The Yak Shack Forum

Anyone from the Shack going?

Anyone hear anything from Artbox about Potter exclusives? Can they even sell Potter anymore now that the license is up? I see on the exhibitor list that they have a booth

I'm sure the license has nothing to do with selling stuff already covered by the license. If there is anything left that was already licensed it may show up.
ARTBOX is of course always plugging their goods, right?

I'm pretty sure that when Inkworks license ended for James Bond, they were required to destroy all remaining stock.

I'll be going Thursday only.

The card licenses vary all over the map, even from one set to the next with the same media company.

We don't know when the Artbox HP license ends, anyway. I have a suspicion that it ended last December. Possibly the announcement that redemptions would be honored through June 31st [sic] means that there will be a lot of Potter cards in July at Comic-Con. Without Potter stuff to sell, I wonder why they would even set up a booth.

Bryan, where did you see this year's Exhibitor list?

The official Comic Con site doesn't have the 2012 exhibitor list, only the one from 2011.

My bad, i didn't pay attention to the year on the exhibitor list and was looking at the 2011 one. No clue if they will be there this year

I have the same feeling, with them putting a deadline on the redemptions that just seems to me like everything that is left might get put into the mystery bags at the Con. I can't imagine any new exclusives of any kind though, which is a shame. Even the metal card sets and costume sets they sold were really great.

Whats crazy is, and I could be wrong, but last year I remember talking to them and I THOUGHT they said they already had props/costumes from the last film. A costume/prop set was rumored and then never made. So what happened to all those costumes and props they had?

Maybe they have all the costumes and props for a TDH2 update, but never got any images for the base set.  ;)

They sure had a limited gallery for the first TDH2 set, with some of the pix almost identical to others.

Any other Yaksters who will be there on Thursday this year, please LMK. I'd hate to miss running into you. I'll be taking my sister around (her first and probably only time) and figure I need to focus on getting her into programming. Our single day will make it difficult to spend enough quality time with my favorite exhibitors, so I might have a fatter wallet than usual when I leave!

I heard rumor from a dealer (not sure of his name), that they were supposed to get the costumes and props from the last movie, but then the WB decided against giving any. If that is true, then they don't have them and that is why they never made the last set. It's a shame, because I love the props and would have loved to have them from the last movie. It was ONE MORE SET. Why did the WB have to pull the plug when they did? They couldn't allow just one more?????  >:() >:() >:()

If this is true, then why didn't Artbox just state that they weren't given the items they needed for the set?  I'm assuming the contract specified that WB would provide Artbox with access to autographs, costumes and props, and WB therefore could be in violation of that contract.  Besides, Artbox appears to no longer be in the trading card business (other than gaming cards), so it isn't as if it would be burning any bridges by revealing the truth.

If so, there might be a lawsuit brewing. And that would be a good reason not to be talking about it everywhere ...

Another good reason would be if you think there's a real chance you might get them to sign some future license if you talk friendly - maybe not cards, but JPP/Amada does have other products.

My pet theory: There was disagreement on whether the terms were supposed to cover movies for seven books, or seven movies.

Artbox has been great for the hobby. I hope their people do well in their next ventures.

When it comes down to it, the truth is we will probably never know the real reasons why we never got to see that final costume/prop set. However, it is odd that Artbox suddenly broke the set up this way. It makes sense that they never received the material from the WB, or else we probably could have seen a normal set with props, costumes, filmcards and autos in it like all the other sets. They broke it up because they had the autos back, but were still waiting for the costumes/props (my guess anyway). If they never did get them, no set. If they got them, then why was there not a set made? It really does makes sense if you think about it.

Yes it does make sense, especially if Artbox knew if they didn't have costume and prop material on hand when the movie came out, they might never get it (contract or no).

If the variety of images used for the Part 2 base set is an indicator, I don't think they ever got much cooperation. The autographs were in-hand partly because they could start working on getting them signed at the start of Part 1. They were able to do autos without redemptions, but two of the puzzle-auto signers don't even appear in Part 2.

Maybe the Michelle Fairley puzzle auto is going to jump up in value a little bit. ::)

End ending's a shame, because I wouldn't have minded final 3-D or Memorable Moments or Posters sets. Or Masterpieces or Evolution sets that worked so well for LOTR.

Artbox should have had it as a requirement that the autographs to have been signed in silver or white ink. You can't even read half of them. As usual 20/20 hindsight.

Now that it is all over, I can honestly say I would have LOVED another 3D set or MM set

Oddly enough, I feel the same way.  I made some serious cuts on spending for hobbies, but had hoped for the HBP2 costume/prop set and either a 3D or MM set to tie things up.   Now, the series is unfinished and I really hate WB for that.

Artbox WILL be at comic con so it'll be interesting to see what they will be selling at the booth.

Booth 2842. The exhibitor list with locations is up at the SDCC website.

Well....now Artbox is not on the official exhibitor list

At least they haven't reassigned the booth # yet. Hmmmph.

I think the tell-tale sign they won't be there is that their already stagnant website hasn't been updated with the goodie bag notification.

Still not on the list. Maybe they are finally done? A shame because I thought their products were very well designed. With the exception of the redemption fiasco I would say the Harry Potter cards might be the best non sports product ever. They got virtually all the main cast to sign, and got a hold of a ton of key costumes and props.

I don't know why they never chased after any other licenses? Did they not have the money or were the other companies just outbidding them?

I agree that they needed to chase more, but I guess they thought Harry would be around a lot longer than it was. It was even cut short. But still, there are plenty of new shows people are crazy for that they could have gone after. Honestly, I wish they would have gotten Twilight after Inkworks instead of whoever it was that got it (I don't feel like thinking too hard right now).

Things are looking more and more grim for artbox :( Soon we'll probably find out they're out of business.

Artbox (Japan Printing Products USA) is just a division of a much larger Japanese hobby-and-other company. I suspect they will just move on to other things. They existed in 1995 before cards, and the Potter franchise was modeled on Topps's successful LOTR franchise, even to hiring Gary Gerani as the first set designer. It was unlucky when your division's main product line was licensed from a media outlet that doesn't like to bother with trading cards. I'll miss Kay and her small support team, they've been a great asset to the hobby. But we might see them again.

So...was Artbox at Comic Con?

Judging by the deafening silence, I'd say 'No'  :rofl:

If they were there, they hid themselves very well. No reps sharing anybody else's booth either, that I could see. (Of course, individuals might have attended. I even ran into Allan Caplan.)

Thanks for the info.  It's all very sad.

I agree. If us really sad.  :(