Updated: Limited Edition MOTU ART BOOK at SDCC - Official Discussion

[Staff Of Ka]

Marketing gone Mad!
The Mattel marketing division must be planning how to spend their bonus cheques as we type!

My favorite animals in the world are sharks, and to get them frothing and ripping they pour blood in the water and sit back and watch. And to me mattel a throwing blood in the water for us, and sitting there watching us do all the hyping and advertising for them.

I personally am getting sick of being manipulated.

[Bulkhide]

Marketing gone Mad!
The Mattel marketing division must be planning how to spend their bonus cheques as we type!

My favorite animals in the world are sharks, and to get them frothing and ripping they poor blood in the water and sit back and watch. And to me mattel a throwing blood in the water for us, and sitting there watching us do all the hyping and advertising for them.

I personally am getting sick of being manipulated.

A harsh statement, but somehow I don't think you're too far off. LOL.
But they say all's fair in love and war and business. Well some say that.

[Too-Man-E-Faces]

Great move, Matty!


A couple more exclusives produced and distributed like this and I'll quit collecting this line for good. I'm a big fan since my childhood and I've collected at least a part of every MotU line that ever saw its release. How many people are out there who desperately wanted something like a book that collects the box art and some unreleased even prototype material? That's right: more than the 500 people attending SDCC, a part of whom will try to press money out of other fans who REALLY want this book - by selling their copies on eBay.

Honestly, by this exclusive "idea" I feel like I am constantly being slapped in the face. Thank you so much.

[dark knight]

great mattel u did it again! u knew that all the fans would love to have that book and now u are doing it like an exclusive, once again what about the people who lives in another country??
at least u hould give the chance to keep 500 for matty but no...
now we can expect the re-sellers with all their family gets 2, i mean 2 the re-seller,2 the wife, 2 the brother, 2 the mother...... or the limit that i dont know how much are lol
after these we can expect the books on ebay at $300 each??
thanks mattel u RULEZ as always!!!! this is why motu dont have the chances that transformers, or xmen have

[mistaloko]

Mattel attitudes just disgust me time after time!
Even if Mattel has some great figures to show us at SDCC (I will be happy too with it), things like this shouldn´t be unforgiven like that.
I would love to have that book as much as anyone, and believe me, maybe even more than some figures.
First the only 1000 copies number what the heck? Who the heck owns the rights to art that is produced for their brands?? If it wasn´t for their brands that art wouldn´t even exist!!
Second the book price, for a soft cover artbook costs 50$???? I have seen artbooks with hardcovers and a lot more pages than this one costing 40$.
That´s a lot of money for a softcover artbook!!
And believe me if I even had a chance to go to the convention to pick up this book I wouldn´t do it because they´re asking a lot of money for it, and I don´t believe a softcover artbook of 53 pages is worth all that money.


Only 4 days to Man-at-arms day and I still haven´t received my Hordak (and I see here in the forums that a lot of people in europe and the rest of the World are in the same boat as me), what is going on??? 26 days have passed since I bought it and it still isn´t here??? What is that?? The first figures took like 17-18 days to get here, Zodac takes like 24 days and now this!
Is it strategy to make us pay more for delivery? Well I certainly wont pay 40$ for a delivery of a figure that cost me 20$.

This line avalability for fans out of the US started in December, we are in July and still no e-mail! It takes such a long time to make an e-mail, so that we overseas fans can comunicate with them if something goes wrong??


All this to say how I hate that MOTU is Mattel´s property!!

If MOTU was Hasbro´s property maybe we had a monthly comicbook, movies, video games and lot of other stuff!
Mattel, just don´t know how to handle this property and how to treat the ones who pay them (the fanbase).

And dont start to throw stones at me!! It´s my opinion as I respect everyones else I hope mine is respected too!

[jhoward]

You are exactly right about TF's being more in the limelight and not ever really faded. And TF's have a much, much larger fanbase than MOTU, but that doesn't mean it's a better quality fanbase.

