Next round of questions is due October 15 (to be answered on November 1). We’re now officially limited to five questions per round. Fire away! I’ll choose some to submit.
Next round of questions is due October 15 (to be answered on November 1). We’re now officially limited to five questions per round. Fire away! I’ll choose some to submit.
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Sped
For future DCUC sister lines like the Target Public Enemies 6 inch figures. Is there a chance we can get DCUC styled heads instead of the C&C parts. I think for some characters, this may be the only chance we'll get them and the animated style heads just don't fit in with DCUC.
Matt
How has character selection changed since inception of the DCUC "World's Greatest Super Heroes" line? Also, will any villians be re-released in that line?
Cheese
Is the public enemies line exclusive to only a few targets or is it available at all target stores because it has yet to show up at mine and it's been getting other new Mattel products
Rustin Parr
You gave us 6 of the 7 founding members of the JLA over the first 7 waves of figures. We're now up to Wave 13 and there is STILL no sign of Martian Manhunter. Completed teams is a major thing for collectors and its hard to stay on board with the line as character selection gets increasingly more obscure and MM continues to get looked over. Can you give us any hope or potential (broad though it may be) timeline for Martian Manhunter's release (beyond the usual "as soon as we can" kind of response)?
Novelty
Are there any plans to reissue previous DCUC waves on Mattycollector.com?
Novelty
Will Keldor be a separate figure, or just an additional head packaged with another character?
Mark
What are the chances we will get a proper He-Man/ MOTU toyline (or repaints/ re-packages of MOTUC) again available in shops worldwide at a normal price point and marketed correctly with a movie, tv show, dvd movie or comic?
Will you ever make articulated versions of the NECA statctions in the 200X style? Or contine the 200X line?
PrfktTear
How long will Wave 10 be shipping to Wal-Marts for?
The Flash III
Which of your non-answer answers would you say is your favorite? "We do not disclose that type of information," "We do not discuss characters not in production," or "We can't discuss that at this time"? My personal favorite is, "It's possible! Stay tuned!"
Novelty
Are there any plans for a revival of the following lines:
StarCom
BraveStarr
Avatar, the last Airbender
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (perhaps in conjunction with Hot Wheels or Cars)
Reverend Ender
I second The Flash III's question.
I would also add to the list:
"Sorry, we cannot provide specifics on production or shipping counts."
and my new favorite catchall:
"Mattel has higher safety standards and our products require increased testing to meet these standards."
For instance, Dear Mattel, why do you suck?
"Mattel has higher safety standards and our products require increased testing to meet these standards."
Newton Gimmick
Why have thou forsaken me?
Tom-Tom
Regarding DCUC 10: Mattel said that Wal*Mart ordered many more figures than in wave 5. However, many collectors are still having troubles, claiming it to be worse than wave 5. Any insight?
Frowny McBeard
Being that wave 10 is looking like it's having the same distribution problems as wave 5, do you agree with Einstein that you're all obviously insane?
“It’s possible! Stay tuned!”
Barbecue17
Dear Mattel: Where do babies come from?
Think about it: any stock response would be hilarious!
Nolan aka robinjr
Dear Mattel,
with Flash: Rebirth going on, is it possible that when you release a wally west figure in his flash costume, would you make his new costume, debuting any issue soon as a variant?
Cythagen
Dear Mattel:
Why do you even bother with these bi-weekly Q&A sessions when your vague and oft-repeated stock answers make it crystal clear that you have no intention of A) actually addressing collectors' concerns about the future, quality, and availablity of your products, or B) in providing sincere apologies or sound explanations for the frequently recurring problems collectors have in obtaining quality product by consistent and reasonable means?
Reverend Ender
I would ALSO like to hear the response to Cythagen's question.
Mario
I too think that Cythagen asks a very important question which you, Mattel, DESPERATELY NEEDS to answer, therefore I also ask this question.
dayraven
why are some accessories made of nice sturdy hard plastic and others made of a plastic grade that could best be described as soft wax? does mattel make the call on plastic grades used, or does the factory?
DrNightmare
There are over 400 comments on the DCUC topic at ArticulatedDicussion.com, and the vast majority of them are from different users with the same complaint: DCUC 10 IS A MYTH. It apparently does not exist because all these people are making HUNDREDS of visits to their Walmarts, on a weekly basis, and not finding anything at all.
I will second Newton's question, why are ya'll messin' with us? lol
captainzero
Thanks for the Golden Age JSA Dr. Mid-Nite.
He looks great…as does Doctor Fate, The Spectre, and Wildcat.
Will we see at least one G.A. JSA member in each wave from now on out??
Mark
Is there any chance of releasing MOTUC as Toy'R'Us exclusives or some other chain in the UK. Only asking as I have had to stop collecting MOTUC as it is to expensive, I was getting them through a contact, but he was charging me £30 each, had to use him as your web site does not accept my card. Why do you not have an option to pay via PayPal?
