Answers to WTFWTK 2.2!

[Man-E-Toys]

IMO, this whole 1 figure a month thing is bad. Don't get me wrong, i'm excited to see new figures done in a classic style, but the numbers **** me off.

i'm not up to speed about all the aspects of the new line, so the 1st wave that they're showing at the SD con (he-man, skeletor etc.), are they gonna be released in one shot or they a one figure a month deal also???

[Jukka]

i'm not up to speed about all the aspects of the new line, so the 1st wave that they're showing at the SD con (he-man, skeletor etc.), are they gonna be released in one shot or they a one figure a month deal also???

From what I understand, they will showcase roughly the first wave of characters at SDCC. Though I don't know how much that list will be. It could be 6 figures, or 8 or 10.
King Grayskull's box will showcase also upcoming figures at the back (the ones we will see at Con).

The figures will be once per month, starting in Oct.
So we know what characters we will be getting, but the wait will kill us, and they may not reveal any order as to how they will be released.

[Tallstar]

They're good points for sure, but I reference you back to JVS3's post about searches and the numbers there.

There could be a lot of different reasons why He-Man.org stats are showing that very few people click on the link(s) when they search for She-Ra on Google. If those stats accurately represented She-Ra's popularity (for the most part), then sales should have translated to only about 100 figures sold out of every 5,000 She-Ras produced. -- Even with the DVDs. A big point was made about how MOTU sold more DVDs, but PoP didn't get a DVD commercial early on like MOTU, nor did she just have an all new toy-line/cartoon come before the releases. So, not counting Wal-Mart Sales, it's amazing that her 'Best of' set was able to do over 50% of MOTU sales. I think PoP is underestimated.

[Darkspecter]

King Grayskull's box will showcase also upcoming figures at the back (the ones we will see at Con).

Oh...that kind of bites. I hope when it's assembled into Castle Grayskull you can't see the pictures of the figures. If you can, doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of making it a playset? It will look like the Castle has wanted posters on the back...

[JimmyPSHayes]

This is great news all around. The only thing that it TEARING ME APART is that Stinkor won't stink!!!! But, I understand. As long as I get a new figure!

[JVS3]

It's not supposed to be a playset.
It's just cool packaging.

[Darkspecter]

It's not supposed to be a playset.
It's just cool packaging.

It transforms into Castle Grayskull, has a jaw bridge you can lower and has lights and sounds, all stuff you play with. Sounds like a playset to me.

[JVS3]

Sure, if you want to think of it like that.
But it's not created to be a playset.
It's created to be an interactive packaging backdrop to the figure.
It definitely doesn't have the features, volume or material to be an actual playset.

[xBBestx]

Sure, if you want to think of it like that.
But it's not created to be a playset.
It's created to be an interactive packaging backdrop to the figure.
It definitely doesn't have the features, volume or material to be an actual playset.

I get what your saying, but more confusion from the front page...

"San Diego Comic Con Exclusives:

Master of the Universe Classics King Grayskull™ $30.00

At long last, the original most powerful man in the universe is coming to toy shelves as a Comic Con exclusive! King Grayskull™ is the inaugural MOTU Classics highly detailed fully articulated action figure sculpted by the Four Horsemen. Grayskull comes in a brand new package featuring lights and sounds which transforms into a mini Castle Grayskull™ playset."

[JVS3]

We're getting into a semantic argument.
And it doesn't really matter.

At the end of the day, I think we're all fully aware that it's a transforming package and not an actual substitute for a real playset.
It's still cool, though.

[Angel-T]

As fancy packaging I think its great! But, If this is Mattel's actual take on a Castle Grayskull play set I would be very disapointed indeed. I think it works fine as a fancy package. However, it will help fill the void until a real Castle Grayskull can be produced.

[SKELEPIMP]

Ess not a tumou!!


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[Predabot]

She-who? J/k!

Seriously though... IMO Mattel should follow there own original 8 pack plus Grayskull, Sorceress, She-Ra, and Adam... that'd be a heck of great year and many bases would be covered!!

Year 2 should include Adora, Randor, Hordak, and a smattering of Masters, Evil Warriors, and Horde. Maybe even Hiss.

See, I have a problem with this.

Do you honestly think the sales on year 2 will be as good as year 1 if they don't spread the fan-faves out? Look at what the 4H did with the Stactions. A brilliant move, in my eyes. They spread them out, and I honestly think it made sales better.

Sure, you gotta' have He-man and Skeletor in the first year, but there's nothing written in stone about the rest of the popular characters. Sorceress for instance, I would say is DEFINITELY a character that one needs to put in the year 2 line-up. It feels natural (well, to me) and she will help sales that year.

Spreading and mixing it up with B-list MotU, unproduced guys, NA and PoP is the only way to make the line sell, and include the fav's of as many fans as possible, imho.

[joseephus]

I know what I say keeps falling on deaf ears, but I hope Mattel is at least listening. If everyone is so concerned about what figures should come out first because they think sales might start to fall later on, "DO BUILD A FIGURES!" If knowing to build Tytus, Modulok, or whoever else you might have to buy an obscure character like Twistoid, I think you will do it. I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but i know it will help.

[Darkspecter]

I think PoP is underestimated.

