Latest Updates from Mattel
Scott Neitlich (aka Toy Guru) of Mattel posted this on the ActionFigureInsider forums just a while ago. It addresses, among others, some of the questions asked by many regarding the DCUC waves.
Hey gang,
I’ve been a bit absent from the boards since the summer convention season and I wanted to give everyone a quick update and answer a few FAQs that are popping up lately.
First off, wanted to report to everyone that sales on all three lines DCUC, JLU and IH are going great and all three are set for a full year in 2009. And for that we thank all the fans out there for their support.
We’ve been a bit extra busy the past few months getting MattyCollector.com up and running. Its well known that we hit a few bumps out the gate, which is why we slowed down a bit. The new product will be up by the end of the year including the MOTUC, JLU and DCUC figures.
We’ll post more details on MattyCollector.com in the next few weeks, but know that ordering will be much smoother and we are working on improving the product and creating a subscription service which will let you pre buy figures in advance.
To answer a few questions going around the web, Wave Four of DCUC will be hitting in about a month and a half or so. You won’t see the same delay that held up Wave 3.
As for scale and paint op questions. Lobo is a bit big because he used the Despero body. We did not have the resources to do a 100% tool for the main man to get him out for SDCC, so he came out a bit big. Sinestro came out a bit small because, well, sometimes that is just what happens when you go from a mold to a final figure. It is called plastic reduction or “shrinkage in the molding/tool”. We try to avoid this as much as possible, but it is inevitable in the manufacturing process that some figures won’t finish off exactly as we wanted.
But we promise product review is working overtime to avoid problems like this and constantly improving plastic and paint ops. Not every figure will be perfect, but we darn well are trying out best.
A ton of more Infinite Heroes are on their way and we are adding in more articulation in 2009 as well. Plus a few surprises throughout the year. (hold onto those Anti-Monitor points if you will be at SDCC…)
Justice League should be much more plentiful on shelf. We know it was a bit hard to find figures for the first few weeks, but Waved 2 is almost ready to ship (along with a ton more Wave 1) and the 2009 product looks to be hitting before the end of the year!
All of us here at Mattel are working around the clock to get the best product to fans as quickly as possible while coping with rising productions costs, vendor changes and a million other details. We all thank you for your patients and promise it will be a much smoother 2009. If you have found the Q & As a bit “corporate” it is only because we don’t want to over promise. The last thing we want to do is announced a toy or a planned exclusive and for it to not happen. That is why we hold a lot of info close to the vest.
Look for more updates on MattyCollector in the next few weeks as we gear up for the main launch (the SDCC launch was just soft launch of the store, wait until you see all the wonderful surprises we have coming in Oct and beyond!). And NYCC is only a few short months away!
Keep those posts coming because we do read them and we do really care what fans think. It is only by working with the fans that we are able to create such amazing DC and MOTU figures.
TG
PS: We will be unveiling Stratos on He-Man.org on Sept 15th along with an extensive interview about MOTU Classics. After that, all new product will be shown over at MattyCollector.com, and boy do we have some great collectables ready for 2009!
Click on this link to read the original posting on AFI:
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12081
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when is the release of wave 3 and wave 4 in the philippines?
I dont know whats going on but all target stores and toysrus and walmart in the northern california/east bay area rarely have stocked pegs of DC CLASSIC figures. wave 1 was plenty but when 2 hit and later 3 its been nonexistent. every week its the same story. is there a shortage of supplies or is it they sell out fast?
Can anyone tell us where Wave 5 is? wal mart doesnt have it. When is Black Lightning, Atom, etc. series going to be released?? Its already nearly November ’09!
Hello Everybody!
My name is Leandro and I’m a 34 years old Brazilian action figure collector. I’d just like to say that I really like the DCUC line that Mattel’s been producing, but I must also give my opinion, since Mr. Neitlich says that the people from Mattel read these posts…
I am a huge Superman fan and it’s been a life long dream to own a perfect Superman action figure. The Supermen I bought from DC Direct were good figures, but usually lack in articulation.
My hopes were high when Mattel started producing DC action figures, starting with Batman. But, the first Superman you released in that Batman line was a very poor figure and I was greatly disappointed. Then, the second one you released within the DC Superheroes line was almost what I always wanted, but the colors of the costume were too dark, the head cut was a little strange, the cape was too thick and badly connected to the figure (Bizarro’s cape and overall looks were way better) and the legs were too wide open. You really needed to improve on that… But the new wave 3 or 4 Superman, instead of a corrected figure was a rerelease of the first “Batman” Superman… Who the heck had that brilliant idea?? You could have improved the almost good Superman but opted to put that awful figure on the market again… God knows why.
