The Rumor Buster

Target Has Super Hero Squad Clearance Mania

Several members have been able to verify what looks like a great Target Super Hero Squad sell-off.  2-packs are under $5, the Helicarrier is $15, Hovercars between $10 and $14, Iron Man 2 3-packs and vehicles like the Spider-Splasher and Claw Cruiser are all a shave under $7.  While this may drastically change the composition of your Target toy aisles (at least until the fall reset), it’s a great deal for many collectors who may have put off buying the vehicles or may just want to stock up on a few sets.

Super Hero Squad at Barnes and Noble!

colthor posted news on the message board about Barnes & Noble stocking some Super Hero Squad 2-packs! It’s one more place to check on your toy hunts, and hopefully it’ll be a long productive relatinoship between the two, but in the meantime keep your eyes peeled.

MAQET Q&A

We had an opportunity to poke the brain of Keith Cottingham, founder of designer toy upstart MAQET. Hopefully we asked the questions you want to hear, but if not they’re an approachable sort and you can probably get your question answered via Twitter or posting a question on their blog. There’s also a few more days to use the RAINYDAY coupon code to get $5 off your first custom MAQET (exp. 12/31/09) if you want to get started. On with the questions!

Question:
Is it pronounced mah-ket (like maquette) , or make-it?

KEITH:
mah-ket (like maquette). To hear it, turn up your volume and move your cursor over the logo in the upper left corner of our homepage.

Question:
2009 has not been a great year for a lot of companies, but it’s launch time for MAQET. Was anyone nervous about launching a new product line in this economy?

KEITH:
Our whole team has realistic expectations. We want MAQET to be fun to use and fun to work on. So, while these are challenging times, we’re focusing on building a positive business, a quality product, and spreading the word in the name of fun.

Question:
The characters are wild. cat girl, petpal, ninja, ringo (the fruit!), octi. If the style looks familiar to people, it’s because they were designed by ghostbot, the style house behind those Esurance commercials. Will other designers get a shot and if so, when?

KEITH:
Yes! Absolutely. MAQET already has characters from three additional artists that are in production and we’ll roll them out one at a time in early 2010. More artists will continue to be added all the time. The more the merrier.

Question:
Yes, technically, you can collect them all… but it would be pretty hard. Have you seen the start of any big collections?

KEITH:
Yes I have, mine.

Question:
The interface is deceptive. When I started playing around with it, there’s the obvious choices like picking your character, but each figure has some pretty non-obvious customizations. You can choose the hair on Octi, for instance. Is there a guide to these options, or are collectors on their own in finding these Easter Eggs?

KEITH:
Currently, there is no guide to the options. Each character has a different set and amount of options. And lots of new options will be added. The user doesn’t find out until they start to explore each character. MAQET is really about the experience of making and creating. Discovery is a cool part of that.

Question:
Speaking of some of these choices, are they permanent or do you plan to retire certain options as time goes by? Do collectors have to worry about missing out on a particular petpal face?

KEITH:
Hmmmm, MAQET plans on adding additional options and rotating options, so yes, it’s possible that certain options and characters will be retired. We also plan on limited edition releases. I’ve thought that would be a great way to support a charity; to offer a limited edition MAQET character with part of the proceeds helping a good cause.

Question:
On a similar note, the blog promises news about figures and characters. Does everything get announced, or will there be secrets and limited time options brought in without fanfare?

KEITH:
I’m pretty sure everything will get announced in the blog and on Facebook and Twitter. But, I do like the idea of secrets and limited time options brought in on the sly for our most loyal fans and followers, probably up for a certain amount of views, first see, first get. With hints tossed out in clever ways.

Question:
Each figure generates a DNA code. Does this mean you can recreate someone else’s MAQET if you know their DNA?

KEITH:
Yes, that is how the share feature works on MAQET. When you click Share after you make a MAQET, the DNA is sent to your friend via email or through Facebook. Your friend can click and visit the site, and see your creation. They can then order your exact MAQET and give it to you or keep it. Most people get so into making MAQETs that they opt to start a new character with its own DNA.

Question:
It looks like every figure is solid right now. Are there any plans for interchangeable elements, like hollow grip hands for accessories or peg holes like the Labbit toys?

KEITH:
Ah! Maybe? Possibly? Lots of fun things will be introduced, but for now, I’m keeping them a secret.

