Opened my first MOTU Classic...Shokingly disappointed :-0

[shadowfall1976]

I think this whole experience was based upon way to high expectations.
Seeing the background where you have kept everything MOC and probably only seen pictures of the figures online you made it up in your mind for them to be perfect. Nothing is perfect, things that are mass produced have plenty of flaws, especially something as fragile as a collectible figure. Quality will range quite wildly as well.
Sucks that it didn't live up to your expectations, but do with the collection as you want and what makes you happy, that's whats important. For me, an unopened figure kind of defeats the point, but then again I have never been a MOC collector so I am biased. But as a point to make, that does make my experience with figures vast, and will give me expectations that are realistic.

Yeah they say "Adult Collectable", but they are supposedly tested for 4+....these may be considered collectables, but they are indeed toys, meant to be played with, and yet, they don't stand up to play, they loosen really fast, and some figures self destruct....

So I guess by your logic, Goddess and Snout are acceptable casualties of a modern mass produced line....yet the problems affected many of each figures run, that's not fragility, that's poor craftsmanship, poor materials, and just plain bad design choices, much like Stinkor's forearms & the black plastic issues.

Some people may have an unreasonable expectation for MOTUC, like every figure absolutely perfect....yes, there will be flaws, but for the price, and for the supposed "Adult" market....there are many figures that have too many issues, therein lies the expectations, getting what you pay for....and that is a reasonable expectation, no one wants to shell out $20+ for an action figure, that can't even stand, if that is the case, they might as well stay MOSC....and to say an unopened figure defeats the purpose, sorry, but that is in the eye of the beholder, and in the hands of each individual collector, toys can be appreciated and loved just as much in the package if said collector chooses....What defeats the purpose is saying someones collection habits are ridiculous if not met by anothers standards or how they think they should be collected, yet in the same breath saying it's OK collect as you like, I have no issues with that.....

My son has a He-Man, he's had it for about a year now, and it is still playable, and nothing broken, hence dies the fragility of the figures, but QC issues are far different from rather a figure is meant to sit on a shelf enjoying years of dust, or meant to be taken off and played with. Some figure break way too easily, and that is poor quality, not intended fragility due to a "collectable" status of the figures.

[Haradrel]

Yeah they say "Adult Collectable", but they are supposedly tested for 4+....these may be considered collectables, but they are indeed toys, meant to be played with, and yet, they don't stand up to play, they loosen really fast, and some figures self destruct....

So I guess by your logic, Goddess and Snout are acceptable casualties of a modern mass produced line....yet the problems affected many of each figures run, that's not fragility, that's poor craftsmanship, poor materials, and just plain bad design choices, much like Stinkor's forearms & the black plastic issues.

I am not going to debate this as it's futile, peoples opinions differ greatly, every line has it's problems - MOTUC's problems are just super-exposed because we have a direct line to the creators. I have never heard the part where they are tested to a 4+ range group, but the markings on the box say adult collectors, that in and of itself should be considered "a warning" regarding playability.
As a sidenote: I have not had the black plastic issue at all, I'm fine with stinkors forearms, my Snout spout has not broken - My godess pelvic area did break, bad materials - happens in a batch along with poor materials used, I'm not going to make a huge deal of it, it sucks, it shouldn't be that way, but that is the way it is (my view on things).
To be honest I think it's sad that so many people got annoyed at Snout Spouts trunk - this in turn means that we won't see bendy parts on other characters like Octavia. There is an upside and a downside of every choice being made.

[shadowfall1976]

I am not going to debate this as it's futile, peoples opinions differ greatly, every line has it's problems - MOTUC's problems are just super-exposed because we have a direct line to the creators. I have never heard the part where they are tested to a 4+ range group, but the markings on the box say adult collectors, that in and of itself should be considered "a warning" regarding playability.
As a sidenote: I have not had the black plastic issue at all, I'm fine with stinkors forearms, my Snout spout has not broken - My godess pelvic area did break, bad materials - happens in a batch along with poor materials used, I'm not going to make a huge deal of it, it sucks, it shouldn't be that way, but that is the way it is (my view on things).
To be honest I think it's sad that so many people got annoyed at Snout Spouts trunk - this in turn means that we won't see bendy parts on other characters like Octavia. There is an upside and a downside of every choice being made.

