Toyguru Mattycollector.com MOTUC News Thread October 2012

[He-Boy]

I don't know how anyone else feels but god I hope they DON'T make that ridiculous proto-character with the funky helmet and constipated looking face into a SDCC exclusive or even a classics character anytime soon. What a waste of an increasingly limited slot with so many more important and deserving figures yet to be made. Save it for the 2018 sub.

I completely agree. They should make up a sub and add Songster, Chef Allen, Yellow Tug of War Guy, Battleground Spector and every other "gotta catch em all" figure that those people who want everything and save us from wasting our money.

We have Vikor and Vykron. The He-Man prototype thing has been done now.

[Prahvus]

About Karatti's right shoulderpad :

The hand painted model at Power Con was put together in the case incorrectly.

Ah ! It sure seemed to me that something was looking odd with that shoulderpad. Now let's hope and pray that it will be corrected by the time the figure is produced and released...

When you mentioned tha after Dekker the black plastic issue will be solved you mean that the figures will be molded in their
base color? Thank you

Many methods will be used, but I did pass to design that fans would PREFER not to use black as a base color WHEN POSSIBLE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU WON'T SEE BLACK, but I did pass along the suggestion.

From what we can gather here, it is now official : they SHALL continue to use black plastic as a base (and not only for Mosquitor or Ninjor, apparently) !

3rd mini comic question

What happened to Hordak? As buzz saw he hits skeleton in the back then skeleton changes to NA and leaves for space

He was killed by Skeletor's spell (but not before unleashing one final attack!)

Wow... Apparently, the "geniuses" directing this brand didn't think that Hordak getting killed by Skeletor was a fact that was important enough to deserve at least an image in the mini-comics. Great diplay of ineptitude, once again...



About netossa :

Her feet are being reviewed by design. Colors and other accessories are not as easy to adjust and to manage expectations, there won't be changes to these.

If Netossa's legs, feet or whatever are not FIXED (seems like they were reversed), I won't buy the Great Rebellion characters anymore. I already had to pass on Flawed Frosta (and Frosta is a favorite POP character of mine), but if Netossa comes flawed too, I don't think I'll buy Great Rebellion members anymore...

[He-Dad]

That's basically the He-Man we got in the 80's with a helmet. They could just include the head with Oo-Lar.

I'm looking at my vintage He-man and he doesn't have a unibrow, constipated expression, or socks. I maintain that it would be fine at the very end of the line....say Dec 2018......then again I think Oo-lar is kinda silly at this point as well since every proto-he-man variant they make is one less original character made. (Sorry we didn't get to Glimmer, Mantenna, Two-Bad, Blade, Dragstor, Ninjor, Castaspella, Queen Angella, ect. but at least you have naked proto-he-man with constipation face alternate head! Cool eh!)

[SCB]

Vintage He-Man evolved from that.

I'm fine with getting that He-Man and Oo-Lar in one body later down the line.

[He-Dad]

I completely agree. They should make up a sub and add Songster, Chef Allen, Yellow Tug of War Guy, Battleground Spector and every other "gotta catch em all" figure that those people who want everything and save us from wasting our money.

We have Vikor and Vykron. The He-Man prototype thing has been done now.

exactly.....although I like Songster and his amazing power of rock. He shreds so hard on that guitar that he melted Keldor's face off at his first concert, resulting in Skeletor......or not. I don't even mind some of the other one off's like Batros, Plundor, Fang Man, Vultak, ect. At least they're original and would make cool figures. As far as tug of war guy, josh, proto-man, ect......either save them for very very last or a seperate obscure filmation sub. If the line was healthier I wouldn't mind as much but at this point we don't even know if we're getting another sub, why waste slots on no namers, especially proto type he-man figures. There are ALOT of vintage figures and Filmation figures that should of been made (like Madamn Razz, Broom and Imp) left and I just think they are more important to more people.

And SCB, I wasn't trying to argue or single you out....was just giving ya some light razzing. I get the whole evolution thing and I know there are lots of mini comic fans that love Oo-lar. I just don't see it being a great con figure and I'm with you....if they knock them both out with one figure at the end that's fine. I just don't want to see it any time soon until we see some more mainstream, highly demanded, and important figures get made. My biggest fear is to have a collection that's missing my favorite vintage figures but is loaded with He-man varients and prototypes.

[13977]

Glad to hear they knew Karatii's Shoulder armor was upside down in the display.

