[Shin Densetsu]

Post all your questions for MattyCollector here! MattyCollector normally takes questions during the 1st and 15th of every month unless Mattel is going to a con/toy show. Post away!

Ask MattyCollector Answers For January 2014 - The Toyark - News

[Jmacq1]

Y'know...while I tend to think that a good segment of Matty fandom is vastly oversensitive and desperately looking for any excuse to yell at Mr. Neitlich...he REALLY needs to learn how to word his answers better.

[trebleshot]

Yes, he can come off sounding blunt sometimes, even harsh. Sadly, being blunt may be the only way to get through to some people.

At least these answers aren't vague, cryptic or doublespeak.

[Shin-Gouki]

Time for the Bullshit Filter here

Quote:

The fans feel as if you are blaming the end of the 4H DC Universe Classics/DC Unlimited/Club Infinite Earths on them. It might be safe to say that most fans would have bought Doomsday Unleashed and the disappointment over its cancellation is seemingly universal on the boards. Is there any chance for this figure to make it into fans hands, possibly as a shared online exclusive with e-tailers such as Amazon? What will it take to get that figure made?

In no way are we “blaming the fans”! Our DC fans are amazing, and very passionate. We just don’t have enough of them to justify a fully tool’d figure this year. To provide some background, the way it works is we use the 12 monthly figures that have partial tooling to off set the cost of the one fully tool’d figure (the same is true for most of our collector brands like GB and MOTU). We needed the tier 2 level (higher quota) of the 12 monthly partially tool’d figure to off-set the higher cost of the fully tool’d Doomsday. Because we didn’t even get tier 1 support (the bare min quota to go into production) it prevents us from doing a full year’s worth of product which is what we need to bank the fully tool’d Doomsday figure against. So unfortunately, the answer to your question of “what fans could do” is they needed to support the 2014 sub in higher numbers, and we just didn’t get that. Nothing against our fans, they are great, but as we said, this year we just didn’t have enough of them. We know fans are looking for “what else they can do to make a Doomsday happen” but really, as we have always said, the time to support that was during sub sales in July/Aug. And unfortunately we did not get the support needed.

The fans finally got tired of our shit and abandoned this stupid overpriced subscription we fooled them into for so long.

Quote:

Now that the Voltron toy license is back with Toynami, can you tell us what plans you had for the license beyond what was released?

We had a line planned to support the new Voltron animated series that was shown at SDCC, but the line never made it to retail once the show ended.

Nickelodeon screwed up the reboot of the show and we chickened out of making toys because unless it's 5 POA crap that costs us fifty cents to make and we can sell for Ten Dollars we will only make overpriced subscriptions to fleece the fans.

[CMIII]

He doesn't come off as anything more then a jerk who cannot handle a simple task. He can't answer questions without insulting people and when he gets called on it he doesn't know how to handle it. There are very few people in this world whos teeth I'd love to knock out and right now everytime he insults the DC fans Scott has made the top of that list

[MintCondition]

This is what happens when someone tries to be the face of something public. Some of you people need to seriously calm down and stop taking things so personally. Scott Neitlich is a human being, the same as any one of us. I can't believe you people would say these things about another human being over toys.

He's one person, who works for a giant company, and has many people on his team, and has to answer to many more people above him, and so on. He's not responsible for everything that happens at Mattel, he's not even responsible for everything that happens to the toy lines he manages. His job is to work out the cost of everything, and he just so happens to take time to stay connected with fans.

I remember when Hasbro tried the same thing, and stopped, because all they got was vitriol. That's why toy companies don't really do that.

[Dr Kain]

I'm pretty much done caring what Mattel has to say this year. I have no reason to read their monthly Q&As because they simply have nothing to sell me anymore. If it weren't for my g/f collecting Monster High, I would not even have a penny spent on Mattel products.

[jestermon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

Yes, he can come off sounding blunt sometimes, even harsh. Sadly, being blunt may be the only way to get through to some people.

At least these answers aren't vague, cryptic or doublespeak.

I love the these you used there ha, for once it's a definitive answer.

Which means all the sudden they will pop out 3 new figures from no where.

[CMIII]

Dollar for donuts they are Flashpoint Plasticman, Black Costume Supergirl, and Steel these were tooled back 2 years ago. It also wouldn't suprise me if the Superpowers Bizarro, Superman, and Wonder Woman weren't ready to go just held off.

[Shin Densetsu]

It's the 15th so if you guys have questions for me to send off, post them here.

[Joe Moore]

If people aren't going to post actual questions we can send in (hence the entire purpose of this), then please refrain from posting in this thread all together. If you want to insult and call names, Mattel has provided plenty of outlets for that (such as their Facebook page and their own forums). We shouldn't have to remove people from a thread like this, so please don't give us a reason to.

If you have an actual question that we could send in for the QnA, then please post it.

[CMIII]

I'll try a different question...

When/If the DC Signature Series figures sell out will it be possible to see more after?

Also you keep saying it failed this time does that mean there will be another attempt using the Roadmap that will be used by the MOTUC series?

