Up Close: Mattel’s DC Universe
By Karyn M. Peterson -- Playthings, 4/25/2008 8:55:00 AM
[A shorter version of this article appears in the May 2008 issue of Playthings magazine under the headline "Brave New World."]
| For an image gallery of Mattel's upcoming DC Universe figures, click here. |
Move over Batman—it’s time to share the spotlight with a legion of new superhero (and super villain) figures in 2008, as Mattel significantly expands its partnership with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to include all of the more than 3,000 additional characters in the DC Universe.Mattel has been producing action figures and toys based on Superman and Batman since 2003; this new deal, which lets the El Segundo, Calif.-based toy maker court both adult action figure collectors as well as kids, now means many additional comic book characters will soon be hitting toy store shelves for the first time ever.
"The Mattel team is extremely excited about the entire DC collection," Scott Neitlich, Mattel’s associate brand manager for the DC Universe, tells Playthings. "The many different heroes and villains present a wonderful opportunity to add a variety of new and favorite characters to our new DC Universe Classics (DCU Classics), Justice League Unlimited (JLU) and upcoming Infinite Heroes lines."
Infinite Heroes are new 3¾-inch figures—a first for DC in that scale—from the biggest DC crossover events. There will be more than 40 figures in 2008, including the already revealed Adam Strange, Black Adam, Black Hand, Guy Gardner, Shazam, The Atom and Zoom; additional figures will be announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July. The line will be one of Mattel’s key DC Comics efforts in 2008, Neitlich says.
As a result, fan sites have been abuzz with speculation about which characters will make the cut and when they will finally be available. Just ahead of the 2008 New York Comic Con—on the eve of Mattel’s announcements of its latest releases and exclusives—Playthings spoke at length with Neitlich. In our interview, he provided a behind-the-scenes look at his team’s process for creating collectibles, plus details about figures to come.
Playthings: How do you decide which figures to make, to distinguish yourselves from DC Direct?
SN: Generally, our philosophy is to not have characters appear in every toy line. For example, if Dr. Fate was included as a 6-inch figure in 2009, we would typically not include him in the JLU line that same year. With 3,000 characters available to consider from the DC Comics vault, we do our best to spread them out and across all of our DC collector lines. Of course, the Mattel designers always have favorites, so those characters will frequently show up every now and then when one might least expect it.
One of the key differences between Mattel’s DCU Classics line and DC Direct is that DC Direct offers artist specific figures. The Mattel Classics line is sculpted entirely by the talented Four Horsemen designers. Each figure presents a unique opportunity for fans to collect one-of-a-kind interpretations of the many DC Comics stylings from artists past and present.
Overall, we have a fantastic and close working relationship with our partners at DC Comics. When it comes to character selection, we work together intimately, and DC Comics will share their character lists for upcoming lines in order to avoid potential overlap.
DC Comics has been so generous in providing us with a unique opportunity to bring many DC characters to the toy aisles for the very first time. We are excited and proud of our DC Comics branded toys and they are a fantastic addition to our collector-focused programs and portfolio.
Playthings: Which are your bestselling lines?
SN: The new DCU Classic 6-inch line and the JLU 4¾-inch line are some of our most popular collector lines. Batman also continues to remain popular, and a bestseller.
DCU Classics is aimed primarily at the growing adult collector market. And similar to the widespread audience appeal seen last year with the introduction of our DC Super Friends preschool-friendly line of action figures and vehicles, DCU Classics also lends itself to a much broader fan base. Both kids and adults know and love the DC Comics characters, so it was essential that we create and deliver a product line that would appeal to a broad spectrum of collectors, from young to old. We anticipated initial interest from adult fans and collectors with the introduction of our DC Super Friends line; however, we were surprised by the overwhelming interest and number of character requests and custom figures for it. We’re thrilled that the line has generated so much interest among adult collectors.
Playthings: What are your next DCU Classics releases?
SN: DCU Classics Wave 4 will feature Wonder Woman, Ares, Captain Atom, Batman Beyond and Cyborg. The Collect and Connect figure will be Despero, and Wonder Woman will have a variant as Artemis (with a new head, belt and boots). Also, Captain Atom will be available in silver and gold decos.
