My Biggest Fear(s) of Mattel takeover

[T-Phunk]

My biggest fear is that Mattel will not put out as many units of a line of figures as Jakks does. What I mean by this is right now especially in my area (NY/NJ) it is relatively easy to hunt down the wrestling figures I need/want. However I am also a superhero collector and it is nowhere near as easy. New villains are so hard to find because they are bought up by collectors shops and we are left with a few Supermans and special armor Batmans to remind us that the series is even out. Even those Batmans and Supermans are harder to find than the repaints of Cena or Batista. It just seems to me that the units shipped by Jakks are way higher. I know that leads to people b'ing and m'ing about shelfwarmers, but hey now if I need Patera, I find Patera.

My second fear is that they won't take relationships with a website like Wfigs and Ringside Collectibles as seriously as Jakks does. Will they realize how beneficial this medium has been to Jakks and capitalize on it. Will we still get interesting and unique exclusives for Ringside Collectibles and will collector driven events like RingsideFest even be a concern for them.

I am well aware it is too early to tell what the business will be like in less than 2 years, but these are my fears. What do you think, warranted? What are your biggest fears (the overly obvious scale concern excluded)? Discuss...

[PJ]

That's been Mattel's biggest hurdle to date. They've had the DC properties since 2003/04 and still have problems with their distribution. I do understand the multi-packed cases of Batman & Superman as that's the figures the stores want as that's the one that appeals to kids/parents/grandparnets and collectors. But they shot themselves in the foot when they shipped out cases of nothing but the Superman/Bizarro 2-packs (Instead of the Clark/Supes & Batman/Batgirl) to Targets when series 2 and 4 had multiple Superman & Buzarro figures on the pegs already.

But at least now the 6" assortments are corrected. it's 5 figures per wave and the cases are 6 figures per case so you are getting at least 1 of each characters. That's why with the DCSH/DCUC I've been ordering the cases from spamS or CSC. You get a complete set + one extra figure for $65 + shipping which is only about $6 more than if I find them at retail. Then once they hit retail I pick up an extra of each figure with the best paint job I find (minus the figure I already have 2 of.)

But the JLU distribution still sucks. As I still need to find the 3-packs of -
Deadshot/Big Barda/Martian Manhunter
Mr. Miracle/Orion/Darkseid
Sand/Star Sapphire/Superman

And the JLU are becoming Target exclusives.

[ddv]

Mattel is great in the figure business; the DC super heroes line is really coming together. The con is that Mattel doesn't have a great history with collector-driven properties. They completely abandoned Masters of the Universe, which had great potential, but there was no support, because they were counting on collectors to keep the line alive. They will likely make good WWE figures, though they will have a steep hill to climb with collectors.

Those loyal to the Jakks real scan, "realistic" body-type, figures will feel somewhat lost when they see figures of Batista that look like Bane, and Brian Kendrick's that look like Robin. It is far too soon to really know what Mattel will have to offer, but this is a very exciting time to be a figure collector.

I just feel sorry for newer superstars who will never have a chance to have a figure that fits in with the RA, CS, or DA figs currently released.

[● kaneisdaman ●]

Im fearful of their distrbution ways too as I have heard there is a poor history with that. But hopefully, being WWE they will improve on it.

As for relationships with sites, who knows. Hopefully they will and from a business point of view, it would be smart. Their interview is the first positive step and the Q/A should be another. Lets hope this is a sign of things to come.

[PJ]

As for sites I'm sure they'll come here. Because they go to a few DC sites I post at.

[shanedalton]

pj2 said:

As for sites I'm sure they'll come here. Because they go to a few DC sites I post at.

Yeah, Mattel posts a lot at Fwoosh and answers questions at least once a month or so, so I expect them to hang around here a good bit too.

[Thick Justice]

Well I guess no classic line. Not a big fan it's just I really missed a few easy to gets. I had a chance at Funk, Wonderul, Bam Bam, and Vader and didn't buy any of them. I hope they will make repaints of these. Bam Bam in ECW attire, Funk ECW attire, Vader in any attire except his baby bull leon white charachter, and Wonderful I'd be fine without it including a robe.

Other than that is using real hair. It'd fall out, get tangled up, ect.

[PJ]

shanedalton said:

pj2 said:

As for sites I'm sure they'll come here. Because they go to a few DC sites I post at.

Yeah, Mattel posts a lot at Fwoosh and answers questions at least once a month or so, so I expect them to hang around here a good bit too.

Fwoosh...I was really hoping CSC or ETC was going to post there saying they had DCUC series 2 in today.

[DTP.]

caseyisvito said:

Well I guess no classic line. Not a big fan it's just I really missed a few easy to gets. I had a chance at Funk, Wonderul, Bam Bam, and Vader and didn't buy any of them. I hope they will make repaints of these. Bam Bam in ECW attire, Funk ECW attire, Vader in any attire except his baby bull leon white charachter, and Wonderful I'd be fine without it including a robe.

Other than that is using real hair. It'd fall out, get tangled up, ect.

Have a look at the transcript, buddy. We are getting a classic serious with Mattel.

[cfutlung]

ddv said:

The con is that Mattel doesn't have a great history with collector-driven properties.

Hot Wheels (40), Barbie (49)...that is almost 90 years of experience with collector driven properties. To your point, these were kid-driven brands and became collector over time.

Actually, wrestling figures (as all toys) started out as a kid-driven brand and became a collector driven brand. Mattel happens to acquire the WWE license at a point where it is more of collector and less toy.

From the transcript, it seems like they are trying to expand the collector line, 'introducing' a toy line to kids.

