It’s time, my little Poesters, to harangue Mattel in the wake of the Great Teela Disaster of 2009. But I kid the mega-corporation who really needs to get on the same page with its mediocre webstore management company!
As always, polite (but firm), thoughtful, new questions will get preference over mean-spirited diatribes about, say, the distribution of DCUC (dude, we know).
I remember in the early days of MOTUC that figures were planned with a retirement date of a month after their original release. Is this policy still in effect? If so, does it apply across other lines, like Cars and Ghostbusters? If any figures remain after the retirement date, what would be done with them?
Will we see any of the Snake Men in 2010?
Many fans were upset, as you know, with the shopping experience at Matty Collector. Some fans are threatening to quit the line, many already have. Are there any incentives going forward, due to this mistake, which has cost people in time, money (Via phone calls) etc?
Hey Mattel,
I have a question in regard to the change of plastic used in the hose/gun part of Ray's proton pack.
I know many people on the web and in forums mentioned the extreme flexibility of Egon's gun as a negative in their reviews. Now owning Ray, it seems Mattel has listened and is using as strong of a plastic as possible considering the gun and the hose have to be one part.
Honestly, I think this change was a poor decision and hope for future busters to revert back to the softer material. Egon's gun bends easily, but it never stays that way, even after being warped heavily from in package posing. Ray's was slightly warped in the box, but continues to hold this curved shape.
More importantly, the more rigid hose doesn't sit as nice when the gun is holstered on the pack. It bends at sharper angles, instead of the nice curve Egon's takes. I fear over time this may make it more likely to develop stress marks and break, especially near the gun's grip. It makes fiddling with the toy a bit more difficult as the cable's resistance effects the gun in some poses.
Was this change in material intentional on Mattel's part or was this just the factory acing on its own and using a different plastic?
Does Mattel prefer one plastic over the other and are there plans to switch back to the softer plastic, stay with the current plastic, or continue to experiment with new materials on future figures?
Thank you for you time, and thank you for actually making film based Ghostbusters action figures. They are awesome!
@Dyl do we have proof that people have quit? Mattel won't talk about numbers but without concrete evidence, we don't know how many actually quit.
As general costs of doing business rise, does Mattel have plans on creating a line similar to the Brave and the Bold minis but less stylized? Other companies have had success with the heroes-styled figures in that scale both with kids and collectors. Any chance of seeing something similar for the DC Universe out of Mattel?
Any chance of making a 6" Giganta? The collect ans connect is perfect for the most part but it would be nice to have her in a regular sized figure. Also now that the LOD is almost complete when will we see Toyman and or a Superfriends Scarecrow?
Will we see any 2 packs for MOTUC?
Can we expect a 6-inch stay-puff marshmellowman?
Does Mattel have the rights for making DCUC Legionnaires? If yes, of which era?
You've mentioned before that the modern Dr. Fate from DCUC wave 8 was being redone in all gold. Has it been released, cancelled, or is it in production? Is there a release date?
My subscription had an error, tried to contact you, had poorly writen responses and then it was cancelled. Why can't you do something as simple as replying e-mails and changing card information for the subscription?
Here in Brazil Me and some friends have never received some figures we've bought on mattycollector. I'm waiting for my He-Ro to arrive. Tried to contact you by e-mail, but never had a response. What can we do about it?
How many waves of DCUC are planned for 2010? Is it wave 12, 13, 14, 15, 16?
Can you now reveal the theme?
How is the matty site going to support new DCUC from now on, after the last 2-pack. DCUC Subscription Service?
A thought – MOTUC Build a castle- You could release cast peices of plastic as backgrounds Approx 4"X8"(different from the planned stands) that could connect and after 10 – 16 of these you have castle grayskull.(not a playset just a nice sized backdrop)Only ordering 1 piece a month would be easier on the wallet as well. This would totally be a minimum cost way to get out castle grayskull. Think about it, it would work. They could be connected together with plastic tabs/ clips.
@Jestergoblin – Only proof I have is from the people on He-Man.org, saying they are quitting, or only collecting certain things now etc.
why do you hate me so much? i just want to give you money.
Not sure if this has already been asked or not…
How many female characters can we expect in 2010 in addition to Adora? Sorceress? Evil-Lyn? She-Ra?
