Before we get to the inevitable sound and fury, let me point out Mattel’s reveal of Whiplash’s bio and packaging on Facebook yesterday.
WHIPLASH
Real Name: Torrant Krazut
Following their father’s untimely death, Torrant grew up bitter under the rule of his older brother Ceratus. After years of brooding in Sub-Ternia, he struck a deal with a surface dweller named Keldor and helped lead his forces in a raid against Randor’s army during the Great Unrest. Although Keldor’s plan failed, Torrant was banoshed from Sub-Ternia for betraying his people. He was taken in by his former employer and quickly rose up through the ranks, staying with Keldor even after his transformation into Skeletor, serving as his chief brute squad enforcer. His thick hide and stubborn intellect have made him more than a match for the Masters of the Universe, often leaving only He-Man to defeat him. Whiplash uses his thrashing tail for doom and destruction.
I’ll discuss the bio more in my eventual review of Whiplash, but I will say that I can’t wait for the figure. After Trap Jaw and Tri-Klops, Whiplash is my favorite Evil Warrior (and one of the only figures, along with Spikor, who I managed to hold on to throughout my childhood without losing it or giving it away), and his figure is one of the best-looking of the 2010. I know it sounds crazy, but as of right now I think he’ll give both Battle Cat and Gygor a run for their money as my favorite toy of the year.
Anyway, getting back on topic, below is the link for the all-in-one order page. And as always, good luck.
Mountain-man
@americanhyena: @Reverend Ender: Not sure, but probably looking to trade once arrives. Send me a PM over at .org if you like(same handle) Thx guys.
dayraven
@NoisyDvL5: correc,t i didn't pay for him yet… but i think digi riv should buy up all the stock on ebay and sell them again on mattycollector at base cost… give us all another chance at a fair price. of course they won't, but they SHOULD.
RSSchmidt
i had already given up on matty after the evil lynn sale and had really wanted a hordak as well but no evil lynn just led to my disappointment and straying away! so the next sale came and i wasnt interested much in tytus maybe optik but i knew both would sell out fast. who was left but my beloved merman so i had to get him and update my order info which i think led to my downfall of the evil lynn sale. anyhowwwl, to make long story short iam back in the game! i got a she-ra figure 14 mins after sale time. so i guess things have been updated at DRI. i was ready to call it quits after yesterday and just blow my money on a superheroine bondage site had i not captured a she-ra! oh well i guess things happen for a reason LOL!!! awesome site poe keep up the good work!
Nicholai
@americanhyena: Mattel rep said on their forums that it said "Currently Unavailable" earlier because they were checking stock. She also said that it is selling fast and will probably be changed to almost gone soon.
PrfktTear
@MisterBigBo: collecting community at large has the willpower and personal character AH HAHahahahAHahahAHAh!!!! Collectors and “willpower” and “character” do not belong in the same sentence! 😉 I know I can’t speak for the entire community, but I have about as much willpower as a dog on peanut butter.
I agree though, a boycott would be ineffective. Either they would start to DECREASE production numbers, or as Poe said, they’d just pull the plug all together. Despite all the headaches and grief we have put up with, if it came down to having MOTUC as is, or having no MOTUC at all… the choice for me is obvious.
misterbigbo
I totally agree a prolonged boycott would kill teh lien, but a well-publicized one-month hit where Mattel execs know why it's happening might make some waves. Or ripples.
americanhyena
@Grenadier:
It definitely said "Currently Unavailable" first thing this morning. But you're right, it's available again now.
Grenadier
@Mysterious Stranger: I just checked and Wave 5 is still available.
"EPIC FAIL" says Mattel Representative.
Mysterious Stranger
@americanhyena: Lobo sold out some time yesterday afternoon. The DCUC Wave 5 set must have gone in the night as it was available when I checked around 9 last night (pacific time) and gone this morning.
americanhyena
At what point did Lobo and Metallo sell out?
Poe
@misterbigbo: I still think a boycott is a method of protest that simply won’t work on Mattel–at least not for MOTUC. The way the MOTUC line is run, the second there was any sort of major sales dip like that, the execs will pull the plug and that’ll be that. Is that better than continuing to go through the mess we go through now to at least get some figures? I don’t know. This is where my innate “they’re just toys” rationalization really starts to kick in.
I’m open to suggestions on how to get Mattel/DR to really take improving the experience seriously.
As for whether there will be too many 2011 subscriptions, causing the bubble to burst on eBay next year…I was talking about this with Rustin Parr from OAFE and we’re wondering if the professional resellers won’t be more savvy than that. I think it’s obvious 2010 will end up being the most profitable year for resellers on this line, what with so many big non-sub items (Battle Cat, Tytus, Gygor, the 2-pack).
misterbigbo
@Poe: I'm assuming you made a smartass comment at my expense? Interesting in that I never wrote anything this time about a boycott. I've long given up hope that the collecting community at large has the willpower and personal character to do something like that. And a boycott is never designed to get more of something, but better treatment of the customers. In this case increased production numbers would help, but I was thinking an improved web portal or sales model, like pre-orders.
Seems clear to me that Mattel doesn't care how badly their vendor DR represents them if sales only increase month after month. I'll wait to see the great increase in sub sales then the glutted eBay auctions next year to cherry pick the few out of the line that I'll want, and never visit mattycollector again.
Ryan
Anyone besides myself and Poe boycotting Venkman until we can get a non-jizzed version?