Look around this forum, and even from Scott's mouth, tested 4+, and the fact that the "Adult Collectable" virtually means nothing....it's there so that the figures can contain elements that are less than kid friendly, like sharper but still blunt swords, and not have to have if they were to, elongated projectiles....like most G1 Hasbro re-issues do.

But if you do research, or have been around to read posts as long as I have, you read things like the age tested for and about the "Adult Collector" labeling, nothing to do with fragility of the figures, the figures are not fragile, unless the workmanship of a particular figure is crap (Goddess, Roboto & Snout). The figures are intended to be played with, many let their kids mess with them, as I said my son has had a He-Man for a year now, his joints are looser, but the figure is completely intact, nothing fragile about MOTUC, at least not intentionally.


EDIT: found the Mattel / Scott statement....

Check out the below just posted on facebook:

Q. Can children play with MOTUC toys?
A. Although we have labeled them "Adult Collector," we still safety test them the same way we do all of our age 4+ toys. So, yes, children are totally encouraged to play with MOTUC. But we still don't consider them bath toys, so Moss Man is not ideal for water play, as some fans have found out!

Hence MOTUC not, fragile, unless bad craftsmanship or manufacturing is involved. And the "Adult Collector" means nothing really.

But some materials are really bad, I have 3 of the Ghostbusters....and each one the "cord" between the Pack and the blaster, broke off, yes the "flexible" "bendy" part broke off, all 3 of them. Yet the rest of the figures are perfect, other than maybe joints....but the figures just do not break unless something is crap on the to begin with.

[Haradrel]

EDIT: found the Mattel / Scott statement....

". Can children play with MOTUC toys?
A. Although we have labeled them "Adult Collector," we still safety test them the same way we do all of our age 4+ toys. So, yes, children are totally encouraged to play with MOTUC. But we still don't consider them bath toys, so Moss Man is not ideal for water play, as some fans have found out!"

Hence MOTUC not, fragile, unless bad craftsmanship or manufacturing is involved. And the "Adult Collector" means nothing really.

Like I said I'm not going to debate it further - last post here, but right there in that quote, you are reading into your own version of what you believe to be the truth.
They have to make the sharp bits dull and bendy, it's a safety regulation they have chosen to follow now. Also here is something that I think you should focus on: "children are totally encouraged to play with MOTUC"
Also take into account this: we still safety test them the same way we do all of our age 4+ toys.
What you are reading into it is that they are toys to be played with and that is how they are intended, I think that's very wrong. All he is saying is that yes kids should be encourage to play with them, and that they are safety tested the same way all their toys are from ages 4 and up. You however immediately jump to the conclusion that it's a toy intended for children and play. No, he wants to sell more of them, quite simple really.

I am going to leave the debate with this: I disagree with your view on what he meant by his answer. I disagree that these are toys for kids - they can be, but that is not the initial intention of the items. And I personally think that this is the core reason why so many flip out over what they perceive to be quality issues. Mattycollector is not mattel, they (matty)try a lot of things, they experiment - some of those pay off other end up horribly for the consumer, and in the worst case scenarios we end up with broken collectibles. Overall this line is pretty solid, but based on the experimental nature of the whole line (remember how it started) there are bound to be a lot of hiccups. In my experience of collecting toys and adult collectibles like this line, that is perfectly normal.

[shadowfall1976]

Like I said I'm not going to debate it further - last post here, but right there in that quote, you are reading into your own version of what you believe to be the truth.
They have to make the sharp bits dull and bendy, it's a safety regulation they have chosen to follow now. Also here is something that I think you should focus on: "children are totally encouraged to play with MOTUC"
Also take into account this: we still safety test them the same way we do all of our age 4+ toys.
What you are reading into it is that they are toys to be played with and that is how they are intended, I think that's very wrong. All he is saying is that yes kids should be encourage to play with them, and that they are safety tested the same way all their toys are from ages 4 and up. You however immediately jump to the conclusion that it's a toy intended for children and play. No, he wants to sell more of them, quite simple really.

