Mattel DC Figures

Reno said:
Yes, for sure Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Wolverine sell --- but I'm the type of collector who only needs one version of any given character. I'm fine with those figures getting made over and over again to keep the lines alive so that I have a chance to get figures of characters that I really want - which is of those that I don't already have representation of. If they've ever been made in the 6"-7" scale over the past 25 years then quite frankly I probably don't need another one. It's only the characters that have never been made before that I have any real type of interest in. All I ask is that I'd like to see at least one character like that in every wave. There are tens of thousands of characters from both DC and Marvel that have never had action figure representation in that scale, and many of those have hundreds of comic appearances each, so not really all that obscure to comic book fans - just to the general public.
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Exactly. Great post.

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are probably the only three characters I'd want more than one figure of. I'd need Golden and Bronze Age figures of those three, for my JSA display and also my Satellite era JLA display.

I think with everyone else ... just give me the most iconic version of any other character and I can call it a day.
 
Frankly I think it's not Disco enough. Don't even talk to me until you've got fish in your shoes.
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Here’s the thing for me about King. I’m actually not a fan of any of his stuff other than Batman. And now Wonder Woman. The rest of his work generally makes my want to sit alone in a cold, dark room. His Batman run is one of my favorites. Period.

The numbers floating around the internet are that Energon line has sold 6M total copies. The Absolute line has sold over 8M. More Absolute titles have been announced this week. I’m certain that the Ultimates and Ghost Machine have contributed as well. During Covid and Diamond going out of business the number of comic shops in the USA dipped below 2,000. We’re now back to around 3,000. Encouraging news to say the least.

I saw a snippet of a podcast on Instagram featuring James Tynion IV. He was talking about analyzing sales data from the last year that points to a return of the monthly reader. Fewer people are trade waiting. They want their comics when they come out again. Reading stories in real time. James was very enthusiastic and it makes me feel very confident in the future of the comic business. DC has brought back Elseworlds. Some have been very good, matching up well with the classic Elseworlds stories. Vertigo has returned and the buzz is phenomenal. Next Level starts after K.O. in a few weeks and it’s apparently the same formula as the Absolutes. Mainstream characters, light on continuity, featuring Indie talent. With Scott Snyder and Josh Williamson as co-quarterbacks. This has been a methodical, slow, deliberate march by Jim Lee and Marie Javins starting a few days after Dan DiDio left DC. Enabled by the resignation of Pam Lifford who I don’t believe was a comic fan. But still in charge of DC. 🙄

These are the current conditions and the reason why I asked the question in the first place. Comics are going into a boom cycle and it doesn’t seem to be driven by speculation. Just good storytelling. Mattel clearly wanted in on the ground floor. Synergy with James Gunn is also clearly a factor.

Is that a signal that they think they can convert comic sales into toy sales?
 
Reno said:
OMG, I hate the costume. Todd put it in like 3 different lines in 2025, I think. I understand why it's historically important but I may hate that more than any other "popular" costume.
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I hear ya. I lived through the 70's and that era was the worst for fashion and music.

That said, I would love the Perez era Teen Titans. All of'em. Great book by a great writer and artist.
 
Atomic Knight said:
Also, they can get the rights to Rom, but can’t make Rocketeer? Doesn’t Disney own Rocketeer? C’mon now.
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I know this pages ago, but Disney absolutely DOES NOT own the Rocketeer.

Rocketeer is owned by a trust drafted by Dave Stevens and licenses the character out. IDW currently publishes Rocketeer comics. I assume Loose Collector licensed his figure from the trust.

But Disney and Marvel have no ownership or rights over the character.
 
Atomic Knight said:
Here’s the thing for me about King. I’m actually not a fan of any of his stuff other than Batman. And now Wonder Woman. The rest of his work generally makes my want to sit alone in a cold, dark room. His Batman run is one of my favorites. Period.
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I liked his Vision series. I thought that was amazing. I didn't care too much for Mr. Miracle. Ironically, that won a lot of awards. And yes, his Batman and Wonder Woman were and are amazing/

Atomic Knight said:
The numbers floating around the internet are that Energon line has sold 6M total copies. The Absolute line has sold over 8M. More Absolute titles have been announced this week. I’m certain that the Ultimates and Ghost Machine have contributed as well. During Covid and Diamond going out of business the number of comic shops in the USA dipped below 2,000. We’re now back to around 3,000. Encouraging news to say the least.

