Today the online retailer from whom I ordered DCUC Wave 7 informed me the figures had not yet arrived and are still a few weeks away.

According to a post on the Fwoosh, the first official sighting of the Wave 7 figures at retail was on January 31. Here’s a timeline of how recent (non-exclusive) DCUC waves seem to break down, distribution-wise.

• Week 1: Figures are found at a few random Midwestern Walmarts and/or California Targets. Photos posted online within hours. Collectors nationwide, including me, immediately waste a cumulative fortune in gasoline fruitlessly driving around to multiple stores looking for them.
• Week 2: Figures continue to trickle into Midwestern Walmarts and/or California Targets. Collectors continue to waste gas.
• Week 3: Figures begin to pop up on eBay, where they’re sold for a 300% markup. Figures continue to trickle in to Walmarts and Targets. On forums, collectors start to complain they’ll never find the figures.
• Week 4: As collectors began to harass online retailers, Mattel ships some fraction of the cases ordered to online retailers, who then have to wait for the balance of the shipments. Figures have now trickled out a decent number of major retailers (except in Massachusetts, of course). Collectors who have the figures start complaining about quality control; collectors who don’t have them complain about distribution.
• Week 5: Mattel informs online retailers that rest of the shipments are en route. Collectors who have pre-ordered online start buying or trading for the figures anyway.
• Week 6: Finally, online retailers receive the balance of their orders.
• Week 7: Collectors who ordered online receive their orders.
• Week 14: Figures show up at retail in Massachusetts.
• Week 15: Next wave of figures is found at a few random Midwestern Walmarts and/or California Targets.

Mind you, the impatience of collectors (my own included) is as much at fault as the erratic distribution.