Toyguru Mattycollector.com MOTUC News Thread December 2011

[urbanmyth]

Not sure I like the sound of the POP related question. Unless I see atleast 2 monthly POP slots I'm going to be well ticked off that I got a sub. I expect atleast 2 POP monthly slots a year. A beast/multi-pack slot should have no bearing on monthly figure slots.

I think POP fans are fed up of waiting on Frosta, Glimmer and Castaspella already never mind the rest of the POP girls.

I feel the same way!

[Angel-T]

I feel exactly the same way! :0( This pic sais it all IMO!!!! We need some Frosta, Glimmer, Angella and Castaspella action!



Good point about the large pack or beast slot taking away from the regular 12 figures and variants slots, they are extra!!! There should be at least 2 POP figures as part of the 12 regular single sub figures as in previous years. POP fans signed up to the sub thinking there would be POP figures as part of the single monthly releases. Shadow weaver is Filmation character, not from the classic pop toyline. So she dosen't count! She is also an exclusive and free and not part of the 12 sub figures. There have been no POP figures revealed for the actual 12 single monthly figure slots as of yet! Hopefully we get 2 releaved, but at the very least one more POP character!

[Hordaiquiri]

Not sure I like the sound of the POP related question. Unless I see atleast 2 monthly POP slots I'm going to be well ticked off that I got a sub. I expect atleast 2 POP monthly slots a year. A beast/multi-pack slot should have no bearing on monthly figure slots.

I think POP fans are fed up of waiting on Frosta, Glimmer and Castaspella already never mind the rest of the POP girls.

Couldn't agree with you more.

It's not like POP fans are asking for the moon, we just want to know there will be representation in the monthly slots.

The only reason they have at this point, and I'm sure they will bring it up, is that it's MOTU's 30th anniversary, not POP. That may be, but there's nothing wrong with putting POP in a monthly space or two, after all, they are part of MOTU now, being in MOTUC, or was that just a line we were fed?

[Jestermon]

After my first order I realize this line is being ran into the ground by this company, they say this limited # thing every year since I have got into MOTUC and looked back into the old Q&A's.

They just do this to instrument a sense of false scarcity so we all rush into the sub even though they still screw the sub holders over apparently.

They act like it's a small run but I think they just produce the same # as they would a retail line.

Never buying off them again,I'd rather pay a little extra from third party and get my item on 3-4 days instead of a week since they clearly just make up the shipping info.

[shadowfall1976]

Their shipping is a flat rate for most things under the size of MOTUC beasts..to me it's $8.70...and for smaller things it's not worth the money to pay $8.70, when from my post office to CA I can mail USPS priority mail for $6.50 a MOTUC carded figure, and it gets there in 3 days...and for UPS I have paid less than their rate for that as well, from CA for things the same size as MOTUC..so it is a rip off to pay that much and have to wait almost a week.

[Jubilation]

Couldn't agree with you more.

It's not like POP fans are asking for the moon, we just want to know there will be representation in the monthly slots.

The only reason they have at this point, and I'm sure they will bring it up, is that it's MOTU's 30th anniversary, not POP. That may be, but there's nothing wrong with putting POP in a monthly space or two, after all, they are part of MOTU now, being in MOTUC, or was that just a line we were fed?

Absolutely!

I feel exactly the same way! :0( This pic sais it all IMO!!!! We need some Frosta, Glimmer, Angella and Castaspella action!

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ner_copy-1.gif

Good point about the large pack or beast slot taking away from the regular 12 figures and variants slots, they are extra!!! There should be at least 2 POP figures as part of the 12 regular single sub figures as in previous years. POP fans signed up to the sub thinking there would be POP figures as part of the single monthly releases. Shadow weaver is Filmation character, not from the classic pop toyline. So she dosen't count! She is also an exclusive and free and not part of the 12 sub figures. There have been no POP figures revealed for the actual 12 single monthly figure slots as of yet! Hopefully we get 2 releaved, but at the very least one more POP character!