[jibernish]

I don't mean to be a naysayer but I don't hold out a great deal of hope for Castle Grayskull. Scott said they need as many pre-orders as they have subs and considering that people have bought multiple subs, they would have to pre-order multiple Grayskulls. That being said, I'm sure there are a lot fewer of us buying multiple subs these days.

I'm also expecting the pice to be more around $300 (TG has already dropped that price in his answers recently). That all being said, I think he is being very transaprent when it comes to Grayskull so if the price does end up being more then we can't really get upset at him.

If they're planning to use black plastic then they can kiss the Castle goodbye because I can't see many of us spending that much to have the paint-scrape issues of black plastic.



I don't have it either but us internationals are so far behind the locals that I don't expect everyone to not talk about it once it is out there.

Yep, that Castle's not coming in at $200. And if we push for non-black plastic, it wll just give them an excuse to push the price higher.

[Balthus Dire]

Vintage He-Man evolved from that.

I'm fine with getting that He-Man and Oo-Lar in one body later down the line.

That would be epic. I've wanted that helmeted style He-Man concept head for ages.

[scott metzger]

To reiterate your stance, I will NOT pay $34 plus for a bunch of cheaply made figures that will look awful within a couple of years. Although I keep some carded, I shouldn't have to worry about destroying my loose figures by using the articulation it was designed for. Had they been honest and revealed that most future figures would be made this way, I would have NEVER purchased a 2013 Club Eternia.

As far as I am concerned Matty pulled a bait and switch with their "locked in" subscriptions. To top that off, they increased the prices we're going to be paying for their subpar merchandise. As far as I'm concerned, it's fraud.

Fraud would have been if they'd told us they wouldn't use black plastic and then used it anyway, so it isn't technically that. But, as I've staed elsewhere, I think it is obvious that it was a very deliberate move to make the switch as the subs were being sold, so that we only had arriving Vikors to go by and no clear pattern emerging. The budget for the line was locked in stone for 2012 before the fact, as we've been told so many times, so, unless there was a sudden increase in something unexpected, I strongly suspect that this was planned well in advance to occur exactly when it did and no sooner. It is just way too much of a coincidence that the changover occured just in time to coincide with "the subs are locked in and you can't back out." Wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the reasons for not extending the subs or bringing them back up like they did last year; once folks found out about the future direction of MOTUC plastic, there likely wouldn't have been enough new subs to make it worth while.

It definitely looks like we were all played like a finely tuned Stradavarius here, yet another major blow to the tattered shreds of what was once Mattel's credibility...

[orbles]

About netossa :


If Netossa's legs, feet or whatever are not FIXED (seems like they were reversed), I won't buy the Great Rebellion characters anymore. I already had to pass on Flawed Frosta (and Frosta is a favorite POP character of mine), but if Netossa comes flawed too, I don't think I'll buy Great Rebellion members anymore...[/QUOTE]

Oh, didnt you know that when the POP girls came from Etheria that the transporter malfunctioned and switched up some of their body parts when reassembling them. Isnt that neat-o?

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Fraud would have been if they'd told us they wouldn't use black plastic and then used it anyway, so it isn't technically that. But, as I've staed elsewhere, I think it is obvious that it was a very deliberate move to make the switch as the subs were being sold, so that we only had arriving Vikors to go by and no clear pattern emerging. The budget for the line was locked in stone for 2012 before the fact, as we've been told so many times, so, unless there was a sudden increase in something unexpected, I strongly suspect that this was planned well in advance to occur exactly when it did and no sooner. It is just way too much of a coincidence that the changover occured just in time to coincide with "the subs are locked in and you can't back out." Wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the reasons for not extending the subs or bringing them back up like they did last year; once folks found out about the future direction of MOTUC plastic, there likely wouldn't have been enough new subs to make it worth while.

It definitely looks like we were all played like a finely tuned Stradavarius here, yet another major blow to the tattered shreds of what was once Mattel's credibility...

I do agree that it was strategically planned, but I can also understand what may have happened. Think of it this way. You plan your budget for the month, then half way through the month your kids get sick and you have to pay our co-pay for the Dr. visit and the meds. You didnt plan for this to happen, so now you need to eat Top Ramen for the rest of the month, instead of steak. I am not trying to be an apologist, just presenting an idea. Now at one point it sounded like it would end with Dekker, so I thought it would only last through 2012, so it is disturbing to think that this may continue into 2013, especially with the price increase to avoid this kind of scenario.

[snakeeyes0217]

Yep, that Castle's not coming in at $200. And if we push for non-black plastic, it wll just give them an excuse to push the price higher.