Wave 5 will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart stores, and—since this is a bonus wave—we will now introduce six total waves for the year.
The final wave in 2008 will include The Atom, Amazo, The Riddler, Eradicator and Black Lightning. The Collect and Connect figure will be Metallo. We’ll also introduce DCU Classics two-packs exclusively at Toys "R" Us, which will include four packs in total. Each will contain new figures, repaints or fan-requested re-releases. The first will be Orion (with a removable helmet) and a new Lightray, and the second pack will be re-releases of Azrael and Batgirl, two character figures that have not appeared on store shelves in years.
Playthings: Are you creating new figures for Justice Society of America, Legion of Super Heroes, Metal Men or Doom Patrol?
SN: Absolutely. We will get to all of these teams in time.
Playthings: Are there going to be playsets for the DCU Classics or Infinite Hereos lines?
SN: Playsets will likely appear in our 3¾-inch Infinite Heroes line. However, before we move forward in producing larger items, such as the Hall of Justice or the Batcave, we first will determine how the figures performed at retail and if they’re an appropriate fit, in line with the overall brand and product statement.
Playthings: Will female characters like Wonder Woman or Supergirl in the Super Friends line?
SN: We are considering the addition of a female figure to this line; however, we do not have any available information to share or announce at this time.
Playthings: Are you planning figures for Legion of Super Heroes in time for its 50th anniversary?
SN: There will not be a Legion of Super Heroes figure line specifically tied to a 50th anniversary celebration; however, we are currently considering bringing these characters to toy shelves soon.
Playthings: Are you planning Figures of Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, The Question or Judomaster for the JLU line?
SN: We can confirm that The Qustion will be in the JLU line in late 2008. As for the others, you’ll just have to wait for our announcements at the summer conventions!
Playthings: How important are retailer exclusives for your DC Universe lines?
SN: Retailer exclusives are a great way to help drive traffic to our major retail partners. It also provides an outlet for us to create and deliver additional figures that might not otherwise make it to store shelves.
The new JLU line be available exclusively at Target. [It] will include singles, three-packs and six-packs. The first wave will consist of five singles: Superman (black outfit), Batman (classic blue and gray), Kilowog, Stargirl and Hawkman. The first three-packs will be Green Lantern, Supergirl and an all-new Captain Atom, as well as Superman, Huntress and a new Galatea. The Wave 1 six-packs will be the already announced "Attack from Apokolips" pack, as well as a repaint of the Gorilla Grodd set featuring Grodd, Luthor and Batman in show accurate decos. Red Hood will also have a re-deco to look more like his comic appearance. Most of the figures in the new line will have the original five points of articulation as well.
Playthings: Will the JLU line include characters that never appeared on the show? What about Lobo?
SN: Lobo remains a character that is not available to produce for the JLU line. The earliest one might see non-show characters in the line-up is the second half of 2009. We will not have any specifics to share at this time regarding which characters, but we’ll share with fans as it gets closer to the product’s retail availability.
Playthings: Can you tell us what the new DC Super Friends figures will be?
SB: We will share news about the DC Super Friends line at the San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Playthings: Are Comic-Con exclusives important?
SN: Comic-Con exclusives provide an opportunity for us to create collector pieces that might not otherwise fit into our main line. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, we will be offering a special DCU Classics Lobo figure and a large scale Justice League Unlimited Giganta figure. These two characters did not fit logistically, so by releasing them as exclusives, we are bringing these fan-requested characters to the collector in an easy and ideal way.
Playthings: How big a role does the Internet play in promoting and developing your figure lines?
SN: Mattel works very closely with many of the action figure fan websites, as well as those who attend pop culture conventions and events like San Diego and New York Comic Con and Wizard World. This helps ensure that we are delivering collectibles that meet the growing needs and interests of today’s fan base.
The Internet has changed action figure collecting in many different ways. It provides a place for collectors to come together and share their interests, as well as generates a breeding ground of wish lists and figure requests. Working with the fan sites and message boards has also helped our marketing and design teams to identify specific lines and figures that we know collectors are looking for and are interested in adding to their collections.
Related Content
Related Content
There are no other articles related to this article.
