Jump to content

April Q&A With Mattel For DC, MOTUC and Ghostbusters


JayC

Recommended Posts

I hate these Q& A's.

 

I hate them all whether they're with Mattel, Hasbro, or whomever but I particularly hate the one's with Mattel. Mattel, in spite of having access to some of the greatest characters in all of fiction has huge glaring problems that turn this hobby into a frustrating miserable experience. This has yet to be addressed in any of these Q&A's in any way that wouldn't produce such pap as "We've heard the fans on this and we're looking into it!" This is the fault of both the questioner as well as Mattel.

 

Look at the question concerning why DCIH seems to not have the distribution problems that have almost crippled DCUC. Did this really need to be asked? The question itself stems from a false premise. DCIH probably wouldn't have had distribution problems if that first poorly-picked wave sold better! DCUC sells! IH doesn't! Who doesn't know this? This softball question perfectly positioned Mattel to spit out the safe insulting line of "We're looking to correct this."

 

Here is the question that SHOULD'VE been asked, "Why does Mattel continue to have horrible, horrible distribution problems? Please don't shove the blame off onto the stores. These very same stores don't seem to have a problem stocking Star Wars, GI Joe, Ben 10, and dozens of other figure lines.We also know that you've been 'looking into this problem' but please! This has been going on since the pre-DCUC days of DCSH. What gives?"

 

Here are a few more questions I'd like to see asked in future Q&A's...

 

1. Do you regret the disastrous decision to use the same uniform packaging for THREE of your DC figure lines? It was clearly a factor for the poor performance of JLU and DCIH and may have been a key contribution to the stillborn launch of IH's first wave!

 

2. Just who is IH aimed at? Kids who would be undemanding enough to accept these poor sculpts don't recognize Adam Strange or the Qwardian. Adult comic collectors, as has been proven, have a higher standard for their figures.

 

3. Regarding IH's first wave, given that that wave continues to remain unsold in large quantities almost everywhere, do you regret the composition of that introductory line-up?

 

4. Why were the closed fists of the IH prototypes abandoned for the large, unattractive open hands that are seen in the final product? In the entire line, only Green Arrow and the Gotham SWAT trooper have any accessories. Why the open hands when they undermine the sculpt so much?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow they sound completely incompetent. I love how they skirt legitimate answers to questions pertaining to the availability of the MOTU figures. Screw mattycollector. Scalper website for a crap company. I hope they go under. I'd be joyous.

 

I really hate it when collectors make comments like this. You can't get the toys you want and you don't like the answers you get so you hope that thousands of people, who have nothing to do with the distribution problems or the half assed Q&A answers, lose they're jobs. You sound like an ungrateful child. It's what makes the Marvel boards unreadable.

 

To the point, I'm tired of the "we need fan support" line they keep spewing out. In my opinion Star Wars is the only line that can be carried by fan interest. And when it comes to fans nothing can beat Star Wars. Anyway, I knew the distribution problems would continue when I heard they were breaking up the waves in separate cases (as you can see now with Barda, Flash, Cold and Kid Flash in one case and everyone else in another). That has nothing to do with the fans. File that under stupid business decisions. My retailers are pretty good about putting DC figures out but in a situation like that there's a good chance they'll only get box A and not box B.

 

Still, I think fans underestimate how popular superhero figures are and Mattel and Hasbro might have a better grasp of what's going on. We don't see the numbers, so who knows what's going on. It's not an excuse for a bad business model, but I think times are changing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the fault of both the questioner as well as Mattel.

 

I don't know, these seemed like pretty hard hitting questions to me that voice the concernes of many collector's recent complaints, but from what I understand, these are questions that get emailed weeks in advance giving the companies plenty of time to come up with safe non answers when they don't want to answer something. I don't think it matters how you position the question if the company doesn't want or care if you get a straight answer. In the end Mattel doesn't seem to care much. I looked at their Facebook page and it's filled with tons of comments from angry fans which Mattel seems to just ignore. I at least give TNI credit for trying to get us answers and keep us informed, I'm sure its not easy dealing with these companies and having to put up with the BS they dish out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Idk I think the questions were worded perfectly but Mattel did skirt some issues that should have had follow up questions. Look at the last questions, was it hard to get Bill Murray's approval for Peter, will we see a Peter figure, and when will we see the figures? Answer: yes doing a Peter figure and sending Sony for approval. No answer on when we will see something and no answer on what they did to get Murray to change his mind. I think several follows up should have been asked. Especially in the realm of DCU.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really hate it when collectors make comments like this. You can't get the toys you want and you don't like the answers you get so you hope that thousands of people, who have nothing to do with the distribution problems or the half assed Q&A answers, lose they're jobs. You sound like an ungrateful child. It's what makes the Marvel boards unreadable.

