Partly the reason being psychological, I would gather. The fact that there are only four core characters creates a false sense of satisfied end to a collection making it seem more affordable and viable and less daunting. Most people are satisfied with having Egon, Ray, Peter and Winston. There's nothing held back and you don't need to worry about whether or not you're going to finally get a Winston figure in the next wave.

You get the four core figures right off the bat. You get a set like DC Universe Classics or Marvel Universe and you're constantly in anxiety wondering if you'll finally get that last figure to satisfy your team requirements. It actually borders on annoying and is clearly a tactic used to bait. I've said this before in an old thread, DCIH tried this and by the time we got Aquaman and Martian Manhunter, nobody gave a crap. Like with the Voltron Sub, as expensive as it is, it's gives you all the core figures and the lions to build Voltron.

Everytime I see a first wave or a new wave with the one or two members of an entire team, I go "Oh great...". Banshee from Giant-Size X-Men, Ares and Noh-Varr from Dark Avengers, Regular Beast from regular X-Men, Fantomex from X-Force, Patriot from Young Avengers just came out. Who're they going to leave out from that team?? Even Fantastic Four never had a COMPLETE team until now with Future Foundation and I don't mean being creative and adding an old Human Torch to the team and going "See? It kind of works...". I mean OFFICIAL teams. The only ones we got were complete were Classic Avengers and the Wrecking Crew.

Maybe I'm a minority, but I don't feel this way at all. And this is a rather extremely irrational viewpoint and a terrible reason not to collect something you want.

"Eh. I want that Jubilee, Chamber, and Skin... but I'll pass because they probably won't ever make M, Husk, Synch, and Penance." Rediculous way to rationalize not perchasing something that'll make you happy.
Just like the people who're talking about selling off their DCUC collections because the line is ending. WTF is up with that? What a waist of money. Just because Transformers Animated ended don't mean I ever wanna give up my TFA collection (If anything it's even *more* important to me since I can't stand RotF, DotM is annoying, and Prime is boring. Basically since I don't like almost everything we've gotten since that line ended)

Secret Six is one of my favorite comics. I bought Deadshot because he was on the team. I had thought maybe we might see a rerelease of Bane somewhere down the line, but had no hopes for the rest of the team. Well, we did get Bane, and so he joined Deadshot. No one else on the team has the "star power" to get used, however. So I closed the door on that, until Catman was announced. Then they announced that the whole line is ending, meaning Ragdoll, Savage, or Silver Banshee (S6 victorian-style version) has no chance of ever getting made. Yeah, I want them but it it doesn't devalue what the other three mean to me.

I think it's really sort of an invalid viewpoint because this is the way it's *always* been. From the start of toy collecting, there have always been incomplete teams. Usually the girls. (I mean, in the old Toybiz lines, we never did get a proper Jean Grey that was in scale with the other figures)
To me, that sort of reasoning is just making up excuses. It works for lines that are focused strongly on a tight main cast of characters, like Ghostbusters, TMNT, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Trek... but to me when you're dealing with a line that sweeps across an entire universe of characters, it's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Not getting a complete team is far, far less an issue for me than a popular or favorite character getting snubbed for inferior reasons (Like Toph, Kitara, Suki, and Azula from Avatar only because they're girls)

How about for starters you not call me irrational and ridiculous?

It's a perfectly logical viewpoint that people have. I don't personally feel this way, but I know many collectors who do. They're not sabotaging you so why would you care how they wish to collect? I'm a completionist. I have every figure from MU whether they have the proper partner characters or not, but I don't think I'm wrong in saying that if you create a hero, you should create the hero's main arch enemy. I'm not a "doll collector" and I don't have the doll collector mentality, sorry. How would you feel if you signed up for the Voltron subscription and they only released 4 of the lion figures?

It's the same as people only buying certain figures from a line like when someone only buys X-Men or the MOTUC collectors who only buy characters who appeared in the mainstream cartoon. They dangle the worm by being cryptic about who's coming out. We get a lot of "Don't count out this character!! You MIGHT just see him." You seriously think that if a company made a Justice League toyline and told us right off the bat that we wouldn't EVER be getting a single Green Lantern or Wonder Woman or Batman, but we'll definitely get Superman and Hawkman and Booster Gold, that it would sell as well? Wouldn't you be just a tad weary if you weren't guaranteed that a line would be finished? It's like going to a see a trilogy and the 3rd movie never getting made. People get pissed. Get over it.

WOW. I think you're confusing invalid for opposing because it sure takes a hell of a lot for most reasonable people to deem something to be invalid just because it differs from your own. You don't like DotM, therefore that makes you wrong, does it, since a lot of people did enjoy that film? Sorry, I just expected more from a 3 year veteran on this forum. Oh well.

You know, if Mattel/DC did things right the first time, we wouldn't have this problem. Siiiigggh

No kidding. It's laaame.

Sooooooooo. . .back full-circle to hoping that they do it a different way than the subscription.

