Don’t forget, the MOTUC subscription service goes on sale today. Here’s the link to the order page on Mattycollector.
UPDATE: Just received this from Mattel:
To let everyone know, today’s subscription for the Sept through Dec MOTUC figures will likely start at 12 Pacific, 3 pm Eastern while we work the final bugs out. Messaging will be up on MattyCollector.com ASAP.
Also, for fans who still want Zodac the Cosmic Enforcer, we are very close to selling out, so if you want to add him to your collection, now is the time!
Jim
In my previous post, I expressed concern that ordering a subscription would get me stuck with figures I dont want from the NA/POP series.
After reading the forums on various sites and coming up with a few thoughts, I've come up with 2 reasons why I "MAY" not need to worry.
1)MOTUC is the big seller. So I'm GUESSING MAYBE since mattel is walking on egg shells with this line they won't take a chance making NA or POP figures the Figure of the Month but instead make them the 2nd bonus figure. All the sites I have gone too seem to like MOTUC a lot better than POP or NA. Thus, I believe NA or POP will just be an extra money maker for Mattel (a second monthly bonus figure) made at even LOWER quantities than Heman and Beastman.
2)I read that POP NA figures are due out not this year but in 2010.
Jim
Oh and a final third reason:
Mystery figure 1 was revealed to be Webstor.
Mystery figure 2 I believe may be Teela!
So that means I'm safe with 2 out of 4 figures in the subscription.
Jim
Interesting…..it's 9:02 AM and still can't order a subscription?
Poe
@Jim: Check out the update above.
Jim
@ Poe: THANKS POE!!!!!!! That was a fast response! and that's why I love your site! 🙂
Hmmmm zodac almost sold out means either two things:
1)Mattel wants zodac to sell more quickly
2)Mattel will say it's sold out and keep left over stock for SDCC LOL
Newton Gimmick
Wish I could go ahead and order this. I hope Matty tells us how successful this venture is. I'm surprised so many people are complaining about the subscription service honestly.
Valo487
My only concern is that Matty hasn't had the best track record, and I had issues when I tried to buy Mer-Man, I can't help but wonder what bugs may be in the system if I sign up for the subscription. I'm thinking I'll wait this year out and if this year goes smoothly for others I'll sign up for next year.
Philip Reed
@Newton – My main complaint is that there's no discount for the subscription. They should offer a few bucks off each figure, or free shipping, for subscribing.
That, and I don't trust the subscriptions to go smoothly.
PrfktTear
@Jim: Thus, I believe NA or POP will just be an extra money maker for Mattel.
Actually quite the opposite, many of the Horde figures will require unique sculpting and do not share any armor, so they will have to spend the same amount of money on them and get little mileage. At least with the POP females they can get plenty of re-use (i.e. Glimmer, Catra, Castaspella, etc.)
I think the same goes for N/A, many of the villains are unique, while they might get away with using repaints on humans.
This is of course presuming they'd go about making those characters the *right* way.
The line is still in its infancy, so I think it'll be a while before we get any wildly unique characters, even from MOTU. So for the meantime they'll try to keep their overhead down and their revenue up concentrating on characters who have parts they can re-use. (i.e. Mer-Man/Stinkor, Trap-Jaw's legs with ManEFaces & Roboto)
Jim
@prfktear: That's good news for me then! 🙂 Even more the reason for Mattel not to dive into NA or POP yet. Whew! I'd rather have them just focus on MOTUC!
I can't wait to get the Horde Troopers though. Man oh man it'll be such an insanely cool display to buy a TON…A TON of them to display behind Hordak and his crew.
Like I said before, I'm hoping for more horde characters as well since I won't display Hordak with Skeletors crew. I think if they made Horde Troopers they might outsell EVERY FIGURE TO DATE and MAYBE every figure in the future! Simply because of the cool design and it's an army builder figure!
I know I would have maybe around 8-10 horde troopers around Hordak! Ideally, I'd want 40 but I'd have no room. lol
Newton Gimmick
@Philip Reed: Don't get me wrong there are a TON of flaws with the subscription idea and I can see why people do complain… But on the flip side I don't really see a reason to complain when the rest of the process has been such a pain in the neck. Not having to fight through the website seems like a godsend to me. Even with all the drawbacks.
I wonder if this will lighten the load on Matty days? Could be good for fans either way I suppose.
Scott
Other than Battle Cat, any mention of bonus figures has been of re-releases of earlier figures, not new ones. I'd say any NA or She-Ra we see next year, which will likely be a couple of each, will be the regular figure.