 

 

I can get the toys I want. I have a stable job and I can afford them. It's Mattel's attitude that they think they have some sort of high quality product that deserves those price tags that bothers me. These are poorly quality controlled, cheap looking figures (DCUC at least) of bottom of the barrel characters. As far as MOTU they flat out said in the Q and A "we know they'd sell. We just want to scalp them". Do I hope they lose their jobs? Yes I do. Isn't that what happens to people who suck at their profession?

 

oh and about your marvel comment...I love DC comics way more than I ever will Marvel but the Marvel toys always have and always will be superior to DC figures in every way, at least weighing mattels offerings

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love the DCUC line of figures no doubt..But mattel is so full of bull its not even funny,, they give these almost computer generated answers that not only really answer anything but also inrage the base collector.

 

They say they will offer more figures but wheres lobo. its been well over a year. Thank god a board member traded me his lobo but i know alot of guys around the net have yet to see him. I understand matty wanting to make matty.com big but really who cares. i am more than done with all these exclusives. and i feel alot of us are. and we are tired of not finding DCUC at retail or on matty.com but even if they offered DCUC on matty they would be 30 friggin bucks. Why can't they offer it on there for a while then put these figures at retail. Or offer just one figure like he man with battelcat on matty and put the rest in a brick n morter store.

 

I am so sick of it. They keep makeing these figures for almost the same price they did 20 years ago don't let there lies fool you. but yet we pay more n more n more.

 

You want to impress me put heman and ghostbusters at retail other than the die hard collectors the only people buying MOTU are scalpers so they can sell them for 100 or more on e bay. Thats why they say the MOTU is selling so well, That and matty.com is the only place to find it.. I am so mad i can't even get my thoughts together. this is why i stoped collecting before for almost 8 years. They really don't care about the colletor its all about the mighty dollar.

 

another thing that gets me is why they can't say how many they make. the answer is beause of the compatiton but they are the only ompany doing 6 inch figures now. So whats the problem? Which i don't really care how many i just care where they go.

 

You know it reminds of of McFarlane they did the only on mcfarlane,com thing and it failed and alot of other companies have doen this and again it ent down the pooper because people get tried of paying out the nose. IDK i am just about ready to scream really.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is my example of how they answer stuff

 

hey man how are you today

 

answer

 

well the sun was out today and i went to the store. whent up to my moms and sat around till dinner time. i ate then drove home and played some games. then made some phone calls n decided to get my hair cut and ran into you..

 

does it answer the question No it sure don't and it was a long winded story about nothing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I've decided to just say "no." I'm happy with the collection I have of DCUC figures. Any further ones good ones I see at retail will be traded or sold immediately. True Mattel is still profiting off me, but I don't have to keep them in my collection and I can get better stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyway, I knew the distribution problems would continue when I heard they were breaking up the waves in separate cases (as you can see now with Barda, Flash, Cold and Kid Flash in one case and everyone else in another). That has nothing to do with the fans. File that under stupid business decisions. My retailers are pretty good about putting DC figures out but in a situation like that there's a good chance they'll only get box A and not box B.

 

THIS is what needs to be asked about. This new practice of dividing a wave of figures into two waves with repacked figures thrown in is asinine. As you said, it's unlikely that any of the stores around me will get in both halves of the wave(I haven't seen either half of wave 7, to be honest). And I don't mind buying cases with the whole wave of figures from sites like Entertainmentearth or BBTS, but I'm not going to buy two cases just to get one wave of figures. I'd like to see something related to this in the next Q&A, though the only question I can think to ask is "What were you thinking?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thinking about it, I guess what I'd like you to ask is, at the very least, if there was some way Mattel could offer a case with the entire wave of figures to online retailers. There's 10 figures in a case(I think) and 9 figures a wave when you include the 2 variants. So a case with all nine of the figures, plus a repacked figure with stand or whatever could be offered through sites like Entertainmentearth. I would gladly buy something like that rather than resort to Ebay or driving around in vain to stores that just have Wonder Woman figures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i agree the spliting up of one wave into two is not only crazy its wrong to do to us who buy these things. And again it begs the question HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU REALLY NEED MATTEL stop takeing them month long vacas and buying bmw's n hummers put other befor self and the rewards will come ya greedy a holes....

