Mattel 4" movie figures

[StrangePlanet]

Well I'm not on board with Hot Toys stuff, and partly that's because I don't want my toys that big, and partly price.

 

But if anything I think I'm like a lot of toy enthusiasts in that I will pay for nicer stuff, and I realize the days of $8 Marvel Legends with stands and comic books are way over.

 

But a look at how Masterpiece Transformers, SH Figuarts, Figmas, new Marvel Legends and the Star Wars Black Series are hot items, not just to me, but to a lot of folks, I'd say if the quality is there we'll pony up the dough.

That's just us "collectors" though (gah, I hate that term) and when I go look at the shelves at Walmart, it's very very different. Whatever it takes for Marvel toys to come out at a $6-9 price point, that's gonna happen. That's what you're seeing out there. This other stuff I'm into that costs a bit more? Online.

 

I'll just hope for some SDCC exclusive Keaton Bats, because that seems one of the few times Mattel is willing to put the effort in and make something that costs more.

[yojoebro82]

A good example are the he-man threads. Ppl go there just to bash Toy Guru and the MOTUC toys, yet they do a 180 and buy the damn figures.

 

I always loved that about the MOTU guys. I don't even collect MOTU but I'll lurk on the board just for that

 

What you said brings to mind another classic: Back when people were grumpy at Walmart because they couldn't find the TB ML Giant Man wave. One very clever chap posted a big "HEY WALMART, $#@% YOU!!!!" Complete with a picture of his fully completed Giant Man BAF with both middle fingers up! So he GOT what he wanted but he's still mad???

 

I don't know if this is the place for that post, but it came to mind and I wanted to share.

[Belmont13]

If they made a John Wesley Shipp Flash action figure I would flip.

[Doom Saber]

A good example are the he-man threads. Ppl go there just to bash Toy Guru and the MOTUC toys, yet they do a 180 and buy the damn figures.

 

I always loved that about the MOTU guys. I don't even collect MOTU but I'll lurk on the board just for that

 

What you said brings to mind another classic: Back when people were grumpy at Walmart because they couldn't find the TB ML Giant Man wave. One very clever chap posted a big "HEY WALMART, $#@% YOU!!!!" Complete with a picture of his fully completed Giant Man BAF with both middle fingers up! So he GOT what he wanted but he's still mad???

 

I don't know if this is the place for that post, but it came to mind and I wanted to share.

This discussion reminds me of what I've read on the 1/6 forums I go to. The one I go to focuses on custom figures even though the majority of the posters there aren't skilled in customizing. The best the majority can do is to choose clothing for their man dolls. Anyway, artists (smart people) uses the forums to rip ppl off by offering expensive clothing or paint apps. There is this guy on the forums who makes expensive clothing for figures based on "flavor-of-the-month" characters. The current FOTM characters are the AMC Walking Dead castt and Walter White. Prior FOTM characters were Dexter and the guy from Mad Men. The clothes this guy makes is nice, but he charges 1:1 prices for doll clothing - a full Rick Grimes Sheriff outfit, for instance, would run you around $900 dollars. The ppl there who justify the cost, do so by saying that only serious fans would spend that much and more on one figure

[burtm]

http://toynewsi.com/...tart=0&sl=21195

 

Why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY ARE THESE NOT 6", MATTEL????

 

These are the ONLY super hero figures that I still care about being made! In SIX INCH form! Not FOUR!

 

I agree with this, 4 inches just lack the details that 6 inch figures have. just look at the faces, they have those idiot looks. like they dont represent the character. you see a 3.75 MU Thor with a look that he's about to cry. Like come on.

 

and why 6 inches, cos its the tried and tested scale. more collectors would be more interested in buying figures in the same scale as that of their collections.

 

starting a new set of figures to collect in a new scale just doesnt appeal, well to me though.

 

this could have been the new DCUC collectors are waiting for. I wont give a final no, but i have to be very convinced with the details when I see them in the stores, before I would buy them.

[JoeRhyno]

http://toynewsi.com/...tart=0&sl=21195

 

Why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY ARE THESE NOT 6", MATTEL????

 

These are the ONLY super hero figures that I still care about being made! In SIX INCH form! Not FOUR!