Look at it from the point of view of a subscriber who's a POP fan: "YES! I ordered my subscription, so now I know I'll get any POP that comes out! Wait, what do you mean Catra's a 'bonus'?? CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!"
Plus, from the point of view of Mattel, what if you are right about POP and NA being less popular? Why would Mattel limit their sales by NOT including them in subs, when they'd have people locked in for them and they told people from day 1 that they'd be part of the line.
You are fine for this year though if you want to subscribe.
Jim
@scott: "Plus, from the point of view of Mattel, what if you are right about POP and NA being less popular? Why would Mattel limit their sales by NOT including them in subs, when they’d have people locked in for them and they told people from day 1 that they’d be part of the line."
Well, I see what your saying but if Mattel were to lock people in by filling some months up with the less popular NA or POP figures, then I believe they'd piss a few folks off and their future subscription sales would drop.
I think that since mattel is taking production on motuc really cautiously, they won't make NA or POP figures the monthly figure UNLESS they make them in LOWER quantities that that of Heman and Beastman.
In my opinion I think the best way for them to get POP or NA characters in is just to make it the 2nd monthly bonus figure. Leave the subscriptions for their popular characters..motuc.
The subscription should help people get the more popular characters like Trap Jaw or Clawful. The online stocks on matty every 15th do not really need assistance from the subscription method with the likes of POP and NA characters. I just don't think they're popular enough to see speedy sell outs. In fact, I see POP and NA characters being slightly above sales of zodac.
Mark
@Jim I am all for POP figures as long as they are of the Horde, She-Ra, Bo, Glimer, Catra would be cool but aside from that I wouldn't want any other POP figure, unless they made that guy from the cartoon Sea Hawk or whatever he was called with the laser sword, now that would be an amazing figure.
I wish Mattel would make some new Bravestarr figures to fit in with the MOTU Classics.
Jim
@Mark: Bravestar or Rio Blast? 🙂
Scott
POP and NA are MOTUC also, not just MOTU.
As I said "they told people from day 1 that they’d be part of the line". There's no reason for anyone to get pissed off for not paying attention.
I'm sure they'll be testing the waters with the first POP figures and NA figures, just like they did with the first figures period, the first B-lister (Stratos) and the first C-lister (Zodac). If they sell less, they'll adjust production on those kind of figures accordingly.
Jim
@scott: True, they did tell people from day 1 but mattel says a lot of things that haven't come true. And I think there will still be ppl pissed off if POP and NA are included even if they were told by Mattel since the beginning. A lot of sites have the majority against NA and POP..but what's wierd is a poll showed the majority would buy everything. So personally, that's a bit confusing to me.
I just think from Mattels standpoint…despite telling everyone they would include POP and NA in the line….Mattel will not make a POP or NA the figure of the month. From a business standpoint, I see it more feasible to make those characters in smaller quantities than that of heman and beastman and making them the 2nd bonus figure.
But maaaaaaaybe I'm missing something since posts and polls regarding NA and POP don't really match up.
Jim
It's 12:13 and STILL NO SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE!
What the heck!
Poe
IT'S TIME TO PANIC!!!
😉
Motorthing
And 19 minutes after "launch" it's still not up and working……Yay Matty!!!
Jim
Grabs a brown bag….hyperventilates
HAH! and see…can't really take Mattels word for anything. lol
Or maybe just another way to gain hype…yet again….Matty the hustler strikes again!!!!!!!!!
Jim
@motorthing: It would be so funny if the matty guy who's supposed to set this up fell asleep on the pile of lead paint he was sniffing 😀
Motorthing
@Poe – It's always time to panic with this bunch of clowns.
That said I'll save panicking for the last day. I'm off to bed, can't be bothered to waste anymore time tonight on Matty with an 04.30 start at work tomorrow. Yawn.
Frogster
Failure to launch on Matty's part. @Jim, I am with you. I hope the NA figs are bonus and not part of the subscription especially due to that whole sight unseen thing.
Jim
@Frogster: Yeah but who knows. I'm just trying to see if I can see it from Matty's business perspective. I really will get a ton of Horde troopers though! 🙂
Jim
"UPDATE: MOTU Subscription Sale Starts Today at 3:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM ET!"
From heman.org
LMAO…this is seriously a publicity stunt.
Oh matty you sadistic bastard you love to fuck with ppl don't ya. LOL
Newton Gimmick
So now it's 6 PM? At 6 will it then move to 9 PM? And Mattel wonders why people complain.
Jim
@Newton Gimmick: At 6 will it then move to 9 PM?
