Non-fixed Mattel bodies

[geoffdude]

Agreed. Just signed up to the forum and will start posting there. Perhaps they will listen there.

Let us know how that goes.

regards,

g.

[AAAAA]

let me put this way (My theory ), mattel already committed to 3 waves, before production started, Now figures being made at a factory, do not get dressed right off the Assembly
line.the plastic as to finish curing first.and then POSSIBLY go to a costume manufacture/dressing, packing plant.
Mattel made Possible 3 to 4 waves of bodies. maybe in the Ball park of 50,000 perhaps more. these are stored in a warehouse ,until they are needed ,and that only things that have to be produced are head, suits and accessories (if any).so they are not going to do a production change until they use the bodies on hand.

[Corellian Corvette]

I'm not one to drive away traffic from the Museum Forums...but...

...for those people that have issues with Mattel's Retro Action Line, shouldn't they be posting them on the Matty Collector Forum: Matty Collector - Mattel Forums

Since Mattel owns that site, they're most likely gonna get the message pretty loud and clear over there...

...Just a thought.

Agreed. Just signed up to the forum and will start posting there. Perhaps they will listen there.

[Meule]

What a beautiful spin the Mattel spokesman puts on his answer......translation....yeah we know there's a problem...one day the fixed bodies will just appear on the shelves with no mention of any thing

To me that reads: "Screw you, you ain't getting new bodies"

[trekman101]

I think this statement sums it up pretty good



We don’t have any plans to re-tool the body anytime soon but we will pass this suggestion on to the design team. At the end of the day, the Retro Figures are designed to work like vintage figures and that is half the fun! "

What a beautiful spin the Mattel spokesman puts on his answer......translation....yeah we know there's a problem...one day the fixed bodies will just appear on the shelves with no mention of any thing

[Zemo]

I think this statement sums it up pretty good

"Infinite Hollywood Reader Herd Asks: There have been some issues with the Mego-style Retro-Action figures. The torso tends to slump over, the leg bands are too tight in some instances and many fans have been replacing the bodies with other styles of bodies out there. Is Mattel looking into retooling the body any, such as fixing the legs, perhaps making a larger pelvis by Wave 3 or sooner?

We don’t have any plans to re-tool the body anytime soon but we will pass this suggestion on to the design team. At the end of the day, the Retro Figures are designed to work like vintage figures and that is half the fun! "

[trekman101]

What ever Mattel is going to make to fix the bodies.....they will probably try to use up what ever body parts they have already made...then make new corrected parts....as Paul said it will take time and we all hoped it would be by wave 2...it looks like that didn't happen...so hopefully wave 3 will be with corrected bodies....Wonder woman will be in wave 3 so Mattel is making different body parts...we just have to wait and see.

[Meule]

In summary, Doc was only "relaying" what he had been told. Mattel, however, never actually made an officially statement towards the body-fixing issue. It kinda put Doc in an awkward spot, but totally not his fault that Mattel didn't follow through.

I agree it's not Paul's fault, but I can't believe Mattel would tell him something that wasn't true

[geoffdude]

I don't think anyone has blamed Paul for anything, but he does get a lot of crap about this dumped all over him (and I've been guity of this too, so again my apologies Paul) as he's sort of the spokesman for Mattel, at least here he is.
That also means - to me anyway - that when he makes a statement on Mattel's behalf that this statement is confirmed. Meaning if Doc said Mattel would fix the bodies by wave 2 that is all the confirmation I need from Mattel. In case you haven't noticed, Mattel doesn't have another spokesman posting here

I guess I get that. Kind of.

However, Mattel does have actual spokespeople, and Facebook announcements. I would, personally, be more inclined to take info from those sources to heart, rather than a non-official statement.

I don't know Doc's "official" capacity with Mattel (consultant?), but I'm pretty sure he's NOT an "official" Mattel spokesman (not dis'n' Doc here, if he is please feel free to correct me.), and that's one of the reason's I never believed the bodies would be improved.

In my experience watching Mattel over the years, unless they clearly, and pointedly, addresses an issue specifically, it's quite likely not worthy of their attention, nor an issue that action will ever be taken on. They're quite happy to let sleeping dogs lie. (No lawsuits basically, so why do anything?)

In summary, Doc was only "relaying" what he had been told. Mattel, however, never actually made an "official statement" towards the body-fixing issue. It kinda put Doc in an awkward spot, but totally not his fault that Mattel didn't follow through.


regards,

g.

[Meule]

If I remember most of what was said on this.. (which I may not) I don't recall anyone calling Doc out on how the figures turned out by blaming him. Did someone actually fault Doc for quality of production?

I do recall though people faulting Mattel for not fixing Wave 2 bodies. Which was strange too.. as, I've never seen an actual "Press Release" or "Announcement" from Mattel that these bodies were going to be fixed. Was there one?

The only statement(s) attributed to this issue I recall is what Doc posted many months back, that wave 2 bodies would be fixed, or updated, or whatever. That's all I've ever heard as "fact" towards anything being done to change/improve the bodies.

Was there ever anything besides that initial statement which confirmed an updated body style was forthcoming? (From Mattel I mean.)

regards,

g.