 

I agree with this, 4 inches just lack the details that 6 inch figures have. just look at the faces, they have those idiot looks. like they dont represent the character. you see a 3.75 MU Thor with a look that he's about to cry. Like come on.

 

and why 6 inches, cos its the tried and tested scale. more collectors would be more interested in buying figures in the same scale as that of their collections.

 

starting a new set of figures to collect in a new scale just doesnt appeal, well to me though.

 

this could have been the new DCUC collectors are waiting for. I wont give a final no, but i have to be very convinced with the details when I see them in the stores, before I would buy them.

 

yet... to a 1:18, 3.75" or 4" scale figures.. it goes right in with their collections..

[Dragonrider1227]

OMG! Christopher Reeve Superman in a GI Joe scale?

I'M THROWING MY MONEY AT THE MONITOR BUT NOTHING IS HAPPENING!!!!

[Doom Saber]

http://toynewsi.com/...tart=0&sl=21195

 

Why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY ARE THESE NOT 6", MATTEL????

 

These are the ONLY super hero figures that I still care about being made! In SIX INCH form! Not FOUR!

 

I agree with this, 4 inches just lack the details that 6 inch figures have. just look at the faces, they have those idiot looks. like they dont represent the character. you see a 3.75 MU Thor with a look that he's about to cry. Like come on.

 

and why 6 inches, cos its the tried and tested scale. more collectors would be more interested in buying figures in the same scale as that of their collections.

 

starting a new set of figures to collect in a new scale just doesnt appeal, well to me though.

 

this could have been the new DCUC collectors are waiting for. I wont give a final no, but i have to be very convinced with the details when I see them in the stores, before I would buy them.

 

I honestly think that 6 inch figues are overrated. I love this scale, but ever since Marvel Legends were released a decade ago, people treated it as a standard to figures across the board and that all toys regardless of brand should be uniform in scale despite the obvious style differences. Maybe I am someone who never mixed his toylines together, but I think it is silly and a case of entitlement to expect all toylines to be 6 inches just because of one toyline. There are probably more toylines out there that are 5, 4, and 7 inches than they are with 6 inch figures. Most adult toylines are 7, 5 inches, or 4 inches..

 

I am certain someone at Toybiz chose 1/10th scale years ago because figures were cheap to produce at the time. Back then, Ml was 6 dollars. Now they are reaching 20. I doubt they chose it because it is the scale with the best detail as I am sure with today's technology, a 5 inch figure can capture the same quality as a 6 inch figure. Heck, a 12 inch figure has better detail than a 6 inch one. They also probably chose the 1/10th scale because of the easy math conversion; 1 inch in 1:1 = 1 ft in 1:10

 

With 3D printers improving, it will be a short time when 4 inch figures will look as good as 12 inch figures

[JayC]

If you guys haven't checked it out you should give a listen to our latest Podcast where we talk with NECA's Randy Falk who shares some really interesting insights on why you see a lot of companies do the things they do in regards to scale, articulation, reusing molds, ect ect.

 

I realize some of you don't really care why these things happen, you just know you are not getting what you want, but I also think some people really don't understand how the toy industry works and what these companies have to deal with to get product to shelf, and so listening to someone like Randy who works in the industry and is a fan as well, talk honestly about this stuff can shed some light for you, and maybe with that understanding can help take some of the sting off it, knowing these companies aren't trying to screw you for the sake of screwing you or annoying you.

 

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=139&itemid=21236

[yojoebro82]

I honestly think that 6 inch figues are overrated. I love this scale, but ever since Marvel Legends were released a decade ago, people treated it as a standard to figures across the board and that all toys regardless of brand should be uniform in scale despite the obvious style differences. Maybe I am someone who never mixed his toylines together, but I think it is silly and a case of entitlement to expect all toylines to be 6 inches just because of one toyline. There are probably more toylines out there that are 5, 4, and 7 inches than they are with 6 inch figures. Most adult toylines are 7, 5 inches, or 4 inches..

