MOTUC Q&A's From Around the Net (5/1/2013)

[Mern-Ra]

Mmmm..... so we might see quaterly items in 2014... This could be a way of giving fans a 30$ figure ( Granita! Please!!!!!) or a few more beasts (like Storm, Clawdeen, Battle Lion or Stridor...) or a small friends multipack (Kowl, Lookee or the Twiggets...). Very interesting!

I'm hoping the quarterly items are vehicles--at least some of them--ok, at least ONE of them, cuz I can't take not having The Battle Ram much longer!!!

[Prahvus]

We're now "going through the desert"... until SDCC. Only some previews will be able to soothe us a little bit.

[jdscissorhands]

We're now "going through the desert"... until SDCC. Only some previews will be able to soothe us a little bit.

Hopefully these two months will be worth the wait...

[Prahvus]

Hopefully these two months will be worth the wait...

Yes... hopefully !

[blackiecats]

To those who wouldn't want to subscribe, maybe team up with someone and split the figures.

Or team up with someone who may not want all of their second or third sub and buy their extras.

That would NEVER work in reality. A figure such as Mantenna just about everybody wants and how do you decide who gets him? NA, Concepts, Mini Comic and 200x figures will always be the virtual peg warmers because not enough of the fan base want them. As it stands I'm taking an hefty loss on the Fighting Foe Men because the demand for them just isn't there. At this point I'm happy to recoup some of the cost, but those are just an example of why your suggestion wouldn't work.

[The All American]

That would NEVER work in reality. A figure such as Mantenna just about everybody wants and how do you decide who gets him? NA, Concepts, Mini Comic and 200x figures will always be the virtual peg warmers because not enough of the fan base want them. As it stands I'm taking an hefty loss on the Fighting Foe Men because the demand for them just isn't there. At this point I'm happy to recoup some of the cost, but those are just an example of why your suggestion wouldn't work.

I got an extra sub last year to support the line and have the convenience of extras (like Snake Face). My wallet isn't thanking me, but my friend is. I'm giving or selling him extras I don't plan to customize, meaning, he and his main squeeze have ended up with Ram Man, Netossa, Jitsu, and King He-Man. They'll probably end up with my extra Karatti, Octavia, and Mantenna. So I think a buddy system can work depending on one's preferences. For me, although Ram Man and Mantenna are superb figures, as extras, they're so unique, they wouldn't make sense for me to keep to customize. Meanwhile some lesser liked figures such as the Fighting Foe Men will be fun to customize/keep.

[jibernish]

That would NEVER work in reality. A figure such as Mantenna just about everybody wants and how do you decide who gets him? NA, Concepts, Mini Comic and 200x figures will always be the virtual peg warmers because not enough of the fan base want them. As it stands I'm taking an hefty loss on the Fighting Foe Men because the demand for them just isn't there. At this point I'm happy to recoup some of the cost, but those are just an example of why your suggestion wouldn't work.

You could have to have an agreement up front about characters you both want. Maybe you buy one of each of those from BBTS and split the cost, that way neither party is stuck paying the full price of a 3rd party sale. So say a figure you both want is $40 on BBTS, you buy one from them and then both are paying (40+25)/2 = $32.50. So you're still saving money $7.50 versus not subbing. Then the figures neither wants, you could sell and split the money.

It could be worked out - but I think it would likely be a real headache. I wouldn't want to bother with it.

[Dr Kain]

We're now "going through the desert"... until SDCC. Only some previews will be able to soothe us a little bit.

So like... where are the rest of the Q&As?

[CanadaClassics]

Why are there only two? There ised to be 10 - 12 different sites...

[Scud]

Why are there only two? There ised to be 10 - 12 different sites...

You can get better info from just reading the Matty boards, even if you do have a good question ... in the two weeks between when you submit the question and when it is answered somebody will probably ask it there and get an answer there.

[Prahvus]

Why are there only two? There ised to be 10 - 12 different sites...

Because when you get uninformative answers and snarky comments for months, you begin to get a bit tired of Mattel/Matty's attitude... and you eventually give up.

Let's face it : 90% of the informative answers we get these days are released during the shows and reveals, and/or when the bios are published.

[blackiecats]

You could have to have an agreement up front about characters you both want. Maybe you buy one of each of those from BBTS and split the cost, that way neither party is stuck paying the full price of a 3rd party sale. So say a figure you both want is $40 on BBTS, you buy one from them and then both are paying (40+25)/2 = $32.50. So you're still saving money $7.50 versus not subbing. Then the figures neither wants, you could sell and split the money.

It could be worked out - but I think it would likely be a real headache. I wouldn't want to bother with it.

Mantenna is $59.99 at BBTS $60+$25 = $85. $85/2 = $42.50. The fact is the Ram Man, Mantenna's etc... are what everyone wants. The FFM and Karatti's only a few folks want. If the only themes you hate are POP and Filmation then selling those is probably much easier.

However 200x, Mini Comic and Concept figures only the hardcore collectors want (and they are already subscribers) NA does have the odd few cherry picking fans, but again can be tricky to sell. Unless you can find a 200x, NA, Mini Comic and Concepts fan only, sharing a sub just won't work for the majority. Trust me, I looked into it for 2013 and most folks want either Vintage MOTU, POP and Filmation or a combination of 2 of those or all 3.

