Answers to WTFWTK 2.13!

[Emiliano]

Guys, calm down!
There is no talk about releasing chase figures at all!
Please DO NOT spread false rumor.

The only chase figure being talked about here is a chase for this year SDCC exclusives.
EXACTLY like last year Bronze Grayskull.

[He-Man54]

Guys, calm down!
There is no talk about releasing chase figures at all!
Please DO NOT spread false rumor.

The only chase figure being talked about here is a chase for this year SDCC exclusives.
EXACTLY like last year Bronze Grayskull.

Thanks for saying this!! Chase figures for the entire line is one thing but an exclusive for an convention is another. What's the point of going to one of these things and standing in line forever, if you can just get the exact same thing on Monday morning?? I personally could never make it to SDCC or NYCC but those who make the effort and spend all that money to get there should get "rewarded" so to speak for it.

Just my 2 pennies...

[Heidi]

I have nothing against chase-variants. If I truly want them, I will save money and pay the prize they are going for. I think variants make collecting a bit more special. I truly dislike KG as a character, but I am still concidering getting the bronze variant of him.

These WTFWTK - sessions aren't really stone-carved holy scriptures hand written by the mainman himself. Things change and evolve in all areas of life, in toy-business too.

Heidi

[Raining Light]

To me doing a different paint app like they said makes it an exclusive or chase. And thats far differnt then a sticker or whatever.

No its not confirmed if they are doing anything for sure, but by us saying we dont like the idea, thats giving Mattel feed back. We just have to make sure we do it the right way and make it constructive

[foots_mcgee]

Guys, calm down!
There is no talk about releasing chase figures at all!
Please DO NOT spread false rumor.

The only chase figure being talked about here is a chase for this year SDCC exclusives.
EXACTLY like last year Bronze Grayskull.

Perhaps fans didn't like the way Bronze Grayskull was handled but dealt with it because they felt they were given a voice by Mattel at the panel?

That describes me anyway. I chose not to express my displeasure with the Bronze and Spirit of Grayskull figures simply because it seemed Mattel wasn't going to be doing it again after hearing what fans wanted. I don't see the reason for it. Faker seemed to do just fine as far as sales and hype at NYCC. He was successful despite being the March figure.... he wasn't even a bonus figure.

It seems like to me Mattel has this idea of what should work. No matter how hard they try to deviate/innovate (even when that innovation is successful) they can't help but get sucked back into that crappy antiquated formula. The line is working.... fans have made it clear.... so what reason is there other than stubbornness? Why do they insist on shooting themselves in the foot?

[Jamps]

Comicon exclusives are a headache. I live in Peru and it was very expensive to get a King Grayskull. I was hoping no more exclusive figures so we can buy the entire line at mattycollector. I'm sure a lot of international fans have the same problem with this. I don't like the idea of chase figures neither but as long we can buy the regular version at matty I'm ok.

[darkluke74]

thumb down on any exclusive and/or chase variants available only at cons....please take examples from Sideshow as an example: attendee exclusive to be preordered 1 or 2 per person, all the other left order online with a lower order limit, just like Faker...

[bcrduke]

I was optimistic when they made the con exclusives available online but, I now see Mattel is still insists on carrying on the bad idea of exclusives and chase figures. All this answer means to me is that if I also happen to like this con exclusive with something 'special' then I have to go online and pay a scalper a ton of money because I couldn't attend. When will Mattel learn that listening to the general consensus of fans (= customers = profits = their jobs) is good for business and them.
Why won't they listen to the fans on this issue?

Because they don't have to. They do care what we think, but they NEED secondary retailers/scalpers to help make the line a success.

If they do an exclusive SDCC figure of He-Ro, for example.. and he comes with his staff and, let's say, the Sword of Protection.. (humor me, if they decide that He-Ro and King Grayskull were bros, then perhaps the Sword of Protection IS He-Ro's staff... after all, She-Ra's sword could morph into other things), well, the regular release on mattycollector might NOT come with the Sword of Protection (but She-Ra would... later), but might come with a magic book or something...

SO, scalpers/secondary retailers AND fans/collectors, will buy up ALL the SDCC figures... then when the SDCC variant is released on matty, completists will buy it, and so will some non-completists... and the scalpers will too.

This imo guarantees excellent sales, and Mattel needs to show corporate that the line is a BIG success.


On another note, I do NOT like that they wouldn't answer questions regarding Teela... I mean, why not answer? They could have just said, "we have not decided." or "Yes" or "no" or "none of yo' dang business!"

Weird.