Just to clarify, they are not using black plastic because black plastic is a cheaper kind of plastic. They are saving money by running shared common parts all at once in one color. The fact that they chose black as that one color and not a more neutral, less noticeable color is the perplexing part.

So, since the Grayskull play-set will not have any shared parts, there is no need to mold it in any other color than what it is meant to be.

[Adam_Adamant]

Yep, that Castle's not coming in at $200. And if we push for non-black plastic, it wll just give them an excuse to push the price higher.

I know I'm going to get shot down for saying this, but if it was a toss up between the two , I would much rather the blastic issue get resolved than have a Castle playset (I would obviously like both but I'm just stating my preference if only one were possible).

[jibernish]

Just to clarify, they are not using black plastic because black plastic is a cheaper kind of plastic. They are saving money by running shared common parts all at once in one color. The fact that they chose black as that one color and not a more neutral, less noticeable color is the perplexing part.

So, since the Grayskull play-set will not have any shared parts, there is no need to mold it in any other color than what it is meant to be.

Was this said anywhere? If so, I missed it. I'm going off the idea that the black plastic is either cheaper or recycled plastic.

I'd HOPE you are right, but I'm done hoping with this line. I will assume it's black plastic until I hear otherwise. I don't have $275 or so to bet on Matty's integrity, honesty, or even capability in doing a good job. I need to have an iron-clad promise that the castle will be molded in the proper color, in writing, on the pre-order. Anything less than that and I can't be sure Mattel won't weasel out and go cheap again. They always do. Maybe we should start up a thread/petition or just a question to TG that we want that as a contractual agreement in the pre-order documentation.

But who am I kidding. If they need to cut costs and can't use black plastic, they'll just cut something else. What's worse, the devil you know or the devil you don't?

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I know I'm going to get shot down for saying this, but if it was a toss up between the two , I would much rather the blastic issue get resolved than have a Castle playset (I would obviously like both but I'm just stating my preference if only one were possible).

The figures are the base of this line so I think your decision is a sound one.

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Fraud would have been if they'd told us they wouldn't use black plastic and then used it anyway, so it isn't technically that. But, as I've staed elsewhere, I think it is obvious that it was a very deliberate move to make the switch as the subs were being sold, so that we only had arriving Vikors to go by and no clear pattern emerging. The budget for the line was locked in stone for 2012 before the fact, as we've been told so many times, so, unless there was a sudden increase in something unexpected, I strongly suspect that this was planned well in advance to occur exactly when it did and no sooner. It is just way too much of a coincidence that the changover occured just in time to coincide with "the subs are locked in and you can't back out." Wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the reasons for not extending the subs or bringing them back up like they did last year; once folks found out about the future direction of MOTUC plastic, there likely wouldn't have been enough new subs to make it worth while.

It definitely looks like we were all played like a finely tuned Stradavarius here, yet another major blow to the tattered shreds of what was once Mattel's credibility...

Ugghhh....

[EtherianChronicles]

I can't believe they promised the My Subscription page by October as a selling point to the sub and we still don't have it. That is an empty promise and they will expect us to forget it next July. It's a shame we are so loyal sometimes.

It was promised to be out before the end of 2011. It came out, failed, then they said "will be back in a few weeks". Now we are closing in on a year later.

It's...insane.

Mattel is run unlike any corporation I have ever encountered before. That level of incompetence is incomprehensible. Major motion pictures are made in less time than it's taken them to get one page fixed.

[hadley]

Was this said anywhere? If so, I missed it. I'm going off the idea that the black plastic is either cheaper or recycled plastic.

Yes. He explained it at Power Con. It's in one of the videos Pixel Dan posted. He basicay said that instead of casting X parts in February, X parts in March, X parts in April and so on, they made a budget decision to cast all the parts at once and paint them as they needed them.

This made sense, but then he followed it up with something that deserves to get someone choked: the paint curing process was botched. This is why we are seeing rub and smudges.

[MegaGearMax]

Geez dudes, we don't all have the comic yet!

D'oh!

Alright, I've made a separate Q&A thread for the mini-comic Q&A's, so that those who don't have the issue yet won't be spoiled. THIS particular thread will be for general Q&A answers.

[Whiplash7]

Cheers Max, you are a gentleman and a scholar.

[Stygian360]

It was promised to be out before the end of 2011. It came out, failed, then they said "will be back in a few weeks". Now we are closing in on a year later.

It's...insane.

