*PROTECTED* King Hsss's snake form needs to be improved urgently !

[Berserker79]

One thing is certain:

If they retool him, the budget for 2011 will be less, that it would normaly be, because of the additional costs.

[flitzi]

He hasn´t been tooled yet, to my understanding. What we saw on SDCC was the 4HM´s prototype.

[Emiliano]

He hasn´t been tooled yet, to my understanding. What we saw on SDCC was the 4HM´s prototype.

True, it was a painted prototype.
But that doesn't mean the tooling process hasn't started yet.

[Spectror]

But that doesn't mean the tooling process hasn't started yet.

IF Mattel has begun the tooling process, it doesn't mean they have to begin with Hsss's snake part. Which goes to show they can still improve Hsss if they want.

We've proved on this very thread that Hsss's snake form, the way it is now, is a very bad idea. Not only because of its looks (which we fans requested to be changed), but also because of its quality, which has very high chances to be terrible (see the "bendable" issues mentioned before in this thread).

Quality-wise, Mattel, for almost 2 years now, had the loose ankle issues. They had the sloppy paint jobs. They had the "glass shattering", defective Goddess. They had the "twice the same left arm or right leg" issue. They had the female neckpeg/bobblehead issue. And, STILL no supervision from Mattel in China ! Let's remember that, since the beginning of 2010, every figure released had QC problems.

AND, in "bonus" for those who buy their figures on Matty, there's all the Mattycollector/Digital River customer service/technical/delivery problems to add to the mix.

It is plain to see that Mattel doesn't care much about what the customers want, or about the quality of its products.

King Hsss's snake form is the very first MOTUC item I have an aesthetic problem with. And it seems I'm not the only one.

King Hsss snake part might set a precedent for other figures that will follow. What I mean is that we might see more figures with the lame bendy option released, or with a very underwhelming design (to say the least).

That is why it's important to see his snake form corrected before his release.

[Neal1972]

Quality-wise, Mattel, for almost 2 years now, had the loose ankle issues. They had the sloppy paint jobs. They had the "glass shattering", defective Goddess. They had the "twice the same left arm or right leg" issue. They had the female neckpeg/bobblehead issue. And, STILL no supervision from Mattel in China ! Let's remember that, since the beginning of 2010, every figure released had QC problems.

That is why it's important to see his snake form corrected before his release.

Well said. Mattel's position regarding the QC is simply not defendable.
I admire your passion and concern to these issues with the snake sculpt, Spectror.

[Swanmarsh]

The worst thing about this whole debate is that we know from Toyguru that the 4H only finished the prototype sculpt for King Hiss' snake body 2 days before SDCC.

That means there was still time to listen to the views of fans and sending back for a re-sculpt long before making the decision to pulling the trigger on making molds etc.

We know (I believe) that when the 4H sent Mattel a sculpt for Man-E-Faces with swapable face plates that Mattel sent it back to have a proper rotating 3-faced head sculpted.

This is what should have happened with Hiss' snake body when the howls of outrage started immediately the SDCC photos of Hiss commenced hitting the .Org.

Why? Why in the world they should use bendable parts unless a specif figures calls for it? (Squeeeze maybe?).

Matty's bendy wishlist (just wait for it ):

- Mekaneck's neck pieces
- Extendar's extensions (or possibly worse yet, his whole arms, legs and stomach)
- Rattlor's neck & probably tail
- Sssqueeeze's arms
- Tung Lashor's tung
- Modulok's arms & legs
- Tallstar
- generic snake warrior army builders (tails and longer necks, arm extensions, etc)
- Entrapta's hair
- Scorpia's stinger tail

[Darkspecter]

Matty's bendy wishlist (just wait for it ):

- Mekaneck's neck pieces
- Extendar's extensions (or possibly worse yet, his whole arms, legs and stomach)
- Rattlor's neck & probably tail
- Sssqueeeze's arms
- Tung Lashor's tung
- Modulok's arms & legs
- Tallstar
- generic snake warrior army builders (tails and longer necks, arm extensions, etc)

I agree with this and would add in Entrapta's hair. I'm affraid to see what they're going to do to my beloved Entrapta in MOTUC.

