Ask Matty - An Open Call For Questions Due May 1st

Have a question for Mattel then look no further.


On every 1st and 15th of the month, Matty opens himself up to questions from his fans.

Next round of questions are due May 1st with answers on May 15th.

5 random questions will be selected bi-monthly and submitted to Matty, for him to answer.

Just enter your question into the comments section at the end of this post.

PLEASE NOTE: Mattel can not answer questions about unannounced figures (i.e. "will you do a figure of Psycho Pirate in 6" scale), production runs, acquiring new properties or logistics in production.

Pendragon's Post has the right to edit and remove any and all comments, as deemed necessary.

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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 4/1/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.


1. Toyguru and Matty confirmed several times that the hyper-stylized, so called ‘anime” look of the 200X figures, should be retired for good. And also that POP/NA/200X figures that didn’t have an action figure in the ‘80s MOTU line would be introduced in MOTUC, sculpted in the same way as if the figure was going to be made in the ‘80s but with added detail and improved articulation. However She-Ra and Count Marzo were sculpted with static body parts that are entirely reminiscent of the 200X line and NECA statues (windblown hair for both and windblown cape for Marzo). This is a very modern approach to action figure sculpting that didn’t even exist in the ‘80s. Although it might make head movement easier it actually limits pose-ability in the sense that the figures can only be posed in display settings that allow for blowing wind (it’s impossible to place them in settings like the indoors of Castle Grayskull or Royal Palace where there is supposed to be no wind). Online polls done on the Mattycollector forums show that collectors would prefer “vintage style” neutrally positioned hair and capes. Why have Mattel and/or the Four Horsemen opted for such a modern approach for these two figures, in a line that is supposed to be strictly classic?

This was actually noted by upper management and we will be toning down the amount of wind blown hair, etc. on figures for a more unified Classic look. The direction for the current line is to avoid the "anime" interpretation of the 2002 line as that look is retired.


2. We know you can’t comment on specific characters that haven’t been announced, but are “civilian” “historical” DC characters like Sgt. Rock or Jonah Hex being considered for a DCU treatment?

Absolutely!

3. On Mattycollector.com, you explained what the status descriptions meant, but you forgot one. Can you explain when it says “Currently Unavailable”?

This description means we are sold out but more may come in one day when we go into another run - like what we did for Stratos.

4. With all the constant problem there are every month with Digital River, are you looking into change to another provider?

We are committed to delivering the best service possible but we can not comment specifically on our relationship with Digital River.

5. Back to the Walmart issue, you keep saying Mattycollector is listening to the fans. But doing another wave exclusive to a store that has proven time & time again that they don’t care about the DCU line, doesn’t seem like you are listening to the fans. The fans are frustrated & just about had it with Walmart Waves. We do not want another exclusive wave. We want all waves available everywhere.

While we do listen to fans on our lines we also listen to retailers. Doing an exclusive wave for Wal-Mart is part of an overall strategy to bring DCUC to Wal-Mart stores and while we do take fan comments, this is not a particular issue we can let the fans vote on. Read more...

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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 4/1/10

Well, it's April Fool's Day & Mattel decided to have some fun the Q&A this time around.

We at Pendragon's Post are not amused at all.


1. Toyguru and Matty confirmed several times that the hyper-stylized, so called 'anime" look of the 200X figures, should be retired for good. And also that POP/NA/200X figures that didn't have an action figure in the '80s MOTU line would be introduced in MOTUC, sculpted in the same way as if the figure was going to be made in the '80s but with added detail and improved articulation. However She-Ra and Count Marzo were sculpted with static body parts that are entirely reminiscent of the 200X line and NECA statues (windblown hair for both and windblown cape for Marzo). This is a very modern approach to action figure sculpting that didn't even exist in the '80s. Although it might make head movement easier it actually limits pose-ability in the sense that the figures can only be posed in display settings that allow for blowing wind (it's impossible to place them in settings like the indoors of Castle Grayskull or Royal Palace where there is supposed to be no wind). Online polls done on the Mattycollector forums show that collectors would prefer "vintage style" neutrally positioned hair and capes. Why have Mattel and/or the Four Horsemen opted for such a modern approach for these two figures, in a line that is supposed to be strictly classic?

As I see it yes.

2. We know you can't comment on specific characters that haven't been announced, but are "civilian" "historical" DC characters like Sgt. Rock or Jonah Hex being considered for a DCU treatment?

My sources say no.

3. On Mattycollector.com, you explained what the status descriptions meant, but you forgot one. Can you explain when it says "Currently Unavailable"?

Reply hazy try again.