Exactly. PoP is the little engine that could...and did. Please Mattel, let PoP do it again!

"DO BUILD A FIGURES!" If knowing to build Tytus, Modulok, or whoever else you might have to buy an obscure character like Twistoid, I think you will do it. I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but i know it will help.

I agree. Titus and Megator NEED to be build a figures just as ToyBiz made Apocalypse, Giant Man and Galactus build a figures. Since the characters are so large, packaging costs, shipping, etc. would all be a lot more unless they do it this way...and as joseephus said, it helps to make some people buy figures they wouldn't otherwise buy (like NA characters).

I think they should only do this for the larger characters or characters who require lots of accessories. Extendar would be a good build-a-figure because he would require two sets of arms and legs, torso, neck and weapons.

It might also be a good way to get the cats and small vehicles too.

[JVS3]

That's one thing I'm in 100% agreement with: do BAFs
It encourages people to buy all of the figures coming out, especially if the BAF is something really cool.

[Drewsky]

That's one thing I'm in 100% agreement with: do BAFs
It encourages people to buy all of the figures coming out, especially if the BAF is something really cool.

And you can't tell me that Modulok or Multi-bot wouldn't be the perfect figures for a BAF.

Drewsky...

[Neutro]

I know what I say keeps falling on deaf ears, but I hope Mattel is at least listening. If everyone is so concerned about what figures should come out first because they think sales might start to fall later on, "DO BUILD A FIGURES!" If knowing to build Tytus, Modulok, or whoever else you might have to buy an obscure character like Twistoid, I think you will do it. I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but i know it will help.

Actually, I think that most would AGREE with you, I know I do, and I can attest to that theory since it's the reason I bought the entire first wave of DCUC.

[SKELEPIMP]

That's one thing I'm in 100% agreement with: do BAFs
It encourages people to buy all of the figures coming out, especially if the BAF is something really cool.

Yeah!...that would be very cool.


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[Darkspecter]

It's not supposed to be a playset.
It's just cool packaging.

I guess it really is a retro classics line because they re-used this packaging:





It's foam bath and shampoo.

[Tallstar]

Awhile back, a board member called ziksby came to the Classics forum and he posted a ranked sales numbers list from a UK toy store chain that he worked for. According to him, this is how the MOTU characters ranked at his stores. This is 1 year sales for 1984, coming from 75 stores: (*Note: He said that some of the numbers may appear a bit lower because of an 'out of stock' situation, but this is roughly what they did)

I thought posting this would be neat, in the sense of giving us a rough idea of which MOTU characters are strong enough sellers to come early on, and which ones may be sprinkled in between...

He-Man .........................65745 (all figures @ £2.99)
Skelator.........................45040
Beast Man......................20102
Trap Jaw........................19799
Prince Adam....................18397
Stratos..........................18268
Triclops..........................17784
Man-e-Faces...................17242
Man at Arms....................17122
Makanek.........................16806
Ram Man.........................15227
Princess Teela..................14206
Jitsu...............................13902
Webster..........................11667
Evil Lynn..........................9712
Faker..............................8562
Merman...........................7656
Screech..........................6938
Whiplash.........................5210

[baileyrecords]

He-Man .........................65745 (all figures @ £2.99)
Skelator.........................45040
Beast Man......................20102
Trap Jaw........................19799
Prince Adam....................18397
Stratos..........................18268
Triclops..........................17784
Man-e-Faces...................17242
Man at Arms....................17122
Makanek.........................16806
Ram Man.........................15227
Princess Teela..................14206
Jitsu...............................13902
Webster..........................11667
Evil Lynn..........................9712
Faker..............................8562
Merman...........................7656
Screech..........................6938
Whiplash.........................5210

He-Man - #1
Skeletor - #2
Beastman - #3
Stratos - #6
Zodak - not listed
Man-At-Arms - #9
Merman - #17
Teela - #12

So, there's the 8 Back with popularity # in 1984. Take this into consideration and my previous post suggestion of where characters should be released and Teela, Zodak, and Merman drop to Year 2 releases. Not a bother to me. Glad to see Stratos is in the Top Ten!

[Patreek]

You have to remember the case ratio situation and out of stock as well because I know that a lot of those characters that are lower on the list were also a lot harder to find back then. I don't think these numbers really show TRUE character popularity

[Arm-Ore]

Hello, newbie here. I am a long-time He-fan and and very very excited about this new line.

I certainly love what Mattel is doing so far. Their approach for the action-features is a bit disappointing, but we do get good poseable action figures in return. My only thing is about Stinkor... (since I am a big fan), I understand that it is a lot of extra work just to have the figure smell. But is it possible to throw a small "stink pouch" in the package for Stinkor? (Something like those refills for plug-in air freshener.) That way the stink pack will "stink up" the package and the figure inside. For people who hate the smell, they can just throw away the pouch when they open the package.
And for the stink lovers like myself, we can always put the figure back into the package to "recharge the odor"!

Anyways, I can't wait to see my first MOTUC figure and I will certainly do my part to support the line and make it a success.

[Baena]

Thanks for posting that Tally!

It's UK, Not US, I'd be curious to know the differences between the two markets, as I'm pretty sure there would be discrepencies. But all in all, this is really cool, thanks!