[Vorgon]

i wonder why they eluded my Teela question. Hopefully that means they have not made up their mind about it just yet! I really hope all females sport the same articulation as their male counterparts, i.e. ab crunch and swivel waist

I agree in the hopes that females are allowed just as much articulation as the males.

On another note, I do NOT like that they wouldn't answer questions regarding Teela... I mean, why not answer? They could have just said, "we have not decided." or "Yes" or "no" or "none of yo' dang business!"

Weird.

I agree they could have just said something.I dunno maybe perhaps they just missed it by accident.

I dont mind Hordak's armor its a price that I am willing to pay to keep the ab crunch.Sides I am sure it will look fine on the final product.

I dont mind the exclusives chase/variant for the cons as long as they give us some form of the figure to purchase on matty ,I'm good.If the paint scheme or weapon is something I really have to have then I'll just go to the bay and grab it.I know that I may pay more money for it but if I was to attend the convention it would be like 1,000 dollars for all my expenses(food,plane,admission,hotel), not to mention time away from my dog, so fifty or a hundred bucks I dont mind.I've been to the SDCC and its really not worth the effort. I think I spent more time outside enjoying staring out at the water and sail boats, then I did inside the convention center.

I am still surprised that motu fans still doubt the horsemen's ability to give us awsome motu figures.Mer-Man is using Skeletor's body but the horsemen added gills as a little something extra,c'mon guys have some faith.

[Multibot]

Well they said at NYCC that we will on occasion get a bonus figure. Glad to see that Battle Cat will be one of them. As for the reusing parts. NO one seemed to mind back in the day? Why mind now? Look at Beast Man and Stratos. Same body, but both still look great and to one who doesn't know that it's the same body couldn't tell.

because it's not the 80's anymore! They have the ability to make them better than that & more unique. Anyone with a pair of eyes can tell what parts are the same. It's not hard to see that. This is supposed to an adult collector line, not a kids line. Recycled parts were fine back in the 80's when it was a kids' line; but as adults we want them to be a bit more sophisticated than that. Some of us do anyway... Even as a kid in the 80's i thought it was cheap & chinzy to reuse parts for new figures. IMO it was the same as buying the same toy over & over again. These are not $5 kid's figures, they're $20 adult collectibles. For that price, we should get more than just recycled parts.

It's not really a chase figure. The figure will be the same as when it's released on Matty.com. Only difference is a added special something. We don't even know what it is! It could be a sticker for all we know. And if it is something like an accessory, If you want that extra item. Try Ebay for it!

yeah, great idea. Pay triple the price for something that shouldn't have been altered/changed in the first place. If it's different from what's offered on Matty, then it IS a chase figure, imo.

Well no one is making you fly out to attend the show. Besides if you have the money to do that. Why not use it and buy the figure off ebay! YOu save a lot of money in the long run.

in what way? paying $50 or more on ebay for a $20 item that should be on Matty? Maybe we should just buy every figure on ebay, as that seems to be your solution.

Well let's see, since MOTU brand doesn't seem to have the weight it did in the 80's. No wonder the 200X line failed at retail. Will not go into that here. So I don't see a problem the way they're doing it now. Again, The SDCC figure will be the same as when it's released on Mattycollector.com. Only difference is a added special something. We don't even know what it is yet! So why have a fit over it?

because alot of collectors won't be able to get it unless they attend the cons or pay through the nose on ebay for that 'special' item if they want it. They don't need to alter the figure or add accessories to it. so yes, it does warrant a bit of a fit.

I wonder the same. I hope the females sport the same articulation as the males do. I mean if the DC Universe can. Why not MOTU? I just wonder of they will actually have to make a couple different female body types to accommodate the costumes that certain characters wear. After all, Teela doesn't wear the same costume as The Sorceress. And she doesn't wear the same costume type as Glimmer.

I don't see why the females would be articulated any differently from the males.

That's your opinion and your entitled to it. But, I think Mattel has become a bit better to listening to the fans and what they would like to see. And this is one who hated Mattel after the 200X fiasco.

apparently they are not listening to us. The vast majority of fans are against the idea of chase figures or ''ultra rare'' con exclusives that many of us won't get unless we pay outrageous prices for it. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

That's all I can say about that.

[LEE-RO]

Give Hordak full armour just like the original! Same for everyone that had the snap-together armour. I mean If you take it off and he's still painted black underneath, whats the point?
They might as well just sculpt the armour as the main torso part.

I'm in 2 minds about con exclusives. They are kinda cool,but i'd like to have them without lining scalpers pockets. Not to mention scammers.

King Grayskull:
$50 to scammer = no grayskull
$50 to scalper + postage = Finally got one!

Whereas if I could have got him online I'd have saved heaps!