4. With all the constant problem there are every month with Digital River, are you looking into change to another provider?

Cannot predict now.

5. Back to the Walmart issue, you keep saying Mattycollector is listening to the fans. But doing another wave exclusive to a store that has proven time & time again that they don't care about the DCU line, doesn't seem like you are listening to the fans. The fans are frustrated & just about had it with Walmart Waves. We do not want another exclusive wave. We want all waves available everywhere.

Yes.

We'll keep trying to get some real answers for these questions.
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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 3/15/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.


1. Can you please address the "modern" Cheetah deco change? The original photos fans were given had a full body cheetah deco, but now fans are seeing a version with black clothing. Can you clarify which is the official deco and the availability of each? Since we're already getting a superpowers and modern variation, I don't expect we'd be lucky enough to get all three unless one was some sort of Mattycollector or convention exclusive.

The version released in Wave 13 will have the black deco added. We do have plans for the more “nude” version in the not too distant future.

2. There have been conflicting reports about whether the double joints on Blue Beetle III will be the new standard for DCUC going forward or whether it will only be used as needed. Can you address this?

This is a feature we will add when a particular figure calls for it. In the case of Blue Beetle, he wears full armor and this made it easier to add in extra articulation. Since the Horsemen do such amazing sculpts we don’t like to break them up with too many articulation points.

3. On the Maters of the Universe/DC Universe classics 2 packs, is this a way for Mattel to test the market to see how Masters of the Universe would sell in retail? Also, any thoughts as to producing more of the 2 packs?

Not as much as test, but rather a cool way to get more MOTUC and DCU figures to market and offer something unique for TRU stores.

4. Last round of questions, we asked about lowering the qty of per item from 10 to something lower. You answered: “Actually, very few customers are buying more than two figures. We want to keep the ten options for those international customers who requested this to help with shipping.” If few customers are buying more than 2, why keep it that high? One would assume, the few customers include international customers. While the logic is there about lowering shipping costs, it still doesn’t answer the question about keeping a single item with a qty of 10.

We are keeping the limit at 10 to help international fans who wish to order in bulk to save on shipping. As we said before, very few customers are ordering more then two or three figures per order. The number of fans who order 10 is extremely small so we’d like to keep this option open for now.

5. You have announced that DCUC Wave 14 that will be another Walmart exclusive. Fans are sick and tired of this nonsense with trying find them at Walmart, especially seeing Walmart is not willing to put the stock out. Why continue offering exclusive waves to Walmart when people obviously have a hard time finding them? (Calling the company/store doesn't work.) Can you give us a promise they will be available on either Walmart’s website or Mattycollector.com?

We won’t be selling Wave 14 on MattyCollector.com as it is a Wal-Mart exclusive item, and it is up to Wal-Mart whether or not they want to offer it online. Mattel cannot control this. Read more...

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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 3/1/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.


1. Battle Cat & Trap Jaw both sold out in a record amount of time and due to multiple technical issues many MOTUC fans are feeling left out in the cold because they couldn’t get their figures. After 14 months of operation, something needs to be done. One popular idea is to limit the number of figures people can buy at a time, for example making the limit two instead of ten. Is this at all possible or are fans out of luck until the re-release?

Actually, very few customers are buying more than two figures. We want to keep the ten options for those international customers who requested this to help with shipping.

2. What went into choosing a character like Mo-Larr, who debuted on Robot Chicken, as one of two SDCC MOTUC items?

Mo-Larr came about from a meeting Toy Guru had with Matt and Seth at SDCC a few years back. Doing Mo-Larr is a great way to bring some attention to the line and offer a figure just for pure fun!

3. Since you cannot comment officially on licenses you do not have, in a scenario where you already own the rights to, manufacture, and distribute figures for an intellectual property that you obtained the rights to from a company, can you provide a general list of barriers and obstacles that make it difficult or perhaps impossible to acquire the rights to other unique intellectual properties owned by the same company?

Sorry, this is not something we can share with the public.

4. Will the coupons issued out to subscribers for Battle Cat carry over to other items in the future as many couldn't use them to order?

If you did not redeem your coupon this time you may do so when he goes back on sale in the fall.

5. Is She-Ra's cape removable?

Yes. If you pop her head off, the cape slips off. Read more...