Heli
I was going to ask "Can you please comment on production numbers or shipping counts?" but I think I'll third Cythagen's question instead.
nerdbot
@Heli: Yeah, they never discuss real numbers anyway. (If someone with a business background could explain why talking about how many of any particular toy have been manufactured is a liability, I would greatly appreciate it.) Add me to the list requesting Cythagen's question be asked.
Nicholai
What is with the head articulation and not being able to tilt heads up or down in the recent figures?
Matthew
Without discussing numbers, was Wave 10 produced as much as the regular non-exclusive waves?
finkrod
Are you guys assholes or just incompetent?
George
As he put it very clearly and it seems that many of us are in favor, ask Cythagen’s question.
Fengschwing
I too would like to hear an answer to Cythagens question please.
Poe
@Cythagen: Look folks, rather than even ask this question, do you want me to just stop doing these altogether?
Because seriously, we need a dose of realism here. We are not going to get the sort of frank answers you're looking for on a consistent basis. Not from a corporation of Mattel's size. I made peace with that ages ago.
The ratio is pretty consistent: out of five questions, we tend to get one decent-to-good answer and four rote corporate responses, with an occasional gimme thrown in here and there.
While the questions about stuff like QC, the ball joint head problems, distribution issues and so forth may get unsatisfying answers, they at least make sure Mattel is aware of the situation, even if they don't appear to do anything about it, or even care. I've always seen that as one of the most important functions of the Q&As.
In all honesty I would have stopped submitting these Q&As ages ago if they didn't consistently bring in my highest monthly pageview numbers. But I'm getting pretty damned sick and tired of the tone of the comment threads in those posts, and it's got me rethinking the value of those hits.
I'm not going to ask Cythagen's question, because it's not worth it to me to antagonize Mattel that directly. Rather than asking why Mattel bothers with the Q&As, I'm asking myself why I'm bothering with them, since apparently you all hate them–even if every one of you comes back to read them, every time.
Valo487
No offense intended Poe, it's obviously your site and I understand why you feel that way, but at the same time Mattel's actions create the frustration, I don't feel like they deserve to be shielded. I'm not saying it's right for the negativity to impact you, but Mattel offers to answer questions, and if they only get postive ones then nothing will change. Perhaps if they're aware that no one's finding Wave 10 just like last year with Wave 5 they'll reconsider putting A-List characters like the Joker in future exclusive waves.
izdawiz
Poe, people need a forum to vent and you are providing that. It's a valuable service and people like it, hence the hits.
Not only that but you know Mattel folks read these questions too, not just the ones that are officially submitted.
We know you're not Mattel and we don't expect you to antagonize them on our behalf with "Why do you suck?" over and over.
Just think of yourself as an impartial mediator and as long as we are communicating things are bound to improve….
Poe
@Valo487: That's my point. You can ask a question like, "It looks like distribution on Wave 10 isn't any better than Wave 5. Would you please reconsider putting popular characters like the Joker in future waves?"
What I'm not going ask is questions about the responses to the Q&As themselves. That just wastes everyone's time. Mattel is never going to say, "You know, you're right. We're going to stop running these past the legal and PR departments and just answer you clearly and honestly, potentially causing a PR nightmare when we suggest a retail partner is responsible for causing a bad situation."
Mario
@Poe: I personally don't hate the Q&As, & I agree with you 100% as to what they ultimately serve, but I do think that Cythagen brings up a good, fair point. I don't believe it to be antagonizing one bit, & I, as many others, simply feel that it's about time that we get a hard, straight answer that paints a better picture of what's happening over there. We have a right to know.
I, like you, have made my peace a long time ago regarding Mattel, & I am definitely two feet deep in reality, but I think that after this much time & obvious success, guys like Nietlich, or anyone else that is deep in the action figure chain at Mattel, should try harder to build a better bridge between the corporate suits, who seemingly put spokes in these guys wheels, & the fans, who make these guys rich.
It doesn't have to be a PR disaster, but it can certainly be better than "stay tuned" & the like.
Newton Gimmick
I don't think people should send antagonizing questions. I carefully worded a few questions as a jab of sorts a while back, but I still got a corporate response so I let it go.
I enjoy the Q&A's because as Poe said, you do usually get a little info.
Your site would be my favorite if you asked my question though, just to see Mattel's response. LOL. It's the only thing I can think of lately when it comes to Mattel.
If you're looking for a more serious question though, I have some Toy Story questions:
Will there be more 3 3/4 Toy Story figures coming to TRU and if so, can you tell us who?
thomas b
If ray sells out like MOTUC will he and other be re released like he man is going to be
Also will there be a gb boxset of the guys and hopefully one of the ghouls?
mjturny23
Poe, please don't be disheartened. I love and look forward to Mattel Q&A every month.
I don't expect a complete answer to every question asked, because that would ruin Mattel's own plans of when to distribute news (e.g. SDCC).
I don't ask questions like 'Mattel, why are you so crappy?' because, they are a business. They are here to make profits, and if even a few of them care about the product (like I'm sure 4H and Toyguru do), then that's rare in business. I'm sure people will disagree, but compared within the toy market, I think they're doing pretty good.
