Jump to content

2012 DC Universe All-Stars 6" Figure Preview


The Wire

Recommended Posts

We need a special subscription in order to make Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy available but Mattel can confidently offer a Plastic Man nobody asked for at retail???

 

Yes.

 

That's called "marketing"...The Law of Supply and Demand.

 

The most requested figures will probably be MATTY COLLECTOR figs...although they did throw a bone with LARFLEEZE.

 

So they're saving the less requested characters for their retail offerings??

 

Mattel: "Sorry, Walmart. Everyone wants a Poison Ivy. We can sell her on our own and charge twenty bucks for her. Here... you can have this Plastic Man nobody asked for. Good luck."

 

No. They are putting the more iconic figures as subscription since they know the adults would buy them and the kids will pass over them. Poison Ivy is a heavily requested characterm but will she sell well at retail as oppose to online? Powergirl and Zatanna were both heavily requested character before Mattel released them - they ended up as peg warmers. Unless your name is Batgirl, Harley Quinn, or Wonder Woman, DC female characters do not sell as well as the male characters. Toy sexism?

 

Plasticman is offered as retail since he would do horrible as a Mattycollector exclusive, and is a modern rendition of the character - he would probably sell better at Retail since kids might know him from the Batman Brave and Bold cartoon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As predicted, the complaints started rolling in the minute these images hit the Internet. It's a wonder why Mattel makes any attempt to appease collector's.

 

Jay Garrick isnt an "All-star" but Larfleeze is? Whatev...

 

 

What a joke. I suppose you had a problem with Gambit in the Marvel LEGENDS line as well.

 

Was anyone asking for this Plastic Man figure? Poison Ivy and Jay Garrick need a subscription in order to be offered but Mattel feels Larfleeze and over-designed Plastic Man can hold their own at retail? A re-release to kick off the "refreshening" of the brand?

 

 

Another laughable one. They make figures you don't ask for and you complain. They make the figures you do ask for and you complain. Or say you don't want them.

 

I dont get it. I thought they were discontinuing DCUC so that they could sell more recognizable charactes at retail and sell the more obscure characters on Matty. These characters seem too obscure for retail. Something doesn't mesh somewhere.

 

Yeah, two Batman/Superman lookalikes, a character from a high profile storyline and... well, after the Green Lantern Classics debacle I really don't get Larfleeze.

 

But yeah, the other three, one has a Bat symbol on his chest, the other an "S." I agree, not recognizable at all.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We need a special subscription in order to make Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy available but Mattel can confidently offer a Plastic Man nobody asked for at retail???

 

Yes.

 

That's called "marketing"...The Law of Supply and Demand.

 

The most requested figures will probably be MATTY COLLECTOR figs...although they did throw a bone with LARFLEEZE.

 

So they're saving the less requested characters for their retail offerings??

 

Mattel: "Sorry, Walmart. Everyone wants a Poison Ivy. We can sell her on our own and charge twenty bucks for her. Here... you can have this Plastic Man nobody asked for. Good luck."

 

No. They are putting the more iconic figures as subscription since they know the adults would buy them and the kids will pass over them. Poison Ivy is a heavily requested characterm but will she sell well at retail as oppose to online? Powergirl and Zatanna were both heavily requested character before Mattel released them - they ended up as peg warmers. Unless your name is Batgirl, Harley Quinn, or Wonder Woman, DC female characters do not sell as well as the male characters. Toy sexism?

 

Plasticman is offered as retail since he would do horrible as a Mattycollector exclusive, and is a modern rendition of the character - he would probably sell better at Retail since kids might know him from the Batman Brave and Bold cartoon.

 

rash, Doom Saber, good call. I love how Master Jailer always applies marketing comments towards comic book movies he wants to trash but can't apply it to toy lines he wants to collect.

 

Ignoring the fact that female characters are generally poor sellers, let's look at Mattel's little "One female in every lineup" experiment.

