Mattel's response to me

[GoldBlade6]

On the Mattycollector.com, two recent Retro-Action questions were recently answered:

Q: Each Retro-Action figure requires only a new head, a new cloth pattern and, per wave, new packaging art. Rarely, a new plastic item or accessory might be called for so it's not like this line should be too costly to produce, right?

In the interest of continuing the line, why was it cancelled rather than working with fans to develop a solution? Perhaps the core fans who have been buying them would pay $5 more per figure for a more limited run to get some of their favorite characters and complete or round out their collection.

Joker, Robin, Batgirl, Supergirl, etc. would indisputably sell better than random incarnations of Green Lantern characters as are currently being offered. So, why wouldn't a monthly RA figure of some heavy hitters be possible?

A: The GL Retro figures online were a big test. So far they have not sold well enough to justify more figures (despite low tooling). There just are not enough fans buying this style to keep it going either at retail or online. We tried both avenues and neither took.

Yes Sinestro and Guy are GL centric characters, but they are still big in the DC Universe. Neither of them are obscure characters.

Q: How can fans show their support in order to get Matty to release the last waves of figures?

A: Purchase the current Retro Action figures on Mattycollector.com!

[Wise4671]

I have said all along this line would be dead. The bodies were junk, the prices were too high for most people. I have always loved the look but I stopped buying them because of the poor quality like the junky bodies and cracked and falling off symbols.

WTG

[CrimsonGhost]

I have said all along this line would be dead. The bodies were junk, the prices were too high for most people. I have always loved the look but I stopped buying them because of the poor quality like the junky bodies and cracked and falling off symbols.

Well, you certainly deserve all the credit, sir! You must be some kind of soothsayer! You were the only one that posted that the line would die!

Wait, no you weren't. It seems it was posted every 5 minutes so when the inevitable happens, they can gloat how right they were. Congratulations.

[LovethoseMegos]

I have said all along this line would be dead. The bodies were junk, the prices were too high for most people. I have always loved the look but I stopped buying them because of the poor quality like the junky bodies and cracked and falling off symbols.

[ctc]

>why do toy companies release consecutive figures that aren't necessarily in demand, then say the line isn't doing well?

Sometimes they don't actually KNOW what's in demand. The buying public can be real weird sometimes, and they can't afford to take chances. It's entirely possible an 8" Angel O'Day and Sam Simeon would have outsold Superman, but it's such a counter-intuitive choice we'll never know.

Don C.

[BATMAN89]

I wonder if Mattel has any leftovers that they can slap together and get them out on Mattel.com at a discounted price.
Nevermind trying to distribute them to TRU!

[BATMAN89]

I like soup.

EDIT
Oh and I love the Sinestro... He's one of my favorite releases.

My apologies, I edited my post. The Sinestro does look good, but I'm not very familiar with Green Lantern comics. My point was it didn't sell and then they put out more of them. My TRU still has about 6 of them that are opened and the lanterns are missing. They don't even have them marked down.

[palitoy]

Because all those threads and comments seem to get magically deleted around here.

We only delete comments and threads that go against the forum rules. If you have a problem with that, I won't apologize. We work hard to keep this place civil and your sideways accusations are not appreciated.

[trekman101]

^^^^^In regards to that does anyone know if Mattel recalled the left-over Sinestros from TRU's and re-dressed them in the yellow outfit?

Trekman101, I think you did good. You sought "answers" and you got some.

Thanks ...that means a lot to me

[wonderfan32]

What I'm trying to understand is why do toy companies release consecutive figures that aren't necessarily in demand, then say the line isn't doing well? Take all the Matty exclusives we have now. With the exception of Green Arrow, all the rest are Green Lantern related characters. I can understand maybe two figures but four? Three of them are not even in the movie. DC Direct did the same thing by releasing 13" characters in succession that most collectors didn't have an interest in (Dr. Manhattan, Comedian, Jonah Rex, Spirit, and Sandman), then say the sales weren't great. Doesn't make sense at all to me.

[Wise4671]

^^^^^In regards to that does anyone know if Mattel recalled the left-over Sinestros from TRU's and re-dressed them in the yellow outfit?

The Yellow Sinestros head paint is also different also had a diffrent Battery (Lantern)

[Tothiro]

I like soup.

EDIT
Oh and I love the Sinestro... He's one of my favorite releases.

[johnmiic]

^^^^^In regards to that does anyone know if Mattel recalled the left-over Sinestros from TRU's and re-dressed them in the yellow outfit?

Trekman101, I think you did good. You sought "answers" and you got some.

[BATMAN89]

All this talk reminds me of one question that has been going round in my head...
If many of the TRUs still have a bunch of Sinestros hanging around,
why in the world did they offer another one in a different costume???
Didn't they get the point the first time around? Or were there too many pink bodies left over.
I just think Mattel sucks!
I wish Hasbro could get the DC license back!

[Tothiro]

My point was more -
A) times have changed,
B) those were both ongoing and successful toy lines with big market saturation (IE this would work for 1/6th scale) and these offerings prompted other purchases from same company, and
C) I don't think it's the Matty way.

But still, yeah, I think it would be super-awesome.

I was suggesting that since the bodies are already made, all they need to produce is a head and costume and stick them on a body and stick that in a bag or brown box and I would be happy.

Ok, the reason I thought you meant heads and suits in a mailer is because I don't see the difference between this and any normal released figure.
They're all on bodies, and the ugly-to-cost-savings ratio on a mailer vs bubble-card is not that different. Since it's not like Matty would have ordered thousands of body parts they weren't using yet that means they'd have to manufacture those just like normal.
Since profit-max was the key my brain went to head-boots-suit-box.

I kind of see where all this would be the Big Toy Company version of helping Grandma clean out her garage on the weekend... not a lot of buckage and kind of a drag. I understand the "they don't have time for this" thing, but setting that aside... How awesome would build-a-figure licensed parts bags be as a monthly online subscription exclusive?

If someone like Hasbro started something 8" up, then yeah - I think Matty would go "Oh hey - we already have molds that would compete with that!" Turf War in this case would be a solid to the consumer. Then again there hasn't been an official anything announced about the Ghostbusters line... right? Unless that was just meant to be four figures with a variant and done?