Mattel had plenty of DC Universe stuff on display at the collector’s event last Sunday, from DC Universe Classics to Batman: Legacy, to Young Justice and Action League, to Green Lantern and Retro Action DC Super Heroes. (more…)
Matty News Roundup
Mattel has dropped a few bits of news here and there over the last few days, so I thought I’d round them up for you. (more…)
Submit your QC issues for Mattel
As some other sites are doing, I’m willing to present to Mattel a list of common QC problems on their figures. For most of you I’m guessing this will be related to Masters of the Universe Classics and DC Universe Classics, but any Mattel product are welcome. Here’s Scott Neitlich’s note (this one was to AFI) about it:
I know you’ve been asking for a way to get more input into the DCUC line and I have a challenge for you (as a site community) that works well for a dedicated site like this!
Clearly there are a lot of design and engineering issues fans have requested reviewed over the last two years (and many many if not all have been). However, our design and engineering staff has less time to surf the boards and I can only explain so much without images and details.
So here is the challenge. As a website community, put together a one page letter (along with any needed visual photos of product) and I will deliver this to the engineering and design group. Outline in a straightforward way design issues you have or requests (such as weak ankles, bobble heads etc..) But try to keep it on issues that are relevant, not ones that have been resolved. Also, this is design issues only, not shipping or customer service related to Mattycollector.com or retail inventory.
Have a representative who will be at NYTF deliver 4 copies of the letter/visuals to me there at our fan night on Sunday the 13th at 3pm. I will bring it to design so we can all review (along with the Four Horsemen).
I’ll leave it up to you all as to who actually writes the final letter, but as a web site community lets hear what you have to say.
Remember, visuals help a great deal. Try to keep the letter to one page max but attach whatever visuals are needed.
Together we can work to make this line even better! Lets hear what you have to say.
So here’s what to do: just shoot me an email (poe AT poeghostal.com) with a couple of photos of any and all QC problems you’ve run into with a DCUC or MOTUC figure, and then also describe the problem. I’ll write up a letter, print it out along with all the photos, and present it to Scott at Toy Fair.
This is your chance to make a real impression on Mattel regarding this issue–let’s do it! The deadline is 7pm Friday evening.
Toy Aisle Trolls > Arkilljoy
Toy Aisle Trolls is a feature highlighting acts of vandalism to in-store toy items. If you find a ruined package, a stolen figure, a swapped-out figure, or any other such acts, take a photo (cell phone photos are fine if they’re not blurry) and email them to poe AT poeghostal.com.
Mr. G submits this for your disapproval:
Odds ‘n Ends > February 1, 2011 (Updated)
- I finally remembered to pick a winner in the Parasite/Hawkgirl contest–it was Reverend Ender. Congrats, RE!
- The blog Collider has hi-res pics of some of the Bandai Thundercats toys. No pics of the 8″ Classics line yet, though. You can also see the full product list here.
- It looks like Bif Bang Pow‘s second series of Lost figures may not be produced due to low sales. No surprise there. Look, I don’t want to bag on BBP; they seem like decent guys who really love toys. But Mego-style Lost figures was a bad idea from the start. And now Lost itself is pretty passé. To BBP: Please move on to 6″ non-Mego style Venture Bros. figures. (from Island of Lost Megos, via OAFE)
- And also make a Prince Vultan for the Flash Gordon line–heck, make it Mego style if you have to, I don’t care. But I think we’ve all waited long enough for a winged action figure of Brian Blessed in kitten heels. (I’m deadly serious here.)
- Mattel has asked a few websites, such as AFI, to put together a list of QC/engineering problems with the DCUC/MOTUC lines and present them, with pics, at NYTF. Since I’m going, I don’t mind spearheading an operation for this here on PGPoA, if people are interested. Let me know below, and if you are, I’ll put up a specific post and email address for submissions.
- Update: NOW I remember what my last Odd/End was going to be: the Sword of Ages and the Dread Axe of Darkness will be returning this month!
Review > Flash, Captain Cold (Retro Action DC Super Heroes, Mattel)
I’ve often mentioned I don’t like action figures with soft goods–fabric capes, clothes, anything. Such figures could never be my “definitive” figure of a character. However, there’s something to be said for what you could call simply “fun” figures–odd, unusual, or just plain goofy figures who have a certain charm, despite not being at all what one would consider a “definitive” version of a character.
Take Mego-style figures. While Mego arguably represented the most state-of-the-art versions of characters as action figures in the 1970s, they’ve been long surpassed by the works of Kenner, Mattel, Hasbro, and DC Direct. But while your “definitive” Batman action figure might be DC Direct’s Hush version or Mattel’s Crime Stopper Batman, there’s something to be said for the appeal of more cartoonish lines like Mattel’s Retro Action DC Super Heroes–or, for that matter, Funko’s POP Heroes, any of the myriad Hasbro Heroes-style lines. I view these nuveau-Mego figures (Megeau?) more like stylized collectibles than action figures. (more…)
Pic of the Day
DC Universe Classics Batman by Clarkent78
Toy Aisle Trolls > Tyr-ed Up
Toy Aisle Trolls is a feature highlighting acts of vandalism to in-store toy items. If you find a ruined package, a stolen figure, a swapped-out figure, or any other such acts, take a photo (cell phone photos are fine if they’re not blurry) and email them to poe AT poeghostal.com.
Here’s a little number found by a buddy of Poester Epyon Enforcer.
This is a pretty classic example of a toy aisle troll–swapped out Tyr for Scorpion, and thus emperiled his immortal soul. I hope it was worth it. Pay for your toys, or don’t buy them at all.
AFI has MOTU, DC, Ghostbusters previews
Keep an eye on ActionFigureInsider, because it looks like they’re going to have some pretty nice previews up soon.
- Retro-Action Jon Stewart (More like Afro-Action!)
- Courtroom Peter Venkman
- Preternia He-Man
- Panthor (who’s not even out until April)
- Bow
- Bow 2
Speaking of Bow, if you had your druthers, what would you have made his “real name” instead of Kyle Reccula? The best suggestion I saw on He-Man.org was “Bowen Fletcher,” although personally I think I’d have just named him “Flynn.”
Pic of the Day
DC Universe Creeper by Clarkent78