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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 2/16/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) Part of the charm of MOTUC’s reusing parts and painting them differently is to make them look unique while they STILL look vintage, and from photos circulating the ‘net, replacing the baby blue with the new silvery paint on Evil Lyn and her staffs seems to make her appear more “Anti-Teela”, and less distinctive as vintage Evil Lyn. Secondly, her new eye paint aps changes her facial expression completely, losing the thick black and tight angles for her eyelashes/eyeline and the heavy black around the eyeball for a thinner, wider, and more rounded eyeline, now making her look “surprised” rather than a “sultry stare”. Lastly, the change in point of separation for her removable crystal ball (now the entire top half of her small wand vs only the first ring) sadly alters and ruins the entire retro-style design of the longer 200X-influenced staff as the 4 Horsemen originally designed. After Moss Man’s, Evil Lyn’s drastic and obvious changes and is a new trend that’s unsettling to many fans of the Four Horsemen’s original work. Can you comment on why these changes to the 4 Horsemen’s awesome designs were made in Evil Lyn, both in color and weapon design?

The Crystal Ball was completely designed by the Horsemen - removable headpiece and all. So what you are seeing is the Horsemen’s design - we didn’t change anything about it!

2) For Mattel’s toy engineers: it has to be asked again. Recent DCUC toys can’t look up or down. For MOTUC, there is RECENT talk of undoing Teela’s fine neck articulation to a neck swivel as there are somehow ONLY two options to fix her thin neck barbell problem for popping heads. Outside of a Barbie doll, why is a ball neck executed using a barbell system in the first place? Countless Star Wars, Marvel, GI Joe, and Japanese toys half the size and scale of Mattel’s toys and with even thinner necks than Teela or any other female figure released to date have a fully-molded (immovable) ball at the top of the neck where a head with a wider opening pops on and off effortlessly and moves in every direction very well. Can such a simple solution already used by various toy companies please be considered?

You will see improved neck articulation on DCUC starting with Wave 12.

3) With DCUC we’ve seen the teenage boy body type. With Wonder Girl being announced in Wave 14, will we finally be seeing a teenage female body type or will she be the standard female size?

She will be the first teen female with a new buck!

4) From internet reviews, the MOTUC stands appear both excellently crafted AND give us a level of customizability for various standing positions, so first, thank you! The biggest issue I find with these toys is that the ankle joint become weak due to their weight. Can we expect to get additional stand parts down the line for further customization, like taller Grayskull walls, weapon racks or clear waist clips coming up from the base to hold them in place? You’ve created an incredible stand system with holes placed to achieve these easy additions, creating potential dioramas if interconnected properly!

Yes, we do have plans for other stands and set pieces for MOTUC figures down the line! It’ll likely be about one a year with the stands being first.

5) Speaking to toy engineers at Comic Con about the hardness of the plastics on some of the long capes or long hair on wrestling figures and superheroes toys, it is my understanding that a factory can fit several smaller parts of a toy (head, arms, hands, feet and/or weapons) in one mold so as not to waste space in a given mold. The same plastic is then used for all pieces in that particular mold. Either for budgetary reasons or shortcuts by the factory unbeknownst to the company, sometimes factories will include a cape or hair piece in with the same mold as parts needing tougher plastics like the heads or limbs or accessories. I currently buy and love the MOTUC, DCUC, and your new WWE toys, and I see a similar possibility issue across the board for this reason. Can there please be a new Mattel edict that ALL capes, long hair, tunics, robes, loincloths, skirts, or any other articulation-inhibiting draping be cast with the plastic used for DCUC Mantis’ cape, one that the factories have to adhere to?

The material used for Mantis’ cape is actually a lot more expensive to produce compared to the thicker capes. Mantis required this additional cost to maintain articulation due to the unique nature of his cape attaching at the wrists. We will look at using the thin material when possible, but it is simply not something we can afford to include universally in order to keep figures at a low retail price. Read more...

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Ask Matty: Matty Answers 2/1/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) With Battlecat and He-Man having the Classics treatment, would you consider doing a Mattycollector.com 2 Pack with them?

It is possible in a movie year especially if we brought MOTUC to retail. As of right now though, we are looking to to fill all available SKUs with new figures.

2) With Adora selling out in record time, will Mattel consider adding more POP characters for 2010?

The line is pretty well locked down through 2011 regardless of how well Adora or any other figures sell. Change could always happen, but we’ve got a pretty good roadmap in place for the next two years with tentative plans beyond that.

3) Would it be possible for you to sell the Wal-Mart or Target Exclusives on Mattycollector.com, or would it infringe on your agreement with them?

Possibly yes, but likely no. Since these toys have already been at market it is doubtful we could sell enough additional units to hit our minimum order to keep the price low. (The fewer we make, the more we have to charge). We know there are a handful of fans still looking for retail exclusives, but based on the sale of other DCU items on MattyCollector.com the market is just not big enough to support this.

