A couple of things for this month’s Q&A with Mattel. First, Toy Guru has asked us to keep questions to the lines that are available through Mattycollector. So while in the past we could ask about retail lines, for now, we’ll stick to… I guess it’s Masters of the Universe Classics, plus the other odds and ends as they pop up in their online store.
Second, I did get the responses a couple of days ago, so it’s my fault we’re late!
1. We’ve always understood that extra heads were tough to do because of the tooling and paint apps required. What should we expect for pricing if you do a 200X head pack? Would six heads be in the same ballpark as the previous weapons packs?
Honestly, this is just an item we are in prelim discussion with. Any details like price and availability are so far off right now we simply couldn’t speculate!
2. You’ve told us that Two Bad will not have day of sales inventory available, but that Modulok will. What are the factors you consider for each character to help you decide who will have day of sales?
Many times “day of” product comes down to how many units we can get and when. Very little has to do with the character. It is tied to production and timing, not who is more or less popular.
3. The DC Comics Multiverse first wave is focused on the Batman Arkham City and Arkham Origins video game. Will future waves be “themed” like the first wave? What other DC properties (comics, movies, and video games) might we see after the first wave?
[No answer]
4. You’ve told us that exclusives for SDCC are planned out a year in advance or more. Has the cancellation of the DC Club Infinite Earths subscription affected what you’re planning in terms of your DC exclusive(s)? If so, how?
[No answer]
5. How are the Batman Classic TV Series figures doing? Does this open up other opportunities for 6-inch figures, like for classic movies like the Christopher Reeves Superman or Michael Keaton Batman?
[No answer]
Toy Guru gave me the chance to resubmit questions for the ones he wasn’t going to have answers for, but I ran out of time and didn’t send any back in. We should have a more complete round of Q&A by mid-month.
Resubmit Questions….Really? Are we now 5 Toy Guru ? Are you also going to go in a corner and pout as well. Lets face it, the lack of success of the DC line is directly related to the choices you and Mattel offered to the consumers. You have let your “status” go to your head and have abandoned what it truly means to be a collector. How many times does a character have to get a figure. Conner Kent Superboy should have been a chase or variant in that wave. Who wants another Batman Beyond when there are so many other characters that needed to been made. How bout Damien Wayne, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Oracle etc. Club Infinite Earth failed because we kept getting rehashed DC Direct crap. Mattel needs to wake up and start listening to the people who are buying its products. Do you think parents are buying the majority of the action figures that are produced. No, its the die hard collectors. How come Hasbro can do so well with Marvel and Mattel is Sucking at everything that isn’t Hot Wheels ? Why hasn’t Mattel stepped up its game and do some real 3 3/4 line because the Infinte Crisis one sucked
@darkknight73 This. Except I want another Batman Beyond figures because I missed it the 1st time and now it’s way too expensive on feebay.
Resubmit? I think we’re through submitting to you, “matty”. DC Collectibles has learned a new trick it seems. “Articulation”. If they’d just drop their scale down a tad we’d have no use for your overpriced DCUC/IE “same old buck” figures.
PS, it’s “tooled” not “tool’d”, idiot. And kindly STFU about MOTU in every interview. We know, you have wood for He-Man. Awesome. I read your *ahem* “answers” for DC info. Stop making it all about “filmation”. I don’t care. MOTU can go away for all I care. I’m here for the Superheroes.
Toy Guru needs to start thinking out of the box on the whole DC line – if he even has any true desire to keep it going in any form. How about this for a subscription: theme based orders. Provide selections around a theme, such as…..
Each theme based order needs to reach a minimum number in order to be produced (of course). Customers could order all or only 1 group, but if you ordered 4 or more groups that were actually produced then you would get the extra figure (i.e. Doomsday). The problems I would forsee are (1) Matty would actually have to determine their character list, (2) maybe at this point there just aren’t enough remaining collectors after all the poor experiences (Batzarro?), and (3) customers would potentially need to place their orders without actually seeing a finished product (still better than what has occurred). The upsides are (1) cheaper packaging putting 3 characters together – heck just get rid of the character specific packaging altogether and use generic, (2) ability to complete teams, (3) know what characters you are ordering, and (4) continuation of the DCUC line. This is probably all wishful thinking at this point, but it seems like there is still money to be made off of the DC 6-inch line. Maybe what this line really needs (needed?) is a toy MARKETING guru.
some examples:
JLA Morrison – Aquaman with hook, GL Raynor with original costume, Zauriel
Teen Titans – Superboy with black shirt, Wondergirl (Sandsmark), Kid Flash (Bart Allen)
Batman Family – Robin (Demian), Red Hood (Jason Todd), Batwoman
Aquaman Family – Mera, Tempest, Fisherman <okay, so maybe Aquaman characters are a little thin>
etc.