Why is Mattel giving us black plastic and painting over it?

**TUC138** · September 19, 2012, 12:24am

Originally Posted by Balthus Dire

From TG via Matty forums:

[/b]

Link:
http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/1911042777

Black Plastic Randor Then ????

Is he stands "before" or "after" Dekker ????????

And..... Hmmmmmm.......... All This "Produced BEFORE 6 Months" Truth Has Spilled Its Beans !!!

**Balthus Dire** · September 19, 2012, 12:26am

Same month as Dekker, I believe.

Frosta and Rattlor, however...

**Stygian360** · September 19, 2012, 12:50am

Originally Posted by TUC138

And..... Hmmmmmm.......... All This "Produced BEFORE 6 Months" Truth Has Spilled Its Beans !!!

Yes, it's a fact that changes can't happen before 6 mnths out.... until it's not a fact.

Seriously though... too easy to paint each production run, situation, occurance with the same brush. I'm sure it's always dependent on many factors. Not least of which, how much effort Mattel is willing to put into correcting the issue based on fan outcry!

**bigsexy_j** · September 19, 2012, 02:03am

In Scott's update thread he confirms that the black plastic is a cost saving method.

J

**Berserker79** · September 19, 2012, 02:10am

Nice to know, that we pay more money for less quality...

High end collectibles...

**JoeyCruel** · September 19, 2012, 03:02am

Originally Posted by Balthus Dire

From TG via Matty forums:

[/b]

Link:
http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/1911042777

Wait a moment... so he's sayin' that they can save also Eternos Palace King Randor and Castle Grayskull Man?
Or that they can be infected by the Black Plastic Morbo®?

**OnlyOneSkeletor** · September 19, 2012, 03:20am

Originally Posted by JoeyCruel

Wait a moment... so he's sayin' that they can save also Eternos Palace King Randor and Castle Grayskull Man?
Or that they can be infected by the Black Plastic Morbo®?

TG has answered to a post of mine,asking about varnish apply possibilities.
apparently they are looking into this, and eventually changing the base colours.
which is a very good start don't you think?
Dekker is the november figure,just another two months for things to supposedly change.
we did it,guys!now let's step to another chapter.

**jibernish** · September 19, 2012, 08:06am

Originally Posted by OnlyOneSkeletor

TG has answered to a post of mine,asking about varnish apply possibilities.
apparently they are looking into this, and eventually changing the base colours.
which is a very good start don't you think?
Dekker is the november figure,just another two months for things to supposedly change.
we did it,guys!now let's step to another chapter.

Nothing's changed yet. They are looking into it. I believe it's a positive that TG said they are looking into it, he said when the changes might be in place, and that he admitted it's a cost savings measure. But this is just a might. If they go back to dying the plastic instead of painting, and this was a cost savings measure, it means either upper management is willing to reduce their profit margins (unlikely) or they will try to cut corners somewhere else.

Someone should really ask Mattel this: Given the fact that painting over black plastic was a cost cutting measure, if you go back to using correctly colored plastic will you have to cut costs in some other way?

Sorry for being so cynical but to be otherwise at this point would be delusional. I can't unsee all the history. We may get the black plastic to go away, but if we're just trading it in for another problem......

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by bigsexy_j

In Scott's update thread he confirms that the black plastic is a cost saving method.

J

So is Ruben making budget decisions now? It may be that someone in management said, "We're cutting xxxx amount of dollars from your budget, figure out how to absorb that cut." And then Ruben chose the black plastic option. If this is true it would, to some degree, let Ruben off the hook a little and put the true fault for this fiasco back in the hands of upper management, where almost all of these problems belong.

**DarrkKnight** · September 19, 2012, 09:34am

Originally Posted by Balthus Dire

From TG via Matty forums:

Originally Posted by Toy Guru

Re: Black Plastic
Design is looking into this and they have already confirm they will explore other base colors and solutions starting with Dekker, the next fig going into production that still had time to change.

Link:
http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/1911042777

This is great news and a faster response than I expected. Anyone know how many figs to be coming out(already early stages of production apparently) before Dekker?

**Eternian Poet** · September 19, 2012, 10:39am

Wow - "Design" are so good as solving problems that they created!