Plus Shadow Weaver was added at the last minute so it's not like she was on the "road map" to be released as the sub figure for 2012 anyway.

I got my sub because were told well get POP monthly characters and after seeing the Star Sisters I started to believe it. If the July figure is not POP then I can't see us getting 2 POP girls in 2012 if the July figure is then hopefully there might be a good chance well see another POP girl in November/December.

Getting 2 POP girls out of 12 slots is the bare minimum anyway so getting 1 POP girl a year out of the monthly slots would be an insult to POP fans. There is no way I'd ever buy a sub again to be honest if it turn's out like that.

The wait for Frosta, Glimmer and Castaspella is becoming absurd. I guess time will tell. I hope the rumours about Frosta turn out to be true.

[cbomb23]

When we do get POP characters in the sub I hope you are all ready to apologize. People take one answer and the conspiracies run rampant, can we please wait for the remainder of the 2012 line-up to be announced before burning down the Mattel office? Just because he didn't say yes there will be 2 more POP characters in the sub doesn't mean there won't be. He likes to be somewhat vague to keep it interesting and probably watch you all jump off of bridges

[RockinHard]

When we do get POP characters in the sub I hope you are all ready to apologize. People take one answer and the conspiracies run rampant, can we please wait for the remainder of the 2012 line-up to be announced before burning down the Mattel office? Just because he didn't say yes there will be 2more POP characters in the sub doesn't mean there won't be. He likes to be somewhat vague to keep it interesting and probably watch you all jump off of bridges

How dare you speak logically!

I want what I want when I want it or burnnnnnn, baby, burn!

Ram Man better be July's figure, or I'm going to tie Scott to a tree and leave him there for his heating and air bill to rise, slowly . . . ever-so-slowly. Feel the pain!

[cbomb23]

How dare you speak logically!

I want what I want when I want it or burnnnnnn, baby, burn!

Ram Man better be July's figure, or I'm going to tie Scott to a tree and leave him there for his heating and air bill to rise, slowly . . . ever-so-slowly. Feel the pain!

Well I imagine Scott better go into hiding then

[Dynamo of Eternia]

I feel exactly the same way! :0( This pic sais it all IMO!!!! We need some Frosta, Glimmer, Angella and Castaspella action!


Good point about the large pack or beast slot taking away from the regular 12 figures and variants slots, they are extra!!! There should be at least 2 POP figures as part of the 12 regular single sub figures as in previous years. POP fans signed up to the sub thinking there would be POP figures as part of the single monthly releases. Shadow weaver is Filmation character, not from the classic pop toyline. So she dosen't count! She is also an exclusive and free and not part of the 12 sub figures. There have been no POP figures revealed for the actual 12 single monthly figure slots as of yet! Hopefully we get 2 releaved, but at the very least one more POP character!

Wow, way to look at everything from a "glass half empty" standpoint! (And bear in mind that I say this as someone who has 3 out of the 4 POP characters that you mentioned in my list of "must haves" before this line dies).

As others have stated, the response from ToyGuru/Mattel doesn't mean that there won't be more POP figures coming during the year. It's just that they aren't going to reveal (or even hint at) who or what is coming later in the year until they are ready to reveal it.

I swear, it seems like no matter what, POP fans will always feel slighted.

They could have just as easily taken the slot that the Star Sisters 3-pack is currently in, and instead used it on a 3-pack of MOTU characters, or they could have made some kind of non-POP related beast. But instead they used it to release 3 POP figures in one shot, but now that's not good enough because of the "semantics" of what kind of slot in the subscription/product line for the year it is taking up. Awesome logic!

Then you knock down Shadow Weaver because she's from the Filmation POP cartoon and not the original POP toyline. This is the first time that anything POP related has been used as the sub exclusive, and while it is frustrating for many non-sub holders who want her, it's still a nice boon to POP.