[Swanmarsh]

I agree with this and would add in Entrapta's hair. I'm affraid to see what they're going to do to my beloved Entrapta in MOTUC.

Oh yes! And Scorpia's stinger tail!!!

I voted for Netossa on the POP Idol (cos I believe Catra is coming soon) but I do want to see Entrapta also. And like you, I'm fearful of how they will handle Entrapta's hair.

This MOTUC line has been so awesome that until I saw Hiss I was confident the 4H would work magic with Entrapta's hair ... now I'm not so confident

It is interesting in the Scorpia thread we saw an example of another figure (was it Venom?) that had an articulated (not bendy) stinger tail. I hope Mattel shelves their fascination with bendy to provide an awesome Scorpia figure with articulated tail (that is, when they announce Filmation rights ) and equally awesome Entrapta.

[Darkspecter]

Oh yes! And Scorpia's stinger tail!!!

I voted for Netossa on the POP Idol (cos I believe Catra is coming soon) but I do want to see Entrapta also. And like you, I'm fearful of how they will handle Entrapta's hair.

This MOTUC line has been so awesome that until I saw Hiss I was confident the 4H would work magic with Entrapta's hair ... now I'm not so confident

It is interesting in the Scorpia thread we saw an example of another figure (was it Venom?) that had an articulated (not bendy) stinger tail. I hope Mattel shelves their fascination with bendy to provide an awesome Scorpia figure with tail (that is, when they announce Filmation rights ) and equally awesome Entrapta.

Yeah I know what you mean. I actually don't mind bendy, when done well. I think it would have worked well on Whiplash (his 80's figure had a rubber tail). I'm actually pretty disappointed Whiplash's tail is hard plastic. I wanted to bend it to whip people with. Now it just helps stand him up like a picture frame.

[Lay Ze-Man]

Yeah, if they didn't use bendy plastic on Whiplash's tail, I doubt that's going to be used very often in MOTUC.

It seems like Mattel only reserves that for very unique occasions: look at Clayface and Plastic Man, only two of hundreds(?) of DC figures that have bendy plastic.

[Jukka]

As for this thread, I might add that there are fans who do realise that Hsss snake form is not only disappointing, but that it might start a sorry trend in MOTUC, notably with the bendable stuff.

I'm confused, but want to clarify; do you mean that "bendy stuff" is alltogether bad? Was this because you feel it shouldn't be bendy at all, or more quality bendy?

[Stickfa]

Just wanted to state I too think King Hisss's snake form is a little off. I LOVE the colors, I could care less if he moves well, or even if the jaw moves ... it would be nice but whatever. What I dont like is how plain it looks. The snakes need to be more coiled, I've always though of king his as being a pile of snakes in a suit, not 5 snakes in a suit. The coil and heads poking out here and there really gave the illusion of multiple snakes. No idea how many .... but a collective mass of snakes workingas a single intelligence is what I think makes King Hiss so cool.

Screw the 200X version .... egypt is cool, but its on earth .... so I love the classics look, just make him look more coiled, more mass, more scarey. King hiss disturbed me as a kid .... bring that back. = )

[Sharella]

Sharella, in order to get a "decent" Hsss snake form, you have to understand that the look (number of snakes, fangs) and options (hingeable jaws) will have to be different, but that won't be enough.

If you get a bendable piece of turd whose paint chips, who can't be posed properly and whose wires oxidate, break, pierce or discolor the plastic, I don't think you'll be very happy, will you ?

I surely won't, for the snakes should be sturdy in any case, but I'll now just wait and see what Mattel makes out of it. I simply don't like the snake form shown at SDCC, because it looks much too plain for me. If I'm not satisfied with the final snake form, I'll display King Hiss only in his human form, so there is no real problem for me.

[Lay Ze-Man]

What I dont like is how plain it looks. The snakes need to be more coiled, I've always though of king his as being a pile of snakes in a suit, not 5 snakes in a suit. The coil and heads poking out here and there really gave the illusion of multiple snakes.

"Pile of snakes in a suit"

That's it exactly, and what the 4H's version fails to convey IMO.

Not to gross anyone out, but think of how our own intestines and innards are so wound and packed in: that's more how Hiss' snakes should function, so when the human shell is shed it's just this onslaught of snakiness!!

