Congrats!
Can you share the DPCI for that Batman?
sure, #087-26-9274
it’s the same one I got from the target app. Good luck on your hunt.
Just caught dhunter’s review of the platinum Sky Dive Batman. Really stinks that this is a platinum, it’s the best version of Bale that’s been made and the only one that can properly sit in the Batpod with 2 open hands. The 6 pack Bale has 2 fists and the BAF Bale has one open hand. So if you want a Batman to sit in the Batpod, you’ll need this one or at least the open hands from the unmasked Bale.
Would happily replace my current Bale with this if it wasn’t such a nightmare to get.
Is there a correlation between the more blatant cost cutting and the announcement of the DC license renewal on May 31, 2023, or is that just my imagination?
By “blatant cost cutting” I’m referring to reuse where it’s simply not appropriate for the character due to the sculpted details (i.e. Rebirth Supergirl), Animal Man not having his jacket, the back of COIE Superman’s belt not being painted, etc.
This isn’t meant to be a “McFarlane DC Multiverse Sucks!” post. I’m just trying to figure out what happened. There are still very good figures being made, but even the most ardent supporters of the line have to admit that we’re seeing lot more shortcuts and crazy pricing in 2023-2024 that we weren’t seeing in 2020-2022.
I’m thinking that McFarlane doesn’t renew the license after it expires at the end of 2025. I think he’s accomplished what he wanted to accomplish, and I’m not sure how well it’s working out for him financially.
Got shipping notice for my Catpod combo from the McF store. Excited to have it, even if I'm not too crazy on the goggles. Still gotta find a way to pick up the Interrogation Joker and Bank Robber Joker. Really hope the Nolan figures continue; I know there's the rumored Lucius with the Tumbler coming, but I gotta at least have Ra's before I can comfortably call it. Would love Gordon, Alfred, Nurse Joker, suited Scarecrow (though he may be easy enough to make, not sure), and preferably even a Talia.
As for Todd renewing the license amidst all the price hikes, I think it'll mostly depend on sales. As far as I know, they're still selling like hotcakes. As to whether or not that continues amidst the price increases, we'll see, but especially as the DCU films start back up and demand rises for live action figures, I think he'd be a fool not to keep renewing. I'm sure the price increases do have something to do with renewing the license. It would certainly make sense. If not, then I hope he hears the outcry and lowers them a bit.
Todd's always been a divisive guy, and that obviously hasn't stopped since acquiring all these huge properties. I applaud him for trying new things, but I do hope he takes more of a "listen to the fans and give them what they want" route versus the "tell fans what they want" route a lot of companies seem to take nowadays. The Build-A-Batmobile gimmick went the way of the dodo, as did the greyscale variants, and the side-eye figures. The Platinum chases semed to be a rarity there for a while, but now they seem to be back in full force, which I ain't crazy about. Regardless, they all still seem to be selling well, and he's still winning a bunch of toy awards. I don't see him letting go on the license any time soon, unless DC themselves begin to be unsatisfied with the figures, but I don't see that happening. Your mileage may vary, of course, but they are quite nice figures, it's just a matter of what they're worth, and that's up to the individual.
As for Todd renewing the license amidst all the price hikes, I think it'll mostly depend on sales. As far as I know, they're still selling like hotcakes. Regardless, they all still seem to be selling well, and he's still winning a bunch of toy awards.
So, "selling like hotcakes" I think is sort of a mirage. It seems very clear that retailers have cut WAY back on orders of McFarlane figures - over the last couple of years nearly every figure could be found at deep clearance prices, and we know for sure the Anti-Monitor wave was rejected by the intended retail partner. So yes, individual figures are harder to track down at retail now, but I think that's because there are far fewer of them being made. The price hikes and cost cutting measures are a result of that process and trying to maintain the same margin when the volume has dipped. The hard lean on variants is another tactic attempting to boost sales either with intended double purchases or with double purchases when someone got the "wrong" variant in remote order.
It will be interesting to watch what happens next honestly.
Here’s your first variant…I have no comments on whether it’s a good or bad figure, but I can’t imagine paying $50 shipped and being psyched for a Jim Corrigan Spectre then getting this instead:
After seeing how good that Superman figure looked with the head swaps I started doing mental gymnastics regarding the entire wave and whether to place an order. Glad I saw this Spectre and became logical again. I’d be pulling my hair out not knowing what’s going to arrive at my door. This is only one of two chase variants.
Ugh! I wish I hadn't seen this. Now I'm nervous that I'll get that instead of the standard Spectre. If that does happen, I am definitely returning it. Hopefully it won't come to that.
I hate most of these damn variants. When I ordered the DKR Carrie Kelly Robin from Amazon I got the crappy, unpainted "Platinum" edition. I returned it and ordered another, and got the same thing. So I returned it again, and got the Platinum a third time. I finally gave up and luckily found a standard release at Target.
I don't want to deal with that crap again, but I'm not paying for something I didn't order.