Mattel is run unlike any corporation I have ever encountered before. That level of incompetence is incomprehensible. Major motion pictures are made in less time than it's taken them to get one page fixed.

I don't disagree with your comments. In a moment of cynical rage, my favorite part about Scott's 'promised' go live date for the My Sub page is this: "We WILL have this site running in several weeks... if not by early 2013." If that isn't the definition of wiggle room I don't know what is. And utterly sad because it's taken damn near 2 years to get a fully operational page. 2 years and counting. Then you're immediately reminded that this site must be put together by Digital River... which is accompanied by a huge slap on the forehead 'A-HA' as to why it's taking so long in the first place and/or why it failed initially. DIGITAL RIVERS SUCKS.

[MasterCollector]

I strongly suspect that this was planned well in advance to occur exactly when it did and no sooner. It is just way too much of a coincidence that the changover occured just in time to coincide with "the subs are locked in and you can't back out." Wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the reasons for not extending the subs or bringing them back up like they did last year;

I see it the same way. Based on the figures we had received up to that point, we could at least depend on them casting the figures in their correct colors or at least most of the figure. I prefer the faces be painted and I can deal with the occassional bicep or hands, but not the entire figure. None of us could have anticipated this cheap move. Increasing the prices we're going to be paying for this junk is adding insult to injury.

I know I'm going to get shot down for saying this, but if it was a toss up between the two , I would much rather the blastic issue get resolved than have a Castle playset (I would obviously like both but I'm just stating my preference if only one were possible).

I too would like this painted plastic issue resolved first, before any further talk of Grayskull or ANYTHING else MOTUC. However, I think we should start steering away from the black plastic term since Scott & friends may just start using another inappropriate color.

This made sense, but then he followed it up with something that deserves to get someone choked: the paint curing process was botched. This is why we are seeing rub and smudges.

What a load of crap. Can Scott really believe this nonsense he's hearing from Ruben?

Aircraft paint aside, no matter what type of paint they use, it will chip and wear down with continuous friction, period. These figures were designed so that the parts fit snug. Adding paint to each part makes the contact points between the joints overly snug.

I used to customize Transformers and let me tell you, if you wanted to minimize the friction on the paint, you had to sand between each and every joint so that when you painted them, they were no tighter than before you sanded them down.


It's very simple and should be common sense to Ruben since he's the head of design.

[mykol]

I see it the same way. Based on the figures we had received up to that point, we could at least depend on them casting the figures in their correct colors or at least most of the figure. I prefer the faces be painted and I can deal with the occassional bicep or hands, but not the entire figure. None of us could have anticipated this cheap move. Increasing the prices we're going to be paying for this junk is adding insult to injury.




I too would like this painted plastic issue resolved first, before any further talk of Grayskull or ANYTHING else MOTUC. However, I think we should start steering away from the black plastic term since Scott & friends may just start using another inappropriate color.


What a load of crap. Can Scott really believe this nonsense he's hearing from Ruben?

Aircraft paint aside, no matter what type of paint they use, it will chip and wear down with continuous friction, period. These figures were designed so that the parts fit snug. Adding paint to each part makes the contact points between the joints overly snug.

I used to customize Transformers and let me tell you, if you wanted to minimize the friction on the paint, you had to sand between each and every joint so that when you painted them, they were no tighter than before you sanded them down.


It's very simple and should be common sense to Ruben since he's the head of design.

Thank you Design Team and especially Ruben you've saved me a whole bunch of money in 2013!

[MegaGearMax]

Updated with almost 30 new answers!

All of the Frosta figures are backwards.

[SCB]

That's odd since Veebee at the fwoosh has a correct one and I saw another correct one at Power Con in package in the display case.

[MegaGearMax]

One new answer: Spector outsold Slushhead by far.

[Whiplash7]

I'm fairly certain a reissue Teela would do well. Not a cheap or common figure on the secondary market by any stretch.

[bcrduke]

MOTUC is not Scott's line. There is only one figure in 5 years that I put in because I wanted him and that was Carnivus. Everyone else has been based on fan demand and balancing the line year to year to get the most characters out there. More POP are coming!

Scott has mentioned TWICE how he fast-tracked He-Ro because he wanted him (I'm glad he did), and its no secret that Scott isn't a huge POP fan, hence the lack of POP characters. LoL

Then there is Spector and Lt. Spector.

Then there are Vikor and Demo-Man, figures Scott said he put in the line after discovering the original drawings.

This line is absolutely "Scott's line."

He's the one who decides the line-up.