Ask Matty for May 1, 2013
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) I have seen the new Target Exclusive JUSTICE LEAGUE figures both the single carded figures and the 7 pack. The photos of the 7 pack set on the Target website and the back of the package show the figures in a metallic paint finish. However the figures in the package do not have the metallic finish.
QUESTION: are there variants of these figures coming? I would rather have the metallic Cyborg and Hal Jordan, as well as Superman, Flash and Aquaman.
Right now, there are no plans for metallic painted variants of the Justice League figures. Due to the way production schedules work and how early photo models are needed, the photo models on package are all hand- made models rather than actual production pieces. As such, they have to be decorated with paint, which has a different metallic effect than the molded metallic plastic of the actual production run.
2) Hi, I've seen the new evergreen Batman 3.75" figure with vehicle sets at Target and other retailers. I know that Target is selling their exclusive 3.75" 5 pack set on their website. Some people have seen the single carded 3.75" Batman figures at Krogers grocery store and Khol's but not the big retailers.
QUESTION: When are they coming and which retailers will be selling them?
The Batman fig/vehicles and figures will be sold at a variety of fine retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online. They are have been hitting shelves for the past few months.
3) DC Infinite Heroes ended in 2010, in favor of preparing for the Young Justice figures. Both lines had a bad launch, but DC Infinite Heroes managed to get several waves and over 150 figures including the different paint variations. Many DC 3.75" - 4" figure fans want to see this line return. Since this line was patterned after the figure designs for the DC UNIVERSE ONLINE video game, why not rename the line after the video game? (You did make Arkham City and Injustice game figures.) You can release new figures as well as some of the old figures that appear in the game. As the game developers continue to add to the game, more DC Characters and costume variations are being added. We know that there was a LOST wave of DCIH figures that were prototyped and never released. Add some elbow articulation to the female figures and bring these figures back.
QUESTION: Will we see some good looking DC 3.75"-4" figures like DCIH in the future, maybe labeled under "DC Universe Online" or even "Justice League"?
You’ll have to wait and see! For now, you can check out the Justice League figures that recently launched at Target.
4) QUESTION: Is the Superman Man of Steel 3.75"-4" figure line geared more for kids than collectors? The line appears to have several multi-colored versions of Superman and some with or without some battle armor. Many collectors prefer the traditional DC comic book costume versions over the Warner Brothers movie costume versions.
By the time these answers hit the web, the Man of Steel product will have hit shelves, so you can see what’s out there! The figures celebrate and are inspired by the film.
5) QUESTION: If you release a 3.75"-4" line of "Justice League" action figures, will they be nicely sculpted and articulated like the DC Infinite Heroes or will they have clunky over-sized hands and feet and limited articulation like the current evergreen Batman 3.75"-4" figures have?
What would you like to see?
Ask Matty for June 15, 2011
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) Now that DC Comics has announced their DC Universe reboot with new #1 issues on titles and 50 new costume designs; will we still get to see Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the DCUC or has DC asked you to make the new costume designs first?
You will still see a mix of golden age, silver age, bronze age and modern looks in the DCUC line.
2) DCUC wave 19 was previewed. LOVE this JSA wave !!! But what happened to Jay Garrick, is he still coming?
Sorry, we can’t comment on unannounced figures. Just because the Golden Age Flash is not in wave 19 doesn’t mean he can’t be out one day. You will just need to stay tuned.
3) Why was S.T.R.I.P.E. not designed as he appeared in the comics? Would the Buzz Lightyear styled body not fit in the package?
We actually worked closely with DC comics to premier S.T.R.I.P.E.’s new look in our toy line first. You will see this look in the comics in the not too distant future.
4) Is it TRUE, that the Young Justice toy line will be broken up among multiple retailers so that we have to run around trying to hunt down the figures with the pieces to make the Hall of Justice?
No. This is not true. But Wal-Mart will get some repainted figure that will come with the same Collect and Connect piece as the mainline deco version.