Lastly, Poe, you're doing a great job! Onto my q:
1) As the art book was all He-Man orientated, is there a possibility of a She-Ra art book?
The Flash III
I second dayraven's question about the plastics. Also, would Mattel ever consider doing a weapons pack for DCUC, since there are some characters with open hands but no accessories?
The Flash III
Sorry about my above sarcasm, Poe. I didn't mean to offend or cheapen what you do with the Q&A. I am one of those pagehitters and look forward to it every month. I just like to joke around with the other poesters. It's not directed at you or the Q&A, just at Mattel's startling ability to dodge most of the questions. We appreciate you going through and picking out questions Mattel might actually answer. Thank you!
Barbecue17
Some legitimate questions:
Are there any teams that Mattel is intent on finishing next year for DCUC?
When will the roster of DCUC wave 13 be confirmed?
Will future DCUC waves such as 11 and 12 be shipped to online retailers in more satisfying quantities?
Mattel, I want to give you money for your action figures: why won't you take it by making your figures more available?
Have any stores come on board for DCUC exclusives for 2010?
If a Ghostbusters Dana Barret based on Sigourney Weaver was being released, would it be based on her possessed appearence as Zuul or on her regular appearence? Or both?
You have a policy of not discussing unannounced product, but you also have mentioned that once a figure has been announced there is little to no time for fan input. Is there any point in the life of a figure that fans have any ability to influence some aspect of a figure?
Thomas B
BBQ17
i like his question about what time in the the toy cycle can fan input actually make a difference
TOYMAN
The COPPERHEAD figure comes with his "tail"?
dayraven
@Poe: sorry about the negative response posts poe… it's difficult to offer mattel respect when they clearly don't respect us, who take as much time trying to think of questions they will actually answer, as they do thinking of ways of dodge our honest questions. i know you being the messenger in all this, can get shafted and i'm sorry about that. you're right, it's not worth the page hits if all we do is gripe about every answer. however, we're not griping at you… just near you.
but i wonder if you vented these emotions back at mattel, what they'd say. you know we care about your state of mind, and will tone things down if we're bothering you… would they in turn try harder to answer your questions honestly? cuz while i get PR and legal and all that jazz as excuses for some of the answers we get, they don't justify ALL the answers we get.
example: when you asked my question about some retooling for KG's eventual re-release (an event they've already copped will happen) we got "we can't discuss that" that's not an honest answer. they CAN discuss it, cuz it's fixing issues w/ an internal figure that they own, no licensor in the way, that they distribute, no middle man to answer for, for a toy we KNOW is coming. they jerked me around. and you, by extension. if we're getting on your nerves, that's fine, i'll own my part in that. but i do take a bit of exception to the seeming implication that our bad attitude is making this less than fun for you. our attitude in here is half the equation… but there's another half that will never hear your thoughts on the matter.
i'll do better to curb my attitude… but if you aren't going to vent some of that back at mattel, i think the least you can do is relax and let us vent. it's not personally an attack on you poe, and i don't think i've ever seen it be that. but you're reaction reads like you take our criticisms of THEM as if we're criticizing you… which we aren't.
you're like sam malone poe… we come here to gripe about work, and gripe about our wives and get a beer… you have to kind of learn to tune us out a bit, at least as it pertains to matty.
Heli
Lemme try again, in the spirit of goodwill.
The new Teela figure is as tall as, or taller than, He-Man, based on early pictures. Will a second, shorter (and thus more in-scale) female buck be considered for future MOTUC females?
Poe
@dayraven: I don't feel like I'm being criticized by you guys, at all. And I've learned to deal with the bitching–my threat of pulling the Q&As because of the bitching wasn't serious. Again, I get too many hits to do that.
What I was responding to was that so many people wanted me to ask Cythagen's question, and I knew I wasn't going to and wanted to preemptively explain why.
I just need you all to understand that I have absolutely no pull with Mattel. Zip. Zilch. Zero. They don't even send me review samples. And any leverage I might have had is probably canceled out by my occasional negative reviews of their products–i.e., the two-raven PE Batman review.
So I really can't go to them and vent my frustration with these Q&As–besides which, I'm not actually that frustrated with them. They're never any less than I expect, and I stopped personally investing anything in the answers a long time ago.
Sending an email to them complaining about the rote corporate answers will accomplish nothing, except maybe being given even more rote corporate answers in the Q&As as a subtle punishment for bothering them about it. If I want to get them to divulge any kernels or truth or a cool future product hint, I have to play relatively nice.
Anyway, that's enough from you, Dayraven. I'm asking your plastics question, so you just pipe down mister. 😛
mjturny23
~Heli, in the classics figure, Teela is actually the same size as He-man so she's in scale.
dayraven
thanks p-man!
i try man, i try not to be a negative nelly, i tuly do, but w/ that company especially… man, that can be a chore sometimes.
Barbecue17
Any chance of there being a subscription program for Ghostbusters?