4) With the 75th anniversary of DC Comics, can we expect to see a lot more from Mattel for the celebration? Any hints?

All DCU items in 2010 will be themed for the 75th anniversary and we have a really big surprise for the end of the year as well as at SDCC!

5) Would the Black Lantern character been something Mattel would NOT want to produce, due to the graphic nature of them

Not at all. We’d love to do Black Lanterns. It takes 12-16 months to go from concept to shelf so don’t expect anything sooner then spring 2011. Read more...

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Ask Matty: Matty Answers 1/15/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) With Mattel unable to be able to produce certain Filmation Masters of the Universe figures, is there any sort of easy guideline so that fans can know which characters can and can't be produced in the line? Could you possibly produce a list or something?

In MOTU Classics you will see a character who had a figure (toy) in the 1981 MOTU line, 1985 POP line, 1989 NA line as well as characters who were in the 200X series TV show or toy line. We can also do figures who were in the Mattel Mini Comics.

2) Can we expect any more figures in the DC Super Friends style to be offered through the site (as Robin & Hawkman were)?

Right now we do not have any plans to pursue futher 6” Superfriends figures. You can still find great Imaginex Superfriends figures in the Fisher-Price aisle!

3) The Retro-Action Heroes Green Arrow was amazing. Even though it’s still early in this line, have you considered female figures or teenage body figures (i.e. Mego’s Teen Titans)?

Absolutely!

4) You've said in a couple of recent Q&As that your intention was to eventually produce two Prince Adams, with one being based on the 80's toy and another closer to the 200X concept of the character. Can you tell us if the 80's Adam will merely be a bonus figure or will he be worked into the emerging MOTUC continuity. While I welcome the extra figure, I'm wondering how you would justify a second Prince Adam?

How a second Prince Adam will be offered is yet to be revealed. After all, we haven’t even offered one version yet. Unlike say with the case of Zodac/Zodak, Prince Adam is the same guy. It is just a “design” difference if you prefer him as a teen or a repaint of He-Man. So the bios will be just a continuation of one another as they aren’t intended to be separate characters.

5) Will we be seeing more DC Infinite Heroes packs like the 3-Packs or Battle for Metropolis pack?

We have more 3-packs for 2010. The 6 packs will wrap-up with the Doomsday pack at Wal-Mart. Read more...

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Ask Matty: Matty Answers 12/16/09

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) Weak joints have been a problem in the MOTUC line from the beginning. Some people are a little worried about Battlecat, as he is going to be heavier and he will have to be able to carry the weight of another figure. Are you guys making sure that Battlecat has sturdy joints?

Yes, Battlecat has very sturdy joints. He does need to carry He-Man into battle after all!

2) As it’s been discussed many times, distribution is an issue with the DC Universe Classics figures. We know most of the distribution issues fall on the store level, but the way they are viewed in the market, is as collectables and not toys. The assumption would be, that this is why lower volumes are of figures are bought. Is there any that can be done to change this perception?

We work very close with all our retail partners to bring in as much product as possible. DCUC are looked at as collectables vs. a line like Brave and the Bold is more of a kid aimed line.

3) What is the criteria for alternate heads on MOTUC figures? For example, a character like Whiplash, who could be considered a B or C list character, but who had a very different headsculpt in 200X. Would he get an alternate head like Mer-Manor would he be like Webstor get a head that combined elements of both?

We don’t have an exact “policy” but our goal is to only do a second head when it is very compelling. Mer-Man had two very different looks so he was a perfect candidate. We definitely do not want to over extend this feature to every figure or the novelty will wear thin!

4) The Target exclusive Thanagarian and Eclipso JLU 6 packs and singles assortment were said to be released before the end of 2009. Will this happen and if not when (and where) can we expect to see them?

They are shipping to Target stores now.

5) When we get to some of the ladies from POP/She-Ra, do the Four Horsemen feel that they have a little more wiggle room to recreate or revamp these characters as they are A) Less iconic than MOTU, and B) Not really going to look like their classic "figure" anyway. Are characters like Scorpia, and Catra going to be "gently reimagined" for this line to make them a little more action-oriented?

Yes and no. All of the figures will be based on the general look of a Classic figure. While the “Teela” buck will not work universally for every figure, it will be the base for the majority of female characters. Our goal is not to reimagine the characters but more to pay homage to the vintage lines with modern detail and articulation. Scorpia will not be in the line at this time as she is a Filmation character (FYI). Read more...

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Ask Matty: Matty Answers 12/1/09

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) With the DC Universe constantly expanding and taking on new properties like the Milestone Universe & Red Circle comics, is there a chance we’ll see action figures based on these characters? Does your current agreement with DC Comics include new characters? Or is this something that needs to be discussed with DC Comics?

