{mosimage}We are back with a new round of answers to your questions straight from Mattel. Read on to hear the latest news about all things DC directly from the source.
1. Since being unveiled, DCUC has had a great reception. However, the head sculpt on the Classic Firestorm figure has not been that well recieved. The Horsemen hinted that it might be redone, are plans moving ahead to do so? If so, when will a picture be revealed to the fans?
Mattel: We’re hoping to have something to show fans soon. This is a great example of how fan feedback can help us to improve product.
2. Another MAJOR concern coming from the fans is the choice of chase figure variations. For most of the characters the classic versions have been made the chases, much to the dismay of most collectors. Is Mattel going to stay with this strategy? Several people have called for an even case pack-out like what is being done with the Series 2 Superman Red/Blue. Could you reconsider and pack the variations 1:1 so everyone is happy? So I guess the answer is we will try but doing a 1:1 will not always work out perfectly.
Mattel: The choice for which character is the chase version and which is standard is determined by many factors. This includes color, style, ethnic diversification, and fan demand. In the case of Superman Red/Blue, he will be a 1:1 ratio. It is not a chase figure but a variant. 50% of the run will be Red, the other 50% will be blue.
3. The question of availablity of the "Charlton" characters has come up a lot. Many fans are concerned about the availablity of characters like Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and The Question. Last we heard, SOME of the characters were said to be available, can you tell us who specifically? Has any progress been made in securing all the Charlton Stable?
Mattel: This is something we are working on all the time. There have been several legal blocks to having access to the Charleton characters. As soon as we have something to announce you can bet we will make it known!
4. If successful will DCUC branch out as releases? A lot of people are fans of two-packs (perhaps with famous duos or enemies) and boxsets that would cover several "team" members. If DCUC does well can we expect to see some expansion in the future?
Mattel: Nothing is on the books right now, but all of these suggestions are things we are currently looking into. Keep in mind the toy line hasn’t even hit store shelves yet. This is 08 product and we will need to see how the line does and how it is received by the public before going ahead with larger items. But if fan chatter is any indication, we hope this line will be a huge hit!
5. Finally, distribution is a major concern for DCUC as DCSH has often been hit and miss at retail. Can you give us some information on what is being done to help make these figures readily available to the fans?
Mattel: We are always working on distribution issues. It is never our intent to make any of our product difficult to find (well, maybe except chase figures, but that is different!). Either way, it is up to our individual retail partners to decide which of our brands they will carry. If you are not seeing your favorite Mattel brand at your favorite retail store, let that retailer know you want to see more product on their shelf!
Thank you to Toy Guru and the team at Mattel for taking the time to answer our burning questions. Be sure to get you questions submitted for the next round here: http://www.thefwoosh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40715