Open Letter to Toyguru/Mattel Regarding Quality Issues on DCUC

[Steel]

Toyguru,

As a solid supporter of Mattel products for 25+ years, I am writing to share my deepest disdain for the quality control issues with the Wave 2 Series of DC Universe Classics.

While this wave is indeed 2 years or so old, the quality issues were evident a month or so after the initial purchase. Yesterday evening as I happily added Negative Man and the GL 5 pack to my display shelves, I noticed that the deterioration of the plastic on every figure in that wave had worsened. Green Lantern, Sinestro, Nightwing, Robin, Deathstroke all display signs of irreversible deterioration in the plastic.

I have a solid background in manufacturing myself (albeit a different industry) and I understand that these things can happen. What I don't understand is why nothing has been done to resolve the problem. The major demographic for this line is the hardcore collector. As a collector that buys multiples of each figure, I represent one of many fans who were truly disappointed with not just the quality of the wave, but the failure to offer any means to correct it.

Having purchased my products from an online retailer, I had no recourse in the matter, the same as thousands of others dedicated Mattel DCUC collectors. As a Middle Class Father of two, I choose to spend my hard earned money left over for my personal recreational budget on YOUR products and take pride in how they are displayed. In the current economic climate, that says a lot.

That being said, I would hope that Mattel would reward the loyalty of the consumer by replacing these items, offering vouchers for other products or some similar form of compensation.

I know you and your staff are always looking to keep your finger to the pulse of the collector demographic and I hope you will find a way to make this right with your loyal fan base. I also encourage other collectors to share their experience here, in a mature, professional manner.

All I'm asking is for Mattel to step up to the plate and make things right in one form or another.

I thank you for your time and can be reached at the email above.

Many Thanks,

Brian

 

[KingGrayskull]

Did you post it on the Matty forum?

 

[Shai]

why do you post this on a Sideshow Forum.Thats just dumb.

 

[EdwardNashton1]

Maybe because there isn't a Mattel forum, and this is the DC section, and this is a popular forum, he's probably hoping Mattel checks in here.

But the guy should probably email this to someone

 

[Darth Waller]

Did you post it on the Matty forum?

Matty would probably just delete it.

Did you post this on their Facebook page as well?

 

[lerath666]

Maybe because there isn't a Mattel forum, and this is the DC section, and this is a popular forum, he's probably hoping Mattel checks in here.

But the guy should probably email this to someone

But there IS a Mattel forum.

 

[EdwardNashton1]

But there IS a Mattel forum.

My bad, then he shouldn't have posted here for sure.

 

[lerath666]

No problem, and for future reference, and The OP's use

https://forums.mattycollector.com/eve

 

[cr0w]

why do you post this on a Sideshow Forum.Thats just dumb.

Also, you get what you pay for with mass-produced <$15 figures.

 

[Steel]

FYI, I posted it here and at all of the forums I frequent in the hopes that other like-minded collectors would share their experiences.

Judging from some of the responses, I can see I was wrong in assuming that others might want to share an experience, rather than gripe about not liking my post despite the fact it IS DC related and we DO discuss DC items here.

 

[toyrewind]

I support any form of legitimate buyer concern. Price should not be a factor. IMHO people spend their hard earned money on what they buy and they should be entitled to a good if not excellent product.

 

[Boba Ben]

I agree. $15 is way too much to spend on a figure that I might have to rebuy due to warping, loose joints,or inferior paint jobs. The price increase should have led to a quality increase in the product in my opinion.

 

[amusedjester]

I haven't seen any deterioration on my figures and that includes the dc superheroes line. Then again, I don't play with my figures too much. I usually pose them once every other month or so.

 

[DiFabio]

I don't play with any of mine and they're quickly turning to ____.

 

[iampoch]

I don't play with any of mine and they're quickly turning to ____.

I agree. The deterioration doesn't have anything to do with handling. I also agree with toyrewind completely.

I was initially thinking that they could've used sup-par materials because they're meant to be played with. But on second thought, I think the DCUC line of figures is targeted at collectors.

 

[DiFabio]

Well, with Mattel it seems what should take decades is happening in a matter of years/months.

A generation of plastic art objects are degrading like overused Tupperware. Can they be saved?