Of course, the central larger snake as the "head" and the others serving as "arms" is very important for good character design of the snake form, and I know having 13-14 different snakes would likely be cost-prohibitive and look too busy, aesthetically.

But IMO the MOTUC version needs at least a few more snakes in there to give the illusion that there's more snakiness teeming within, everywhere!

You don't have to show/sculpt them all, but at least imply it.
And IMO, the MOTUC version does not.

[Spectror]

I'm confused, but want to clarify; do you mean that "bendy stuff" is alltogether bad? Was this because you feel it shouldn't be bendy at all, or more quality bendy?

Jukka, thanks for asking the question. All I can tell you is this : I posted examples on the previous page, explaining in detail why the bendable option is really a terrible idea for action figures.

I clarify. I have quite a huge toy collection (action figures, mainly). I have very little bendable figures in my collection (4 or 5). Let me be straight honest, here : NONE of them (and I say NONE) are great, and not even honest action figures. ALL of them are LAME. I kept those figures mainly because they were gifts from dear ones, but as far as quality goes, bendy/bendable is just atrocious ! EVERY bendable figure I've ever came accross (friends' bendy figures etc.) was just worthless as far as quality is concerned.

Actually, I'm as much annoyed by the fact Hsss's snake part will be "bendy" as by the fact it looks disappointing.

[Swanmarsh]

Personally I think bendy is a terrible option for at least Mekaneck, Extendar, Tung Lashor, Rattlor, Modulok and Tallstar. The vintage toys didn't have bendy parts and I don't see why the modern ones would need it!

Even my version of Sssqueeeze didn't have bendy arms, they were hard plastic molded in a coiled form with not too much give. I'm amazed that it sounds like fans in the US had a Sssqueeeze with bendy arms, as I didn't realise there were 2 different variations of the figure.

I would be much less happy for the above figures to have bendy parts than even King Hiss. Bendy if it is to be used, should be used sparingly.

Also, I worry about how Entrapta and Scorpia's tail would be done.

[Darkspecter]

Emil, Toyguru said Mekanek would have bendable neck pieces like Plastic Man.

[Jukka]

Emil, Toyguru said Mekanek would have bendable neck pieces like Plastic Man.

For an alternative head with long neck (ala MYP)?

[Emiliano]

Emil, Toyguru said Mekanek would have bendable neck pieces like Plastic Man.

Thanks, I had missed that piece of info.
Given what we saw in he MYP show, I think it makes sense.
I just hope we'll have a shorter, solid neck and a longer bendable neck, so everyone (including me) will be happy

[Darkspecter]

They never said 100% what they're doing (as far as neck pieces, besides being bendy), but I assume it will be this:

- Mekanek head (like every MOTUC head we've got so far)
- long bendy neck piece
- short bendy neck piece

This way you can have him look like anyone else, or various "scouting" positions.

[flitzi]

but speculating wildly on figures that won't even be out for 7/8 months is really pointless.

How else if not by pointing out our fears can we let Mattel know about our fears?

[guitargod694]

Hey guys and gals... just a quick reminder about what protected threads are and are not for:

Protected threads are for people with a similar opinion to talk about a topic without being derailed by common arguments that have derailed that topic in the past.

Protected threads are not for making attacks, making false accusations, or jumping to conclusions in a thread where no one can dispute you.

Please keep this thread to discussing opinions about King Hsss and not to putting out 'facts' that no one can dispute because they are protected. There is a general discussion thread where 'facts' can be discussed and debated linked in the first post of this thread.

I've cleaned up some back and forth in this thread.
Let's please respect the rules and each other.

Also, if you have not already done so, please familiarize yourself with the Protected Thread Rules.

Thank you.

[JVS3]

I agree with guitargod694 100%.

The protected threads are a safe haven for you to discuss a topic with like-minded fans when it was proven the conversation could not exist in a regular discussion thread without constantly being derailed by arguments.

BUT, it still has to be done constructively. No insults, no personal attacks, no unfounded claims presented as fact.

And the protected threads definitely should not have arguing back and forth about those unjustified accusations. That goes against what Protected Threads are about.

If you want to argue hypothetical "facts", you need to take it to the regular discussion thread.
Otherwise, just make sure people know your posts are clearly your own opinion.