I am going to leave the debate with this: I disagree with your view on what he meant by his answer. I disagree that these are toys for kids - they can be, but that is not the initial intention of the items. And I personally think that this is the core reason why so many flip out over what they perceive to be quality issues. Mattycollector is not mattel, they (matty)try a lot of things, they experiment - some of those pay off other end up horribly for the consumer, and in the worst case scenarios we end up with broken collectibles. Overall this line is pretty solid, but based on the experimental nature of the whole line (remember how it started) there are bound to be a lot of hiccups. In my experience of collecting toys and adult collectibles like this line, that is perfectly normal.

Read whatever you like into it, the facts are right there in front of you....his statement is right there...but whatever, Scott may backpeddle on things that are not legal matters, but when something is a legal issue regarding Mattel, he states truth, it's about the only time you can believe the guy....he simply can't state that the toys are tested 4+ in public, and they not be, public statements can be treated the same as written ones, which, here he has both.

Fact, MOTUC are not intended to be Fragile....my son was 2 when I got him his, he now has an extra Demo-Man of mine....neither are broken even under his intense play.

Your opinion is fine, keep it by all means, but facts are facts, even my opinion can't argue with a fact that has been stated time and time again, and could be quite possibly backed by Mattel legal.

And there was never was a debate (other than possibly about MOSC vs Loose), I posted what I read, and what came from Mattel as fact and in writing, and the fact that my son, as well as kids all over have played with and play with MOTUC everyday, and they don't get broke under any circumstances that won't break any toy from any other line, testing for 4+ means a kid of 4+ can safely play with said toys....Safety testing, means safe play....If something is safety tested, it means it's safety tested....safe to play with, playability and durability have nothing to do with this issue, if a toy is deemed safe, it is safe....durability and playability are completely different matters, my son proves the playability issue.

we still safety test them the same way we do all of our age 4+ toys.

Means the toy is safe....for kids 4 through adult whether marked or not....no amount of arguing or debating will change that fact...."Adult Collectable" just means adults only, as a way to cover their asses if an adult lets their kids play with something and they choke, Mattel is not liable, it says "adult Collectable" but that doens't mean a kid can't play with it, are they intended for kids....no, no one ever said that point....the point was to counter your "they are fragile" statement....fact is....No, they are not as a whole, individual figures, maybe, due to materials used, but the line as a whole....NO.

[Haradrel]

testing for 4+ means a kid of 4+ can safely play with said toys....

Absolute last post. I disagree with it being facts, no matter how many times you repeat it. But there is this. - The toys are safety tested for 4+, they are not play tested. You should understand that, the safety test has nothing to do with playability. It has to with sharp edges, and small bits. This is where the confusion lies. Alright I'm done, I'll let you have the final word as I think I've put my thoughts out there as best as possible.

[He-Dog]

When I was a kid and had He-Man toys I encountered lots of issues with the figures. My Zodak's head popped off and would never go back on all the way. Stratos' arm would never stay on. Man-At-Arms armor straps broke almost instantly when playing with him. Mekaneck never stood up well on his own. The armor on my Stinkor broke right out of the package.

Actually, I don't know if I ever played with or collected a toy line that didn't have some type of issues, including any toys I collect today as an adult. That includes "Adult Collector" toys. Paint probs, joints, parts breaking easily. But, doesn't matter to me. I keep on collecting on.

If it ever bothered me... I'd stop buying it. Challenge: Name a toy line that is without fault.

[shadowfall1976]

When I was a kid and had He-Man toys I encountered lots of issues with the figures. My Zodak's head popped off and would never go back on all the way. Stratos' arm would never stay on. Man-At-Arms armor straps broke almost instantly when playing with him. Mekaneck never stood up well on his own. The armor on my Stinkor broke right out of the package.

Actually, I don't know if I ever played with or collected a toy line that didn't have some type of issues, including any toys I collect today as an adult. That includes "Adult Collector" toys. Paint probs, joints, parts breaking easily. But, doesn't matter to me. I keep on collecting on.

If it ever bothered me... I'd stop buying it. Challenge: Name a toy line that is without fault.

