Two big Masters of the Universe Classics updates yesterday.
First, some new information on the subscription service.
Well we know fans have been waiting for an update and here it the latest:
-The MOTU subscription program will be available May 18th through 22nd.
– You can purchase as many subscriptions as you want. Each subscription includes the Sept – Dec 2009 MOTUC figures
-Convention, rerelease and repaint figures are not included simply because not all fans may want the rereleases and convention figures may change in price or release date
-We will have a 2010 subscription for Jan – Dec 2010 figures in mid August with the same rules applying
-Once you purchase a subscription you are locked in (i.e. no refunds)
-Figures will continue to be revealed about three months ahead of time, so yes, if you buy a subscription you are agreeing to purchase which ever figure comes out that month even if not revealed yet
-Options will be available to be charged and have figures ship each month, or to have all figures held, shipped and be charged at the end of the year.
-Figures will also still be available to purchase each month with the standard limit of 10 (if you want more than 1 of a certain figure for example)A few additional details will be on MattyCollector.com on the news section tomorrow and I’ll do my best to check in here often to answer any other questions!
Hope this will really help those who want a complete set!
Elsewhere on the page, in response to a question about multiple subscriptions, Mattel wrote:
[..]. if you order multiple subscriptions they will all ship together to save on shipping!
The only thing that stuck out to me was the short ordering interval–I suppose I just assumed the sub option would be available for the rest of the year, and you’d just get whatever figures were left that year. However, the ordering window makes sense if you consider Mattel wants/needs to use this as a baseline for their production numbers.
Here’s the question, though–at least Hordak, Man-At-Arms and Tri-Klops are already in the production pipeline. What happens if the subscription orders outstrip the current production numbers for those figures? Will the subscription orders “run out,” or will Mattel do a second production run on oversold figures? And if so, when would those ship? [Deleted because I’m an idiot who can’t take the time to read carefully before posting.]
In other MOTU news, He-Man.org has posted its latest Q&A with Mattel. Interesting tidbits include that the SDCC version of He-Ro will have “an additional minor difference” than the one sold online (presumably Orko). (That’s a joke, folks.)
Then there’s this:
7. Exactly how far out have you planned the line thus far? For instance, do you know who’s going to be the May figure in 2011?
We have the line “roughly” worked out for the next few years with enough space and flexibility to accommodate any changes such as fan requests and new characters that become available. This is done mostly for tooling so that we can accommodate when certain tools will become available, (such as when will we get to the claw’d hand, with Buzz-Off or Clawful first etc…). The May 2011 figure (unless things change, which they always do) will tentatively be The Faceless One.
The Faceless One? Evil-Lyn’s dad? Part of me thinks this is a joke, but you don’t joke about things like that with toy fans.
Still…the Faceless One? Really?
Scott
"Here’s the question, though–at least Hordak, Man-At-Arms and Tri-Klops are already in the production pipeline. What happens if the subscription orders outstrip the current production numbers for those figures? Will the subscription orders “run out,” or will Mattel do a second production run on oversold figures? And if so, when would those ship?"
Here's the answer:
"Each subscription includes the Sept – Dec 2009 MOTUC figures"
Hopefully by doing it this way they have time to up production by Sept. if needed. Just like they decided to up production in April and they will be upped by August (4 months later)for Tri-Klops.
Poe
Ah, you're right, Scott–my fault for not reading the directions all the way through. 😉
Newton Gimmick
I give Mattel props for having a plan that far into the future. I believe them on this one.
Dead Man Walking
The Faceless One is an AWESOME selection. I wish he were coming sooner.
The subscription idea is scary if you decide to get them all at the end of the year. What if Mattel/DR fudges up and doesn't pull your figures? What if they ship you figures with the wrong feet/biceps/etc, and don't have any replacements for Figure 1 at the end of the year?
Frogster
I think the Faceless one is a great choice; getting a figure that was never made especially one that had some airtime in the MYP series. Two years from now you would think a good many of the core characters would be already done though I am sure the more popular ones will be spaced out for longevity.
Part of me is still shocked that Matty is even releasing Hordak next month!
PrfktTear
I'm excited about The Faceless One… and I don't know why! 😉
I don't want to be premature and start counting my chickens, but I think MOTUC is going to be here for a while. =) If I had to guess, we won't see She-Ra maybe early '10 and King Hiss late next year.
He-Man's a little outnumbered right now, I think we'll start seeing more good guys for the rest of the year, like Mechanek and Fisto… For the most part, I don't care a LOT about the characters that never had toys… if it didn't come in plastic, chances are I don't remember it. If you asked me who Count Marzo, Evil Seed, or The Faceless One were prior to the 200X series featuring them, I don't think I'd have known.
I hope they eventually get to Jitsu… he's goofy as hell, but he's kinda cool. Plus, it'd open the door to Randor!
I've been pouring over my old MOTU figures, and there were a few things that surprised me.
First being that Trap Jaw, Roboto, and Man-E-Faces all share the same legs. Second, the above three all share a very similar left arm. Roboto's seems to have the most detail, but the basic arm is the same.
Not only do Whiplash and Buzz-Off share the same chest/torso, they also share the same legs.
King Randor and Jitsu share the same armor, just slightly different decos.
I wonder is someone ever made some sort of spreadsheet tracking all of the same parts used to each character. It wasn't until '85 with Khan and the Horde that they seemed to get away from the re-use of the same parts.
Another thing where I never put 2+2 together, Cy-Klone and the Horde Trooper have ball jointed shoulders. I didn't think those came along until years later.
Jim
I for one will not be ordering a subscription.
1)There are figures I won't collect like POP or NA. I don't even think the figures I do not want will be enough as trade bait since a lot of people would've subscribed to motuc.