I saw a snippet of a podcast on Instagram featuring James Tynion IV. He was talking about analyzing sales data from the last year that points to a return of the monthly reader. Fewer people are trade waiting. They want their comics when they come out again. Reading stories in real time. James was very enthusiastic and it makes me feel very confident in the future of the comic business. DC has brought back Elseworlds. Some have been very good, matching up well with the classic Elseworlds stories. Vertigo has returned and the buzz is phenomenal. Next Level starts after K.O. in a few weeks and it’s apparently the same formula as the Absolutes. Mainstream characters, light on continuity, featuring Indie talent. With Scott Snyder and Josh Williamson as co-quarterbacks. This has been a methodical, slow, deliberate march by Jim Lee and Marie Javins starting a few days after Dan DiDio left DC. Enabled by the resignation of Pam Lifford who I don’t believe was a comic fan. But still in charge of DC. 🙄

These are the current conditions and the reason why I asked the question in the first place. Comics are going into a boom cycle and it doesn’t seem to be driven by speculation. Just good storytelling. Mattel clearly wanted in on the ground floor. Synergy with James Gunn is also clearly a factor.
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Yeah, my comic shop is packed on Wednesdays. It's hard to find a place to park sometimes. I love the crowd. And you know the best part? There's lots of young people in there. I really love seeing that.

There's a lot of young'uns at SDCC these days, too. Last year Mark Evanier hosted his annual "That 70's panel" and the room was packed. The best part? There were a lot of young people in there. I'm VERY gratified to see that. It gives me hope for the future.

Atomic Knight said:
Is that a signal that they think they can convert comic sales into toy sales?
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Of course they can. I mean, I don't know if I would buy an Absolute Batman. Maybe. I'd have to see it. Like I said, I really only need a Silver and Bronze Age Batman. But I'm not everyone. There's no doubt in my mind that Mattel can sell an Absolute Batman. And Superman. And Wonder Woman. And everything except maybe Absolute Brother Power The Geek. Yeah, they can do that.

And Hasbro makes comic based Marvel figures ALL THE TIME. They literally just showed an Aaron Davis Iron Spider figure at Toy Fair.

There's 149 days until SDCC.

(but I'm not counting)
 
SDcomics said:
I lived through the 70's and that era was the worst for fashion and MUSIC.
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MUSIC?!?
Whoa, now.
I’ll give you fashion, but MUSIC?!?
Bruh.
Zep.
Queen.
Sabbath.
Bowie.
ABBA.
The Runaways.
Elton John.
Stevie Wonder.
Aretha Franklin.
Al Green.
The beginnings of punk.
Funk, Soul, R&B, Disco.

Come on now: music was amazing in the 70s.
 
AceofKnaves said:
MUSIC?!?
Whoa, now.
I’ll give you fashion, but MUSIC?!?
Bruh.
Zep.
Queen.
Sabbath.
Bowie.
ABBA.
The Runaways.
Elton John.
Stevie Wonder.
Aretha Franklin.
Al Green.
The beginnings of punk.
Funk, Soul, R&B, Disco.

Come on now: music was amazing in the 70s.
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Straight up, I don't think we've had a decade where there wasn't amazing music happening throughout, but my God is there tons of great 70s music. I get that the worst 70s music is extraordinarily kitschy even by the standards of bad music, but the best is so good. If a decade can give you both Living for the City and the Blitzkrieg Bop, it's doing okay.

And as someone whose personal style in colder months defaults to, "Was Robert Redford wearing it in Three Days of the Condor? We're good," I'll go to bat for 70s fashion too. Rugged Ivy is timeless. Also, we're just not wearing enough turtlenecks these days. Somewhere, Roy Scheider is very disappointed.
 
"I Hate Myself and Want To Die" Comics reminds me of the name of my (sorta) local comic book shop from when I was a kid. It was called Zombie Planet. First time we went I was like 9, and my parents were like "We're gonna go to Zombie Planet!" I was so terrified by the name that I cried in the car for hours.

Regardless, I absolutely loathe the entire system American comics function under, crafted to be massively marketable material but first sold for exorbitant prices in what may as well be a secret club of weirdos. Comic shops will always have a place, but I really want the core of the system to change. One of my biggest dreams.
 
There was some great music and great movies in the 70's. (But Saturday Night Fever wasn't one of them. And thank you, Gard).

The comics were great. Only the 70's could give us Howard The Duck. There were a LOT of great comics in the Bronze Age, especially from Marvel.

As for the clothes ... ew. I remember them being way too tight. Even if people were in shape they looked ridiculous in them.

I mean, come on. Bell bottoms? Leisure suits? Mood rings? Platform shoes? Afros on white people?
 
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