the little things.

[jordanimal]

I've been collecting mattel at the very start around the end of 2009/beginning of 2010 (& before that, jakks like alot of you guys).

Sure everything is inflating everywhere, including figures - just the way of the world right now.



But with these price increases (which this thread is NOT about), we have seen some pretty vast improvements overall especially the little things - double jointed elbows, better scans, interchangeable hands, molded accessories that were just painted on before, etc....

so my question is, what is (are some of) your favorite "updated/improved" features on the figures so far?

double jointed elbows on a wrestling figure was something I didn't think I really cared about until mattel started implementing it.  Now I can't go back!  (I collect marvel for years as well, so I'm aware double jointed elbows have existed for a long time before mattel started doing it  )
also, the molded arm bands on john cenas (& that amazon hogan), I can't get over them- for something so simple, that's the coolest thing to me personally

I'd make a poll, but I feel like there's too many options for our opinions, + I'd figured a discussion would be fun about it.

so what's your favorite improvement on the "little things" that mattel has started doing?

[DrakeParker]

Heads being easier to pop off is real nice. Got tired of hot water and hoping the peg didn't break.

The backgrounds of collector series and ringside exclusives are great.

I noticed the joints are alot tighter and are in less need of the super glue trick. The shoulders on recent elites have me worried though, Seen too many where the plastic is stuck and the joint can't move.

[PJ]

First let me say I have always hated the look of butterfly joints on figures. But that changed when Mattel debut them on the UE Hollywood Hogan. I thought you hey looked great on that figure. And I think the UE that have them are great improvements.

[DarthVeach]

I think the head scans have come a long way! The ones in UE 13 Hogan blow away the old Defining Moments one and most that have come before. 2nd to that would be the UE nWo one. I also prefer the torso articulation on the UE line to the Elites

[kgchampion]

I love the swappable heads. That was a genius move.

I do have two major gripes, though. Ab crunches being very loose is still a problem. I never had a problem until about 2017 or 2018 and now it’s my biggest concern with buying figures. At least a third of the figures I buy have floppy ab joints.

My second gripe is the peg shafts on the hands being too thin. A lot of times after swapping hands, the pegs are loose as all hell and flop and spin around. Maybe the new arms have fixed it. I don’t have enough double elbow joint figures to tell.

[Crossfit Jesus]

Interchangeable hands

[Mongo Bears]

Nov 10, 2022 13:15:54 GMT -5 Crossfit Jesus said:

Interchangeable hands

This. Surprisingly

[CM Tusk]

Butterfly joints and true fx scans have definitely improved the look of figures for me.

[GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy]

Butterfly joints. I remember so many people being against them. I always thought they would be great. Wrestling figures should be some of the most posable figures on the market if you ask me. It was near impossible to create moves like the scorpion deathlock. The new hip articulation is going to be fantastic. We'll now be able to do proper big boots, high kicks etc. I do wish Mattel would find a way to conceal the back of the butterfly joints though, they're an eyesore. Same with the toe boot joint, conceal the peg. Actually, I'd be fine without the toe articulation. It really doesn't serve a purpose imo and looks ugly.

[Scott!]

The fact they've brought back lines, Retro's/Legends over the past couple years. The Ringside Exclusive boxes being smaller as well has been nice if you compare them to some of the boxes we had in the early years.

[Ruthless Attitude]

Swappable heads and hands. The True FX technique was also a huge upgrade.

[JC Motors]

True FX. Alternate heads

[PVA]

As a big warrior collector: I’ll say the tassels are much improved compared to the first handful of releases.

[master of the WORLD!]

they made big improvements from the start the biggest to me being the printed faces. the double jointed elbows and swappable heads/hands are great but it took them wayyyy too long to implement. at least they didn't though.

I definitely buy more now than I did a few years ago

[Keck Collects]

The swappable heads and hands are critical for posing/displaying.
There seems to be a trend toward knocking out stuff that has been on people's radar for a while, like WM6 Macho King for instance.
The genius move of the orange retro set.
Trying to get more eras done, IE new Gen and ruthless aggression.