That is my thing as well, I hate the QC issue at times in this line, but it is a toy line, I do expect it, just not all of it sometimes. And the intentional issues I hate the most, Stinkor, the Black Plastic thing....

I lost straps on Battle Cat, straps broke on He-Man time and time again, and yes the same with the arms popping off....hell I even broke fingers off of some figures on the ***** slap hands.

the G1 Transformers...Prowl, Mirage & Megatron were notorious for breaking....but look how many figures still exist today after 30+ years. I have a Two-Bad, Mantenna & Man-At-Arms still left from my collection, and the rubber bands are loose, and somewhat dryed out....but the MAA is missing fingers, and parts of his armor straps as well.

MOTUC are not fragile toys, they feel as hefty as the Vintage figures, and as solid, and knowing someone who has dropped them time and time again off of his shelves....and they are still intact, and my son playing with his MOTUC for a year now, and they are still perfectly intact, a little looser, but still whole. I've even dropped a couple of mine, they may fall like a body with broken bones looks when they hit the floor, but repose them....perfectly fine. That being said they like any other toys, are prone to eventual breakage if not handled properly.

MOTUC are perfectly fine for older kids, so long as you stay away from the obvious ones with transparent plastics and the recent ones where paint can come off of virtually the entire figure, and the ones with flocking and such, but figures like He-Man, Skeletor, Faker....are all perfectly safe.

And in all fairness, MOTUC only suffers from a few breakable figures out of the many that are out there.....reversed parts and other QC issues are not a sign of fragility. To be honest, I found most Classics and beyond transformers more fragile than MOTUC, I myself broke a ROTF Voyager Optimus Prime & a Deluxe Mudflap trying to transformer them properly, as well as a Universe Sideswipe, and they are marketed towards kids....

And it is true almost every line has issues, but some are more than others. And I agree, The figures I chose to buy ended up with the least issues, say for loose joints, and some paint issues, otherwise my figures are fixable and fine....but if I ever came across a serious issue I would just quit the line....and some have reached that point already.

Absolute last post. I disagree with it being facts, no matter how many times you repeat it. But there is this. - The toys are safety tested for 4+, they are not play tested. You should understand that, the safety test has nothing to do with playability. It has to with sharp edges, and small bits. This is where the confusion lies. Alright I'm done, I'll let you have the final word as I think I've put my thoughts out there as best as possible.

Your opinion is yours and you're welcome to it, you don't choose to see it that way, fine....

[lorde trooper]

For me see this line is both 4+ and the adult collector and why not. 4 year old kids play with these toys dont they and also this line is focused not only the adult collector but the fan collector, the words "adult collector" to me means the fan collector, supplying the action figure with certain accesories weapons/artifacts etc what style heads used etc that the fan collector not only can relate too for nostalgic reasons but is what the adult/fan collector wants to see.

[GozzoMan]

Challenge: Name a toy line that is without fault.

LEGO.

Playmobil also used to be very good, playable and sturdy when I was a kid.

[Berserker79]

LEGO.

Playmobil also used to be very good, playable and sturdy when I was a kid.

I agree, the quality of LEGO and Playmobil toys are incredible, my 80's stuff looks like new...

- - - Updated - - -

When I was a kid and had He-Man toys I encountered lots of issues with the figures. My Zodak's head popped off and would never go back on all the way. Stratos' arm would never stay on. Man-At-Arms armor straps broke almost instantly when playing with him. Mekaneck never stood up well on his own. The armor on my Stinkor broke right out of the package.

Actually, I don't know if I ever played with or collected a toy line that didn't have some type of issues, including any toys I collect today as an adult. That includes "Adult Collector" toys. Paint probs, joints, parts breaking easily. But, doesn't matter to me. I keep on collecting on.

If it ever bothered me... I'd stop buying it. Challenge: Name a toy line that is without fault.

I got your point, but no one would be mad, if this line would have better quality with longer-lasting toys...

[uaxuctum]

LEGO.

Playmobil also used to be very good, playable and sturdy when I was a kid.

I agree, the quality of LEGO and Playmobil toys are incredible, my 80's stuff looks like new...

