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under Toyark Spotlight

It’s the start of a new month, and a new round of MattyCollector 2012 Q&A answers!

1) Mattel. It seems 3.75 lines tend to hurt your company by poor sales. From the canceling of Infinite Heroes, the clearancing of Green Lantern basic figures, and also the early price cutting of the Young Justice 4 inch line. You hired away the Four Horsemen from Mcfarlane Toys long ago to help with larger action figures. Can you do the same thing today by hiring some designers away from Hasbro’s better Marvel Universe lines of great 3.75″ figures?

A) An interesting thought and something to consider, although scale might appear to be a correlated factor, there are other factors with a lower p-value in this regression that ought to be considered (figured I’d get you to brush up on statistics =)

2) Is it at all likely that we’ll see a New 52 Batwoman figure in the future (if not near future), or would the [unfortunately] controversial nature of her character prevent one from going into production?

A) We don’t consider Batwoman to be controversial at all. She is a great figure we’d love to get to one day.

3) Black Shirt and Blue Jeans Superboy. This is the most Sought after outfit. Is anything preventing this design from being used in the 6 inch Young Justice Select Series line?

At this point, there are no plans to release him. Sorry! Additionally, we will not be continuing YJ on Matty.com in any scale (at this time). We tried a similar brand, JLU, in many form factors (singles, 3 packs, 4 packs and a 7pack of all new figures) and none sold well enough. This makes it a bit harder to continue YJ online. A toyline like YJ really takes Mom and Kid interest to keep it going. We cannot keep the line like YJ going on collector support alone. JLU proved this.

4) I hope this constitutes as a valid question, but did Matty collector scrap those 3.75″ Super Deformed Masters Of The universe toys they showed off awhile back? They looked really cool.

A) Not in the least. We are still looking into these to see if there is a way to release them. No set plans right now.

5) With Ras Al Ghul appearing in the movie, is he finally coming to the Movie Masters line?

A) No plans to announce right now.

under DC Toy News

Mattel has posted a bit of an update on some upcoming DC Comics Toys. Check it out below.

DC Comics Fans,

Right from the very beginning, the Young Justice television series has been one of our favorites, thanks to fresh, new adventures based on classic characters and we’re glad we’ve been able to offer you the Young Justice toy line. Looking ahead, we’ve got some new DC Comics toys in the works that we can’t wait to share!

So now on to 2013… As you read this, we’re busy planning a collector-aimed retail line designed to deliver DC Comics Super Heroes and villains that complement your existing collection. We can’t reveal much at this point, but rest assured, we’ve listened and learned from our past lines, and believe we have a recipe that’ll satisfy your craving for fan-favorite DC Comics characters without overpromising.

For 2012, we’ve got not one, but three new lines, starting with our DC Universe Club Infinite Earths subscription service dedicated to true collector characters you won’t find at retail. The first shipment goes out in May and features an all-new 6″ Golden Age The Flash figure. If you missed out on the subscription, a limited quantity will also be available at MattyCollector.com on May 15th at 9am PT.

Then, in late May, head to your local retailer and you’ll find The Dark Knight Rises, a collector-inspired and kid-friendly Batman line based on the sure-to-be-a-hit film. The Dark Knight Rises lineup brings home all the excitement of the theatrical film, including delivering the sweet new vehicle The Bat right into your hands. You’ll also find the awesome new 6″ scale Batman evergreen lineup that reimagines Batman from a young mind’s perspective.

Keep your eye on this spot and we’ll have more details as they’re available. Our partnership with DC Comics is stronger than ever and we couldn’t be more excited for all the amazing new collector and kid toys to come!

-Matty

under Toyark Spotlight

Alright folks, due to New York Comic Con later this month, the MattyCollector crew won’t be having Q&A answers for October 15th. However we’ve gotta get questions for November 1st in by October 15th, so feel free to post your questions now!

Anyways, last month we submitted a set of questions for both rounds but didn’t receive our 1st set of answers-until now! So we’ve got 10 questions and answers for you right here!

