I’m tapped out on questions for the next round of Ask Matty (which won’t be published until January 15, due to the holidays). I’ve got one or two questions prepared, but that leaves three slots.
So, got any questions for Matty? Ask ’em below and I’ll choose a few to submit.
Motorthing
MOTUC has mad a promising start (figurewise) but ordering from Mattycom/Digital River has to be the most primative eTailing experience on the net – no Confirmation email, no correct order history, tracking numbers that don't work etc…..As thw World's Biggest Toy Company isn't this embarrasing, and do you plan to fix it?
PrfktTear
@outburst: Its a threefold win. Less packaging equals more environmentally friendly, more shelf space, and *theoretically* less cost which hopefully would be passed on to the customers.
Mattel already scaled back the packaging for the MOTUC line. I took these photos comparing that with DCUC packaging. Granted, the DCUC packaging does have to be a little larger for the BAF pieces, but still.
Hasbro is another one for obscene amounts of wasted space. Think of all the energy spent just GETTING them here, from shipping overseas and then hauling them across the States. If they scaled back on size, say for every 10,000 Voyagers they sell, they could add in an extra 1,500 by cutting down on the size and weight of the packages. I'm sure those obnoxious twist ties add up in weight after a few thousand.
Maybe with the rise in popularity of the 3 3/4-inch scale in toy lines, that will help a little, as far as the environment is concerned. I do try to be diligent in recycling, meaning I separate the cardboard backing and the plastic clam shell and put them in their respective recycling containers. You don't realize how much waste these figures produce if you throw out one or two packages at a time, but if you've just opened an entire case of something, its a LOT of waste.
outburst
Please, no more quality control or distribution diatribes…
I'm very happy with this line, even if it is hard to get and some figures have issues. I'd rather deal with that than not have it at all.
Anyway, my question:
Most collectors understand that there is a lot more to product design than may be evident at first glance. Some fans are saying that the DCUC 2-packs are in a rather large bubble. Obviously companies have to pit their products against competitors and have them 'pop' on the pegs, but is there any chance that packaging could be reduced in the future? Packages for video games have shrunk over the years and it was a great 'green' move. Would smaller packaging show a cost-saving for the busines and/or consumers? At the very least, it would allow us to hold more on our shelves!
Newt
Wow Chris, tell us how you really feel.
sadman2000
I have yet to receive a major QC issue that I was unable to fix in about 10 to 15 minute other than a stuck hip on Nightwing. I mean come on I have no problem ordering this line off the internet, all collectors do is just gripe and gripe. Sure there some serious issues but with patience and a tiny bit of luck you'll be fine. Just be happy you have a toy at all.
nerdbot
OK, that said…
I suppose I do wonder if there's a future for the Movie Masters line. A Two Face, perhaps? A Michael Caine Alfred? A Gary Oldman Jim Gordon?
nerdbot
There has to be a question about DCUC quality control. I have DCUC wave 6 on order, and I'm feeling more anxiety about the problems I am likely to encounter than I am feeling anxious to get them in my hands. As the posts on this and other sites indicates, frustration with this line is rapidly growing. How will Mattel address these issues? Do they acknowledge the huge problems with wave 4's QC? Is there any way Mattel can address the distribution fiasco of wave 5? I don't really care what exciting characters might be on the way in late 2009 if Mattel can't convince us that we'll be able to find the next few waves on the pegs, properly assembled, and not broken when we open them.
Esbat
I know it was said that an upcoming figure in a two-pack of the Dc Universe Classics was going to be a Kryptonian, which gave me alot of hope for a Power Girl figure, and seeing how it was Ultraman (great choice by the way) I can't help but wonder when we'll see other iterations of the Crime Syndicate of America? Many of them are easily a repaint and new head/belt change of existing DCUC characters. Also seeing as there is such a great selection of Justice Society of America figures coming up when would we see a Power Girl hit the shelves?
elvis8batman
People have been a bit put out by the "attributes" on the DCUC Starfire figure, as the sculpt is not as well defined as it it should be given the costume she is wearing. I know the figure uses the same parts as Harley Quinn, but in future, will we see more accurate sculpting for such female characters that are depicted more generously in their comics?
(Nothing overly defined, just not the Uni-Boob as its come to be called).
Power Girl for example, would fit into this group, and if so would making her more "accurate" mean she would have to be an on line exclusive?
Chris
I agree George! Again, if you're reading Mattel….I personally doubt your line will survive past two more years. I'm a hardcore collector for over 10 years and like I said…EVERY time I quit the line…the line dies. It's sort of made me "feel" like I'm a gauge of when the line dies because if a guy like me who buys 10 cases every wave becomes a lost customer….then the line really has trouble.
2 weeks and EVERY figure I bought had incorrectly assembled joints or broken joints while the rest of the figures I looked through had crap paint jobs.
You're new vendor is CRAP mattel. The switch was made to cut corners probably. The only thing good about Mattel is the Horsemen.
The bad quality, hard to find figures, overload of exclusives…made me want MORE MORE and MORE but then I got burned out. I suspect this happening to completists out there…I can't say the same for the non-completists but regardless I see this line phasing out just for sale on Mattycollector.com
The target JLU exclusives aren't doing great here in California so I don't see that lasting either.
Mattel also has the habit of having no product out to A TON of product out ALL at the same time. Not only are the exclusives overload but the pace they bring out product is all weird. They will burn out a lot of fans I believe.
I'm so happy I don't have to deal with Toysrus, KB, Walmart, Target anymore. I'll pick up a Hawkman, Flash..I'll get entire wave 8 for Giganta and sell the rest except for hawkgirl and dr.fate. I don't see myself getting anymore BAF other than Doomsday or Darkseid.
This line is just not worth it anymore. I thought is line was good enough for me to spend my ENTIRE paycheck on but man, Mattel you guys have made this line a joke just like MOTU 2002. You're quality is at the top of the list as to why i'm near 100% quitting the line. A few pieces for me and that's it.
Mattel will never learn. They should just sell all their stuff on Matty Collector.com.
With the economy getting worse and worse….Mattel's quality will not get better. Friggin factory workers in China are destroying factories…it's crazy over there and it's only going to get worse. Heck I forgot to mention that ASIDE from my 6 I ordered, my friend got 5 firestorms from toysrus.com and those were DEFECTIVE as well. I went to target last night and ALL the ARES had same promblem as those firestorms….opposite biceps connected in each arm. Pathetic Mattel.
Toy Guru…the line is a joke and so is the Q and A. Give Fans all the INFO you guys know and are ALLOWED to give and instead of Mattel Q and A…name it…Mattel Product Info. Q and A is used to increase talk and hype of the line but in the end all the crappy quality, distribution, mythical exclusives will all undo their marketing strategies.
George
With DCUC's Quality Control getting out of hand, And switching vendors didn't help, would it be possible to move the production companies back to the U.S.? It would create various jobs, and well maybe the figures wont break when opened. (Not sure how the toy business goes just an idea)
Newt
Here's mine:
I think 2008 has been one of the best years yet from Mattel, with the rebirth of sorts in the JLU line, the DCUC's continued success with some of it's strongest lineups yet, He-Man MOTUC's grand arrival and MattyCollector seemingly poised to take off. As groundbreaking as 2008 has been, what is Mattel looking forward to in 2009 that fans should be getting excited about? Some surprise characters? New packouts? New retailers? What does 2009 hold for Mattel and fans of their products?