The product team at Mattel graciously answers questions from journalists and websites on regular basis. This time around, they provided us with answers to three frequent queries that I get from readers. Going forward, we’ll have an open call for questions from you for the product team on things like DC Universe Classics, JLU, Masters of the Universe, and more. While you ponder those possibilities, here are three responses on DC Universe Classics straight from the source.
Newsarama: It’s great to see that the DCUC Doom Patrol is starting! That leads to a two-part question: how viable a Collect and Connect candidate is Elastic Girl, and is there any kind of weirdness over that name, given “The Incredibles”?
Mattel: Elastic Girl would be a great choice for a future Collect and Connect figure, and there are no issues with using her name!
NRAMA: Thus far, we’ve seen DCUC figures from the JLA, the JSA, the Teen Titans, the Outsiders, the Doom Patrol and even the All-Star Squadron (Commander Steel); will we begin to see the Legion in 2010? On a related note, are either Validus or Colossal Boy C+C contenders?
Mattel: We do have some great plans for the Legion of Superheroes, but when and how they will be released has yet to be announced!
NRAMA: When the invidiual figures go online for order, will the variants be available as well? For example, if I can’t find one Wildcat in my area, would I be confident in the ability to go to the website and find the other one?
Mattel: Each Wave will have a 50/50 variant and a chase variant. The 50/50 variant will be available online but the chase variant will not.
There you go, readers. What do you want to learn from Mattel in the September Q&A?
August 19th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
When is Doom Patrol coming?
August 19th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Ricardo, both Robotman (Cliff Steele) and Beast Boy will be available in Series 10, the Wal-Mart Exclusive Imperiex wave. Mattel has sworn that Wal-Mart learned their Series 5 lesson and that this exclusive series will have radically improved distribution.
The figures in Series 10 are: the two above, a black-costumed Batman, a classic Joker (with BANG gun, Super Powers mallot, and “joker fish”), Power Girl, Man-Bat, and Forager. They were shown in the video presentation at the SDCC Mattel panel.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Got two questions:
1) Why are they using Power Girl’s Atlantean origin instead of her Kryptonian/Earth-2 one?
2) Do the references to the Super Friends cartoon and Super Powers toy line mean we can expect figures of Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, Samurai or El Dorado?
August 19th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Hum, so no toy for me, since it will be a Walmart US exclusive… Ebay to the rescue, I guess?
August 19th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Hey Wesley,
A JLU three pack of Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, and Samurai is on the way; not sure about DCUC yet, but they ARE doing Steppenwolf (Wave 11, I think) and Mantis (which is in Wave 9, already hitting comic shops).
August 19th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Will be see a price increase on DCU Classics with the upcoming waves?
Can we get an idea of what figures will be put into revision cases in the future as World’s Greatest Superheroes? Maybe Aquaman? Harley Quinn? Catwoman?
It’s cool that Newsarama is in on this now too.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
thats all kewl and glad the legion finally get some figures but where is J’onn? almost every leaguer has headlined a wave (Aquaman 3 times! i like him but i like manhunter more) when does Martian Manhunter to his own figure? I read that Captain Marvel JR may get a figure before J’onn! and way How about Plastic man and Elongated man (one as a variant aw poor Ralph lol) and Zatanna (her stage costume and her while and blue with the snake thing on her head) the Geoff John titans are almost complete if we get superboy and Wonder girl (and since all the different costumes how about all of Nightwings from robin to elvis nightwing to that other costume the yellow and dark blue and as Batman same for Jason Todd)
August 19th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
A few questions:
Considering the recent integration (no pun intended) of the Milestone characters into the DCU (not to mention Static’s animated history with the Justice League and comic history with the Teen Titans), will Mattel ever make characters like Icon, Hardware, and the aforementioned Static in either the DCUC or Justice League collections? Also, same question about the Red Circle characters, The Spirit, The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Doc Savage. Or would these be separate deals from the DC Comics situation?
Have they considered developing a Wildstorm figure collection? It’s not really the DCU, but there are a few ties to the Wildstorm universe to the DCU. Or will more mature franchises like The Authority prevent them from doing so?
Why aren’t Masters of the Universe Classics figures in actual stores?
What’s actually going on with the WWE figure line for 2010? How will playability and posability for those compare with the Jakks figures? (that one’s for my 12-year old wrestling fan cousin)
August 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am
How bout an Ambush Bug?
August 20th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I have little confidence in finding Wave 10 anywhere. Despite Mattel’s constant rhetoric about Wal-Mart improving distribution, it still falls to the individual stores to carry the line in the first place.
My confidence in not high.
August 20th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Just a couple questions:
1. At this time, are there any DC characters that are off-limits to Mattel?
2. Regarding the Infinite Heroes line, when will new wave with the added articulation be released?
August 20th, 2009 at 9:25 am
If you really want the Mattel inside scoop, you need to pop around to a half dozen or so sites once or twice a month to get all the various Q&A. If you are a toy nut like me, you visit at least one of them on a more frequent basis.
The Fwoosh has a feature up right now about the upcoming Public Enemies line.
Action Figure Insider has a feature on DCUC wave 10.
August 20th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Will we ever see just a regular Lois Lane figure?
August 20th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Surely, they mean “Elastigirl”, not Elastic Girl
And there’s no problem with the Incredibles as DC gave Pixar permission to use the name as long as they don’t use it on merchandizing.
