Mattel DC Figures

Atomic Knight said:
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.
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It's been explained, though, that you are sometimes right and sometimes wrong about that idea. At least purely in terms of sales numbers on action figures. Mattel will, undoubtedly, do whatever they think is going to make them the most money. Especially in the first year or two. What that means in terms of physical product is something we just have to wait and see on.
 
I feel like the onus is on contemporary DC to give us a landmark story arc or creative run in order to have contemporary figures made, at least beyond the usual suspects.
 
Well I’m clearly not convincing anyone. Even Xavion who has previously expressed his disinterest in a lineup of the usual suspects done in classic style. 😁😉

Mattel will do what it wants and what can make money. Truer words were never spoken. But DC has a say in this too. If they want a Batwoman/Question (Renee) 2-pack, I think it might happen. If they want Lobo, Dawg, and the bike, it’ll happen. A deluxe Deathstroke with a lot of hands, heads, and weapons is a no brainer. Who wants a Jon/Damian 2-pack?

I’m not talking about outliers. I’m talking about fan favorites. Who happen to be front and center of the current iteration of the DCU. This is a long way from shutting down DCUC for the New 52 and giving us DC Unlimited instead.
 
Atomic Knight said:
Well I’m clearly not convincing anyone.
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I'm not even clear on what you would be attempting to convince us -of-. What is the thesis? Is it 'don't focus on big names' or 'make the big names from the newest possible books?' Either way, you're not wrong to want those things, but you'd be wrong if you said they're necessarily (inherently, without context) good ideas. It's about nuance.


Atomic Knight said:
But DC has a say in this too.
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I don't understand how this is relevant to whether Mattel makes what you think they should make or what you personally want. Unless you're saying that DC will want what you want. Which... sure. Maybe. Or maybe not. Again, it's just screaming into the void until we start seeing product and can start making inferences from there.


Atomic Knight said:
I’m not talking about outliers. I’m talking about fan favorites. Who happen to be front and center of the current iteration of the DCU. This is a long way from shutting down DCUC for the New 52 and giving us DC Unlimited instead.
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It's not a long way, actually. Because any book just now coming out is still -untested-. Both in terms of longevity itself, and in terms of marketability outside comics themselves. A comic could sell a million copies and move no toys. Just saying 'but the comic is popular right now' basically means nothing at all. Not to say Mattel won't make that stuff. It's only to say that Mattel WILL see that stuff as a risk (besides Batman).
 
I feel like contemporary costume designs are fine in action figure form, provided that that those releases don’t have too large of a barrier to entice new and veteran collectors. If there is one thing comic buyers can’t stand it is jumping into a book that is mired in continuity and what they’re reading provides no context or even a justification as to why the heroes are wearing new costumes. The same is true for any action figure line. If there is no barrier of entry then the line should sell just fine, contemporary vs classic designs non withstanding.


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Stoopid_Sandwich said:
I feel like contemporary costume designs are fine in action figure form, provided that that those releases don’t have too large of a barrier to entice new and veteran collectors. If there is one thing comic buyers can’t stand it is jumping into a book that is mired in continuity and what they’re reading provides no context or even a justification as to why the heroes are wearing new costumes. The same is true for any action figure line. If there is no barrier of entry then the line should sell just fine, contemporary vs classic designs non withstanding.
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This is a thing that bothers other comics readers? I don't look at a new costume and think, "I want answers!" the same way I don't demand explanations as to why people in my life have changed their clothing.
 
Atomic Knight said:
Well I’m clearly not convincing anyone. Even Xavion who has previously expressed his disinterest in a lineup of the usual suspects done in classic style. 😁😉
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I’m certainly open to the idea of more contemporary designs, and I do have reservations about starting yet another collection of figures based on Pre-Crisis DC.

Can you sell me a New 52 Starfire? Sure, DCC did. Can you sell me a Rebirth Starfire? Sure, McFarlane did. Can Mattel sell me a Starfire in whatever costume she’s currently in? Sure, as long as all the of the basic design elements are there.

However, if I could have one and only one version of Starfire in figure form, it would be the original New Teen Titans Starfire.

Now whether Mattel has the cajones to release that version is another discussion altogether, but I’m guessing if you took a poll, the NTT version of Starfire would win by a landslide.

I think I said this in one of the Marvel Legends threads. The less popular a character is, the more important it is to put the most iconic version of that character out there.

That’s really all I’m saying. TBH, some of the more contemporary Starfire designs are probably better than the original, but what landmark story arc or run have any of those designs been featured in that can compete with the original Wolfman/Perez NTT run in terms of popularity with fans in general?
 
secondwhiteline said:
This is a thing that bothers other comics readers? I don't look at a new costume and think, "I want answers!" the same way I don't demand explanations as to why people in my life have changed their clothing.
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You and I live very different lives because whenever I see someone wearing clothes they weren't wearing the last time I saw them, I DEMAND answers.
 
I'm not as precious about specific DC eras as I am with Marvel. I just want Justice League, Batfamily, and Titans displays that actually look good.
 
if I had an action figure, that action figure should be wearing a black t-shirt and black basketball shorts. Releasing an action figure of me in a tuxedo because I wore one to my son’s wedding four years ago would be disingenuous and a slap in the face to my fans both here at Articulsted Thoughts and around the world.

Yet these damn toy companies do that shit all the time and get away with it.

😉
 
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Ehhhhhhhhh, false equivalence territory. These conversations always end up in "the era I have the most nostalgia for should take precedence over the era you have the most nostalgia for" which is not an argument anyone can win. If Mattel is smart, they will court fans of classic DC comics, modern DC comics, DC movies, DC TV shows, DC video games, etc.
 
I have little sense of nostalgia. I have always connected action figures to comics. The closer the better. In terms of both design and publication of the titles themselves. Where possible anyway.
 
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