"A knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
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It's interesting how Mattel changed their system by fully depending on subscriptions now how their collector lines shape, but I understand from their business standpoint why they made the change because of the guaranteed sales.
While it really sux some awesome future idea's got "temporary" canceled like Castle Grayskull, Vehicles, Weapon Paks, maybe less oversized sku's and maybe less A-list variants because less subs were being sold for 2012, I have to say I am glad Mattel puts the line under a magnifier glass and cut back on things to try to keep the line healthy and are going to try to win the subscriptions back for 2013.
It is clear that the subscription grew out of proportion. I think what played a big part in the lowered subs may have been a $60 sku in January along with the other releases. I'm not bashing the Star Sisters, on the contrary I am embracing them in the MOTUC line and am happy they are finally being made but a $60 sku at the beginning of the year is pretty crazy imo.
The higher subscription price is what made it unaffordable for some people and all the re-releases over saturated the secondary market to the point where resellers lost interest. The secondary market is also a very important part to keep any toyline healthy (with the exception of speculators).
Even I cut back from 2 subs in 2009 and 2010 to only 1 sub in 2011 and 2012 because so much extra's was added. I even considered not getting a sub in 2012 because I still bought an extra figure almost monthly and wanted to avoid extra shipping fees by giving up my sub but I was instantly convinced to get a 2012 sub the moment I saw Shadow Weaver!
Now after all the drama with Mattel selling considerably less subs than the previous years, I think very different about the sub and regard the sub as a vote to continue the line into the future. I wish I could afford more than 1 sub to support the line, but it is what it is, I'm doing all I can do with 1 sub... c'est la vie
What I want to see more than anything is all of the various characters of all era's being fully released all the way up to 2020. I have to say I am very glad the sub still sold well over the minimum for production and Scott mentioned the line is still very healthy! As long as we can cross that minimum sub sale all the way up till 2020, we'll at least get all the figures! Hopefully with additional support here and there the playsets, vehicles and beast will somehow still be added after all along the way. I keep my hope up for sure![]()
MOTU WANTS: Songster "Kevin Corrigan", Kittrina, Illumina, Master Sebrian, Sagitar, Kayo, Vizar, Nocturna, Spinwit, Artilla, Drissi, Caz Spritina, Sprag, Sprocker, Hunga the Harpy, Green Reptile Mask of Power Demon, Purple Wolf Mask of Power Demon, Lizorr, Hoove, Butthead, Staghorn, Colonel Blast, Monster Riders Of Morc
FILMATION: Battle Cat, Ram Man, Stratos Whiplash
=>MOTU-Classics-Checklist
Honestly a simple fix for me would be make the beasts an add-in for people who want them and drop the Star Sisters from January.
I agree that the $60 item should have come later... like in the second quarter.
The first should have been the $40 Horde Trooper 2-pack (I assume that is how they will be introduced into the line).
Clearly Mattel has to cater to the casual collectors and vintage purists a little. The rest of us want everything, so the character selection doesn't really matter to us.
BUT, ALL of us, no matter what our preferences, will look at the first quarter and say, "WHOA"
JANUARY:
Sorceress $20.00
Star Sisters $60.00
Fearless Photog $20.00
FEBRUARY:
Fisto $20.00
MARCH:
Kobra Khan: $20.00
Thunder Punch He-Man: $20.00
Draego-Man: $20.00
Shadow Weaver: $20.00 (if they release her this month... though I guess we've already been charged for her?)
Now multiply that by 2... and add one of the new subscriptions (DCUC, Voltron) or the GB sub.
CRAZY.
A Want List: Starburst She-Ra, Ghost, Mini Comic Tri-Klops, Mini-Comic/Vintage Toy costume Catra, The Enchantress, Kayo, Joya, Lt. Andra, Storm, Twiggets, Melaktha, Sagitar, Spirit, Kothos, Master Sebrian, Weapons Paks, Fuerza T figures, 200X Sorceress, King Miro, Dree-Elle & Uncle Montork.