When/if Evil-Lyn will be released, will she have her Classic yellow skin/blue armor? Will she be available as a bonus with the 2002 white skin/purple armor?
Thx.
1) Last year He-man and Beast man went on sale on December 1st (to start the line I know), is there any chance you will do the same for Randor and Green Goddess so they will arrive before Xmas?
In a previous Q&A you advised that DCUC would be appearing in all Wal-Mart stores worldwide, please can you confirm if this includes the UK's Wal-Mart owned ASDA chain? Folk in the UK would dearly love to buy DCUC products too!
In 2010, could we please please PLEASE see an end to the pre-posing of figures in DCUC?
I just bought four wave 10 figures yesterday and ALL of their legs have been severely warped to the point of looking like they were bent. The aesthetic, to me, is lost and the figures look way less cool than a 4HM sculpted figure ought to. I'd take the figures back, but, you know.
Perhaps, in an effort to showcase their articulation and pose-ability, you could showcase pics of dynamic poses on the package. I think many collectors of this collector oriented line would agree that this is the way to go forward.
thanks!
-Zach
is there any chance of seeing teela's newly styled hips showing up in some form on DCUC? i think especially on female characters, teela's smooth thigh retains the posability DCUC shoots for, but offers a more pleasing aesthetic. any ay we can take the MOTUC lesson and apply it to DCUC?
Is Matty always smiling because he gets all the figures he wants? I would be smiling like Matty if I could get DCUC wave 9 or 10 – any chance of selling these via MattyCollector.com?
I have seen first hand people walking into wal-marts and just leaving with cases of mattel. They are on ebay!! Wal-mart also "posted" rules to employees telling them not to open new cases just for customers to go through. How can Mattel do more to make these figures available?
approximately when will we see a ghost released in the GB line that is a single carded toy for examnple the library ghost often mentioned.
since it was expressed by toyguru on the he-man.org board that the bonus figures sales need to "pick up steam" what sort time frame is a GOOD sell out and what is a BAD sell out?
it just seems odd since a sell out is a sell out and this "needs to pick up steam contradicts what has been said previously about Mattel's desire to have the figures "up for 2-3 weeks".
What is the reasoning behind spacing out the releases of the 6 inch Ghostbuster figures so far apart? I know I am not an industry insider, but to my layperson's brain, it seems like Mattel could make a lot more money by releasing more figures/variants sooner, to keep people interested and let them buy more. I'm fairly certain that most people who buy these are buying them all, and will take every figure/variant that they can get their hands on; Oftentimes buying multiples. I know I do. I mean, more purchases in a shorter period of time = more money per quarter for Mattel, does it not?
1. Can we please have a new poll about any fan interest in DCUC playsets and vehicles? (I suspect that there would be a keen interest in a Batcave, Crime Alley, Batmobile, Batcycle, Batplane, Whirly-Bat, Invisible Jet, Jokermobile, Brainiac Spacecraft, Oa, Hall of Justice, Hall of Doom, Titan's Tower, Daily Planet, Fortress of Solitude….to name a few.)
2. DCUC: Any more of Flash's Rogues on the drawing board?
3. What's the long-range plan for the World's Greatest (Mego-style) line? Is this a collectors only line? Playsets planned? Vehicles? Any hints as to upcoming characters?
4. Is there really any interest in DCIH? How about retooling them with 4H designs and starting all over again?
5. Is JLU finally dead?
Mattel – your Webstore MattyCollector is to put it politely but firmly, not good.
Why did you feel that it would improve with allowing Digital River total control (ie: Customer services/interface functions) of it?
Chances of that getting answered – 0.
What are the chances of MOTUC getting a more domestic release.
How awesome would a Dick Grayson as Batman and Damien Wayne as Robin DCUC figures be?!
Mattel:
When will we see bases included with each DCUC figure? The Public Enemies figures all came with bases and that was a great idea. This would go a long ways to making the figures price tags more palatable.
@Barbecue17:
Well said!
Bases would be a great way to add value to the DCU figures. I only have a couple stands, but I find they are helpful for keeping some of the more difficult figures to pose standing up.
DOES THE COPPERHEAD FIGURE WILL COME WITH HIS TAIL?
Let's face it, bad girls are more fun; Are we going to see a Black 'bad' version of Mary Marvel in DCUC?