Question:
There’s a question in your FAQ about MAQET lifespans. Can you give any advice to collectors on how to keep their creation in tip-top shape? Sunlight and rain are no-nos, but are there any other warnings for collectors?

KEITH:
MAQETs are pretty durable. They have UV protection, but I still would keep them out of direct, hot sunlight. As long as you don’t throw them or drop them on a concrete floor, they should last a very long time. Love them and they’ll love you back by not dying on you.

Question:
Each color palette has a sliding scale of gradients. That’s great for collectors like me that are as color coordinated as a snowstorm. Sometimes it’s limiting though. Personally, I couldn’t find a body color scheme to match the Ninja head I wanted. Are more palettes on the way? Maybe a way for users to select their own palettes?

KEITH:
Yes, and yes. More color palettes and being able to color individual sections will be added soon. Actually, much, much more is on its way. We want to offer the ultimate in customization, so keep telling us what you want to customize and we’ll add it to our development list. More colorization controls are high on the list.

Question:
The product itself is made of biodegradable materials. What other eco-friendly initiatives can we expect from MAQET?

KEITH:
Besides the main product being made of an environmentally responsible material, the process of making them is also very green. There’s very little waste material. We are also working on a new packaging design that is not only green, but uses very little material and is super fun to boot. And our team is pretty green-minded as a whole, so that awareness is always present within MAQET.

Question:
Each palette appears to have an all-white option, which seems like a great nod to some of the custom designers out there… do you have any recommendations for materials? Are there any types of paints, or adhesives that shouldn’t be used on the MAQETs?

KEITH:
Acrylic paint works great. The white MAQETs are made with a grittier finish than the printed textured ones. We’ve made them with this fine grit so painting on them is more like painting on canvas. It has a great tactile grip on the paint and makes painting on them really nice. Holds the paint really well instead of the paint sliding around and thinning out. The artist can then just add a gloss finish over the whole thing when done.

Question:
The characters seem to be a cross section of anime and vinyl mainstays… the cat woman, the robot, the food, the sea creature. What do you want to see as the next character type?

KEITH:
The MAQET blog gives some hints to characters coming down the road. We’re also very responsive to what the audience wants to see added, so suggestions are great. The range of character types will definitely grow. We’re a very young company, only a few weeks old, so much to do…

Question:
And what are the odds of sports related MAQETs? Picture it… football player, multiple poses, awesome color palettes. Tell me that’s not a good idea. Tell me that’s not marketing genius!

KEITH:
Henceforth, you will only be referred to as, Marketing Genius.

Question:
Even though the store is very much a proud product of the internet, some people want to see the product before they buy. What kind of in real life experiences are planned? Kiosks at conventions? Coupon codes at certain brick and mortar stores that can be used to unlock options like new faces?

KEITH:
We plan on having some amazing collections of real MAQETs at a few events next year. We are in the planning stage now, but people will be able to check out our booth, meet the team, grab a MAQET, make a MAQET on the spot, and get all sorts of special extras just for showing up. Cannot wait to meet fans and take our show on the road. We’ll announce that stuff in the blog too and in our newsletter. We’re eying Wondercon. We’ll see.

Question:
The MAQET Maker is very tech savvy, there’s a blog and now people can share their MAQET creations on Facebook. What’s the next technical frontier you see MAQET embracing? Desktop or website widgets to display your DNA creations? An RSS feed for new creations? A Neopets or Webkinz interface where creations can interact?

KEITH:
Can I say all of the above? Time will tell.

Question:
Any final words?

KEITH:
Go MAQET!

The Battle for Doom’s Castle up for pre-order

Entertainmentearth is listing the newest Super Hero Squad playset, the Battle for Doom’s Castle as a January pre-order. Eagle-eyed fans will remember that this is the set with the newest Doctor Doom sculpt, making it the first playset to give us more than just a repaint. While this is a trend fans of the playsets may enjoy, others may be put off at the thought of paying $20 for the first Doctor Doom released since Super Hero Squad Wave 3

Black Friday Shopping Deals

In a very Black Friday appropriate post, we’ve got a pair of great deals for you. First off, Toxin pointed out that sale.mattel.com (with some great retail Mattel stuff like Brave and the Bold Action League 2-packs and singles, the big 5 inch BatB figures, Avatar and Secret Saturdays figures) has free shipping, which, is just an awesome way to catch up or get started with some great sets.

