Mattel DC Figures

[Mr_Saver]

I’m not a huge Todd guy, and frankly only have a few of his figures, but I will give him credit for a few things I think I have noticed just watching the line.

- he makes some shit I think you just won’t see from other companies. Tons of vehicles, weird characters with unique sculpts that can’t be reused (the joker dragon thing comes to mind) and the prices on those things are pretty reasonable. He made a lot of batmobiles that are like $100. I just don’t think you will see that from Mattel. I don’t any of them, and maybe the quality is bad… but look what hasbro does for its 1/12 scale cars. They’re like multiple hundred dollars.
- it seems there’s less reuse than say Marvel Legends.

There’s plenty of other issues with his stuff that I agree on, but I do think he deserves SOME credit

 

[RicksNerdLife]

I’m not a huge Todd guy, and frankly only have a few of his figures, but I will give him credit for a few things I think I have noticed just watching the line.

- he makes some shit I think you just won’t see from other companies. Tons of vehicles, weird characters with unique sculpts that can’t be reused (the joker dragon thing comes to mind) and the prices on those things are pretty reasonable. He made a lot of batmobiles that are like $100. I just don’t think you will see that from Mattel. I don’t any of them, and maybe the quality is bad… but look what hasbro does for its 1/12 scale cars. They’re like multiple hundred dollars.
- it seems there’s less reuse than say Marvel Legends.

There’s plenty of other issues with his stuff that I agree on, but I do think he deserves SOME credit

Of course. Like I said earlier, there are some gems. A blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

But let's look at the history.

Those first releases were the drizzling shits. Let's be honest.

Scale was all over the place (remember that first Batgirl?), and it didn't know what it wanted to be. It wasn't a DC Superheroes line, so much as a mish-mash of multimedia offerings from evergreen designs, to artist specific designs, to movie, to TV to video games. It was not cohesive.

Then there was the Bat-heavy Dark Metal period. Every release was that specific storyline that no one really ever got into. And again, characters thar should have been in the same style were seemingly done with different artists in mind, so there was zero cohesion there.

I know I'm not alone on the unnecessary and unneeded textures on every single character. Lots of line work and piping on seemingly evergreen characters.

Then we eventually found a groove, but the constant complaint: the articulation and scale. I don't know about you, but I fucking hate those ratchet joints, and again, I know I'm not alone. The long limbs and small heads, etc.

Now, in between, like I said, we got some beauties. And the line gave us things we likely would have never seen from another company. For that, we owe him his flowers. The Bat movie stuff is incredible. Again, things I would change (like them giving Penguin a friggin' normal left hand)...but overall, I think many of us just aren't that enamored with what he's doing.

 

[AceofKnaves]

And when you try to make yourself bigger than the product, that's where you lose people.

Exactly.

 

[Niko (protozoalord)]

If Mattel does move back to a 6-inch line, I admit it’s going to have to be pretty good to make me dive in. I’m still so happy with the DCUC overall that they’re going to be tough to beat. And I don’t exactly relish the thought of starting all over again for as deep into the DCU as we got. But I am hoping for tons of Fourth World deep dives.

Either way-- if it scales well enough, the new line can supplement and upgrade what you already have! There's no real losing here.

remember that first Batgirl?

What's insane to me is that that Batgirl, despite being almost universally disliked, saw reuse until this year. I just don't get it!

It wasn't a DC Superheroes line, so much as a mish-mash of multimedia offerings from evergreen designs, to artist specific designs, to movie, to TV to video games. It was not cohesive.

I think jumping into multimedia isn't necessarily an issue as a whole. But it can be an issue when the line opens on giving us *a* Batman, and *a* Superman, and assorted things from other media, rather than going "Here's your definitive evergreen Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman figures, and a few oddballs and guys you've never seen, we'll have more your way soon. Welcome to the new line." I'd be cool with figures based on specific animated shows, games, and live action stuff if we had a sturdy start to the new line.

Any future artist-specific stuff needs to take notes from Mafex. Both their Marvel and DC figures are all very explicitly based on specific artists, and yet they all look really damn good together, in my opinion at least.. I know Mafex is sorta apples and oranges in comparison to a domestic line, but sculpting style and proportions shouldn't be the difference between 'em.

I know I'm not alone on the unnecessary and unneeded textures on every single character. Lots of line work and piping on seemingly evergreen characters.

The fabric texture on the Green Lantern releases were appealing to me, but I hated the texture on every single other figure release. So much hyperspecific detail that can not at ALL see reuse. If it were up to me, I'd universally sculpt logos, boot tops, gloves, belts, and anything that actually makes sense to sculpt or have as an overlay. The piping and textures can piss off. It was ugly in the comics, and it's even uglier in the toys.

 

[Fletch]

I always got the JLGL vibe from DCUC/4H head sculpts. It was OK and tied things together, but I’ve grown to dislike many homogeneous things since.

Since he was the artist for the DC style guide back in the day, he literally defined the look I have in my mind's eye when I think of DC characters.