2)Mattels fuck ups are WAAAAAAAY UP to Mr. Bean/Pink Panther proportions so I wouldn't feel in contol to be "locked in" for a whole year. With Mattel ANYTHING can happen. Won't take my chance.
I love Mattel for putting out these great figures but it's a love/hate relationship. lol
I think it's a great way for all the fans to definitly get their figures but I seriously wonder how this will affect the production numbers. I predict after the August figure and the September to Dec subscription starts, all scalping will go straight down. Then Mattel may have to adjust production numbers.
If that happens I see this line selling purely on its fan base. HOPEFULLY, Mattel finds that perfect number and the number is enough for them to continue the line, not increase online prices or cause any drastic changes to the line.
If NOTHING happens and everything still stays as is (hype, scalping etc.) due to the subscription offer, I will be shocked and amazed.
Jim
@prfktear: It's odd. I used to prefer the 2002 versions and not that I prefer the classic versions now (go figure)….I actually don't care about evil seed, count marzo, faceless one, etc. etc.
As for your motu parts reuse observations…thanks for that! That was a good little refresher for me! I can't wait for all of those figures to be made.
I'm going to be a MOTU classic completist…every character that had a figure in the 80's line! 🙂
griffin
I'm not sure I can commit to figures when I don't know what they look like, let alone which ones they are. The last four months of this year I can maybe deal with, since we've been shown a Teela prototype, so I assume Evil Lynn won't be far behind. If I were guessing about the last two I would say Trap Jaw and maybe Man-E-Faces or the Sorceress.
PrfktTear
Characters like Snout Spout, Two-Bad, Rio Blast, Extendar, Spikor, Blade, and the rest of the Horde/Snakemen are going to be tough since they all have pretty unique sculpts so we might not see these guys until later.
Man-E-Faces shouldn't be TOO hard, but I don't know if the faces thing would be too complex for them at this point. Sy-Klone is an oddity… they've already come out and said no action features, so the spinning arms is out. However he doesn't have the standard fur loincloth as does He-Man or the others. Also he's got the little wing-lets on his arms which they'd have to overcome.
Roboto I guess they could just tampo on some gears, but I think that'd be LAME. Roboto and Sy-Klone share somewhat similar groins (and I'm being liberal) so its not without reason that they could just buddy up on those, and just give Sy his belt.
I think the "givens" are Fisto, Mekanek, Jitsu (though he's a lesser known character), Clamp Champ, Buzz-Off Whiplash, Randor, Trap Jaw, and Stinkor.
I'm not even going to get into listing POP or NA.
Phoenix
The subscription plan is nice to have as an option but I won't be subscribing. If I knew every figure in advance it might be a different story. I don't want any of the NA figures and there are even some Classic and POP I would probably skip on. I hope the subscription doesn't screw up production!
PrfktTear
Unless Matty throws us a curveball, I highly doubt we'll be seeing any NA or POP figures this year. This is the one fatal flaw Mattel has, being that we don't know who is coming out. However, it works to the lines advantage for 2nd & 3rd tier characters that might not sell as many. For instance, all of the people who have said they're not getting Zodac…
Newton Gimmick
Mr. Bean proportions of screw ups! Classic.
Mark
Clawful also shares his legs with Buzz-Off and Whiplash.
Thankfully Spikor shares the basic He-Man lower half and left arm.
I guess it will be a while before they make Extendar one of the coolest MOTU characters…wish he had been in the MYP cartoon.
PrfktTear
Not to be "That Guy" but Clawful has the plain 'ol Skeletor legs. Buzz-Off and Whiplash's legs have little ridges on the sides of the upper thighs, and feet with I guess what you'd call four "toes" front, back, and sides. Skelly's feet have normal heels and three pointy toes. That said, they're similar enough to get away with it using Classics Skelly's feet I think.
I was browsing the He-Man.org boards, and someone pointed out He-Ro's boots look like they could also double for Trap Jaw's. I could see the foot working, but not the whole boot.
Carl
I know I might be asking for the impossible but I seriously wouldn't mind getting some sort of price break on the figures if I get a subscription.
On a side note: Darn you Poe Ghostal for comparing Orko to Gleep! If Orko was only given away at SDCC there would mass rioting in the streets by MOTUC fans.
PrfktTear
Or they'd stay up all night and write really mean things on Matty's facebook…
Mark
@PrfktTear on the Clawful I have his legs are exacly the same as Whiplash and Buzz-Off. http://www.toyarchive.com/STAForSale/NEW2001+/MOT…
There is another Clawful with the Skeletor legs. I prefer the Whiplash legs 100 times better than Skeletors when it comes to Clawful and I hope the Classic get the Whiplash legs.
PrfktTear
Weird… I'm sure they mixed and matched so much they forgot what legs belonged to who. I agree, I think the Whip/Buzz legs make more sense on Clawful.
Mark
I thought the Skeletor legs were just on the prototype but I deffinently think the Whiplash stly legs are the way to go… I hpe Mattel do not give him the Skeletor legs.
PrfktTear
I just checked He-Man.org, and it says that there were indeed two versions released.
http://www.he-man.org/primary_sects/toys/html/col…
I just snapped a quick photo showing my Whiplash and Clawful together.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24538813@N08/3514223…
The Whiplash style legs are better for the character I think. Then again, this is the version I've only known, so it wouldn't make a huge difference to me.
doctorkent
Quick comment – if Mattel gets enough subscriptions, new sculpts for any of the characters mentioned won't be an issue. Remember, they would have the money in advance. They wouldn't have to worry about recouping mold costs from there.
Mark
True. They can the majority ofthe characters with the standard parts out first then the mor unige sculpts. I am amazed we are not getting Prince Adam yet…saying that I wonder if it will be the iconic pink vest and purple tights or the brown fur outfit he wore in some of the mini-comics.