The competition for collectors has ramped back up between DC Collectibles and Mattel. For the past couple of years, one degree of competition had been eased up, with Mattel abandoning 6-inch scale by sunsetting DC Universe Classics. But with Mattel’s move back to 6-inch, more overlap will occur. We’ll keep that in mind as we go through the DC Collectibles offerings from SDCC.
DC Collectibles’ solicits for October include figures that we saw during Toy Fair, from Batman: the Animated Series, Arrow, and The Flash.
In addition to a wave of figures for B:TAS that includes Bane and Nightwing, the line will also get its first vehicle – an in scale Batmobile (two feet long!) with working hatch, room for two 6-inch figures, and LED lights. At $99.95, it’s about double what Mattel charged for it’s 6-inch scaled Batmobile for the 1966 series – but less than half the $215 that Mattycollector wanted for the Ghostbusters Ecto-1.
So, who’s going to buy the B:TAS Batmobile (check out our video fly-by of the vehicle)? I’m on the fence.
As I was taking pics of DC Collectibles newest line, the super-articulated DC Comics Icons, I overheard one of the DC Collectibles reps describe the line. “Yes, these are 6-inch scaled figures, so we are competing with Mattel!” News flash, DCC rep: DC Universe Classics is already history!
But even if they weren’t I’d wager that this line would give DCUC a run for its money. Even at the $24.99 price tag, the line embraces DC Collectibles aesthetics, with remarkable head and body sculpts – but they also add in the articulation scheme that DCC first tried out on their 3.75-inch figures. This makes for a pretty damn compelling combination.
Remember way back when we used to ask “How about vehicles?” for our favorite 6-inch lines? It used to be that vehicles were considered too costly to make, but Mattel finally found a way to do it for the Batman 1966 line, and now DC Collectibles will add an animated Batmobile (including LED lights and a sliding hatch for the 2-figure cockpit!) for its 6-inch scaled line for Batman: The Animated Series this year. The solution, of course, was to set a “collector” price tag. The Mattel Batmobile was $50 as a Toys R Us exclusive. We’ll have to wait and see how much the BTAS Batmobile will crush our wallets.
DCC also announced more waves of the BTAS line, including Bane and Nightwing; more from The Flash and Arrow; and a new line of 6=inch action figures called DC Comics Icons, based on the art of Ivan Reis. Should be a good year for DC collectors, even with the void left by the demise of Mattel’s DC Universe Classics.
While this ALS #IceBucketChallenge is trending all over the place, here’s the action figure / super hero edition:
I’m sure you haven’t been able to avoid seeing this awareness campaign for ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease – which has no cure or cause found yet in the 75 years since Lou Gehrig originally announced he had ALS. So even if you’re not Star Lord, Iron Man, or Green Arrow – dumping ice water over your head to raise awareness, or donating to the ALS site (my personal and drier choice), can be (IMHO) classified under “super heroic,” or at least “good deed for the day.”
Check out these super hero IBC videos and the ALS site here: http://www.alsa.org/donate/
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