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Mattel loses DC Action Figure license to Spin Master

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  • Earth 2 Chris
    Verbose Member
    • Mar 7, 2004
    • 32498

    Mattel loses DC Action Figure license to Spin Master

    I saw this a few days ago on AFI, and I wasn't sure what this meant for Mattel, but upon further Googling, it looks like Mattel will lose the master action figure license to Spin Master.



    Whatever DC action figures hit the shelves at your local retailer in 2019, just know they may be the last ones we ever see from Mattel. A recent press release from Spin Master didn’t garner m…


    Hard to believe, but by 2020 when Spin Master takes over, Mattel will have held the DC license for 20 years. That's twice as long as Kenner/Hasbro had it, uninterrupted, from 1990-2000.

    Mattel's two crowning jewels in their run were undoubtedly the Justice League/Justice League Unlimited line, and of course DC Universe Classics, which evolved from their 6" Batman line, and has continued to evolve into DC Multiverse. But unfortunately, the Multiverse line has been plauged with shoddy availability in a lot of markets, and DC's peg space has really dwindled in the last several years, swallowed up by Hasbro's more popular Marvel output.

    But I wonder if this switch may open the door for Mego Corp to be able to produce 8" DC figures again? Hmmmm....


    Chris
    sigpic
  • Werewolf
    Inhuman
    • Jul 14, 2003
    • 14615

    #2
    I don't think the master toy license switching from Mattel to Spin Master will open the door to 8 inch DC Mego figures going to retail.

    I do think the DC license will benefit from a new company working on it. 20 years is a long time and a fresh perspective on the brand will do it some good.

    I also think this will also force Mattel to up their game and delve into their back catalog of IPs they've been sitting on for ages, like MOTU.
    You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

    Comment

    • thunderbolt
      Hi Ernie!!!
      • Feb 15, 2004
      • 34211

      #3
      It might change things at FTC with a different master license holder down the road.
      You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

      Comment

      • Madcap70
        Guest
        • Dec 4, 2017
        • 55

        #4
        Originally posted by Earth 2 Chris
        But I wonder if this switch may open the door for Mego Corp to be able to produce 8" DC figures again? Hmmmm....


        Chris
        Not to rush but why does Mego have to have ALL the licenses back like they did 40 years ago? It won't happen not in this day and age

        Comment

        • thunderbolt
          Hi Ernie!!!
          • Feb 15, 2004
          • 34211

          #5
          Originally posted by Madcap70
          Not to rush but why does Mego have to have ALL the licenses back like they did 40 years ago? It won't happen not in this day and age
          Well since Mego is the only one making Megolike figures at a reasonable price and better quality than the 30 dollar competition. It'd be nice is a company that gave a crap about quality had the DC Line.
          You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

          Comment

          • Madcap70
            Guest
            • Dec 4, 2017
            • 55

            #6
            Originally posted by thunderbolt
            Well since Mego is the only one making Megolike figures at a reasonable price and better quality than the 30 dollar competition. It'd be nice is a company that gave a crap about quality had the DC Line.
            It's not going to happen just like Marvel will NEVER be in Mego form again like it was company's are greedy and stupid not to allow them to be made

            Comment

            • thunderbolt
              Hi Ernie!!!
              • Feb 15, 2004
              • 34211

              #7
              Originally posted by Madcap70
              It's not going to happen just like Marvel will NEVER be in Mego form again like it was company's are greedy and stupid not to allow them to be made
              DC is in Mego form right now allowed by Mattel so it can happen at Spin Master too. Hasbro/Disney are just too greedy/insecure about it. Mezco is doing just fine with its 1/12 Marvel cloth line.
              Last edited by thunderbolt; Dec 30, '18, 5:02 PM.
              You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

              Comment

              • B-Lister
                Eccentric Weirdo
                • Mar 19, 2010
                • 2922

                #8
                Mynonly regret is that we were SO CLOSE to seeing an Impulse figure, and now it seems it won't happen.
                Looking for Green Arrow accessories, Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver, and Japanese Popy Megos (Battle Cossack and France, Battle of the Planets, Kamen Rider, Ultraman) and World Heroes figures

                Comment

                • LordMudd
                  Persistent Member
                  • Aug 22, 2011
                  • 1331

                  #9
                  Mattel's critical fail was the utter mismanagement of the 3.75" scale. They did DCIH, Batman movie, Superman movie, Green Lantern movie, Young Justice tv and failed to maintain consistent scale throughout. The right way would have been to use DCIH as the core line and include specific characters in movie sublines that are all compatible. I know I suggested this on Mattycollector years ago, but as usual, nobody was smart enough to listen to me. We will see if Spinmasters is able to do better.


                  CCC.

                  Comment

                  • Earth 2 Chris
                    Verbose Member
                    • Mar 7, 2004
                    • 32498

                    #10
                    Not to rush but why does Mego have to have ALL the licenses back like they did 40 years ago? It won't happen not in this day and age
                    Lego currently has both DC and Marvel licenses, so it can indeed happen today.