There have been complaints from POP fans in the past about how it sucks that none of the sub exclusives or the oversized items (save for the recently released Swift Wind) have been POP related. But now that we have some POP included in those things, it's not good enough.

I'm sure that before 2012 is over, there will be at least 1 if not 2 more POP characters in the mix. Would you have preferred it if the Star Sisters had just been released individually throughout the year, taking up 3 of the monthly slots, with the 3-pack consisting of 3 MOTU characters that are currently planned to be released in the line during the year? Somehow I get the feeling that you wouldn't feel as slighted (well maybe you would, but with different semantics being argued), but would still end up with the same product.

[RockinHard]

Wow, way to look at everything from a "glass half empty" standpoint! (And bear in mind that I say this as someone who has 3 out of the 4 POP characters that you mentioned in my list of "must haves" before this line dies).

As others have stated, the response from ToyGuru/Mattel doesn't mean that there won't be more POP figures coming during the year. It's just that they aren't going to reveal (or even hint at) who or what is coming later in the year until they are ready to reveal it.

I swear, it seems like no matter what, POP fans will always feel slighted.

They could have just as easily taken the slot that the Star Sisters 3-pack is currently in, and instead used it on a 3-pack of MOTU characters, or they could have made some kind of non-POP related beast. But instead they used it to release 3 POP figures in one shot, but now that's not good enough because of the "semantics" of what kind of slot in the subscription/product line for the year it is taking up. Awesome logic!

Then you knock down Shadow Weaver because she's from the Filmation POP cartoon and not the original POP toyline. This is the first time that anything POP related has been used as the sub exclusive, and while it is frustrating for many non-sub holders who want her, it's still a nice boon to POP.

There have been complaints from POP fans in the past about how it sucks that none of the sub exclusives or the oversized items (save for the recently released Swift Wind) have been POP related. But now that we have some POP included in those things, it's not good enough.

I'm sure that before 2012 is over, there will be at least 1 if not 2 more POP characters in the mix. Would you have preferred it if the Star Sisters had just been released individually throughout the year, taking up 3 of the monthly slots, with the 3-pack consisting of 3 MOTU characters that are currently planned to be released in the line during the year? Somehow I get the feeling that you wouldn't feel as slighted (well maybe you would, but with different semantics being argued), but would still end up with the same product.

Again, STOP being logical!

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Plus Shadow Weaver was added at the last minute so it's not like she was on the "road map" to be released as the sub figure for 2012 anyway.

So now last minute changes don't count? Look! More semantics! As a Shadow Weaver fan who has wanted a figure of the character for a long time, and as a subscriber, I should now feel utterly angry over how this figure was rushed into production at the last minute and wasn't part of the plan all along. Despite the 4HM nailing the sculpt and making her better than I could have imagined, I should get upset over the trivial crap!

Does this mean that if you get more than 2 regular-release POP figures next year, but any extra ones were added in at the last minute, that they won't count either?

Can someone provide the rest of us with a list of the exact rules, scenarios, situations, and conditions under which a POP figure has be released (including how much pre-planning... and pre-planning-planning has to go into it) for it to actually "count"?

[Darkspecter]

Would you have preferred it if the Star Sisters had just been released individually throughout the year, taking up 3 of the monthly slots, with the 3-pack consisting of 3 MOTU characters that are currently planned to be released in the line during the year?

Hell yes!! Then they would have been treated as three unique figures, given the time three unique figures take to make (instead of being rushed), have the unique tooling dollars three unique figures get (instead of treating them as one), which means they would have their missing accessories and they wouldn't have the underwear sculpt problem (probably)...or at least only ONE would, because we'd see the problem and it would be fixed on the other one. Doing them this way, we would get a Jewelstar that actually looks LIKE a jeweled-woman instead of a woman in spandex.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Again, STOP being logical!

You know what the best part is? Let's say that one or even two individual POP figures were already currently relevealed as coming in the regular monthly slots during the first 6 months of the year.... the complaint would then be...