Hasbrotoyshop doesn’t have as good a deal, but $4.99 flat rate shipping is still a great deal!

And then there’s the Matty Collector sale on DC stuff (DC Universe Classics, Infinite Heroes AND Justice League Unlimited). And since Mattycollector is home to all those great exclusives like the DCUC Adam Strange and Starfire, Romat-Ru and Karu-Sil, Alexander Luthor and Ultraman, the IH Crisis set with Monitor, Supergirl, Barry Allen and Psycho Pirate and all those JLU sets (Doom Patrol! Legion of Super Heroes! Gotham City Villains! Captain Marvel Family!) it’s a great chance to pick up all those keen sets.

Just in time for holiday gift giving, we’re running a “buy more, get more” promotion. Basically, buy two or three DC Universe products and get 15% off your order; buy four or more products and get 25% off! Here are the details:

* Buy any two or three products from any DCU line and get 15% off those products.

* Buy four or more DCU products and you’ll get 25% off!

* Promotion starts 12:00 Noon ET/9:00am PT on Thursday 11/26 (Thanksgiving Day) and expires Monday, 12/7 11:59pm ET/8:59pm PT.

* Offer applies only to products in the DCU shop at MattyCollector.com.

* No code needed — discount automatically applied at checkout!

* Discount applies to product purchase price only and does not apply to shipping costs or taxes/fees.

* Sorry, this promotion can’t combined with other offers and isn’t valid on previous purchases.

We’re talking every set and every figure from the entire DC Universe lineup — DCU Classics, Justice League Unlimited, and DCU Infinite Heroes! So what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to the DCU shop before this limited-time promotion ends on Monday 12/7!

New Infinite Heroes Pre-Orders, Finally!

After months of waiting, there’s finally new Infinite Heroes news! As you may or may not remember, back in March, Entertainment Earth had pre-orders for Infinite Heroes Wave 6 shipping in June, with 3-packs Wave 6, rev 1 (ie, the Harbinger set) shipping in April. Months later, still no sign of any of these figures, but suddenly Big Bad Toy Store has new listings up!

In November, we have

DC Universe Infinite Heroes 2009 Assortment A Wave 01

2x Flash II
2x Psycho Pirate
2x Red Arrow
2x Martian Manhunter
2x Blue Beetle (or Original Version)
1x Bizarro
1x Mary Marvel

and for Three-packs we have:

DC Universe Infinite Heroes 3-Packs 2009 Wave 01

1x Harbinger, Shadow Demon, Shadow Demon
1x Hal Jordan, Star Saphire, Black Hand
1x Animal Man, Starfire, Adam Strange

Then in December, we have:

DC Universe Infinite Heroes 2009 Assortment A Wave 03

1x Firestorm
1x Robin (Earth-2)
1x Black Canary
1x Two-Face (or Redeco)
1x Joker
1x Hal Jordan Green Lantern

And Entertainment Earth still has pre-orders for Wave 6, which they say are now shipping in September and feature:
1x Atom
1x Green Arrow
1x Black Canary
1x Power Girl
1x Superman Prime
1x Psycho Pirate
2x Red Arrow
2x Martian Manhunter
2x Blue Beetle

As always, run over to the message board to discuss the new Infinite Heroes news!

Raining and Pouring: New Release Maniau

It seems like no matter what toy line you’re into, there’s been a recent release to make you happy. First off, starting with Scifigenre’s now sold out listing of Super Hero Squad Wolverine’s X-Cutioner’s Song and Wolverine Evolutions set (which are still available on sites like Entertainment Earth and Big Bad Toy Store if you head over), and coupled with sightings of Wave 15 at Walmarts and Targets all over, (and in stock at Toywiz), Super Hero Squad fans have plenty to enjoy.

Marvel Universe fans will note that Wave 2 of Secret Wars comic packs, including Cyclops, Magneto and the Julia Carpenter (Arachne) Spider-Woman are popping up, with Big Bad Toy Store featuring the Cyclops/Hulk and Spider-Man/Magneto sets currently in stock. They’ve also got cases of Wave 4, featuring the new Colossus, in stock.

Then Brave and the Bold Action League fans will note that Wave 2 of the 2-packs is out so collectors can gobble up Batman paired with Metamorpho, B’wanna Beast and Ocean Master, or the Green Arrow/Sportsmaster 2-pack. We snagged all four at Target, so hopefully photos will be up this Saturday.