Condensation? Oil? Something inside plastic window of Retro-Heroes

[sprytel]

Well, I may have jinxed myself. I checked my Green Arrow tonight... and I do see some slight sneeze on his bubble.

GA had been carefully opened but the figure was placed back in the bubble and stored inside the mailer box. Also, in the interest of fairness... the figure was in our walk up attic, but I don't suspect it was climate related.

Also, Green Arrow was stored horizontally... in other words, lying flat on his back. So I suspect it may be related to the plastic in the bubble and not the figure. Otherwise, it would have sprayed upwards from the figure, defying gravity. Although, I guess it may have been there long before and I just wasn't looking for it.

I saw no damage to the figure (yet?), but like all here, I would love some kind of explanation as to what is causing this.

[JimCem99]

Not sure. I'm keeping mine standing straight up, with boots on the ground (so to speak). That way the goo cascades down, and hopefully won't touch the clothing at all. The nose is in the line of fire though. Not sure how to resolve getting the nose away from the plastic.

I've had mine laying flat mostly. What does Mattel CS say to those that have called?

[wilbs518]

I would like to keep them carded too, but not if it will destroy the figure. I would rather put them in one of Toyroom's boxes. Way cooler anyway.

[ScottA]

I checked mine today as well. All but 1, including my GA's, have this oily residue. Although, not to the extent of some of the others yet. I want to keep a set carded if possible.

[wilbs518]

I just hope they figure out what is going on.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I gave customer service a call earlier today, too. They were very nice on the phone and I felt like my concerns were being listened to. So, it is a shame that this is happening, but at least we have a way of voicing our woes.

[geoffdude]

Guess Mattel should've gone with boxes in stead of cards after all

You got that right.

[Meule]

Guess Mattel should've gone with boxes in stead of cards after all

[geoffdude]

I was also hoping to keep mine carded. I'm still waiting for an official Mattel response before I open them. Does anyone know if it's better to store them vertically or flat? And if flat, right right side up or upside down?

Not sure. I'm keeping mine standing straight up, with boots on the ground (so to speak). That way the goo cascades down, and hopefully won't touch the clothing at all. The nose is in the line of fire though. Not sure how to resolve getting the nose away from the plastic.

[Agent of SHIELD]

I checked my Supes and GL and they both have oil streaking down the bubble. I'm hoping I can keep these on the card.

I was also hoping to keep mine carded. I'm still waiting for an official Mattel response before I open them. Does anyone know if it's better to store them vertically or flat? And if flat, right right side up or upside down?

[JimCem99]

I checked my Supes and GL and they both have oil streaking down the bubble. I'm hoping I can keep these on the card.

[Trappy Trek Freak]

I don't have any melting superheroes but my Sulu's head has compressed like someone pinched it for a year. Any one else have that problem? I haven't noticed any oil on my GL and Sinestro. I opened my Superman and Lex. They won't melt away will they??? LOL

[AcroRay]

I'm inclined to think it's been resting in the corners of the blisters, in that channel around the face. But, yeah, I've noticed very thin layers of it being relatively invisible unless something comes into contact with it - like the figure's nose. Keep in mind that most figures these days are suspended in formed inner blister trays, and never really come into contact with the smooth outer blister.

Yeah, it might have a viscosity that changes based on temperature. Or a certain amount of it might need to evaporate, causing the remainder to flow and/or congeal. The air vents I see in the bottom of the blisters (I haven't seen any of the figures first-hand myself yet) might be conducive to that. There's a good chance it may all dry away in time.

Honestly, I've seen this stuff before, but I really don't know what the actual formulation of it is.

[EMCE Hammer]

I don't know if that explains what is happening. Is one of the properties of this stuff that it's invisible for several weeks, and then just magically appears?

[AcroRay]

Looks familiar...

It looks to me like a demolding material from the production of the blisters, or possibly a separator material to keep them from sticking together when nested inside each other during materials storage. Most plastic products require it to one degree or another. Its sprayed inside the mold surfaces to keep the parts from sticking and allow them to be popped more cleanly and quickly from the molds (even vacu-forming, like these things). Usually its wiped off or washed from the product. That's one reason why you should usually wash plastic dining or drinking ware before use - especially cheap stuff.

I've seen that inside toy blisters before, but never in a magnatude like that.

My suspicion is that some of the blisters were just manufactured poorly (if you take cleansing the separator from them as part of the manufacturing process, or putting on too much to start with). The supplier - if it was a sub-contractor - probably made a bazillion of these in quick runs, and a bunch may have been over-coated... especially if it was a machine setting.

Will it react to the figures? I don't know. Its a oil, possibly a silicone-based lubricant. It will probably wipe off of most things like boots and heads, but would likely make oil or grease-stain marks on fabrics.