 

Barda: Peg warmer

 

Hawkgirl & Black Canary: Never saw them because Wave 7 in its entirety was a peg warmer

 

Power Girl: Peg Warmer

 

Katma Tui: Actually, I didn't see too many Katma's lying around

 

Mary Marvel: Peg warmer

 

Donna Troy & Cheetah: Peg warmers

 

Zatanna: Peg warmer

 

Are we still wondering why Poison Ivy is part of the subscription plan?

 

As for Plastic Man, that looks like the easiest repaint of all time and not likely to be the last Flashpoint figure, just the first one to be completed. Throw in what appears to be a Batman Beyond repack and BOOM! Half the wave is done.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They put all the classic characters in the subscription and are releasing new characters that are currently popular in the comics or cartoon at retail.

 

Atrocitous??

 

Two comments where Doom Saber takes you to school and Master Jailer selective editing takes effect. In this case the whole paragraph where DS points out that Mattel is doing exactly what they said they were going to do.

 

 

Atrocitus was a fan requested figure used to get people to sign up for the subscription. An exception to the rule, which we all know doesn't fly with people like you who see things in black and white.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jay Garrick isnt an "All-star" but Larfleeze is? Whatev...

What a joke. I suppose you had a problem with Gambit in the Marvel LEGENDS line as well.

 

Yes, because he really belonged in the Marvel ALL-STAR online sub. that ran concurrent.

 

 

Oh! Funny you should mention that!

 

Because the actual name of the subscription service is Club Infinite Earths.

 

And last time I checked, before Crisis, Jay Garrick was a resident of Earth-Two.

 

So now that this has all been cleared up you shouldn't have a problem with Jay Garrick's place in Mattel's 30 DC toy lines.

 

I believe this is the part where you respond with a picture hiding the fact that you've been owned.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Was anyone asking for this Plastic Man figure? Poison Ivy and Jay Garrick need a subscription in order to be offered but Mattel feels Larfleeze and over-designed Plastic Man can hold their own at retail? A re-release to kick off the "refreshening" of the brand?

 

 

Another laughable one. They make figures you don't ask for and you complain. They make the figures you do ask for and you complain. Or say you don't want them.

 

all.

 

I'm no fan of DCUC's Wave 17 with all those multi-colored Lantern characters. I didn't ask for them. I didn't like them. I didn't buy them. Still, I understand those characters have their fans and buyers (Tho I guess not many from the way this wave is sitting in most Targets)

 

Flashpoint Plas however... Well, I guess I missed all those Flashpoint Plastic Man Request Threads.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love how Master Jailer always applies marketing comments towards comic book movies he wants to trash but can't apply it to toy lines he wants to collect.

 

 

 

 

I love how MasterJailer didn't bring up marketing at all.

 

 

 

Are we still wondering why Poison Ivy is part of the subscription plan?

 

 

 

 

Given that First Appearance Catwoman has been included in the upcoming Batman Legacy wave... yes.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Two comments where Doom Saber takes you to school and Master Jailer selective editing takes effect. In this case the whole paragraph where DS points out that Mattel is doing exactly what they said they were going to do.

 

 

Atrocitus was a fan requested figure used to get people to sign up for the subscription. An exception to the rule, which we all know doesn't fly with people like you who see things in black and white.

 

Sooooo.... Mattel is doing exactly what they were going to do... BUT Atrocitous is an exception to what they were going to do???

