MOTUC Q&A's From Around the Net (10/1/2011)

[Darkspecter]

I lol'd hard at the mere thought of this.

...because Mattel is known to make costly new bucks and use them only once, like Gygor...right?

They have to do the human legs and mermaid tail when they get to Mermista (like the 2 torso King Hiss), so it would only make sense for them to do Tallstar 2.0 with her waist extension piece and re-use the new torso and pelvis. Besides Mermista, Tallstar and fan created character Unicra (half woman/half unicorn), there's literally no re-use for this buck. So...of course Mattel would use it again to get their money's worth.

Toyguru mentioned repaints of the Wind Raider even: Stealth and Horde.

[Falconhood]

a K-Mart repaint line would be cool. I think I got my first He-Man at K-Mart as a kid.

[RockinHard]

a K-Mart repaint line would be cool. I think I got my first He-Man at K-Mart as a kid.

When I first moved to this area five years ago, there were four K-Marts. Now there is one. Not a good sign. This is happening nationwide.

[MegaGearMax]

A few new ones are up! Is it me, or were the MOTUC questions a little light this time?

[cbomb23]

This answer intrigues me:

4.) We know you guys are trying to figure out a way for subscribers to combine day-of-sale items in with their subscription items to save on shipping… but since subscription items are supposed to ship BEFORE day-of-sale items, would this mean that subscription items would have to be delayed in shipping until after the day-of-sale items go up for sale?

Honestly we are not sure yet. We are trying as lot of different scenarios for how we can make this work and hope to have more details soon. Please bare with us as we get our ducks in a row.


Would be crazy if they allowed subscribers the oppurtunity to order earlier than non-subbers, figures could sellout before they even reached non-subscribers :0

[JonWes]

This answer intrigues me:

4.) We know you guys are trying to figure out a way for subscribers to combine day-of-sale items in with their subscription items to save on shipping… but since subscription items are supposed to ship BEFORE day-of-sale items, would this mean that subscription items would have to be delayed in shipping until after the day-of-sale items go up for sale?

Honestly we are not sure yet. We are trying as lot of different scenarios for how we can make this work and hope to have more details soon. Please bare with us as we get our ducks in a row.


Would be crazy if they allowed subscribers the oppurtunity to order earlier than non-subbers, figures could sellout before they even reached non-subscribers :0

At Power-Con, Scott said they were thinking about a system where there was a 24 hour window where subscribers could add non-sub items in so they'd ship together but it was all up in the air. It WOULD be amazing not to ever have to deal with Matty's site ever again.

[KingRandor82]

why for the love of all that is good would anyone want K-Mart to carry these?

K-Mart is uber-expensive, and....they're just barely holding on for dear life, and it's been that way now for about 20 years.


While you're at it, why don't you just ask for some KB Toys exclusives?

[SCB]

Might be a little too soon for Star Sister variants.

[grenadaspice]

From PlanetEternia.de:
2) Would it be possible to add a separate "Snake Men" group sticker to Kobra Khan? That way, every MOC collector could decide for themselves whether their Khan will be part of the Snake Men or not.

All 2011 Subscribers will receive a sticker sheet with their November figure that includes extra Snake Men stickers so you can apply one to Khan if you want!

See,s to me that Kobra Khan starts off as one of Skeletor's guys

[DO4M]

While you're at it, why don't you just ask for some KB Toys exclusives?

But I want some KB Toys exclusives!! No WalMart exclusives, though... They seem to ignore their own exclusives...

[Darkspecter]

Might be a little too soon for Star Sister variants.

Well, I'm not talking 2012. I mean, say Tallstar 2.0 comes out 2013 and Jewelstar 2.0 in 2015 and Starla 2.0 in 2017. OR, if they can include all the missing accessories with Tallstar 2.0. I might be okay with that.

It would be nice to see a fully translucent, red Jewelstar though...

[bcrduke]

I know you guys want toy Star Sisters, but honestly, I want Glimmer, Angella, Double Trouble, Mermista, Sweet Bee, and Peekablue before the variants.

I'd want a variant Catra (toy, scratchin' sound, shower power) before variants of the Star Sisters. It's just personal preference I guess

Would you guys really take Star Sisters variants before ANY of the other POP characters or variants?

[Darkspecter]

Would you guys really take Star Sisters variants before ANY of the other POP characters or variants?

I would take any of them over Starburst She-Ra or Scratch N' Sound Catra. Probably not Shower Power Catra though...I love her. I don't dislike those other variants. They're cool. I would just rather have the Star Sisters missing accessories and in toy colours.