But you are wrong, Hasbro released a Sketchbook last year with art from the Cybertron, Classics, Animated, and Universe toylines.
Here is a link to said Artbook: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...il&picture=out

Yes, but wasn't it a thin, comic book style sketchbook? Certainly not an art book in the traditional sense. I could be remembering wrong, but I think it just had a few sketches and was no where near the all encompassing, history of the brand type art book that Mattel is attempting here.

Plus, that was still a Comic Con exclusive, wasn't it? It wasn't a readily available, mass released book, which only further serves to prove the point I was trying to make in response to Emiliano.

I don't know what you're getting at exactly with the "better quality fanbase" remark, but I don't think a lot of the angry and kneejerk responses posted today speak well of MOTU fans in general. I know emoting feels good, but it doesn't always do good.

To quote Spock: "You must learn to govern your passions, Doctor. They will be your undoing."

[Mye-Kah B]

Ok here is my take on this.

As stated by Mattel they can only make 1,000 for legal reasons and no more than 1,000.
It has not been stated why but I am going to assume it would have cost a ton more $$ to buy the rights to all the art work and instead they made some sort of deal with the art owners to put out a small amount that would not make a huge profit for Mattel.

Is it a good idea to sell it at SDCC? Well, even though it seems bad at first if you think about it it's not realley a bad idea.

If Mattel were to sell this online on Matty or even the org the site would crash for sure and even if it did not crash it would sell out in minutes at only 1,000 copies.
What would happen then is there would be a lot of mad people who had website issues or were just peeved it sold so quick.
Selling the item at the con makes a bit more sense in that 100,000 people will not cram in the booth at once trying to get it (Like online) and it will draw attention to the line at the con where MOTUC might pick up more fans if people get word of it. Comic cons are MOTU country you know.

Now are international fans left out as well as people who can't get out to San Diego to get it? Yes.
You know what though, I am going to the Con, I will be there on thursday and I am seriously doubting I am going to be able to get one before it is sold out.
So even though some fans are feeling left out because it is being sold at SDCC, there is going to be a lot of people at SDCC itself who won't get the book as well.

Personally if I had to choose between 1,000 copies or no book I will take the 1,000 because even if I can't get it now, there is always a chance to pick it up later some how be it ebay or maybe more copies if Mattel decides its worth the $$ to buy the rights to the art.

[enlightenedbray]

Reptile, I agree with you 100%. This is definitely not something Mattel wanted to do, and making 1,000 copies as opposed to none would seem to be in the best interest of MOTU fans. Again, I agree with you in that, if I can't get it now, perhaps I can get it later on.

[Scorpia]

I echo the comments made by everyone else - I'm bitterly disappointed.

This is the problem I have with con-exclusives. If they ever got the rights to produce Shadow Weaver or Scorpia and made them exclusives I'd be mortified as the comic-con isn't accessible for so many fans, for a variety of reasons.

I for one am thousands of miles away in another country, but even for US residents where the bulk of the interest is, attending might not be an option due to finance.

It feels almost like being penalised - whilst I know that isn't Mattel's intention, I feel that something like this should be made available to the masses. And whatever the legal issues are, take a bit of time to sort them out and make this item available, as suggested, on Amazon.

I seriously hope that the images at least will be made available online for us less-fortunate fans to see.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

This has actually really rubbed me up the wrong way, and I usually agree/support Mattel in their decisions - not this one!!

Why the hell even try to produce the book in the first place??? This is seriously trying to annoy fans - and I don;t get why sell them at SDCC in the first place - the SDCC stamped He-Ro was enough surely - if you are going to the effort of producing 1000 copies of the book then offer it to the FANS first!

Really weird what is going on.

[Emiliano]

It has not been stated why but I am going to assume it would have cost a ton more $$ to buy the rights to all the art work and instead they made some sort of deal with the art owners to put out a small amount that would not make a huge profit for Mattel.

