NYCC Mattel news roundup

Mattel dropped a LOT of news on us yesterday. (I’ll do a general NYCC news roundup tomorrow.)

DC UNIVERSE CLASSICS

Details:

• Wave 9 will feature Black Canary, Green Arrow, the Guardian, Deadshot, Black Adam, Wildcat, and Mantis (both the comic and the Super Powers version as a variant), with a collect-and-connect Chemo (pronounced “kemmo”). Black Canary will have fabric fishnet stockings; the Green Arrow figure will have hinged wrists to facilitate holding his bow realistically; and Chemo is made from translucent green plastic.
• There will be another Walmart exclusive wave in 2009 (collective groan). Better distribution was promised, but I don’t think any of us are going to hold our breath on that one.
• The previously-announced two-packs will be exclusive to TRU (website?) and online retailers.
• A photo of the upcoming DCUC Joker was shown to panel attendees as a teaser.
• Brown Man-Bat will be released in 2009, possibly in the Walmart wave.
• Black Adam will come with his scarab necklace.

Pics:

• Action-Figure
• TNI
• There’s a good photo of the Mattycollector.com Ultraman/Alex Luthor two-pack (due for release 4/15) on this page.

My thoughts:

Wave 10 looks fantastic. I never thought we’d get a BAF Chemo, since his shape is so odd, but it looks like I should have simply trusted the Horsemen. I especially like the translucent green plastic–that’s perfect. And Deadshot was one of my must-haves for DCUC–and of course, there was no prototype on display. Dammit.

While the fabric fishnet stockings on Black Canary are an interesting idea and could work well, I worry about a potential QC nightmare. Mattel had better be on top of that by the time wave 10 starts production.

Mattel also displayed the Silver Age Brainiac/Superman two-pack. While Brainiac looks a little goofy, that’s owing to the original Silver Age design. The head sculpt is excellent.

I’m a bit torn on the two versions of Mantis…but I’ll probably get one of each.

MOVIE MASTERS

Details: Two-Face and the Joker Thug were on display, as was Jail Cell Joker and the “prototype suit” Batman from Batman Begins.

Pics: AFI

My thoughts: I’ll get Two-Face, JC Joker and maybe the Joker thug. They all look very good, but I’m just not that excited about Movie Masters anymore…they need to branch out to other DC movies. An MM Christopher Reeve Superman would be incredible.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CLASSICS

Details:

• He-Man.org has a great roundup of the news from the MOTUC panel on their front page, but I’ll just hit some of the highlights.
• The next figures are: Stratos in February, Faker in March, Mer-Man in April, Zodac in May, Hordak(!) in June, Man-at-Arms in July, Tri-Klops in August.
• An unpainted Teela test shot was also shown.
• MOTUC figures will ship in protective boxes or sleeves starting with Man-at-Arms.
• The SDCC exclusive figure will be available in addition to Man-At-Arms in July (i.e., Man-at-Arms is not the SDCC exclusive).
• Battle Cat is coming in 2010
• Some months may see the release of a “bonus figure” for purchase. Bonus figures would be will repaints and/or re-releases of previous MOTUC figures.
• Tytus and Megator are still possible, and might be based off DC figure molds.
• A direct to DVD feature is still possible.
• Fearless Photog is unlikely to be produced.
• The next issue of ToyFare will feature an article on MOTUC.

Pics:

• TNI
• Action-Figure
• Figures.com

My thoughts:

Man…there’s a lot to digest here. All the figures look marvelous, but Hordak is something else. I’m glad we’re getting him so early–a lot of fans have been clamoring for him since the end of MOTU2K.

Man-at-Arms looks good, although I’m a bit disappointed in the mustache head–it’s basically the original figure’s head with a mustache. I was hoping it would be made to look like the Filmation version’s head, as the MOTU2K figure was. On the other hand, I’m probably going to display him with his original head anyway. The extra weapons on his back are very cool too.

I’m surprised by how good the original Mer-Man head looks–the Horsemen actually made it pretty creepy.

Teela looks great, although part of me hoped she’d be based on the cartoon version and not the snake/goddess version. Perhaps we’ll get her as a variant down the line.

GHOSTBUSTERS

Details:

• The figures will be sold through Mattycollector.com.
• The toys will be based on the movies, the animated series and the upcoming Atari video game.
• One 6″ figure will be released every other month.
• The 6″ figures  will include multiple accessories and a pack-in ghost, and will cost $20 each.
• The 12″ figures will include light-up proton packs, real cloth uniforms and tons of operating equipment, such as traps that open and close. They will cost $60 each. The panel said they’d be released during the summer, but I’m not sure whether they’ll be staggered like the 6″ line or not.

Pics:

• Figures.com
• TNI
• Action-Figure

My thoughts:

I’m definitely in for the core four 6″ Ghostbusters and any other movie figures. I’m curious to see where the line goes…who could be the #5 figure? Gozer? A demon dog? Vigo the Carpathian? Walter Peck? I suppose they might just move on to the animated versions once Gozer, the demon dog and Vigo have been done.