Mattel has revealed their special MOTU-themed SDCC exclusive, and it’s pretty incredible–and, sadly, incredibly limited.
We know a lot of fans are very excited about the Designed @ Mattel Vol. 1 book on MOTU being offered at SDCC. A few more details: The book will be softcover, 53 pages, with a numbered foil stamped ribbon across the cover. It will be $50.00 and limited to 2 per guest per line wait. It will have sections on all the major MOTU lines and a look at the future of the brand.
Now we know a lot of fans are asking why only 1,000 copies and will we ever reprint? The answer (at least for now) is that this was actually a number required. For a variety of legal reasons we were restricted to only create this book if we kept it as a limited edition. That was part of the bargain for getting to do the book itself. It was 1,000 editions or nothing He-Fans.
A big thank you to Toy Guru for pulling together a lot of the research and material as well as all the Mattel artists over the years for so generously giving of their imaginations to create lasting characters in the world of MOTU!
Long time fans and new comers alike will be sure to enjoy all of the surprises in store at SDCC!
See you in two weeks!
Matty
The book sounds fantastic. The 1,000 limited edition aspect is painful, as is the Holiday Hal Jordan-like intimation of “legal restriction.” Great bonus for fans, or Gleek-like tease? I have a hunch I know where this comment thread is going…
Monte
If I could get books like this for every toyline I love, I don't know that I'd need the toy themselves.
prfkttear
*cough* all together now…
[insert really long "argh" that almost busted the site –PG]
I hope at the very least we get some high-res scans…
prfkttear
lol… ok, it was not my intention to have my previous message screw up the page. =(
Paul
I really wanted the Hasbro artbook, but I never got that either.
Drunken Fist
I have to admit that this made me furious when I first read it. I have wanted a book collecting MOTU art literally since I was a little kid. After all their teasing that such a book might be in the works, they kick us in the nuts like this. Hopefully, someone who's lucky enough to get one at the con will post some high-quality scans of it online for the rest of us.
Mattel seems hell-bent on pissing off its entire fan base lately.
Philip Reed
I just finished posting over at my site about this. Mattel has set a goal of making me unhappy and they continue to succeed.
1,000 copies? Are they trying to win an award for dumb decisions? They could at least announce a less exclusive edition without the ribbon and a larger print run.
RageTreb
Just because this one will be limited to 1,000 copies doesn't mean they'll never make another one. 😉
PresidentJuggernaut
If all these legal restrictions they have on so many products are real, they must hire the worlds worst lawyers and just be signing any old document they come across.
Newton Gimmick
Juggernaut, this is the company that can't legally post news about their site… ON THEIR SITE.
I was interested in this book, but now I'm not. F'em. I'm done with DCUC. They've pretty much killed JLU. Once they screw up this MOTUC thing, I'll be completely done with Mattel.
I just posted about a bunch of SDCC stuff I wanted from this company, but I'm really getting close to just avoiding all their products. I can't wait until they announce they'll be making one Stay Puft Marshmallow man.
Andrew
I'm disappointed, too. I'd love to get my hands on something like this. If the 1,000 copies available at the Con were autographed or maybe had a special foil cover, I could get it – I think we could all handle something like that – and the rest were just plain releases, it'd be great.
americanhyena
I'm starting to feel bad about being able to get all of this stuff since I'm going to Comic-Con and so many others aren't.
…
Aaaaaaaaaaand it's passed. :-p
Fengschwing
Mehttel strikes again. I'm not into Motu so no great loss but at just over a dollar a page, it is worth it anyway?
I bet half of the stuff in there is on the web if you hunt hard enough for it.
Drunken Fist
Yeah, I've got tons of scans of stuff I found on the web. But it's mainly the principle of the thing. MOTU fans have been wanting a nice collection of MOTU art in book form for many years now, and Mattel finally decides to do it, but in the most infuriating way possible.
Next, they'll be announcing that everyone who buys anything at their SDCC booth will get a kick in the nuts as they're handed their stuff. The only people they haven't pissed on yet are SDCC attendees, so I'm sure they'll get around to it soon enough.
Honestly, I'm not one to go on rants about something I can't change. The internet is full of people spewing bile over anything and everything, and I'm, happy not to contribute to that. But this is getting beyond ridiculous. Lately it seems, even more than in past years, that Mattel is going out of their way to make it as difficult as possible to be a Mattel customer.I love the MOUTC and DCUC lines, and and stuck with them through many trials and tribulations. Even the impending $3 price hike hasn't deterred me. But all this bullshit is pushing me to the brink. I can deal with problems that are reasonable. But when it seems that a company is deliberately giving the majority of their customers(for these lines, anyway) a hard time, it's a lot harder to tolerate.