I don't think anyone has blamed Paul for anything, but he does get a lot of crap about this dumped all over him (and I've been guity of this too, so again my apologies Paul) as he's sort of the spokesman for Mattel, at least here he is.
That also means - to me anyway - that when he makes a statement on Mattel's behalf that this statement is confirmed. Meaning if Doc said Mattel would fix the bodies by wave 2 that is all the confirmation I need from Mattel. In case you haven't noticed, Mattel doesn't have another spokesman posting here

[Meule]

I'm not one to drive away traffic from the Museum Forums...but...

...for those people that have issues with Mattel's Retro Action Line, shouldn't they be posting them on the Matty Collector Forum: Matty Collector - Mattel Forums

Since Mattel owns that site, they're most likely gonna get the message pretty loud and clear over there...

...Just a thought.

From what I've heard people complaining there are being redirected somewhere else and complaint threads are deleted

[WannabeMego]

I'm not one to drive away traffic from the Museum Forums...but...

...for those people that have issues with Mattel's Retro Action Line, shouldn't they be posting them on the Matty Collector Forum: Matty Collector - Mattel Forums

Since Mattel owns that site, they're most likely gonna get the message pretty loud and clear over there...

...Just a thought.

[geoffdude]

If I remember most of what was said on this.. (which I may not) I don't recall anyone calling Doc out on how the figures turned out by blaming him. Did someone actually fault Doc for quality of production?

I do recall though people faulting Mattel for not fixing Wave 2 bodies. Which was strange too.. as, I've never seen an actual "Press Release" or "Announcement" from Mattel that these bodies were going to be fixed. Was there one?

The only statement(s) attributed to this issue I recall is what Doc posted many months back, that wave 2 bodies would be fixed, or updated, or whatever. That's all I've ever heard as "fact" towards anything being done to change/improve the bodies.

Was there ever anything besides that initial statement which confirmed an updated body style was forthcoming? (From Mattel I mean.)

regards,

g.

[Meule]

In the first place no anger or criticism should be directed towards Paul on this topic and Im surprised it still comes to him. My admittedly limited knowledge on the matter is that Paul is merely a consultant and not a Mattel employee, so he's not calling the shots. None of the prototypes I've seen him produce are hunched over like quasimoto or have enormous clown boots. In fact it appears most of the things I like about the toys emanate from Pauls early work and the POS toys that come out the other end are mattels fault.

I've said this before but any minor criticisms there may be over Trek, POTA, the Castaway or BBP toys are vastly overshadowed by the fact that these are small operations run by guys who care. Heck even CTVT was a small operation and they did a lot right. I'm not going to put down these guys because they aren't doing anything any one of us couldn't do so who am I to judge.

But Mattel... This is a big company with vast resources. And Im holding them to a higher standard. While I may not like a certain design aspect of the toys that's not the issue. I own no rights to Batman and I get 0 say in what his cowl looks like.

But make no mistake - Mattel is NOT putting out a quality product and that is deserving of every bit of nerd rage. They are putting out an inferior product, with a badly designed body, which is being assembled poorly. They are using inferior materials that aren't holding up to a gentile collectors touch let alone kids play, and producing ill-fitting accessories that don't do justice to the characters.

By the way - when Doc accidentally put silver cuffs on a figure he basically apologized to the entire community. Mattel is producing crap and doesn't appear to care. I don't care how hard it is to make a running change. They should delay the line until they fix the issue not continue shipping junk.

Rant off until wave 3.

This pretty much sums it all up. Putting the blame where it's supposed to be and addressing the problem directly

[Corellian Corvette]

In the first place no anger or criticism should be directed towards Paul on this topic and Im surprised it still comes to him. My admittedly limited knowledge on the matter is that Paul is merely a consultant and not a Mattel employee, so he's not calling the shots. None of the prototypes I've seen him produce are hunched over like quasimoto or have enormous clown boots. In fact it appears most of the things I like about the toys emanate from Pauls early work and the POS toys that come out the other end are mattels fault.

I've said this before but any minor criticisms there may be over Trek, POTA, the Castaway or BBP toys are vastly overshadowed by the fact that these are small operations run by guys who care. Heck even CTVT was a small operation and they did a lot right. I'm not going to put down these guys because they aren't doing anything any one of us couldn't do so who am I to judge.

But Mattel... This is a big company with vast resources. And Im holding them to a higher standard. While I may not like a certain design aspect of the toys that's not the issue. I own no rights to Batman and I get 0 say in what his cowl looks like.

But make no mistake - Mattel is NOT putting out a quality product and that is deserving of every bit of nerd rage. They are putting out an inferior product, with a badly designed body, which is being assembled poorly. They are using inferior materials that aren't holding up to a gentile collectors touch let alone kids play, and producing ill-fitting accessories that don't do justice to the characters.

By the way - when Doc accidentally put silver cuffs on a figure he basically apologized to the entire community. Mattel is producing crap and doesn't appear to care. I don't care how hard it is to make a running change. They should delay the line until they fix the issue not continue shipping junk.

Rant off until wave 3.