Fear not, folks–Matty didn’t let you down. Here are the real answers to the April 1 Q&A.

1.) The Flash III asks: This is from a Matty Q&A from June 2009: When asked, “which figure or figures were you most surprised you were actually able to get made?” you answered, “Gentleman Ghost really came out well beyond expectations. We have another obscure figure in Wave 13 next year that is just amazing. One hint: there will be a skull involved.” I’m looking at wave 13 and the only skull-related figure is the Negative Man variant. Is this the figure you were referring to or was that one pushed back?

Yes, it was Negative Man we were referring to.

2.) dayraven asks: We’ve been told “vehicles” are off the table for now in MOTUC. What distinguishes a “beast” from a “vehicle”? Would Stridor be considered a beast or a vehicle? What about Battle Bones? What is the criteria that makes a toy one and not the other?

The key difference is that “beast” bodies can be reused for multiple figures (Battle Cat can also be Panthor, Clawdeen, Battle Lion, etc…) so there is a greater investment in the tool. A vehicle has a one time use and is, therefore, harder to justify doing.

3.) Rustin Parr asks: Now that the JLU line has opened up to pretty much all of the animated DC series, do you anticipate new pieces for Batman or Superman to match the style of those earlier shows? For instance a non-ribbed cape for Batman, or a more S:TAS style head for Superman. These would be much appreciated additions to my collection!

Yes, these are variations of Batman and Superman we would love to get to in time.

4.) Andrew asks: Are there any plans for additional Avatar Movie Masters figures?

Yes. Stay tuned!

5.) We know the monthly MOTUC figures tend to skew toward popular or “mainstream” unique characters, while the “bonus” figures tend to be variants such as Zodak, the Goddess or Battle Armor He-Man. What is the selection criteria for SDCC exclusives? Do you aim for characters that will require more new tooling so as to be particularly spectacular, or more “obscure” or fan-favorite characters who might benefit from more collector interest by being SDCC exclusives? What, in your mind, separates an SDCC exclusive from a regular monthly figure or bonus figure?

Good question! There are a lot of different things a SDCC item can, and does, get used for. Sometimes a SDCC item is a channel to get out an obscure character or a violent character that won’t work as well at retail (like Lobo). Other times it is a figure that has extra accessories or needs a larger unique package and does not fit in with our retail or main lines. Lastly, an exclusive SDCC item is a great way to draw media attention to a line. If we show a major character as a SDCC item, it’s a great way to attract new customers and fans to a line they might not otherwise collect.

At the end of the day our goal is to do the most compelling SDCC items possible and to make them as special as we can for those who make the trek out to the show. While many of the items will be sold online after the show we make a deliberate attempt to change them up to reward those who are at the show with something memorable.

In other words, a LOT of thought goes into all of our exclusives each year!