If they made NA, 200x, Mini Comic and Concept characters sub only that would help

[jibernish]

Mantenna is $59.99 at BBTS $60+$25 = $85. $85/2 = $42.50. The fact is the Ram Man, Mantenna's etc... are what everyone wants. The FFM and Karatti's only a few folks want. If the only themes you hate are POP and Filmation then selling those is probably much easier.

However 200x, Mini Comic and Concept figures only the hardcore collectors want (and they are already subscribers) NA does have the odd few cherry picking fans, but again can be tricky to sell. Unless you can find a 200x, NA, Mini Comic and Concepts fan only, sharing a sub just won't work for the majority. Trust me, I looked into it for 2013 and most folks want either Vintage MOTU, POP and Filmation or a combination of 2 of those or all 3.

If they made NA, 200x, Mini Comic and Concept characters sub only that would help

So you would save $17.49 if you teamed up with someone versus not subbing and buying him on your own via BBTS. Still, saving $18.50 isn't a huge deal if you have to go through all the trouble of selling off figures you don't want and keeping track of how much you have to send your partner/collect from him. I think at the end of the day I wouldn't do it myself, but it is possible if you are will to put in some work.

But why work so hard to buy a product? Why does Mattel have to make collecting this line such a pain? It's a rhetorical question. Most companies spend thousands (or more) dollars trying to figure out ways to make their product easier to buy. Not Mattel.

[blackiecats]

So you would save $17.49 if you teamed up with someone versus not subbing and buying him on your own via BBTS. Still, saving $18.50 isn't a huge deal if you have to go through all the trouble of selling off figures you don't want and keeping track of how much you have to send your partner/collect from him. I think at the end of the day I wouldn't do it myself, but it is possible if you are will to put in some work.

The fact is it's cheaper to sub in the long run for me personally as I'm a Vintage, POP and Filmation fan. I'm just stuck taking a loss on the dregs of the sub, like many other fans. I would never pay over $40 for a monthly figure unless it was the sub exclusive or a long sold out character. At BBTS Mantenna is $35 above cost, Castaspella $25 above cost and Octavia is $20 above cost. In reality that's nearly the cost of the FFM right there. So the BBTS deal just wouldn't save me much, not even with a sub partner. Matty know exactly what they are doing

But why work so hard to buy a product? Why does Mattel have to make collecting this line such a pain? It's a rhetorical question. Most companies spend thousands (or more) dollars trying to figure out ways to make their product easier to buy. Not Mattel.

The answer is to make the obscure and less fan demanded themes sub ONLY. Only Matty logic would make Fang Man a sub only figure, while a Z-list NA figure has sales day stock The answer is to create artificial demand, for the less fan demanded stuff so it shifts on the secondary market at cost price at the least, for fans selling unwanted stuff and resellers not to be stuck with them. If resellers start losing out on such as FFM, they will buy less subs in the future.

[Berserker79]

That DOS and sub only thing is an individual problem:

For a fan, who buys all Classics, there isn't a problem, nothing changes for him. For someone, who wants only POP, a sub isn't attractive. For someone, who wants vintage only, it could be. For a cherry picker like me, a sub makes no sense. I had 2 subs and cancelled them.

So far this year, I got Jitsu and Snake Face and will buy Karatti and Mantenna. I wait for NA He-Man & Geldor, how the final product will look like. Same for Horde Troopers, if they appear in 2013. That's 4-7 characters out of what, 24 figures? Even, if I pay 60$ on secondary market, it would be cheaper than getting a sub.

[MegaGearMax]

The answer is to make the obscure and less fan demanded themes sub ONLY. Only Matty logic would make Fang Man a sub only figure, while a Z-list NA figure has sales day stock

Mattel's logic is Original toyline fan logic: Actually having an action figure in the past and having cartoon appearances might trump a cartoon only character with one or two appearances. Some fans are getting this line for the characters that they brought in the 80's (and 90's for some NA characters). That's the big 800 lb. gorilla in the room--to fill original toyline rosters before the line dies due to disinterest or Mattel screw-up.

[blackiecats]

Mattel's logic is Original toyline fan logic: Actually having an action figure in the past and having cartoon appearances might trump a cartoon only character with one or two appearances. Some fans are getting this line for the characters that they brought in the 80's (and 90's for some NA characters). That's the big 800 lb. gorilla in the room--to fill original toyline rosters before the line dies due to disinterest or Mattel screw-up.

Nah don't buy it. No way are NA figures more popular than Filmation characters! If so where is the NA mini sub?

[MegaGearMax]

Nah don't buy it. No way are NA figures more popular than Filmation characters! If so where is the NA mini sub?

NA doesn't need a sub because it's automatically with Classics. Characters who have had toys in the past seem to get an automatic pass in this line.

You have a case with Scorpia, Madame Razz, Huntara, Sea Hawk and the other recurring major characters, but not all one shot Filmation characters are more popular than characters who've had actual toys. Plundor, Nepthu or ___________ might be just as divisive if not moreso than any NA character.

"Who the hell is this guy?"