Mattel DC Figures

[Reno]

Mattel is clearly going to lean into whatever Gunn/Safran are doing. But the red meat of this lineup, like DCUC before it, is gonna be comics.

I'll be shocked if Gunn and Safran are still around in 2 years. Warner Bros has never been able to stick to a long term plan and I highly doubt that they do here either now that they've changed hands again. Plus I have a hard time imagining Gunn playing nice within Paramount for very long. His political ideologies are like the exact opposite of Paramount leadership. I expect another full reboot of the DC Universe before this decade is out.

From Mattel's last go around I felt like where they really stuggled was they tried to pivot to more live action stuff under the DC Multiverse banner. Almost the exact opposite of McFarlane in that regard. Some of Todd's best stuff was live action but he really struggled with classic comic looks. I don't really collect live action, so I mostly haven't cared.

 

[secondwhiteline]

You are leaping.

For instance, I can tell you for a -fact- (believe me or not, as per my usual caveat) that the MCU figures are produced in greater volume than any of the comic figures in ML, and only undersell when a movie does poorly, like Eternals.

I mean, that feels intuitive to me. Shorter window to capitalize, connected to a tentpole movie so a larger run makes sense, and they tended to put those on different SKUs or in movie-branded waves so retailers would theoretically know that it could and should be ordered in different/greater quantities.

 

[Alt]

I just want figures of looks I like. Artist accurate, even cooler.

 

[docsilence]

I just want figures of looks I like. Artist accurate, even cooler.

Yeah, this is where I'm at. I'm going to be SO easy to please as long as they're easy to get, fun to pose, with a consistent scale, no glaring fuckups, accessories that fit in their hands as intended, and a comfy release schedule.

 

[Atomic Knight]

I mean, that feels intuitive to me. Shorter window to capitalize, connected to a tentpole movie so a larger run makes sense, and they tended to put those on different SKUs or in movie-branded waves so retailers would theoretically know that it could and should be ordered in different/greater quantities.

I’ll admit it. It is intuitive. Yet I’m still finding Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho to a lesser extent at big box. When I go that is. Todd seems to have done pretty well with movie figures. Especially the non contemporary ones. So why still lead with comic figures?

 

[Chooch555]

Yeah, this is where I'm at. I'm going to be SO easy to please as long as they're easy to get, fun to pose, with a consistent scale, no glaring fuckups, accessories that fit in their hands as intended, and a comfy release schedule.

It doesn't seem like a lot to ask does it?

 

[Damien]

Todd's sales model is very different from someone like Hasbro or Mattel. You also cannot rely on movie figures if you're doing DC toys because like... there's barely any movies.

 

[Super Camel]

But I recognize that's very unlikely given who most of my favorites are.

Like whom? Give us a taste of the DC favorites of KD.

 

[secondwhiteline]

I’ll admit it. It is intuitive. Yet I’m still finding Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho to a lesser extent at big box. When I go that is. Todd seems to have done pretty well with movie figures. Especially the non contemporary ones. So why still lead with comic figures?

Because the next Superman movie isn't scheduled until next year.

Also, "I'm still finding Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho..." I mean, your big box is not everyone's big box (and anecdotal evidence means nothing), but even besides that, are you still finding many of Superman? Because if the largest-quantity figure in a movie wave sold through, maybe the problem's a character one, not a format one.

 

[Damien]

Like whom? Give us a taste of the DC favorites of KD.

It's no secret - I've gone on about this lots of times. Nightmaster (and Shadowpact), Saunders Vigilante, Shining Knight, Viking Prince (and the Five Warriors from Forever), Silent Knight, Question. I mean, I also like Batman, Hourman, Spectre, Constantine, and sometimes Hawkman. But in any case, my top favorites either never get made, or the one time in 3 decades when they get made the figure sucks balls.

 

[Gothneo]

my top favorites either never get made, or the one time in 3 decades when they get made the figure sucks balls.

yeah! Where's my Arion lord of Atlantis???!!

 

[secondwhiteline]

Probably like 2/3 of my remaining DCUC collection is customs because they just didn't make a ton of my favorites.

 

[AceofKnaves]

all look like themselves

Sounds like you’re just asking for *somewhat* deeper cuts than SuperBats in a comic-design based “evergreen” line.
Which . . . everyone agrees is good.
Like does it need to have “HEY THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BASED ON THIS VERY VERY VERY CURRENT COMIC FROM RIGHT NOW” on it?

Not to be a dick, but it sounds like you are “addicted to the drama”, like the sturm und drang is the point. And I guess that’s not like an empirically bad thing if it gives you pleasure, worse ways to get your rocks off I suppose. But it does seem like you tend to *create* the drama where there maybe isn’t any.

Might it be possible to *enjoy* the anticipation rather than disaster-seek?

Just sayin’.

 

[Xavion2025]

Yeah, this is where I'm at. I'm going to be SO easy to please as long as they're easy to get, fun to pose, with a consistent scale, no glaring fuckups, accessories that fit in their hands as intended, and a comfy release schedule.

I’m with you on all points, but especially on “no glaring fuckups”…or as I like to call it, “weird McFarlane shit”.

 

[Atomic Knight]

Sounds like you’re just asking for *somewhat* deeper cuts than SuperBats in a comic-design based “evergreen” line.
Which . . . everyone agrees is good.
Like does it need to have “HEY THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BASED ON THIS VERY VERY VERY CURRENT COMIC FROM RIGHT NOW” on it?

Not to be a dick, but it sounds like you are “addicted to the drama”, like the sturm und drang is the point. And I guess that’s not like an empirically bad thing if it gives you pleasure, worse ways to get your rocks off I suppose. But it does seem like you tend to *create* the drama where there maybe isn’t any.

Might it be possible to *enjoy* the anticipation rather than disaster-seek?

Just sayin’.

I believe now and have for a long time that current comics, or as close as possible given lead times, have a place in comic book action figures lines. It’s too late for Todd to do much, but I believe Mattel is teed up pretty well for this going forward.

For example, in the last few weeks after K.O., Jon Kent has gotten a new heroic identity. And it makes perfect sense. Young Jon Kent has returned to main continuity and it seems legit to me at this point. Reuniting the Super Sons and making merch (figures) is long overdue. Batwoman/Kate Kane has returned to the DCU in a big way. Montoya/Question is right behind her and I’m guessing Vandal Savage isn’t too far off. We need figures for all three. Hal Jordan got a new costume. Titans is getting a new lineup. JLU makes it pretty easy to fold any hero they want into the mainstream lineup. JSA has hinted at a new roster very heavily inspired by Infinity Inc. Lobo and Deathstroke are both layups. Batman has two new co-stars in Detective. Green Arrow and Black Canary have come to Gotham and Tom Taylor drove the moving van. This is good stuff. It’s fun too. Next Level is characters we’ve not seen for a while. But almost every current DC comic has been refreshed in some way.

You’re certainly free to disagree with me. But within the constraints of what’s possible given the timeline, I still believe this is a good idea. And doable. Jim Lee is playing the long game. Mattel should consider it.