Not at this time. Our license agreement is only for the DC Universe proper, not Red Circle and Milestone characters.

2) On DC Universe Classics female figures, Four Horsemen’s original sculpts seem to have the correct female muscle tone, but when they go to product, a lot of muscle is missing. Power Girl was a step up from previous female figures, but Katma Tui is a step backwards. She’s too skinny and her legs don’t seem to support her own weight. Meanwhile, MOTU Teela has perfect muscle tone. Can you tell us what happens from sculpt to production that makes this happen? And will this be fixed with the female figures going forward?

A lot of this has to do with the tooling process. We’ll pass this comment onto design and see what we can do about address future female. We do aim to please!

3) Some fans may feel on various message boards concerning action figures they see several fans clamoring for a reboot of (insert action figure line here). Some popular examples include Thundercats, Bravestarr, and Silverhawk. Yet they feel there's no real way to have a direct impact and to show Mattel how much fan desire there is for their favorite line. Would you consider researching and possibly offering a public, official, Mattel "petition" so to speak through mattycollector.com where you provide a link for fans to officially and accurately ascribe some form of credentials to something so the company can get an actual raw number from direct fan interest as one means of determining if acquiring a license is viable?

We actually can not comment on the acquisition of new properties. We love reading comments on fan boards, though!

4) Which MOTU/POP and DC Comics character, which has not yet appeared, is especially popular in your company? Whom would you like to see as a figure?

Buzz Off, Man-E-Face and Spikor are pretty popular around here. In the POP world, Frosta, Catra and the Star Sisters would be great. For DCU, Legion of Superheroes, WWII characters and Kamandi are personal favorites of Toy Guru!

At the end of the day, tooling availability, spreading out A list characters and licensor approvals all come into play with character selection. Just because our design team likes a figure, does not guarantee it makes it into the line. We also look A LOT at fan requests online for inspiration!

5) What happened to the Proto-Suit Dark Knight figure? Is this line going to continue?

Survival Suit Bruce Wayne has just moved to December. The figures will pick up from there one per month on Mattycollector.com. Shipping issues prevented him from going on sale in November as planned. This was a last minute change. Read more...

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Ask Matty 11/16/09

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

1) What is the future of the Justice League Unlimited line? Will future JLU singles continued to be released at Target?

They’ll be released at least through the end of 2009. I’m not quite ready to announce my 2010 plans!

2) What are the chances of Mattel adopting a resalable kind of packaging for the MOTUC line so collectors don't need to ruin the awesome package art to get to their even more awesome figures?

This is something I have looked into, but no, the packaging will not be resealable in the near future.

3) With multiple problems with Walmart's distribution on, and not just the exclusive waves, but DC Universe Classics in general, does Mattel plan on any more exclusive Walmart waves? I don't believe any collector would have an issue with exclusives like the Gotham City 5 Pack or the 2 Packs for Toys R Us, but it really seems Walmart doesn't care about this line at all.

Wave 10 continues to ship to Wal-Mart. With a little time, all the figures should become more widely available.

4) Are there going to be anymore Batman Brave and the Bold characters released before Christmas (such as Solomon Grundy, Green Lantern Batman, like we saw at SDCC)? Since this line is for kids this would make sense.

Yes, I have lots more Batman: The Brave and The Bold figures coming out this year!

5) Though it's about a year away, it seems in October both the Big Apple Comic Con and New York Comic Con will be held on the same weekend (October 7 -10). Does Mattel have any plans to attend either convention, because it'll be about 3 months after SDCC? If so, do you know which one, at this time? Any other cons you are planning on attending?\

Unfortunately, October is not a month Mattel is available for conventions due to our own Toy Fair. If either of these convention move back to April or February we can look at attending again. Read more...

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Matty Answers 11/01/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions

1) The aesthetic for the MOTUC line seems to be about 80% 1980's design and about 20% 200X but in cases where the 1980's figures were limited by technology or dominated by an action feature are you still going to try and stick close to the classic look? A good example would be Leech. Since there are no action features in this line, would we expect him to look more like his station or would he still have his flat sucker mouth as a nod to the original figure?

There is a good chance we would do two heads on Leech to capture his vintage action feature face and his 2002 redesign look. But he is not planned for release quite yet!

2) What are the chances of Mattel adopting a resalable kind of packaging for the MOTUC line so collectors don't need to ruin the awesome package art to get to their even more awesome figures?

Not at this time. It is something we will continue to explore.