There are no other owners, Mattel owns the art.
It's art produced at Mattel, by their employes, for their brand.
Mattel owns the art I did for the 200x comics, and we where just licensor!
So the problem isn't that.

Really not a fair comparison, though. 1) MOTU's fanbase doesn't even begin to rival Transformers. 2) Transformers stayed in the public eye for years while MOTU faded into the background and 3) This is still coming from Japan, not the US, where things like that are generally more common. Hasbro themselves have certainly never released a Transformers artbook.

Apples and oranges.

Well, not true.
Hasbro licensed the right to IDW to do The Ark vol 1 and 2 (and they are goignt o do a vol 3 for TF animated).
That's basically an art of, , it's mass produced, available to everyone. And it's a US product.

Your point is that it isn't BY Hasbro?

Fine, let's license the MOTU book to another publisher then.

I dont' think exposure of the brand has a lot to do with this.
Since the brand is less known that generates legal problems?

[TheFallen]

Here is some questions for you

SDCC is sold out so this is only hypothetical.

Would you rather this announcement had been made at SDCC and the item available there or would you have prefered to have the announcement made now like it was?

If SDCC was not sold out would this announcement sway your decision to go to the con?

I only ask because everyone is making such a big deal over this so I am intrigued to know if you would have gone to the con if you knew earlier that this was available.

Basically this is a no win situation for anyone except for those who actually manage to get it. I am not that much of a hardcore fan so I wouldn't have really cared much for it but I do feel for those who are hardcore fans and live for something like this.

It is a strange ploy by Mattel. They **** off the DCUC fans with Gleek and then make the same mistake again with ******* off the MOTUC fans

[Jackademus]

Yeah, come on, Mattel. This book has to be a major dream of pretty much every MOTU fan out there. I understand the bottom line when it comes to print runs all too well, but seriously, this HAS to have a more widely available reprint at some point.

[LORD FALLEN ELDOR]

Why are they calling it a book? It sounds more like a magazine 53 pages? If I'm going to plop down $50 I don't really have for this It had better not just be stuff seen before...$50 seams like a lot, but we all know this will go for a lot more on Ebay seeing how ravenous us He-Fans can get when it comes to limited edition type stuff...I'll have two friends with me, so I'm praying I can get my hands on extras for the rest of you guys...(I have thread in the marketplace for details.)

[Tallstar]

It had better not just be stuff seen before...$50 seams like a lot

No kidding. Watch it be a direct lift of all the stuff that's on Grayskull Museum and other sites. Not that I don't think those items should be in the book, but yeah... give a good bit of never-before-seen stuff.

That said, I'm gonna cut someone if there's artwork / info. on The Star Sisters in there. heh

[Fneh]

I'm wondering if the price is so unreasonable to scare off resellers....

I mean, how many ppl here would seriously pay over $50 for this item? It's not even a decent quality, hardback book. It's going to be a $50 COMIC at the end of the day.

I'm serious in asking just how many ppl would honestly pay $100+ for a comic on ebay that will probably ultimately be released in a proper book next year anyway (I would bet my ass that they put the entire book's contents in the mini comic collection we were promised last year and this "book" at SDCC is just a novelty item that could be produced for next to nothing (because they already plan on the book) and the terms for producing content from their upcoming book was that it be made limited to 1000 copies so it wouldn't hinder sales of the book being worked on.


Oh, and just to point out, the only reason resellers get $100+ for something so worthless in the firstplace is because someone will pay for it.

[Rodster6]

I have always wanted a MOTU art book, I would really have loved this! No way for me to get one though : (

[Gamutstreet]

They may produce the mini comic book as a limited edition too.

[zodak74]

And it works for them. DC Universe Classic is a hit and can't stay on shelves.