"What the hell is Mattel doing?! I doubt that they are going to dedicate too many more monthly slots to POP in 2012. Why are they releasing everything POP related at the beginning of the year, and not saving some of it for later in the year? They're going to release everything right away and then make fans wait through the entire second half of the year until sometime in 2013 for more POP product! Why does POP always get the short end of the stick?!"

Hell yes!! Then they would have been treated as three unique figures, given the time three unique figures take to make (instead of being rushed), have the unique tooling dollars three unique figures get (instead of treating them as one), which means they would have their missing accessories and they wouldn't have the underwear sculpt problem (probably)...or at least only ONE would, because we'd see the problem and it would be fixed on the other one. Doing them this way, we would get a Jewelstar that actually looks LIKE a jeweled-woman instead of a woman in spandex.

There's no guarantee that more unique tooling dollars would have been dedicated to them. Look at Leech (a character that while from the POP cartoon, was part of the MOTU Toyline). Classic 80s Leech had his own completely unique sculpt. The MOTUC version of him reused many existing body parts, and some people feel that he looks kind of weird, akward, and not proportioned correctly. And he was a regular, individually released figure. They are trying to save money where they can by reusing as many parts as they can.

This logic of treating them as 1 item as opposed to 3 separate items is pretty much nonsense. Whether they are 3 separate figures at (using the sub prices) $20 each, or a 3-pack at $60, Mattel is still going to make the same amount of money per-figure from their sales.

They probably were part of the existing "road map" for some time, and therefore weren't rushed, as you seem to assume the case to be. And actually, Shadow Weaver was rushed, and has mostly unique tooling, and looks great. So this whole rushed vs not rushed, 3-pack vs. individual release logic just doesn't add up and doesn't dictate who will or won't get unique tooling.

[Darkspecter]

There's no guarantee that more unique tooling dollars would have been dedicated to them. Look at Leech (a character that while from the POP cartoon, was part of the MOTU Toyline). Classic 80s Leech had his own completely unique sculpt. The MOTUC version of him reused many existing body parts, and some people feel that he looks kind of weird, akward, and not proportioned correctly. And he was a regular, individually released figure. They are trying to save money where they can by reusing as many parts as they can.

This logic of treating them as 1 item as opposed to 3 separate items is pretty much nonsense. Whether they are 3 separate figures at (using the sub prices) $20 each, or a 3-pack at $60, Mattel is still going to make the same amount of money per-figure from their sales.

I haven't listened to Roast Gooble Dinner 61 yet, but supposedly Eric of the Four Horsemen said the Star Sisters were treated as ONE item and only got the tooling of ONE item allocated to the set. He also either says they Star Sisters were rushed, or it is hinted to that they were. I have to find the time to listen to that episode...

I know not everyone is happy with Leech, but he did get a lot of new tooling: hands, feet, wrist joints, ankle joints, loin cloth, two torso pieces, head, crossbow and net. That's 14 new pieces when the average figure gets 4 or 5 new pieces.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

I haven't listened to Roast Gooble Dinner 61 yet, but supposedly Eric of the Four Horsemen said the Star Sisters were treated as ONE item and only got the tooling of ONE item allocated to the set.

I know not everyone is happy with Leech, but he did get a lot of new tooling: hands, feet, wrist joints, ankle joints, loin cloth, two torso pieces, head, crossbow and net. That's 14 new pieces when the average figure gets 4 or 5 new pieces.

I haven't listened to that RGB episode either, so maybe I'm wrong, but even if what you are saying is true, wouldn't the amount of unique tooling dedicated to "one" larger item or multi-pack still be more than what is typically allocated to "one" individual figure?

[Darkspecter]

I haven't listened to that RGB episode either, so maybe I'm wrong, but even if what you are saying is true, wouldn't the amount of unique tooling dedicated to "one" larger item or multi-pack still be more than what is typically allocated to "one" individual figure?

