Archive for the ‘Q&A’ Category:
Ask Matty 4/15/10
We just got a new round of answers back from Mattel and here they are!
1) Any chance we could see some more obscure villains in the various DC lines? For instance, a Catman would be great!
Catman would be great, but we can’t comment on unannounced figures. We do have plans for a lot more villains in the line.
2) Even though Music Meister only showed up in the Brave & the Bold TV show, would it be possible to see him in DCIH?
Sure, but not likely in the near future.
3) Is the current similar style of the Toy Story Buddies and Action League Minis a style that is being planned to carry over into other products as a sort of in-house “Mattel Mini” style? Will we see it again?
Yes, this is a “form factor” we are interested in exploring.
4) Have you considered re-releasing repaints of complete C&C figures on Mattycollector or shop.mattel.com so that collectors of different scales (ok, just IH) can get bigger characters without having to pick up other figures?
This all depends on how the DCUC Wave 5 re-release goes. It is our big test to see how re-releases do.
5) Several Brave and the Bold figures such as Solomon Grundy (“Zombie Hitman”), and the individual Metal Men have been given name changes. Can you give us some insight into why some figures get name changed?
There are several reasons for this including, comments from our licensor partners, kid testing, and trademark issues for using a name on a toy.
Well, there you have it! Now, if you want to discuss these answers, or post some questions of your own that you want us to Ask Matty, then head on over to the board!
Marvel Q&A 3/30/10
We just got back our first round of answers in the Marvel Q&A! Here they are:
1) Are there any plans for offering Marvel Universe troop builder packs on Hasbro Toy Shop like are offered for Star Wars (with Stormtroopers & such) and G.I. Joe (with Cobra henchmen) where it’s a pack of multiple copies of the same figure?
Currently, we have no plans for offering Marvel Universe troop builder
packs, but we are always looking for new ways to innovate and captivate!
2) Does the old idea that female figures don’t sell well still apply. leading to limitations being set on the number of females per year? We’ve gotten a fair share of females in both the Super Hero Squad and Marvel Universe lines, but there are so many more to be done. Also, do differing demographics (i.e. SHS being for the younger crowd) change the ratio on how many females are done?
It’s always tough to target female characters at our younger consumer.
However, we recognize their value to our collectors. Therefore, we try to choose the popular, more appealing females. While there are MANY cool females yet to be created, we have to remain wise regarding our
selections.
3) Will the SHS line continue to cover all of the Marvel Universe in general or will it be more oriented around the show and its cast?
The show has a pretty deep selection of characters. The toyline itself
allows us to go deeper into the Marvel catalogue. Expect NEW cool figures to come!
There you have it, folks! As always, you can head on over to the board to discuss these answers, and to post your own questions you’d like to seen asked of Hasbro!
Ask Matty 3/15
We just got in the newest round of answers back from Mattel and here they are!
1) Why do some characters in DCIH get treated with the old body while they were previously treated with the new mold? For example: we got multi-articulation Flash (Barry) & Psycho Pirate in the Crisis 4-pack only to later be released in single packs with the old mold instead of multi-articulation?
Many times something like this is the case of an older toy being released later then expected even after newer versions of a character have been available through other channels.
2) Is the theme for DCIH this year going to be the 75th Anniversary or is there going to be a more story-specific theme like last year with its Crisis theme?
Yes, the theme for Infinite Heroes in 2010 will be DC 75th!
3) In your 2009 MOTUC round-up, you mentioned having a roll-out through 2016. With DCIH and DCUC being tied to developments in the comic books, how far ahead are those lines planned out?
The DC lines are currently planned through 2011. We will start working on the 2012 line later this year.
4) For MOTUC, the upcoming figure stands apparently have a modular element to them (a piece of rubble that snaps into the stands); will additional modular elements, for instance larger wall panels, be created?
We are looking into ways of expanding scenic offerings, but nothing is set in stone right now (no pun intended!)
5) There are extra entries on The Secret Saturday’s Cryptipedia for Komodo, Duah, Tapire-Iauara, and the Amarok. Coincidentally, these are the same cryptids featured in the TRU exclusive pack, however the pack comes with the same cards as the single non-exclusive cryptids. Could we get an explanation as to why this is?
This was simply a issue with what cards were available to use when this customized item went into production. No other secret there!
There you go! As always, you can head on over to the board to discuss.
Marvel Q&A!