They could "complete" the Secret Six by doing a boxset. I'm not big on the history of this group, but it appears that there are several members from various eras that have not been made (quickly glancing at Wikipedia). Same for the Doom Patrol. Also need Lead, Tin, and Platinum for the Metal Men. Or they could do a whole subscription of team-completers.

It seems to me the problem is they are trying to please everyone with one subscription and in doing so they are alienating a great many. I'd subscribe to a cartoon-styling figure subscription (JLU and Super Friends). I'd subscribe to a Batman line. Maybe even a team-completer line. Personally, I have no interest in getting the whole run of all the different Lantern Corps but I'm sure there's several people that would be.

Look at what's been promised: Starman (team completer), Poison Ivy (Batman), Jay Garrick (team completer), and Atrocitus (Lantern Corps). I mean not to offend any but I'm going to guess there's not a whole lot of interest in this Starman. The rest, individually, probably have a great many collectors who'd want them, and everyone that surrounds them. People want one, maybe two of them.

I still say several subscriptions is the way to go, because the DC Universe is so vast. And I think Mattel would make MORE money doing it. Anyone agree with that?

But, then again, I'd be happy if they went and finished the Super Powers line, but that's a discussion for another thread :P

Refusing to buy into a line you want to collect on the off chance they might not produce a certain character or complete a specific obscure team is indeed irrational and ridiculous.

Uhm, I think you lost your point somewhere, because none of this makes any sense... and indeed the voltron subcription thing has absolutely no relevence since by the act of subscribing, you're insuring all five.
And seriously... doll collector? What does "doll collector mentality" even mean?
You're making no sense in this entire post at all.

I've been told I'm wrong for not liking the TF movies. I don't really care. I don't really care what you do or don't expect out of me, to be honest.All I know is I musta hit a hell of a nerve in you, lmao.
And I know the difference between an opposing viewpoint and an invalid one.
One I can respect. The other is just hilariously rediculous.

As long as they make a character you enjoy, that should be enough to make anyone happy. I miss not having Mia Dearden, but I'm happy enough to have Green Arrow and Black Canary. I miss not having Captain Marvel Jr, but that doesn't detract from the happiness that Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Black Adam bring.
Just because there was no hope for Miss Martian, Ravager, Bart Allen Kid Flash, or any other dozen Teen Titans didn't stop me from buying the Titans they *did* release.
"Even though she's one of my favorite characters, I'm not gonna buy Donna Troy because I have no need for a figure of her wearing a costume 30 years out of date," is a respectable opinion. "I'm not gonna buy Donna Troy because it's unlikely they'll ever release any of the other titans as they were 30 years ago, even though this is my favorite costume of her's" is rediculous.

Life's too short. If you want something, and owning it would make you happy, then get it. To pass it up, even though you want it and owning it would make you happy, just because they might not make a figure from it's team... yes, that's invalid.

Gotta love how much hate and bickering a toyline can bring into a forum. Oh well, I'll miss you DCUC, the figures I have just became more special <3.

I've never signed up for a Mattel subscription before, so I'm a little ignorant on this part of how they work. So I'm wording things under a certain assumption.

I always assumed that they worked just like any subscription. After your year is up, you have to resubscribe to continue it.
However, the wording on the perchase page when I signed up was a little vague. It made me check a box before I completed the billing information that indicated to me I was perminantly subscribed. it may have ment that I was automatically signed up for the next figure, and the next figure after that,, and so on. But it made it sound like I was automatically resubscribed when the subscription ran out.
So, I'm going off the original assumption that you have to re-up every year.

Instead of having multiple subscriptions like you suggested earlier, I would suggest themed years. Which would allow some people to drop out if they don't like a certain theme. it would also atteact attention of others if they were a specific collector.
This year is a hotpot of various characetrs to get everyone interested. Next year however, they announce that they're going Rogue, with a heavy, if not exclusive focus on villains. The year after that, they change their theme to Green Lantern. After that, Secret Identities. After that, Cartoons (Characters that may be promenent or exclusive to the various DC cartoons through the decades). After that, a heavy focus on obscure characters.
Even if they don't reveal much to get people in, they sorta already know what they're gonna be in for.
I will say the comparison to the Lions and GB was valid in that those lines you *already* have a good idea of what and who to expect. While with the an entire DC Multiverse to choose from, it's a huge mystery. I mean, if they're offering up Shaggyman, who the hell else can they possibly pull out of their ass?

Good idea!

@Crazy Jetty
Will you calm down, dude? People are allowed to collect or not collect whatever they want however illogical or logical it may be to you or anyone else. I stopped reading your posts altogether because you're getting extremely hostile over the fact that some people may or may not choose to collect something and their reasoning behind it. Relax, man. Everyone has their own reasons behind collecting and they may not be the same as yours.

I googled "obscure DC Comics characters" and found a great list. The most promising so far is "Arm-Fall-Off-Boy" LOL

+999999999999999999999999999999999999999999.1

I'm going to backup thechris here. Because I understand completely where he's coming from, especially for completing teams. I own Iron and Mercury figures (can't find Gold) because I like the Metal Men. AS A TEAM. If I knew they were going to just stop after Gold, I personally would have passed on all 3 figures, just because I'm not a fan of the individual characters themselves.