With the “New 52” having already started, which do we have a higher chance of seeing 1st in the DCUC line, Dick Grayson Batman or the “new” Bruce Wayne Batman?

You’ll have to stay tuned for our announcements and reveals!

The poll for the Infinite Earths subscription exclusive winner was Metron. Does this exclude the others included in the poll from being made, or was the poll to decide which of these figures was going to be the subscription membership exclusive, while the rest were planned for full club release?

The poll decided the figure that would be the club exclusive. The other oversized figures could come to life as the oversized offering in 2012 or in the future.

Since DCUC as we know it is ending at retail, and being continued in the form of the Infinite Earths subscription club, have we seen the last of the two-packs that served as a popular way to reissue older or rare figures? Would such sets, like Mad Love continue on as store exclusives as they have, or would sets of new characters continue on as matty exclusives, such as the Color of Fear was? Or are they done, altogether?

We are planning some 6″ multi-packs for retail for 2012, so be on the lookout for those packs next year!

Since DCUC has started to incorporate double jointed knees and elbows, will those joints be incorporated in future Batman Legacy Movie Masters?

The Legacy figures in Spring 2012 will continue to have the same articulation as they have in 2011.

What has a higher chance of making its way to retail sooner, Dick Grayson as Batman, or the redesigned Bruce Wayne Batman from the “New 52”?

We know that fans love Batman, so both of those choices are on the table!

We realize that the 80’s MOTU designs are classic and therefore more memorable, but is there a specific reason why the 2002 designs will not be homaged? Those were arguably some of the Horsemen’s best sculpts, and seeing them fully articulated is a dream for some fans.

The Classics line is a new design for the MOTU brand. Both 200X and Classics are different interpretations of the same original vintage toys, but Classics is separate from the 200X look. You will see some “classic-sized” versions of 200X weapons and armor in the Classic line, but not direct 200X sculpts with the unique design look for 200X that is now retired.

For fans on a budget who want a COMBINING Voltron and cannot afford the 23 inch Club Lion Force Voltron, will there be a more affordable, transformable alternative? The 6″ SDCC Voltron is affordable but cannot combine, and let’s face it, the fun in Voltron for many fans IS the combination aspect!

We have a lot more exciting Voltron product in the works. Nothing to announce right now but stsy tuned!

Are the Voltron Force 3-3/4″ figures a template of future DC Infinite Heroes figures should the DCIH line return someday?

Currently they are not a template for any future line, other than Voltron. They were created specifically for this universe and will remain there since they are unique sculpts and not common tooled, like the DCU figures.

How many scales will be used for the Voltron Classics line? So far we’ve seen the 6″ figure from SDCC, and the upcoming 2.5ft tall Club Lion Force Voltron.

Currently those are the only 2 scales we are planning on doing for the Voltron Classic product. Down the line who knows…What other scales would the fans like to see???

With the WWE line already going for almost 2 years now, do you think the time is right to implement pectoral articulation into the Elite and Legends figures? It would make posing them in submission moves substantially easier.

We have been thinking about pectoral articulation for a while now, but it poses a few challenges. For one it is more expensive, and we are doubtful most people will want to pay extra for it. Since we have so many unique torsos (especially in Elite) upgrading them all would be a massive investment. Also, we have caught a lot of flack from collectors that don’t like the loss of detail from the ab crunch. While we have no intention of taking the ab crunch out, we know that adding the pec movement would break up the flow of the figure. It is a tradeoff between appearance and movement. So it would be unlikely for all of the figures to switch over, but perhaps in the future we will do a line or sub segment with the added articulation

under Toyark Spotlight

Let’s kick the weekend off with more MattyCollector Q&A answers! Don’t forget to post your questions in our MattyCollector Q&A Questions thread! With this round we go over:

  • Toy Guru if he could go back in time with DC Infinite Heroes
  • DC Comics being very vocal with requests for certain looks on Mattel product(REBOOT RELATED!)
  • A ton of WWE Legends inbound despite mass clearance at Target stores

1. How will the big DC Comics reboot affect your toylines, for example are we going to see the new costumes/looks take emphasis over the classics?