 

I am certain someone at Toybiz chose 1/10th scale years ago because figures were cheap to produce at the time. Back then, Ml was 6 dollars. Now they are reaching 20. I doubt they chose it because it is the scale with the best detail as I am sure with today's technology, a 5 inch figure can capture the same quality as a 6 inch figure. Heck, a 12 inch figure has better detail than a 6 inch one. They also probably chose the 1/10th scale because of the easy math conversion; 1 inch in 1:1 = 1 ft in 1:10

 

With 3D printers improving, it will be a short time when 4 inch figures will look as good as 12 inch figures

 

I understand all of that. It's just that I and a lot of other people have already gone all-in on 6" between TBML, HML, and DCUC and even some DC Direct. I have a lot of other scales: GI Joe, Playmates Star Trek, Kenner Batman, 90s Toy Biz X-Men....those are all different scales. I don't consider 6" the be-all-end-all, but that's what I went with with the vast majority of my superheroes. My superhero collecting is winding down and I'd rather the scale stay the same til I call it quits. I actually like 6" movie figures (seems some people give them a lot of hate for some reason) and I love posing my Toy Biz movie Spidey next to my Hasbro movie Avengers next to my MM Batman and Superman...heck, those last two might be replaced if they put out quality 6" versions of Keaton and Reeve (sorry Bale and Cavil).

 

And speaking of, I'm actually still pretty hopeful that they will do 6" at some point....

 

I haven't ruled out the 4" entirely. Depends on how I think they'll look when I get them in hand. If I think they'll mix in well with my Kenner Batman stuff I may go for a few (you would have to think that the 4" Keaton Batman will at least fit well with the Kenner Batmobile that came out in the 90s). If not, I'll just save money.

[Dragonrider1227]

Wow, guess I'm the only one here that likes they're in a 4" scale.

BTW, is there a release date for these yet?

[Snowman81]

I've been wanting a Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman forever now, but I have no interest in getting a 4" scale version. @grumpy@

 

I feel your pain. This one is barely bigger than the 1992 Kenner one.

 

Mattel jumping on, yet again, another wasted opportunity.

**sigh**

[CaptainTriumph]

If they made a John Wesley Shipp Flash action figure I would flip.

ABSOLUTELY! Of course, they'd have to throw in Mark Hamill's Trickster just for good measure.

And don't forget a David Cassidy Mirror Master as well!

[Eric]

I don't see being a toy company apologist as any better than being a toy company hater.

 

The toy companies are out to make money. Consumers are out to get what they want. To get the money, toy companies have to make something appealing to consumers, who vote with their wallets. The economics make no difference to the consumer. They don't decide to buy a figure based on how hard or easy it was for the toy company to get the figure to the shelf. There might be complaints about MOTUC, but the bottom line is fans still want MOTUC even at the higher price point (a price point that has gone up 33% in two years, which would be like an Xbox 360 or PS3 game costing $80 suddenly instead of $60). If consumers simply start buying out of pity or fear they won't get something better, the toy companies won't acknowledge that and decide to be more generous; they will do the exact opposite and see what else they can get away with. That's business. They're out to charge as much as they can for as little as possible to maximize profits. It's not personal, but consumers take it personally because they're the ones parting with money. That's only natural, especially since we're talking about action figures they have a vested interest in for lots of reasons, rather than, say, a gallon of milk or a television.

 

And it's one thing to bring up industry-wide issues, but it's another to bring up issues that seem quite specific to Mattel and Mattel only. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with anything that's been said here in this thread about Mattel, but I think it's worth noting Mattel seems to cry foul quite often when it comes to price and the quality they can deliver while a company like Hasbro doesn't seem to have the same troubles. Hasbro knows what delivers, and that's why they kept the 6" scale for Marvel Legends and why they found a way to keep people buying despite so many options being seemingly off the table after all that Toybiz released. And they still delivered a 4" scale line with it. Mattel did well with DCUC for the most part, but deciding to abandon that scale (unless you count the new 6" stuff that seems lacking and/or not directed at DCUC/ML buyers) doesn't seem like the right move. And it seems even worse when the multibillion-dollar toy company claims it's because it's so expensive to make toys. But if Hasbro can afford to deliver 6" Marvel Legends still, why can't Mattel?

 

Finally, there's no denying that fans have asked for Movie Masters figures of Keaton, Reeve, etc., since Movie Masters started. Mattel didn't deliver them. Now they have the ability to, but seem to be ignoring the consumer, at least for now. Again, they're trying to maximize profits with the smaller scale, but it doesn't maximize profits if people don't buy. And people saying they won't buy isn't being negative. It's just part of the way this all goes.

