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!
DC Infinite Heroes - New figures coming soon
Barbie Loves Rock 'n' Roll
Joan Jett
Cyndi Lauper
Debbie Harry
Barbara Streisand
Heidi Klum
Goldie Hawn
Dodge Challenger for NASCAR
“As the performance brand of our new company, we are excited to expand our relationship with Penske Racing and introduce the iconic Dodge Challenger as our entry into the NASCAR Nationwide Series,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Car Brand. “Motorsports are a significant part of the Dodge brand’s legacy. Penske Racing has such a rich tradition in motorsports, and our partnership in the Nationwide Series will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase the Challenger and offer our loyal Dodge enthusiasts plenty of excitement in this very competitive series next year.”
Penske Racing will field two teams, both running the full-season schedule. The Dodge Challenger will be used at the four “New Car” races NASCAR has designated, starting at Daytona in July. At the other 31 events that complete the 35-race season, Penske Racing will field Dodge Chargers as it did this season with the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger driven by Justin Allgaier. NASCAR is expecting full integration of the “New Car” in 2011.
Joining Allgaier will be Brad Keselowski in the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge. He also will compete in the Dodge Challenger for the four designated races and in a Charger for the remainder of the schedule.
“Today’s announcement further reinforces our relationship and commitment to Dodge Motorsports, and we are excited about our future with this great brand,” said Tim Cindric, President of Penske Racing. “We believe Dodge’s relationship with Penske Racing will continue to elevate and highlight both our brands and deliver value to Dodge enthusiasts.”
Allgaier, in his rookie season in the Nationwide Series, is currently fifth in the season point standings and the leader among Rookie of the Year candidates.
“Penske Racing has a very successful relationship with the Dodge brand,” commented Allgaier. “I am honored to be one of Dodge Motorsport’s drivers and to be able to drive the new Challenger in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is going to be awesome. The car looks great and will give the Nationwide Series its own identity.”
2010 Dodge Challenger The Dodge Challenger merges the best American muscle-car characteristics—unmistakable design, world-class handling, powerful engines and technology—to delight driving enthusiasts across several generations. The two-door coupe accommodates up to five passengers and is produced from the company’s proven rear-wheel-drive platform. With three models of head-turning styling, two legendary HEMI® V-8 engine choices, up to 25 highway miles per gallon, more than 25 safety and security features and modern amenities, it’s no surprise Dodge Challenger was awarded J.D. Power and Associates “Most Appealing Midsize Sporty Car” in its 2009 APEAL Study.
“The Dodge Challenger has proven to be one of the most sought after high-performance vehicles on the street today,” said Dave Bailey, Senior Manager of Motorsports Engineering and SRT Body, Interior and Electrical. “Sharing our consumer’s passion for performance through the race version of our Dodge Challenger will continue to showcase the unique engineering brought to our race and production vehicles.”
Dodge will continue its support of Penske Racing’s three-car operation in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2010 with drivers Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and Keselowski.
The No. 12 Dodge Challenger will take part in Monday’s NASCAR Nationwide test session at Talladega Superspeedway for the “new cars” with Allgaier driving.
Apple unveils new iMacs with 21.5 and 27-inch displays
CUPERTINO, California—October 20, 2009—Apple® today unveiled an all new iMac® line featuring brilliant LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all aluminum enclosure. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, is the fastest ever with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06 GHz, and Core i5 and i7 quad-core processors for up to twice the performance.* Every new iMac ships with a wireless keyboard and the all new wireless Magic Mouse, the world’s first mouse with Multi-Touch™ technology pioneered by Apple on the iPhone®, iPod touch® and Mac® notebook trackpad.
Pricing & Availability The new 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac and Mac mini lines are now shipping and available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Intel Core i5 and i7 quad-core iMacs are available for order and will begin shipping this November. Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server is available from the Apple Store and Apple’s retail stores.
The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:
- 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
- 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
- 500GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- SD card slot;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.
The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:
- 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
- 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
- ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics; with 256MB GDDR3;
- 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- SD card slot;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.
The new 27-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US), includes:
- 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
- 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
- ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics; with 256MB GDDR3;
- 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video input and output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- SD card slot;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.
The new 27-inch 2.66 GHz Core i5 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:
- 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
- 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor with 8MB shared L3 cache;
- 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
- ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics; with 512MB GDDR3;
- 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
- Mini DisplayPort for video input and output (adapters sold separately);
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- built-in iSight video camera;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- four USB 2.0 ports;
- one FireWire 800 port;
- SD card slot;
- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
- Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.
Build-to-order options for the 27-inch Core i5 quad-core iMac include a 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 quad-core processor.
Hurst Hemi Challengers
Series 4 Hurst Hemi Challenger pictured here in Silver and Black.
The Competition/Plus package pictured in B5 Blue.