 

Mattel: "Hey Gang! Sign up for our cool subscription service! It's going to be the only place where you can get all those cool fan-requested classic figures we can't sell at retail anymore... except for our very first offering which is apparently an exception to our whole premise!"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im really glad they got rid of the Collect and Connect concept. Im a serious sucker for build a figures, I mean I own way to many figures I dont even like because of the damn things. Now I can just buy Larfleeze and Super boy and be done with this wave.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

to be honest i dont give a damn under what name they come out, classics, all-star, legacy or the hipididodo wave as long as i get these figures i dont care. larfleeze top, atrocitus top, prime top, poison ivy top. of course i dont care for garrick or plasticman. some i have to buy because of the sub but plasticman and batman beyond have no c&c piece anymore so i dont need to buy them anymore. its a win for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I'm no fan of DCUC's Wave 17 with all those multi-colored Lantern characters. I didn't ask for them. I didn't like them. I didn't buy them. Still, I understand those characters have their fans and buyers (Tho I guess not many from the way this wave is sitting in most Targets)

Flashpoint Plas however... Well, I guess I missed all those Flashpoint Plastic Man Request Threads."

So Mattel should only make the figures that are demanded by the fans. And you can't understand how Mattel could make a set of figures based on one crossover event and not the other.

Since you only read what you want to read, I said earlier I doubt that Plastic Man will be the last Flashpoint figure released.

"I love how MasterJailer didn't bring up marketing at all."

I love it too. Thanks for reinforcing my point.

You're always up in arms about how this character or that character gets changed when it hits the movie studio to appeal to certain demographics, i.e. satisfy what they think the consumer wants, i.e. MARKETING, then you can't apply that concept to a toy line.

What part of "Mattel and DC are trying to branch beyond the realm of comic nerds" that rash, DS and myself are trying to point out is not clear?

Then again, you live in this fantasy world where hardcore comic book geeks are the bread and butter of everything comic book related so that doesn't surprise me.

"Given that First Appearance Catwoman has been included in the upcoming Batman Legacy wave... yes."

Could you clarify something for me Jailer? What famous Batman character will Anne Hathaway be portraying in a film that comes out next July?

That's what I thought. It's called "media tie-in." Look it up. On top of that, you're really gonna sit in front of you computer and pretend Poison Ivy is as well know as Catwoman?

BTW thanks for completely ignoring that whole "female peg warming" argument DS and I laid out. It makes it easier to explain to people you have no idea what you're talking about.

"Sooooo.... Mattel is doing exactly what they were going to do... BUT Atrocitous is an exception to what they were going to do???

Mattel: 'Hey Gang! Sign up for our cool subscription service! It's going to be the only place where you can get all those cool fan-requested classic figures we can't sell at retail anymore... except for our very first offering which is apparently an exception to our whole premise!'"

So that's one exception. If it's even that. I'll explain.

There's only been a dozen articles and discussion about this. Feel free to read about it whenever you want. Mattel said Infinite Earths would be for fan-demanded and larger figures and said the retail line would be for mainstream stuff.

Atrocitus will be in the new GL cartoon. And he was on a few fan demanded lists. I'm sure you were gonna mention that eventually.

So really, Atrocitus could go either way. Guess I was wrong saying he was the exception.

Thanks for helping me and DS clarify that one.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We need a special subscription in order to make Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy available but Mattel can confidently offer a Plastic Man nobody asked for at retail???

 

Yes.

 

That's called "marketing"...The Law of Supply and Demand.

 

The most requested figures will probably be MATTY COLLECTOR figs...although they did throw a bone with LARFLEEZE.

 

So they're saving the less requested characters for their retail offerings??

 

Mattel: "Sorry, Walmart. Everyone wants a Poison Ivy. We can sell her on our own and charge twenty bucks for her. Here... you can have this Plastic Man nobody asked for. Good luck."

Less requested by who?

 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of 80's comics and character design...but some people ARE. To that end, MATTEL has done a good job of trying to please all market segments in their audience.

 

We've had oodles of figures across the spectrum of the various comic eras - Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Modern Age. Frankly, we've got multiple figures of characters I NEVER expected to see in plastic, like the METAL MEN, KAMANDI, 4TH WORLD, various colored LANTERNS...the list goes on.

 

Each wave had characters I loved, and characters I was "Meh" about.