[JoeRhyno]

I agree with the first part of your post. When you get to the whole Mattel vs Hasbro part, I have to disagree with. Mattel isn't the only company that "cries foul" about things. I'm guessing you don't collect Marvel Legends either because when Toy Biz lost the license and people were paying about $7-8 for a figure, Hasbro picked it up, figures went up to close to $10 and then the ML line died. Hasbro instead took the next 4-5 years and focused mostly on their 4" Marvel Universe line, only bringing out the legends for exclusives and/or movie figures. Now, Marvel Legends are making a come back, or they were, but they're $15-20 a figure, and they're still having trouble selling them, so now they're switching to a movie based ML line that will most likely only be available at TRU and/or online specialty stores.

 

Even their ever popular Star Wars line was struggling with their "super articulation" that they were giving almost all their figures in their vintage and clone wars line, now they've cut back and have a series of 4" figures with 5 points of articulation, and then the $10-12 line of "black figures" that have more articulation, and the new $20 6" black figures.

 

The last part of your post, I kind of agree with, but one thing you have to remember is, not everyone is a 6" collector. I think that's what some of the "haters" seem to forget. You also have to take into account the money that Mattel has to pay out to the actors for their license. It's one thing on a $200-400 12" figure, but when you get into the smaller scaled figures, you have to sell a whole lot more to make up for that. With the struggles that 6" figures have been having at retail stores these last 5 or so years, I can see how a company would want to make something that is profitable for them. They're having a hard time selling a sub of DC figures, they're having a hard time selling what 6" figures they have in the store right now(Fatman and skinny Dracula looking Batman), heck, even the 1966 Batman figs are starting to clog the pegs at local comic shops and TRU.

 

It's not people saying they won't buy that is being negative.. it's people saying stuff like.. "WHY SUCH A TINY FIGURE, THATS STUPID, I'LL PASS". "WHO COLLECTS 4" CRAP LIKE THAT, NOT ME", "HORRIBLE SCALE, YOU LOST OUT ON MY MONEY", stuff like that.. that, is being negative.

[Doom Saber]

I don't see being a toy company apologist as any better than being a toy company hater.

 

The toy companies are out to make money. Consumers are out to get what they want. To get the money, toy companies have to make something appealing to consumers, who vote with their wallets. The economics make no difference to the consumer. They don't decide to buy a figure based on how hard or easy it was for the toy company to get the figure to the shelf. There might be complaints about MOTUC, but the bottom line is fans still want MOTUC even at the higher price point (a price point that has gone up 33% in two years, which would be like an Xbox 360 or PS3 game costing $80 suddenly instead of $60). If consumers simply start buying out of pity or fear they won't get something better, the toy companies won't acknowledge that and decide to be more generous; they will do the exact opposite and see what else they can get away with. That's business. They're out to charge as much as they can for as little as possible to maximize profits. It's not personal, but consumers take it personally because they're the ones parting with money. That's only natural, especially since we're talking about action figures they have a vested interest in for lots of reasons, rather than, say, a gallon of milk or a television.

 

And it's one thing to bring up industry-wide issues, but it's another to bring up issues that seem quite specific to Mattel and Mattel only. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with anything that's been said here in this thread about Mattel, but I think it's worth noting Mattel seems to cry foul quite often when it comes to price and the quality they can deliver while a company like Hasbro doesn't seem to have the same troubles. Hasbro knows what delivers, and that's why they kept the 6" scale for Marvel Legends and why they found a way to keep people buying despite so many options being seemingly off the table after all that Toybiz released. And they still delivered a 4" scale line with it. Mattel did well with DCUC for the most part, but deciding to abandon that scale (unless you count the new 6" stuff that seems lacking and/or not directed at DCUC/ML buyers) doesn't seem like the right move. And it seems even worse when the multibillion-dollar toy company claims it's because it's so expensive to make toys. But if Hasbro can afford to deliver 6" Marvel Legends still, why can't Mattel?