Two steps back and one step forward. Well done team!

**AdultCollector** · September 19, 2012, 11:38am

Originally Posted by DarrkKnight

Anyone know how many figs to be coming out(already early stages of production apparently) before Dekker?

Frosta, Rattlor, and the weapon pack are coming in October. Dekker is coming in November along with the King Randor variant and Castle Grayskull Man.

Will King Randor and Castle Grayskull Man be saved from black plastic?

**scott metzger** · September 19, 2012, 11:58am

Originally Posted by OnlyOneSkeletor

TG has answered to a post of mine,asking about varnish apply possibilities.
apparently they are looking into this, and eventually changing the base colours.
which is a very good start don't you think?
Dekker is the november figure,just another two months for things to supposedly change.
we did it,guys!now let's step to another chapter.

I'm not sure about the timeline here, but haven't we been told that a lot of things, like acquiring the raw materials for the figures, is done well in advance of the actual production? I mean, I assume they have to buy the plastic and the dyes to mix together ahead of time, as well as the paints. Paint changes I can see happening in such a short time, but, do they really wait to buy the raw plastic and such 'til the last moment like this? I'm assuming the black plastic comes already black (someone already explained about the recycled plastic and why it's black), and using another base would require buying more expensive, fresh plastic.

I hope things are as they are saying, but I have a feeling things are pretty well set for the rest of the year, and we'll keep seeing this until 2013 comes along. I just don't see how they can shift costs around like that at the last moment, given how tight things are and the required lead time we've been told about so many times...

**jibernish** · September 19, 2012, 12:18pm

Originally Posted by scott metzger

I'm not sure about the timeline here, but haven't we been told that a lot of things, like acquiring the raw materials for the figures, is done well in advance of the actual production? I mean, I assume they have to buy the plastic and the dyes to mix together ahead of time, as well as the paints. Paint changes I can see happening in such a short time, but, do they really wait to buy the raw plastic and such 'til the last moment like this? I'm assuming the black plastic comes already black (someone already explained about the recycled plastic and why it's black), and using another base would require buying more expensive, fresh plastic.

I hope things are as they are saying, but I have a feeling things are pretty well set for the rest of the year, and we'll keep seeing this until 2013 comes along. I just don't see how they can shift costs around like that at the last moment, given how tight things are and the required lead time we've been told about so many times...

I couldn't tell you where, but I remember TG saying that the raw materials, plastic included, is ordered ahead of time depending on how many figures they need to make.

So what happens when another cost goes up between now and 2013? What will they skimp on then? Will they go back to black plastic? Will they cut accessories even though they said they wouldn't? "Well guys, we increased prices to ensure we didn't have cut accessories, but prices went up higher than we predicted." And can you trust Mattel to find good ways to cut costs that won't seriously affect the quality?

We have our answers here guys. Nothing has changed in the last few years. Mattel's behavior/decisions are predictable - the only question is exactly what the problems will look like when they arise.

**JoeyCruel** · September 19, 2012, 12:21pm

Originally Posted by Eternian Poet

Wow - "Design" are so good as solving problems that they created!
Two steps back and one step forward. Well done team!

Wow! I was thinkin' the same when the first Spikor picture surfaced... one step forward... two steps back... and in my mind there was this song:

minute 0:24
"One step forward, two steps back
You make me feel I want to die"

**AdultCollector** · September 19, 2012, 03:48pm

Toyguru wants us to keep posting images. Here are some shots of the first 2-pack of Snake Men figures I ordered.

**Evilestwarrior** · September 19, 2012, 03:51pm

Originally Posted by He-Boy

Is it all about winning the argument for you? I was not trying to be clever. I was describing a group of people – those complaining about the complainers. My question wasn’t aimed at those who don’t feel the need to fight for change, it was aimed purely at those who want other people to shut up. You might be sick of the term but it is apt. What term would you have used? Anyway, I wasn’t even trying to win an argument – and my labeling of a group of people wasn’t the main point. If you had read my comment you would have realized that I posed a question.

All I seem to read is you complaining to people and offering nothing useful to address any of the issues. Reading your other posts it seems that simply raising QC issues to Mattel is enough for you. I could not disagree more – if we don’t continue to fight for issues until they are fixed then Mattel will see our eventual silence as complacency and happily ignore the issue all-together.

