Executive Replicas Brings Characters to Life!

By
Thomas Riccardi
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When I was young I used to go to Seaside Heights every summer with my family and we would try to win prizes. Some of the stuff we would win would be toys for myself and my sister and this is when Mego had started hitting its stride. These action figures were amazing as they used real cloth and looked like the characters from TV, movies and comics. Now, Executive Replicas is looking to capture some of that lost art and I had a chance to speak with them and this is what they had to say

TR: Tell us about Executive Replicas.

WD: I am Winston Dunlop, President of Executive Replicas Inc., a family-owned business along with my brother and CEO Martin Dunlop, that has been producing classic horror, science fiction, and comic book related figures and statues for almost 15 years.  We are collectors first and know what our fans want in an action figures and statues.

TR: What persuaded you to go into this business?

WD: Being a collector for over 45 years, I wanted specific figures and products made, and no companies were producing these characters or producing high-quality products to portray the beauty and artistry of many classic characters. After a couple of years of deliberation, my brother and I decided to take a chance and follow our dream of starting a toy company for high-end collectors. I had some previous experience working for another company as their production manager, so I made some contacts…obtained some licenses, and the rest is history.

TR: What are some of the licenses that you hold?

WD: Some of our licenses are:
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey
  • Lost In Space
  • Bettie Page
  • Dawn
  • Lady Death
  • Shi
  • Red Sonja
  • Vampirella
  • Metropolis
  • ARH library of characters
Some actors and estates such as Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Caroline Munro, George Wallace. Just to name a few…

TR: I have noticed that there are a few items out of stock. Are they going to be reintroduced or are they gone forever?

There have been times when we had to do a small production due to damages incurred during transit, but we usually do not produce additional products of the same character to ensure the exclusivity. That way, our products maintain their value, and eventually, the cost per item increases.  Our fans like the fact we produce lower production runs.

TR: So what are some of the figures that are coming out in the coming year?

Coming out 2020 will be the following:
  • 2001; Clavius astronaut suit and statues
  • Bettie Page V2 figure and statues
  • More Lost in Space characters
  • More ARH figures
  • Metropolis Robot
  • Carolline Munro as Vampirella
Plus much more.

TR: Are there any special surprises you can let my readers in on?

If I did, then it would not be a surprise…

TR: Alright I am sold on some of these where can I order them?

You can order direct from us at www.executivereplicas.com

TR: What would be some figures you would love to bring to life?

I would love to continue the classic horror line, but the customer base is getting smaller, making it harder to produce the numbers needed. The Universal Monster line still holds up but as for the B-Movie monsters…the interest is dying off even if the movies are playing on Netflix.  You have the She-Creature, The horror of Party Beach, Blood of Dracula, Invasion of the Saucer Men (One of my favorites) but the movies don’t hold top today with the younger generation.

TR: Do any of the figures hold a special place in your heart?

George Wallace, as the Rocketman, holds a special place in my heart because, as a child, I watched the serial in syndication and loved the whole Commando Cody character.  This is the reason why our 12in action figure is very detailed with metal parts to pay homage to one of my favorite characters.
The other two are Bettie Page and Caroline Munro…Growing up and seeing Caroline Munro…I thought she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, so once I began producing figures, she was one of my first licenses we obtained.
Bettie Page is also important to me as well.  I mean she is the queen and that smile of hers…it was pure magic so it was an honor for us to produce her figure (can’t wait for the 2nd one to be released).

TR: If you could work with a specific license or studio who would it be and why?

I want to keep my future intentions to myself to maintain the many surprises we have planned for our company and fans. I will say that I am working on some of our own intellectual properties.

TR: Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for this interview. I hope our company can continue to produce very interesting and sought after characters. We try to have the best quality used on the figures, and our factory and partner, Phicen, also known as TBLeague has been an essential part of us achieving our goals.
And there you have it folks! If you are looking for some great collectibles, and I couldn’t even call these toys as they look like works of art, then you need to head over to https://www.executivereplicas.com/ and check out what they have in store!

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