 

Can't please everyone. Does that mean MATTEL shouldn't try to please anyone??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Mattel: "Sorry, Walmart. Everyone wants a Poison Ivy. We can sell her on our own and charge twenty bucks for her. Here... you can have this Plastic Man nobody asked for. Good luck."

 

Umm...YES.

 

That's how it works.

 

Again...Marketing. Supply & Demand. Buy low, sell high. R - C = P. That kind of thing...

 

If you're selling a used car, are you going to hold-out for the price you want, or give it to some guy who whines that it's too expensive and come down to HIS price??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody wants Flashpoint Plastic Man.

 

 

Of this entire boring line-up I keep coming back to this one and asking, "Why are you here? Who asked for you???"

 

 

I have to echo a sentiment currently roaring across all of the internet and even asked by myself earlier in this thread... We need a special subscription in order to make Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy available but Mattel can confidently offer a Plastic Man nobody asked for at retail???

 

I think that is the sole reason why Plasticman is in this wave. It is a modern, "elseworld" rendition of a C-list character. Jay Garrick and POison Ivy are both classic characters. Come to think about it, everyone in the Allstar wave are either new characters or characters in new outfits. Months ago, Mattel did say that they will continue DCUC figures at retail with characters that are more current in the comics to appeal to young comic readers.

 

It makes sense. They put all the classic characters in the subscription and are releasing new characters that are currently popular in the comics or cartoon at retail. Seems like this is the case.

 

Doom saber, if you really think Plastic Man is a C list character, and not a "classic character" like Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy both are, then you don't know squat about comic books. I've talked to you before as a friend I suppose, and I mean no harm. But Jay Garrick and Plastic Man are equals, at best. Plastic Man is certainly more historically important than either Flash or Ivy.

 

Atrocitus and the current Starman are classic characters compared to Larfleeze, Superboy Prime or Flashpoint Plastic Man? Okay, if you say so, I guess.

 

I don't know who most of you commenting on this topic are, why you'd be arguing and I could care less. I don't care if you have issues with each other or what. I don't even care if you don't like me. Regardless of any of that, those announced figures ARE underwhelming, in my opinion. And if anyone else doesn't like my opinion, that's fine. No one said you had to. I'm pretty tired of this business about any comment that's not gushing over the product being shouted down. Get over it.

 

There are some things they could do to make those figures less mediocre. But I doubt they will, so I won't bother suggesting them. Many people feel the same way, based on what I've read... a lot of comments say, put Superboy Prime and Batman Beyond on less muscular and shorter bucks, and get the costumes right. I'd be supportive of a Batman Beyond that actually looked the way he did in the cartoon. Put Larfleeze on a more accurate body, or at the very least put a handle on the lantern simply because it looks incomplete without it.

 

Mattel's just so random with 6" DC figures lately. And it probably is, as many people speculate, because they the company is being greedy by wanting to take advantage of people financially. I don't understand why at almost $20 for each figure and no build a figure piece someone wouldn't want people to have their say as long as they're being thoughtful and costructive. I care about it because I enjoy collecting these figures and Mattel seems determined to produce mediocre stuff lately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really doubt you're going to find some kind of strict OCD distinction between who goes in the sub and who goes to retail. I don't think they thought Poison Ivy would do poorly at retail(that wave with Catwoman also has Harley Quinn, based on a game in which it seemed like Ivy had more screen time), but she's a well-known character who helps anchor the sub. If they make a sub with a bunch of no-name characters, then people wouldn't buy it(look at the GI Joe Subscription...are any of them must-haves?).

 

I've seen the masked Batman Beyond go for $50+ on Ebay, so I don't think he's a bad choice to rerelease. If they do add the "wings" I might consider buying him again, but this is Mattel so I'm sure he'll be exactly the same.

 

I think Larfleeze looks good...not sure how they're cutting corners on him as he looks to be an entirely new sculpt? And I think in his first few appearances, his lantern didn't have a handle, he just clutched it. Anyways, I'm glad they're making him because I can sell the one I've got and it'll cover what I payed for him, the cost of the new one and Superboy Prime, and some left over.