Alright! We’re good to go with the Marvel Q&A from Hasbro! We got the information only a couple days ahead of the deadline for the first questions, so we made the first round of questions “Mods’ Choice” and hopefully we picked some questions you all will be interested in, so look for those back in a couple weeks.
In the meantime, why don’t you head over to the board to discuss what questions should be asked in the next round on April 9th.
Ask Matty 3/1/10
Mattel just sent the newest round of answers to us, so here they are!
1) With the huge popularity of miniatures, are you considering making JLU miniatures?
We will continue to offer DC characters in the Action League line, if that is what you are asking. There are no plans for a separate JLU mini line.
2) Does Mattel have any plans on adding holes for pegs in the feet of the Brave and the Bold Action League figures? Many of the figures like Batman, Aquaman, and the Top suffer from difficulty standing.
Yes, we can confirm future figures will have holes in their feet!
3) Now that the suggestion has been “passed along” (in another Q&A) for the inclusion of Music Meister in the BatB lines; due to the episode’s and character’s popularity, is there any chance of also considering making him in a few of his different ensembles? The Action League line has not said no to doing repeats of characters before, and our beloved maestro of villainy just begs for it.
At this time there are no plans for Music Meister, but if he does get into the line we’d love to do some of the exciting outfits he had! Which ones would fans want the most?
4) The Batman Action League figures that are in a running position are extremely hard to stand up. Most of them end up lying on their backs after a few minutes. Collectors and kids alike have expressed their frustration with this issue. Can this leg pose be retired? There are many leg sculpts that work great.
We will certainly look into addressing this for future figures!
5) It was last stated that there are no new plans for The Secret Saturdays. Is it possible to provide us a list of the items that have actually made it to retail? The Griffin Attack Jet Vehicle that appeared last month has advertisement for Fiskerton and Piecemeal as well as other figures due out in “April 2010″ leading to confusion of their fate. Are these items still slated to come out in April?
Yes, these items are still on tap for this spring.
There you have it! As always, if you want you can go discuss it on the board.
Ask Matty 2/15/10
Mattel sent the latest round of answers to our questions.
Will we be seeing any more Action League multi-packs like the Toys-R-Us 6-pack?
Only time will tell. Nothing to reveal quite yet.
Will any other Pixar, Disney, or Mattel properties (such as Masters of the Universe) be getting the “Buddies” or “Minis” 2″ treatment from Mattel?
This is something we are looking into but we’re not ready to spill the beans quite yet!
While fans of some lines like DCUC are lucky enough to get a heads-up about what figures will be in upcoming waves (and when those waves will hit), fans of Action League and Brave and the Bold figures generally have to wait until the figures are spotted at retail. Any plans to start giving those fans more of a heads-up about upcoming figures?
These lines are handled by a different group from the DCUC team and we are working with them to make sure all collectors’ needs are met!
What DC property are you most excited to bring to DCUC and Infinite Heroes this year?
We can’t wait to get to some of the current Blackest Night characters, but it may need to wait until spring of 2011 due to new developments.
Each Action League 2-pack comes carded on a cool background. Is there any chance you’ll put the backgrounds online so fans can print larger versions for their displays?
That’s a cool idea, but nothing is planned at this time.
As always, you can head on over to the board to discuss.
Ask Matty 1/15/10
We’d like to thank everyone who’s participated in helping us gather questions for Ask Matty this month, it’s been great!
Alright, now that we have that out of the way, how about we get to our first set of answers from Mattel?
1. Is there another wave of Secret Saturdays 6″ figures on the way? If so, can you say who’s in it?
At this time, there are no new plans for Secret Saturday toys. Everything for the line is now at retail.
2. Are there any plans to extend the Batman Brave & the Bold style (mini or 5″) out to other characters that haven’t appeared on the show?
No, the Brave and the Bold line is a more kid-oriented line compared to a collector line like JLU, which is more of a luxury. The B&B figures will remain show specific for now.
3. Are there any plans to fix the DCIH new molds’ knees? The new knees are prone to break easily, but the old knees were great. Are there any plans to go back to something similar to the old knees?
Yes, we are constantly working to improve not only the joints, but paint ops and accessories as well.
4. Will posters be added to the Batman Brave & the Bold Action League 2-packs to encourage consumers to buy the sets & inform us about upcoming characters?
There was a great poster for the minis available at SDCC, which shows off the entire line. It is something we will consider.
5. Will there be playsets for Batman Brave & the Bold Action League, such as the Batcave or Justice League headquarters?
Nothing planned at the moment, but the future is wide open as the show remains popular with kids and collectors.
