We’re closing in on the final date (8/22) to make Mattel’s DC Universe Classics Subscription Club – Club Infinite Earths – a reality and I thought we should do our part to help keep DCUC going. Unfortunately, I’m not that eloquent – that’s why I contribute here at AFP, where we focus on pics, not words. 🙂
But I have to say, if you’re still on the fence about pulling the trigger on the subscription, there’s plenty of compelling info out there to make someone on the fence consider jumping onboard. I’m very excited about what I hear regarding extra heads, accessories and other pack-ins they will be able to offer in place of C&C parts and the Mattel DC brand team sounds genuinely excited about the possibilities for character selection and execution without the boundaries of retail hampering them.
Here’s some of the items I’ve seen from around the web that I found helpful.
First up, here’s an interview from our friends over at Action Figure Times with Mattel’s DC team.
Click through for more: AFT’s Doc Owen Speaks With Mattel’s DC Team About Club Infinite Earths
If that didn’t do it for you, here are some very eloquent and moving articles about why we need to keep DC Universe Classics going:
- Fwoosh – We Have A Crisis On Our Hands – Keep DC Universe Classics Alive!
- Action Figure Insider – Action Figure Collectors Band Together To Save DC Universe Classics
- Save DCUC !!
If you have been reading AFP for a while, you know I’m a big fan of this line – I collect ’em, I use ’em for customs – and I would hate to see it end now. There has never been an action figure line of comic book characters that has given collectors such a great diversity in selection. I believe if DCUC can go to the same format as Masters of the Universe Classics, the offerings will get better and better.
Thank you for your time. Now go order Club Infinite Earths!
Mattel should release these anyway, the club is just a way of extorting more cash from the collectors.
I would LOVE to do my part to keep DCUC going, however, we’re at the point now where I like to pick and choose the characters i get in a more ala cart fashion and not an all or nothing kind of way.
I actually think its on mattel to save the classics line, by telling us EXACTLY whats going to be released ever month throughout the entire year. Large toy companies have to work at least a year in advance to maintain production schedules, so its not like they don’t know what they plan on releasing. If I knew what the figures were and if there were only a few questionable ones I would get the sub, hell i buy build-a-figure waves even if i don’t like half of the characters, but the idea of having absolutely no clue whats coming makes me have to judge purchasing an entire year of figures based on the two or three known quantities and unfortunately thats not enough.
I do however subscribe to Club Eternia, and have since the beginning due in part to their being a limited number of figures released based on the property being currently inactive, and also knowing which figures haven’t been done yet since the line is basically a modern re-release of a classic line. Club Lion Force, which I just signed up for, had me scratching my head until I went to comic con and the ENTIRE year long wave was placed before me. When I saw the scheduled releases for the year I knew in an instant I was signing up.
I don’t put my money into places where I don’t know the return, its in part why I don’t gamble- and I am definitely not going to gamble my money on a line of toys.
Sorry, I don’t feel like paying $200+ for only one figure I’m interested in. DC priced themselves right out of retail and I’m not about to give them more money so they can keep doing it. How about try the club out for a year without the sub requirement?
Yeah, the sub could be great. I have no confidence in Mattel or WB at this point. Plus, I’m tired of a bunch of guys who have a vested interest in keeping this line going, i.e. free review samples every month, telling me I need to buy a sub to keep their gravy train going. I haven’t read an unbiased review from any of the major review sites since they started getting free figures. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it…if one gets hundreds of dollars a year in free samples, one is no longer an unbiased reviewer, but a paid corporate spokesperson.
I’ve also noticed a trend on the forums. This whole thing pits fan against fan, and leads to an attitude of “I’m doing more for this line than you”. Whether Matty meant to or not, the sub is bringing out some of the worst in collectors. TG has fostered this attitude all along, especially with con exclusives. The Gleek situation was the beginning of the end for me. Since I did not go to SDCC, and was not willing to pay scalper prices for an over glorified yet necessary happy meal quality toy, Mattel didn’t want my money. Why allienate your fan base Matty? But hey, at least the paid spokespeople got 100 or so for free. Good show Mattel, good show.
I’ve tried to be quiet on how I feel about the sub, (don’t want to steal anyone’s thunder) but the e-mail reminder today was a bit much. I’ve enjoyed AFP’s updates, but as of today I’m unsubscribing from your email list. I wish those who want the sub the best, but me, I’m not buying.
I’ll pick up another nostalgia line instead. Thundercats ho!