3) Can you give us any info on the weapons packs? It was said that they would be seasonal but when do they start and when can we expect to get an idea of what kinds of things will be in them?

We are still working on this pack and are not ready to reveal details yet. When we do, we’ll make a big announcement.

4) A rumor has circulated that Mattel may be able to offer Public Enemies and poorly distributed or retail exclusive waves of the DCUC line at some point in the future through the mattycollector website. Is there any truth to that rumor?

We do plan more re-releases of older hard to find product starting with Hawkman and Robin from Superfriends later this winter.

5) Like you done for 2009: Could you say us how many MOTUC figures in 2010 are never been made before, never released as 200X and how many females could we get?

Not quite yet. We do not yet know how many bonus figures we are doing in 2010, so it is hard to give a count right now. After we see how the first few figures, including Battlecat, perform we’ll have a better idea of what 2010 will look like. Read more...

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Matty Answers 10/15/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions

1) Does Mattel have any type of buyback policy with the major retail outlets for unsold DC figures? If so, can you tell us what the buyback percentage is?

Sorry, this is not information we can share.

2) The upcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enemies figures are just great. Was there are reason they weren't released the same time as the DVD? Production, shipping, customs, etc.

The figures release is timed for an aisle switch over which will happen a few weeks after the DVD release.

3) Will we be seeing 3 1/3" & 6" figures for the new DC Animated movie, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths? If so, will these be another retail store exclusive?

We won’t be doing Crisis on Earth 2, but if Public Enemies does well we may look at future DVD releases as inspiration for toy lines.

4) In terms of selling to local comic shops & other types of smaller stores, do they buy directly from you or do they buy through Diamond Distribution? Personally I know my LCS does buy through Diamond, but wondering how others, like online stores as Enchanted Toy Chest & Big Bad Toy Store, buy your product.

The short answer is both. Each retailer decides how to order their product.

5) I'm especially excited for the World's Greatest DC Superheroes series. These are the just like the Megos I grew up with. Are you using the same tooling for the bodies, or have you redesigned them? And will the costumes be removable?

They are 100% new bodies, but meant to mimic the classic vintage look in style and articulation. The costumes are removable. Our goal for the line was to make them as close to the original in feel, look and cheesyness.

6) There are a lot of International collectors that can't get some of the store exclusives, like Wave 10. Are there any plans to make the exclusives available for them? What about an international/European online shop?

Wave 10 will be available at Wal-Mart locations world wide.

7) On the bios for the MOTUC figures, it seems heavy on the 200X continuity. Are a lot of the bios coming from a 200X series bible or the comics bible?

The bios are a combination of several MOTU stories including the 2002 series, the mini comics and other vintage material. One of the goals of the line was to create a continuity that would be true to the core details while still leaving room to incorporate fan requested characters like Goddess, He-Ro and Wun-Dar into the world. Not an easy task! Read more...

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Matty Answers 10/1/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1) It seems on-line stores like Big Bad Toy Store & Enchanted Toy Chest had orders for DC Universe Classics Wave 9 canceled. Can you go into greater detail as to what happened?

We have increased production to meet growing demand for this wave. The figures are being offered open stock for online customers.

2) Will Wave 9 be sold on Mattycollector.com? If so, will they be sold as seperate figures or as set?

No, Wave 9 will not, but we are hoping Wave 11 may be.

3) Will there be any more Wal-Mart wave in the future after Wave 10?

At this time there is nothing to report.

4) With figures coming out for the upcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enemies DVD, will be seeing a trend like this for other DC DVD movies, like the announced DC Showcase or Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths?

That has also not been decided yet but we would be excited to do so.

5) In the last Q & A We learned that Sigourney Weaver was fair game for the Ghostbusters line...What about Rick Moranis? Any chance of GB going monthly?

Yes, a Louis Tully figure is a possibility down the road. We do have rights to Mr. Moranis for the line.

6) I thought Matty collector was to feature all things "Mattel". Will we see other mattel properites in time on the site, such as Hot Wheels, Barbie, and even older Mattel owned toy lines that have a big collector base such as "Big Jim", Fisher-Price Adventure People,Tyco slot cars or "Wheeled Warriors"?

MattyCollector.com will be the home of action play brands, and yes we will look at adding some vintage galleries such as “Wheeled Warriors”: and “Major Matt Mason”. For other Mattel toy lines check out our mother site: Mattel.com!

7) Can you tell us more about the potential "larger" figures that you have alluded to. For example, when you get around to characters like Clawful and Whiplash, are they going to use the standard bodies that we have already seen on other figures or will they use bigger parts?