I thought my timeline was pretty decent '13, '15 and '17. That's every other year! ...or the "pack all the missing accessories with Tallstar 2.0" idea.

IF Tallstar 2.0 came out in toy colours, with the removable pants and working waist extension...I might take her over any other PoP. I mean...I LOVE characters with options and if the pieces are stackable and extra extensions came in a Weapons Pak...she would probably become my most favourite MOTUC figure. Imagine if they made it so the arm and leg extensions fit above AND below the elbow and knee the second time around! My goodness, the possibilities on that girl!

I know that's probably not the answer you were expecting.

EDIT: I kind of make Tallstar 2.0 sound like the Six Million Dollar Man: "We can rebuild her!"

[AnnnaMot]

The Wind Raider is now $45??? Wow!!! I´ll have to buy just one.... :-(

i wanted to get 2 when it was $40 now that its $45 i dont know

[Firesoullove]

I love the Star Sisters but I don't need Star Sisters 2.0. We get them now and I'm very happy and can't wait to display them but I don't see why we need two variants of them down the road...
There are so many POP characters left... I want Glimmer, Frosta, Flutterina and all the other POP. Madame Razz!!!!
We don't have the Star Sisters allready and you want variants of them... I don't get it...

(sorry for my english)

[Stefan81]

At Power-Con, Scott said they were thinking about a system where there was a 24 hour window where subscribers could add non-sub items in so they'd ship together but it was all up in the air. It WOULD be amazing not to ever have to deal with Matty's site ever again.

Great Toyguru make it true! a 24 hour window would be THE solution against the WSOD.

[Falconhood]

When I first moved to this area five years ago, there were four K-Marts. Now there is one. Not a good sign. This is happening nationwide.

they cut back YEARS ago here, and now are stable and doing well with the SEARS bail-out.

why for the love of all that is good would anyone want K-Mart to carry these?

K-Mart is uber-expensive, and....they're just barely holding on for dear life, and it's been that way now for about 20 years.

in what universe???
DCUC are $12.99 there when $14.99 everywhere else.
The Playskool Star Wars stuff is much cheaper there:
$4.99 for 2-packs of figures, $5.99 at Target and Wal-Mart
$9.99 Land Speeder that is $12.99 at Target.
DC Fisherprice are cheaper there:
$9.99 vs $10.99 at Target for the 5" Batman Hero World figures
....????...
so...what are you pricing out? everything i look at is cheaper there, and I like K-Mart.
even if K-Mart was more expensive i'd gladly go to it before dealing with the weirdness at our Wal-Marts here. Seriously, our Wal-Marts are just too creepy...too sucky...i can't quiet express why, but i hate Wal-Mart. I do like Target, though.

Shower Power Catra

is that REALLY a figure???
It definitely sounds like an Adult Collector Figure.

[Crusader]

At Power-Con, Scott said they were thinking about a system where there was a 24 hour window where subscribers could add non-sub items in so they'd ship together but it was all up in the air. It WOULD be amazing not to ever have to deal with Matty's site ever again.

... so subscribers would have the opportunity to buy extra figures before saleday ? at sub prices or increased prices ?

this would be great for subholders, but won't this cause figures to sell out faster on the actual saleday ?

[Met-Hild]

The day of sale consumer in the end gets the headaches of WSOD and possibly missed figures but in the end it drives people to the subs keeps the line going.

You are obviously right, but it is saddening for those less fortunate among us. A big business like Mattel in the end only cares about guaranteed profit and minimized risks. If someone who can't afford the sub is left without his or her favorite figure, it's no skin off their backs.

The problem with resellers is that they too cater for the big markets to ensure profits and sometimes even actively discourage international buyers by setting the shipping exorbitantly high. A figure really has to be one of the must-have characters before I can justify paying over $60 for it.

[oICEMANo]

3) Let's assume that a figure such as February 2012's Fisto is sold out within just two minutes - would a re-release still be a no-no?

Correct. We are keeping inventory down so at this point even if a figure sells out quickly it will not go into a second run.

This is such bullcr@p! Basically they are saying buy the sub or too bad if you miss him on sale day.

[MegaGearMax]

I know you guys want toy Star Sisters, but honestly, I want Glimmer, Angella, Double Trouble, Mermista, Sweet Bee, and Peekablue before the variants.

I'd want a variant Catra (toy, scratchin' sound, shower power) before variants of the Star Sisters. It's just personal preference I guess

Would you guys really take Star Sisters variants before ANY of the other POP characters or variants?