Um, yeah. That's going to change once the price increases by $3 per figure (making them around $15 each!) which is what Mattel is doing with DCUC. I'm telling you, they're just shooting themselves in the foot. Over and over and over again. People are just going to stop giving Mattel money at some point because like a lot of others have said, this should be fun. Not a chore. Folks have real jobs and real problems (some folks have no jobs these days, and that's a real problem!) and won't be adding "toy collecting" on top of all of that... if one thing Mattel is 100% capable of and has a real knack for, consistently through the past several years, it's alienating it's audience
This should have really been offered on mattycollector.com
Instead, Mattel's already excited about the prospect of selling out of these at the convention and aren't really expecting to have any left over for fans on mattycollector's site.
It might not have sold out in one day, but rest assured, this book would have disappeared quickly (and fell into the hands of us hardcore fans! And was that not it's purpose?) from their website. Instead, it's going to go through the roof on ebay. Thanks everyone at Mattel. Another bang-up job well done.

[Steph]

And TF's have a much, much larger fanbase than MOTU, but that doesn't mean it's a better quality fanbase.

A better quality fanbase?

What the hell does that even mean? I feel sorry for those who are not going to be able to get this book, but the is not a reason to start lashing out at other fanbases.

[Xetheus]

I wonder which crazy person at Mattel is in charge to make those decisions?

53 pages for 50 $?...ok!

I do not get it why Mattel does that to fans over and over again...

...really a strange company!


argh...we'll see what time brings...that cannot honestly be the end of the story....1000 copies...laughable.

They better would have not made it if not everybody who wants one can get one.


Great announcement Matty....bravo!!!

[Lulu-Berlu Reg]

All this to say how I hate that MOTU is Mattel´s property!!

If MOTU was Hasbro´s property maybe we had a monthly comicbook, movies, video games and lot of other stuff!
Mattel, just don´t know how to handle this property and how to treat the ones who pay them (the fanbase).

And dont start to throw stones at me!! It´s my opinion as I respect everyones else I hope mine is respected too!

I won't throw stones at you. In fact, you'll get an handshake and a big hug from me!
I totally agree with what you said. I really feel it's more enjoyable to be fan a G.I.Joe, Transformers of any other brand than MOTU these days.
No other company has the power to upset its fan base like Mattel does on a regular basis.

[SirBushnell]

There is an eBay auction for the art book ALREADY.

This guy has 7 available. Incredible.

I already pointed out how and why resellers know they can get a high percentage of these books without even worrying about it. It's big business at these conventions nowadays.

In fact, here's a snippet from a recent auction about said book:
"I am an exibitor and I also have a small workforce for comic con." (sic)

If he's only offering 7, that means he's either small-time or concerned that there are so few of them available. It's not a big figure for these guys when it's 2 per person, per wait in line.
Heck, if I was going with someone, I'd be waiting in line with them twice on the first day. That would be 8 books right there. One for myself, and there's the 7 left that you're seeing already on ebay.
It's a no-brainer because Mattel have really made it very easy for resellers to get what they want, despite the low production figure.

Oh, and $50 for 53 pages sounds like a lot of money, but if they're legally limited to a run of 1000 copies... that would really bump up the production cost. Add royalties and expected profit to the mix and that's hardly surprising. If you think about it, they're only going to get $50,000 total for this book minus all those costs. That's peanuts for a company like Mattel.

[king.of.grayskull]

[QUOTE=Reptile;2143557]
Personally if I had to choose between 1,000 copies or no book I will take the 1,000 because even if I can't get it now, there is always a chance to pick it up later some how be it ebay or maybe more copies if Mattel decides its worth the $$ to buy the rights to the art.[/QUOT


It's the opposite for me! Better no Book then 1000 copies!

The Prices on Ebay will be more horrible then ever! What's going on!! The majority of the Fans will never get this Book!

[mjturny23]

If it is true about either 1000 copies or none, then 1000 fo sho'. It is a shame that they're probably all going to go at SDCC.

Jeez $50 is the thing that hurts most, though I expect this is to keep the limited run profitable.

I would really like to know prior to SDCC whether this will be reprinted in any format (i.e. without the ribbon and seal etc.) at a lower price point.

I hope it doesn't reach too high a price on ebay as I would love one.