 

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm new to the forums on this site. I have 2 questions for Mattel for the next round of Q&A. Regarding the DCU Classics figures-

 

1 - Can you tell me which retail stores are carrying DCUC? I have only seen them at Toys r Us, Walmart, & Target. Are there any others? Also, I assume it's up to the particular store whether or not they choose to order? Because out of 4 Wal-marts within driving distance of my area (15 min), only 1 of them carries them currently and they are not stocked heavily.

 

2 - The Wal-mart exclusive Metallo wave never showed up in my town. I was lucky enough to snag a Riddler on a trip but could not find any of the others. Will these figures ever show up again or be mixed in with some of the greatest hits waves? These figures are un-affordable on ebay. If so, any chance the Eradicator's visor will be re-tooled with the clear plastic?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw the SDCC exlclusives. I wanted to get clarification on the Egon figure for the Ghostbusters Classics line: will he also be offered on Mattycollector.com after the con? I only ask because it was never explicitly stated.

 

Also, will the Green Lantern Origin 3-pack include a Hal Jordan head with his mask on?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before I post my questions I find it interesting that in a thread that asks for questions, everyone wind up griping about Mattel's business practices.

 

Anyway;

 

1. Regarding the DCUC line, do you have any plan to attempt to have traditional retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R US and K-Mart support this line in a much larger way? While each of these retailers sets what merchandise they carry, what plans, if any, does Mattel have to try and drum up additional support for this product? If you are looking for any help, try ransoming Barbie until DCUC is heavily stocked and readily available. I'm sure the Justice League would swoop in and save her.

 

2. Regarding the Ghostbusters line, what materials will the proton packs be made of for the 1/6th scale figures? While it has been reported they will light up, can we expect metal packs with small vacuum hoses connecting to the gun? Additionally, what sort of materials will the figures clothing and accessories be made of? Will the elbow and knee pads be true pads or simulated?

 

3. Again regarding the Ghostbusters line, what kind of articulation can we expect from the 1/6th scale figures? Can we expect the same type of articulation available through Sideshow Toy 1/6th figures?

 

4. Yet again regarding the Ghostbusters line, is it reasonable to expect an Ecto-1 to be produced for the 6" figures? Mattel has expressed, through an interview in Toyfare magazine, that there is interest in making figures in all of the various gear (Ghostbusters costumes in both beige and black as well as the gear from Ghostbusters II), and even ancillary characters such as the mayor and Walter Peck so it seem reasonable to assume an Ecto-1 would be in the works. With is being an integral component of the Ghostbusters world, the Ecto-1 is much more important than the mayor or even Vigo, and it should be made ideally with lights and the classic siren noise.

 

5. This time, regarding the MOTU line, when (or if) sold out figures are re-released would figures still have all their original accessories or would they be without them to preserve the integrity of the original?

 

6. Again concerning the MOTU line, how are Battle Cat and Panthor being designed? Are they going to be articulated like He-Man and Skeletor or are they going to be like their 1984 counterparts and be unarticulated statues?

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Look at the question concerning why DCIH seems to not have the distribution problems that have almost crippled DCUC. Did this really need to be asked? The question itself stems from a false premise. DCIH probably wouldn't have had distribution problems if that first poorly-picked wave sold better! DCUC sells! IH doesn't! Who doesn't know this? This softball question perfectly positioned Mattel to spit out the safe insulting line of "We're looking to correct this."

 

Here is the question that SHOULD'VE been asked, "Why does Mattel continue to have horrible, horrible distribution problems? Please don't shove the blame off onto the stores. These very same stores don't seem to have a problem stocking Star Wars, GI Joe, Ben 10, and dozens of other figure lines.We also know that you've been 'looking into this problem' but please! This has been going on since the pre-DCUC days of DCSH. What gives?"

 

Just because it doesn't sell in your area doesn't mean they don't sell elsewhere. @hmmm@

Hasbro was asked the same question on distribution for G.I. Joe.

 

6. Again concerning the MOTU line, how are Battle Cat and Panthor being designed? Are they going to be articulated like He-Man and Skeletor or are they going to be like their 1984 counterparts and be unarticulated statues?

This was already asked & answered last round. The answer was yes they will have articulation. Still does me no good when I can't get He-Man or Skeletor. @grumpy@

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, Mattel can't win.

 

Sure they can. They just have to try harder.

 

I swear they could ship a solid gold figure of the individual's choice to each collector's house and somebody would still complain.

 

 

Now see if Mattel were to do this, this is how it would go...