5) Now that the DC Universe is getting a reboot, have you started making plans for a new 3.75" DC Universe to feature the new character designs?
This is something we are continuing to look into. Right now our 3 ¾” line is based on the Green Lantern theatrical film. Whether we go back to a comic book look is yet to be revealed!
Ask Matty for April 1, 2011
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) I recently purchased the Young Justice Happy Meal toys from McDonald's. The adult figures were 4" tall and the teen figures were 3.75" tall. Based on the Toyfair photos I know that the adults like Captain Atom will be taller than the teen figures. Can you tell us how tall the adult and teen figures will be in the Mattel line?
The teens will be slightly smaller then the adults but all will be at about a 4”scale. You’ll see the whole line at our conventions this summer.
2) The new Batman toyline looks like it was made up of figures that were planned but never before released, or like the Super Powers re-painted Mr.Freeze needed a special assortment for release. In the future, which toyline will offer more new Batman related characters, the Batman toyline or DCUC?
Now that we have the Batman Legacy line and an upcoming Batman film, you will see more Bat Family character in these lines. But it doesn’t mean a few won’t show up in DCUC from time to time as well!
3) The new Imaginext Batmobile looks cool! The design is very close to what we've seen in the comics. I can't wait to get 1 or 2 of them. When are they scheduled to come out?
This will be out later in fall 2011.
4) Target has an exclusive Imaginext Villain Robot to go along with the Police Robot. These might look great to be re-painted as a Kryptonian Warsuit. Include a little Superman in his black recovery suit.
A cool suggestion we will pass onto the Imaginex team!
5) We are still seeing DCUC and GLC figures with warped limbs and joints due to being pre-posed in the package. When will these packaging defects be reduced?
This is something we are constantly working on and hope will soon be a thing of the past.
Ask Matty for March 15, 2011
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) After the 3.75" Green Lantern figures are made, will Mattel revisit the DC Infinite Heroes line with the unproduced figures like the Hawkgirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Black Manta, Golden-Age Batman, Golden-Age Superman that we've seen, or will the Young Justice line replace it and we have to rebuild our DC Universe collection all over again?
Right now we are putting all of our resources into the GL move line and DCUC. It is possible in time we will return to an Infinite Heroes-type line but nothing is planned now for 2011.
2) For the 3.75" Young Justice toyline, we've seen some single figures and 2 figure pack combinations. Will the 2-pack versions of the characters be different than the single pack versions? You remember that DCIH started with the same figures being offered in multiple combinations which choked up the shelves at launch because of too much duplication. Hopefully Young Justice will not repeat the same mistake and offer other variations like the stealth suit repaints.
There will be unique figures and decos in the two-packs. Some figures will repeat. It is just part of the logistics of doing a toy line. Not every pack can have 100% new figures.
3) I like the 6" Young Justice toyline, Robin, Aqualad and Artemis look great.
Would it be safe to say that wave 2 of the 6" series will have Superboy, Kid Flash and Miss Martian?
We are not ready to comment past Wave 1 for now, but if there are more figures, the plan is indeed to look at the main team of sidekicks in this scale.
4) When will the next DCUC line be revealed? I am a big JSA fan and I hope that assortment will be confirmed. I was not crazy about the Blackest Night or Super Friends DCUC waves, so I need a jolt of JSA to make up for it.
Likely in late spring/early summer depending on how fast the Horsemen finish the figures! They are still being sculpted!
5) Green Lantern 3.75" figure waves. We saw the battle series with those construct contraptions, but will we see play sets and vehicles for the Green Lantern figures?
There will be vehicles for the GL figures out on May 1st that each feature a ring activated transformation. Right now we do not have plans for a full playset, but time will tell!
Ask Matty for August 15, 2010
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) There were a few of the DC Infinite Heroes figures that were shown but most people have not found them yet at retail. When will the following figures be released? (photos attached)
- Captain Atom in Gold and red
- Shazam in White
- Black Hand in Black and grey
Hopefully these figures will get wider distribution in fall of 2010. This is one of the reasons we have not announced more 2010 figure since there are quite a few previously announced figures to make it out there.