[webhead05]

I agree with the others.
I do not like the whole exclusive/chase stuff going on.
I'm a completionist so it just makes it hard on me.

I couldn't agree more. I'm exactly the same way. I don't understand how making chase figures benefits anyone but the scalpers on ebay. I know the purpose is to try to get more people to come to the conventions, but that is just plain stupid imo!

[Emiliano]

Apparently no one is really paying attention
There is no talk about chase figures excpet one for the Con Exclusive.

The Con Exclusive will be available online after the con.

webhead05: the purpose of the con exclusive si also paying for the (high) expenses of the Con.

Multibot: please use those quotes tags!

[jzguitars]

Nice! This is something I've been wondering about.

I don't like this idea of a bonus figure. I'm already dishing out fifty bucks a month to get two figures, now I have to get two battlecats in addition to the regular figures? And since they can't seem to make enough of these to last longer than a month I will be forced to spend extra money for bonus figures if I want a complete collection. Didn't Mattel hear anything we've been saying? These figures are already expensive and I don't know if I can afford to spend extra each month, we are in a recession in the US right?

[Jamps]

Apparently no one is really paying attention
There is no talk about chase figures excpet one for the Con Exclusive.

The Con Exclusive will be available online after the con.

It's that so? They are going to sell it one or two months later like faker? Without any changes or redecos?
I really hope that's the case.

[Randor'sRogue]

I for one fully support Con exclusive figures. Though honestly, none of us even know what that means for sure yet.

Mattel said they would have some available after the Con (just like Grayskull). Everyone will have a chance to get one I'm sure, though again, many will likely let the chance pass the by then proceed to whine incessantly about it every chance they get...

[tylerm23]

10. Last year at SDCC we were told there wouldn't be any more chase figures. Now at NYCC we were told there might be a chase for the SDCC exclusive. Will you tell us the rarity of this particular chase so the many fans who will want one know their odds, as well as helping them avoid paying high after-market prices?
We actually have not locked down exactly what we are doing. Our challenge this year is that now that we have Matty-Collector.com and the exclusives are available online after the show, we wanted to make the figures actually at the show a little extra special as they were intended to be. It is likely that the batch we bring to the show itself will get something extra not available online. Whether this is an accessory change or a paint op change will depend on the figure, but it is something you will see in a few of our exclusives this year.

For me, I'd be fine with a paint op change but not an accessory change. I understand the whole thing about rewarding those who actually come to the conventions, but I think changing the included accessories is a bit drastic. I think a paint change would be less expensive anyway. When I think paint change, I'm thinking like the show ones having bright gold and the others a sort of bronze - something like that so it keeps the character the same while still offering something 'extra special'.

[Raining Light]

Apparently no one is really paying attention
There is no talk about chase figures excpet one for the Con Exclusive.

The Con Exclusive will be available online after the con.

webhead05: the purpose of the con exclusive si also paying for the (high) expenses of the Con.

Multibot: please use those quotes tags!

And I think what we are trying to say is that Mattel seem to planning on changing something to make the one at the actual con more exclusive. A paint app or or accessory change or something else. For alot of people that makes it a exclusive and/or a chase figure. Alot of people then view it as 2 different figures-1 from the con and the 1 offered on Matty. And we are saying we dont want that.
Business wise I understand why and what they are thinking about and it makes sense.
But for fans and collectors it just makes it hard if we want the figure.

Whether its with the con figure or all of them, we dont want it.
We want to have the ability to get everything offered by Mattel, equally.
But make a con even more exclusive makes alot of people unhappy, including international fans. Due to having to pay a ton to get a hold of the figure.

I apologize if I come off rude or anything, I do not mean to.
Just trying to debate something in an adult manner, that doesn't mean Im good at it though-lol.

[Darth Latveria]

And what we are saying is that Mattel seem to planning on changing something to make the one at the actual con more exclusive. A paint app or or accessory change or something else. For alot of people that makes it a exclusive and/or a chase figure. Alot of people then view it as 2 different figures-1 from the con and the 1 offered on Matty. And we are saying we dont want that.
Business wise I understand why and what they are thinking about and it makes sense.
But for fans and collectors it just makes it hard if we want the figure.

Whether its with the con figure or all of them, we dont want it.
We want to have the ability to get everything offered by Mattel, equally.
But make a con even more exclusive makes alot of people unhappy, including international fans. Due to having to pay a ton to get a hold of the figure.

I agree with you. I no longer collect action figures and these kinds of things are a big part of why.

Personally I'd feel okay with them doing special packaging for the con, like maybe nice resealable boxes. But any changes to the figures themselves left me very unhappy back when I was collecting.