LOL LOL LOL LOL
Frogster
@Jim, if you got $800 to blow on 40 Horde Troopers remember me in your will LOL. I want them pretty bad myself. Did you see all the design variants drew by Emiliano Santalucia ala' Clone Troopers that the Org posted? Those made sense and were badass.
Jim
@Frogster: WILL do! lol Actually the ONLY reason why I got money to burn is because I sold BOTH my 2002 motu and DCUC figures! 🙂 And YES! I did see Emiliano's artwork for the Horde Troopers! I really hope they make them like that!
Mark
@Jim, you'll get your subscription eventually LOL. If you get an army of Horde Troopers (when they are made) you seriously need to post a pic….although, slight dilema, you will have a lot of evil warrios compared to good warriors. Two suggestions. 1.get a few MAA figs to slightly even the odds as troops. 2.send a couple to me.
I am tempted to sell all my MOTU 2002 figs but at the end of the day they are part of MOTU history and I do still like them for what they are even though they are not as good as the Classics…I got really excited and wanted them as soon as I saw the Prototype figs in an issue of Forbidden Planet.
Speaking of DCUC I have an Ares figure as he looks cool next to the MOTUC figs.
Jim
@Mark: LOL
Actually I was thinking they make the Horde trooper around…NOW….so I can put a ton of them behind Hordak. As of now, Hordak will be all alone in a single shelf.
As for the good guys being outnumbered, I thought about the man at arms thing but I don't think I've mentioned this:
I'm not a fan of the clone man at arms soldiers of eternia. I liked the minicomics where Man At Arms was the only one with that armor and he was master of weapons. Putting a bunch of them around my good guy set..it's like a bunch of MAA, Master of Weapons w/o beards.
I'm not really worried about the good guys being outnumbered. I'm more of a fan of the villians AND He man can take them all on at the same time anyway. lol
Hordak has the Horde warriors
Man At Arms has his clone troopers
SKeletor…..
Check Spawn Series 7: Scourge
Doesn't Scourge look like the Bone warriors from the 2002 MOTU series?
I'm thinking of getting some Bone Warriors (a bunch of Scourges) for my skeletor shelf.
Any thoughts?
Jim
JUST GOT MY SUBSCRIPTION AROUND 2:20PM Pacific Standard time!!!!!!!
YAAAHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Per a few heman.org members, it doesn't work, but mine got through so keep trying if you encounter problems.
Jim
The subscription link is appearing on and off the site to MAYBE control traffic flow of orders? But it's weird because when I refresh i see it and sometimes i don't. lol Very odd
Jim
Okay…only way to do it as of now is through the facebook link…
http://www.mattycollector.com/store/…ctID.12777…
Goooooooooooood Luck! Whew!
Poe
Got my order in (through the website itself). Good to go.
Jim
Link doesn't seem to work anymore at facebook. lol
man…
And….credit cards are being charged for September! Damn i hate mattel.
Jim
This is the late time I'm getting a subscription from Mattel. I"m not happy being charged NOW for a figure out in September.
Matty is a total asshole.
knightmare
I've got my order, now come September I'll have one less thing to worry about. It doesn't bug me that my card won't be charged until September, it gives me more time to save up more money for it.
Jim
* I meant to say….This is the LAST time i'm getting a subscription. They shouldn't charge credit cards for a figure that's going to be shipped in September.*
Jim
@knightmare: what do you mean? Cards were charged NOW for the september figure.
Andrew
My only complaint is not knowing what I'm buying.
Scott
Toyguru just posted on he-man.org:
"What everyone is seeing on their card today is just an authorization. If you selected the "monthly" option your card will be charged in Sept, again in Oct, and so on. If you choose "ship at end" option, you will be charged once in Dec. No one was charged today.
TG "
Thomas B
jim- from what i understand the charge you have is for a "verification" your card wont be charged fully until sept.
Jim
@Scott and Thomas B.: LOVE YOU GUYS! Thanks for the Info!!! 🙂
PrfktTear
Glad everyone's got their subs! Hopefully they'll continue to WOW us with some great core MOTU characters for the rest of this year. For the bajillionth time, gimmie Trap Jaw!!!
Mark
@Jim growing up I had over 15 evil warriors and 4 good guys, He-Man, Stonedar and Mossman. I had Zodac but back then I classed him as evil.
jim
@mark: Mark…I had stonedar and rokkon and I have to say I hated them the most out of all the heroes. The mini comics portrayed them sooooooooo whimpy but they had so much potential!
Frogster
I hope they revisit the rock warriors sometime after they finish the core characters like the rest of the Heroic and Evil Warriors, Horde and Snakemen.