2) Some DC Infinite Heroes figures are hard to find in the USA.
- Commissioner Gordon in SWAT uniform
- Superman Prime
- Wildcat in Black
These figures have been released in Canada, Australia and Europe, but were almost a NO SHOW in the USA. Any plans to get these figures into circulation again for the USA collectors?
We have these figures available for retailers to order in the US. It is up to retailers to order more product. If you are not seeing the latest Infinite Heroes figures at your local toy store, ask for more from the toy department manager.
3) Can you please stop pre-posing the DC Universe Classics figures in their package? Some people have reported that the limbs get warped in the package.
Looking at the packaged photo of Zatanna, I hope the same does not happen to her action figure.
We didn’t see a photo of Zatanna attached but if you want to post it up so we can forward to our consumer goods department, which may help us control this issue!
4) Some people were very unhappy after Friday's panel at SDCC, to see NO NEW FIGURES announced for DC Infinite Heroes in 2010. We were just shown a Green Lantern slide and were told we would have to wait until 2011. I hope the wait will be worth it, meaning that improvements to the 3.75" figures will be included as well, like articulated elbows on the female Green Lanterns. Besides GREEN LANTERN MOVIE figures, I certainly hope that there will be a large amount of Green Lantern Comic Book Versions of characters mixed into the assortments. I hope that the first wave of 3.75" Green Lantern figures is large and impressive, because if it fails we may not see wave 2 or 3. Will we see Classic Green Lantern characters as well as the new Blackest Night multi-colored lantern figures in the assortments? (Please don't give that "we can't talk about unannounced figures" answer, you owe the DCIH fans something, and we know you plan to continue DCIH after Green Lantern, so maybe you can shed some more light on that.)
We can’t comment anymore on 2011 product at this time. We’ll have a lot to reveal in the coming months though. All we can say is you will see 3 ¾” scale figures in 2011 with a Green Lantern theme. Until we have retailer commitments we can’t announce anything. 2011 is still very in flux.
5) I saw the new Imaginex Green Lantern Playset that was announced at SDCC. A repaint of the Mars base. I was thinking that another repainted version would make a nice Aquaman playset? (I hope the Green Lantern Movie 3.75" playsets will be more impressive.)
That is a great suggestion and we will gladly pass along to the Fisher-Price team!
Ask Matty for May 1, 2010
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
Thank you Matty!
1) We have seen a metallic green deco on the DCUC Hal Jordan Green Lantern figure. Will that figure be part of the Green Lantern 5-pack or a running change in the ALL-STAR lineup?
This is an upcoming TRU All-Star re-deco figure! We kind of snuck that reveal in to see who noticed!
2) Someone suggested that the DCUC Starro mask 4-pack that will be given away FREE at SDCC with the purchase of the DCIH boxed set, be also SOLD on the Mattycollector.com site after SDCC. Some collectors would like to buy multiples to use on their DCUC figures. Is this possible?
Much like Gleek, the Starro Spores will only be available with purchase of the Starro 75th pack at SDCC. The version of the 75th box set on MattyCollector.com will not include the 6” scale Spores.
3) Will there be a reserve supply of SDCC DCUC Plasticman and DCIH Starro Box Sets put aside for the Mattycollector.com site, or if they sell out at SDCC will they no longer be available?
Yes, all of the SDCC items have separate inventory for the show as well as Mattycollector.com. If we have stock left over from the SDCC inventory it will be sold online as well. Although based on previous years we doubt any of the items that are exclusive to the show such as Orko or the Starro Spores will remain after the show so please don’t count on this option.
4) Aquaman fans were happy to see him in the DCIH Starro Box Set. When will the DCIH Aquaman figure be released on a single card at retail?
We don’t have a retail version of Aquaman in Infinite Heroes to announce quite yet. Right now, the Starro pack version is the only one on the horizon.