Apparently not. I would have to dig up my post from SDCC, but I counted all the unique parts on the Star Sisters and I think they need 3 more unique parts to be on par with individual releases. Ironically, that's the amount of their missing accessories:

- Tallstar's torso extension piece
- Tallstar's removable pants
- Starla's removable star backpack

[RockinHard]

You know what the best part is? Let's say that one or even two individual POP figures were already currently relevealed as coming in the regular monthly slots during the first 6 months of the year.... the complaint would then be...

"What the hell is Mattel doing?! I doubt that they are going to dedicate too many more monthly slots to POP in 2012. Why are they releasing everything POP related at the beginning of the year, and not saving some of it for later in the year? They're going to release everything right away and then make fans wait threw the entire second half of the year until sometime in 2013 for more POP product! Why does POP always get the short end of the stick?!"



There's no guarantee that more unique tooling dollars would have been dedicated to them. Look at Leech (a character that while from the POP cartoon, was part of the MOTU Toyline). Classic 80s Leech had his own completely unique sculpt. The MOTUC version of him reused many existing body parts, and some people feel that he looks kind of weird, akward, and not proportioned correctly. And he was a regular, individually released figure. They are trying to save money where they can by reusing as many parts as they can.

This logic of treating them as 1 item as opposed to 3 separate items is pretty much nonsense. Whether they are 3 separate figures at (using the sub prices) $20 each, or a 3-pack at $60, Mattel is still going to make the same amount of money per-figure from their sales.

They probably were part of the existing "road map" for some time, and therefore weren't rushed, as you seem to assume the case to be. And actually, Shadow Weaver was rushed, and has mostly unique tooling, and looks great. So this whole rushed vs not rushed, 3-pack vs. individual release logic just doesn't add up and doesn't dictate who will or won't get unique tooling.

You are exactly right about the complaint that would surely come next.

Also, it's not as if "care wasn't put into the Star Sisters" or that they were "rushed." Eric never stated they were rushed. The Horsemen's sculpts are outstanding.

[Thrawn29]

I haven't listened to Roast Gooble Dinner 61 yet, but supposedly Eric of the Four Horsemen said the Star Sisters were treated as ONE item and only got the tooling of ONE item allocated to the set. He also either says they Star Sisters were rushed, or it is hinted to that they were.

I listened to the podcast. My interpretation of it was that they were 'rushed' in the sense that the Star Sisters all counted as one item in their work schedule - the Q1 large scale item.

So instead of the Q1 item just being a beast or an army builder two pack, it was three unique figures and they had to hurry since it was three figures and not one.

At least they got more of a budget dedicated to them than Evil Lyn has in this line.

[Angel-T]

I swear, it seems like no matter what, POP fans will always feel slighted.

Fans feel slighted all the time, it's part of collecting a toyline like MOTUC.

There have been complaints from POP fans in the past about how it sucks that none of the sub exclusives or the oversized items (save for the recently released Swift Wind) have been POP related. But now that we have some POP included in those things, it's not good enough.

Personally I think the recent Swift Wind is fantastic, but the point I was making is that Beasts, A list variants & Sub Exclusive figures are extra & above the 12 sub figures, they are a bonus for whatever faction they happen to drawn from! I am specifically speaking about POP's share of the 12 sub figures. Where is the lack of logic there? What is un logical about POP fans expecting one or two of the monthly figure slots to be filled up by POP characters, thats why many of us signed up! You may not like what I am saying and thats cool, but it does not make my position any less valid than yours. There have been two POP characters as part of the monthly slots for the past few years in MOTUC and I make no appologies for thinking that should contiue regardless of any POP characters or animals that are (or are not) offered through the Beast, A list variant, Sub Exclusive or SDCC slots! POP should have a fair share of the 12 sub figures in 2012!