But now, I really thing that you have a great chance of finally producing a correct Superman version, with the correct colors (bright blue / bright red / bright yellow) with legs in a correct position and a cape that really looks like part of the costume. Please pay attention to those details. If the figure comes out really close to the photos this site is showing us, I’ll buy at least three of these figures – one to keep in package, another to exhibit and one to change the head for a short hair (I have five of that old DC Superheroes Superman that I tried to paint and customize in order to achieve a better looking figure)…
Please Mr. Neitlich, try to take care of that. I think the other figures look really nice, it’s just Superman that needs to be released in a real classic version… I thank you for trying to improve your figures and also thank you very much for releasing the Eradicator (I’ll buy at least two Eradicators, because I’ll need to change the “red eye head” for a normal Superman one) which is one of my favorite Superman figures.
One last thing – please take care of the DC Infinite Heroes line… These figures should have more articulation and the Superman from there must be a nice figure (the prototype photos I’ve seen made me think that it will be a poor figure again…). Take a look at what Hasbro has been doing with the recent GI JOE lines… This is what the Infinite Heroes should be…
I have to agree, wave 3′s paint apps were awful. I have a Sinestro Corp variant that is so bad, I jus gave him to a friend. The Green Lanterns, which looks like it should be the easiest to paint, is even terrible. Out of 6 GL’s on the shelf, I found 1 that was decent.
I really hope QC fixes these problems.
Dude you are such a suckup. why are you allowing people from CriticalMess to invade the Matty Collector forums? You really don’t how to run a board by encouraging this type of behavior and trolls. Catra’s Wrath has a some clue and is at least courteous. You’re just some guy with a small schlong on a huge ego trip.
Chill buddy. Some of the stuff you allow on that site borders on Cyberbulling. There’s a federal law against this sort of thing. Look it up.
I live in Central Ohio.
The 4th wave has been hitting around the Ohio area, particularly in Meijer Stores.
I am also seeing Wave 3 trickle out to Target Stores.
Shanks: Where do you live (I don’t mean an address)…I’m just wondering where wave 4 has hit.
I’m not convinced. It’s been years of empty promises (and empty pegs) from this company…and me scrambling from Target to Target, wasting gas money, chasing figures and variants that so seldom seem to materialize at retail.
Seeing is believing, so like the Doubting Thomas that I am proud to be, I’ll have to wait and see for myself if and when things improve.
I want to believe. But I just can’t. Make a believer out of me, Scott. I am a big DC fan and an ardent supporter of the JLU, DCUC and DCIH lines. Please don’t disappoint me.
Does that mean Wave 4 isn’t coming out until November. I’ve love the figures so far, and with the exception of red tornado have found the paint jobs for the most part done well. I especially love the brightness of the figures as compared to everything else on the shelves.
I am the same way… With the waves containing more figures in 09, the cost per wave is going to go up. My wave 3 was the worst paint apps that I have ever seen and if the QC is not better on the next shipment, I am going to drop this line from my collection. Which is a true shame because I really love this line but if the figures are not worth the paint on them, I’ll have to pass. Mattel, you have one more shot.
Their overtime work has been paying off.
Today I picked up all of Wave 4.
BATMAN BEYOND is solid. There are some rough points on the paint app, but I am satisfied.
CAPTAIN ATOM is also a solid fig. No rough points existed at all.
WONDER WOMAN looks great for a female fig. I think they had much more success with this figure than Marvel Legends had with their female characters.
CYBORG is one of the 2 shiny points of this line. I love this figure.
ARES is amazing! there is some amazing detail on this figure and the weapons stay in his hands without issue. I couldn’t be happier with this figure and I would dare say that this is the best figure thus far.
DESPERO! He is big and he looks smaller than LOBO and he is definitely smaller than SOLOMON GRUNDY, but he is solid with his hand gun and rifle. You can snap him together and he stays together and we all know that is a huge deal compared to Metamorpho.
Mattel is getting it together and I just hope that the quality stays on the up and up.
I hope you do improve the quality and the customer support.
my variant Sinestro was the worst Quality figure I have ever had or seen and I own over 2,000 figures, it had several faults on it, paint apps, glued joints, parts stuck on incorrectly.
Mattels customer sevrice was non existant. I was basicly told go get lost. I was mad enough to almost give the line up. But I’ll give you one more chance.