Yeah, the extremely heavy pivot into chase figures -- there's line one or two for every wave in every one of the lines (DC Multiverse general, Gold Label, Batman Animated, and Batman '66 retro -- communicates to me that he's trying to juice the line due to lagging sales. I personally hate chases. I'm not in a life phase to have time to chase anything, and there being a half-dozen new chase figures at any given time honestly just gives me mental permission to collect less of the line. For the first few years, I was a completionist, then the grey chases came out (and I had no interest in those, but was still buying pretty much everything else). Now that there are so many chase figures that I just straight up can't afford to buy all of them at secondary market prices, I'm only getting the few that I really want -- and I'm also just buying less of the overall general line.
In my case, chase figures (and price hikes) are backfiring and I'm buying less year over year.
I really do think a lot folks forget -especially when a deal is renewed-that the license cost goes up over time. McFarlane held the line for a long time in a dramatically high inflation period and ate that cost for a long time. The prices had to go up eventually. Yes some of the figures price increases don't necessarily make sense like COIE figures but if they were the Target wave for this year and Target backed out-then that would explain some of it. I wish we could freeze all the prices of the things I like to collect but unfortunately that is never going to happen. all you can do is vote with your wallet and if that causes a line to die then that's how it goes. Thankfully it is just a fun hobby and not a necessity like groceries where the real concern should be.
the license cost goes up over time. McFarlane held the line for a long time in a dramatically high inflation period and ate that cost for a long time. The prices had to go up eventually.
I don't disagree with any of this. this is all totally true. The problem of course is that the price went up substantially in very short order and the quality on many of the figures went down.
This was a line in it's inception that featured all new sculpts for every release - which many found to be breath of fresh air in market where so much product is predicated on heavy re-use of tooling. And Todd - by deliberate choice - kept his prices lower when Hasbro and others were raising theirs. That clearly wasn't permanently sustainable - but the problem was that he both started with significant parts re-use and raised prices at the same time which definitely diminishes perceived value at the customer level.
I don't blame Todd - but the reality is that where for a time Todd was delivering more bang for the buck than Marvel Legends - now it doesn't feel that way. I understand why it is where it is. The truth is there has been a large snap back on retail luxury spending post pandemic and Hasbro is definitely feeling that pain too. Like you say, this is a hobby and not an essential - and so when money gets tighter this is what gets cut.
I think the above reasonably explains where I’m at. Although maybe I do put some blame on Todd for some really bizarre choices as it comes to resourcing.
It was never a problem to sculpt the Joker Dragon or Metal Duke Thomas or the uniquely designed Page Punchers. And yet it took 4 years to get a Superman sculpt without Rebirth detailing. A lot of niche designs getting expensive molds and being mass produced over some iconic looks. It’s obvious based on the shift to classics that these are what is selling, and while I can’t find a Hal Jordan anywhere, I can still go comfortably order a 50% off Joker Dragon from several years ago at multiple retailers.
Short printing popular variants like Nolan Batman that would probably sell out in an individual release just seems like a net loss for them. I can’t imagine that it does any favors with retailers when someone orders 4 figures to ensure one chase variant then returns the rest of them.
I think my general rule of thumb moving forward should be to just stick with the Collectors Edition line. The $29.99 price point isn’t great, but I’ve been very happy with the figures I’ve picked up.
Gold Label has become McFarlane’s budget line. It kind of reminds me of the old Toy Biz Marvel Universe 10” line, not in terms of the figures themselves of course, but at least in terms of the overall approach being taken. It’s not terrible if done right, but McFarlane at least needs to invest in a few blank bucks and common glove/forearm and boot/calf configurations.
I wish the Spectre had been released in the Collectors Edition line. He looks like he belongs there more than he does with the rest of the COIE wave.
Here’s your first variant…I have no comments on whether it’s a good or bad figure, but I can’t imagine paying $50 shipped and being psyched for a Jim Corrigan Spectre then getting this instead:
After seeing how good that Superman figure looked with the head swaps I started doing mental gymnastics regarding the entire wave and whether to place an order. Glad I saw this Spectre and became logical again. I’d be pulling my hair out not knowing what’s going to arrive at my door. This is only one of two chase variants.
Ugh! I wish I hadn't seen this. Now I'm nervous that I'll get that instead of the standard Spectre. If that does happen, I am definitely returning it. Hopefully it won't come to that.
I hate most of these damn variants. When I ordered the DKR Carrie Kelly Robin from Amazon I got the crappy, unpainted "Platinum" edition. I returned it and ordered another, and got the same thing. So I returned it again, and got the Platinum a third time. I finally gave up and luckily found a standard release at Target.
I don't want to deal with that crap again, but I'm not paying for something I didn't order.
if you get one, hit me up before returning it.
I think the above reasonably explains where I’m at. Although maybe I do put some blame on Todd for some really bizarre choices as it comes to resourcing.
Exactly. These problems aren’t coming out of nowhere. For all the criticism marvel legends got, they planned their parts library out to avoid what were seeing with McF figures right now.
Despite all the uniquely sculpted figures that no one asked for, it took this long to get classic figures that everyone wanted from the start, but now we cant get the unique sculpt. It was a bad strategy.
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