A coincidence that both are Northern European brands (Danish/German) and both produce their toys at their own factories? Probably not.

[shadowfall1976]

For me see this line is both 4+ and the adult collector and why not. 4 year old kids play with these toys dont they and also this line is focused not only the adult collector but the fan collector, the words "adult collector" to me means the fan collector, supplying the action figure with certain accesories weapons/artifacts etc what style heads used etc that the fan collector not only can relate too for nostalgic reasons but is what the adult/fan collector wants to see.

Exactly, there is no need to treat MOTUC with kid gloves, these are not Precious Moments figurines....they are action figures. The Adult Collector status only ensures we get accessories kids only toys wouldn't get. Some figures may be more fragile than others, but that is a case of materials used and poor design choices. But as I have said, my son has 2 MOTUC figures one he's had for a year, since he turned 2, and it is perfectly fine still, they are plastic toys, not porcelain statues.

[He-Dog]

LEGO.

Playmobil also used to be very good, playable and sturdy when I was a kid.

I definitely mostly agree with these two. Lego parts are SOOO precise and the printed faces etc. are always killer. I will say though that when they started introducing POOP (Parts made Out of Other Parts) pieces the Lego adult collector community went ballistic. Pretty disappointing having a lego piece that would have been made from 3 pieces before. Their reasoning that today's kids prefer easier sets to build seemed like a cover up to many who believed it was just a lame cost cutting measure.

And my Playmobil guys sometimes ended up with really loose hip joints and would slump over if not fall forward if bumped slightly. But other than that very few issues.

- - - Updated - - -

I got your point, but no one would be mad, if this line would have better quality with longer-lasting toys...

I agree with this too that would be great, but it seems as though some people think that MOTUC toys have tons of issues other toys don't have and Mattel is screwing us hard core. Guess I'm just trying to give some perspective by pointing out that It's hard to think of a toy line where issues don't exist.

I don't think it's right that forearms are switched etc. That should be fixed at the factory. The blastic issue though just seems like a cost cutting measure that helps ensure that we'll continue to get MOTUC figures. It's unfortunate, but I would rather continue to get blastic figs than none at all. Lots of companies do this kind of stuff. Even the golden child Lego as I pointed out above.

[shadowfall1976]

I agree with this too that would be great, but it seems as though some people think that MOTUC toys have tons of issues other toys don't have and Mattel is screwing us hard core. Guess I'm just trying to give some perspective by pointing out that It's hard to think of a toy line where issues don't exist.

I don't think it's right that forearms are switched etc. That should be fixed at the factory. The blastic issue though just seems like a cost cutting measure that helps ensure that we'll continue to get MOTUC figures. It's unfortunate, but I would rather continue to get blastic figs than none at all. Lots of companies do this kind of stuff. Even the golden child Lego as I pointed out above.

I don't find the Blastic issue acceptable at all, I for one did not sign up for a sub to get painted figures, I signed up fro 2013 to get the figures as we had been getting them since 2008, only with a few minimal painted parts aside from the typical detail paint apps.... I don't want to have to worry about taking a MOTUC out of the package only to find some of the paint left behind in said package....

I want the figures I signed up for, which were released pre sub drive....ending with Spikor. So far we have 9 figures, since July that are like this, granted mine haven't had issues yet, but I dread it every day, to the point I almost left all of the painted figures MOSC, and I still have the packages to return them to, if ever they start showing signs.

Castle Grayskullman has been confirmed in pics with this issue, but, this figure was likely produced back just after SDCC so that the winner could get his figures first without waiting until now....so I did assume he would have it, I just hope Dekker and Randor end it and they don't have much if any, other than a forearm, head or something painted.

And for the other line issues, I have taken recent Transformers back to the store that didn't live up to my expectations, overly loose, or that just didn't transform correctly, Animated Blitzwing was good for this, really loose, and no way to lock his tank transformation the legs would always fall down. Also another was the Universe Galvatron, that was the single biggest disappointment in Classics for me.

