise is probably a bit more expensive and the majority of the people buying the line would be collectors. Collectors are a small market in terms of producing a toy line. As we can see with all the recent cancellations and non-renewals. The fan interest doesn't just seem to be there and it isn't profitable on the company's end. There are about 2 million people on the Thundercats facebook page and i would say it is fair to say that less than half of those people even know about the Funko line, the Mezco line, the Icon Heroes statues and mini mates and just about any of the lines. I think more fans needs to start being reached on these types of lines to get more interest and hopefully the more people that know, the more people buy, the more companys make and makes sense for them to do more Thundercats lines. To me, that is the best and easiest way to get new Thundercats lines and hopefully one day a 6 inch line.

That's a really great idea!

"Cap'n Cracka, post: 94173" said:

I think more fans needs to start being reached on these types of lines to get more interest and hopefully the more people that know, the more people buy, the more companys make and makes sense for them to do more Thundercats lines. To me, that is the best and easiest way to get new Thundercats lines and hopefully one day a 6 inch line.

The problem though with these lines from Funko, Icon Heroes and Mezco are they are off shoots. While off shoot items are popular with other brands like TMNT, Transformers, MOTU etc they still have the main selling point which is a good toyline which the main fan base is buying.
There is no Thundercats presence to help. No cartoon, movie or comic.
If there was a Thundercats Classic line, something like MOTUC, there is no doubt they would sell very well. The vast majority of Thundercats fans are toy collectors and grew up with the toys and the cartoons and it's only obvious they would prefer buying toys to over priced statues. Even a random person who had fond memories of the show from their childhood is more likely to buy a £10-15 figure for nostalgia than a statues from £40-£200+.

"Mark M, post: 94182" said:

The problem though with these lines from Funko, Icon Heroes and Mezco are they are off shoots. While off shoot items are popular with other brands like TMNT, Transformers, MOTU etc they still have the main selling point which is a good toyline which the main fan base is buying.
There is no Thundercats presence to help. No cartoon, movie or comic.
If there was a Thundercats Classic line, something like MOTUC, there is no doubt they would sell very well. The vast majority of Thundercats fans are toy collectors and grew up with the toys and the cartoons and it's only obvious they would prefer buying toys to over priced statues. Even a random person who had fond memories of the show from their childhood is more likely to buy a £10-15 figure for nostalgia than a statues from £40-£200+.

Agreed. And it's the same thing over and over again. Get licence, pump out Lion-O and Mumm-Ra, try another character, dont renew licence, leave fans with a line-up that doesnt even complete one faction.

BanDai: 2 scales; only Tygra & Lion-O in one - Lion-O & Mumm-Ra in the other. O and the Mumm-Ra Lion-O (which is AWESOME!!)
MezCo: No Tygra
FunKo: No Tygra
Hard Hero: No Panthro (or Mumm-Ra)
Icon Heroes "Stactions": Prototypes of Jaga, Jackalman and Thunder-Claw revealed YEARS ago, are cancelled leaving fans with only Lion-O, Mumm-Ra and the Lair.
Icon Heroes/SideShow: Lion-O and Mumm-Ra. Tygra & Cheetara are cancelled.

Only the frikkin' Mini-Mates have gone above and beyond to bring us a pretty awesome line-up with almost all mayor characters. :thumbsup:

I would LOVE to have 1 complete ThunderCats team (let alone Mutants, LunaTacs etc.) to display.. Even the somewhat poorly designed BanDai line would be better with Panthro, Cheetara, the Kittens & Snarf.

Oh well...

EDIT: Icon Heroes also released the ThunderTank.. pretty awesome..

"thunderianroyalguard, post: 94234" said:

Agreed. And it's the same thing over and over again. Get licence, pump out Lion-O and Mumm-Ra, try another character, dont renew licence, leave fans with a line-up that doesnt even complete one faction.

BanDai: 2 scales; only Tygra & Lion-O in one - Lion-O & Mumm-Ra in the other. O and the Mumm-Ra Lion-O (which is AWESOME!!)
MezCo: No Tygra
FunKo: No Tygra
Hard Hero: No Panthro (or Mumm-Ra)
Icon Heroes "Stactions": Prototypes of Jaga, Jackalman and Thunder-Claw revealed YEARS ago, are cancelled leaving fans with only Lion-O, Mumm-Ra and the Lair.
Icon Heroes/SideShow: Lion-O and Mumm-Ra. Tygra & Cheetara are cancelled.

Only the frikkin' Mini-Mates have gone above and beyond to bring us a pretty awesome line-up with almost all mayor characters. :thumbsup:

I would LOVE to have 1 complete ThunderCats team (let alone Mutants, LunaTacs etc.) to display.. Even the somewhat poorly designed BanDai line would be better with Panthro, Cheetara, the Kittens & Snarf.

Oh well...

EDIT: Icon Heroes also released the ThunderTank.. pretty awesome..

I wish WB would catch on now that most fans don't want statues.. Regardless of the price it is just a fact that most fans prefer action figures.

It would be cool if Bandai could get the licence again and do the Classics. However they should only sell them online and make them like their Gundam model kits so when we get them we can paint and customise then ourselves to our own pleasing. :D

"Mark M, post: 94240" said:

I wish WB would catch on now that most fans don't want statues.. Regardless of the price it is just a fact that most fans prefer action figures.

It would be cool if Bandai could get the licence again and do the Classics. However they should only sell them online and make them like their Gundam model kits so when we get them we can paint and customise then ourselves to our own pleasing. :D

Yeah.. well, maybe those PrototypeZ Studios will be good? Their still gonna be statues, but maybe they'll have a bit more variety in characters, i.e. Grune, Ratar-O etc.? Dont think they will, but maybe.. :rolleyes:

"thunderianroyalguard, post: 94245" said:

Yeah.. well, maybe those PrototypeZ Studios will be good? Their still gonna be statues, but maybe they'll have a bit more variety in characters, i.e. Grune, Ratar-O etc.? Dont think they will, but maybe.. :rolleyes:

Don't get me wrong I know there are some amazing statues and great sculptors, I will include you in that as your customs look great. :liono
It's just speaking for myself , in my current financial situation, I would prefer spending what spare cash I do have on action figures.

I love the Tygra and wouldn't mind collecting all of the statues but it is really expensive especially when you live in South Africa and have to import it.

I also wish that a line can be completed. Bandai should have concentrated a bit more on the classics.

I am not sure when we will see new Thundercats stuff. I do hope it is in my lifetime.

It's obvious that action figures are more up a "ThunderCats" fan's alley. ;)