We are indeed re-reviewing our 2012 line up. DC has been very vocal that they would like to see the new looks take priority in our lines and we are eager to please!

2) Will the mattycollector Voltron exclusives just feature Voltron Classics or will they also onclude Voltron Force?

You will need to wait for SDCC for the full scoop!

3) Now that it’s been a while since DC Infinite Heroes went on hiatus, if you could go back in time, what would you do differently with the line?

From Toyguru:

“IH was a line I “inherited” from the previous brand team and if I had the chance to be on the brand from day one I would have loved to launch it with more articulation and weapons as well as more A-list characters up front.”

4) WWE Legends figures have been clearanced at Target. In the future, will Legends still make appearances in the WWE Elite line?

Yes, we have a ton coming down the pipe. Stay tuned for SDCC for the full scoop!

5) In the Green Lantern movie, Hal is shown flying an F-35. Is the transforming tank-plane the only jet we are going to get in the toyline?

Yes, the Battle Shifters Ring Blast Jet is the only fighter jet planned for the 2011 line at this time. It will be on shelf soon.

*Note: There will be no MattyCollector Q&A Answers for August 1st due to the crew being out San Diego Comic Con 2011! Stay tuned for our coverage beginning next week! Nonetheless, feel free to post your MattyCollector Q&A questions ahead of time!

under Toyark Spotlight

We’ve just received the answers from the latest MattyCollector Q&A! In this segment we cover:

Updated articulation for 3-3/4″ DC figures

More Voltron info!

Cloth VS plastic capes for DCUC!

1) 4″ scale remains very popular and while collectors appreciate the fact that they are getting 6″ Movie Masters for Green Lantern, has the style of articulation on those figures, ever been considered for 4″ scale? For example, perhaps if DC Infinite Heroes returns in the future.

A) We certainly do want to find ways of getting out collector 3 ¾” figures. Not every line we can make is designed for collectors and in the case of Green Lantern the 3 ¾” line is a kid line which is why you see less articulation. We put all of our articulation and detail for collectors this time around into the Movie Master line.

2) With news of a huge Voltron Classics figure(with diecast metal content) coming, we were wondering if you will utilize ratchets and detented joints all throughout the lions/figures?

A) We are striving to make our Voltron Classics figures as accurate as possible. We’ll have the whole line to reveal at SDCC. Until then you’ll need to wait and see!

3) Building upon the question above, will there also be a smaller, more affordable Classic Voltron figure, perhaps for the mainline aimed at kids?

A) We’re just not ready to announce any details about Voltron yet. You’ll need to wait for SDCC!

4) The WWE Defining Moments figures cost just as much as the Entrance Greats figures yet lack stands/electronic bases. What contributes to the price of Defining Moments figures?

A) The overwhelming response we received on Entrance Great was that while the bases with sound where nice, people would rather have that money spent on the figures. So with Defining Moments we changed from using Basic figures to Elite figures. Also, we increased the amount of deco on the figures and the complexity of the accessories.

5) Will cloth capes ever be used for DCUC Batman and Superman figures? For Batman especially, cloth capes, definitely add to the look.

A) This is something we are always looking into. Usually about half the fans want cloth capes and half want plastic. If it works well for the look of a figure we will definitely review it!

Don’t forget to post your questions each month in our MattyCollector Questions Thread!

under Toyark Spotlight

The Toyark has received the answers for the MattyCollector February 2011 Q&A. There won’t be another Q&A on February 15th for MattyCollector, in light of Toy Fair 2011. Without further ado, here are the answers for this month!

1) How big is the DCUC wave 17 C&C Anti-Monitor compared to other figures? We were wondering if he is at least bigger than the C&C Kilowog and/or Solomon Grundy.

A) He stands very close to 9-inches which is the largest size we can create based on logistics and package size.

