Mattel WGSH backer cards

[EMCEtoys]

Oh man, not EVERY thought, I hope they don't look at my moronic suggestion and wrap them in a diaper.

(note to self: take diaper concept off meeting agenda)

[Mikey]

I think faux aged cards are a nice idea.

They're like an in-joke to us collectors... The idea itself almost reminds me of Pocket Heroes Jeans cards but in a different way.

As far as non collectors, most people wont even notice or care.

I say forget the nay-sayers and get these figures out ASAP on ANY cards before Mattel changes their mind

[SUP-Ronin]

Anyway, look. I'm sure that the powers that be are going to scour these boards and take every thought into consideration. I, for one, will certainly bring up this issue in conversation.

Oh man, not EVERY thought, I hope they don't look at my moronic suggestion and wrap them in a diaper. I was just kidding...

Seriously, although the packaging isn't my primary motive for buying or not buying a product, I think the best approach would be to continue the same philosophy they seem to be taking with the figures. Vintage mego in appearance with small logical improvements that mark the evolution or transition of action figures over the last 30 years.
So I'd start with the Mego style canvas of either the traditional card, or box and come up with a cool design. I have seen some fantastic boxes for customs that are exactly this.
I have complete faith in Doc and the others, that they will continue to have a voice in the process and come up with a great product. I can't wait to see how this whole thing continues to evolve and am totally psyched that we are now part of the audience.

[megoscott]

Honestly, with these I'll only be somewhat interested in how the packaging looks at the bottom of the trashcan after I rip it open.

I totally adore and collect vintage packaging, because it's old and interesting and if it's in perfect condition it's really very special. I don't care about modern packaging and anyway I'm sure there will be a seemingly endless round of meetings at Mattel working this issue out.

However, I do really love what EMCE did with teh Star Trek line in getting Hal Shull to paint new portraits of the new characters. That was really special. Doesn't apply to this so much...unless they get NEAL ADAMS to draw all the art. THAT would be cool.

[haggis]

I, personally, prefer to weather the cards myself but I will be buying these regardless.

[warlock664]

Packaging

I echo what CrimsonGhost posted: let's wait to see exactly what the cardbacks look like before we pass judgement.

[EMCEtoys]

What if the "weathered Packaging" turns parents off and they don't buy the figures? I've worked at Toy's-R-Us and KBToys and I've seen lines die from bad packaging. Big packages don't appeal as well as smaller ones to collectors. More to store, less to collect. Famous Covers might have done better if they had smaller packages and the figure was more visible in the package without having to open a flap. Captain Action had this problem also. I think a retro style package in nice, crisp, mint looking condition would sell better in Toy's-R-Us. As a kid I never saw aged packaging on the Mego figures. Why would I want the package on my new figures to look old? I have enough beat-up old Mego cards to satisfy my old package needs.

I think this is the most compelling argument on that side, and certainly not something I thought of. Not that I think it's "bad packaging," because the whole aged/retro thing does really well in the collector sectors I work in, and the style is very contemporary in lines that go into retailers like Hot Topic and Spencer Gifts. Collectors aren't stupid, and they're not gonna see this style as damaged goods. All one needs to do is look at issues of Rue Morgue or any of the Grindhouse-style folds-in-the-middle-and-enlarged-dot-pattern posters being used to get that it's hip.

However, if it's a possibility that parents may not "get it", that's an issue. It may be "too hip" for them.

Anyway, look. I'm sure that the powers that be are going to scour these boards and take every thought into consideration. I, for one, will certainly bring up this issue in conversation.

But keep in mind that companies like Mattel have scads and scads of research and case studies to back up their decision, so if they decide to move forward with this direction (which I, personally, love), then it should not be seen as a rejection of the feelings of some of the folks here.

Let's also just hope I don't get my *** kicked for bringing the topic up without anything official being out there. If I knew it was gonna cause this much of an issue I woulda shut my Irish-Italian mouth.

[jasonmego1277]

good answer Jason. The best so far.

Thanks Coach !, I do feel just happy these are coming. They could put these things in mattel factory bags , hell just put them in brown paper bags and I'll buy them.

[The Toyroom]

If you don't like the weathered look on the packaging I'm sure you can always find a place to get repro non-weathered packaging...

Seriously, the packaging should be the least of our worries....I'd be more concerned with the choice of characters and the execution of said characters. That is what is going to determine how far this line goes, not the freakin' package.

If you're marketing to kids, the weathered package shouldn't make a difference if the figure in the CLEAR PLASTIC BUBBLE is freakin' awesome. Kids will throw the package away anyway. That's what we used to do.

If you're marketing toward the adult collector, we're smart enough to know the difference between a 2010 Mattel 8" Superman in retro-weathered packaging and a 1976 Mego Superman in real-weathered packaging.

Gimme a break!

[Tothiro]

I wonder if Hasbro had this issue in GI Joe boards. I mean, most of their "re-issue" or "retro" figures were packed in fake steamer trunks, faux wooden crates or some other odd ball design. This seems like histrionics to me, so obviously I'm not in tune with what the root of the complaint is anyway because if I was I guess it would make sense to me.

Even though I don't hold this view, I get not buying a toy for a kid because it glorifies war (GI Joe) or because it's only about sexual stereotype and glorification (Bratz) ...ok, I think I actually agree with that one... but you see what I'm saying?
I have never once stood in a toy store and said to myself, "I am not buying this for my little cousins/nieces because I don't appreciate the shape of that Littlest Pet Shop clamshell bubble! -or- I will not buy them an army man in a fake wooden coffin!! If they honored the dead it would be REAL WOOD!!! FILTHY ANTI-AMERICAN DEATH MERCHANTS!!" and tossed it back in anger.

Parents have real things taking up their daily mental energy ... usually like (How easy is it to open? Will it junk up the living room? Will they choke on it/put their eyes out? Will they wake the house up at five am banging on it?).
I don't know a parent who buys toys for their kid based on how well they will look left inside the packaging in their child's lovingly displayed glass collector case. Who are those people?

Find their children and put them in a loving home with free-range toys.

If Mattel announced packaging that looked exactly like a WGSH card minted yesterday, a collection of people would be upset about potential eBay fraud, another small group would be upset that they'd have new sculpts in them (IE "Why pretend you're going to re-release my beloved supes if you've changed EVERYTHING but the package?!? You're peeing on my childhood memories, etc.

I don't collect in package (neither do kids) unless the packaging is innately interesting to me from a design standpoint - Which the Mattel cards might be, I don't know. If they're done in a way which is graphically interesting it might actually be a bonus for me, but even then it would be negligible, so package wouldn't appreciably change my buying pattern one way or the other.

[Brown Bear]

I think we should take what were given with open wallets and big smiles. You'll here no complaints from this bear.

[CrimsonGhost]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to wait and see exactly what Mattel means by "weathered packaging" before complaining about it. No one even knows what they intend to do. I doubt they are going to make them look like they were used to separate paint cans in the garage for 30 years.

I would be surprised to find that someone wouldn't buy a figure they wanted because of the package design. I guess I could be dead wrong, but it certainly wouldn't get in my way.

[txteach]

True that BK, oh my god, did I just agree with you? I am just not really interested in the cards, just the figures.

[BlackKnight]

I think it would be very arrogant on our part to try and dictate what mattel or any other toy company should do.

It's not really a matter of Dictating Coach.
People have Idea's & Opinions when it comes to anything , even more so,.. with items they collect,.. & all the "what if's" . A Toy company is not going to change packaging because of a Debate on a Message Forum...., But Mattel DID bring back MOTU Figures like people wanted them,.. so who Knows.

[txteach]

good answer Jason. The best so far.