Any news on the next wave of Mattel's Batman 66?

[enyawd72]

It would have been nice if Mattel had held back and timed the figures to release with the DVD sets this fall. Not sure if it would have helped, but an end cap with the figures and DVDs together would have made a nice display.

Funny you mention that...has there been a definitive release date or any info at all on the DVD's? I can't seem to find anything.

[PNGwynne]

West & Ward discussed working on DVD extras at a recent comic-con. Ward mentioned a planned release late in November for the holidays.

[Harbingerboy]

I can't believe Mattel didn't at least have something for SDCC figure-wise. There's that new Shag art print which I believe is at their booth (?) but nothing else. Craig finally made a deal for her likeness and still no Batgirl, no repaints, new heads, Robin without wires, just nothing. The 6" figures did very well in stores in my area, occasionally you would see one lone Penguin or Riddler on a peg, but they sold through. I'd really like to know why Mattel didn't pursue this line any further...?

[ODBJBG]

Mattel canceled this line before it ever hit shelves. Yes... Seriously. They announced before Wave 1 ever hit the shelves that there were no more figures planned beyond Catwoman. And so the line immediately went to clearance. Don't try to figure it out. It's Mattel.

[mego maniac mark]

Just saw the joker and surf batman at my TRU yesterday. They were $22.99, which I will not spend. I would love to get them, but no way at that price.
If they were on clearence, different story. Are they being cleared out I other store? Not in Poughkeepsie

[thunderbolt]

Mattel just doesn't seem to get that the price point for all the lines is killing it for the casual consumer.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^I'd say that's more TRU than Mattel. These were around $16 at most stores, right? That's still high, but not insane.

TRU has never been cheap, but their recent price hikes are just another shovel in their eventual grave, me thinks.

Chris

[enyawd72]

^That, and they keep crushing the boxes on all the large high end collectible Transformer, Star Wars and Marvel toys with ridiculous security devices.
Wouldn't want somebody walking out the door with a three foot tall AT-AT in their pocket.

[monitor_ep]

Mattel could not get the rights to Batgirl or a few other characters so they stop trying to keep the line going. They also could not get the rights past the Batmobile.

[Boshek]

The thought of collecting something that won't go on for at least a little while seriously hurts my interest in it.

[thunderbolt]

^I'd say that's more TRU than Mattel. These were around $16 at most stores, right? That's still high, but not insane.

TRU has never been cheap, but their recent price hikes are just another shovel in their eventual grave, me thinks.

Chris

I've never seen this line outside of TRU, so I assumed it was the only store that picked it up. DC's presence at Walmart is almost nonexistent outside of Man of Steel stuff rotting on the shelves.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^I believe Wal-Mart and Target carried these in some areas. I think I saw one Riddler and Penguin at a Wal-Mart somewhere, after I already had them.

DC toys' presence at Wally-worlds around here has gotten better lately. The DC Multiverse and Batman "evergreen" lines are on the pegs here now.

Chris

[MIB41]

This to me is just a frank reminder of what a bad mistake it was for Yvonne Craig to hold out. Here we have a television show that played it's last new episode 45 years ago. And while it was in heavy rotation in the early 70's, it never was seen (or exposed) to another generation quite like it was to ours. Couple this with the fact the series missed out on the age of VHS when video stores sprouted quicker than weeds; the peak of the video age with DVDs; and even a refusal by George Barris to let even the Batmobile get made until about five years ago, there was virtually no presence of the series. So finally some of the fans who grew up in our era are running many of these companies and want to make this merchandise, but no one knows if the modern day demand meets with their personal interest.

So allot of hype was made over the polls that still demanded the series, and the intensity shown by the diehards themselves. What a better opportunity to negotiate terms for a licensing deal from the actors based off assumption alone! So deals are signed and to my utter amazement Craig holds out. She signs after product has been made and the demand is not as big as many had hoped, so what does she have to show for it? Not much of anything. There's virtually no Batgirl product out there. Even Hot Toys has had a poor seller with the excellent figures made of Adam and Burt in costume. So the chances of her getting made are slim to nil. I think FTC is the only company right now that has her slated to go out as a figure, so there you go. So for the completest, who really wanted her as part of that figure line, you really only have her to blame. Too bad. That would have been a nice addition. Let the customs begin!

[MeWantMegos]

MIB41 - Wow...that was a really interesting and insightful observation. A real fascinating analysis.

Chris - Thanks for your insights too.

Is there any magazine article or interview that sheds further insight into what happened? I haven't found anything comprehensive.

[Robin NY]

Is HT Adam and Burt selling poorly? I bought 2 sets myself. I was disappointed by the issues with Adams costume but I notice they r drying up on the online stores. I wish Mattel had gotten the rights to the Batcopter and Bat boat. That would have been such a treat.