2) Will the 3.75″ Green Lantern line look and feel just like the DC Infinite Heroes line, or should we expect something substantially different? Perhaps something closer to the Avatar format of figures in the same scale? With Toy Fair right around the corner we were wondering if we could get a hint at what’s to come.

A) It will share the same scale as IH, but the GL 3 ¾-inch basic figure line is aimed at kids and we therefore put more development into the accessories such as a ring and construct with every figure and a bit less in articulation. We are still doing highly articulated figures for collectors, but those will be in the 6-inch MM scale.

3) One of the most entertaining wrestlers to grace the WWE within the last decade was Eddie Guerrero. Is it possible to honor him in the Defining Moments collection, perhaps with a folding chair and replica of his “Uncle Eddie’s Bed Time Stories” books? That was one of the very last storylines he was involved in.

A) We love Eddie Guerrero too but have nothing to announce about him at this time. However, we will be making some new Superstar figure announcements around New York Toy Fair later this month!

4) One of our members reported that the DC Action Mini Action League figures that he bought for his son were very prone to paint being scratched off, and he experienced the same with the Brave & the Bold mini-figures. The paint was scratched off heavily even during minimal play. Going forward, will this issue be addressed?

A) We are always looking into ways of improving paint ops and production and will pass this comment on to the design and engineering team.

5) On the back of the DCUC Walmart exclusive 2 pack of Batman & Robin, an image of the DCSH wave 3(or 8) Batman mold was used in lieu of the actual Batman figure included. Are there plans to bring that more modern Batman figure back, or others, like the first fully articulated Batman from the 4H, Armor Attack Batman(from the 1st 6″ Batman line by the 4H), released internationally in 2005 but never released in the US?

A) We are looking into ways of bringing back some of these harder to find older Batman sculpts from the DCSH line. It didn’t work out this time due to some logistical issues, but it is something we want to work into the line when possible!

As always folks, don’t forget to post your questions for the MattyCollector Q&A in our MattyCollector Questions Thread!

under Toyark Spotlight

The folks at Mattel have given us the answers to the questions sent on December 1st for the MattyCollector Q&A!

1) Is there a chance Mattel will make the ‘Super Powers’ logo figure stands available for purchase on the web site? I would love to have a bunch for my DCU update figures.

A) This is something we are looking into, and now that we have sold out of the standard waves we would love to find a way to issue these.

2) The DC Superheroes Mr. Freeze figure is arguably one of the best figures from the DCSH line. Is it beyond the realm of possibility to see this figure repainted for the DC Universe Classics line(maybe in a Super Powers inspired deco)? It is a great figure that most newer fans missed out on.

A) We do have plans to reissue this figure in time. As to what deco, that remains to be seen!

3) Is the WWE design team limited to just working on WWE figures, or are they allowed to work on other Mattel properties, such as DC Infinite Heroes, Avatar, et al? They have done an excellent job on the WWE line

A)Thanks! We are indeed very proud of this line. It is not a matter of the team “being allowed to work on other lines” in as much as WWE is a full time gig. Each brand is in fact a full time job and has its own dedicated team of designers packaging designers and marketing reps. Although we do switch things up now and then.

4) The ads for wave 3 of WWE Legends showed Vader with a red mask, whereas the final production version has the black mask. Why was the color changed?

A) This was a request from WWE to make this change. Editor’s note: This editor recently purchased this figure and Vader comes with both masks!

5) The majestic Goldust in the WWE line has a plastic robe, which arguably reduces his majesticness. Was a cloth robe more expensive to include? We would have preferred to see the majestic one with a cloth robe, and possibly his chair that Ultimate Warrior sat in when Goldust ran away during the Intercontinental Champhionship.

A) Yes. Soft goods is a lot more expensive and sometimes cost issues require a plastic cape or robe be used.

Thanks for submitting your questions this year, don’t forget to post your questions for the MattyCollector Q&A in our dedicated thread!

under Toyark Spotlight

The latest answers from the Ask Matty Q & A by Mattel have been received:

1) A 3-3/4″ Green Lantern line has been mentioned for 2011. Should Lantern fans expect a line similar to the current DC Infinite Heroes format(as in same sculpting style and articulation), or better?