Filmation Variants: She-Ra, Bow, Mantenna, Leech, Entrapta, Grizzlor, Prince Adam, Glimmer, Adora
I can understand someone not liking the POP toyline or the She-Ra cartoon. What get me is when the same people who like Queen Marlena, Teela, The Sorceress, or Hurricane Hordak don't like POP characters because they are girls or wear gold. That makes no sense to me. It's just being stubborn imo. I strongly dislike the 2002 era, but if something turns out cool(the toys for Chief Carnivus & MOTUC Keldor for instance), I can admit it.
Last edited by Mr. Shokoti; August 21, 2011 at 04:19pm.
It's not that they are girls, but there is a big difference between Teela, Evil-Lyn, Marlena, and The Star Sisters. Big difference. Not to mention that they have those "girl toyline" roots and stigma. I say this as someone who owns them all. But I know where they are coming from.
My seller/trader/buyer feedback:
http://he-man.org/forums/boards/showthread.php?t=195461
MOTUC Most Wanted: 1) Stridor 2) Road Ripper 3) Dragon Walker 4) Land Shark
The Official 200X Sorceress vs 200X Evil-Lyn 2 Pack Support Thread
The Blonde Teela Thread
Sagitar (Jetlag) Azdar Belzar Chazdar 200X Evil-Lyn 200X Teenage Prince Adam 200X Teenage Teela 200X Sorceress General Rattlor (MYP) 200X King Randor and Queen Marlena 200X Battle Armor King Randor and Battle Armor Queen Marlena Ice Armor He-Man WMD Roboto
This. (though I like 200X)
You have come to appreciate the characters though, in this new line. THAT is a wonderful thing. There are some collectors who just can'tI wish they could. I feel like they lose out a little
No one expects anyone to want to sit around and brush Frosta's hair. I want a Frosta with the originally intended, but removeable, crystalline ice-arm. UPDATE!!
I think Circe is a good reference point. In the episode where Evil-Lyn turns into Circe to hypnotize Ram Man. I think she's more along the lines of how POP characters would have been flavored.
It's unfortunate that 200X didn't include them... they would have been amazing.
A Want List: Starburst She-Ra, Ghost, Mini Comic Tri-Klops, Mini-Comic/Vintage Toy costume Catra, The Enchantress, Kayo, Joya, Lt. Andra, Storm, Twiggets, Melaktha, Sagitar, Spirit, Kothos, Master Sebrian, Weapons Paks, Fuerza T figures, 200X Sorceress, King Miro, Dree-Elle & Uncle Montork.
Filmation Variants: She-Ra, Bow, Mantenna, Leech, Entrapta, Grizzlor, Prince Adam, Glimmer, Adora
Queen Marlena is wearing a dress for God's sake. Also, if Bow was a member of the vintage MOTU toyline, I can't see anyone complaining about him. His MOTUC toy doesn't stand out at all if there wasn't the bias. Speaking of bias...
I get that you love the 2002 era(my Mom gets it and she doesn't visit here nor do I talk to her about MOTU), but how is the 2002 era more "warrior-like" than the vintage line? They have different designs, but you act like the vintage line was full of flowers & pink ascots.
Fans grew up with Queen Marlena alongside Teela, Evil-Lyn and Sorceress, so she is excused from that "girl toyline" bias.
200X "fixed design problems" that the original figures were perceived to have had. Knowing that some fans thought POP was too girly might have made the 4H try to improve their concepts like they did with Prince Adam, Snout Spout, Mantenna and Clawful.I get that you love the 2002 era(my Mom gets it and she doesn't visit here nor do I talk to her about MOTU), but how is the 2002 era more "warrior-like" than the vintage line? They have different designs, but you act like the vintage line was full of flowers & pink ascots.
The Official 200X Sorceress vs 200X Evil-Lyn 2 Pack Support Thread
The Blonde Teela Thread
Sagitar (Jetlag) Azdar Belzar Chazdar 200X Evil-Lyn 200X Teenage Prince Adam 200X Teenage Teela 200X Sorceress General Rattlor (MYP) 200X King Randor and Queen Marlena 200X Battle Armor King Randor and Battle Armor Queen Marlena Ice Armor He-Man WMD Roboto
That was sort of my point.
2002 was about Mattel trying to get Dragonball Z loving kids into MOTU. I'd say MOTUC is more about the 4H fixing what they want to see fixed(hence the extra legs on some characters, the cardback designs on others, and MOTUC Bow). While the quality of their job is debatable, I think we can both agree that we don't like all of their "fixes".