Finally is there a plan if/when the Total Heroes line fails? (odds are it will fail due to past proof)

(Joe you can't voice a dissenting opinion at Mattels board they have people set to attack you if so much as say you like the DCUC lines. If you defend yourself they ban you. I use Facebook to go after Neitlich usually)

[CMIII]

Are there any DC figures that if you could you would go back and cancel? (either they did sell as well as you hoped or you just don't think it was a good choice)

Why was the Fan choice character done away with in the DC sub? It seems as if the Fans had almost no say in how their money was spent

[Tiberius]

I am curious about how the DC team decides what is a good idea, and what is not.

For example, I see oodles of the new 5-6" DC figures [Batman, Supeerman, Aquaman, ect] but obviously with the design they are aimed at children. But with the 14.99 price tag I can't see many parents buying them any of those.

So all in all, why has the DC Mattel team made such bad decisions?

[Ninjinister]

Any chance for a third wave of Multiverse figures?

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiberius

I am curious about how the DC team decides what is a good idea, and what is not.

For example, I see oodles of the new 5-6" DC figures [Batman, Supeerman, Aquaman, ect] but obviously with the design they are aimed at children. But with the 14.99 price tag I can't see many parents buying them any of those.

So all in all, why has the DC Mattel team made such bad decisions?

The first part actually sounds like a plausible question to submit - even one they might answer. However, that last part is utter crap. How would you like it if someone off the street walked in to your place of employment and criticized your job performance?

And I'm assuming $14.99 is Canadian dollars, right? Because from what I've read, the US retail is $9.99. Either way, that's not a half-bad price for a 6" figure these days. Seems like a great deal compared to a 3.75" figure for the same amount of money, at least from the POV of a parent who doesn't collect toys.

[CMIII]

I guess neither of the questions I had a few posts ago need to be asked. I guess Mattel just doesn't want the collectors money any longer. And theres no point in asking DC questions about the 6 inch line(s) until Mattel loses the rights

[Shin Densetsu]

MattyCollector 2014 Q&A Answers - Early February - The Toyark - News

[trebleshot]

I just want to say kudos to Shin for taking what he could from this thread and making it work. It's also a great example for Arkers on the proper way to word questions if you actually want or expect an answer of any kind.

OT, I kind of wonder why they aren't doing Ric Flair. Maybe there's a likeness rights issue or something. Or maybe they're just not doing one for MattyCollector and it will be at regular retail instead.

[Lody666]

It’s been a few years since the MOTUC line was launched. If you and the 4H could go back in time, what changes would you make to the likes of He-Man and Skeletor? For example would you give them double jointed knees/elbows, hinged wrists, et al?

It would be great to give He-Man improved articulation and this is something we could look into for 2016 and beyond once the vintage roadmap is complete.

I liked this question, but of course the BS answer shows just how clueless they are and out out of touch.

They were not asked double jointed hips etc could be added or considered, they were asked---

looking back and if they could, what kind of changes would you make to the existing line such as design, sculpting, articulation, etc.

And they wonder why so many fans have dropped them.

[baddasspk]

so, basically this Q&A is solely for MattyCollect properties now? They used to answer retail questions too.

[baddasspk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

OT, I kind of wonder why they aren't doing Ric Flair. Maybe there's a likeness rights issue or something. Or maybe they're just not doing one for MattyCollector and it will be at regular retail instead.

Supposedly, Flair isn't signed to WWE, and only does one-shot appearances, so he is not on the table for any merchandise without paying Flair directly, which Mattel will no longer do.

That said, the wording is weird, they don't do any WWE items on Matty anymore, so why even bother answering it?

[CMIII]

Quote:

With not enough fans to support the Infinite Earths subscription financially after next year, does this mean the DC 6″ figure license is up for grabs?

Not in the least. The DC 6″ scale is alive and well with the Total Heroes line. Basic figures are available at retail and Ultra figures in 6″ scale with additional piece count will be offered quarterly on Mattycollector.com!

But Mattel most collectors DO NOT WANT THESE FIGURES why is this concept so hard for them to get do we need to go in front of Mattel and Shout that. Collectors are from Earth and Mattel is From Ogatoo.

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by baddasspk

Supposedly, Flair isn't signed to WWE, and only does one-shot appearances, so he is not on the table for any merchandise without paying Flair directly, which Mattel will no longer do.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the info.

Quote:

That said, the wording is weird, they don't do any WWE items on Matty anymore, so why even bother answering it?

Because the question is a jobber, to use a wrestling analogy.

[CMIII]

I think I actually get the WWE thing... With DC, MOTU, Ghostbusters, Barbie, Monster/Everafter High you are not dealing with an Actual persons likeness (except movie masters side) so there is fewer people involved. But WWE and Movie Masters are sculpted to look like a person (who is typically alive) you need to get there OK as well or their estate if the person has passed on. I know WWE does not own the Likeness of most (if not all) of it's performers they do have control of most names as long as it is not the persons birth name (i.e. Kevin Nash, Scott Stiner, Ken Anderson,) the exception would be Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan (though the Hulksters name is Terry Borilla)