So I too will not collect DCUC (subscription anyways) for the fact that I cannot complete the teams I wish to complete. The only figure I would CONSIDER getting from the sub would be Jay Garrick for the simple fact I want my founding members of the JSA complete. Now I would have bought Jay Garrick anyways if he was on retail because I'm a fan, but I won't subscribe just for Jay Garrick. But that last sentence was slightly off topic so let's carry on.

Mattel is playing the bait game. I'm sure there's a chance with the subscription that we MMMAAAYYY get the rest of the Metal Men (Metal Men is just an example btw, I could easily use Doom Patrol and what not). But like I said, MMMAAAYYY. There's no guarantee, and unlike the Ghostbusters, they are not core characters. So if we never saw the Metal Men, I'm sure the uproar would be minimal. So Mattel can lure as with the Metal Men, but then never give them, and they won't piss off the world. I'm sure there's a lot of people that would be relieved that they wouldn't get the Metal Men in the mail.

All in all, not buying a line because they may not produce some figures isn't ridiculous and is quite rational. Am I saying this because that's what I'm doing? Perhaps. There's no real sure way to tell. But we're all entitled to our opinions, and mine happens to be the same (or at least close to) thechris.

On an unrelated note, Crazy Jetty, we're buds now. But take it easy okay? I'm sure from your point of view you're sounding very logical and calm about the whole thing, but to some people you're coming across as harsh and hostile.

I don't need to calm down, because this has all been highly entertaining. So far you've been the one who's overreacted. Like I said, I seem to have pushed one hell of a button.

Here's the rub:

Without the subscription, we KNOW we're NOT getting any more Metal Men anytime soon. With the subscription, there is at least the chance.

Further, if they strongly hint at the Metal Men being part of the subscription, then chances are that Metal Men will be part of the subscription. Why? Because it's in the interest of Mattel to please as many people as possible with the subscription, and to follow through on what they have planned, because otherwise people will not re-up the subscriptions next year. This idea that Mattel is going to pull some kind of giant "bait and switch" on the subscribers is silly and not grounded in any sort of logical reality.

Now, you might not get all the remaining Metal Men in one year, but that's just good business to keep people coming back. Maybe you get Lead and Platinum this year, and maybe next year one of the the "oversize figures/multipacks" is Dr. Will Magnus, Veridium, and Tin, with Copper showing up in Year 3 for the uber completist. Just like you might get an oversized Elasti-Girl but wouldn't necessarily get a Mento or The Chief until next year. While it's in the interest of Mattel to please as many people as possible, it's also in their interest not to release everybody everyone wants all at once, because then there's nothing left for people to buy in the future. At the same time, it's in their interest to "fill out" at least one

Hey Jmacq1, no denying that it's good business. I think that most people are just concerned that the longer they hold out, the more likely it is that a line will die before the teams are completed. I'd have to agree with this to a degree. I've been burned in the past. For example, Mattel's DC Infinite Heroes line died before Teen Titans got a Beastboy/Changeling figure. He was pretty much the only Titan they didn't release. They just barely snuck in the Aquaman figure and he was packed in the expensive Starro SDCC exclusive, there was no Alan Scott Lantern figure.

The thing is, while a Superman or Batman figure has value on it's own without the rest of the league, you'd probably find it difficult to find any collectors who will buy a Dove figure if they knew a Hawk figure would never be made or if they made Leslie "Rocky" Davis and Matthew "Red" Ryan but then we didn't get an "Ace" Morgan or Prof Haley. Some collectors feel cheated when this happens so I can understand the hesitation. As with most of these sneaky tactics, people will get wise. Sooner or later, the manufacturer has to cave in and give a little.

For example, random packs used to be popular among collectors of miniatures like Dungeons and Dragons. They came in random booster packs of 8. Eventually the randomness and the lure of the hunt and gambling went from exciting to infuriating and people simply stopped buying. Wizards of the Coast caved in and started releasing less randomized boosters with "boss" characters visible in display and only "supporting" monsters were randomized. Hero characters weren't random at all anymore and were instead sold in blister packs. People don't like feeling tricked. It's like when someone has a juicy secret and at first, it's even a little cute, but eventually it isn't cute and you just don't give a damn anymore. Mattel probably had a feeling that fanboys everywhere would be absolutely pissed of they didn't at least give us Aquaman to finish the founding members of the League for DCIH (failed line that it was, it had it's loyal followers) so hats off to them for that.

I think I'm ranting again. Main point: I think most people are just worried that DCUC or any line, really, will die before their teams are completed. Admittedly, this is more frustrating when we get multiples of the same character (looking at you, Hasbro MU) instead of characters who don't even have one figure yet. I can't speak for everyone, but I could tell you for SURE that if MU died next year, I'd be a little frustrated with my 6 different Cyclops figures who belong to 6 incomplete versions of X-Men teams.

This.