“There has never been an action figure line of comic book characters that has given collectors such a great diversity in selection.”
?
*Cough*MarvelLegends*Cough*
Mattel needs to man up and take the blame for this line going downhill (in terms of sales, the character selection and sculpts are still awesome). Even is you count inflation, ML wasn’t near as expensive and it was from a smaller company. The articulation and paint apps were better, and you could actually find the figures you were looking for. Mattel’s biggest mistake has been Quality Control. I can’t tell you how frustrating (though many of you know, I’m sure) it is to finally find the figure you’ve been looking for in stores and after a quick glance see that the paint is slopped on like some third-rate mexican knockoff. It’s a crime to see that done to a 4H sculpt. If these were even 10-12 dollar figures I could overlook the messy paint but I’ve reluctantly had to pass up many a character I love because I couldn’t find a decent paint job. That’s what I’m really worried about with the sub. I just opened my Catras this week (I’m a pleasure delayer, I save up my my stuff and enjoy them one by one) and each one had a lot of paint slop, all of the elbows were bent out to the side, it was pretty bad for a $20 figure (not counting shipping and tax). If the sub goes through I’d have loathing that every figure would come with cruddy QC, and I can tell you from experience you do not want to get involved with Digital River’s customer Service. It’s basically this:
“Hi, I’d like to exchange this figure you sent me that is not quite up to par for one that doesn’t look like someone painted it while simultaneously riding a bicycle”
“Okay, pay more shipping to send it back to us and we’ll refund the price of the figure only.”
“But…”
“Sorry, we just really couldn’t give a crap.”
I lost my Bank Robber Jokers and a 12″ GB Ray that way. I paid nearly double for a new Ray on ebay (before I knew they’d reissue it) and still haven’t recouped the BR Joker. And I’ll never get that double shipping back.
Now I’m a huge DCUC fan, and I love all the characters from and all the infinite universes of DC (or the 52, or new Earth, what have you), and I love anything those wizards the 4H come up with, but after a long-running abusive relationship with Mattel I can’t blame people for not trusting them with this. I really do hope this goes through as I’d love a Jay Garrick and Atrocitus and Metron witht the frickin’ MOBIUS CHAIR!!! but Mattel doesn’t need to put it all on our shoulders. This seems like a really cheap way of eschewing responsibility and saying “hey, we never made these figures, but it’s the fans’ fault, not due to our myriad of mistakes”. Should this sadly not go through I’m worried that DR will eff up again and totally mess up the cancellation of orders and drop other subs from orders, as in those who ordered GB or MOTU subs will have those dropped as well. I dunno. Either way, who wants to bet that even with the removal of C&C and simplified offerings the new “mainstream” DC figures will still be around $16 and suffer from the same QC troubles? When over 80% of the line is completely shared parts I don’t see the justification there. Here’s hoping all goes well, but if not I for one won’t be surprised.
Isn’t the WWE Legends line being offered without subs on Mattycollector? Why can’t DCUC?
Well said Buzzy. For years people have been complaining about distribution and completing teams. The subscription fixes both of these problems. And yet people still complain…
I think Dean’s said it all.
If people want the sub that’s cool, but if they don’t and dare to say their opinion they shouldn’t be labelled as “complainers” .
I purchased the sub and i am happy Mattel went this route for the line! If the sub does not go through i hope Mattel stands their ground and dont produce the figures shown for the sub. If the sub does not go through it clearly shows fans are just not interested in collecting DC figures anymore! Unfortunately you cannot be a cherry picker for the line to survive they could not profit from just a few sales to put the resources into producing a few figures to satisfy a few. A sub guarantees profit! Plus we get charactersthat would never get made otherwise!
Mattel’s evil ways and DR’s nightmarish CS has finally caught up to them. I agree with JSD that it is tragedy that you finally find the figure you want and the paint is horrible. This is this case with all their products and only getting worse as Young Justice proves. Mattel, your fans have lost faith in you, have no faith in DR and are not willing to put up with all the BS you have been dumping our way. If most collector’s were not afflicted with a real world toy addiction, i think you would have a very hard time finding anyone willing to buy your sub standard toy crack.
JSD, I hear ya. I’m cringing at the QC issues I will be experiencing. I fear I will be getting badly painted faces and weak joints on the figures I’ve been waiting for. The return policy will probably be inadequate. I bought I sub, because I want these figures, but I’ll be helpless in QC. Dear Mattel, Paint the faces nicely, no slop please. Especially for $16.00 dollar figures. I love what your doing, but look at the QC or return policy.