I bought my son an Iron Man Armored Avenger 6" figure, and the knees are seriously loose, and it's a pain to stand him up....and for my sons toys, I will not be using the same tightening with super glue tricks I use on my toys, so loose joints have to stay. SO I realistically expect issues, just ones like the ones I mentioned are far worse than acceptable to me for the prices these toys now go for. I don't expect perfection, just realistic quality check, semi loose joints are one thing, paint flaking severely loose and reversed parts....unacceptable.

[He-Dog]

I don't find the Blastic issue acceptable at all

Yet, if you still continue to buy them, then you are accepting it on some level (because we all still love the license and the alternative is to do without completely). I agree that the use of blastic is unfortunate. I'm not trying to convince you otherwise. I would love for blastic to be gone, joints to be forever tight, paint to always be and stay perfect, parts to always stay unbroken and in the correct places.

You and I agree on the points I'm trying to make which is no toy line is perfect. I'm talking to the people who think that MOTUC problems are exclusive to MOTUC.

[shadowfall1976]

Yet, if you still continue to buy them, then you are accepting it on some level (because we all still love the license and the alternative is to do without completely). I agree that the use of blastic is unfortunate. I'm not trying to convince you otherwise. I would love for blastic to be gone, joints to be forever tight, paint to always be and stay perfect, parts to always stay unbroken and in the correct places.

You and I agree on the points I'm trying to make which is no toy line is perfect. I'm talking to the people who think that MOTUC problems are exclusive to MOTUC.

That is true, and some only collect MOTUC, so it makes that point even harder to make.

Kind of to your other point of not buying the flawed figures....I did however choose to only buy the Blastic figures that were important to me, , like DB Skeletor, Mekancek & Rattlor, I bought Spikor on a whim, but otherwise wouldn't have....otherwise the majority of the flawed figures Mattel can keep, I won't be buying them. I really only need 3 more figures to be made as of now, and I can bow out of MOTUC happy....should I choose to, but I would like to get as many as I can, and want, as I am not a completest. But Goddess, Snout Spout and Roboto, I will not be buying, I really don't like them anyway.

Frosta on the other hand while others saw her as flawed, I didn't, other than her forearms being swapped, but I since fixed, her gray is a bad decision, but one I can live with. And fortunately the Blastic issue hasn't spread to the females.

[lorde trooper]

Exactly, there is no need to treat MOTUC with kid gloves, these are not Precious Moments figurines....they are action figures. The Adult Collector status only ensures we get accessories kids only toys wouldn't get. Some figures may be more fragile than others, but that is a case of materials used and poor design choices. But as I have said, my son has 2 MOTUC figures one he's had for a year, since he turned 2, and it is perfectly fine still, they are plastic toys, not porcelain statues.

Agree my daughters she-ra, teela and evil-lyn are fine, BUT i will admit NOBODY and i mean NOBODY goes near my stactions. Now they are not toys.

[PaulPjas]

I've rarely had any quality problems with my figures. Any problem would have to be REALLY bad for me to buy the toys just to leave them packaged up in their boxes though. Seems pointless buying them if you don't like them enough to open up.

Totally agree...seems such a waste of money to buy something and never open it and use it in any way shape or form.

[shadowfall1976]

I've rarely had any quality problems with my figures. Any problem would have to be REALLY bad for me to buy the toys just to leave them packaged up in their boxes though. Seems pointless buying them if you don't like them enough to open up.

Totally agree...seems such a waste of money to buy something and never open it and use it in any way shape or form.

It's not a waste if you prefer it that way, and keeping the MOSC and on your shelves and picking them up every once in a while to look at them, is not a waste.

Now the ones who buy toys just to buy them and store them in boxes forever in a shed or attic....now that is a waste. I once saw pics of a dudes collection "closet"
and all it was was a narrow but deep closet with 3 sets of plastic storage shelves in front of another so you couldn't see what was on the back 2 sets of shelves,
and everything was still in the packages, but they were stacked so you couldn't see anything but the very front section, then it was only the box edges, not the
toys where you could see what was in them.