 

Might be in the minority, but I think Prime looks good, hoping for a Sinestro Corps variant.

 

I haven't read Flashpoint, and don't feel the need for any figures based on it(I'm still not sure why I have a House of M version of the Thing). Is Plastic Man's part particularly memorable? Seems like a pointless variant and the figure looks bland compared to the one we've got, but oh well. I'll skip him and move on.

 

Anyways, I'm excited about 2/3rds of the new figures in the wave, which isn't bad. But I hope this is just them scrambling to come up with something after the new mandate from "above"(I get the impression that these and the first few sub figures are just what would have been Wave 21), and that later waves will have more figures in them.

 

I don't know who most of you commenting on this topic are, why you'd be arguing and I could care less.

 

I don't entirely agree with you on the figures, but I was actually thinking the same thing reading this thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love how Master Jailer always applies marketing comments towards comic book movies he wants to trash but can't apply it to toy lines he wants to collect.

 

 

 

 

I love how MasterJailer didn't bring up marketing at all.

 

 

 

Are we still wondering why Poison Ivy is part of the subscription plan?

 

 

 

 

Given that First Appearance Catwoman has been included in the upcoming Batman Legacy wave... yes.

 

Another reason why Poison Ivy was never released in retail is probably because of her outfit. Sure that figures like Powergirl were sold at retail, but I bet that caused some hate mail from parents, which is probably why the modern Cheetah was "censored." It is really rare to see a retail toy with exposed boobs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody wants Flashpoint Plastic Man.

 

 

Of this entire boring line-up I keep coming back to this one and asking, "Why are you here? Who asked for you???"

 

 

I have to echo a sentiment currently roaring across all of the internet and even asked by myself earlier in this thread... We need a special subscription in order to make Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy available but Mattel can confidently offer a Plastic Man nobody asked for at retail???

 

I think that is the sole reason why Plasticman is in this wave. It is a modern, "elseworld" rendition of a C-list character. Jay Garrick and POison Ivy are both classic characters. Come to think about it, everyone in the Allstar wave are either new characters or characters in new outfits. Months ago, Mattel did say that they will continue DCUC figures at retail with characters that are more current in the comics to appeal to young comic readers.

 

It makes sense. They put all the classic characters in the subscription and are releasing new characters that are currently popular in the comics or cartoon at retail. Seems like this is the case.

 

Doom saber, if you really think Plastic Man is a C list character, and not a "classic character" like Jay Garrick and Poison Ivy both are, then you don't know squat about comic books. I've talked to you before as a friend I suppose, and I mean no harm. But Jay Garrick and Plastic Man are equals, at best. Plastic Man is certainly more historically important than either Flash or Ivy.

 

Atrocitus and the current Starman are classic characters compared to Larfleeze, Superboy Prime or Flashpoint Plastic Man? Okay, if you say so, I guess.

 

I don't know who most of you commenting on this topic are, why you'd be arguing and I could care less. I don't care if you have issues with each other or what. I don't even care if you don't like me. Regardless of any of that, those announced figures ARE underwhelming, in my opinion. And if anyone else doesn't like my opinion, that's fine. No one said you had to. I'm pretty tired of this business about any comment that's not gushing over the product being shouted down. Get over it.

 

There are some things they could do to make those figures less mediocre. But I doubt they will, so I won't bother suggesting them. Many people feel the same way, based on what I've read... a lot of comments say, put Superboy Prime and Batman Beyond on less muscular and shorter bucks, and get the costumes right. I'd be supportive of a Batman Beyond that actually looked the way he did in the cartoon. Put Larfleeze on a more accurate body, or at the very least put a handle on the lantern simply because it looks incomplete without it.