5) What is the DCIH STARRO figure made from? It kind of looks like foam rubber. Are there wires in the arms that will hold the shape if you bend them? Is it safe to toss at my nephew's head when we play "STARRO ATTACKS!"?
It is made of rubber with bendy metal wires running through it; similar to Clayface’s arms but with a more heavy-duty material.
Ask Matty for April 15, 2010
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
1. All but 5 of the DC Infinite Heroes figures shown at the NY Toy Fair are now available at retail. When do you plan to reveal the next batch of new DCIH figures?
Ideally, we will have more figures to reveal at SDCC if there is enough retailer interest to continue the line in 2011.
2. The DC Infinite Heroes Ravager figure was the first female DCIH I saw with new hips and knees. How long before a new female upper torso is made to use ball joint shoulders and arms with elbow joints.
Again, if there is enough retailer interest to continue the line we should be getting to a new female buck very soon.
3. The DCIH Deathstroke figure was released, but the paint colors did not match what the DCUC 6" version or the comic books have. Are there plans to release a redeco with blue legs instead of silver?
Nothing is locked in yet, but this would be a great redeco for the future!
4. When are the DCIH Robin, Dr.Light, Ravager and Heatwave, Flash, Trickster, 3-packs scheduled to be in stores?
These should be shipping by the summer.
5. When are the DCIH redecos, "Gold" Captain Atom, "Black & Grey" Black Hand, and the Reverse Flash, scheduled to be in stores?
These are scheduled for late summer/early fall.
Ask Matty for January 15, 2010
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
1. Chris asks: I have noticed that the Alexander Luthor (3.75") figure is about the most unpopular figure in the line, in spite of how easy he is to customize, but he died and was resurected as a Black Lantern and with no physical changes to his appearance, only a paint change, so perhaps Mattel could consider a paint change on the figure to a Black Lantern design to perhaps make it more popular, and maybe even generate more interest in the first one? All of this with the fact that Blackest Night is going on in the books of course.
We’d love to get some Blackest Night characters. But keep in mind, we learn about new characters at the same time you do, and it takes 12-16 months for a new figure to hit shelves. So the earliest you might see these type of figures would be spring 2011.
2. Will the Green Lantern movie toy line have 3.75" figures and playsets similar to the Batman movie toy line?
I hope to see a Green Lantern Main Power Battery playset kind of like what was originally proposed for the Kenner Super Powers toy line.
It is WAY too early for us to discuss any of our plans right now for Green Lantern, but you can be assured we will have some amazing figure lines for both kids and collectors!
3. I read that Maniac Mike will be handling the DCU toy lines. How long has Mike been a DC fan and Who are some of Mike's favorite DC characters?
Mike: "I've been reading DC Comics for a while now. Oddly enough it was the Death of Superman Event that pulled me into DC Comics, after the emergence of Image had me reading Spawn and Young Blood, back in the early 90's. I've since gone back and read a lot of older stuff both pre-Crisis and post. As for favorite characters right now I would say I'm a big Vic Sage The Question fan (Not that I have anything against Renee Montoya). I'm also a big Secret Six/Villains United fan! I just wish they would bring back Parademon as I miss his and Ragdolls banter 
I'm definitely digging Batman & Robin right now as Dick Grayson has definitely stepped into the role pretty smoothly!"
4. Besides the Legion of Super-Heroes, what other teams will be featured in the 2010 DC Infinite Heroes toyline? You don't have to announce specific characters, just tell us what DC Teams will be represented in 2010?
There will be figures from many teams next year including Justice League, Justice Society, Teen Titans and more.
5. DC Comics will be featuring the GENERATIONAL LEGACY of their characters during their 75th Anniversary year. Will we see something similar reflected in the 2010 DCUC and DCIH where characters from the Golden-Age, Silver-Age, Bronze-Age and Modern-Age be in the lineups or grouped in sets?