                    I agree Mattel has really squandered the license in the last several years, since they head-scratchingly cancelled DCUC. It would be nice to see them realize they have a huge license under their nose, that they could develop for a modern audience and get it out there for both kids and adults. The early 2000s MOTU revamp is almost 20 years old now. Time to try it again. If Transformers and TMNT can be popular with multiple age groups nowadays, why not MOTU?

                    And yes, it will be nice to get a fresh perspective on the DC brand.

                    Chris
                    sigpic

                    Comment

                    • MIB41
                      Eloquent Member
                      • Sep 25, 2005
                      • 15631

                      #11
                      I think changing hands with the master license can certainly change the vision as to how it gets leased. But what is happening at FTC has nothing to do with Mego's choices right now. FTC does not possess a license to mass market its product. They're in the collector market and that's where they'll likely stay. And I don't get the impression from speaking with Marty and Paul that Mego is interested in reinventing the past by remaking the same lines again. Mego has the DC License right now and are making them in the scale they desire. I think any notion that Mego will suddenly dive back into the old WGSH line like its 1974 again is not something on their radar. They're making the characters again, but with a different approach.

                      Comment

                      • thunderbolt
                        Hi Ernie!!!
                        • Feb 15, 2004
                        • 34211

                        #12
                        Originally posted by MIB41
                        I think changing hands with the master license can certainly change the vision as to how it gets leased. But what is happening at FTC has nothing to do with Mego's choices right now. FTC does not possess a license to mass market its product. They're in the collector market and that's where they'll likely stay. And I don't get the impression from speaking with Marty and Paul that Mego is interested in reinventing the past by remaking the same lines again. Mego has the DC License right now and are making them in the scale they desire. I think any notion that Mego will suddenly dive back into the old WGSH line like its 1974 again is not something on their radar. They're making the characters again, but with a different approach.
                        Sorry, but I'd bet that if either DC or Marvel were available to Mego at 8 inch scale they would be on it like a fat guy on a hot dog. And I am sure that if FTC had some want to in them they would try to get into retail outlets.
                        You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

                        Comment

                        • Madcap70
                          Guest
                          • Dec 4, 2017
                          • 55

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Earth 2 Chris
                          Lego currently has both DC and Marvel licenses, so it can indeed happen today.

                          I agree Mattel has really squandered the license in the last several years, since they head-scratchingly cancelled DCUC. It would be nice to see them realize they have a huge license under their nose, that they could develop for a modern audience and get it out there for both kids and adults. The early 2000s MOTU revamp is almost 20 years old now. Time to try it again. If Transformers and TMNT can be popular with multiple age groups nowadays, why not MOTU?

                          And yes, it will be nice to get a fresh perspective on the DC brand.

                          Chris
                          Lego not Mego it's not going to happen maybe if you had a time machine that's it

                          Comment

                          • sprytel
                            Talkative Member
                            • Jun 26, 2009
                            • 6539

                            #14
                            Agreed... but you may have won me over with "like a fat guy on a hot dog".

                            Comment

                            • MIB41
                              Eloquent Member
                              • Sep 25, 2005
                              • 15631

                              #15
                              Originally posted by thunderbolt
                              Sorry, but I'd bet that if either DC or Marvel were available to Mego at 8 inch scale they would be on it like a fat guy on a hot dog. And I am sure that if FTC had some want to in them they would try to get into retail outlets.
                              Then you lost your bet. Marty said word for word, "We wanted to do a new scale with our DC license. FTC is doing something completely different and their licensing is in the collectors market. It has nothing to do with us or prevents us from doing what we want to do." Paul then came in and said they didn't want to just retread old ground. They said it directly to me and the context was crystal. I talked to these guys for quite a while. They have allot of ideas, but they're trying to advance the brand, not just recreate an old line. They've also already done some licensing in the eight inch scale that FTC is doing, such as KISS. So the proof is already on the pegs as well as the spoken word.

                              In terms of FTC, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I've met Anthony and his team. I have met Marty and his team. Both parties are quite likable and personable individuals with loads of love for this hobby. It might disappoint you to know FTC encouraged Marty to bring Mego back. But they ARE in two separate markets, where licensing and volume production dictates different price points. But you know that already. FTC is not in Mego's way and Mego is not in FTC's way. They just have a different strategy than what you want.

                              Personally I'm glad they haven't tried the usual suspects in the same scale. History shows other companies that have chased these expensive licenses to sell the retro experience in the mass market, have not been rewarded. Captain Action had the Marvel license and bombed with the Avengers and Spider-man movies wildly popular. And Mattel laid an egg with the DC Retro license when those were released. I don't believe making a product line that looks like 1974 will give you the same results from 1974. It's a different time and appeal hits today's generation differently. I think Mego is looking for that new appeal in 2019.

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