PRAISE HESTIA!!!
"Yep! And now I'm gonna blast ya!" - Orko to Skeletor in "Lessons"
WANT: Twiggets, Hunga, Josh, Joya/Bubblerina, King Ahgo, Wise Old Wizardess,
Crimson Fury, Melog, Kowla, Red Eye, Staghorn, ALL New Adventures, Sharella,
Gray, Kittrina, Melaktha, Miranda, Lt. Andra, Illumina, Lady Slither, MYP Evil-Lyn,
MYP Sorceress, King Miro, Songster, Scrollos, Kayla, Skeleteen
I'm stoked for the Star Sisters, but someone else mentioned it might've been a better idea to make them a SDCC exclusive for 2012, and I just might agree. I don't think they're nearly as damaging to the line as others, but they seem to fit the SDCC slot perfectly.
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I do not like simple figure repaints in FILMATION colours. If I could choose I would back off the variant figures anyway. FILMATION variants should only be published if they looked overall significantly differnt from the toy figure. But there are lots of other better new characters from the cartoon to produce: Strong Arm, Lizard Man, Sea Hawk, Granita, Scorpia, Madame Razz & Broom, Hunga, Shokoti, Lord Mask, Fang Man, Celine, Dragoon and some other. I definitely prefer new figures than variant figures.
Hoping the Star Sisters can vanquish the negativity come January.
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I'm sad to hear that they're cutting back. But I am one of those who felt that the sub was getting a bit too expensive. It's a shame we can't at least get some non-sub straight up repaints/kitbashes. Figures like Leo Faker, Leo Kobra Khan, Filmaton color Hordak, or a classic toy version of Mer-Man (could be marketed as one of Mer-Man's minions) wouldn't cost Mattel anything in new tooling.
So here would be my ideal 2013 set up:
Sub:
- 12 monthly figures
- 2 A-list variants
- 1 beast
- 1 vehicle
- 1 incentive figure
non-sub
- SDCC exclusive
- 2-3 repaints/kitbashes with no new tooling.
"There's only one Master of the Universe and it's He-Man." - Stephen Colbert
"The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing." - Blaise Pascal
Hopefully they tell us what these unannounced 2012 items are at some point. Doesn't sound like something they would incorporate into the 2013 subscription.TG answered a new question. Sounds like they're thinking of possibly cutting down on the oversized/beast figures for 2013.
So apparently an idea for the castle was coming in 2012 but because we didn't order as many subs they nixed it.
"Mom, can I have a dog for Christmas?"
"We're looking into it, darling. Just a lot of responsibility."
Two weeks later . . .
"Sorry, honey, Mommy didn't make three extra dollars this week. I know I didn't tell you that before, but I just wanted to run your face into the ground. Bahahahahahaha!"
My seller/trader/buyer feedback:
http://he-man.org/forums/boards/showthread.php?t=195461
MOTUC Most Wanted: 1) Stridor 2) Road Ripper 3) Dragon Walker 4) Land Shark
Yeah, apparently they had an idea for a "pre-order" for Castle Grayskull, but the idea was nixed due to the sub not selling as well as projected.
Honestly, that really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If it was a presale, why does the sub sales factor in? It's getting to the point now where there doesn't seem to be anything Scott can say that's going to be good news regarding it, so maybe he needs to stay away from that topic and give the standard "nothing planned now".
Last edited by Mr_Yuck; August 22, 2011 at 05:53pm.
Yes, what difference does it make if it's a presale and they use the thermometer or whatever.
I understand the point that it makes sense not to make it if the sub states that less are subscribing, but if something big is going to sell, it's CG - just like vintage sells more than obscure, NA, etc..
For God's sake, try it out!
My seller/trader/buyer feedback:
http://he-man.org/forums/boards/showthread.php?t=195461
MOTUC Most Wanted: 1) Stridor 2) Road Ripper 3) Dragon Walker 4) Land Shark
That's another thing too. Why on earth would they use that damn thermometer thing again? Seriously, haven't they ticked off enough of their customers with that thing? I sure as heck don't want to have to wait and watch to see IF Castle Grayskull would get made. That's as bad as what's going on right now with DCUC.![]()