August 20th, 2009 at 10:19 am
yes mattel needs to give some Martian Manhunter love!
August 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Any chance of seeing WildStorm characters figures?
August 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am
@superfriend
Thanks for the heads up. I usually check out toynewsi.com and actionfigureinsider, but I didn’t know about Fwoosh.
August 20th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Legion figures can’t come soon enough for me, but the current teen bodies are really too small — unless they are going back to the early Silver Age version. I’d prefer to see the Bronze Age version.
Just happen to have a link to a related article:
http://www.criticalmess.net/index.php?page=322
Elasti-Girl sounds great — but it’s got to be the red/white/purple outfit — not the new body suit.
August 20th, 2009 at 11:17 am
A CLASSIC Legion boxed set (or three) would be an incredible thing!
I think most fans would prefer the Cockrum/Grell 70s outfits, but I personally wouldn’t mind the current ones, since many of those are inspired by the classic costumes.
But, please, no more Silver Age costumes/figures! We have them already. (And the costumes have ZERO appeal to the non-collector market because they’re so dorky!)
Please DO balance the waves with female Legionnaires!! Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl, and Dawnstar are MUSTS!
Princess Projectra (NOT Sensor Girl), Duplicate Damsel, Lightning Lass, Dream Girl, and the White Witch (with a Black Witch variant?) would also be welcome.
Colossal Boy and Validus Collect-and-Connects would be excellent (Shrinking Violet could be her own detachable mini-figure that snaps in to either stand or sit on CB’s shoulder).
August 20th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
A Kyle Rayner/ Guy Gardner 2-pack seems like a no-brainer, given their honor guard status and co-starring in Green Lantern Corp. Will we being seeing any Kyle/Guy DCUC figures anytme soon?
August 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Just one question: When are you guys going to do the Martian Manhunter? It’s been far too long and my JLA just isn’t complete without him.
August 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
At the moment it is only possible to purchase DCUC figures at speciality shops in the U.K.
Will we ever see these figures in regular retail stores outside the U.S?
Following on from this question, If not the regular waves would it be possible to arrange with Wal-Mart to carry the exclusive waves in the U.K via the Asda supermarket chain which is owned by Wal-Mart or via some alternate means?
At the moment it is only possible to purchase these at vastly inflated prices via E-Bay and I would really like to get hold of both The Joker and Robot-Man without getting scalped. Thanks
August 20th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
JSayonara
you wont need retail shops. they will be sold on mattycollector.com soon enough. starting with wave 9 i believe they said.
only the wal-mart wave 10 wont be oniine
August 20th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
with the question coming out what are the chances of Catman and Ragman who got almost as many votes on the first fan poll to be in the pipeline in dcuc and would Mattel have to ask now that the thunder agents and Milestone characters are in the DCu time warner for the okay to make figures like static
August 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
http://www.poeghostal.com
If you go that site, they usually link to all the other Q&As.
August 20th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
How about a themed villian wave?
Wizard, Star Sapphire, Plant Master, Professor Zoom, Captain Comet, and Blockbuster as a C & C figure? All characters from the Secret Society Of Supervillians comic from the 1970′s.
Captain Comet being the only hero of the wave.
Rounding out the wave could be Kobra and Atomic Skull.
What do you think?
August 20th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Are any of the following characters currently planned for future waves and if not, are they still possibilities?
Lady Shiva
Enchantress
Dawnstar
Tara Morgan (Warlord)
Jennifer Morgan
Phantom Lady
August 20th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Any chance of getting figures with interchangeable parts. Like different heads with different expressions, opened and closed fists. A lot of Japanese toy companies do this. I don’t know any American company that does it. You guys could be the first.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Thanks for the great products you guys have been putting out these days (DCUC and MOTUC)!! I really loved the first Aquaman released and thought it was absolutely fantastic, 10 out of 10!!!
1. Do you do any planning with DC Direct to not overlap and do the same figure in two different lines (specifically current GL event characters)?
2. Any chance at doing a Geoff Johns’ Carter Hall as Hawkman? Or other versions of the character, for that matter?
August 21st, 2009 at 1:51 pm
With next year being the Teen Titans anniversary any chance we might see rest of the ’80s Titans (since they already did Cyborg and Kid Flash – who I was wasn’t so short)? I know Beast Boy and Starfire will be available, but I’d sure like to see them form that era
August 21st, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Thomas B Says:
August 20th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
JSayonara
you wont need retail shops. they will be sold on mattycollector.com soon enough. starting with wave 9 i believe they said.
only the wal-mart wave 10 wont be oniine.
I paid £25 pounds just for the Egon Spengler Ghostbuster figure from Matty.com, I really would prefer not to pay £60-70 for a set of DCUC figures especially as DC Direct cost about ten pounds each from my local comic shop.
Also I fail to see how offering Wal-Mart exclusives overseas harm an U.S store exclusive especially as Wal-Mart own one of our major supermarket chains (Asda). I fully expect to pay at least £30 pounds each for Joker and Robotman which is pretty hard to justify for what they are, I just wish DCD would get wise and start making teams like the Doom Patrol, Secret Six and the Challengers.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Any chance we’ll see some Metal Men characters? I’ve always been a fan, and really enjoyed the Duncan Rouleau mini-series. A boxed retail exclusive would be fun!
January 17th, 2011 at 11:59 am
Dude this blog rules i cant believe i finally found what i was looking for, thanks bro.