 

Mattel's just so random with 6" DC figures lately. And it probably is, as many people speculate, because they the company is being greedy by wanting to take advantage of people financially. I don't understand why at almost $20 for each figure and no build a figure piece someone wouldn't want people to have their say as long as they're being thoughtful and costructive. I care about it because I enjoy collecting these figures and Mattel seems determined to produce mediocre stuff lately.

 

I take no offense at that. I don't think Plasticman is C-list to us geeks, but I meant that he is a C-list with casual collectors. I know who Plasticman is because my brother collects comics. Plasticman also had a cartoon, as well as a cancelled reboot. A lot of characters that we love are considered C-list. For example, before the Green Lantern movie came out, I would think he would be C-list to non comic readers, but A list to us.

 

Just that ranking certain comic characters is hard since we think they are more popular, whereas others aren't because of age, outside popularity, etc.. What I am saying is that there is always going to be debate on how popular a character is just because of how diverse superheroes are and what comicbooks we read, as well as what we THINK other people are reading. A good example would be Aquaman. When I was taking swimming class a decade ago, my swim coach was talking about Aquaman. He was so shocked to hear that Aquaman is a popular character since he thought he was some obscure character in a cartoon he watched as a child. Aquaman is A-list.

 

Another one would be some guy on gamefaqs calling Ironman an obscure character, and that a character like Gambit is more popular than him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's like Da Top Cat said... we're not always going to see a clear distinction as to who goes where. Some characters will be placed strategically, as an incentive to purchase both a subscription and the retail line. I have problems with that... why is there even a need *for* a subscription and a retail line. But it is what it is.

 

The whole thing about Flashpoint Plastic Man is that, for me, it's NOT Plastic Man. I'd like to see a variant of the real Plastic Man alongside the evil version. Ideal scenario for me... I could wind up with an alternate universe evil Plastic Man, if I also got a repaint variant of that figure on the same muscle body and stern head sculpt that I could consider the Golden Age Plastic Man, to go along with the sdcc Plas that I already have. Wishful thinking, tho, I know.

 

I say cut corners about Larfleeze because I've read that he's on mostly a Black Lantern Abin Sur body, and it seems too small for him? I'm not sure, though. It could be close enough but he seems like a bigger character to me based on the way he's drawn in the comics.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's like Da Top Cat said... we're not always going to see a clear distinction as to who goes where. Some characters will be placed strategically, as an incentive to purchase both a subscription and the retail line. I have problems with that... why is there even a need *for* a subscription and a retail line. But it is what it is.

 

The whole thing about Flashpoint Plastic Man is that, for me, it's NOT Plastic Man. I'd like to see a variant of the real Plastic Man alongside the evil version. Ideal scenario for me... I could wind up with an alternate universe evil Plastic Man, if I also got a repaint variant of that figure on the same muscle body and stern head sculpt that I could consider the Golden Age Plastic Man, to go along with the sdcc Plas that I already have. Wishful thinking, tho, I know.

 

I say cut corners about Larfleeze because I've read that he's on mostly a Black Lantern Abin Sur body, and it seems too small for him? I'm not sure, though. It could be close enough but he seems like a bigger character to me based on the way he's drawn in the comics.

 

I really don't care about the who ends up at retail and who doesn't because the way I see it, I would getting them either retail or sub. I can see it being a problem for some, but a lot of us toy collectors do buy toys online and in some cases, buying online makes some characters easier to obtain. With Chinese sellers releasing new figures loose w/o the CnC cheap on ebay, it might be more of an incentive for us to buy future DCUC, subscription or retail on ebay.

 

I do think Mattel is releasing the more classic characters in the sub and the more modern characters at retail like they said. That is to say that it is not absolute like you and Da Top Cat said esp how some chaacters can go either way. We are seeing the legacy Batman figures getting both classic, videogame, and modern figures.

 

I also think that Mattel is using the subs for figures that otherwise can't make it into retail for one thing or another. I can see CnC figures that are in limbo being used to this line.

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