[PJ]

Nov 10, 2022 14:28:24 GMT -5 GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy said:

Butterfly joints. I remember so many people being against them. I always thought they would be great. Wrestling figures should be some of the most posable figures on the market if you ask me. It was near impossible to create moves like the scorpion deathlock. The new hip articulation is going to be fantastic. We'll now be able to do proper big boots, high kicks etc. I do wish Mattel would find a way to conceal the back of the butterfly joints though, they're an eyesore. Same with the toe boot joint, conceal the peg. Actually, I'd be fine without the toe articulation. It really doesn't serve a purpose imo and looks ugly.

I hate the drop down hips. And I don’t think that will ever change. I feel the figures are much more fragile because of those dropping hip stems. There’s so many lines I collect that have them and I hate them. Mafex, Figuarts, GI Joes, DCC Icons jut to name a few and they all just seem to feel so frail/weak at that POA. Because of them I am much more picky about what figures I add to my collection from those lines.

[GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy]

Nov 13, 2022 14:25:39 GMT -5 PJ said:

Nov 10, 2022 14:28:24 GMT -5 GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy said:

Butterfly joints. I remember so many people being against them. I always thought they would be great. Wrestling figures should be some of the most posable figures on the market if you ask me. It was near impossible to create moves like the scorpion deathlock. The new hip articulation is going to be fantastic. We'll now be able to do proper big boots, high kicks etc. I do wish Mattel would find a way to conceal the back of the butterfly joints though, they're an eyesore. Same with the toe boot joint, conceal the peg. Actually, I'd be fine without the toe articulation. It really doesn't serve a purpose imo and looks ugly.

I hate the drop down hips. And I don’t think that will ever change. I feel the figures are much more fragile because of those dropping hip stems. There’s so many lines I collect that have them and I hate them. Mafex, Figuarts, GI Joes, DCC Icons jut to name a few and they all just seem to feel so frail/weak at that POA. Because of them I am much more picky about what figures I add to my collection from those lines.

Have you had any of them break? So far, none of mine have given me any issues. Then again, the Figuarts and Mafex I have I've stored back in the boxes. However, when I've taken them out, they're fine.

[PJ]

Nov 13, 2022 19:46:45 GMT -5 GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy said:

Nov 13, 2022 14:25:39 GMT -5 PJ said:

I hate the drop down hips. And I don’t think that will ever change. I feel the figures are much more fragile because of those dropping hip stems. There’s so many lines I collect that have them and I hate them. Mafex, Figuarts, GI Joes, DCC Icons jut to name a few and they all just seem to feel so frail/weak at that POA. Because of them I am much more picky about what figures I add to my collection from those lines.

Have you had any of them break? So far, none of mine have given me any issues. Then again, the Figuarts and Mafex I have I've stored back in the boxes. However, when I've taken them out, they're fine.

A DC Icons Cyborg fell less than 6” off a shelf and had his left stem break. All other drop down hip figures I have are either displayed inside glass cabinets or farther back on a shelf where if they fall they still be on the shelf. And I just display my figures but I know kids play rough so I don’t know how durable they’ll be over time.

[destino]

I was going to go with the easy pop off heads, but honestly I think MOTU Origins and Masters of the WWE Universe deserves some serious praise. Removable heads, hands, arms, torsos & feet. There's stuff those lines have done that I'm still waiting for them to make their way to the the rest of the WWE lines. I picked up an extra Superstars Honky Tonk Man because I wanted one in the jumpsuit and one out, and I torso & arm swapped the jumpsuit HTM with my MOTWU Jake Roberts so he can fit in better with the rest. For me this is the one little thing that blows open the door to possibilities. I never want to ever have to need a hairdryer or bowl of hot water to fix my figures again.

[GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy]

Nov 13, 2022 21:29:06 GMT -5 PJ said:

Nov 13, 2022 19:46:45 GMT -5 GreyHaze:Big Bad Booty Daddy said:

Have you had any of them break? So far, none of mine have given me any issues. Then again, the Figuarts and Mafex I have I've stored back in the boxes. However, when I've taken them out, they're fine.

A DC Icons Cyborg fell less than 6” off a shelf and had his left stem break. All other drop down hip figures I have are either displayed inside glass cabinets or farther back on a shelf where if they fall they still be on the shelf. And I just display my figures but I know kids play rough so I don’t know how durable they’ll be over time.

Hopefully Mattel makes them to withstand play. I actually have trouble with the interchangeable heads. They don't pop off easily and usually leave a bit of neck strain on my figures. I remember one Goldberg in particular got stuck and then became loose, so I had to leave him as is. I just leave the stock heads because I'm afraid they're going to break.