The MOTUC line is based on the original line from 1982. In this line Clawful and Whiplpash were the same height as other figures. Read more...

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Matty Answers 9/15/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1. Back in July last year, I asked about the possibility of a Swamp Thing DCUC Figure. You said: “Swamp Thing rides the fence since he is also a DCU character.” Has any progress been made about a possible Swamp Thing figure?

Currently Swamp Thing is a Vertigo character and does not fall under our DC Universe license.

2. It’s almost impossible to keep up with all the constant changes in comics. With storylines like Blackest Night, New Krypton, & the new Batman, how well are you able to stay on top of all of it? More to the point, will we see any of figures from some of these current storylines in the future.

We read about characters at the same time fans do, and it takes 1 to 2 years to go from concept to shelf, but we are working on getting new characters into the line up. The Color of Fear 2 pack on Mattycollector.com was concepted back during the Sinestro Corps War and is just now hitting the website.

3. In October, I asked about a Superboy figure. When I asked you this, the court case between Warner Brothers & the Siegel family was going on. You said: ” Yes, we will do “Superboy” figures, but plan to call them things like “Prime” “Superman Clone” or “Kon El” to differentiate.” Any hint on which Superboy you’re looking to do first?

We do have at least one Superboy planned for the near future, but we can’t hint yet who it is!

4. Assuming you eventually get to Prince Adam, have you given any thought to whether he would be a straight repaint of He-Man or whether he would be a completely different mold as in the 200x series?

We have made this decision but have not revealed it yet. Stay tuned!

5. Dan asks - Thanks for running the fans choice poll again. How many of the runners up from the previous poll where the Question won being slotted for future waves?

That would be telling! But they are all candidates.

6. Patrick asks - Hi Matty. Thanks for taking our questions. I was very happy to see the upcoming Adora figure and I think it is safe to say that the reaction to her has been very good. Can you give us any insight into the decision to release Adora before She-Ra?

Adora has never had a figure and we wanted to giver her her do! Read more...

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Ask Matty 9/1/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1) Patrix75 asks - Can you give us an idea when King Grayskull will be re-issued? A lot of us started collecting with He-Man and Beastman and missed out on the first figure. So far, you have been a little tight-lipped about Grayskull's future.

King Grayskull will be reissued on a standard blister card sometime in the future but we are not saying when yet!

2) Vinto asks - What about the setting up of a customer service email that was said at SDCC 2008? Why wasn't a subscription offered to cover ALL figures that you are releasing not just the monthly figure?

Email customer support is coming in the fall. As the number of bonus figures and large scale beasts fluctuates, we cannot offer a subscription to cover these items. We do know that we are releasing 12 figures, 1 per month, in 2010, so that is what the subscription covers.

3) Shawn asks - How many (non re relase) bonus figures will we see in 2010? And can we expect anything like Battlecat, to be repeated in 2010, or should we expect only one deluxe figure/mini vehicle a year?

We have a few planned but you will have to stay tuned for further details!

4) Coptur asks - Will new adventure of he-man bios/story be incorporated into the main motuc?

Yes! We have at least one NA character planned for 2010!

5) Libey asks - With how well the first Ghostbusters figure sold is there any more word on playsets or an Ecto-1 for the line?

Nothing to announce at this time! Read more...

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Ask Matty 8/15/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1) On the Masters of the Universe art book, there was supposed to be a limit of 2 books per person, but there are numerous reports of vendors, at SDCC, were able to buy more than 2 copies. What happened there & what are you planning to do to rectify this situation? There are a lot of upset consumers out there.

The books were very tightly controlled, with a limit of two copies per person. Some buyers had additional friends in line who also bought two copies.. We did make one exception: two members of He-Man.org were allowed to purchase 10 copies each to distribute to other forum members.

2) There multiple comments from people who bought the Wonder Twins set that ended up with more than one Gleek. Reports are that the employees working at the booth just threw the Gleeks in there without paying attention. Some customers bought 2 Wonder Twins and ended up with 5 Gleeks. I realize this is human error, but it seems actions like this lead to running out of Gleeks. While you did deny this happening on your Facebook page, there are just too many reports of it happening.

As you said in your question, humor error does occasionally occur. Gleek was on a first come first serve basis and as announced on our Facebook page multiple times before the show, we did have more Wonder Twin sets vs. Gleeks.

3) You mentioned better distribution with the new Wal-Mart wave. When I last spoken to Wal-Mart (http://pendragonspost.blogspot.com/2009/05/attention-fanboys-how-to-find-dc.html) they told me that only 1800 of their 7000 stores carry this line. So a lot of consumers are extremely nervous their local Wal-Mart will not received the product. Is there anything on Mattel's end that you can do to reassure the consumers?