 

Finally, there's no denying that fans have asked for Movie Masters figures of Keaton, Reeve, etc., since Movie Masters started. Mattel didn't deliver them. Now they have the ability to, but seem to be ignoring the consumer, at least for now. Again, they're trying to maximize profits with the smaller scale, but it doesn't maximize profits if people don't buy. And people saying they won't buy isn't being negative. It's just part of the way this all goes.

 

You have to remember that Hasbro killed off the 6 inch Marvel Legends once already. In its place, they made the 4 inch line. Even when Hasbro had taken over the ML line, people cried fowl, claiming that Hasbro not only used inferior paint, but also inferior plastic as well. The latter isn't true, though the molding of certain figures were inferior (the tried, but true Bulleye bulk body from Hasbro has less details than the Toybiz version), the plastic were definitely not. They were solid compared to the gummy Toybiz figures.

 

There are also rumors that the ML figures being $20 when they return with the new black series. Who is to say that people would still buy the figures? Hard for me to say since I had seen people not caring about the 200% price increase of 1/6 figures over the last couple of years.

 

The only reason the 6 inch line came back twice is because of fan interest. Also, the Marvel Legends line gets reinvented every few years now. The same can be said about Mattel selling the DCUC2014 figures; rather than cancelling them, they are making them quarterly figures. Currently, I am collecting primarily ML figures. Stopped collecting the Mattel DC figures and will only buy a few MOTUC 2014 figures like Modulok and maybe Extendar.

 

Also you cannot compare toys with disc-based videogame prices because it is like comparing apples and oranges. Discs are easy to manufacture and produce. A lot of the price increase for toys come to light because of oil prices. Disc are simply light pieces of plastic with a light metal inside. There is no need to increase the price of games in two years because they do not use large quantities of plastic.

 

A better example would be comparing toys with cartridge based games of old. During the early SNES era, games were around 40 dollars. Near the end of the era, they jumped to 60-80 dollars because of ram (the more ram a game has like Super Street Fighter 2, the more money it will cost to produce and buy the game.)

[Doom Saber]

I agree with the first part of your post. When you get to the whole Mattel vs Hasbro part, I have to disagree with. Mattel isn't the only company that "cries foul" about things. I'm guessing you don't collect Marvel Legends either because when Toy Biz lost the license and people were paying about $7-8 for a figure, Hasbro picked it up, figures went up to close to $10 and then the ML line died. Hasbro instead took the next 4-5 years and focused mostly on their 4" Marvel Universe line, only bringing out the legends for exclusives and/or movie figures. Now, Marvel Legends are making a come back, or they were, but they're $15-20 a figure, and they're still having trouble selling them, so now they're switching to a movie based ML line that will most likely only be available at TRU and/or online specialty stores.

 

Even their ever popular Star Wars line was struggling with their "super articulation" that they were giving almost all their figures in their vintage and clone wars line, now they've cut back and have a series of 4" figures with 5 points of articulation, and then the $10-12 line of "black figures" that have more articulation, and the new $20 6" black figures.

 

The last part of your post, I kind of agree with, but one thing you have to remember is, not everyone is a 6" collector. I think that's what some of the "haters" seem to forget. You also have to take into account the money that Mattel has to pay out to the actors for their license. It's one thing on a $200-400 12" figure, but when you get into the smaller scaled figures, you have to sell a whole lot more to make up for that. With the struggles that 6" figures have been having at retail stores these last 5 or so years, I can see how a company would want to make something that is profitable for them. They're having a hard time selling a sub of DC figures, they're having a hard time selling what 6" figures they have in the store right now(Fatman and skinny Dracula looking Batman), heck, even the 1966 Batman figs are starting to clog the pegs at local comic shops and TRU.

 

It's not people saying they won't buy that is being negative.. it's people saying stuff like.. "WHY SUCH A TINY FIGURE, THATS STUPID, I'LL PASS". "WHO COLLECTS 4" CRAP LIKE THAT, NOT ME", "HORRIBLE SCALE, YOU LOST OUT ON MY MONEY", stuff like that.. that, is being negative.