Degradation of Polymers
Topics Covered
Background
Plastics, Not as Long-Lasting as Once Thought
Recognition of Polymer Degradation
Deterioration of Acrylic Paintings and Pieces of Art
Impact on the Photographic Film Industry
Preserving Plastics Pieces in Museums
Factors Affecting Polymer Degradation
Preserving Plastics
Types of Polymer Degradation
Solutions to Polymer Degradation
Conclusion
Background
While the plastics industry searches for solutions to the problem of plastics waste, there is, surprisingly, a growing band of people trying to save plastics. The classic nightmare that we will all end up beneath a tide of plastics bottles and packaging is evaporating as plastics reveal that they are not the everlasting materials that we thought they were. Although the manufacturers of early ‘plastics’ such as horn buttons, Bois Durci paperweights or celluloid collars would be astonished to see how well many of their goods have survived, many other plastics have begun to show disturbing signs of instability. Every collection of plastics worldwide, from the Science Museum and Tate Gallery to the Comb & Plastics Museum in Oyonnax, has already lost or is losing unique and beautiful pieces through degradation.

AZoM - Metals, Ceramics, Polymer and Composites : Degradation of a celluloid Polymer

Figure 1. Degradation is clearly apparent from this 1930’s shoehorn made of celluloid.

Plastics, Not as Long-Lasting as Once Thought
The crucial fact is that plastics are organic and have been described as a time bomb ticking away since cellulose nitrate based plastics were invented around 130 years ago. It can of course be argued that manufacturers’ foremost intentions have never been to make beautiful objects for museums. However, museums have a duty to preserve their acquisitions. Two conferences on this subject have already been held in Britain during the first quarter of 1995. The tone of the second conference, organised by The National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh in April, was fatalistic but determined.

Recognition of Polymer Degradation
It was not until the late 1980s that attention was paid to the fact that plastics artefacts had been physically changing, showing signs of acid vapour, tackiness, warping, embrittlement and crazing. Cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate were particularly affected. By 1991 John Morgan of the Plastics Historical Society had collected enough data to write Conservation of Plastics -An Introduction, a joint PHS /Conservation Unit publication, and the Conservation Unit launched a survey to identify objects at risk with the aim of setting up a research programme. The survey included everything from radios and cables to textiles and sculptures.

Deterioration of Acrylic Paintings and Pieces of Art
By 1992 acrylic based paintings worth millions of pounds by leading artists of the 1960s including David Hockney and Jackson Pollock had begun to suffer discolouration, cracking and greyness due to the absorption of dust and atmospheric pollutants. These paints seemed particularly vulnerable. At room temperature they are relatively soft and attract dirt which becomes embedded. However, to date no method has been found of cleaning them.

Impact on the Photographic Film Industry
The photographic film industry was also badly hit when irreplaceable archive nitrate stock started to decompose. Today, the National Film Archive transfers cellulose nitrate and cellulose triacetate onto more stable polyester at the rate of a million metres a year.

Preserving Plastics Pieces in Museums
The PHS/CU survey unearthed some interesting facts. For example, 40% of museums surveyed contain plastics objects manufactured and collected since 1980, and modem plastics are also showing symptoms of decay. Polyurethane foam appears to be one of the worst victims, and many early video and audio tapes on magnetic media are already unplayable. The curator who has to supervise a collection of high-tech, mixed material products such as space suits is confronted with a conservation dilemma: which material deserves priority treatment when each separate plastic has different requirements?

Factors Affecting Polymer Degradation
The degradation of plastics can be said to begin as soon as the polymer is synthesised, and is increased by residual stresses left by moulding processes. This can be followed by exposure to light (especially UV), humidity, oxygen, heat, bacteria and stress. Plastics can also be contaminated by other materials, including other plastics. A polystyrene camera body, for example, can be attacked by plasticiser migrating from a PVC strap. Ideally the conservator needs information about the history of an object before prescribing treatment, but even before this, the plastics ‘doctor’ must jump another hurdle. Specific conservation action cannot be taken until the polymer has been identified, and this is a technical area full of pitfalls. A 1920s black brooch could be made of at least six different plastics materials, or simply painted as was common practice in the 19th century. Even a patent number, one of the few ‘hallmarks’ found on plastics and an obvious aid to identification, may refer to a fixing mechanism and not to the moulding.