It is really annoying when people keep saying keeping your collection carded is a waste and in a round about way, stupid. I could say the same for loose
collectors....of which I am now partially....as of last month, and not because I saw it as a waste to keep them carded, I loved them carded, and to me they
look the best that way....I was planing to move, but it fell through, and a bunch of loose figures takes up way less room than a completely carded collection.
I keep my collection in my Office closet, on shelves, where dust is at a very minimum if I keep the door closed, and they stand side by side, single file. And
they stand in front of their card backs which face the same way as if they were still MOSC, that is my preference. But my major preference would be to still
have them MOSC, but I couldn't have them both ways....so I still have a few carded, but the rest are loose.

People collect the way the like, neither way is stupid or a waste if that particular collector chooses to collect his or her way, and they love it.

[He-Dog]

I'm pretty much a 99.9% loose collector. I do have some toys where the box art is better than the actual toy (Note: The Superostrich is both an awesome toy and has great box art).

ToyArt.jpg

I can understand where people would like to have their toys packaged (even without awesome artwork), but I prefer to have them displayed without. I did find myself drooling over an AFA graded Panosh Place Voltron Lion set. I suppose if I was a Multi-Millionaire I'd collect all of my old favorite toys in AFA Graded plastic prisons as well as having perfect loose versions to play with.

[shadowfall1976]

I'm pretty much a 99.9% loose collector. I do have some toys where the box art is better than the actual toy (Note: The Superostrich is both an awesome toy and has great box art).

ToyArt.jpg

I can understand where people would like to have their toys packaged (even without awesome artwork), but I prefer to have them displayed without. I did find myself drooling over an AFA graded Panosh Place Voltron Lion set. I suppose if I was a Multi-Millionaire I'd collect all of my old favorite toys in AFA Graded plastic prisons as well as having perfect loose versions to play with.

I have 95% of my MOTUC collection loose now, as well as my TMNT Classics and 8" Lion-O, half of my Transformers are loose, and 1 of my 2 Ghostbusters....only because I gave my son the loose Peter, and I bought another to replace it. And to me the Wind Raider toy looks less impressive than the box art....as you said about some box art looking better than the toy in general.

I still prefer them carded though, but I unlike too many loose collectors about MOSC collectors, get why there are those that like them loose, and I also unlike many loose collectors, don't knock them for their habits, but you always see many loose collectors make it seem as carded collectors waste their money or are stupid for collecting MOSC. They always say it's stupid, then go on in the same breath to say, it's your collection, collect as you like....but they in the first place feel the need to put the carded collectors down before they say it's OK to collect their way....

I (as a former MOSC collector myself) haven't seen many if any at all carded collectors put down loose collectors for their habits, yet I see the other way around all the time....

[He-Dog]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. Some people don't respectfully acknowledge different views on things.

A very loosely semi-related side story... When my son was born I was hoping that he'd share my love of toys. We bought him plenty of GI Joe, Transformers, All the 200X He-Man stuff, LEGO, etc. It became clear after a while that he wasn't the same kind of kid I was at his age. He was always way more careful with them than I was. He'd never want to take them outside. To this day, he still has every gun, missile, accessory to all his toys. He only ever built the LEGO model on the box and never wanted to mix them all up or build from his imagination. I was kinda bummed. The last toy we bought him was an Assassin's Creed figure last Christmas. He left it boxed and put in a pile of stuff on his dresser where it stayed for months. One day I saw it and just hung it up on his wall with a thumb tack. That was the day that I realized he was on his own path. And... I couldn't be happier for him.

[shadowfall1976]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. Some people don't respectfully acknowledge different views on things.

A very loosely semi-related side story... When my son was born I was hoping that he'd share my love of toys. We bought him plenty of GI Joe, Transformers, All the 200X He-Man stuff, LEGO, etc. It became clear after a while that he wasn't the same kind of kid I was at his age. He was always way more careful with them than I was. He'd never want to take them outside. To this day, he still has every gun, missile, accessory to all his toys. He only ever built the LEGO model on the box and never wanted to mix them all up or build from his imagination. I was kinda bummed. The last toy we bought him was an Assassin's Creed figure last Christmas. He left it boxed and put in a pile of stuff on his dresser where it stayed for months. One day I saw it and just hung it up on his wall with a thumb tack. That was the day that I realized he was on his own path. And... I couldn't be happier for him.

