Ask Mattel > Answers for January 17, 2012

1.) Mecha-Shiva asks: The SDCC exclusive Blazing sword Voltron is awesome and greatly underrated, any chance of making a Vehicle Voltron? 

There are no plans at this time but keep those requests coming!

2.) Zach asks: When will DCAS characters such as Superman and the Flash have an “‘open handed” sculpt for such poses as flying and running, and be able to look up again?

This is something we are always looking into, but no plans to announce right now.

3.) Dark Angel asks: The thigh piece for the female buck first seen on Battleground Teela is apparently being reused on two of the Star Sisters. This piece lacks the very important upper thigh POA that is really integral for posing, balancing, and allowing female figures to “ride” the various critters of MOTUC. It is also particularly important, if I may say, when one wants their female figures to stand a bit more demurely than the average action figure). Is the use of this solid thigh piece going to be limited (or better yet, eliminated), or are we on the road to permanently losing this POA from the female buck?

This is something decided on by the Horsemen and design on a figure by figure basis. There is no specific “rule.”

4.) SaveALemming asks: I’ve seen so many toy sets based on the first Toy Story Toon, Hawaiian Vacation. Will Mattel be doing any sets based on “Small Fry,” which was attached to The Muppets? It did introduce a great variety of new smaller toy characters.

This is something we are looking into but nothing to announce right now!

5.) Damien asks: In regards to using the extra-large kneepads on Superstars that don’t actually wear that type, you said this in a recent WrestlingFigs Q&A:

The long knee pad is used on most Superstars wearing kick pads in order to prevent there being a gap between the pad and the boot. There are some superstars who wear compression wraps or other wraps under the knee pad and use the Long knee pad to include that detail.

My question is this: Have you considered using a simple paint application for compression wraps and the like instead? I would venture to guess that most collectors (and children, also) would vastly prefer the greater mobility that would accompany a smaller kneepad over a partially-painted leg rather than the huge, thick kneepad that basically obscures most knee movement. In addition to allowing greater playability, this would also actually look far more accurate. Please keep in mind that the over-large kneepad is extremely limiting for posing and looks inaccurate on many wrestlers.

Yes we have looked into this option and we continue to listen to fan input to always improve figures!