Preserving Plastics
Derek Pullen, a conservator at the Tate Gallery, explains, ‘Plastics are giant molecules held together by forces which can be broken by attacking energy forces such as light. All the conservator can do is to keep mouldings in a very stable, low energy environment (the burial chambers of the Pyramids were ideal)’.

Types of Polymer Degradation
There are two main types of plastics degradation being researched at present: physical and chemical, and both are closely inter-connected. Physical degradation can involve environmental stress cracking and plasticiser migration and loss. Chemical reactions include oxidation and hydrolysis, and are a problem particularly affecting the cellulose esters (cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate), which emit acidic degradation products. If not removed, these catalyse further reactions and eventually cause serious crazing and total destruction of the object. If degrading cellulose esters are not isolated, the acidic fumes will infect similar objects stored close by and initiate degradation there.

Solutions to Polymer Degradation
As the recognition of polymer degradation improves, conservation guidelines are beginning to emerge. High-tech solutions which could help in theory are prohibitively expensive, but tailor made scavengers such as activated charcoal or Ageless help to create a low oxygen environment. Ageless is a reactive powdered iron and is normally used to prolong the shelf-life of dry foods by absorbing oxygen. Epoxidised soyabean oil (ESBO), has also been tested with encouraging results as an acid absorbing coating on degrading cellulose nitrate.

Conclusion
Compared to traditional materials with long established technologies such as metals and glass, the complex chemical nature of plastics is providing conservators with possibly their most formidable challenge yet.



Primary author: Sylvia Katz

Source: Materials World, Vol. pp. 377-78, August 1995.


For more information on this source please visit The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

Enjoy em while you can I guess.

 

[warlock664]

Toyguru,

As a solid supporter of Mattel products for 25+ years, I am writing to share my deepest disdain for the quality control issues with the Wave 2 Series of DC Universe Classics.

While this wave is indeed 2 years or so old, the quality issues were evident a month or so after the initial purchase. Yesterday evening as I happily added Negative Man and the GL 5 pack to my display shelves, I noticed that the deterioration of the plastic on every figure in that wave had worsened. Green Lantern, Sinestro, Nightwing, Robin, Deathstroke all display signs of irreversible deterioration in the plastic.

Just a slight correction: this was Wave 3 (Wave 2 had Aquaman, Harley, Firestorm, etc). And for what it's worth, I agree with you 100%. Every one of my Wave 3 DCUC figures has this deterioration - it's really noticeable on the predominantly black costumes of Nightwing, Robin and Sinestro. Thankfully, I haven't noticed the problem on any other waves of DCUC, though some of the older DC Superheroes figures (the Superman/Batman character-only precursor to DCUC) have the problem as well.

 

[MAV]

Steel, I really appreciated the post & I think that it is more than appropriate.

Pay no attention to the few Bichy Naysayers that have nothing better to do than dogpile on someone with obviously good intentions. Also, pay no attention to people who post crap like: "I only buy figures that cost $300, which means I have better taste & means than you, which means you deserve to have crappy quality because your figure only costs $15". Ignore that kinda tripe. As I said, there are those here who appreciate your well thought out post on this matter. A figure aimed at the adult market should not deteriorate in this way & certainly not this fast.

I do hope however that you did also post it on the Matty Message board & their facebook page as well. Even if they do delete it, you can bet that they read it.

 

[iampoch]

Steel, I really appreciated the post & I think that it is more than appropriate.

Pay no attention to the few Bichy Naysayers that have nothing better to do than dogpile on someone with obviously good intentions. Also, pay no attention to people who post crap like: "I only buy figures that cost $300, which means I have better taste & means than you, which means you deserve to have crappy quality because your figure only costs $15". Ignore that kinda tripe. As I said, there are those here who appreciate your well thought out post on this matter. A figure aimed at the adult market should not deteriorate in this way & certainly not this fast.

I do hope however that you did also post it on the Matty Message board & their facebook page as well. Even if they do delete it, you can bet that they read it.

Could this be a problem in a certain batch, or are all the Wave 3's affected by this?

 

[Merc]

I recently bought a Sinestro and Grundy BAF from this wave off eBay. I wish I'd heard about this problem before. I'd hate to find they were rotting on arrival