Distribution for Wave 10 has increased compared to Wave 5, but it is up to Wal-Mart to decide how many stores carry the line.

4) Is there a chance that the Ghostbusters and Dark Knight Movie Masters lines could get a membership subscription similar to the Club Eternia 2010 Membership?

Yes, this is possible down the road.

5) Is there any plans for a preorder system to be put in place? It seems to be a very sensible move to allow people to preorder the figures prior to sale date and produce the number preordered with a slight surplus production run as well. You would be guaranteed the sales for the preorders and everyone who really wants a figure should be able to acquire it without having to resort to 3rd party sellers.

No.

6) Is there any chance we will get a second chance to purchase Black Lightning, Atom and the Metallo C&C that barely made pegs in Wal-Marts? Could they be added to the World's Greatest Heroes part of DCUC?

It is possible that former figures could be reissued as All Stars in future years or wind up in multipacks.

7) What will the price of "The Dark Knight" Movie Masters be? Any chance of having a subscription for them?

The price will be $20.00 each., There will not be a subscription.
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Ask Matty 6/15/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1) Seeing Mattel has already said that She-Ra would be a part of the MOTU line, will fans being seeing other characters from the Princess of Power cartoon in 2010?

All of the POP characters in the MOTUC line will be based on the original toys, not the animated series. And yes, we are looking at doing a few more POP characters as the line goes along!

2) Wal-Mart has been doing a horrible job with the distribution of the DC Universe line. (see http://pendragonspost.blogspot.com/2009/05/attention-fanboys-how-to-find-dc.html) They have only dedicated 1800 of their stores to this line. With a lot of fans missing out on Wave 5 & Wave 10 being another Wal-Mart wave, is there any chance of mattycollector.com re-releasing this figures to meet the demand?

No, the Wal-Mart wave will only be available through Wal-Mart retailers.

3) Will Mattel be making a full line of characters sculpted to resemble the classic Master of the Universe figures including 200x characters, or will Mattel be mixing in figures that are sculpted to fit in with the 200x line?

We won’t be doing a separate line of 200X styled figures but will look at this line for inspiration when designing characters. We will also look at re-releasing some A-level character in a more 200X style, especially if that figure’s 200X design is radically different from the vintage look.

4) Will there be a subscription service offered on the Ghostbusters figures like the MOTU line?

This is something we are looking into if there is enough fan interest.

5) There were a lot of issues with the shipping of the MOTU figures. Customers not receiving shipping confirmations. Damaged packaging. What is Mattel doing exactly to fix this?

Starting with He-Ro, all MOTUC figures will ship in an outer shipping box much like the DCUC and JLU Mattycollector.com sets.
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Ask Matty - An Open Call For Questions

Have a question for Mattel then look no further.


On every 1st and 15th of the month, Matty opens himself up to questions from his fans.

Next round of questions are due June 15th.

Want to know about Masters of the Universe, then ask here.

Want to know when Batman Brave & the Bold is hitting the stores, then ask here.

Have a question about the store at Mattycollector.com, then ask here.

5 questions will be selected bi-monthly and submited to Matty, for him to answer.

Just enter your question into the comments section at the end of this post.

PLEASE NOTE:
Any questions about if a specific figure will be produced, will be ignored and deleted. i.e. "when is Mattel going to make a Stinkor figure" or "will Mattel obtain the rights to..."

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Ask Matty 6/1/09

Mattel took time out their busy schedule to answer some questions.


1) With Wizard World Chicago being after SDCC, is there any chance of excess exclusives being sold there?

Mattel will not be at Chicago Wizard World this year.

2) Is there any way for people outside of the USA to enter the Anti-Monitor draw at SDCC? It seems on the international DC Infinite Universe card backs there are no Anti-Monitor points.

No, this was always promoted as a SDCC program which is why the Anti-Monitor points are not available internationally.

3) Are the Movie Masters Dark Knight toys canceled? Some were shown at Toyfair, but there's been no announcement about them hitting the stores.

We’ll have news on the future of Movie Masters at SDCC.

4) How has the DC Classics line held up to company expectations? Any chance of a subscription service for this line, like you are having for Masters of the Universe?

Right now we are going to see how the MOTU plan works. Doing one for DCUC down the road is not out of the question, but it won’t be in 2009.

5) Would you adding USPS Priority Mail shipping while also offering insurance to International customers. It would probably the shipping charges would reduce by half when compared to UPS. Plus there would still be complete safety.

We are constantly working to find the best mailing options possible. Read more...

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