 

Joe Rhyno is right. It isn't people like me who won't buy it is negative. It is the people who are whining about it and then turn around and buy it. It is fine not to buy it and state a reason such as "I don't like the direction Mattel is going with the new line being smaller," but what some are doing is saying what Joe quoted" and then make a bit fit over it. I know this is the internet, but some people do like the 4 inch line and showing such drama is childish. I know, I know, this is a toy forum

[Doom Saber]

I give up. This thread is never gonna be about the new 4" DC figures again is it?

 

It can be. We just have to talk about 4 inch figures here to derail the conversation from people complaining about them being 4 inches and toy companies not caring about its fans or whatever

[Belmont13]

If they made a John Wesley Shipp Flash action figure I would flip.

ABSOLUTELY! Of course, they'd have to throw in Mark Hamill's Trickster just for good measure.

And don't forget a David Cassidy Mirror Master as well!

 

 

I would also be interested in the Flash clone or Blue Flash, loved that episode.

[Pizza Man Z]

I personally have been waiting for these figures since I was 16 years old. I freaking loved the Keaton Batman Movie and I used to sit in my room and daydream about how they would be so cool if they made them movie accurate. I hope we see a Jack Nicholson Joker and Jack Napier. I hope these sell well and we get a Batmobile for these figures and a new Batwing. I am already dusting off the figures that I bought back in the 80s and 90s. That Christopher Reeves Superman is awesome and Terence Stamp as General Zod, freaking cool! I so wish I could have been at the NYCC event, though they would have had to pull me away from the display after I stood their drooling for 6 hours straight. These are not 6 inch but if they go over well, I really hope we can see some 6 inch movie master line to include these as well. I was looking at my Penguin troopers from Batman Returns and they would so fit with a 4 inch Penguin. I have a Batwing and a bat boat that I think I can fix up so that they can hold a 4 inch Batman. I am so freaking excited, I keep having dreams of finding them and buying everyone one off the shelf. These have gotten me so excited.

[Pizza Man Z]

If they made a John Wesley Shipp Flash action figure I would flip.

ABSOLUTELY! Of course, they'd have to throw in Mark Hamill's Trickster just for good measure.

And don't forget a David Cassidy Mirror Master as well!

 

 

I would also be interested in the Flash clone or Blue Flash, loved that episode.

 

That would be the icing on the cake for me. Mattel, please look into this!

[Pizza Man Z]

OMG! Christopher Reeve Superman in a GI Joe scale?

I'M THROWING MY MONEY AT THE MONITOR BUT NOTHING IS HAPPENING!!!!

I know, we need a Preorder now. I will take 3 cases please!

[Dragonrider1227]

OMG! Christopher Reeve Superman in a GI Joe scale?

I'M THROWING MY MONEY AT THE MONITOR BUT NOTHING IS HAPPENING!!!!

I know, we need a Preorder now. I will take 3 cases please!

Sweet! I'm not alone here!

I understand liking the 6" scale but I'm baffled by the hate the 4" scale is suddenly getting. Some of us don't want to spend $20 a figure

[BigBot84]

The hate is probably because Mattel has made four different movie lines in a 6" scale in Dark Knight, Rises, Green Lantern, and Man of Steel. A lot of the secondary characters are not available in the 4" line. Not to mention the Batman '66 line is in a 6" scale. To release these in a 4" scale was bound to piss a lot of people off.

[Pizza Man Z]

I am too excited to care about the past. Look at their 6 inch line. Originally, they were batman based and they did not have ball joint shoulders or hips. Then they continued down the line and got more advanced but they were loose as hell and if you tried to tighten up the loose joints, they would break. Now here we are and the latest figures I have purchased from Mattel that are 6 inches are tighter, more solid figures. Massive improvement. I am hoping they will show improvement with these 4 inch figures that is why I have purchased almost all of the Arkham series. I do not care for the game but I have wanted the 6 inch figures for some time now. Some of the Batman figures looked stupid to me or they were way to expensive to justify the purchase. Now here they are in a $9.99, 4 inch format and I think they may be worth a purchase. I am really hoping these new movie figures go well. I so want a Jack Nicholson Joker, I have dreamed about it since 1989. And a Scale Batmobile that comes with a Vickie Vale figure in a white dress. I am so freaking out for this series that I am already looking to have enough money to have at least 3 of each figure, one to open, one to save and one to hide deep in my Garage for when I am old and grey.