I'm sure that before 2012 is over, there will be at least 1 if not 2 more POP characters in the mix. Would you have preferred it if the Star Sisters had just been released individually throughout the year, taking up 3 of the monthly slots, with the 3-pack consisting of 3 MOTU characters that are currently planned to be released in the line during the year?

Personally speaking I would have rather the Star Sisters came out further down the road. I do want them and will snap them up in feburary. But like many POP fans I want Angella, Glimmer, Frosta Castaspella...core rebellion members more. We all have our oppinions and we all have our agenda's. I am a POP fan and I bought a sub because of my desire for POP characters and two characters a year as part of the monthly sub isn't to much to expect IMO! $400.00 plus a shed load of extra cash for postage to the UK and regular expensive customs charges gives me this wicked desire to express my oppinion about certian matters like this. Disagree with me all you want thats fine, but don't try to deminish what I say by trying to lump my oppinions in with "those old moaning POP fans", which is what I feel you are trying to do in your last post. I am a paying customer and have a perfect right to make a point or give oppinions on the sub and upcomming figure selections.

Finally in responce to Rockinhard.... I gues our idea's of what is logical in MOTUC somewhat differ.....but then thats nothing new to either of us is it!

[bcrduke]

"What the hell is Mattel doing?! I doubt that they are going to dedicate too many more monthly slots to POP in 2012. Why are they releasing everything POP related at the beginning of the year, and not saving some of it for later in the year? They're going to release everything right away and then make fans wait through the entire second half of the year until sometime in 2013 for more POP product! Why does POP always get the short end of the stick?!"

Can we not do this? You've essentially created an argument for yourself. You've put words into the mouths of people you disagree with, or who bother you, and then have begun an argument over that statement. Why?

That's weird. LOL

It bothers you that people who spend money on this line are clamoring for their must-haves?

You're being harsh by making generalizations about an entire subset of fans.

The complaint most POP fans have is that 3 years into the line we haven't had any female core POP figures. The Star Sisters are great, but they are kind of like He-Ro, Vikor, and Demo-Man in that they were protos/concepts that no one has any nostalgia for. They are great, but not the same as vintae motu or pop or na figures in that way.

We have Bow. Great! It would be nice just to know that by the end of 2012 we might have 2 more core Rebellion members (who aren't solely Filmation characters).

I think that's the point.

Shadow Weaver and Catra are awesome. I think POP fans want some heroic warriors.

Figures like Glimmer, Frosta, Castaspella, Angella, and Mermista would be great sellers (I think). Sure, not everyone will like them, but i think most people would, especially because of the 4H.

I feel the same way about Flogg, Hydron, Crita, and Mara...

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Figures like Glimmer, Frosta, Castaspella, Angella, and Mermista would be great sellers (I think). Sure, not everyone will like them, but i think most people would, especially because of the 4H.

Glimmer, Angella, and Frosta are all very much on my want list, so don't get me wrong, I agree those would be awesome figures to have (I don't personally have much of an attachment to the other 2 characters that you listed, but I have nothing specifically against them either). So, I'm certainly not against POP by any means.

[Count Marzo]

I feel exactly the same way! :0( This pic sais it all IMO!!!! We need some Frosta, Glimmer, Angella and Castaspella action!

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ner_copy-1.gif

Sweet pic but no Spinnerella??

[bcrduke]

Glimmer, Angella, and Frosta are all very much on my want list, so don't get me wrong, I agree those would be awesome figures to have (I don't personally have much of an attachment to the other 2 characters that you listed, but I have nothing specifically against them either). So, I'm certainly not against POP by any means.

I don't think you are

I was just trying to put into perspective why some pop fans might be itching for some of those characters.

It boggles my mind that the lineup hasn't been a tiny bit more diversified across the board. Between 2011 and 2012, there are a LOT of great vintage MOTU characters, and I'm happy to get them, but I'm not sure why they haven't been spaced out a but differently.

[Angel-T]

Sweet pic but no Spinnerella??

Sorry my bad...she is there in spirit!