Mattel news and Q&A roundup

February 3, 2009 | Poe

matty

Mattel has posted a couple updates on their Facebook page.

Due to Feb 15th falling on a weekend, and that being followed by a holiday (in the US), Stratos will therefore go on sale Tuesday the 17th at 12:00 eastern.

and

So we’ve asked our official research group to get some numbers behind collector interests as we move forward with even bigger and better figures both online and at retail!

Check out the link below if you would like to voluntarily tell us a bit about what you want from Mattel in the future!

Matty

https://deploy.ztelligence.com/start/index.jsp?PIN=13AWQ2NC598UD

Calling All Action Figure Collectors!

We’d like to invite you to participate in our new action figure research survey. As we strive to best meet your needs for action figures and collectibles, your responses are very important to us and will help us in our development of future products. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey and all of your answers and information will be kept strictly confidential.

I’ve filled out the survey, and it’s quite in-depth. Here’s hoping it has some significant effects on the future of DCUC and MOTUC.

Here’s a round-up of all the Mattel Q&As from yesterday:

Mattel also put up a new ad for Stratos.

January poll results

February 1, 2009 | Poe

The “Which character would you most want as this year’s MOTUC SDCC exclusive?” poll is now closed. Here are the final results:

  • The Sorceress (w/ Zoar) – 67 votes
  • He-Ro – 47 votes
  • Fearless Photog – 29 votes
  • Megator – 10 votes
  • Tytus – 4 votes

In retrospect, perhaps I shouldn’t have had the Sorceress on that list–she’s a shoo-in for the line, if it lasts long enough. I’m not suprised He-Ro is number two, and I’m impressed Fearless Photog managed to come in third. Megator, on the other hand, has disappointed me.

The February poll is up now–it’s about what 1980s toy properties you’d like to see redone for today’s collectors, like G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary or MOTUC. I skipped the most obvious properties, like Thundercats and Silverhawks, because I wanted people to have to actually think about who they want to vote for.

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode), 1/31/09

February 1, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy yo go re reviews the DC Direct Watchmen Rorschach figure. Excerpt: “This figure is only slightly above mediocre’ by 2009 standards …”

Jeff Saylor reviews the NECA Gears of War 2 Marcus Fenix vs. Locust Drone two-pack. Excerpt: “… the best Marcus Fenix figure ever released.”

Philip Reed reviews the Mezco Toyz HB II Hellboy San Diego Comic Con exclusive 3.75-inch figure. Excerpt: “As nice as some of the other Hellboy figures out there look, I really prefer this 3.75″ version …” (more…)

5 Questions With > JDP Design

January 29, 2009 | Poe

A few weeks back, I reviewed an Action Figure Display from JDP Design. I was so intrigued by the concept, I asked the boys at JDP to chat a bit about how the product came out and their own experiences with toy collecting.

bio-card-pictureCode Name: JDP Design
Real Name(s): Dan and Jeff Phillips, co-owners
Base of Operations: www.actionfiguredisplays.com
History: Our company creates Action Figure Displays, which are detailed, themed environments that give your toys a world to live in. We have always loved action figures and enjoy displaying our collection. We created Action Figure Displays because we wanted a way to more effectively display and photograph our figures. Years of developing our product has resulted in quality displays that include a wide variety of themes that can accommodate almost any type of action figure.

(more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode), 1/27/09

January 28, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Michael Crawford reviews the Hot Toys Predator 2 Lost Predator 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “… you won’t feel like you got some sort of steal, but you’ll know why you spent that much money.”

Jeff Parker reviews the Hot Toys Alien 3 Dog Alien 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “You couldn’t describe it as a bargain, but the work lavished on it certainly makes it fair …”

Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics Skeletor Mattycollector exclusive figure. Excerpt: “While I think this is a great sculpt, there’s no question it’s lacking in a lot of the traditional hallmarks of what is often considered great action figure sculpting …”

Dave Van Domelen reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe Deluxe class Generation 1 series Smokescreen and Beast Wars series Dinobot figures. Excerpt: “(Re: Dinobot) I think this design team is just not Beast-compatible.” (more…)

Pic of the Day

January 26, 2009 | Poe

Guys and their gadgets by Poe Ghostal

Guys and their gadgets

Poe’s note: I’d love to read some reader captions for this pic. Here’s the one I came up with:

Skeletor: “So, you say you can get the Sox game on this thing anywhere in the universe?”

Darkseid: “Yep. And I can watch episodes of The Office too.”

Review > Skeletor (Masters of the Universe Classics)

January 26, 2009 | Poe

skeletor_2This will be my third review of a Skeletor action figure. I never reviewed the 1980s original, primarily because I barely knew how to read when I first owned him.

grandpa_hemanAnd I did own him. Need photographic proof? That’s me around age four, with my grandfather, who is about the same age my father is now and looks shockingly like him. I can make out Skeletor and Man-at-Arms in the photo, though I have no idea what’s in my grandpa’s left hand…perhaps an Attak Trak sans treads? I cropped out the chair on the left of the photo, but the Talon Fighter is on it. What I find most shocking about this photo is the lack of armor on Skeletor and Man-at-Arms. That seems so unlike me…did I actually lose accessories when I was a kid? Nowadays I wouldn’t be able to rest until I had a fully armored and armed Skeletor.

I’ve written about both the history of MOTU and MOTUC more than enough by now, so you can revisit those reviews if you need the background information. On to the review! (more…)