My son loves looking at everything in my collection, he has his own He-Man & Demo-Man, as well as Green Lantern (from TRU Zodac 2pk), 3 Iron Man figures, a set of the 5 Scooby Doo figures, and Peter Venkman from Ghostbusters, and some Transformers, mostly Rescue Bots...He takes good care of every one of them, and he is still a few weeks from turning 3. He always stands his figures up on the tables, like he is displaying them like mine, and goes in my display room, which I call the Vault....because it's a decent sized walk in closet in my office, he goes in there to look all the time.

[Lich Leech]

I've been collecting since 2009 off and on depending how bills flow. I probably have around 30+ figs. Since I can only afford 1 of each, I've never opened them. The MOC collector in me likes how they come in a special white mailer box. Recently I bought He-man and Battle cat for the first time in the Party Pack sale...What a great deal Btw. So when they showed up yesterday my 3 year old daughter was asking to open them. I kinda had it in my head that since I got such a great deal I'd open them when they arrived anyways. Plus, I wanted to share with my daughter the toys that daddy played with so we shot about a 20 min video of me trying to open the package carefully without destroying them.

Off the bat I thought how ridiculously over packaged these guys were. There is just no need for all the ties. Especially since they all sit in a vaccuform cradles. If they wanted to assure no pieces moved around it would be better to move to a full clam shell.

After I wrestled the figs out of the package I soon then noticed the warped loose joints around the ankles and knees. Battle Cat's legs are especially a mess. Since these are the first MOTUC i opened I have nothing to compare too. I think some of this has been improved with the new ankle joints. But still I noticed the plastic must be loaded with filler. It seems too soft and prone to warpage.

I use to work as a moldmaker and lab technician in many special effects houses doing model kits. Filler is often used to extend the quantity of plastic. The result is a lighter, softer casting. Warpage occurs in the demolding process when the plastic stretches and bends.

I'm also disappointed in the paint applications. For some reason my Battle Cat has a white spot on his foot. As if some paint from another toy spurted on it as the where painting it. I know all the wash effects are used to enhance the detail but the kinda feel to matte and dusty for my taste. It just dosent seem like a toy you could ever really play with or let your kids play with. I know these are collector toys but the paint feels very delicate to me as if the are missing some sort of binder or sealant coat on there paint.

Also Battle Cat's saddle seems too big and an after thought. I heard a rumor the used a stock cat from some other toyline. I have to say BattleCat dosen't wow me at all.

All in All I know understand peoples complaints of quality a bit more clearer now. The rest of my MOTUC will remain on card. I'm now questioning my pre-order for Castle Grayskull, perhaps that will remain in box. I think the price of these toys would feel right if they were cut in half. They just dont feel that right to me in my hand. Its a shame that they are hell bent on this vintage look, They will never duplicate the actual feel of the vintage toy in our hands.

I also had some buyer's remorse after getting Battle Cat recently. I'm not that bothered about the packaging (although it's difficult to get out of the box without damaging the box), but it takes some work to get him to stand up straight. I appreciate the effort in giving him so much articulation, but I think a bit less articulation would have served a four-legged beast better. I think it would be better if he didn't have the ability to splay his legs at all. I love the detail on his armor though. He looks amazing. He's grown on me after a few days. I'll probably keep him.

In general I think the MOTUC line looks fantastic, but strikes me as a bit fragile. I let my three year old play with (most) of my vintage MOTU stuff. It holds up just fine. But I don't know that this modern line would survive. I know they're meant for adult collectors, but I'd be willing to trade some articulation for a figure that felt more solid. The ab crunch feature seems unnecessary. Maybe just some basic GI Joe-level articulation would have been better. Or maybe not.

The only thing that bothers me about the vintage figures are the legs. They might as well have glued the legs in place in the pelvis, because the rubber band joints (while looking good) don't really add any playability. They just make it tricky to get them to stand up. And I don't know why they chose to make them all squat.

Personally I'm glad the MOTUC line follows the vintage line closely in terms of overall look. Sometimes it works better than others. Sy-Klone's colors are a tad too bright. Beast Man is perhaps not bright enough. But I wouldn't be interested in a line that looked too "updated"