We take a brief break from Bat-Week for some Mattel answers.
1.) Many fans still love the original Batman sculpt the Four Horsemen did for the 2003 Batman line (i.e., “Zipline” Batman). The Four Horsemen still have their prototype, which shows the intended high level of articulation. Is there any chance of getting that figure with retooled, DCUC-level articulation (including double-elbows and double-knees)?
Always possible. Nothing is planned at this time but with a new Batman film on the horizon we will clearly be looking at ways to get out more collector Batman figs and this would be a cool figure to explore.
2.) misterbigbo asks: Have you considered producing the FHM’s mini-masters and distributing them as blind-box items? They could be sold on Mattycollector individually or by the case, or to comic/specialty shops. Lego’s recent success with minifigs is interesting, but the price point is key.
We are still reviewing possible execution for the Mini Masters. We know fans like em! To manage expectations, do not expect them any earlier then 2013.
3.) Shawn asks: Why were the All-Star Sale items marked as “Sold Out” on August 1st, the day of the post-SDCC Sale, then put back up for sale the day after? People who wanted to buy All-Star Sale items and SDCC items together to save on shipping costs were unable to, and were forced to pay extra shipping costs if they placed an order on August 1st or the SDCC items, and then another order on a following day for the All-Star items they originally wanted together.
It was an error, which is why they were quickly put back on sale.
4.) APJ asks: DCUC wave 9 Green Arrow and MOTUC Bow both were plagued by having long bows with arrows that were molded or sculpted way too short to be posed being pulled back on a bowstring. Was this fixed for DCUC wave 20 Red Arrow and Green Arrow by finally giving them long arrows? It’s hard to tell by the photography given, and I would hate to see the same mistake not fixed on now four consecutive archer figures.
The arrows on these figures are accurate to the size/scale of the quiver that the character wears in the comics.
5.) Heli asks: You recently made a post to provide some additional information regarding Club Infinite Earths, wherein you noted that the online club would be the source for females. Based on, admittedly, anecdotal evidence, it seems that the notion that females don’t sell in a boys action figure line is an outdated one. With the exception of Yarna in the Star Wars line (who was extremely obscure and not action-oriented), no female figure ever seems to linger on the pegs. Is there actual evidence that females sell poorly, or just 40-year-old “well, everybody KNOWS it’s true” kind of data?
Our goal is to create figures that will appeal to our consumers. In 2012 the product at retail and in Club Infinite Earths will be characters that we feel will work best in each of those channels…male, female, or other!