Yup, you’ll absolutely see this in many of our lines next year and beyond too.
Ask Matty for December 16, 2009
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
1. The majority of the DC Infinite Heroes single figures hit the stores in February 2009. Until now there have been very few new single figures available at retail. Will all of the single figures shown at SDCC be in the stores before the end of 2009, or will we have to wait until 2010 to see them all at retail?
Much like with JLU, some of the IH figures shown at SDCC will not make it to retail until 2010. But we are working hard to get them out!
2. DCIH - The Toys-R-Us exclusive Gotham Patrol 6-pack never showed up in many parts of the country. Has Mattel made plans to rerelease the Jason Todd Hush, Killer Croc and Catwoman figures on single cards or in a 3-pack?
No plans right now for a re-release or a single pack out. But this pack has still been spotted on shelf as recent as October, so it is still out there!
3. DCIH - Why were there so few new 3-packs and 6-packs in 2009? We only saw the Gotham Knight, Shazam, and Public Enemies 3-packs and the Mallah’s Revenge and Public Enemies 6-packs. Was the delay in production or at retail?
We have been working with all of our retail partners to get new IH figures out to shelves as quick as possible.
4. Do you consider using parts across different toy lines or do prefer to sculpt new ones? Scareglow’s head might be good for a DCUC Mr.Bones or Atomic Skull. The Batman: The Brave and the Bold armored Batman from the Gorilla Grodd set would make a nice S.T.R.I.P.E. for the DC Infinite Heroes. The Action League Black Manta head would go nice on a DC Infinite Heroes body. Consider playsets or vehicles that could be designed for the Batman:The Brave and the Bold toy line or Action League but also compatible with the DC Infinite Heroes figures?
We will occasionally mix parts between lines of a similar brand, but you won’t see parts from a MOTUC figure being used for a DC figure or Ghostbusters character. Good suggestions though!
5. I saw the most recent JLU 6-packs at Target, and I noticed that several figures had warped legs in the package. I do not want to buy the figures if they are just going to fall over. Will the weak ankle problem ever be fixed on the JLU figures?
We’ll pass this comment onto design. We’re always looking for ways to improve upon our figures and will make sure to make note of this concern.
Ask Matty for December 1, 2009
Matty from Mattycollector.com takes the time to answer questions from collectors.
1. Will the future DC Infinite Heroes females figures get new arm and hip articulation? Yes or No?
Yes, we plan on adding new articulation to all of our IH figures!
2. I like the added articulation on the 3.75" Superman / Batman: Public Enemies figures. However, one of my Superman figures leg snapped at the knee when I tried to bend it. The knee joint looked like it was fused solid and broke instead of moving freely. I've read of similar reports online. I want my figures to be able to sit down. Can this problem please be fixed soon?
We’ll pass this along to our safety team. If you have exact images of any damaged figure that you can post on our Facebook page, that is the best way for us to correct any errors. We’ll do all we can so this does not happen.
3. Mattel has allowed Toy Fare to conduct fan polls to determine future figures in the DCUC toyline. Can a similar poll also be done for DCIH and JLU? Mattel can suggest several characters for singles or suggest multi-pack combinations and let the fans decide online.
This is something we are looking into for 2010! Stay tuned.
4. Now that the new DC Infinite Heroes figures that were shown at NYCC and SDCC are FINALLY on their way to stores, how long before the next wave of new figures and the new theme are announced? Before the end of 2009 or will we have to wait until Toyfair 2010?
We will most likely hold off on announcing more figures until NY Toy Fair in February at our collector night. Although we might sneak a surprise or two in there before hand!
5. The new 3.75" Public Enemies figures used a new body style that has less muscle definition on the torso, arms and legs. They look less like SUPER HEROES and more like average athletes. I'm sure that Mattel can use these bodies for Avatar figures and future 3.75" wrestlers. Can you please put some muscles back on the Super Heroes or go back to the older body style?
We’ll pass this suggestion on to the design team!