Yeah, except one party expects the other to put up and shut up while they hypocritically do exactly the same thing – complain! That doesn’t sound like a discussion to me.

There is a big difference between disagreeing with someone and telling them how they should feel and act.

I'll admit I do like to argue, me and my wife don't argue very often so I need to get my fix elsewhere

Seriously though it's funny because you aren't really one of the members that seems to complain endlessly about the Matty mess ups. You bring up valid points and I will never say that Matty should be able to get away with giving us poor product. Also by all means if you feel Matty has given you the shaft then you should make it known whatever way possible. It's just that while this thread exploded with hatred the thread that matters, the pictures of the black plastic damage, has few posts with evidence of the damage. I have to agree with what Scott said, if only a few people are posting pictures how can they present this as a major problem? 30 or so pictures falls in the realm of acceptable issues within a run of a few thousand toys. If I had issues with paint peeling you bet I would post the pictures!

You asked why I don't offer any solutions but I'm not experiencing problems with the toys. I think they still look fantastic and the quality is great IMO. I don't see a problem with black plastic in and of itself. It's used on many toys produced today. Even though I am new to the forums I've been a long time lurker and have had experience with Matty from the early days when I would order figures here and there. I collect quite a few toy lines and have accounts on many forums and I have never seen the types of witch hunts like they happen here in these forums. Maybe it's the passion of the MOTU fan but sometimes it comes off as just trying to cause a riot or trying to be the first to uncover a problem.

**DO4M** · September 19, 2012, 04:29pm

Originally Posted by AdultCollector

You should repost them on the Per TG's Request pics of black plastic thread...

**jibernish** · September 19, 2012, 04:39pm

Originally Posted by AdultCollector

That's crap. Sorry your Snake Men are all jacked up.

**Fug-Lee-Faces** · September 19, 2012, 04:49pm

Originally Posted by AdultCollector

You've got to me ****** kidding me? Soooo glad I did not order them. I only ordered a Mekaneck. And today I cancelled my credit card and my 2013 sub with it.

**Draego-Man** · September 19, 2012, 04:55pm

Those pictures are disgusting. Totally outrageous.

**Crusader** · September 19, 2012, 05:00pm

Originally Posted by AdultCollector

If those pictures can't convince Mattel Design, nothing will.

**KUZEH** · September 19, 2012, 05:12pm

Originally Posted by Draego-Man

Those pictures are disgusting. Totally outrageous.

**Stygian360** · September 19, 2012, 07:04pm

Originally Posted by KUZEH

http://pinkie.ponychan.net/chan/file...4764913433.png

LOL... great pic!!

BTW folks... there's a very important reality check that I think many of us are forgetting in our desperation to throw Mattel/TG/Ruben under any available moving vehicle. And that point is that... up until this chipping paint fiasco became well known and widespread Mattel had been delivering us these figures at an incredibly high level of quality, not because they had to, but because- as collectors themselves- they wanted to see these figures done right. So in our haste to point fingers at whoever we feel is to blame let's not forget how desperately cool these figures are- in quality, accessories, articulation, etc. I have every confidence that Scott will get to the bottom of this, and according to his post yesterday he already is.

Some see dramatically dark intent at every turn and that's unfortunate... but to that I say, what you seek you will find. So I humbly request that we give Scott/Mattel just an ever so slight bit of credit for what's come before.

**Draego-Man** · September 19, 2012, 07:18pm

Originally Posted by KUZEH

http://pinkie.ponychan.net/chan/file...4764913433.png

Yeah, I'm serious alright... those are some JACKED UP figures!!

**Fug-Lee-Faces** · September 19, 2012, 08:24pm

Originally Posted by Stygian360

... up until this chipping paint fiasco became well known and widespread Mattel had been delivering us these figures at an incredibly high level of quality, not because they had to, but because- as collectors themselves- they wanted to see these figures done right.

I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Wow....
Just....wow.....

If you think these are high end figures made by people who care about the line, me thinks you need to expand your horizons.
4H aside, this line is and always has been quite obviously done by those who don't give two ***** for the line.

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