The DC sixth scale license...

[The Mike]

Mattel has already pretty much let the line go - have you walked down the action figure aisle in the last six months? The new GL product is the first DC product of any substance in a very long time.

I'm not really sure about that. At my local Wally World the DCUC is always picked clean, empty pegs. TRU usually has a great flow and my local Target never had a good amount of DCUC but the kid's stuff though has always been plenty.

While collectors might be enjoying DCUC, it's not a mass market line, and I doubt that WB is really that amused by what little Mattel has done with their stuff.

I don't know about that. DC/WB seems plenty amused by DC Direct's offerings over the past few years and they reach even less consumers than Mattel and let's not forget that WB licenses out verthing under the sun from figures, to pillows, to band-aids, hell I'm sure there is even a Justice League suppository out there so I doubt one little toy line means too much especially when the same characters are licensed out in the same scale to at least three other holders.

While there have been several good DC cartoons on the last couple years, including Batman Brave and the Bold and Young Justice, the product has been almost non-existent.

Young Justice stuff has yet to be released although Mattel is planning a whole slew of stuff in three different scales and Batman: Brave and Bold is all over my stores shelves in three different areas. I don't those as signs of anything.

And another point to consider - the Hobbit. I wouldn't be surprised if WB wants the same company handling the DC line and the upcoming Hobbit line, but whether that helps Mattel (theoretically a big company could do the line justice) or hurts them (again, they've pretty much failed with the DC property so far, whereas WB would have greater pull with a smaller company) remains to be seen.

I'm sure that The Hobbit will not effect any DC decisions, two different licenses that Mattel would have to go for regardless of past relationships with WB. We never saw Harry Potter DCD stuff and it's the same company, they licensing out had no effect on either. The Hobbit will effect only the Hobbit. I could easily see them giving the Hobbit license to another company all together and giving DCU to Mattel again without batting an eye.

Hey MC, will it be possible that DC Direct will continue making action figures while licensing out the statue areas to another companies? With what you are saying, seems like Mattel won't be doing action figures for DC and WB may need to go back to DC Direct?

They both already have the license for the same scales not to mention that DC Direct and Mattel are butting heads to date. The next line of DCUC figures is almost a direct match for a recent Blackest Night DCD wave. They make the same figures for the most part with each individual styling and while Matty stayed classic for the most part while DCD investigated the present, the latest line shows that even though Matty said no they wouldn't be treading on DCD's BN line, they obviously were given permission to do so in very close promixity. It's all money to WB, I'm sure they could give two ____s who is doing the toymaking. DC Direct's future may be in flux but they are announcing figures set to release in December along with Statues and Busts so they'll at least be in business until the end of the year...If Matty loses it and they for example just let DC Direct do the figures it'd be a worse business move than letting Matty continue as DCD is usually in speciality outlets and Matty is more mainstream offered.

And again, DCUCs can't really be a gauge of Mattel's interest in the aisles either. This line has primarily been for adults and really only widely available through online retailers once Mattel started selling block cases. To me, DCUCs and like Amused said, WBs has never seemed to really support the DC property.

Not to mention that at $15-$20 a pop depending on store that DCUC isn't Mattel's DDC bread and butter, it's the cheaper stuff that moms and pops are willing to grab during a trip to Wal-Mart or Target. Matty has even started offering some of the retail figures on their site directly competing with outlets which is leading to rumors that DCUC will become a Matty Site exclusive while the other kiddie stuff to clutter the aisles.

 

[thenammagazine]

I'm really more interested in what may come of the smaller figure license. I know lots of folks here aren't interested in those, but if you look at how much Mattel has backed off with the DC license the last couple years (outside of collector lines), it seems likely that they're letting it go. It will be interesting to see what happens...

I'm tired of Matty's "Kenner-era" articulation anyway. I have yet to see anything worth $8-$10 a pop out of Playmates, so hopefully they'd give it to Hasbro. Hasbro's really knocking it out of the park with their current Marvel line.

 

[Silent December]

I'm tired of Matty's "Kenner-era" articulation anyway. I have yet to see anything worth $8-$10 a pop out of Playmates, so hopefully they'd give it to Hasbro. Hasbro's really knocking it out of the park with their current Marvel line.

Sculpt wise, yes. Finding ONE with a semi-passable paint job? Good luck.

 

[Johnny Utah]

HT must be aware of this development...I remember years ago rumours of a Comic Masterpiece line with Marvel and DC being sought after.

 

[JohnnyT]

Is it possible for a mass-production company like Mattel or Hasbro to create the same level of craftsmanship as Hot Toys and still be profitable? Even though companies like Hot Toys are making money (they must be if they are still in business) are the earnings enough for Mattel or Hasbro-type companies to care?

 

[amusedjester]

I don't know if Hasbro is really doing that good of a job with marvel. I just cannot get into these small-er toys. I only have a few of these, and although I admit that I am amazed at the articulation at this scale, but the scale is off between characters. I have the modern thor compared with Cap and Thor makes Cap look like a teenager in height comparison. The only ones I followed on this line was the Ironmen lineup and that's only because I got bit by the Iron bug.
So small scale, bad paint jobs, price point, lack of interest in Marvel characters pretty much killed this line for me. Plus, I didn't like what Hasbro did to fans when the Legends line got switched from toybiz to hasbro, the slightly smaller scale from the original line really ticked me off something fierce.

 

[TheMadTitan]

I doubt very much that Sideshow would do sixth scale DC figures as well, not because of needing a new body or any other trivialities, but simply because even Sideshow knows that it's no longer their real strength. While it would be possible from a mechanics standpoint, and I raised the point to generate some discussion (which I have to admit has been very interesting), I suspect any Sideshow interest in DC would be around the PF's and replicas. Let's face it - that's Sideshow's current direction, and would be the obvious choice.

I must add VS Diorama too. Sideshow has done so many cool VS Diorama pieces like Hulk VS Spidey, Hulk vs Silver Surfer, Wolverine vs Sabretooth.. etc. If Sideshow gets a DC license, I hope they will make so many awesome DC VS dioramas like Superman VS Doomsday or Deathstroke VS Nightwing or Shazam vs Black Adam - many general VS Pieces that DC Direct should have done long time ago.

 

[wookster]

Lots of interesting stuff to absorb there. But I do know from a couple of good trusted sources that we should not give up on SS 1/6th, there is R+D going on as we speak.

 

[TheMadTitan]

Lots of interesting stuff to absorb there. But I do know from a couple of good trusted sources that we should not give up on SS 1/6th, there is R+D going on as we speak.

So Sideshow may be making us 1/6th scale DC figures? I would probably get all of them because I am a sixth scale fan! Especially for DC characters!

 

[thenammagazine]

So Sideshow may be making us 1/6th scale DC figures? I would probably get all of them because I am a sixth scale fan! Especially for DC characters!

The research in question is probably for the Star Wars and Joe line aka the only two lines they haven't yet canceled "officially" or otherwise.

 

[wookster]

I can honestly say I know nothing about the DC licence per se, it was more to do with a general improvment and continuation of the 1/6th legacy they have been part of.