It is still too early to announce any more specifics about style. We are looking at doing a 3¾” scale line, but whether this is film or comic style and what format is yet to be announced.

2) The WWE line has done very well in it’s 1st year, especially compared to previous license holders. It receives much praise not only for sculpt but for scale. Given that the line is months short of being a year old, is there enough potential and interest for a 3-3/4″ line by the same team?

This is something the WWE team has looked into and we do know there is fan demand. Nothing to announce yet, but you never know!

3) With the future waves of DC Universe Classics unveiled at SDCC this past summer, most of the figures seemed to have the new double jointed knees and elbows. In turn, this helps in not “breaking” the sculpt(s). Will we see a Bruce Wayne(classic) Batman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, et al, in 2011 with the aforementioned double joints, or will they be on the backburner so that newer characters can be introduced to DCUC?

No plans right now to retool older A-list figures with more joints but, in time, this is something we would like to get to. It depends on cost and logistics, which is often out of our control.

4) Movie Masters seems to be a definitive 6″ DC movie line for collectors. Have the sales of the latest Dark Knight Movie Masters on Mattycollector and at Toys R Us been high enough to warrant expanding the line? For example, there are still designs from Batman Begins that are in demand, like Ducard/Ras Al Ghul, League Of Assassins Ninjas, Ninja Bruce(maybe a variant LOA Ninja?). Not to mention the MIchael Keaton Batman movies.

We are well aware of demand for more Batman world Movie Masters. Nothing to announce right now, but it is top of our list to get to when logistics allow.

5) Is there still hope for DCUC Batman Beyond with wings, shown on the original prototype?

The Wings were actually never tool’d. What you are looking at are images of the Horsmen’s sculpt, not actual product. If we put tooling dollars behind the wings, it would take the place of another all-new figure with tooling. It is something we would love to get to one day, but no plans to announce right now.

Don’t forget to post your questions in our Ask Matty Questions Thread!

under DC Toy News

Some new DC Infinite Heroes protos have popped up on Ebay courtesy of seller domoliou. Included are DC Infinite Heroes Hawkgirl, DC Infinite Heroes Harley Quinn, DC Infinite Heroes Poison Ivy and DC Infinite Heroes Joker.

Also, if you check out domoliou’s other auctions, you will find numerous prototypes available from various NECA, Marvel and DC Comics lines (among others). You can see some pics by clicking the headline of the story.

under San Diego Comic Con

Mattycollector has posted a new video showing Starro‘s packaging. Starro will be available at San Diego Comic-Con 2010.

One of the products getting HUGE pre-SDCC buzz is the new Starro the Conqueror pack. If you missed the description in our earlier coverage, here it is:

Justice League of America presents Starro the Conqueror

This special pack commemorates the 75th anniversary of DC Comics. The Starro pack re-creates one of the most famous DC comic book covers of all time, the cover of The Brave and the Bold Issue #28, the first appearance of the Justice League of America and Starro the Conqueror. Comes with all five JLA members featured on the cover as highly articulated figures in the same scale as Infinite Heroes™. Includes Martian Manhunter, The Flash (with added articulation), Wonder Woman (all-new), Green Lantern (with construct), Aquaman (all-new), and giant, bendy Starro. Of course, a 75th anniversary product deserves impressive packaging, so the box features lights and sounds with the voice of Kevin Conroy, TV’s animated Batman, describing the characters and events seen on the cover!

Now, what you haven’t seen is the ridiculous packaging. Our designers totally outdid themselves this time, but don’t take my word for it – check out this video and see for yourself!

Okay, so how cool is that? If you want one for your very own, Starro will be available at SDCC with a special pack of Spores. If you’re not going to SDCC, we’ll have a limited quantity available for online purchase on August 2, 2010, only at MattyCollector.com (but without the spores) so be sure to mark your calendar! Want a reminder email? Click here to register.