Fallen Eldor
I'm going to SDCC and even I'm afraid. At 1000 who's to say they won't be sold out on preview night? I'm getting my pal and bum rushing the Mattel booth as soon as those doors open! If anyone would like me to try and get one for them let me know.
Falleneldor@aol.com
Philip Reed
1,000 copies limited to 2 per person. And they don't say if it's 1,000 total copies or 1,000 for sale copies. If it's 1,000 total copies then how many of those are spoken for — Mattel archives, employees, friends, etc. — before SDCC even starts?
Michael Lovrine
Its not very good value at $50 bucks! The Ebay bids are going to be out of control for this one. I'm not sure if I'd care for it in comparison to something like the He-RO figure. Glad they're at least doing the figure. If they only had a book this year heads would role for sure, lol!
clark
That $50 price tag is the first thing I noticed. If you have the money then it would be a very cool book, but I think that is too high for retail.
Mario
Ok, I've been biting my tongue about SDCC because I did not want to be bombarded with requests…. but I will be attending SDCC, & I'll be going as a vendor, thus enabling me to buy this on preview night, likely securing a copy barring something crazy.
My proposal is this; I buy the book, & when I get back home, I'll send high-res scans or something to Poe, which he can then add here for all of you to download & own.
Now again, I don't want to sound like a douche, but trust me guys, I'm already helping lots of friends, so please don't ask me to get stuff for you. I will however do this, 'cause I think it's the right thing to do & I like all you guys here at PGPOA. So what do you guys think? Poe?
Thomas B
thanks mario-
at least we will have scans of what is inside.
Philip Reed
Mario, that would be illegal. Please do not scan the book and post the scans online. As much as I would like to own a copy of this book, or at least see what's inside, I cannot support copyright violation.
JimPansen
Isn´t Mattel provoking copyright violation with such limitation? A customer should be abel to get what he wants.
Motorthing
This sucks.
I just don't believe a thing they come out with now. "LEGAL reasons" BS seems to be the fall-back coverall for all their stupidity/duplicity and I just don't buy it.
Rather like the book.
Still, plenty of people will, which is why in a poor economy this evil-hunk of Corporate Crap is still in business.
Philip Reed
@JimPansen – "Isn´t Mattel provoking copyright violation with such limitation? A customer should be abel to get what he wants."
Mattel owns the copyright to their work and it is up to them to decide how to make the material available. I think their plan for this book is a terrible idea, but that doesn't give anyone but Mattel the right to distribute the work.
Poe
I can't condone scanning the book. I agree this is a crappy situation for many collectors, but pirating the book is illegal.
Mark
@Mario, why don't you make a video of it and put it on YouTube. Surely there is nothing against showing the book that way.
Mario
I also am not the biggest fan of copyright violation, & I don't condone piracy, but I was trying to find a way to get you guys the book. Simply put, I was looking at it like making a mix tape for a friend. I didn't think Poe would have it on his front page with a "download here" sign, but rather fans could privately request it for download.
Anyways, perhaps I will film a short clip of the book & post it on YouTube for all to see. As Mark said, surely there's nothing wrong with that, right?
P.S.: Let's keep in mind that this is if I do get the book. I expect my chances to be high, but one never knows with this kind of thing, so don't you all be getting your hopes up too high. ; )
JimPansen
@Philip Reed“Mattel owns the copyright to their work and it is up to them to decide how to make the material available. I think their plan for this book is a terrible idea, but that doesn’t give anyone but Mattel the right to distribute the work.“
I know , i´m just very disappointed that i´ll never have the chance to get it, without running into depts.
Paul
Yeah, the last thing Poe can do is post pictures of the book here if he doesn’t want to get a nice lawsuit for Christmas.
Mario
@Paul, what if it’s for review purposes? I don’t think there’d be a lawsuit attached to that, & that could let the people see the darn thing.
Philip Reed
@Mario – Posting a page or two for a review would be fine. Posting the entire book, regardless of the reason, would be severe copyright violation.
Mark
@Mario….if you do a video I doubt anything could be done as all you would be doing is showing pages of a book of toy designs.
Johnson @ Johnson
Reviews are legally limited to something like the first 3 to 5 pages of a publication, along with the cover.
You can't just scan/video an entire book and post it for "review"
That's inviting trouble. PG definitely won't be rolling out the red carpet for that on his site. 😀
Philip Reed
Over $100 on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-SDCC-MOTU-MASTERS-OF-THE…
Philip Reed
Bidding ended at $152.50.