I say give them a chance, remember the first Jakks stuff really sucked. It took them years of 'experimenting' with different versions to find a nitch in the collector market. They failed in the kid area and excelled in collector. Mattel has success in both...Hot Wheels, Barbie, JLA, DC, Pixar Cars.

Sometimes it is the licensor that limits the creativity of the toy company.

[T-Phunk]

Well during the chat they said all the right things. Able to fill shelves-yes, scale-yes, classic line- yes. Now it's a waiting game. I am encouraged, but seeing is believing. The way I see it I could either excited look forward to an awesome new figure line or dread the end of Jakks for 2 years. So I say stay positive. Bring on the fire, bring on the future, bring on Mattel.

[killerwolf]

My big fear is that if they make a classics line, they won't be as varied and wide as Jakks is. What I mean is that you know how Jakks makes new repaints and costumes for their CS line? I do not think that Mattel would try that. Also, Jakks has taken the time to sign EVERYBODY, even those who...well...never really made it(i.e. Bastion Booger, Brooklyn Brawler, Johnny Rodz, etc.). My bet is that Mattel would probably just go after the big guys like Hogan, Warrior, etc, established people. Mattel is a much bigger company that Jakks, lead paint scandal or not. As such, they'll probably go for name recognition above all else. Even with the bigger guys, it'll probably "one shot, here it is, that's all you get".

Another concern is that while Mattel DOES listen to people on certain things(criticism on existing figures or prototypes), my feeling is that they probably will not take requests. With Jakks, Jeremy has a website and a personal email which you can use to ask him to make a certain figure and 6/10 it will get done, 9/10 if a lot of people ask for it(my friend personally asked him to make the Mr. Perfect from Survivor Series '92 numerous times and it came out, same with the Ultimate Warrior in the WM12 dustjacket.). I don't think Mattel would have ability or be able to make the ablility for it. In Layman's terms, they probably won't have the supervisor of the line be available to make requests and tell him what you want to see.

The last request is that while some DC figs look good, others look terrible. The only figs I really buy are the CS figures. I don't mind paying $12-14 for a figure that is amazing. Jakks takes their time in making the figure. They mimic the person to the last detail, and they scale it(Giant Gonzales' fig is bigger than Andre's, etc.). Simply put, I don't think Mattel would put as much effort and detail into their figures as Jakks does. What's good articulation if the figure looks like crap?

As the only Jakks figures I buy ARE the CS figs, these are my biggest concerns.

[T-Phunk]

Well, killerwolf, there is definitely going to be some growing pains. But' Jakks had its own. I know plenty of people have soft spots for BCA and TTL, but they were in no way shape or form as detailed and complete of a line as RA. Mattel at least has the distinct advantage of starting their run in a society where everyone is able to have an opinion and make it known via the internet. Jakks, basically had to admit they didn't know what they were doing time and time again until they hit on something that worked. Mattel can definitely learn from Jakks' run as producer and use the collectors' insight to improve it.

By the way, love the sig, US Express was the greatest team ever. I hate Jillian for stealing that moment from the little boy in me who still fears the cold war.

[wwemnm576]

that they will put real hair on toys and they will only make the superstars 8 year olds like

[otto]

i just want them to be in scale and look good.

[bad guy™]

My thoughts will be bolded.

Mar 13, 2008 13:50:29 GMT -5 T-Phunk said:

My biggest fear is that Mattel will not put out as many units of a line of figures as Jakks does. What I mean by this is right now especially in my area (NY/NJ) it is relatively easy to hunt down the wrestling figures I need/want. However I am also a superhero collector and it is nowhere near as easy. New villains are so hard to find because they are bought up by collectors shops and we are left with a few Supermans and special armor Batmans to remind us that the series is even out. Even those Batmans and Supermans are harder to find than the repaints of Cena or Batista. It just seems to me that the units shipped by Jakks are way higher. I know that leads to people b'ing and m'ing about shelfwarmers, but hey now if I need Patera, I find Patera.

Yeah. Mattel has always had distribution issues. Especially with the DC stuff. And Jakks ships in bulk, and Mattel does not. So, you are right there.

My second fear is that they won't take relationships with a website like Wfigs and Ringside Collectibles as seriously as Jakks does. Will they realize how beneficial this medium has been to Jakks and capitalize on it. Will we still get interesting and unique exclusives for Ringside Collectibles and will collector driven events like RingsideFest even be a concern for them.

Obviously WFigs if important to Mattel if they had that chat a couple weeks ago. So yeah, we are still important. And I am sure we will get exclusives. And I also am sure Mattel will take RingsideFest as seriously as possible. Trust me, they do not want their sales to go down.

I am well aware it is too early to tell what the business will be like in less than 2 years, but these are my fears. What do you think, warranted? What are your biggest fears (the overly obvious scale concern excluded)? Discuss...

My biggest concern is articulation. I don't want them to just be one big hunk of plastic. I want them to have good play/poseability.

[figurejed]

All i want mattel to do is keep the same as jakks ruthless and classic line but not the da

[King Bálor (CM)™]

May 26, 2008 14:57:13 GMT -5 @figurejed said:

All i want mattel to do is keep the same as jakks ruthless and classic lineDA but not the daruthless and classic line

Fixed it for ya!

[Thick Justice]

Unplayable and lack of CS and DA.

I prefer DA if I a store has a DA for 12 and a RA for 8 I'll pick up the DA. If it is 14 DA and $3 RA I'd still pickup DA. That is why I'm getting DA Tazz for $15 instead of RA CS Tazz with damaged packaging $6.

I love DA and they are my favorite moulds.

[Deleted]

real hair would be weird