GRUNDY asks: Does Mattel have any plans in the works for Batman’s 75th Anniversary in 2014 ? I’m not asking for specifics, since every thing Mattel does for DC is usually talked about years in advance, just wondering if anything is planned to commemorate one of your biggest sellers for the DC lines.
You’ll have to wait for SDCC for any news on 2014. We have some great stuff to share at the show!
Perry asks: Was the Voltron line cancelled or will it renew later in the year?
At his time we do not have plans for immediate new Voltron toys but are very excited about the future of the property and new entertainment on the horizon.
Tom asks: Last year when both the CIE and the MOTU lines were in jeopardy of not going through, there was a lot of campaigning to get the subs to go through. MOTU even went as far to have video pleads to make it pass. CIE did just as well, not enough for all new sculpts, but did better than just making it. Since then MOTU has added a deluxe Castle, a Filmation line added to the original club, and now a mysterious Hordak figure popping up every so often. Why isn’t any of this being done for the DC line? There hasn’t been any polls to see if a Batmobile would be wanted or an added line to help get desired figures out faster to complete some teams: Legion, Titans or Justice Society. If Mattel wants a 2014 CIE club to pass shouldn’t it give something to entice the fans to keep going?
Doing very low run highly detailed collector figures is only possible through a partnership between Mattel and our fans. We do need our fans to help spread the word on all of our collector lines in order to keep them going. We can only make collector figures when there is an audience to buy them and yes, we 100% rely on our fans to help spread the word!
Brandon asks: Is there a particular reason why the bicep articulation was lost when making Larfleeze? Whatever the reason, I can speak for pretty much everyone who subscribes to DCIE when I say we do not want to see articulation lost for any reason. Poseability is one of the best parts of this line, so please pass this on to the design/engineering team(s).
Articulation on DCUC, why we try to keep it standardized, is sometimes changed by the sculptors or design based on the look or a particular figure. There is no one set rule. For example, Zatanna and Mary Marvel had a little less to accommodate their looks vs. Blue Beetle III had a little more to accommodate his level of movement. There is no one overarching standard articulation level that applies to all figures.
Chris asks: Gizmodo’s article “Where Toys Come From” (4/22/13) confirmed what many 3.75 inch figure fans suspect. A new 6 inch figure line for a recent “iron” threequel comic movie; appears 3D printed and scanned from its previous old sequel 3.75 inch line. Can you do the same? Whereas 3D printing and scanning (old 6 inch figures) can make new 3.75 inch lines? Many collectors buy only 3.75 inches; G.I.Joe, other Comic lines, and Star Wars. Millions of fans would just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE MoTU and DCUC if only they fit our 3.75” universe. Appreciative, Chris, Ph.D. (A.B.D.)
Although we certainly COULD use old and existing sculpt data and re- size it to create a scale change (say, from 6” to 3.75”), if we were going to migrate to a new scale we would most likely look at creating new sculpts to really play to the scale and offer something new and exciting for the fans who have been waiting for it. Additionally, fine details on a 6” figure can “close up” when shrunk down, so sometimes it can be easier to start from scratch rather than go through a lot of retouching!
That’s it for this round of Ask Mattel! Join us again June 17th for the next answer session, and be on the lookout for your chance to submit your own questions to Mattel.