I totally see it. Some fans have wanted "their" particular versions of characters for a long time now. To some 200X fans, Evil-Lyn and Battleground Evil-Lyn are placeholders until the "real" 200X Evil-Lyn shows up. To them, it's like getting a brand new, long awaited character.

The figure that you really want beats the placeholder figure that you don't like as much.

[mk476]

I love the Star Sisters, but like most others I want all the other POP ladies before any variants of the Sisters. Shower Power Catra is my most wanted A-List variant! She was always involved in all my battles as a kid while the other Catras were sitting in the toybox.

[Reboot]

I totally see it. Some fans have wanted "their" particular versions of characters for a long time now. To some 200X fans, Evil-Lyn and Battleground Evil-Lyn are placeholders until the "real" 200X Evil-Lyn shows up. To them, it's like getting a brand new, long awaited character.

The figure that you really want beats the placeholder figure that you don't like as much.

True, but Lyn's just shy of the top-rank characters, really only beaten out by the faction leaders. The SS are, by contrast, well down in the lowest-rank, and got made as early as they have because Mattel's making some effort to spin out the higher-ranked characters.

Consequently, do you really see them doing SS variants this side of 2018? The three-pack has hardly had the most enthusiastic reaction from fandom in general.

[Darkspecter]

is that REALLY a figure???
It definitely sounds like an Adult Collector Figure.

Yes sir! The greatest weapon in a cat's mind? WATER GUN!

Shower Power Catra is my most wanted A-List variant! She was always involved in all my battles as a kid while the other Catras were sitting in the toybox.

Yay! Shower Power Catra love!

I totally see it. Some fans have wanted "their" particular versions of characters for a long time now. To some 200X fans, Evil-Lyn and Battleground Evil-Lyn are placeholders until the "real" 200X Evil-Lyn shows up. To them, it's like getting a brand new, long awaited character.

The figure that you really want beats the placeholder figure that you don't like as much.

This is pretty much it. Those of us who wanted the Star Sisters for all these years, wanted the toy colours and accessories. I can settle with Jewelstar and Starla I suppose (I'll just have to cut off Starla's hat and break out the paints), but Tallstar is seriously lacking with her missing waist extension and pants...and her poster colour scheme gives me a headache. All my personal opinion. I love MOTUC Tallstar's sculpt, though. It's really hard for me...because when I look at this expensive set...I'm disappointed with all the missing pieces and lack of jewel details on Jewelstar.


EDIT:

Two pretty important answers (in my opinion) from TheFwoosh!

Since many of the original FilMation characters have a variety of different body types, does that mean that the Horsemen will start introducing new bucks to the MOTUC parts library. For example, General Tataran is very stalky while Lizard Man is slim, but neither really fit in with any existing base bodies.

There are a few ways we could approach this. One is to “Classic-ize” them much as we did for Leech, use new parts where we can with strategic shared parts. Or they could easily be done as a fully tool’d figure like Ram-Man. Since neither is announced at this time, these conversations have not occured but we are keeping our options open when and if we get to these type of characters.

Since Flimation adds A LOT of new characters in the mix, will the Quarterly figure slots start to have figures that are not just variants of A-list characters? In other words, can these be used for new characters from time to time?

The slots can be used for anything we want them to be. For 2012 as advertsied in the sub they will all be variants of previous characters. As for how the 2013 line will work, that is still being reviewed!

So, the 4 quarterly variants in 2012 ARE all variants and not Filmation characters.

Also, we need to rally for a slim buck and a heavy-set buck.

A shorter, slim, male buck can be used for a bunch of different characters: Lizard Man, Songster, young MYP Prince Adam, Horde Inspector Darkney, Horde Admiral Scurvy, Filmation Evil Seed, Tycons, Duke Dreer, False Face, Frit, Norwin, Prince Zed (Horde Prime's son) and Saurod (he's not bulky as the 80's figure).

That's 13 characters.

A heavy set buck can be used for: General Tataran, Kothos (Evil-Lyn's nemesis), Chef Alan (), Sticky Fingers (Space Pirate leader), Toy Maker, King Ahgo (Troll King), Swen (Sea Hawk's sidekick) etc. There

That's 7 characters.

Of course there are a bunch more for each, but these are the most interesting (in my opinion), that I would be happy with as figures.

[mick4metal]

... so subscribers would have the opportunity to buy extra figures before saleday ? at sub prices or increased prices ?

this would be great for subholders, but won't this cause figures to sell out faster on the actual saleday ?

That's the great Matty plan. They want the cherry pickers killed off. Mark my words in 2013 it will become subscription only. They will raise sub prices to offset the death of cherry pickers.