 

 

1. Mattel would announce that they're going to ship a solid gold figure of the individual's choice to each collector's house. They would release fantastic looking pics and take amazing prototypes around to all the conventions.

 

2. A year and a half later, one guy in Malaysia and maybe another in the Philippines would get their figures and throw them up on ebay for a million bucks. Pics of the final figures are less promising than the prototypes. These figures are also noticeably smaller than other figures of this solid gold line. Mattel responds with, "Gold shrinks."

 

3. Collectors across the continental US would wonder where their figures are. On-line vigils are formed. Mattel promises in a Q&A that "they are aware of the problem and they are looking into correcting it."

 

4. Three guys in the Mid-west finally get their figures. Amazingly, all three solid gold figures have sloppy paint applications and break apart as soon as they're removed from their packages. Mattel responds to widespread grumblings with, "We're listening to the fans and we're looking into correcting the problem."

 

5. The wait for figures continues. Mattel announces that they're delaying any further releases because they're addressing the numerous quality control issues and "they want to get these figures just right!" Optimistic fans continue to wait.

 

6. Two guys in Nebraska get their figures. One breaks apart immediately after opening. The other has two right hands.

 

7. Frustrated fans continue to wait for their figures. Mattel responds by saying, "We're not responsible for distribution. The fans have to order these figures themselves."

 

8. Mattel announces a special limited addition solid SILVER action figure available ONLY through on-line retailers. There are no pics and Mattel announces that they'll only produce these figures if they get enough fans to blindly pre-order them at thirty bucks each!

 

9. Demoralized, the fans walk away from their expectations of these figures. Mattel cancels the program blaming a lack of fan support.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, Mattel can't win.

 

Sure they can. They just have to try harder.

 

I swear they could ship a solid gold figure of the individual's choice to each collector's house and somebody would still complain.

 

 

Now see if Mattel were to do this, this is how it would go...

 

 

1. Mattel would announce that they're going to ship a solid gold figure of the individual's choice to each collector's house. They would release fantastic looking pics and take amazing prototypes around to all the conventions.

 

2. A year and a half later, one guy in Malaysia and maybe another in the Philippines would get their figures and throw them up on ebay for a million bucks. Pics of the final figures are less promising than the prototypes. These figures are also noticeably smaller than other figures of this solid gold line. Mattel responds with, "Gold shrinks."

 

3. Collectors across the continental US would wonder where their figures are. On-line vigils are formed. Mattel promises in a Q&A that "they are aware of the problem and they are looking into correcting it."

 

4. Three guys in the Mid-west finally get their figures. Amazingly, all three solid gold figures have sloppy paint applications and break apart as soon as they're removed from their packages. Mattel responds to widespread grumblings with, "We're listening to the fans and we're looking into correcting the problem."

 

5. The wait for figures continues. Mattel announces that they're delaying any further releases because they're addressing the numerous quality control issues and "they want to get these figures just right!" Optimistic fans continue to wait.

 

6. Two guys in Nebraska get their figures. One breaks apart immediately after opening. The other has two right hands.

 

7. Frustrated fans continue to wait for their figures. Mattel responds by saying, "We're not responsible for distribution. The fans have to order these figures themselves."

 

8. Mattel announces a special limited addition solid SILVER action figure available ONLY through on-line retailers. There are no pics and Mattel announces that they'll only produce these figures if they get enough fans to blindly pre-order them at thirty bucks each!

 

9. Demoralized, the fans walk away from their expectations of these figures. Mattel cancels the program blaming a lack of fan support.

 

clapping and laughing... that pretty much hit the nail one the head but i will say this the QC issues have got some better the past 6 figures i have gotten have all been pretty good and the plastic feels stronger. But the rest of it right on

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Find Action Figures on Ebay

×
×
  • Create New...
Sign Up For The TNI Newsletter And Have The News Delivered To You!


Entertainment News International (ENI) is the #1 popular culture network for adult fans all around the world.
Get the scoop on all the popular comics, games, movies, toys, and more every day!

Contact and Support

Advertising | Submit News | Contact ENI | Privacy Policy

©Entertainment News International - All images, trademarks, logos, video, brands and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies and owners. All Rights Reserved. Data has been shared for news reporting purposes only. All content sourced by fans, online websites, and or other fan community sources. Entertainment News International is not responsible for reporting errors, inaccuracies, omissions, and or other liablities related to news shared here. We do our best to keep tabs on infringements. If some of your content was shared by accident. Contact us about any infringements right away - CLICK HERE