[Marvelous0ne]

because it's not the 80's anymore! They have the ability to make them better than that & more unique. Anyone with a pair of eyes can tell what parts are the same. It's not hard to see that. This is supposed to an adult collector line, not a kids line. Recycled parts were fine back in the 80's when it was a kids' line; but as adults we want them to be a bit more sophisticated than that. Some of us do anyway... Even as a kid in the 80's i thought it was cheap & chinzy to reuse parts for new figures. IMO it was the same as buying the same toy over & over again. These are not $5 kid's figures, they're $20 adult collectibles. For that price, we should get more than just recycled parts.

Yes they have the ability to make the better, but like they said at NYCC and SDCC the previous year. They only have so much money allotted for this line. Since this line did not go to retail since retailer were not interested. So recycling parts was part of the way to cut costs. And even if it did hit retail. They would probably cost a bit more or the same price of DC Universe Classics. They they sell for $15 each depending where you get them. So for $20 we're getting a line that would have already probably been canceled if at retail.

in what way? paying $50 or more on ebay for a $20 item that should be on Matty? Maybe we should just buy every figure on ebay, as that seems to be your solution.

Then why don't you go to the SDCC and buy it. Sure you'll spend a lot for admission for the 1 or two days you;ll be there. Hotel accommodations, Food, Souvenirs and other stuff you might need. So paying $50 for it on Ebay is a small price compared to what you would spend for the whole trip. So I see no reason to be complaining of paying $50 for it on Ebay.

I don't see why the females would be articulated any differently from the males.

Because the Teela Figure prtotype shown doesn't seem to sport the ab crunch articulation. So there is talk that the females might not have them. Plus the question about it was not answered by Mattel.

[Arm-Ore]

Since they are still figuring out how to do the Con exclusive figure, why don't we make suggestions here so that we can find a way to solve this together?

I personally would like to see the exact the same figure/package available for Con exclusive and online. Still, to be fair to people who actually attend SDCC, Mattel can put a special sticker (a nice laser sticker, even) on the package for the Con exclusive. That would make the Con exclusive special enough for collectors (at least it would for me). More importantly, I believe that most people who cannot attend the Con wouldn't mind missing a figure with a special sticker on the package as long as they can get the exact the same figure through Matty. Also, this is probably the simplest method for Mattel to separate the two: just produce the figures all at once and apply the stickers for the SDCC exclusive.

[Super He-Man]

I don't like this idea of a bonus figure. I'm already dishing out fifty bucks a month to get two figures, now I have to get two battlecats in addition to the regular figures? And since they can't seem to make enough of these to last longer than a month I will be forced to spend extra money for bonus figures if I want a complete collection. Didn't Mattel hear anything we've been saying? These figures are already expensive and I don't know if I can afford to spend extra each month, we are in a recession in the US right?

Actually, Mttel heard exactly what we've been saying. A lot of people on these boards have been asking for a 2nd figure a month before even He-Man was released. I think this is just an example of "you can't please everybody".

[River]

And the answer to the Hordak armor is not cool for me. I think the armor looks just silly and don't like where they are going with it.

Ditto. I just don't think it looks good aesthetically, and could care less about the ab articulation. Maybe there is a better solution to the ab issue? When I read that answer I immediately thought "yuck." I don't mean to be so negative about it, but I just absolutely do not like it on Hordak and wouldn't like it on other figures either. If we wanted to bend Hordak's waist, why couldn't we just take his armor off?

But- on a positive note- was glad to hear about Battle Cat as a bonus figure.

[ash]

Guys, calm down!
There is no talk about releasing chase figures at all!
Please DO NOT spread false rumor.

The only chase figure being talked about here is a chase for this year SDCC exclusives.
EXACTLY like last year Bronze Grayskull.

Con Exclusives are already hard to get (reduced availability after the con for King Grayskull, lower limits on Faker). If you have an even harder to get chase added into the mix it is kind of an insult for a line that is supposed to be geared towards collectors. Given that at the SDCC panel last year there was a resounding "NO" from the attendees with respect to chase figures, I don't see why they would even think about this, let alone do it.

So, even if the convention figure is available afterwards, you have no guarantee of getting the chase, thus you have the choice of paying a lot of money on secondary markets OR having a hole in your collection. This is not in the spirit of this line where every figure should be available to all who want them.

[River]

In all fairness, I understand that a lot of collectors of the line don't want chase figures at all (including the San Diego exclusive). But I agree with Emiliano- there seems to be a good bit of overreaction/coupled with misunderstanding going on. I read the comment as only referring to the San Diego exclusive- nothing less or more... similar to King Grayskull's treatment last year.