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!
New DC Infinite Heroes 3 packs
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.
Apple launches the iPad
Some people wonder why it’s called the iPad. Some say that it’s sounds similar to Apple’s iPod, so maybe it was to help people remember the name more easily. Personally, I would like to think that they named the device iPad as a tribute to the Star Trek PADD devices. PADD stands for “Personal Access Display Device”. The Star Trek PADD devices have appeared throughout the Star Trek television and movie franchise. They may have been an inspiration for the iPad and other tablet computers. Fictional future technology now available for all today.
PADD devices from the Original Star Trek TV series.
A PADD device as seen on Star Trek: Enterprise.
PADD devices as seen on Star Trek: The Next Generation and on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
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.
JSA on Batman: Brave and the Bold
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.
I'm Ready for Digital Comics
I’ve been collecting comic books for 25 years. Over that time I’ve accumulated boxes and boxes of comics. Now that comics have entered the digital age, I wish that I could have my collection stored digitally, or in the future, just download the newest issues that I’ve purchased online. No more comic book bags, back boards or storage “longboxes”. Just my comics stored on my computer’s hard drive and a back-up drive. I am usually on the computer every day reading the news or surfing the web, so why not reading my comics?
However I can’t do that just yet. DC Comics has not offered their monthly comics for digital download, other than the 6 page previews that they offer from time to time. But that may be changing soon as many publishers are looking to sell digital content. You will soon be able to buy magazines and comics in a downloadable format that you can view on a computer, or small portable electronic device, like an iPod, Sony PSP and the upcoming tablet devices. Digital comics can be sold much cheaper than printed comics and still make the comic book publisher more money. Plus the internet offers a bigger audience of people for them to attract new readers.
Sure the printed format for comics will not go away, as many fans prefer the traditional style comic book that they can hold, but for some people like myself, I’m ready for digital comics whenever DC Comics begins to offer them.
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!